Can you answer my son question, cause i can't, Why do we have to raise our right hand in the court of law?

Question

Why do we have to raise our right hand in the court of law?
Where did that come from? Why do we do it? Why we don't use our left hand?
This is his question re: raising your hand in the court of law.
My son is 10. Thank you for your help.

Answer 1

The raising of the right hand, or sign of the square dates back to ancient times. Most notibly to Mason lodges...The symoblism of the hand "raised to the square, is that your arm makes a direct line between your heart and the tips of your fingers, pointing upward toward the "Creator, Arhcitect of the Universe, or God." Basically indicating that your oath is between you and your Higher Power.
As far as using the right hand..I don't know the meaning behind that..but as far as symoblism is concerned: The very basic thing I can tell you is that the latin sinistra means left or to the left. So left being considered "bad" or "sinister"..that is probably why they felt the right hand should be used to point to the Heavens, while the left hand was best made contact with a holy book...
Now as for holy books:
Already, witnesses in American courts do not have to take a religious oath and can instead simply testify on pain of perjury. It's up to judges to decide what passes for an oath. Why? Because asking non-christians to swear on a Bible is against the first amendment, and it's a little ridiculous. Religious oaths can only be taken seriously by believers in that particular religion, so asking someone who doesn't believe in the religious penalty, but to swear to avoid it anyway it sort of moot. Nowadays it is considered in the descretion of the judge whether or not someone must swear on a Bible, Koran, or some other meaningful book. Or to forego the books altogether, and have an affidavit which is similair but does not require swearing or taking an oath (as some religions forbid taking oaths).

Answer 2

Because your left hand (the one closest to your heart) used to be on the bible while taking the oath to tell the truth before God and man.

Not all places do the bible swearing any more. In some places you simply affirm that you will tell the truth, but the tradition of raising your right hand as if your left were on the bible remains.

FYI, if you didn't have any arms back then, you would have to recite the oath and then kiss the bible.

Answer 3

An oath is either a promise or a statement of fact that calls upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually a god, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath.
A person taking an oath indicates this in a number of ways. The most usual is the explicit "I swear," but any statement or promise that includes "with {{Name}} as my witness" or "so help me {{Name}}," with {{Name}} being something or someone the oath-taker holds sacred, is an oath. Many people take an oath by holding in their hand or placing over their head a book of scripture or a sacred object, thus indicating the sacred witness through their action: such an oath is called corporal. However, the chief purpose of such an act is for ceremony or solemnity, and the act does not of itself make an oath. Raised right hand is also ceremonial originating with old placing bible over their head. And since most of the people are right handed. right hand become a customary one to raise.

Answer 4

This is an educated guess: I think that you have to raise your right hand for a couple of reasons. The left had was long considered to be "evil" in a superstitious sort of way (one reason left-handed kids used to be forced to learn to write with their right hands in bygone days). Also, and more importantly, I suspect this is because it is an affirmative action - it's an action that you take so that it can't be said that you didn't know you were swearing/avowing/affirming something. Also, another poster mentioned that a Bible is used; this is no longer correct. One simply stands in a courtroom, before a notary, etc., and raises the right hand; a Bible is no longer required to be used.

Answer 5

The oath, perhaps the oldest means for encouraging truthful testimony, forms a link between court proceedings and religious belief since, in its usual form, witnesses swear by Almighty God that they are speaking the truth. Though the effectiveness of such an act has certainly diminished in secular societies, this appeal to God has for centuries been considered the surest means of obtaining truth.

The right hand has always been the "good" hand and the left the "unclean" hand.

Answer 6

The right hand, since the dawn of civilization, has been considered as representing good, while the left hand has been associated with evil. The root of the word 'sinister' means left-hand.

Thus, when an oath is taken, one raises their right hand as if to say that 'with God as my witness...'

Answer 7

As for lifting up a hand to God, the oaths generally specify that witnesses raise their right hands.
For your info, one does not have to take the oath in court.

Answer 8

Tradition

Answer 9

Is it OK if I guess?
As we migrated out of Africa and developed swords and spears the Shield was on our left hand. so an empty right hand raised in the air - - - well "see I am friend, all is OK and I can be trusted"

Answer 10

If you find an answer also ask the person why we have to swear on a bible and then can't have the 10 Commandments posted in the court room or have prayer in schools and so forth.