When in court as a witness you are sworn in. You place your right hand on a Bible and raise your left hand and repeat an oath "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God." Well what if you believe in God but your faith does not hold the Bible in highest regard? What if you do not believe in God? Are there variations to this swearing in like the variation to the oath of office that they will use in Congress tomorrow where they will use a Quran to swear a new Musilm member of Congress?
2007-01-03 11:11:48 · 17 answers · asked by Steve P 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I think it's a spit in our founding father's faces to use the Koran. We've always used the bible to swear in our elected officials, and that shouldn't change. I think it's a crying shame that a Muslim can get voted into office PERIOD.
2007-01-03 11:14:28 · answer #1 · answered by mojojo66 3 · 2⤊ 6⤋
Yes, courts allow you to swear on other religious works, or if you are an atheist or prefer not to swear on a religious book (even some Christians prefer not to swear an oath on the Bible) then you can affirm.
2007-01-03 13:02:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you affirm the oath in any fashion, it is legally binding. Use of the Bible and/or 'So help me God' is a traditional practice but has no legal significance because every state constitution prohibits any person from being either required or forbidden to make a declaration of faith.
2007-01-03 11:19:32 · answer #3 · answered by dukefenton 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i think of a much bigger undertaking is that if people who're no longer christian make it properly-known to the jury that they do no longer look to be christian, it would desire to influence the full way the jury seems on the guy who's attesting or taking the stand. The jury is uncomplicated customary human beings and maximum uncomplicated customary human beings are christians. no longer each and every physique are created the two and a few human beings would boost into judgemental in the direction of a witness if the witness isn't christian and a definite juror feels they might desire to be. there is a great number of christians who have faith its the only faith. in certainty I went to church the different day, and the preacher in certainty reported in church that all and sundry different religions are undesirable and in the event that they do no longer look to be speaking the be conscious of god they're no stable. So christianity would not precisely instruct "tolerance" in the direction of different religions that are distinctive and it would not instruct christians to no longer be judgemental of alternative religions or what human beings decide for to have faith in. i'd desire to be incorrect because of the fact I surely have on no account examine the bible and that i'm making this assumption merely in keeping with some excerpts this preacher examine interior the church final week. So I dont think of a witnesses determination in faith could be made public to the jurors because of the fact the extremely some jurors would boost into biased. it would desire to no longer be as significant, yet I imply even christians can lie with their hand on the bible so the damages that that would reason, are no longer as undesirable because of the fact the damages which would be brought about if the witnesses faith grew to become into made public. Ive been to courtroom many circumstances and have on no account considered absolutely everyone positioned their hand on a bible. Ive on no account been to a homicide trial yet in civil and different criminal trials they dont do this, a minimum of no longer in California or Florida. stressful to describe.
2016-10-06 09:45:32 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In courts only the Bible is used to swear individuals in. Our laws were founded on the Ten Comandments, the Magna Carta, and other political documents from England and Rome. Because the Bible was the moral backround of the newly formed country (USA) they used it to swear people into courts. The thought process was that if you lied in court God would punish you Himself.
2007-01-03 11:18:40 · answer #5 · answered by myjumpman42 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You can affirm, or some courts have other books that you can swear on if you wish. Some religions (including some chirstian ones, as the bible forbids it outright) do not swear, so they affirm. It'a very common thing.
2007-01-03 11:17:54 · answer #6 · answered by The Big Box 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe the bible. IT tells me not to swear at all. So I simply answer, "I affirm." I've testified under affirmation many times. Every court accepts that answer.
2007-01-03 11:15:36 · answer #7 · answered by amazingly intelligent 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It really means nothing dude, If you have spent as much time in court as I have. You see that everyone lies their asses off anyway. It's not about God, or Justice, The whole court system is nothing but a Revenue builder for the states
2007-01-03 11:14:42 · answer #8 · answered by Brian Z 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
yes ,there are variations for the faiths, as well as the option for a person to 'affirm' their testimony, and simply promise to tell the truth.
2007-01-03 11:14:27 · answer #9 · answered by great gig in the sky 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A Muslim was sworn in to office using the Koran today.
2007-01-03 11:19:23 · answer #10 · answered by teeney1116 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
putting your hand on a Bible or anything else is a tradition.A person swearing in is doing so on their honor nothing else.
2007-01-03 11:15:43 · answer #11 · answered by Dr. NG 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋