How does the U.S. get away with this?

Question

1. "In God We Trust" on our money
2. "Under God" added in our pledge
3. Anti-blasphemy laws remaining in our state laws
4. Financial and legal support of Boy Scouts (intolerant of atheists and gays)
5. Tax breaks to churches

It's too bad we can't get many sensible people into the government.

bcptm, I would appreciate it if you gave me some quotes, links, or something. That's why I'm asking this question.

"a church, its integrated auxiliaries, or a convention or association of churches is not required to file Form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax deductible contributions" http://www.irs.gov/publications/p557/ch03.html#d0e4404

Joe, I'm probably less fond of environmentalists than you are. Trust me on that one.

יששכר, the law applies to all religions (not everyone has a religion, by the way), but the churches don't. Churches can deny their charity to anybody that doesn't follow their stuff.

Answer 1

1. Whenever I ask about "in God We trust" I ask "Please give me the God's true Name.
2. Same question, then I ask with a wink, "How do you mean under."
3. Oh that local stuff. You know in 80% of the states you have to have someone walk in front of your car with a bell and a lantern in order not to frighten horses or those in the carriage being pulled by horses.
4. It's hard to buck a tradition. I was an adult leader until I was outed as a pagan......which was rather weird as much of American scouting is filled with Native American lore which could be termed Pagan.
5. This was placed into law when Churches were struggling to survive. It isn't as if the Tax Breaks were given at this time, it is that with Church goers are the majority of voters and it would be political suicide to vote for such a change in the law.

If you want the Truth.....Ask a Pagan.

Answer 2

There are too many questions represented, but I'll give it a shot. I'm assuming your question relates to why the Establishment clause in the U. S. Constitution isn't violated by the things you enumerate.

1. "In God We Trust" on our money

Images and slogans were chosen for currency because they are a significant from a cultural point of view. This slogan applies to a large number of U. S. citizens. I'm sure some people object to having Lincoln on the penny because of his political activities. The key question is whether it won out over other possible slogans because someone wanted to promote a specific religion (e.g., Catholicism). In other words, "not respecting an establishment of religion" doesn't mean the government must be anti-religion or that it must promote atheism.

2. "Under God" added in our pledge

Same answer as above.

3. Anti-blasphemy laws remaining in our state laws

There are reasonable limits to free speech that have been upheld by the courts. For example, communities can set standards of decency. Generally, you can't trample on the rights of others through speech (e.g., someone following you around in public places and yelling obscentities at you and your children).

I'm sure there are still inappropriate laws on the books and many will yet be created. That's one of the reasons why we have checks and balances in government. The courts help to get rid of bad laws. I'm not excusing those who create bad laws; I'm just saying that we can't control all legislatures and that mechanisms exist to help temper the result.

4. Financial and legal support of Boy Scouts (intolerant of atheists and gays)

I fail to see any authority in the U. S. Constitution for the federal government to support the Boy Scouts. However, other levels of government could do so without violating the establishment clause using the argument I mentioned in issue 1.

5. Tax breaks to churches

The U. S. Constitution specifically prohibits interfering with the free exercise of religion. Taxing or regulating them is in my view interference. If government can tax an organization, they can exert control over it.

Answer 3

it's not tax breaks to churches, it's NO TAX for churches, and the original founding was designed that way. Of course look a little deeper and you'll see that ANY legal non profit organization is tax exempt which includes things like my favorite on-site swingers club :-p
People tolerate my lifestyle pretty darn well. I'll keep right on tolerating the money the pledge the laws and the boy scouts too!

Answer 4

What you are talking about should be elevated to :

Why has the Christian Right dissolved and surrendered the United States by stripping it of it's sovereignty for, and at the bequest of, Corporate elitists; that's not very Christian and yet that is what they have done while the Christian continues to to keep you distracted from that fact by engaging in non-wars, and perpetrating the falsity that the United States still exists.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe-L2xsJmhg

click on video, then in search, type: Canadian view of the North American Union

Next to that see CNN/Dobbs: W fulfills his Dad's dream of New World Order

I thought the Christians believed a One World government was product of the Anti-Christ, and now we see the Christians are behind the formation of it, wow!

Answer 5

The first two are real issues, The third is not as there are no enforcable blasphamy laws, all haveing been over turned ( they don't take a law off the books when it has been overturned, it just becomes invalid), the boy scout thing they are truely messed up on, and the tax break thing is because of the first amendment.

Answer 6

I am a firm believer that athiest should bond together and conduct a massive advertising and education blitz focused on making people just question their beliefs. By just making people question and letting others know that there area lot of people who don't believe in this foolishness, we can begin to add ranks to our numbers. Once a solid minority is established, we can lobby goverment with a more solid foothold to remove these religious indoctrinations in our country and topple the foolish religious majority. It'll take many years, but look at how far we've progressed for civil and womens rights in just the past 50 years.

Answer 7

Well 1 and 2 were added during the cold war against the Constitution. Its not the US that supports it, its the Christian Americans that do. And since they pretty much run the country, its very hard to remove it. Just look at the fights that exist because people are trying to do it.

3 are leftovers from ancient times that need to be changed but again, the Christians have far too much power.

4. Not a clue

5. Its despicable but its again about Christian power.

Answer 8

1 and 2 were a response to communism in the 50s, 3 is pretty much unenforceable, 4 I do not get, and 5 covers all religions, so it's not endorsing any religion in particular, therefore acceptable.

Answer 9

I'm not going to hate on it. Yeah this is one proud a$$ Christian country. But there is other places in the world that have govts which don't operate under Christian laws such as Islamic, Catholic, Jewish, etc....

We're in the USA, what do you expect?

Answer 10

1. because the idea of separation of church and state never had anything to do with banning God from our vocabulary.

2. see #1

3. because you live in Utah, and that's your own fault.

4. Because atheists and gays are intolerant of people who do not agree with them.

5. Because churches are non-profit organizations, and get the same tax breaks as the united way, and all of the bunny hugger environMENTAL groups.

6. why do you even care? does the word "God" burn your eyes? Does it cost you money?

ATHEISM is also a religion, as most people can see by the posts here by atheists. It is the religion of "ME". No-one is more all knowing or all powerful than "ME". And they get offended by the suggestion that there is any God other than "ME". ME ME ME ME.