"I swear to _____"
In a court of law, it's expected to swear on a Bible that what you say is "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth"
What happens to/for the person who no longer believes in God, because his/her life has been broken by lies and deception?
Is there a book that can replace the moral priniples taught within the Bible that can be also deemed equally acceptable by judge and jury?
Comments
Personal morality
What makes a book so important, it can prescribe the rights and wrongs in the world, centuries ahead? Many of the basic moral principles taught within the bible are strikingly universal and shared by most of all teachings. The taboo on murder and theft can be found all around the globe in any time. All moral writings deal with issues as greed, dishonesty, disloyalty. Personally I prefer the discovery of what is morally right and what is not, than blindly following the words of people living many centuries ago.
I looked up on the swearing on the bible and as far as I can tell it is not mandatory in the USA. One can inform the judge beforehand and then there will neither be a bible and a secular affirmation is constituted. The latter can in some cases influence the outcome of the trial though.
Replacements
I looked up on the swearing on the bible and as far as I can tell it is not mandatory in the USA. One can inform the judge beforehand and then there will neither be a bible and a secular affirmation is constituted. The latter can in some cases influence the outcome of the trial though.
Removal of the Bible can certainly give reason to cause concern, especially in a country that is based on a currency that claims "In God we trust".... so what would be a sound alternative, if God - or the Bible is not the sworn-to-deity?
Is there such thing as a "Bible-replacement"?
...
Like there is no Kuran replacement, there is no Bible replacement.
Mis-read
Perhaps I was mis-read..... in terms of holy-books offered in a court room, is the "Holy Bible" the only book offered, or are other holy scribes offered as a means of reaching the spiritual minded people testifying the truth of their words?
swearing
In the USA, as far as I know, the bible is the only scripture supplied to perform the sacred act of swearing upon. To me, being both not an American and not religious, this is as arbitrary as swearing upon the Quran is in Saudi Arabia. In both countries each other's book won't be appreciated as a replacement, I believe. As far as I read well, in the USA it is possible to not swear at all (hence run less of a risk to contract a horrible disease) and have a secular affirmation, declaring having understood to be in a court and being expected to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.