UNCENSORED
By MANUEL L. MORATÓ
The Holy Bible and the Sacred Koran
Years ago, I still witnessed the appropriate practice of people swearing on the Bible such as when Presidents take their oath of office swearing on the Bible. Shouldn’t the courts do the same before a person sits on the witness stand?
I have heard of brother Muslims who are also wondering why Muslims required to testify are not made to swear on the Sacred Koran. As a Muslim, candidate Shariff Abdani insists to make this swearing on the Sacred Koran a must in court for Muslims are afraid to lie after swearing on the Sacred Koran; and so should Catholics and Christians by swearing on the Holy Bible.
The gentleman, Muslim brother Shariff Abdani said in a media forum that if he wins this coming elections, he will sponsor and see to it that witnesses in Court must be made to swear in the Sacred Koran for a true Muslim believer of Mohammad will never lie once made to swear in the Sacred Koran.
In like manner, why did we stop the swearing on the Holy Bible for people called to testify in Court? On what stupid grounds was the need to swear on the Holy Bible removed for witness/witnesses to swear on before testifying on the witness stand?
I have seen persons who were called to testify in court but are only read to them an “oath to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” But the oath is empty for there is no Holy Bible to swear on, giving room for them to lie and lie while they testify.
How often people lied who raised their hands to tell the truth? There is nothing infront of them to swear on. But if they are made to put their right hand on top of the Holy Bible, an individual will think twice to tell a lie after swearing to God Almighty on the Holy Bible with his/her right hand. Likewise for those who swear on the Sacred Koran.
How right was the gentleman, a Muslim brother, Mr. Shariff Abdani, who brought up the issue in a forum. I intently listened to him for he had a very good point. He said the true Muslims are afraid to lie after being made to swear on the Koran. The fear violating a promise to Mohammad to tell “the truth and only the truth” is embedded in the minds of our Muslims brothers; and so must the Catholics and Christians do the same.
It brings out the best in them for their respect to Allah; and on us Catholics and Christians as well.
Mabuti pa ang mga Muslim brothers natin na may respeto at takot kay Allah. That is deeply engrained in them from childhood. It calls for eternal condemnation if they disobey.
For sure, Christians and Muslims could be better human beings if they would only bring into practice what they have been taught from childhood.
If only what our youth would grow to what they have been taught when they were young, Catholics and Christians would stop or even lessen lying as part of their life. The art of lying is now so engrained in our people for they have gotten away with the crime by lying, forgetting na “ang sinungaling ay kapatid ng magnanakaw,” something proven centuries ago ng ating mga ninuno.
When will we change the course? Even our upright Muslim brothers are bothered when the swearing in the Sacred Koran was removed in trials and fact-finding. They truly fear what Allah would do to them in their lifetime; and so do our upright Catholics and Christian brothers who somewhat forget the old practice of respecting the Holy Bible and the Sacred Koran. Let’s bring back the old ways taught to us by our elders since time immemorial.
It is really alarming how witnesses in court sitting in the witness stand would lie as if it was just another a breath without thinking the harm they do to their fellowmen. How people would lie in the witness stand is so depressing to see.
In my next column, I wish to write a column on the Jury System for putting in the hands of one judge the fate of every case is really something to ponder about. Briefly, the present system can take ages to resolve; and when things are seen na tagilid ang takbo ng kalaban, they inhibit the Judge, raffle the case to another Judge and it takes years to resolve what a group of responsible citizens can decide on in a much shorter period of time. How many cases are stuck in the lower court, arguing a case over and over again like a broken record. But even if a case is so glaringly a winning case, it’s dribbled.
We have to thank that we have a Supreme Court with 15 members voting on a case; and the majority vote wins.
I was told that the lower courts are clogged with enormous unmoving cases for years and years. Let’s pity our people with cases in court. Nagpapatalo na lang kasi wala ng pera.
Where then is Justice? Some great changes must be done. Pity the victims of injustice.
For comments and suggestions email at mlmorato@yahoo.com
