this post was submitted on 16 Apr 2026
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[–] zewm@lemmy.world 88 points 19 hours ago (3 children)

Separation of a church and state or nah? How is this allowed?

[–] baggachipz@sh.itjust.works 47 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

That went out the window long ago

[–] eatCasserole@lemmy.world 15 points 19 hours ago (3 children)

Was it ever really a thing though [in the US]? Like aren't presidents sworn in on a Bible or something? And it says something about God on the money? And the pledge of allegiance? (The USA is a cult, btw)

[–] sobchak@programming.dev 9 points 9 hours ago

Before the Civil War, there was more separation. Things really started going out of wack in the 1950s (that's when "God" was printed on paper money). The swearing on the bible thing is a tradition from England. At US's founding 17% of the population were church members. In the the 1950s, 70% were. Now it's < 50%.

[–] lightnsfw@reddthat.com 5 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Presidents can be sworn in on whatever they want. At least one has used something else, although I don't recall who or what it was.

[–] XeroxCool@lemmy.world 5 points 12 hours ago

John Quincy Adams chose "The Volume of Laws" in 1825. Teddy Roosevelt had nothing right after McKinley's assassination in 1901. The only other oddball I see is Lyndon B Johnson used the closest prayer book after JFK's assassination

[–] baggachipz@sh.itjust.works 24 points 19 hours ago

That all changed during the “Red Scare” in the 1950’s. Swearing in on a bible is optional and lower offices have used e.g. a Quran in the past.

[–] village604@adultswim.fan 19 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Well, it's technically not part of any religion since it's a verse from a movie.

[–] MnemonicBump@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 17 hours ago

Are you telling me that Tarantino fans aren't a religion?

[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 5 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago)

Technically illegal, but the people whose job it is to enforce it are Christofascists, so this is the result.