Thoughts Provoked From Old Movies

I am a fan of old movies. I do not classify myself as an expert on them because I tend not to pay attention to or know who the directors and producers are. Last week, I happened to watch two classic 1950's era movies: Witness For The Prosecution and Friendly Persuasion.

Witness is a courtroom drama starring Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, and Marlene Dietrich. Power is on trial for murder; Laughton is his defense attorney; Dietrich is his wife, but she testifies for the prosecution. Hence the title of the movie.

In the pivotal scene as Dietrich takes the stand for the first time, the bailiff hands her a Bible on which to swear she is telling the truth. Before she takes the Bible, the bailiff instructs her to remove her gloves so she is holding the Bible in her bare hand.

That struck me. What difference would it have made if she kept on her gloves? Did folks believe that there was something magical about touching the Bible directly rather than through gloves? Was it supposed to show more honor for the Bible? Was it akin to those churches who ask that congregants stand when scripture texts are read to show proper reverence?

I don't know the answer to any of my speculations. What do you think?

Friendly Persuasion, starring Gary Cooper and Dorothy McGuire, tells the story of a Quaker family living in Southern Indiana during the Civil War. In one scene, as the Quakers gather for meeting, their time is interrupted by a Union Officer calling on them to take up weapons and prepare to fight.

This reminded me of the declaration sent by the Society of Friends in 1660 to King Charles II. Its prelude states:
Our Principle is, and our Practices have always been, to seek peace and ensue it, and to follow after righteousness and the knowledge of God, seeking the Good and Welfare, and doing that which tends to the peace of All. We know that Wars and Fightings proceed from the Lusts of men (as James 4: 1-3), out of which Lusts the Lord hath redeemed us, and so out of the Occasion of War. The Occasion of which War, and the War itself (wherein envious men, who are lovers of themselves more than lovers of God, lust, kill, & desire to have men’s lives or estates) ariseth from the lust. All bloody Principles & Practices we (as to our own particular) do utterly deny, with all outward Wars, and Strife, and Fightings with outward Weapons, for any end, or under any pretence whatsoever. And this is our Testimony to the whole World.

This was rather radical in 1660. It remained radical in the 1860's. These principles are still radical.

What do you think? Can a Christian live by this statement? Should a Christian do so?