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Only a matter of time before candidates take no oath of office at all, claiming it's a violation of their civil rights.

Under Article VI of the Constitution, Congressmen and other office holders need not take an oath of office at all - they can instead affirm their support of the Constitution of the United States. This is because even in the 1780s, some religious folks (most notably, Quakers) refused to swear an oath to God. The Framers created an out for them.

There also cannot be any religious test for holding office under Article VI.

Like it or not, Ellison was elected by his constituents and can swear his oath of office - or give his affirmation instead - on whatever book he wants (or no book at all). The Constitution allows it, and there's nothing you can do about it, short of moving to his congressional district and voting against Ellison in 2008. That's what the Framers intended.

In fact, House members are sworn in on the House floor en masse with their right hands raised and left hand on nothing. Anything else is just a photo-op taken in the Speaker's Office after the real swearing-in has occurred.