slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden) (09/26/85)
> >I notice that in TV court scenes (shaky evidence) and in the >court system of Georgia a witness is required to raise his >right hand and repeat (approximately): > >"I swear (or affirm) that I will tell the truth, the whole >truth, and nothing but the truth...so help me God." > >Bob Brown {...ihnp4!akgua!rjb} > I was in court recently as a juror. I would never swear on a Bible, since I don't consider it a valid source of my religion (and I think it's a HORRIBLE book.) I am a Buddhist/Hindu/pagan, and swearing by one god would seem silly to me (none, lots, or "so help me Goddess" would feel better...). As a result, I noted the oaths with some interest. There was no Bible used, and no phrase "so help me God" in any oath, from the jurors' oath, to the witnesses'. I believe they did use the word "swear" as opposed to "affirm", which would bother Quakers, but I wasn't really watching for that one. TV probably just isn't accurate. Or it reflects the way things used to be, back in the old days when everyone just assumed you were a Christian. (Unfortunately, we have a lot of people living in the past still). Perhaps this is different in other states, too. -- Sue Brezden Real World: Room 1B17 Net World: ihnp4!drutx!slb AT&T Information Systems 11900 North Pecos Westminster, Co. 80234 (303)538-3829 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Your god may be dead, but mine aren't. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~