by Kevin L'dux

Created on: October 08, 2008

I have seen people place their hands on the Bible or Koran and swear allegiance to truth, duty and other formalities over the years.
It has become pomp and pageantry in many circumstances and means little or nothing to those that do so. Most see it as a mere formality. I could be wrong in my observation of that but I think I am mostly correct.

Many of those that do so have gone on to break every custom or law they have sworn to uphold before I was born, while I have been alive and will continue to for time unending, Bible or not.

People have been swearing to gods, upon their holdings or on their's and/or their families lives in some attempt to appear truthful. If they are found to have perjured they pay their consequences

The Bible has the longest run of being the most printed publication but it wasn't until the 18th or 19th century that it would actually be used universally for swearing in a person for office or court appearance. It was most likely proposed that swearing oaths upon it would incur the wrath of GOD upon that individual if he happened to stray from the truth. I imagine it was quite effective until no one was struck down by fire and brimstone. It must have shocked those that were of the mindset of the inquisition as heresy was a crime in their eyes. The twist on that point in time was those behind the inquisition were those that should have been struck down.

The question that begs to be asked - "What if one is not Christian nor do they put value in the book or act?"
This is a valid point as there are more Muslims than Christians and the world is filled with Buddhists, Hindus and atheists.
What are American Indians classified as in their natural state? I have never considered that before but it is intriguing.

For some odd reason, most atheists I have had clashes with are seemingly more knowledgeable of the Bible than those that claim to be Christians. That was dismaying at the least because I couldn't understand why someone who opposed something to their extremes was so educated of the topic. I have also been disappointed by the numbers of Christians that have never really read the Bible.
I have several in different versions, The King James being my favorite. My uncle, Catholic, used to tell me I was reading a protestant version. He claimed the Douay-Rheims was the only Bible. Yeah, I turned Protestant on those Catholics and I actually read the Bible.

That was when I learned the distinct difference between the old and new testaments and what Jesus was all about.
I learned in Matthew 5:33-37; that to swear an oath to anything was wrong. My answer would be "Yes, I will tell the truth or No, I won't".
I learned what being born again means. This may be the wrong format for this but the question was posed. I have some serious health issues and the contents of the Bible mean far more to me than a prop in a swearing-in ceremony.

If anyone cares to check out the link the error of doing so is apparent and explains my reason for saying no.

As it is, they may as well use a box of Russell Stover chocolates as most people would know what to do with that.

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