Wolfman

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 25 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, will use a Quran once owned by Thomas Jefferson during his ceremonial swearing-in Thursday.

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The chief of the Library of Congress' rare book and special collections division, Mark Dimunation, will walk the Quran across the street to the Capitol and then walk it back after the ceremony.

Ellison, D-Minn., contacted the library about the book last month, Dimunation said.

Some critics have argued that only a Bible should be used for the swearing-in. Last month, Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode (news, bio, voting record), R-Va., warned that unless immigration is tightened, "many more Muslims" will be elected and follow Ellison's lead. Ellison was born in Detroit and converted to Islam in college.

Ellison spokesman Rick Jauert said the new congressman "wants this to be a special day, and using Thomas Jefferson's Quran makes it even more special."

"Jefferson's Quran dates religious tolerance to the founders of our country," he added.

An English translation of the Arabic, it was published in 1764 in London, a later printing of one originally published in 1734.

"This is considered the text that shaped Europe's understanding of the Quran," Dimunation said.

It was acquired in 1815 as part of a 6,400-volume collection that Jefferson sold for $24,000, to replace the congressional library that had been burned by British troops the year before, in the War of 1812.

"It was a real bargain," Dimunation said.


I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS!!! only THE BIBLE
and not the halfly corrupt Quran shall be used
you are making God angry and he shall strike with a Vengeance

p.s.from Gabriel the Angel

george.d

He'll go down in history for that event. And he did it in style, using Jefferson's
Quran published in 1764. I'd imagine the fundies are in shock.

__________________
These are my principles. If you don't like them I have others. ~Groucho Marx~

Daewoo

First, I agree with George. Using Jefferson Quran shows some serious class. Hopefully that will shut some people up.

I can't believe how much ranting has gone on about this. The entire point of swearing on the bible is that you are supposed to be swearing on something that MEANS something to you. If you are not a christian, you may as well swear on a roll of toilet paper as swear on the bible. It is meaningless.

This guy is muslim, and wants to swear on somethin that means something to him, so he is using a quran. IMO it shows a certain amount of integrity that he did not want to start his first term in congress with a farce. If people want to be outraged, they can be outraged at all the athiests over the years that have sworn on the bible at their swearing in ceremony. They used the bible as a prop to raise public support.

The objections to this are completely illogical.

Scribbler1

There is no requirement in the Constitution to swear on the Bible or anything else. If he wants to use HIS "bible" then why not? If Joseph Leiberman decided to take his oath of office on the Torah it wouldn't make a bit of difference.

__________________
Not a day goes by that I don't see something that reinforces my belief that people are idiots.

Wolfman

Thomas Jefferson the 3rd president didn't even have a quran as there was no muslims in America

Brother Oz

I've got a copy of Mein Kampf but there aren't any Nazis in Britain. Just because there were no Muslims in America doesn't mean he couldn't have one, after all it's a very significant book.

If I was elected to the American Congress I'd ask to not have to swear on the Bible. If asked why, I'd show them the Bible verse where Jesus says that we should not swear on or by things, we should just "let your yes be your yes and your no be your no."

__________________
... I am surprised at your insolence in writing to me at all. You know, as I know, that I bought this constituency... may God's curse light upon you and may it make your women as open and as free to the excise officers as your wives and daughters have always been to me while I have represented your scoundrel corporation.
I have the honour to be... your obliged humble servant, Anthony Henley
- MPs reply to constituent, mid 1700s

FRYandBENDER

I've thought about it for a while and I think that he should be able to swear on anything he wants. I was leary at first, but this sort of thing, after all, is what makes America, America.

__________________
Neither am I the means to any end others may wish to accomplish. I am not a tool for their use. I am not a servant of their needs. I am not a bandage for their wounds. I am not a sacrifice on their altars. ... I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask no one to live for me, nor do I live for others. I covet no mans soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet.

Ayn Rand, Anthem.

Common insult examples and how to avoid them

george.d

His Quran was part of his personal 6500 book collection he sold to the Library of Congress in 1815. Think about the size of that collection in that era.

Jefferson, known as one of the most brilliant men of his era, traveled between the US and Europe, was well educated, widely read, and, considering his position, would have seemingly been knowledgeable in most belief systems. The US was established to achieve freedom of religion.

__________________
These are my principles. If you don't like them I have others. ~Groucho Marx~

Otter

I was raised Quaker, so this is familliar to me- we've historically gotten in trouble for (among other things) refusing to take oaths for that very reason. After all, if you have to swear on something to tell the truth, dosen't that imply that you are not reliably truthful the rest of the time?

__________________
And I shall go as an Otter lank
and harry thee close from bank to bank
And I shall go in the Lady's name
all to bring thee home again

top gun

He still had a Quran though.
And you don't swear on anything in the official ceremony. All the new members just hold up their hands together and are sworn in by the speaker. The Bible, Quran, "whatever" ceremony is a photo op thing. It's not the real swearing in.