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But what if a witness or juror isn’t a Christian? What if he is a Jew or a Muslim? Both groups have their own books of faith, their own symbols of religious truth.

How about if the witness is a Satanist and thinks lying is just his master's way of getting cheap jollies?

Hell, what if the witness is an atheist? Is he supposed to swear to tell the truth while putting his hand on a copy of "Atlas Shrugged"??

Or worse, what if the witness is a Democrat and believes that nobody really knows what the definition of "is" is?

It boggles the mind why we should cater to fringe groups. Sheesh...

How about if the witness is a Satanist and thinks lying is just his master's way of getting cheap jollies?

There are things you can do to increase the probability that a witness will tell the truth, but you can't guarantee it. Swearing on a Bible (or other holy book) may be effective in some cases, but obviously not in others. Jurors and judges should always maintain a reasonable degree of skepticism about the truthfulness of any witness.

Wouldn't it be rather ludicrous and pointless to make an Atheist or Satanist swear on the Bible?

And wouldn't a devout Muslim be more likely to give true testimony if they swore on the Q'ran?

No matter what oaths are sworn, there are always oath-breakers, perjurers and liars.

Much as I hate to agree with the Left, what's wrong with "Upon my honor, and under penalty of perjury, I so do swear."

But what if a witness or juror isn’t a Christian? What if he is a Jew or a Muslim? Both groups have their own books of faith, their own symbols of religious truth. How about if the witness is a Satanist and thinks lying is just his master's way of getting cheap jollies? It boggles the mind why we should cater to fringe groups. Sheesh...

I'd hardly call Jews or Muslims fringe groups. On the other hand, it's silly to have them swear on a Christian Bible (most Jews I know either bring their own, or only swear on the so-called "Old Testement."

Then again, it's silly for Jews to be swearing to God anyway, since Jews affirmatively cancel all vows to God for the coming year as part of Kol Nidre on Yom Kippur (i.e. in modern Rabbinic Judiasm, it is impossible to make a vow to God, a doctrine that grew out of how serious it is to make a vow then brake it).

It boggles the mind why we should cater to fringe groups. Sheesh...

Howdy, Prime Choice!

Oh, but it's not a fringe group! It's a RELIGION! </sarcasm>

If the Fed can incinerate a religious fringe group who just wanted to be left alone at Waco, why do we still have Islamic terror groups plotting mass murder of American citizens on American soil?

I mean, if Citizens were plotting to commit mass murder of other Citizens, the FBI, CIA, and BATF would be all over them with arrests, indictments, vilification, and prison time.

But since Islamists in America consist of a largely immigrant population, anything we might do to investigate their activities is branded by the media as witch hunts against innocent immigrants, ethnic profiling, or even (GASP!) RACISM! "You're not welcoming the aliens who want you dead! You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

grrrrrrrrrr...

I say we figure out (legal) ways to purge the mainstream media, academia, and the elites of America-hating appeaseniks. Maybe start digging up dirt on the people at the top of the various ladders of leftism, and start raising unholy hell about it in our media until the MSM can't ignore it anymore. Like what we're doing to Err America!

Not trying to start $h17, I'm just bringin' up something to ponder.