To those wanting God out of school, wanting "one nation under God " out of the pledge can you answer please?

Question

There are some that want God out of the schools and out of the pledge of allegiance. Let me ask: 1:It does what harm? 2: Did our founding fathers & respected leaders such as Washington, Adams, Monroe, Jefferson, Lincoln, Eisenfower, JFK, want God taken out of school & the pledge? 4.Did you know that congress used to take a break for prayer and church? 5.If you feel God is a mythology figure-no need to pray or honor God. Did you teach your kids about the unreal Santa? Easter Bunny? 6. Did you believe in them too? 7.Do you & your kids watch TV & movies about Harry Potter, Batman, cartoons, how about pro wrestling, media that depects murder, nudity, theft, foul language, Are these myths, fakes, violence, adultery better and more respectable more character building, etc.., than learning & honoring God? 8 God stands for forgiveness, peace, law (commandments) abiding. Why is not knowing of Gad a better thing? God out of the pledge? Do you spend the money that has "In God We Trust" on it?

Answer 1

what a bunch of bigots and obstinate headed pple we have here!

the question reveals all ur turn-coat tendencies.

God is everywhere. not just ur schools.
to claim otherwise is counter productive

Answer 2

Why do you need a God to be moral?

1) It secludes people of other religions. How would you feel if instead of saying "one nation under God," it said "one nation under Satan?"

2) Only the first four you mentioned, Washington, Adams, Monroe, and Jefferson, were founding fathers. They all understood the complications that could arise from mixing the institutions of religion and government. During the late 18th century, when this country was founded, the western world was going through the period of enlightenment. The founding fathers were no strangers to the new and progressive free flow of ideas pertaining to natural law over humans and society. This included the right of free will.

3) You didn't have a three, so I'll use this space to discuss one other President you mentioned. There was no pledge during the Lincoln administration. He is actually a good candidate to show how much this country has changed over time. Despite what you may believe, Lincoln was no supporter of racial equality. Does this make him a bad person, or was he only a product of his era? Most people of the 19th century lived a double life; one that lived a life under God while at the same time believing another human was below them because of the color of their skin.

4) Yes, I knew that Congress used took a break for prayer and lunch. Do you realize the key word in this question; "used."

5) What do Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny have to do with the Pledge of Allegiance? Do you know that the Christians mixed pagan holidays with their holidays in order to get people to be interested in Christianity? Christmas trees and eggs? What do they have to do with the birth and resurrection of Christ?

6) Yes I believed in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Children believe in whatever they are told to believe in.

7) What does entertainment have to do with being moral? Do you need a God to be moral? I personally do not think anyone does.

8) Why do you assume that just because people want to leave religion out of school and entertainment that they automatically do not stand for " forgiveness, peace, law (commandments) abiding?" A person does not need God to live a moral life!!! The word God should be taken off of our money as well. It has no place in our government.

This country was founded by people who risked their lives to escape religious persecution. They did not believe any government had the right to tell its citizens how to worship their God. Have we really come around to being the aggressors on this subject? I hope, for the sake of our future, the answer is no. If history has taught us anything, it is that people who are not allowed to live free will find a way to do so.

Answer 3

There was no "pledge of allegiance" when Washington, Adams, Monroe, Jefferson and Lincoln.
Just because congress takes a prayer break doesn't mean there is a god.
Why should we have ANY mythology figure in the pledge?
If you have to believe in god to be a good person, then that doesn't say much about you.
Some people go on about this being a "Christian Nation". This is an excerpt from the "Treaty of Tripoli" 1796-97:
Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

"Mussulmen" means Muslims.
"Mahometan" means Mohammedan or Muhammadan .

This treaty was made to reassure Muslims that we wouldn't go to war over religion.
There's more here: http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/buckner_tripoli.html

Answer 4

Its not about wanting God out of the pledge and school because we don't like or even love, fear or respect him. Its because its every parents job to raise their child in their own belief (or don't you read the Bible?). IT IS NOT THE GOVERNMENTS PLACE TO DO IT FOR THEM. This country was built on a Deist belief and and yes, Christianity was dominant, but WHY was it dominant? Because of a Bully Pulpit, public hangings, burning witches, public hysteria, ignorance and allot of other things that go along with Christianity.

So, why not leave God to parents and Preachers and let the school be what its for? A decent education and not a back-up pulpit to re-inforce Christianity. After all, how many Muslim prayers have you heard on the Football field? I bet NONE. Same for Jewish and others. Yet all these other religions are supposed to sit back and go, "hey, its only Christianity, they don't mean anything bad." PUHLEASE. Its always been their way or the Highway. Well, we've finally reached an Age of Reason (well, almost) and people are finally realizing God has no place in Schools, or public ceremonies where multi-cultural people will be. If they want to pray, they are welcome to, 24/7, no one is stopping them. However, God himself said in the Bible, not to make a show of prayer.

Answer 5

Frankly, if you have to ask this question I am not sure you are open to the answer.

Define what an atheist or a deist is (which by the way Jefferson was one)? What is fair? Having to swallow religion, even if it is only in passing IS HIGHLY offensive to some (both child and parent), not to mention the trauma you could cause children that have been abused by religious people..................

It is called fairness. The right not to be exposed to something so inflammatory while trying to get your education, or having your child educated.

If you do not understand HOW religion can be so inflammatory to some, try to look at all the religious violence and wars that have been perpetrated on society. The modern day which hunts, the families affected by the superiority attitudes, insulting others and then acting innocent etc. Religion is ripe with abuse and many are not into it - or having their kids exposed to it!!!!

Answer 6

1. No harm unless you are the weirdo who doesn't fit in. 2. Founding fathers didn't have the pledge so they wouldn't care, presidents that did have probably had an opinon but we are in a democracy so their one opinion means just as much as my one opinion. 3. Missing (Holy Ghost maybe) 4. Yes I did know, I hope they respect the new muslim member of congress and stop this. 5. I tell my kids none of them exist since they are all fake and I refuse to lie to my kids about anything. 6. No my parents were the same way. I never believed in Santa or the Easter Bunny. I was always told they did not exist. 7. All the things you listed can be character building if monitred/framed/direct by responsible parenting. 8.He stands for those things unless you piss him, ask lots wife Sodom and Gomorrah, the Phillistines and the Canannintes. I would spend money with "Satan Rules" this is a capitalist country, all I car about is that money spends and that I have lots of it.

I don't disagree with some of your views and opinions, but you are snide and assanine in the way broach the question.

Answer 7

Have you ever met God? Spoken to God? Seen God? Seen, or experienced any of God's work first hand? What do you know about God?

I bet you cant answer those questions. So how can you believe in something that you honestly know nothing about? I dont understand that. How can you not ask questions?

Also to answer your question.... Yes I think that we shouldn't have God in our schools. That is what Sunday school is for, etc.... take your children to that if you want them to learn about God so badly. As for the pledge of allegiance - I dont really have a problem with "one nation under God " being left in - I'm not that against religion nor is that big of an issue for me personally to debate. There are much worse things going on in this world that we should be focusing on to fix........ like the War in Iraq, and Darfur

Answer 8

1) The teaching of specific religions, such as Christianity, etc. has no place in public schools, unless it is a general theology class that represents all world religions. There is nothing stopping a child from saying a silent prayer in school. If that isn't good enough for your child then send them to a Christian school. But don't expect, with the diversity of religions in this country, that one should be solely represented simply because a majority of the people subscribe to it.
2) The pledge didn't even exist when the founders were alive.

I'm not even going to bother responding separately to this drivel. Did you know that "In God We Trust" was added to coin and paper money in the 20th century, in several different stages, most directly due to the Red Commie scare perpetrated by that nutjob McCarthy? No? Read up on it, please.

I'm sure from your ramblings that you think this country was founded as a "Christian" country by "Christian" men who somehow missed the boat in conveying that to the rest of us. Did you know many of the founders were not Christian at all? Thomas Jefferson was Deist, along with quite a few others. The founders had a perfect opportunity to create a Christian Theocracy, if they had desired it. Instead they created a democratic republic, severely curbing the role of religion in our government.

You know what? That's good enough for me, and my children, and their children. They won't suffer from a lack of religious instruction - they will get that from their churches and in their homes. They will also be properly educated, especially about the history of their country. I have to be careful and protect them from people like yourself who spread completely ridiculous claptrap about how our country was formed and what sort of men our founders were. They were wonderful, brilliant men. But they certainly weren't theocratists.

Answer 9

The phrasing of your question reveals that you are Christian.

1) Those of us who are not followers are offended and harmed by the inclusion of your Judeo-Christian fairy tales in Government

2)Yes, the founders wanted all religion left out to avoid persecution of smaller sects, or interference in our government by established European religions. The "God" in the pledge and on our money were added much later, and not very well thuoght out.

3) You left out 3

4) Congress also broke for lunch, so what?

5) NO

6)Only until I was 4 years old

7) Yes, if I as a Parent decide that fantasy, reality, or historical
programming is appropriate, I allow it. The morality I teach my children is not dependant on any religion.

8)If you believe that God represents foregiveness or peace, you
haven't read the first half of your Bible. God represents law and judgement, Jesus represents foregiveness, get it straight.

Answer 10

1. It harms anyone who believes in more than one god, or in no god, because it tells them that their beliefs don't matter. It tells them that they are wrong, and that the state and school have decided what is truth, because the state and school recognize only one god.

2. "Under God" was added in 1954, so the Founding Fathers didn't have much say in the matter. And the Founding Fathers did absolutely want religion out of government, which is why it's prohibited in not just the First Amendment, but also Article VI.

4. Sure, Congress can do anything it wants. Whether legal or not.

5-6. What does one have to do with the other? And what parents choose to teach their kids in private is protected. The only limits are on what the government tries to endorse or promote.

7. Again, same issue. What happens in private is up to the individual. The Constitution only limits the govt from getting involved in deciding what people should and should not hear.

8. Your religion teaches certain values and practices that you approve. Fine. But would you be happy if those same values were taught in public school by their Islamic terminology? Or by wiccan terminology? Or Buddhist terminology?

Are you just as happy having religion taught in school if it is some other religion than the one you happen to practice?

Or are you just in favor of teaching religion when it is your religion.

Answer 11

"I have found Christian Dogma unintelligible. Early in life I absented myself from Christian Assemblies." - Ben Franklin
"As the Government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian Religion, the United States is not a Christian Nation any more than it is a Jewish or Mohammedan Nation." - John Adams
"Christianity neither is nor ever was part of the common law." - Thomas Jefferson
The phrase "under God" was added to the pledge in the 1950s by Sen. Joe McCarthy as a sign of support for blacklisting and opposition to civil rights.
This country was founded on, among other things, "Freedom of Religion", that also entitles people to "Freedom from Religion" if they so choose. There is not, and never has been a ban on prayer in schools, anyone who thinks there's no prayer in schools wasn't in my Algebra 2 class during finals. What was banned, and rightly so, was teachers in public schools forcing non-Christians to participate, against their will, in Christian ceremonies, and allowing teachers to verbally and physically abuse non-Christians who wouldn't convert, both of which I witnessed regularly in Public schools growing up in the '60s. If that's your idea of "Character Building", I'm glad my daughter never had you for a teacher.