text: separation of church and state...? if having a monument of the 10 commandments in a courthouse is a violation of separation of church and state, how can witnesses being forced to put their hand on a bible, which is more of a religious artifact that just the 10 commandments, and swear to tell the truth? if people were forced to swear on the koran, boy would the christians mobilize in force against that one. they don't do that. it's a hollywood thing. i've been to court many times (to observe, not as a witness or anything) and i've never seen them do that. they only ask you to raise your right hand and say "i swear the statement i am about to give is the truth." or something similar. that's all.