[loveliberty2]

One point which has been made by posters to this thread relates to the Constitution's requirement of Oaths of office.

Perhaps this is a good time to highlight the Framers' true intent and significance of an Oath. Clearly, such an Oath presupposes a Sovereign whose law is above human law. That is an important concept for rising generations to consider and to understand.

In the Year 1876, a Black Minister, historian, and Ohio State Legislator was invited to speak on the occasion of a celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

In that "Centennial Thanksgiving Sermon" delivered by the Rev. Benjamin W. Arnett at St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Urbana, Ohio, Arnett traced the histories of nations and the ideas history underlying our Declaration and Constitution, documenting his remarks about America's Christian foundations with quotations from Founders, Presidents, and Supreme Court Justices, as well as the Constitutions of the States.

Of the Oath of Office, he said:

"Oaths and affirmations are appeals to God, by him who makes them, that what he has said, or what he shall say, is the truth. It is the most solemn form under which one can assert or pronounce anything, and its violation is a crime of the darkest hue; one which God has declared he will punish; one that is made infamous and punishable by fine and imprisonment, by the laws of the land. Thus Christian obligation is required of every officer of the general Government, who fills any position of trust, honor or emolument. Many reports are required in the form and shape of affidavits."

Every lover of liberty should read all of this remarkable Sermon whose theme is "Righteousness Exalteth a Nation, but Sin is a Reproach to Any Nation."

Here is a link through which, by clicking on Arnett's name, anyone may access and read a full text version.

[Yosemitest]

"Rev. Benjamin W. Arnett ... Of the Oath of Office, he said:

'Oaths and affirmations are appeals TO God,
by him who makes them,
that what he has said, or what he shall say, is the truth.
It is the most solemn form under which one can assert or pronounce anything,
and its violation is a crime of the darkest hue;
one which God has declared He will punish;
one that is made infamous and punishable by fine and imprisonment, by the laws of the land.
Thus Christian obligation is REQUIRED of every officer of the general Government, who fills ANY position of trust, honor or emolument.
Many reports are required in the form and shape of affidavits.' "

Very well said, but WHO is enforcing it today?

Remember:

"It is not enough in a situation of trust in the commonwealth, that a man means well to his country;
it is not enough that in his single person he never did an evil act,
but always voted according to his conscience,
and even harangued against every design which he apprehended to be prejudicial to the interests of his country.
This innoxious and ineffectual character, that seems formed upon a plan of apology and disculpation,
falls miserably short of the mark of public duty.
That duty demands and requires that what is right should not only be made known, but made prevalent;
that what is evil should not only be detected, but defeated.
When the public man omits to put himself in a situation of doing his duty with effect
it is an omission that frustrates the purposes of his trust almost as much as if he had formally betrayed it.
It is surely no very rational account of a man's life, that he has always acted right
but has taken special care to act in such a manner that his endeavours could not possibly be productive of any consequence."

Edmund Burke