Love to hear from and know who is listening
Every four years the U.S. president stands in front of the Capitol building and takes the oath of office, with their right hand raised and their left hand resting on a Bible. While oaths are found in all cultures around the world, some of the oldest oaths attested to in history are found in the stories of Abraham in the Old Testament. Genesis 12 details an oath between God and Abraham.
Genesis 12: 1-3 NIV The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
By the twelfth century, the practice of taking an oath on the Bible was common in English courts. From there, the practice was brought to America. George Washington was sworn in on a Bible that was “hastily grabbed” from a masonic lodge for the first U.S. presidential swearing-in ceremony in New York City. Since then, the choice of Bibles has become much more intentional. In a symbolic gesture, both President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump were sworn in on the Bible of Abraham Lincoln. When people in court swear an oath to God while using a Bible it reinforces Christianity in America. It's more than just a "privilege" for Christians that courts and our constitution incorporate Christian beliefs and text into legal procedures.
Sadly though Christianity in American is quickly fading into what is almost a distant memory. The American Bible Society revealed findings from its “State of the Bible” survey, which details Americans’ beliefs about the Bible, its role in society, its presence in U.S. homes and more. The annual “State of the Bible” 2012 survey, conducted by the Barna Group on behalf of American Bible Society, found the following facts: On average, 85 percent of U.S. households own a Bible. The average number of Bibles per household is 4. 36 percent of Americans read the Bible less than once a year or never, while only 33 percent read the Bible once a week. 79 percent believe they are knowledgeable about the Bible, but 54 percent were unable to correctly identify the first five books of the Bible. The survey also identified generational patterns as well. Younger adults are less likely to perceive the Bible as relevant and useful when compared with older adults. Sixty-two percent of adults age 66 and older believe the Bible contains everything a person needs to know about living a meaningful life, dropping to 54 percent among boomers, age 47 to 65 years, 44 percent among those age 28 to 46, and dropping even further to 34 percent for those age 18 to 27.
A Newsweek poll revealed that fewer people now think of the United States as a ‘Christian nation’ than did so when George W. Bush was president (62 percent in 2009 versus a measly 36 percent in 2020). Two thirds of the public now say religion is ‘losing influence’ in American society. Many conservative Christians believe they have lost the battles over issues such as abortion, school prayer and even same-sex marriage, and that the country has now entered a post-Christian phase.
John 16:13 NIV But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
And that is the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
