Friday, January 15, 2010

Instantly enhance your credibility

True story. Today, as I prepared to examine an opposing party in a civil proceeding, the court reporter offered the witness the choice of swearing on a Bible to tell the truth or to affirm a solemn oath to the same effect. This is common practice in Canada and most common law jurisdictions. The witness took the less common choice of affirming. I responded by indicating that she had bolstered her credibility in my eyes before I even started to ask her any questions. My opposing counsel got quite a chuckle out of that. The funny thing is that I was dead serious.
Posted by The Atheist Missionary at 6:49 PM
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5 comments:

  1. Unfortunately, at least in the USA, where I am mired, not swearing on that silly book is so often seen as decreasing a person's credibility, and even controversial. Case in point: My state's Congressman, Keith Ellison, first ever Muslim rep elected to that office, decided at his inauguration to swear on a Quran instead. Rabid xtian fundie wackos, within and without the government, spat bile over it, with complete disregard to our Constitution's "No Religious Test" clause. Separation of church and state? It exists here only in name. And the fact that it's not enforced is actually flaunted by the christian majority.

    I think all religions and religious practices should join their espoused gods in non-existence.

    http://talk.livedaily.com/showthread.php?p=10392603
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  2. Charming. I would have done the same. Also, Americans have a right to affirm, but also to swear upon the Constitution rather than the Bible, something few know about.
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  3. no they do not have that right to affirm -- it is customarily offered by judges, but there is no legal basis for a non-bible oath in the USA.
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  4. Watch the look on a Judge's face when the witness asks to swear on a Holy Book other than the big "B".
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