# Legal question (re: taking oath using Bible) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 4, 2025, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875 "2025-02-04T16:30:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/1 "2025-02-04T16:30:49Z")
Is not putting your hand on the Bible when swearing an oath equal to crossing your fingers behind your back? ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/2 "2025-02-04T16:41:38Z")
Yes, in that neither action/non-action has any legal significance. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/3 "2025-02-04T17:07:16Z")
It’s more like kneeling when they play the national anthem. Not a big thing unless a democrat does it. 😡 Fucking hypocrites! ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/4 "2025-02-04T19:20:27Z")
Don’t most civil oath-taking ceremonies make the religious parts optional? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/5 "2025-02-04T19:27:00Z")
It’s absolutely optional from a legal perspective; heck, making it mandatory would almost surely be a violation of the First Amendment. However, it’s ironic to avoid the bible thing coming from someone venerated by Christian Nationalists. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/6 "2025-02-04T19:31:21Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > However, it’s ironic to avoid the bible thing coming from someone venerated by Christian Nationalists. Might be the only time Christian Nationalists actually agree with Jesus, most likely by accident, Matthew 5:33-37 NIV “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/7 "2025-02-04T19:37:54Z")
According to the right, God puts his hand on Trump every time he opens his mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/8 "2025-02-04T19:47:13Z")
I’ve edited the title to make the subject of the thread clearer. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/9 "2025-02-04T20:31:09Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > God puts his hand on Trump every time he opens his mouth. Can’t He just put it _over_ his mouth? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/10 "2025-02-04T20:35:21Z")
Regretfully, Missouri courts have done away with swearing in witnesses with a hand on the Bible and they just have you raise your right hand. Which sucks, because I’ve long had this plan to, when the bailiff brings a Bible out, pull out my Constitution booklet from my pocket and swear on that. It’s considerably more meaningful to me and, presumably anyway, to Missouri’s courts, than the Bible is. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/11 "2025-02-04T20:39:46Z")
God’s not hitting him hard enough, then. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/12 "2025-02-04T20:40:14Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Regretfully, Missouri courts have done away with swearing in witnesses with a hand on the Bible and they just have you raise your right hand. Almost all states have stopped the bible thing (if they ever did it). I’ve only seen someone sworn in on a Bible once. In a deposition in KY or TN. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/13 "2025-02-04T20:41:25Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > In a deposition in KY or TN. That tracks. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/14 "2025-02-04T20:50:12Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Which sucks, because I’ve long had this plan to, when the bailiff brings a Bible out, pull out my I honestly thought you were going to say “pyrotechnic version.” ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/15 "2025-02-04T20:50:16Z")
Yet you figured this was a Pit thread? ;D ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/16 "2025-02-04T20:51:02Z")
Even Pit threads deserve titles that give you a clue as to what the thread is about. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/17 "2025-02-04T20:54:58Z")
One of these days I am going to start one about the best material for stitching clothes, and I’ll title it “Thread”. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/18 "2025-02-04T20:57:02Z")
Definitely optional. You can swear on any book you want…or none at all. You just have to affirm you agree to the oath being given. In the distant past a bible was required but that’s long gone now. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/19 "2025-02-04T20:58:50Z")
In a sane world, violating one’s oath of office would incur a penalty. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875/20 "2025-02-04T21:21:38Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > God’s not hitting him hard enough, then. Bitch-slapped by the deity. Now that’s a T-shirt I might buy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-re-taking-oath-using-bible/1013875.md?page=2)