Ah, so this is how they swear in athiests in court.

[Martin]

Never knew how exactly they did it.

Text

Dear Cecil:

I recently saw a movie that featured a trial scene at the end, and I noticed how heavily the court played on the witnesses' belief in God, the Bible, etc., as they were sworn in. I began to wonder: what if an atheist or an agnostic were an important witness to a crime--how would that person be sworn in? --Barbara T., Los Angeles

Dear Barbara:

When a witness refuses to swear to God, the court accepts an "affirmation" instead. In a jury trial, the smart lawyer will arrange for this ahead of time in the judge's chambers, so the witness won't look unduly obstreperous or morally deficient in open court. The judge may then instruct the jury that the funny oath they are about to hear should be considered legally valid.

In U.S. District Court (to take the most widespread example), the standard oath is amended to: "You do affirm that all the testimony you are about to give in the case now before the court will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; this you do affirm under the pains and penalties of perjury?" After the witness replies, "You got it, Jack," or whatever godless heathens say in such situations, everyone sits back and pretends that the "pains and penalties of perjury" are every bit as intimidating as the wrath of a vengeful Almighty. It's not an ideal situation, if you want my opinion, but I suppose it's the best the judges can do under the circumstances.

--CECIL ADAMS

 

[yowolabi]

I did know.

They may be "godless heathens", but they only have to worry about perjury penalties, while everyone else has to worry about perjury penalties and the wrath of God.

 

[brunswickite]

There are only 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary, and those who don't

nice sig

 

[911paramedic]

...godless heathens...

 

[0roo0roo]

like if you didn't swear god wouldn't know if you were lying right?

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: 911paramedic

...godless heathens...

I think that was supposed to be a joke...

 

[TallBill]

wtf? Cecil Adams is a dumbnut. Why would anyone want to read opinion instead of fact?

 

[gopunk]

bwhahaha, "you got it jack"

if it were me though, i would just swear on the bible. chances are the people on the jury, the judge, everybody is christian so it is safer to stay on their side.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I have placed dozens of people under oath and never had anyone refuse to swear to God (thank God!).

 

[0roo0roo]

yup, if you want your testimony to be believed, swear on the bible anyways, who the hell knows your not christian they dont' ask, u don't tell.

if u want to put seeds of doubt into the ignorant bigots hearts, u take the godless oath

 

[yowolabi]

That's the sad part. People take their biases everywhere they go. If you don't swear on the Bible, you have no idea who on that jury will be against you from the start. If you're the one on trial, you either have guts or stupidity to risk alienating people that way.

 

[0roo0roo]

yup, sad as a black person putting on a white mask so people will believe him

 

[TallBill]

or an ugly man putting on a tom cruise mask..

 

[Anubis]

hehehe

Now whats teh real answer cause ive been woundering about this for a while now

 

[B00ne]

I never understood why ppl in Court (US) in movies at least swear on the bible - I thaught U guys had a division of Church and State.

We in certain way do not have that division, yet we dont swear on the bible (since that has nothing to do with law) but we swear on our constitution.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: B00ne
I never understood why ppl in Court (US) in movies at least swear on the bible - I thaught U guys had a division of Church and State.

We in certain way do not have that division, yet we dont swear on the bible (since that has nothing to do with law) but we swear on our constitution.

trhat makes more sense. where you from

 

[TallBill]

hes from germany

 

[GasX]

After the witness replies, "You got it, Jack," or whatever godless heathens say in such situations, everyone sits back and pretends that the "pains and penalties of perjury" are every bit as intimidating as the wrath of a vengeful Almighty.

LOL

 

[CPA]

I had to testify in a deposition recently and had to take an oath "under God". I said it, no big deal.

 

[acidvoodoo]

interesting

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: B00ne
I never understood why ppl in Court (US) in movies at least swear on the bible - I thaught U guys had a division of Church and State.

We in certain way do not have that division, yet we dont swear on the bible (since that has nothing to do with law) but we swear on our constitution.

that sounds more reasonable than swearing on the bible

 

[coolVariable]

Swearing on the constitution makes way more sense.

And it would show some division between church and state (Doubyas holy-christian-speaches are getting on my nerves more than enough)!

Damn smart those Germans.

 

[B00ne]

Originally posted by: coolVariable
Swearing on the constitution makes way more sense.

And it would show some division between church and state (Doubyas holy-christian-speaches are getting on my nerves more than enough)!

Damn smart those Germans.

If we were smart, our country would work

 

[Kenazo]

Actually most fundamentalist Christians will not swear on the Bible in court as they believe it is wrong to swear by God....

There is a better chance of a fundamentalist using this alternative than an atheist..

 

[Red Dawn]

You can swear on your nutsack, as long as lying afterwords is against thye law it really doesn't matter!