Divine Insight wrote:
tam wrote:
Is so, then you have just sworn to an oath anyway.
To say "yes" is to agree to this oath.
No, that would simply be saying, "yes, I will tell the truth".
I don't see the difference.
One is simply saying, yes, I will tell the truth... and the other is swearing upon something (such as God, or the bible, or your own life, or the lives of your loved ones, etc.)
For instance, lets say Peter did not just say, "I will never do this." (deny Christ) Let's say Peter instead said, "I swear on my life that I will never do this." Or, "I swear to God that I will never do this."
Now he will have broken an oath that he made to God; rather than just having spoken something untrue. Or technically, if he swore on his life, then his life is now forfeit.
Here is an example of traditional Christian wedding vows:
(Groom), please repeat these vows to your bride.
I, (groom’s name), take you, (bride’s name), to be my wedded wife; to have and to hold; from this day forward; for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish; until death parts us; this I solemnly swear; before Almighty God.
(Bride), please repeat these vows to your groom.
I, (bride), take you (groom), to be my wedded husband; to have and to hold; from this day forward; for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish; until death parts us; this I solemnly swear; before Almighty God.
Of course in this ceremony the groom and bride are being asked to repeat these vows including solemnly swearing before Almighty God.
Although many Christian sects have changed this up a bit to where the pastor starts these vows with "Do you,...." and then the groom and bride only need to say "yes" or more formally, "I do".
But in saying "Yes" they are agreeing that they are solemnly swearing before Almighty God.
In other words, just because they are only saying "yes" doesn't change what it is they are saying "yes" to.
Yes, but that is including swearing to God. I don't recall that as part of my wedding vows (been twenty years though and before I started listening to my Lord). But then, I was married by a JP, so maybe it was not part of them. People can also write their own vows and none of them have to include swearing to God or upon God.
It says something, doesn't it, that "Christianity" would make people do something that Christ warned against doing? Especially knowing how many marriages end in divorce long before death (and not just due to adultery).
There is a difference between having a contract (including a verbal contract such as what each party, such as a bride and groom, promises to do), and swearing to or upon God, or upon your life or the lives of your loved ones.
This also applies to the courtroom thing.
If the person "swearing you in" (and that is what they are doing), says to you, "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God".
And you simply say "yes", then by saying "yes" you have just confirmed that you swear to God that you will tell the truth.
Yes... but in your first example (previous response) you had not added in the 'so help you God' part.
We don't have to do that here in Canada. We can just affirm that we are going to tell the truth, without swearing to or upon anything.
Those in the US (or anywhere else) who are requiring people to swear to or upon God (or anything/anyone sacred) are the ones who are in the wrong in demanding such a thing. Why make someone swear to God, when it is known that men will often lie to save their own skin, or out of fear for themselves or their loved ones? Where is the love for your fellow man or for God in putting someone in harm's way like that, even if the harm is just to cause them fear and/or sorrow because they broke an oath to God?
People also don't often think their oaths through (like Jephtha when he had to keep his oath to God and sacrifice his daughter, though he did not have to make such an oath to begin with).
Best to just let your yes be your yes, and your no be your no.
I also feel the necessity to point these words out from earlier as well:
Regardless, what I would or would not do is between me and Christ, and what someone else does or does not do is between them and Christ. I am not judging.
Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy
