A vow is a ceremonial oath, by which a person taking the offi ce pledges to abide by the social and national values named therein. In most cases, an oath may be taken with the additional sentence “So help me God”. It constitutes a specifi c part of the oath, as it is not obligatory, but refers to the sphere of religion, which in the modern states — including Poland — is separated from the sphere of state. The discussed words are one of the forms of expressing religious beliefs by public officials, serving to strengthen the state order with the values they represent. Of importance are regulations of the rights of churches and other religious organizations. The example of canon law in the Catholic Church proves that a reference to one’s own feelings and religious values does not result in the Church’s legal interference in the performance of state tasks, as canon law emphasizes primarily the moral dimension of the obligation to fulfil the pledged obligations, while the criminal law consequences under canon law are borne only by an oath made before a church offi cial and an oath the violation of which would cause general indignation.
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