RE: Legal Inquiry: Atheists and Affirmations (Not Oaths)
August 13, 2017 at 6:06 pm
(This post was last modified: August 13, 2017 at 6:18 pm by Secular Elf.)
(August 12, 2017 at 8:15 am)Brian37 Wrote:(August 12, 2017 at 8:04 am)Cyberman Wrote: The only experience I ever had with a court was the coroner's hearing for my Princess. I had to swear on a bible to tell the truth etc. Didn't bother me in the slightest; it's their house, their rules. It's merely tradition. To be honest, I was far more preoccupied with the whole situation as it was than with some pettyfogging theatre.
No our country is our country, not just theirs. The oath of office sets the tone for all legal oaths, and since it is not required to swear to a god, sure you may not care, and that is fine. But i do not think it is good for everyone all the time to simply go with the flow. A citizen is a citizen regardless and I don't think our Christian majority has any right to assume, even in a court room.
But for you in that context I think it was reasonable considering what the issue was.
I feel the same way. On some matters, like this one, I am not one that goes with the flow. I understand the "pick your battles wisely" thing too. My thinking is that I should not compromise my personal principles. Conservative Christians holler all the time about not compromising their faith. Why should I compromise on my non-faith?
(August 12, 2017 at 9:42 am)johan Wrote: Not trying to a jerk here but why do you care? God is someone else's creation, not mine. And while I don't personally believe in it and never have, I pledged allegiance every morning in school growing up and I still turned out ok. Personally if I needed something from our legal system I'd swear to peanut butter or Donny Osmond or butt sex if it made them happy and got me what I wanted.
No problem johan, it is a fair question. Would a Christian swear an oath to Allah, Zeus or Satan if the government demanded it of them in official documentation or court settings? I think not.
(August 13, 2017 at 12:35 pm)Dropship Wrote:(August 11, 2017 at 2:51 pm)Secular Elf Wrote: The only problem I have is this one line: "I swear the above statement is true, so help me God."
I feel ignored and betrayed. What can I do about it? I thought about writing an addendum asserting my rights as an American citizen with no religion. Would that do any good?
Does anyone have any advice?
No big deal..
That word "God" doesn't say which god, so it could equally mean any god (Hindu, Muslim, Japanese, Jewish, Christian, Red Indian, Aborigine, Jungle Tribes. Pagan, Mother Earth etc), so in a sense the line simply means something like-"I swear by what I believe in" .
Even if you're an atheist it's still no big deal because it could mean "I swear by this great universe all around us"..
A fair point. But it is generally understood that it is the "Judeo-Christian" deity is being referenced. And if it can be argued that at one point "god" could be understood as the Deist god, most Conservative Christians would reject that, "Christian Nation" and all that.
(August 13, 2017 at 1:14 pm)Dropship Wrote:(August 11, 2017 at 2:51 pm)Secular Elf Wrote: ..I thought about writing an addendum asserting my rights as an American citizen with no religion. Would that do any good?
Does anyone have any advice?
Are you involved in some kind of legal case and are facing charges?
If so it might look bad to the jury if you don't want to "swear by God" that you're telling the truth, the whole truth...
My case is a Social Security Disability Insurance claim.
Thanks for your answers and advice everyone.
Something to think about.
"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."--Thomas Jefferson
