Swearing an Oath may very well be taken for granted in this day and age. People go into court and place their hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I myself, would prefer to affirm that I am telling the truth instead of swearing.
I consider swearing an oath as a binding promise. If I swear an oath I would intend to keep it. I swore an oath to my wife fifty years ago this past June and we both have kept it. It has been bound in love and loyalty and steeled by the forge of mutual experience. As far as I know that is the only oath of mutual fealty I have ever sworn.
Soldiers swear an oath to serve their country. There is, as far as I know, no expiration on that oath. Soldiers have died by the millions in fulfilment of their oath. One could certainly say they took their oath seriously. Remember to tell them thank you the next time you see one of them. Remember doubly to tell the soldiers from my Daddy’s era, World War II, as they are almost gone from this Earth and soon will all be gone.
People swear Oaths when taking public office, and many of them know while they are speaking the words that they do not intend to couple their actions to their oaths. I feel that if there is one God, then God will be very unhappy with these people. If there are many Gods, they will all abhor these liars, and if there are no Gods then men with true hearts will despise a breaker of their oaths, and the Universe itself will not receive them.
My Dad always told me that a man is only as good as his word. Remember that when you give yours. If you don’t intend to keep it, just keep your mouth shut.
Writing for Sanity's Sake 