Ghana to Withdraw Bible from Courts... To Save It?

It is amazing how things can look completely different when you turn them around and see them from a new point of view. Take, for example, the practice in the courts of having a witness place their hand on a Bible and swearing to tell "The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God." Americans see this as the best way to ensure a witness will truly speak of what they saw and heard. And yet, we take it for granted that some witnesses will still lie. What is our reaction? To place a burden on the attorneys to get at the truth.

But in Ghana, the reaction has been very different. They see this as a sign that people are actually doing violence to the Bible (and other sacred books) by lying after taking an oath upon them. Their reaction? To consider removing these books from the courts, to avoid further sullying them!

THE CHRISTIAN Council and the Ghana Muslim Mission have been urged to take steps towards the immediate withdrawal of the Bible and the Quran from the courts.
They are being defamed as divine objects and symbols of worship in the churches and mosques, the advocate explained.
Nana Nanabanyin Quessy Ninsin-Imbeah II, Fante chief of Anloga/Oforikrom in Kumasi, who made the call, lamented that the rate at which people who swear on the Bible and Quran to tell the truth to the courts, but do the contrary, is disheartening.
The chief observed that this practice is sacrilegious and must be stopped by the courts before it assumes greater dimensions in destroying the social fabric.