Do you...

For a while now I have been absent from posting anything in my blog. Originally I had planned my next post to be a collaboration of the poetry I have written over the years. Recently I decided not to do this as the mix of emotion in one post, and the remembrance of some old feelings was not what I desired. So now again my twisted pattern of thought brought me to yet another topic. This somewhat relates to what I have been posting recently.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god."

Such a simple question, such a simple answer. The normal and accepted response to this question is "I do". But now I sit here and wonder, people have been sent to the electric chair, lethal injection, and the gas chamber for what people have said while under this oath. I wonder exactly what this is supposed to mean. Why is it that in a world of religious freedom and supposed separation of church and state, that we have people swear there testimonies under a specific belief.

Were I to take the oath in front of a court, my word in question, what would I respond? A quick search on the web showed that this itself may be a hot topic. Out of the first 30 results that showed up I found most of them were about what "heathens and atheists" would do if asked this question. In a way I guess I should have expected this, but I do not consider myself a heathen, and I know that I am not an atheist. I do have my own beliefs. But my search did turn up more than just a found hatred of those with different beliefs.

Those that do not believe in that certain god, can affirm to the truth.

"You do affirm that all the testimony you are about to give in the case now before the Court will be the truth, and nothing but the truth; this you do affirm under the pains and penalties of perjury?"

Again the common answer would be "I do". While I am glad to see that an alternate has been made, I am sad at the same time to see that it has not been made the standard. Even after this affirmation is decided upon, the judge apparently has to warn the jury and those viewing the case that this affirmation is legal and valid. One day I imagine that we will live in a world where religious freedom is a whole truth, but I know that day is not today. I know that the concept is there, I watch sci-fi. Most shows that talk about the future, about the human race as a whole cooperating, do not mention religion at all.

Another rant, another day. Sometimes I may get slightly carried away. As for how I am doing myself, I guess that I just need to get up and out a little more. Thank you Willow, I know you haven't heard from me, I promise an email soon.