Tell the truth. They put the godliness and placing the hand on the bible thing all over the world. Just be a good human and tell the truth and ignore the religious mumbojumbo.

Tell the truth.

Ask for the USA Constitution.

I had to appear in court a few years ago when I was charged with embezzlement.

The jury have to be sworn in too and, like the defendant, are given the choice to swear on the Bible or another holy book, or make a non-religious affirmation. One of them took the Bible offered to him, stared at it for a moment in absolute disgust, then threw it down looking for all the world as though he was going to spit on it.

Good chap!

(I was completely cleared of any involvement, incidentally!)

Very few places do this anymore...a good thing. Most just ask you if you will tell the truth.

I will do that if you want, your honor. However, in full disclosure, this procedure really has no significance to me since I'm an atheist

I thought that courts would let a person 'affirm' rather than 'swear in'....?

Don't you have a choice in America? I used to be a magistrate and we very rarely had people swear on a bible (much more often on a koran!), but most people just read out that they'd tell the truth.

I don't think in those cases that they'd accept anything less, even if you flat out tell them you believe in their fairytales. I'd say you'd just have to go with it. It's a hollow expression to me, like 'oh my god' or something, so just live up to your own standards of honestly and play their game when there's no way around it.

I don't know what affirm means.. I googled it and it said it's basically just making it public that you swear to tell the truth. SO, I'd say, can I swear on something else? Or just not be involved with a book? I promise to tell the truth. Lol!

Walk away

I do not know if there is any other occasion when situational ethics is the greater part of valor.

It doesn't matter to me. I had to do it at a deposition one time. It doesn't offend me. If others want to believe it has meaning then so be it. As long as they don't try to hurt me, I won't shove the book up their ass lol

It's a ridiculous custom. You must swear on this book of words written by men so we know you're telling the truth. Like the book will zap you if you lie.

OMG, face palm.

I pretty much always try to tell the truth. So, I'd tell them I don't believe in god and never needed the threat of the wrath of a divine being in order to be honest.

Just tell them you want to affirm. I volunteered as a poll worker and when it came time to swear me in I affirmed. It was a total non-issue. Same thing happened when I testified as a character witness for a friend.

If there would be one God, considereble.
But i have found so many Gods..
Means useless aitem.

I've had to take an oath, and did object, via my lawyer, but beforehand. I understand the trepidation in objecting to such an oath. A judge or other official might have to go along with your objection, but it could also lead to retribution, especially if one doesn't have a lawyer present.

In a situation like that, I just mentally delete the words "so help me God" because they don't mean anything. I think of it like the situation where you are having an x-ray and you have to sign paperwork to get the X-ray. It doesn't mean you really agree, but they have a gun to your head and you have to do it or not. I think the whole situation stinks, but that is not the time and place to fight it. The time and place to fight it is at The Ballot Box or the soapbox.

Meh. I'd just tell the truth. It is what it is.

Affirm

In that old movie "god" with John Denver and George burns, when George burns was being sworn in he said. " so help me, me !""

At my last jury duty I was selected (all the others were women and I said if they chose me as fore-person I would claim sexual harassment - joke but true). The judge swore us in with the god thing but I kept quiet. However, later I sent in a note of complaint. I was told I could opt out but I would have to say something before the proceedings started. I think that is common practice at least among the more 'civilized' states.

When dealing with courts and police I stay as low key as possible. Them people got guns.

Well, yes. But in my mind I know I don't need god in order to tell the truth. It also won't be god who punishes me if i get caught purjuring in a court of law.