Question for the legal heads around here.

When you are sworn in at a hearing or take an oath of office, if you do not believe in God can you say no you don't but you promise to tell the truth? Is there an alternate oath/swearing in one can take?

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2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

IIRC, you don't have to use the world GOD. You can swear to tell the truth WITHOUT invoking any deity.

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When I have been sworn in, the court uses the term god, all I have ever had to say is "I do". That seems to be the same for most Oath's I hear. The swearer uses 'god' and the swearie says "I do".

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

My under, which is standing is that you can request a different oath which does NOT mention any deity.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

In the musical 'Damn Yankees' the Devil is sworn to testify and when asked about 'So help you God' he said, "Could you please re-phrase the question?"

I believe that you can request a secular oath to tell the truth is US courts.

Yup, it begins with "I affirm".

You can affirm instead of swearing. They leave out the God business, but it has the same legal standing.

I'm a nonbeliever, but when I swore into the Navy I just stuck to the usual script. No need to rock the boat over that. The signature on the contract is the important thing there anyway.

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That is the main point I am getting at with my question. If I am a defendant and being sworn in, I would think given the religious beliefs of some that my asking for a secular oath could be held against me by some. If I feel compelled to take the oath with "god" in it because I fear that by not doing so it could be held against me, how is that going to work. I would be swearing to a god that I do not believe in that I will tell the truth but I am already lying from the get go.

If my life or freedom is on the line I sure as hell am not going to rock the boat by risking alienating a juror. So I am forced to lie.

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

Defendants rarely take the witness stand unless demonstrably not guilty. The state or prosecution cannot compell a defendant to be questioned in a trial.

What about civil cases? I claim I was defrauded. Why would I not testify?

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

If you were defrauded then you are the plaintiff, not the defendant.

In small claims, you state your case in the suit. The defndant gets to plead "guilty" or "not guilty". In WI, you can dispute the case and they try to go for mediation and then to pre-trial in front of the court commissioner. Nobody gets to swear then. I have never requested a jury trial so I am not sure about that part.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

As long as you're not asked for your definition of God, why assume you have to accept anybody's definition of God?

Either:
a.) Somebody created the universe.
Or
b.) The universe created itself.

I don't know and don't expect to ever know if it's a.) or b.), but however the universe came to be is my definition of God. It's an Unknown that I call God.
So I have no problem with God in the Pledge, on money, or being sworn in.

__________________
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"Evolution is God's way of giving upgrades" Francis Collins

I do not believe in any god or higher power.

I just fought a traffic violation and was sworn in.

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.