# How do courts swear atheists?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-courts-swear-atheists/147946>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [January 11, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-courts-swear-atheists/147946 "2003-01-11T13:08:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-courts-swear-atheists/147946/41 "2003-01-17T22:08:33Z")

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And of course my reference to “the OP” should have been to “Davebear” :smack: :o

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**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-courts-swear-atheists/147946/42 "2003-01-22T11:50:23Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> How do courts swear atheists?

You f\*\*\*ing godless heathens! Oh, I thought you asked “How do courts swear _at_ atheists?” 😉

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**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-courts-swear-atheists/147946/43 "2003-01-22T12:58:15Z")

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> [@](#):
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> _Originally posted by Irishman \*  
> **You f** _ing godless heathens! Oh, I thought you asked “How do courts swear _at_ atheists?” 😉 \*\*

And lo, eleven days after the OP someone makes the joke I was waiting for.

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**Author:** ![jaehnig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@jaehnig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaehnig)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-courts-swear-atheists/147946/44 "2003-02-01T05:36:26Z")

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> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by lez999 \*  
> \*\*I think this whole discussion is a waste of time, because atheists don’t exist! yes ladies and gentlemen I don’t BELIEVE in atheisim and I know that sounds funny. anyway all atheist believe in some superior power which then takes them out of the atheism catagory, and I am willing to challenge anyone to prove my otherwise. Plus another point is that an oath on the Torah for example, THE Bible, is not only permitted but an obligation in legal cases and marital cases. \*\*

Could you explain what you mean?

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-courts-swear-atheists/147946/45 "2003-02-02T15:57:44Z")

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> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by lez999 \*  
> \*\* Plus another point is that an oath on the Torah for example, THE Bible, is not only permitted but an obligation in legal cases and marital cases. \*\*

It’s not required in the US. I don’t know if it is or not in Israel.

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