If an atheist were to be called to a court and asked to swear on a Bible, what are the options for that person? Other than simply doing it to avoid complications.

I believe you can ask to be sworn in without a holy book. If you're Jewish you can request a Torah. Muslim, a Koran. Etc.

You could always place 1 hand on the book, reel it back pretending like it burned. Then You have to roll your eyes back in your head while chanting in demontongue. Some old ladies might faint though.

Oh, and get some tongue flickering and a bit of drooling going on too.

(June 20, 2013 at 9:05 pm)festive1 Wrote: I believe you can ask to be sworn in without a holy book. If you're Jewish you can request a Torah. Muslim, a Koran. Etc.

What about someone who does not believe in a holy book?

(June 20, 2013 at 9:16 pm)callahan24 Wrote:

(June 20, 2013 at 9:05 pm)festive1 Wrote: I believe you can ask to be sworn in without a holy book. If you're Jewish you can request a Torah. Muslim, a Koran. Etc.

What about someone who does not believe in a holy book?

See the first line of my reply. No book needed, I think.

It depends. If you are the defendant, by all means, leave your imprint on the Bible and swear to tell the truth. Whether you actually tell the truth or not is immaterial. You don't want to give the jury, which statistically is almost 80% Christian, an excuse to hate you regardless of the facts of litigation.

Not let your heart be troubled. People purjure themselves all the time. 80% of purjurers are also Christian and they believe in the text. I suggest you tell the truth under oath because, it's honorable, right, and just. The title of the book under your hand doesn't mean a damn.

Swearing on the Bible is meaningless bullshit, tradition; otherwise, a Christian wouldn't lie in court.

(June 20, 2013 at 9:16 pm)callahan24 Wrote:

(June 20, 2013 at 9:05 pm)festive1 Wrote: I believe you can ask to be sworn in without a holy book. If you're Jewish you can request a Torah. Muslim, a Koran. Etc.

What about someone who does not believe in a holy book?

They can "affirm" that they will tell the truth and leave all the god shit out of it.

BTW, I wish they had 17 more skaters like Cally.

I had to do precisely this back in 2010 at the Coroner's Court, after the coroner's inquest to determine the cause of my poor sweet Sam's death. I had no problems with doing so, other than the obvious ones about actually having to be there at all of course.

Incidentally, the verdict was "sudden unexpected death due to epilepsy", basically legalese for "we don't have a fucking clue but we need something to put on the death certificate".

(June 20, 2013 at 9:16 pm)callahan24 Wrote: What about someone who does not believe in a holy book?

As far as I'm concerned, it's like someone blessing me when I sneeze, or invoking a deity during sex (I have a long memory). It's just a thing that is done. I don't actually believe that the book has any magic powers to force me to tell the truth or whatever the symbolism means; it's merely a formality.

BTW, I've served on juries and testified at hearings in NY and the court officer always just said "Will you swear or affirm....yada, yada, yada." I don't recall him holding any fucking bible.

(June 20, 2013 at 9:46 pm)cato123 Wrote: It depends. If you are the defendant, by all means, leave your imprint on the Bible and swear to tell the truth. Whether you actually tell the truth or not is immaterial. You don't want to give the jury, which statistically is almost 80% Christian, an excuse to hate you regardless of the facts of litigation.

If you're the defendant, you probably shouldn't be testifying at all. But if you are, you can have an affirmation arranged beforehand so you don't have to go through the "I'm an atheist" stuff in the middle of open court.