Gary's Reflections: Swearing “So help me God” is optional?

Not long ago a group of well-organized and funded atheists filed an official complaint at the US Air Force Academy saying that the phrase “so help me God” at the end of the Honor Oath was … illegal. They claim that the phrase being a part of an oath violates two parts of the Constitution, the 4th Amendment which guarantees the Freedom of Religion, and another section which says that there can be no religious test in government.

The Air Force considered their complaint, which the atheists said they would turn into a federal law suit if the Air Force did not comply, and decided that they would no longer make the phrase a requirement. In other words, cadets would have the option of simply not saying that part when taking the oath.

At last word, this did not satisfy the atheists. They claim that having the phrase in the oath at all is a violation of the law. They say that a cadet is welcome to add it when taking the oath on their own, but not the other way around.

These atheist bullies are wrong, and the Air Force is wrong for even trying to accommodate their complaint. The 4th Amendment guarantees your right to worship as you choose without fear of suppression or interference. It does not say that anyone has a right to not be offended by expressions of those beliefs.

The truth is that the government and the Federal Courts telling Christians they cannot display a Nativity Scene on publicly owned property (property that their tax dollars paid for and maintain) is interfering with their right to express their religion. That’s what is actually against the law.

However, our Federal Judges have, for the past decade or so, become increasingly paranoid about political correctness and have been handing down a lot of misinterpretations of the Constitution. Businesses and local government, in fear of being sued by the bullies, have often followed along. Some have gone so far as banning the phrase “Merry Christmas” and removing Christmas trees from City Halls. One school district last year went so far as to forbid children from giving each other Saint Valentine’s Day Cards in school –because it was a Christian tradition.

It’s insane, and it has to stop. Atheists represent less than 3% of the total US population. But they are making the other 97% walk on tip toes to avoid offending their anti-religious sentiments. They are destroying the free expression of religion and thereby destroying an important and historical part of the American Culture –A culture which is based on acceptance and inclusion, not intolerance and exclusion (especially when that exclusion means excluding the beliefs of the vast majority).

It has to be faced down and stopped. But it won’t be until we make it clear to our Federal Judges and our elected officials that they have far more to fear from our voting power than they do from the atheist minority. That won’t happen until we all get good and mad and stop being so damned apathetic about all this. So help me God.

This video is for Margaret: