If church and state are separate, why do we swear on the Bible in court? Is there an alternative for

If church and state are separate, why do we swear on the Bible in court? Is there an alternative for non-Christians? This question previously had details. They are now in a comment. Answer So here's the real question. Billy bob: Who swears on a Bible in any US court? Have you personally seen this or are you watching reruns of Matlock or some shit? I've not been in a bunch (see below) but have been in civilian and military courts (and no I've never been convicted of any crime so I didn't have my life on the line but was a witness for the defense for a former soldier) and have never seen a Bible once. The whole “In God We Trust” on our money and “under God” in our Pledge of Alliegence wasn't added until the 1950's to separate ourselves from the heathen red commie bastards. Yes, people are asked to swear to tell the truth under threat of perjury in court, that's true. But in any court I've been in the people talking to the judge have only been asked to stand and make a vow to tell the truth. No “holy” book was hauled out and no diety was mentioned at the end of it. Not once. And here it comes for those who know me. Where the record scratches and I lurch off the rails. Sorry it's a pathology and I can't help myself. This Bible swearing shit is not as pervasive in US society as many beleive or wish. An example (because surprise I'm going to make this about me) the Oath of Allegiance to the United States. The oath, not the pledge, guys. I took it a few times. And yes, I was told to repeat words in my oaths to uphold the Constitution of the US (we don't swear to a leader here but to the document for any non-US citizen reading this. Well to any US citizen too because today about 25% of us would LOVE to take the 1930 Germany route and swear to the orange thing in the White House. Oh right, its Halloween, no not the pumpkin. The thing that's oranger and more round. Also about 54% of that same group of people favored banning colleges in a poll taken last fall so…). I was to repeat “so help me God” at the end but I never once added that. And at no time did a single person say a word, not even if an idiot chaplain was in attendance. Not once when I ended it without those last 4 words at any of the 5 times I took that oath. There was a weird look or two at the 1st individual swearing in after joining and a few more at my 1st re-enlistment in '99 but not a single person flinched when I reupped in a combat zone after the war started. While many agnostics and even one athiest did say the entire oath at ceremonies I saw during my career I'd say over half did not after 2001. And it literally is printed (optional) on the card that the person reading the oath is repeating that's handed out by the US military. War had the great effect of making cats see the bullshit rather than what I'd always had been let to believe which was “there's no atheists in a foxhole”. Maybe not once upon a time, but guess what? Science, logic and reason has won based on my direct observations. When you see certain things the whole construct of a “just and fair god” falls apart on its merits. Seeing the shit religious radicals will do in the name of their religion has a sobering and eye opening effect too. Yeah, I'm sure I'll get the holy roller idiot out there who will REALLY want to comment in dissent so I'll add this to save themselves the trouble while also hopefully evangelizing reality, free thought and common sense. Yes there were a few religious people who got worse and were praying non stop for their souls every free minute. But FAR more people like myself, raised in a church and evangelical setting, saw it all and realized it is all BS than the other way around. In fact I NEVER once met a dude who went in an athiest and came out a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, etc…but I personally helped no less than 7 people reconcile the opposi