ACLU: “Holy Scripture” includes Quran, and Bhagavad-Gita

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina says witnesses in North Carolina courtrooms should be allowed to swear to tell the truth on scriptures other than the Bible. The ACLU has filed a lawsuit to permit oaths to be taken on the holy books of Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and other non-Christian faiths.

Judges in Guilford County ruled recently that Muslims cannot legally take an oath on the Quran. State law allows witnesses to take their oath either by laying a hand over “Holy Scripture,” by saying “so help me God” without the use of a religious book, or by using no religious symbols.

The head of the North Carolina ACLU says, “We hope that the court will issue a ruling that the phrase ‘holy scripture’ includes the Quran, Old Testament, and Bhagavad-Gita in addition to the Christian Bible.” [AP]

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RELATED INFORMATION:

WESH: Courts May Be Required to Permit Oath on Books other than the Bible
http://www.wesh.com/nationalnews/4774439/detail.html

Iranian Quran News Agency watches NC oath battle:
http://iqna.ir/NewsBodyDesc_en.asp?lang=en&ProdID=22971

News-Record: ACLU pushes state on Quran oaths
http://beta.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050712/NEWSREC0101/50712005