Atheists ask Obama to dispense with God, Bible during Presidential Oath

Following his re-election, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has posted an open letter to President Obama, asking him to reject the politics of religion.

"You are not beholden to any future constituency," wrote FFRF attorney Andrew L. Seidel. "This term is a chance to do something that no president in recent memory has done: reach out to secular Americans. In the past, that might have been politically costly, but this recent election shows that it will be politically costly not to reach out to secular America. We are the future. Use this second term to build a legacy by rejecting the way this country politicizes religion."

Although the Constitution, which prescribes the oath in Article 2, Section. 1, doesn't contain the phrase, “so help me God,” or even require the use of a Bible, the tradition of swearing an oath to God upon that book dates back to George Washington.

However, on its website, FFRF claimed that since secular Americans were the fastest growing demographic, it's high time politicians stop pandering to the religious and started pandering to them.

"'The 'so help me God' tradition violates the Constitution in the act of promising to uphold it," said Seidel. "The ritual alienates the demographic that elected officials must rely on in the coming years …"

"The final tribal allegiance that must dissolve is not sex, or race, or sexual orientation. It is religion. Private citizens are free to maintain that allegiance if they choose, but it is time our government abandoned it …" WorthyNews