Official Swearing In Ceremonies

[John81]

As reported on Fox News, U.S. officials are increasingly being sworn in on tablets rather than on a print Bible.

 

Some, including a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, don't believe a Kindle or iPad carry the same respect as a print version of the Bible and therefor denounce this trend.

 

Is this another means of shunning the Bible, out of sight out of mind trick under the cover of simply saying one is just using modern technology? Or is this a matter of practical ease?

 

Does the tablet have to be turned on with some portion of the Bible on screen or does it count if the tablet is off or some other application is on the screen?

 

Thoughts?

[beameup]

Suppose the Koran is on the hard drive?

[EKSmith]

The Bible can Never be Replaced for any reason it's God's Holly Word and it never changes nor does God.

 

Thanks Brother John for the Post it's good to know there are brothers and sisters to inform others of such things happening

 

God bless 

[Miss Daisy]

We have a few in our church who use a Kindle for the Bible or their phones. I understand if one is needed for visual prOBlems but that's it. How will we learn order of books if all they have to do is type in verse pastor is using? I can highlight my paper Bible, I can write tiny notes in it, and other verses to refer to that relate to that verse. It looks bad also I think, how do others know they're not playing a game or texting? The visual view of a visitor should be that of members flipping thru Bible looking for pastor's verse and the audio of rustling tissue paper as the pages are turned. Holding the Bible and honoring the reverence of taking care of it is important to a believer.

[Alimantado]

Given that this is a ceremony and is therefore supposed to be highly visual, not using a paper Bible, which is the most OBvious, identifiable and symbolic format, just seems silly.

 

On the other hand, I don't agree with the whole 'respect' thing. The reason we've come to use printed codex Bibles is because they are cheap and portable, not because the format is more reverent than, say, hand-written scrolls.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Officials shouldn't swear in ceremonies or at any other event.

Nothing wrong with carrying an electronic Bible to Church.

[John81]

I think the respect factor comes in the form of a print Bible being just the Bible, being the Word of God in hand; which would apply whether it were still printed on scrolls today or bound as a book. There is a measure of respect involved when some see a print Bible because they easily recognize it as the Word of God.

 

On the other hand, a tablet is a generic device used for many different things, capable of displaying the words from the Bible, a romance novel, a work of perversion and false religion texts; as well as mundane things such as games and recipes. When one sees a tablet they have no instant thought of respect or thoughts of the Word of God.

 

I believe that's the difference being brought up. It's not a matter of what medium one is reading the Word from, but in the context I mention above.

 

Further along, as Miss Daisy mentions, when folks are seen with a Bible in hand, when they have their Bible open and are reading, folks generally recognize what they have, what they are reading and what it represents. If someone is seen looking at a tablet or smart phone, unless one is close enough to see what is on the screen, that person could be looking at or doing a myriad of things other than reading the Bible.

 

A couple years ago or so a family visited our church. The teen son got is smart phone out as if to access the Bible but then proceeded to place the smart phone out of view of his parents. Throughout the rest of the service it seemed he was checking out other things, texting and who knows what else.

 

If a person needs to read the Bible on a tablet for visual reasons, I understand and I have no prOBlem with that. Our church finally installed a retractable screen and video equipment so we are able to put the hymns and Scripture in big letters on the screen for the help of our many elderly folks who can no longer see the print in the hymnals or print Bibles.

 

Myself, even with the Scripture text on the screen, I still open my Bible and read from there as the pastor reads the text. More and more it seems the only ones who actually carry a Bible with them are those who also attend the Sunday school. We have about three people in our Sunday school who use a tablet or smart phone to access the Bible for class, otherwise everyone else has a print Bible, and there are several pew Bibles available for guests or anyone who may have forgotten their Bible that day.

 

In a public ceremony, where image is very important, I think an OBvious Bible should be used as one pledges to carry out their duties.

 

As for church and other general matters, much of that is a matter of personal choice. This is where each person should examine their heart to see why they carry/use what they do. Are they carrying a tablet or smart phone because they don't want to be seen carrying an actual Bible? Are they carrying a Bible just because they want others to see them carrying a Bible? Is the tech Bible app simply the best format for them so they use it? Is the print Bible the best for their needs? If our heart is right before God in which we are using, then we are doing well. If not, then we need to correct that.

[Ukulelemike]

Hope there's no porn on them hard drive-though being politicians, it may be more appropriate for them to swear in on porn than the Bible...

 

 

Sorry, don't mean to be crude.

[John81]

Some already openly mock the Bible and Christianity so if it hasn't happened already, it would be no surprise for one to have something sinful on their tablet as they put their hand on it and take the oath of office. Doing this as a mocking to and slap in the face of Christianity would win them even further support in some circles.

[ThePilgrim]

There will be no bible there.  The bible is a bound book that has paper pages and a cover.  Even though it may or may not contain a digital copy of such, an electronic gadget is not a bible.

The purpose of the whole thing is to get the bible out of all government ceremonies, plain and simple.    

 

God bless,

Larry

[DaveW]

Swearing on the Bible is a symbolic thing.
The Bible may very well be on that tablet etc but the symbolism is lost, and that is the point.
A physical copy of the Bible is just ink on paper - but it is what is represented......

[ThePilgrim]

Swearing on the Bible is a symbolic thing.
The Bible may very well be on that tablet etc but the symbolism is lost, and that is the point.
A physical copy of the Bible is just ink on paper - but it is what is represented...

If a real bible is not visible to those watching the ceremony the ceremony means nothing.  If we have come to the day when a digital facsimile of whatever can represent the bible in a solemn ceremony then the oath means nothing.  I don't think oaths mean much if anything to most of these people anyway so it prOBably doesn't matter anyway.  If God is not real to a man then the man's oath is not real either, it is an abomination.

 

God bless,

Larry

[DaveW]

If a real bible is not visible to those watching the ceremony the ceremony means nothing. If we have come to the day when a digital facsimile of whatever can represent the bible in a solemn ceremony then the oath means nothing. I don't think oaths mean much if anything to most of these people anyway so it prOBably doesn't matter anyway. If God is not real to a man then the man's oath is not real either, it is an abomination.

God bless,
Larry

Preeeeeeeeecisely.
On all points.

Over here you can take an oath of promise instead in a court of law - or on the quran, etc.

In some ways it is preferable, for if an atheist swears on the Bible he doesn't believe is God's Word, will he tell the truth?

I am not for removing the Bible, but I have often wondered about that......

But if you swear on the Bible, everyone should be able to see it is a Bible.

[Miss Daisy]

I'm known in my apartment complex as the "church lady" or the nun(?). I found this out only recently as I have never really spoken much to most other tenants in other buildings. A few when inviting people to church or door to door, leaving special event fliers on doors, etc. When I found this out I asked her why they said that and was basically told I'm always in dresses, they see me leave dressed up, BIBLE IN HAND, leaving out of my garage (garage doors are loud and visible to most buildings) every Sunday morning and night and Wed night. (of course, I invited her to church and tried to talk to her about God). She's mostly avoided me since.

 

My point is visual perception is 100% what others who haven't spoken to you use as their impression of you.

 

SFIC, visual impairment to NEED an electronic Bible is the exception to the rule, most who use them are not.

[John81]

In my early 20s where I worked many called me "preacher" because I would spend my dinner break in my truck reading by Bible. It was an old truck actually made of metal so my truck dash had Christian magnets all over it and I had a big cross hanging from my mirror. I would often relate things to God or something from Scripture and sometimes folks would ask what that has to do with anything and I would tell them. They also noticed I didn't cuss, smoke or drink and that really stood out since virtually everyone else did.

 

No doubt, how we live our lives is seen by many, and we may never know how many folks are impacted by our example of dress, carrying a Bible, our mannerism, speech, the places we go (and don't go) and the like.

 

One of the best compliments I've ever received was from a radical black muslim who said he had watched me for a long time before he ever spoke to me. He said I lived what I spoke. He would come and ask me things, trying to poke holes in Christianity, and he said he was impressed that I always had an answer from the Bible for whatever he brought up. While he never turned from his false religion, he did say he respected me because unlike most Christians (according to him) I actually knew what the Bible said and lived it.