Women In Community Service Inc.

SO HELP ME GOD

A Reflection on the Military Oath

(The following is written by Brian Bohlman, an armed forces chaplain and founder of The "So Help Me God" Project, Inc., who also wrote the book "So Help Me God: A Reflection on the Military Oath", Insight Publishing Group (ISBN:1-930027-72-9) To order a copy, visit www.SoHelpMeGod.org or check with your favorite bookstore. Distributed by the Federalist Patriot, ATS, POBox 462008, Garland, Texas 75046)

Many of America's Founding Fathers believed in Almighty God. These leaders sought Devine favor and blessing and acknowledged the work of Providence upon this great Nation. On April 30, 1789, America's first Commander-in-Chief, President George Washington, concluded his presidential oath of office by adding four words to form a most fitting and prayerful plea: "So help me God."

With the addition of "So help me God", Washington set a historical precedent that other U.S. presidents have since followed. During the Revolutionary War, the "So help me God" phrase became part of the official military oath. Since then, millions of servicemen and women have proudly raised their right hands, recited the military oath, and concluded by calling upon God to help them fulfill an awesome commitment to "bear true faith and allegiance" to America. There are different version of the military oath depending on duty status (active, reserve, or National Guard), and rank (enlisted or officer). However, all oaths for military personnel conclude with the phrase, "So help me God".

What is an oath?
In its simplest form, an oath is a promise. Yet more specifically, an oath is an agreement entered into whereby a person taking the oath openly and unreservedly appeals to God to witness what he or she has said and committed to do. In addition, the person taking the oath calls upon God to judge them and hold them accountable if what they said is false or if the commitment is not fulfilled. To lie after taking an oath is a serious and punishable offense called perjury.

God and Oaths . . .
From a spiritual prespective, oath-taking is a solemn and sacred act with explicit implications. Anyone who takes an oath has a tremendous responsibility to honor it before God and their fellow citizens. Scripture does not forbid the taking of an oath, especially a lawful oath such as the oath taken by members of the Armed Forces of the United States. The apostle Paul called upon God as his witness and bound himself by a oath.(1) Even God has bound Himself by an oath(2) Therefore, it is honorable to ask for God's help when taking a lawful oath to fulfill a commitment to America that may require you to lay down you life for freedom.

Why do military members take an oath?
In America today, true commitment and verbal integrity can be extremely hard to find. Commitments are made and commitments are broken every day. Can anyone be taken at his or her word anymore? Just who can be trusted to keep a promise, a vow, or an oath? Yet, when you swear or affirm to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, you are making a specific commitment that cannot be taken lightly. When you subscribe to the military oath, you reinforce your commitment to stand against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and if necessary, to make the ultimate sacrifice. Just pause and reflect upon the millions of service members who have placed their lives on the line for America since the founding of our nation. May we never forget that the blood of past American patriots has guaranteed our freedom today!

THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE

It is quite possible that some of you reading these words may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice in service to America. This is a very sobering thought. During periods of deployment, especially when conflict is imminent, the reality of death can weigh heavily on your mind, which leads me to ask the following questions: Are there really no atheists in foxholes? How can you be sure that you will spend eternity with God (the God that you swore your military oath to) whenever you die?
The psalmist said, 'God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble"(3) When our world was in great trouble and in need of refuge, God sent us the best help we could ever have when He gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, to make the ultimate sacrifice, dying for your sins and mine, Scripture says that, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."(4) "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."(5)

For personal reflection . . .
On one of the most important days of your life, you asked God for help when you took your military oath. If you have not entrusted your life to Him, you are neglecting the ultimate source of help available. Friend, ask God to forgive you of your sins and give you eternal life. Ask Him right now to save you, based on the finished work of Christ, and you can be certain that you will spend eternity with God when you die. May the "So help me God" phrase of your military oath become your daily prayer as you grow in Christian faith.

THE OATH

The following statements are included in all military oaths for enlisted members and officers:

"...I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegience to the same;"

(enlisted) "...I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God"(6)

(officers) "...I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I an about to enter, so help me God"(7)

Let it be simply asked, where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths...?"
George Washington , Farewell Address, Sept 19, 1796

Endnotes
1) Romans 1:9, 2) Hebrews 6:13, 3) Psalm 46:1, 4) John 15:13, 5) John 3:16, 6) 10 USC Sec.502, 7) 5 USC Sec.3331

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