lying to God? I always thought it was lying under oath....
(see Birdsnake's uneducated response to Beachbum's question):
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqWnjFfFvpzQGR0XhR8e.qzsy6IX?qid=20061219130827AACXybH
So, being curious, I decided to look up perjury on merriamwebster.com, and lo and behold the definition is not "lying to God" as we were told. What a shock!
2006-12-19 08:46:14 · 7 answers · asked by jeterbutt33 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
You take an oath, on a bible. The bible represents God as far as the court is concerned.
2006-12-19 08:49:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
Well speaking from my own court experience (getting divorced), I had to take an oath and not once did I see a bible or hear the word god mention in the oath. But yes what a shock to learn that perjury is not lying to got from a legal stand point. I guess we can thank the ACLU and the definition of the word "is".
2006-12-19 17:37:50 · answer #2 · answered by ikeman32 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Webster's dictionary defines perjury as: "the voluntary violation of an oath or vow either by swearing to what is untrue or by omission to do what has been promised under oath : false swearing."
Clinton put his hand on a Bible and swore to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help him GOD.
Those words were added to the oath by none other than George Washington. He knew the importance of making an oath before God, and understood the consequences of breaking it.
So yes, Clinton lied to God and before God, when he perjured himself.
2006-12-19 17:09:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The difference between a promise and an oath is religion. A promise is secular. An oath (to God) is religious. There's a strong tradition involving oaths, for political office holders, police officers, judges, jurors, and people who must give legal testimony.
Many people think that oaths are more secure than promises because promises are backed only by the promiser's personal honor (and he might not have any), whereas an oath is backed up by the oath-maker's fear of making God angry.
The problem with that sort of thinking is there is a lot of atheists (like me) in the world, who don't believe in God and who aren't afraid of divine retribution. We keep our promises because of personal honor, or else not at all.
But the law is always the last to make common sense adjustments in its practices, and that's why it retains a medieval presumption in the greater security of oaths versus promises.
When a witness takes an oath (to God) to tell the truth, wholly and exclusively, he "promises God" that he will tell no lies, make no evasions, nor equivocate, nor hold back information that a reasonable person would consider part of a relevant answer to questions put to him. Any lie he tells following the oath might not be intended to deceive God, but by telling it he makes false on his earlier promise to God.
2006-12-19 17:00:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Even though some forums have you swear on a bible, you are not swearing to God. You are swearing to the court, congress, etc to uphold the oath you are taking.
When perjury is committed, it's not God that's been lied to (that would be difficult since there's no proof any such being even exists).
2006-12-19 16:57:31 · answer #5 · answered by Amanda S 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm so flattered that you care what I say.
I feel quilty that I never pay any attention to you.
Who are you lying to when you "Swear on the Bible"? And then lie?
If Clinton didn't lie to God, who did he lie to?
With his hand on the Bible?
2006-12-19 16:54:49 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
That depends on what the definition of "is" is.
2006-12-19 17:04:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋