and nothing but the truth, so help you God" after you place your hand on a Bible in a courtroom? just curious?
2006-08-17 11:45:08 · 26 answers · asked by Nikki 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
There is no such thing as a atheist its just a word people use to say they dont know which god to believe in , but one thing about them they sure do love reading the WORD OF GOD
2006-08-17 11:52:04 · answer #1 · answered by Terry S 5 · 0⤊ 9⤋
Atheists don't swear on a bible for precisely this reason - we are not hypocrites. In the UK we can affirm that we will tell the truth, because the important factor is not whether or not a god is watching, but whether we respect the legal process.
If Americans don't have this privilege, then the constitutional separation between church and state has some work to do.
Terry S appears to know so little, someone needs to take the bolt off his door and put the blinds up in his room - he clearly hasn't been out of the house for most of his life.
2006-08-17 23:06:37 · answer #2 · answered by Bad Liberal 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They no longer make you swear on the Bible, or say "so help you God". They just make you hold your right hand up and say "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"
Honorable people would take any oath seriously regardless of religion or lack thereof. Even a dishonorable "Christian" would lie after swearing on the Bible.
2006-08-17 12:25:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bibles aren't used anymore in courtrooms. You simply state that you swear to tell the truth, and everything you know as the truth. No bible and no "So help me god" And you are made aware that if it is found you haven't told the truth, you will be punished by law.
2006-08-17 11:57:57 · answer #4 · answered by Spookshow Baby 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Isn't it illegal to lie in court? Most Atheists are moral people and law-abiding citizens.
Do they make everyone swear on a Bible still? How is that allowed with Church and State separations? I'm not an Atheist, but I still would terribly offended if I had to swear on a Bible. That would have the same impact on me as swearing over a Captain Underpants novel!
2006-08-17 12:05:15 · answer #5 · answered by Mrs. Pears 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would refuse to swear on a bible. I've heard on here that there are courtrooms in the country that no longer use the bible or the phrase "so help you God" when swearing in witnesses. Hallelujah.
2006-08-17 11:53:52 · answer #6 · answered by Banba 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Q: "If God is all-knowing and knows who will go to heaven or hell, why would he let someone be born with free will? Why would he let this person suffer and be tested by him if he already knows the outcome?"
our A: If God has foreknowledge of all events that take place within the realm of free will, He still has to let those events transpire.
The fact that they do transpire is how He has foreknowledge of them.
And there would be no actual free will if God didn't allow those events and choices to take place.
On some of the really deep mysterious questions (like the one you've posed), sometimes we have to make guesses...conjecture...unless the Bible is really clear on the matter. In our opinion, the Bible is not really clear on this subject, so we give you an answer with the qualification that...it's conjecture.
However, what we can say with certainty is that God can be trusted. And maybe that's the central issue. Even if we don't understand everything, has He given us enough evidence to know we can trust Him? Trust His character?
Yes. God evidenced His trustworthy character through Jesus Christ. God took on the likeness of humans, and then allowed Himself to be tortured and killed...on our behalf. He did this so that we could be forgiven of sins, so we wouldn't have to die for our own sins. This act--Jesus, the Son of God, paying for our sins--shows that God cares.
Then God took it a step further. After Jesus died by crucifixion and was buried, He rose from the dead three days later, just as He said He would. Death is not a problem for God. God is in control. Out of His love for us, Jesus died for our sins. And in display of His power and control, He rose from the dead. He will always accomplish His word.
God cares, and God is in control. We must realize these two essentials when we consider the great mysteries of life. It's true, God hasn't given us an answer on everything, but He's given us enough answers to know we can trust Him and follow Him. We know enough about Him to know that He is merciful, just, fair, good...even if His ways are not totally understood, and even if He hasn't answered every last question for us.
2006-08-17 12:21:52 · answer #7 · answered by poorboychristian 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I have never been in court to be asked to swear on a bible, but no, I wouldn't lie. I believe in telling the truth. I believe in being factual.
2006-08-17 11:54:58 · answer #8 · answered by February Rain 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Girl Wonder is right about the legal aspect of it. We're all bound by the laws that our fellow humans have passed. Having law allows us to "play God" in the courtroom by determining another person's fate, sometimes for life.
2006-08-17 11:51:00 · answer #9 · answered by wheezer_april_4th_1966 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think only an Atheist can answer your question as to what an Atheist thinks when being sworn in to testify.
But I believe people from all walks of life--be they Christians, Jews, Muslims, Latter Day Adventists or Atheists--ocasionally lie under oath when it suits their needs.
In otherwords, lying is not the exclusive province of any particular religion or discipline.
2006-08-17 12:09:27 · answer #10 · answered by AJGLaw 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not in England because you don't have to 'swear' on the Bible, you can 'affirm' instead, a right which was won for us by the founder of the National Secular Society, Charles Bradlaugh, in 1888.
2006-08-17 11:52:06 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋