Posted on 07/27/2005 7:34:59 AM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
When witnesses are sworn in, the religious texts of non-Christian faiths should be allowed in North Carolina courts along with the Bible, the ACLU argued in lawsuit filed against the state Tuesday.
Denying the use of other religious texts would violate the Constitution by favoring Christianity over religions, the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina said in its lawsuit.
State law allows witnesses preparing to testify in court to take their oath either by laying a hand over a "Holy Scripture," by saying "so help me God" without the use of a religious book, or by using no religious symbols.
"We hope that the court will issue a ruling that the phrase 'holy scripture' includes the Quran, Old Testament and Bhagavad-Gita in addition to the Christian Bible," said Jennifer Rudinger, executive director of the ACLU of North Carolina.
A spokeswoman for the state Attorney General's Office, which represents the state in lawsuits, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
The ACLU last month called on the state Administrative Office of the Courts to adopt a policy allowing use of the Quran and other religious texts in North Carolina courtrooms.
Muslims from the Al-Ummil Ummat Islamic Center in Greensboro had tried to donate copies of the Quran to Guilford County's two courthouses last month. The two top judges in the county decided that Muslims could not legally take an oath on the Quran.
AOC director Ralph Walker replied in a letter July 14 that his office would not sanction use of religious texts other than the Bible until the General Assembly or the courts settled the matter.
The language of the state's law on court oaths is already broad enough to include other religious texts, so the Legislature need not clarify it, Rudinger said.
If I ever testify in court I want to be sworn over a copy of Penthouse magazine.
Sure, why not? The courts don't have any credibility anyway.
This makes me want to puke. When will open season be declared on the ACLU ??? These anti-American maggots need to be removed from our society post haste.
This country's legal system was built upon Christianity, not Islam. This just proves how anti-American the ACLU is.
Next thing you know the ACLU will claim its infringing on Muslims' "rights" by not allowing them to fly planes into buildings. I mean, who are we to judge their beliefs?
It is probably appropriate. The point is to swear on something that you believe in, in order to guarantee the truthfulness of your testimony. A guess a Satanist would use a Satanic bible or something. I might ask to use a DVD-ROM with the entire contents of www.freerepublic.com downloaded and saved on to it :)
What do Hindus swear on? the Kama Sutra?.......
You mean, the book that says it's okay for a Muslim to lie to infidels?
Ri-i-i-i-ght.....
Doesn't matter, they will lie anyway.
I always wondered, when you Promise (nowdays), to tell the truth...what is truth (as Pilate would say). To who?
Since they took so help me God and the Bible out, what are their laws based on? I could say religious guys did that, it doesn't apply to me...I follow a different law, I don't have to love my neighbor or do unto others.
Comment of the day.
The ACLU can't be exempt from lawsuits can it?
So, let's get a bunch of citizens together, find a lawer, and get a good class action going. Seriously. Why not?
You know, in general, this isn't an offensive idea. I mean, if you are from a real religion that has a holy book, I don't have a problem with substitution. It actually would make swearing in more meaningful to the person being sworn in.
But islam is a death cult, and the koran is a filthy hate filled document.
The ACLU should go get stuffed.
You are absolutely correct. For what purpose would it serve to make someone take an oath on the Bible, if he did not believe in the Bible?
"If I ever testify in court I want to be sworn over a copy of Penthouse magazine."
I bet you could shnooker the ACLU into representing you, and then you could pull the rug out from under them. =]
I'd like to have everyone swear on a copy of the Constitution.
Excellent idea!
Pleading moral equivalence in this instance is a capitulation to allow Islam a toehold in its drive to subvert the Constitution and replace it with Sha'ria law. You may say that result is farfetched and unlikely to happen, and I would agree with you.
But the more you capitulate and knuckle under to Islamic pressure, the more you encourage Islamic extremists in their goal to forcibly convert or kill you and people like you. That ups the ante and merely ensures a more violent response when it finally dawns on you and people like you that a response is required.
Islam is not like Christianity, Buddhism, or the Hindu religion. Islam is compelled internally by its scriptures to control and dominate other people. The only mechanism it has for "playing nice" is external pressure. By capitulating on this particular point, minor thought it may seem, you unwisely reduce external pressure.
What is your point?
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