Oath

Oath. Hmmmm. So what comes to mind when I think of the word oath? Well I first think of witnesses in court who are being sworn in under oath which means they are leagally obligated to tell the truth. Then I think of service men and women who take oaths for things like to protect and serve. I also think about weddings since when the bride and groom are saying their vowes, they are taking an oath to each other that they will love honor and obey till death do they part. So what is an oath? What does it mean? Well, I could give a dictionary definition of oath, but I'm pretty sure most of us could find that on their own. So it goes a bit deeper if I tell you what I think an oath is and why they are so vital and important. If you think about it, an oath is nothing more than a verbal promise. If you take an oath, chances are it isn't sealed in blood, it is only as valid as the person who is speaking the oath. That means it becomes a bit of a cycle. If you are an honest person who follows through on their promises, then the oath you take has validity and it will be honored and respected however if the person taking an oath is dishonest, the oath has no backing to it. Basically to put it as plainly as possible, an oath is only as valid as your word. It is your word. It is a promise you make to a group of people or just one other person or maybe yourself.

Whats the difference between an oath and a verbal agreement? That is a tough one, but if I think an oath is built off tradition. Having a verbal agreement that says I'll pay you $1500 on the 16th of May is a set schedule whereas an oath is something that is a promise for a lifetime. One thing that everyone in this class has in common is that we all took an oath. We all made some sort of verbal agreement that is for life. The same oath that every other person who has gone before us has taken. An oath is built off tradition. It's an agreement that shows the values of a person or the organization. It is backed entirely by a persons character and it's something that the individual is responsible for and only that individual. Oaths are unique and each of our oaths were unique, yet essential and important and it is up to us as individuals to uphold. Oaths are what seperate us from each other and its what sets us apart from other organizations. We need them to keep us in tune with the values of our organizations.