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Swearing on the Bible

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  • 27-03-2010 8:11pm
    #1
    Winty
    Registered Users Posts: 1,033 ✭✭✭


    What would happen if an atheist was called to court to swear on the bible.
    An atheist would see it as no more that a book of paper.

    Can a atheist just not promise to tell the truth, Ireland is a republic after all.






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    #2
    Gordon
    Registered Users Posts: 35,523 ✭✭✭✭Gordon


    Do you have the affirmation in Ireland? In UK you can ask to affirm instead of taking the oath if you don't believe in god.


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    #3
    MrPudding
    Registered Users Posts: 9,788 ✭✭✭MrPudding


    You do have the option to not swear on the bible, though it is a option I chose not to exercise when I was swearing in as a witness. I think there is too much of a negative stigma attached to that act, I think it is safer to be a hypocrite.

    MrP


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    #4
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    MrPudding wrote: »
    You do have the option to not swear on the bible, though it is a option I chose not to exercise when I was swearing in as a witness. I think there is too much of a negative stigma attached to that act, I think it is safer to be a hypocrite.

    MrP

    Indeed. I would be wary not swearing on it in case a God fearing member of the jury decided to hold it against me.


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    #5
    Gordon
    Registered Users Posts: 35,523 ✭✭✭✭Gordon


    MrP it's a shame you didn't do that as the more people take the step to affirm, the less of a stigma it will be.

    When I attended for (and didn't actually do) jury duty in Scotland 2 people at least would have taken the affirmation out of 60 potential jurors. That could have been more when the time came, but it still was a small percentage (from the final full 15 person jury nobody did the affirmation). I was torn between going with the majority and not being singled out, but I'm glad I took the trailblazing step of wanting to affirm, because otherwise, how will this pointless act cease from being a 'stigma'? Someone has to start the ball rolling.
    Galvasean wrote: »
    Indeed. I would be wary not swearing on it in case a God fearing member of the jury decided to hold it against me.
    Why would what another jury member believes matter to you? [you should watch 12 angry men!] Oh right, you're talking about being a witness, sorry.

    Surely if you are an atheist then you are committing perjury by taking the oath as opposed to the affirmation?


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    #6
    antiskeptic
    Registered Users Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭antiskeptic


    You can do as an unbelieving mate of mine did when being sworn in for a relatively high profile court case at which he wasn't planning to the the truth, the whole truth and nothing but ...

    He crossed his fingers behind his back.

    Seriously!

    :)


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    #7
    strobe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭strobe


    I was never asked to make any kind of proclamation that I agreed to tell the truth. I presumed it wasn't done here. Did the court just drop the ball there then?


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    #8
    legspin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,018 ✭✭✭legspin


    I have affirmed. Motor accident case about 10 years ago as the defendant.


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    #9
    fitz0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,753 ✭✭✭fitz0


    I'd like to think that I would ask to affirm rather than swear on a bible but I won't know until I'm on the witness stand. Somehow, if I were in a situation where I had to go to court, it would probably be the last thing on my mind.

    Off-topic - Whats with all the bolded OPs lately? Very irritating.


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    #10
    ColmDawson
    Registered Users Posts: 1,001 ✭✭✭ColmDawson


    fitz0 wrote: »
    Off-topic - Whats with all the bolded OPs lately? Very irritating.
    Yeah, it's already the only post in the thread; there's no need for the emboldening.


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    #11
    Winty
    Registered Users Posts: 1,033 ✭✭✭Winty


    ColmDawson wrote: »
    Yeah, it's already the only post in the thread; there's no need for the emboldening.

    Thanks for all the info, and sorry about the bold, a simple error sorry


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    #12
    Blueboyd
    Registered Users Posts: 161 ✭✭Blueboyd


    "I swear hand on my Abba -records."


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    #13
    Mike 1972
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,021 ✭✭✭Mike 1972


    MrPudding wrote: »
    You do have the option to not swear on the bible, though it is a option I chose not to exercise when I was swearing in as a witness. I think there is too much of a negative stigma attached to that act, I think it is safer to be a hypocrite.

    I dunno some jurors might find the evidence given by someone who doesnt believe in fairytales to be rather more reliable :)

    What about believers of other religions e.g. Muslims/Jews/Hindus etc

    Does every courthouse in the land have a copy of the relevent texts on hand ?

    I believe some Christians have an issue with swearing on the bible as well.


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    #14
    PDN
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,686 ✭✭✭✭PDN


    Mike 1972 wrote: »
    I dunno some jurors might find the evidence given by someone who doesnt believe in fairytales to be rather more reliable :)

    What about believers of other religions e.g. Muslims/Jews/Hindus etc

    Does every courthouse in the land have a copy of the relevent texts on hand ?

    I believe some Christians have an issue with swearing on the bible as well.

    Indeed. The whole affirmation thing exists under British (and hence Irish) law because groups such as the Quakers refused to swear oaths as they saw such oaths as prohibited by Scripture.

    So the juror is more likely to see your refusal to swear an oath as an indication that you are a fundie Bible basher rather than an atheist (which, depending on the court case, could be a good or a bad thing).


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