<P> 8 C.F.R. 337.1 provides that the phrase "so help me God" is optional and that the words' on oath' can be substituted with' and solemnly affirm' . </P> <P> 8 U.S.C. § 1448 provides that if the prospective citizen is unable or unwilling to promise to bear arms or perform noncombatant military service because of "religious training and belief", they may request to leave out those clauses . The law specifies: </P> <P> The term "religious training and belief" as used in this section shall mean an individual's belief in a relation to a Supreme Being involving duties superior to those arising from any human relation, but does not include essentially political, sociological, or philosophical views or a merely personal moral code . </P> <P> Qualifying for this exemption may require supporting documentation from the applicant's religious organization . The applicant is not required to belong to a specific religious group, but must have "a sincere and meaningful belief that has a place in the applicant's life that is equivalent to that of a religious belief". </P>

When is the oath of allegiance for new citizens taken