by Steven Macpherson

Created on: June 15, 2009   Last Updated: June 19, 2009

Should the Bible continue to be used for swearing-in ceremonies and in courtrooms?

Despite my belief that the Bible is a powerful symbol of integrity and justice, I do not believe it should be used in court rooms or for swearing in ceremonies. I recognize that the reason we have the tradition of swearing on the Bible is to symbolically remind the oath maker that his integrity or lack thereof is being scrutinized by a higher than human authority. It is the symbolic representation that the person's credibility is appealed to by not only human but also divine justice. I also realize that certain symbols are powerful evokers of what psychologist Carl Jung called the collective unconscious - that part of our unconscious minds where through symbolic representations we are interconnected with the rest of humanity. Throughout history, certain symbols have come to represent humankind's wider embrace of deeply set shared values. The symbolic concept of justice is one such deeply entrenched value; personal integrity is another. Our outward expressions of conformity to society's values are but the tip of the iceberg. When we swear on the Bible, we are calling on the much more profound, but largely unconscious 80% that lies just beneath the surface of our consciousness.

I have three major issues against using the Bible in this manner. Firstly, used this way the religious significance of the Bible is ambiguous. The focus is on its power to evoke a largely unconscious impulse towards honesty and integrity rather than a response to God's personal revelation of Himself. This misrepresents and sullies the Bible's intended purpose. The Bible is meant to guide its readers to a personal relationship with God - not merely be a test of integrity or honesty. It is a book where mercy triumphs over judgment. It's meant to inform: that all of us, including judge, jury, defendant and prosecution are sinners in great need of God's forgiveness and transformation. Threatening condemnation for sin and compelling us to good behaviour is only a small part of its message. Its far greater significance is to serve as a gateway for redemption from slavery to forces that our destroying us and separating us from God's love. Reducing its symbolic message to simply being a standard for honesty and integrity is in itself a travesty of justice. As a Christian, I am troubled by this misuse as I believe it gives to others a false impression of our faith.

Using the Bible in this manner also imposes on

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