Christensen had made a pledge to God not to work on Sundays, and a pledge to his family not to work on Saturdays and to be home during the week early enough for dinner and to play ball with the kids while it was still light.
"We in Hamas hold the Zionist enemy responsible for the criminal assassination of our brother, and we pledge to God and to the blood of the martyrs and to our people to continue his path of jihad and martyrdom," Hamas said in a statement on one of its websites.
Secular groups have campaigned for change, highlighting cases such as that of 11-year-old George Pratt, who had been scouting for almost a year but was unable to join when officially invited as he felt unable to make a pledge to God.
I pledge to God and family".
"We pledge to God that we will immerse in the enemies of God," several men shouted, repeating after a commander who exhorted them to enter Kirkuk and "not turn or run away until God conquers through us, or we die".
According to al Qaeda's burbling nut-job "leader" Ayman al-Zawahiri, in an audio recording released last weekend (though recorded in June), the next, somewhat implausible, target is Guantanamo Bay: "We pledge to God that we will spare no effort to free all our prisoners," the recording said, going on to list a number of Gitmo inmates.
According to al-Qaeda's burbling nutjob "leader" Ayman al-Zawahiri, in an audio recording released at the weekend (though recorded in June), the next, somewhat implausible, target is Guantanamo bay: "We pledge to God that we will spare no effort to free all our prisoners", the recording said, going on to list a number of Gitmo inmates.
The Romans, however, made pledges to the gods.
"What's the difference?" "Pledge is to God, affirm is to the queen".
The top national leaders of the Boy Scouts, who pledge fealty to God and country, had urged the change in the face of vehement opposition from conservative parents and volunteers, some of whom said they would quit the organization.
