Should atheists have to do jury duty? Will I be able to do my civic duty without placing my hand on the bible? I'm being threatened with arrest if I don't show. Will I also be arrested if I refuse to put my hand on the bible and acknowledge a deity?
Actually that hand on the bible bullshit is TV from the McCarthy era.... If they tried to do that it would be a violation of your civil rights and a violation of the constitution....
Should atheists be allowed to shirk their civic duty as members of a reasonably free and democratic society? I think you will have to test this for yourself.
Here in the UK, you can chose to 'affirm', if you wouldn't feel sincere swearing on a holy book.
This is from Wikipedia:
"I solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will faithfully try the defendant and give a true verdict according to the evidence."
I did jury service a few years back. It was over a week of compulsory attendance coffee mornings, and then just as our term was just due to expire, we got a case that dragged it out for another week.
It's certainly an interesting experience, but can be massively inconvenient.
If you don’t believe in deity the book is just a book. You aren’t acknowledging deity. Jury duty is a interesting experience, go for it .
Showed up 4 times before but never got a case. All in 10 years. I'm asking are we that crime ridden? I'm not in a small town. lol.
@IAJO163 It your number coming up lol
a bible isn't involced as far as i know. but even if it were, it's part of the game. swear on the bible and get on with it. it's no biggie