Would you say that every person who has had to recite the "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" is condemed?
Matthew 5:34-37
34But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
35Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
37But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (KJV)
2007-08-01 08:58:09 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You haven't been in a courtroom in a while huh?
The part about "so help you god" has been removed. And good riddance.
Also, you don't swear on a bible anymore. You swear on a copy of the constitution. As it should be.
2007-08-01 09:04:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
A person of the Anabaptist faith i.e. Mennonites, would take the passage that you quoted literally, and would ask, on the grounds of their established faith, to be exempt from swearing an oath. Because of the separation of church and state, the state may not force an Anabaptist to take this oath. This does not exempt them from having to responsibly give true testimony and they may still be indicted for perjury if their testimony is found to be deliberately falsified. And that brings us to the obvious next question, why ask for the oath at all? In a different world, people's word meant something, and it meant more if they swore an oath before God. Now, I don't know how much good it does to have it except to use it against someone if they are suspected of perjury.
2007-08-01 09:11:12 · answer #2 · answered by conductorbrat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Truth
2016-05-20 01:59:56 · answer #3 · answered by karmen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I always wondered, if a pagan, atheist, Buddhist or any other non-bible following person was sworn in at the beginning of taking the stand would they be held to the same principles as a Bible believe, seeing as they had to swear on something they believe is false?
2007-08-01 09:02:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually I didn't swear on the bible when I was in a situation where the opportunity presented itself. Neither did my mother, although we refused for different reasons.
She considers it a sin; I consider it perjury.
And I haven't been in a courtroom in a while so I didn't know it has been removed. Thank goodness!
2007-08-01 09:05:06 · answer #5 · answered by ♨UFO♨ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus is saying that "swearing" doesn't add to a Christian's simple "yes" or "no". It won't change anything for the better.
......as a matter of fact it can only lead worse: "for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." (KJV)
2007-08-01 09:10:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yea yeah,Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Sort of answers your own question.
2007-08-01 09:04:14 · answer #7 · answered by great gig in the sky 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The courts just don't know better.
One President of the U.S.A. refused to swear in as president with God in it. As God required. I guess to many are not reading the Bible or just refuse to obey the Bible.
2007-08-01 09:08:28 · answer #8 · answered by geessewereabove 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They don't actually say that, and swearing in on a Bible isn't required either. It isn't even mentioned as an option where I live, typically.
2007-08-01 09:18:42 · answer #9 · answered by N 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In regular life plain yes and no should be fine. I think that in court they ask you to swear, and that is taken more seriously if you lie.
2007-08-01 23:12:17 · answer #10 · answered by Nina, BaC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋