An oath is defined as a solemn, usually a formal calling upon God or a God to witness to the truth of what one says or to witness that one sincerely intends to do what one says.
Australian Red Cross Bloody Oath
“I hereby swear to be the lifeblood of Australia.
Of community and country.
To give what I can, as often as I can.
Even when I don’t feel like it. Or if I’m scared.
And if I give excuses, don’t take them.
Hold me to my word.
Because Australia needs me.
To give hope.
To give joy.
Give second chances.
To give life.
Do I promise to be a blood donor?
Bloody Oath, I do.”
www.lifeblood.com.au
There is something off with the Red Cross marketing campaign about taking a bloody oath to donate blood, especially after the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination drive. I personally would not be giving or receiving blood at the moment.
American Red Cross: Vaccinated people cannot donate blood, because the vaccine completely destroys their natural antibodies.
What is an oath of allegiance?
An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject acknowledges a duty of allegiance an swears loyalty to monarch or country.
In Australia, an Oath of Allegiance are required to be made to the monarch of Australia. Oaths of Allegiance are usually made on a bible. Note that this oath is not the same as the Australian Citizenship Pledge which is required to be made when being naturalized as an Australian citizen.
The Australian Citizenship Pledge
Pledge 1
From this time forward, under God,
I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people,
whose democratic beliefs I share,
whose rights and liberties I respect, and
whose laws I will uphold and obey.
Pledge 2
From this time forward,
I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people,
whose democratic beliefs I share,
whose rights and liberties I respect, and
whose laws I will uphold and obey.
The etymology definition of a pledge is a “solemn promise, one’s word given”.
A Pledge is legally defined as a deposit of personal property by way of security for the performance of another act under contract. Are AUSTRALIAN CITIZENS pledging their loyalty to the Corporate Commonwealth of Australia or to the Norflok Island, the Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands? Either way in a legal sense the CITIZEN PLEDGE means that you are acting a security instrument for the CORPORATION debt!
ACTS INTERPRETATION ACT 1901 – SECT 2B “Australia” means the Commonwealth of Australia.
and, when used in a geographical sense, includes Norfolk Island, the Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, but does not include any other external Territory.
Constitutional Oath
In 1901 the first Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Earl of Hopetoun, swore three oaths: an oath of allegiance, an official oath and a judicial oath. These oaths were:
Oath of Allegiance
I, John Adrian Louis, Earl of Hopetoun, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, Her Heirs and Successors according to law. So help me, God.
Official Oath
I, John Adrian Louis, Earl of Hopetoun, do swear that I will well and truly serve Her Majesty Queen Victoria in the Office of Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. So help me, God.
Judicial Oath
I, John Adrian Louis, Earl of Hopetoun, do swear that I will well and truly serve Our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria in the Office of Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, and that I will do right to all manner of people after the Laws and usages of this Commonwealth, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. So help me, God.
National Archives of Australia, A6661, 146, Governor-General, Oaths of Office, pp. 40-43. Following the death of Queen Victoria, Hopetoun was re-sworn on 6 April 1901, swearing allegiance to King Edward VII.
Advice from the Attorney-General’s Department in 1963 has confirmed that members making the oath of allegiance are not bound to use the authorised version of the Bible:
The oath of allegiance need not necessarily be made on the authorised version of the Bible, although this has been the common practice. A Member may recite the oath while holding another form of Christian holy book, or, in respect of a non-Christian faith, a book or work of such a nature. The essential requirement is that every Member taking an oath should take it in a manner which affects his or her conscience regardless of whether a holy book is used or not.
Quoted in House of Representatives Practice, Ibid., the Attorney-General’s Department advice is dated 16 February 1962.
The most recent suggestion to change the oath and affirmation was included in the 2001 House of Representatives Procedure Committee report on its inquiry into procedures for the opening of Parliament. The Committee recommended that:
… the form of the oath and affirmation of allegiance taken by Members and Senators be reviewed with a view to including recognition of the people of Australia and that a proposed new form be put to the people in a referendum.
The Committee did not include a form of words but suggested that:
Any review might initially consider the versions passed by both Houses (but not approved at referendum) in the Constitution Alteration (Establishment of Republic) Bill 1999 resulting from the 1998 Constitutional Convention.
The Constitution Alteration (Establishment of Republic) Bill 1999 contained the following oath and affirmation for members of Parliament:
Oath
Under God I swear that I will be loyal to the Commonwealth of Australia and the Australian people, whose laws I will uphold.
Affirmation
I solemnly and sincerely affirm that I will be loyal to the Commonwealth of Australia and the Australian people, whose laws I will uphold.
The Government did not accept the Committee’s recommendations.
Hebrews 6:13-20
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
14 saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18 that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19 which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20 whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
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