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jury duty

I have jury duty today and we just had to take an affirmatiin tthat ended in the words "before your god." Where did that come from? I am extremely uncomfortable now....

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Permalink Reply by Dogly on April 11, 2012 at 2:51pm

Jessica, you say, "It was a group oath and I was so shocked that I did not say anything. "

I think almost all of us are 'Monday Night Quarterbacks'. The fact that you didn't wiggle your way out of jury duty shows a respect for our legal system, or at least the principles behind our ideal, "A jury of our peers". So before this august body, all dressed up, and ready to "serve' , you are faced with being included in what amounts to a prayer. It's very hard to think on your feet at such times. You did fine. Also, you will be called again. Now you're ready for 'em!

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Simeone on March 31, 2012 at 10:24am

It’s ironic that a bunch of pilgrims, who fled England because of persecution, designed and supported a legal system that persecutes atheists.

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Permalink Reply by Secular Forces 2013 on March 31, 2012 at 11:28am

ha; it's the russian influence.. you know orthodox gansta church.. US/agencies like NASA pay em' nowdays for rides to space station.. ha.

anyhew
ironically in Florida/Broward co. you don't get that in court..
all jurors do get asked their profession though. one time there was a 'creationist' and sure enough a 'secular author' as in Darwin's story ha! judge said something funny about the division within jurors go figure

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Permalink Reply by Dogly on April 12, 2012 at 3:42am

I'm sure the reason jurors in Broward are not asked to pray to be on a jury, is not the beneficence of the Broward County judges. It is surely because some poor slob of an atheist stuck his or her neck out. They have to be dragged kicking and screaming to face the first amendment. They never seem to recognize it until it is shoved up their noses!

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Permalink Reply by Secular Forces 2013 on March 31, 2012 at 11:29am

'your' god... ha as in take yer pick !? neutral way? er... yeah how about just leave it at 'unique citizen of our constitutional nation' ?

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Permalink Reply by Ficking Chucken on April 3, 2012 at 8:25pm

The problem with this is that if I swear an oath of truthfulness to a god that I do NOT believe in it automatically makes me guilty of perjury and therefore I should be excused from duty.

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Permalink Reply by Sandi on April 12, 2012 at 6:45am

Exactly Ficking. An atheist swearing to god just to appease the people in courts starts out with a lie. You would have to state that you cannot swear to a god, as Pat said. I would proudly stand and declare my atheism.

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Permalink Reply by Carl Gregory on April 11, 2012 at 8:54am

I was on jury duty for a case a few years back. I was surprised that the jurors didn't have to swear to a god but all the witinesses did. I also noticed that the judge on the case spent the entire time reading a bible, I am thinking it was mostly because he was bored and that was the only book he was allowed to have up there with him.

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Permalink Reply by booklover on April 11, 2012 at 9:43am

I've never had to do this, but now I know to say that I will "solemnly affirm" instead of swearing to something that's make-believe. Good to know.

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Permalink Reply by Jessica on April 11, 2012 at 8:51pm

Luckily, we were let go early and I know I will not have to go back for at least two years. I will continue to dream of world where "god" is not brought up when I walk into a government building.