Hey, Rev,...

[ER]

What would happen if someone was being sworn in to testify in court and that person sincerely and politely answered the question about telling the truth with the word "No"?

[Rev. Powell]

The person would be cited for contempt of court. Probably go to jail until they agreed to testify or served about six months plus a fine. Crazy as it sounds this scenario has happened before and there are procedural rules to deal with it.

[ER]

I been thinking about this, and if one summoned to give testimony in court is not given the free choice to select or reject virtue and truth, then why is someone even asked the question about whether that person will be truthful, instead of saving a step and tilting toward hypocrisy on the court's part, and simply being sentenced through the power of the court to speak the truth or face consequences?

Personally I think it is in my DNA to regard oath-swearing as an extremely serious matter.

[Rev. Powell]

You're overthinking this, lol.

The oath is partly tradition, partly ceremony. Functionally, it's just a formality serves to put the witness on notice that there will be consequences to lying. Here's a brief history: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2004/04/where_did_we_get_our_oath.html