Bid to ban God from inauguration

President-elect Barack Obama wants to end his inaugural oath with the words "so help me God" but a group of atheists is asking a US federal judge to stop him.

Atheists bid to remove reference to God from presidential inauguration Atheists bid to remove reference to God from presidential inauguration

California atheist Michael Newdow sued Chief Justice John Roberts in federal court for an injunction to bar the use of those words in the inaugural oath.

Mr Newdow and other atheists and agnostics also want to stop the use of prayers during the inaugural celebration.

Mr Newdow, who lost a Supreme Court battle to get the words "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, an unofficial affirmation of fealty to the US flag said at many public occasions, has failed in similar challenges to the use of religious words and prayers at President George Bush's inaugurations.

The oath dictated by the constitution is 35 words long. It reads: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

The National Archives says that George Washington added the words "so help me God" when he took the oath at his 1789 inaugural, and most presidents have used it since.

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