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| Yes | 57% | 2417 votes | Total: 4277 votes | |
| No | 43% | 1860 votes |
Yes
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Add to Favorites"We the people of the United States of America," seem to have forgotten what this country was built on. "One Nation UNDER GOD, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." I think people went a bit far by taking the Pledge of Allegiance out of schools, but now they want to take the Bible out of not just courtrooms and ceremonies, but everything.
God and the Bible is what this country was built on. It is understandable that the Constitution gives everyone the right to believe in what they choose, but the Constitution believes in the Bible. When in court, it is hoped that people will feel as if they are facing their judgement day in a sense. If you were standing before God, or whoever you believe is your maker, you would not lie, you would swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but. Although, while in court many people still lie but the Bible in the courtroom is the way things have been done since the Constitution was written.
I heard on the news not to long ago, that a city, only about 30 minutes away from my home, is banning clothes that have anything to do with Jesus or God. This offended me. This is going too far. Just as trying to take the Bible out of court and ceremonies is going over the top. I feel, and we should all feel, that if this takes place, we are letting our country down.
This country's founding fathers made the Constitution to give everyone the right to choose their religion and own beliefs, but the country is still "one Nation under God." The Bible in the courtroom is the way it has been, the way it is today, and the way it should always be to insure "liberty and justice for all."
Learn more about this author, Samantha Wilcox.
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No
The issue of using the Bible for swearing-in ceremonies and in courtrooms is one of great controversy, and the outcome depends on whether or not the person involved is a Christian. The rules are different for Christians and non-Christians because of the Spirit that is in them and the convictions to the truth will not be the same.
A Christian should not use the Bible for swearing-in ceremonies and in courtrooms because Jesus said not to do it. In James 5:12, we are told, But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, nether by any other oath; but let your yes be yes and your no be no; lest you fall into condemnation. God has made it the responsibility of every Christian to tell the truth, whether the answer is yes or no.
He's made it very clear that Christians should not use His Word as an obstacle to swear an oath on because their words alone will either edify them or condemn them. In Matthew 15:11, Jesus says, It's not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.
Christians should be held responsible to mean what they say and say what they mean. In Matthew 10:20 Jesus says, For it is not you who speaks, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Therefore, speaking the truth at all times, not just for legal issues, should be the foundation of all words spoken by Christians.
Much of the instruction given in the New Testament is directed towards believers Christians, people who have accepted the salvation of Jesus and want to follow His direction and do His will for the benefit of getting other people to follow and live better lives. Jesus expects His followers to speak the truth because He is the truth.
Jesus has put a mandate in the heart of every Christian to speak the truth and avoid facing punishment. He advises us in Romans 13:4, But if you do evil, be afraid; for He does not bear the sword in vain.
The words of Christians come from the heart and not from their imagination, and so it should flow naturally to speak the truth and not a lie because Jesus is in the heart of every believer. If Christians fall prey to speaking lies, they become convicted and often cannot proceed with the lie. Matthew 15:18 says, But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, they defile a man.
When Christians speak, this mandate of truthful words becomes part of their vocabulary, of their lifestyle and of their own mandate and promise to the Lord. When a Christian lies, they are speaking outside of the realm of God and in the attitude of the devil and will become accountable for their words, not only before God because they disobeyed Him, but before man because they lied under oath.
Non-Christians have a different Spirit; one that does not offend them or hold them accountable to God. In other words, they do not feel that same conviction in their heart to speak the truth naturally because they don't have the Spirit of God in them to convict them. They won't speak the truth if it will hurt them or their cause.
Time has proved, however, that even many non-Christians have a reverence for the Bible even though they personally don't live by it or believe in it. Therefore, the law sees the Bible as a convicting benchmark that imposes an obligation on people to tell the truth.
1 Timothy 4:6, says, If you put the brethren in remembrance of these things, you shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ. So, the courts have made it their responsibility to ensure that each person who speaks is reminded to speak the truth because God is listening whether they admit it or not.
As well, 1 Timothy 4:1 and 2, says, Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. So, the law has made the Bible a physical standard to swear on because a person's conscience will often force them out of fear to tell the truth when they've put their hand on the Bible.
We were given the Ten Commandments as instructions and as a guideline to what God expects of us. Exodus 20:16, states clearly, Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Christians believe this and will obey because of the truth that lives in them, and non-Christians accept this as a mandate of law.
Therefore, it cannot be ruled that the Bible can or cannot be used at swearing-in ceremonies or in court because the intent to speak the truth is different for Christians and non-Christians. Christians will do it naturally and will give their word as a promise to speak the truth because of the Spirit of God who lives in them. Non-Christians don't have that conviction in their hearts and need to be compelled to speak the truth through the fear that the Bible confers.
Learn more about this author, Ronnie Dauber.
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