If I changed "God" to "Goddess" on all of my currency...?

Question

Would that be defacing U.S. currency, or would that be exercising freedom of religion and free speech?

How do you think a judge and jury would rule if it went to court?

I once tracked a "Where's George?" dollar from New Orleans all the way to Alaska! It took four months to get there!

Answer 1

I cross it out and write in Zeus. That is a good idea though. It still spends, no harm.

I see the whereisgeorge site stamped all the time. Has that been shut down?

I also found this: I've heard it is illegal to deface coins, but not to mark currency (police do it all the time, and the treasury issued special pens designed to determine if the newfangled bills are fake). Of course, it would be illegal to make a $10 bill look like a $100 bill, and it might be illegal to truly deface a bill (beyond recognition). I strike the "GOD" part (and sometimes the "WE") part and then leave a little message such as "Religion OFF Our Money!" or simply "Religion OFF!"

After reading the treasury web site what's of particular interest to me are the words "with intent to render such item(s) unfit to be reissued". Am I wrong in assuming that the government would then need to prove intent to render the bill unfit to be reissued in order to successfully prosecute for defacement of currency?

Answer 2

Actually, I have read that the defacing money law only applies when you are defacing the money with intent to deceive. Such as trying to change a $10 into a $100. There are lots of people who use money as art. There are lots of people who write on money and do drawings on money.

If the government suddenly started cracking down on people who change or cover up the word 'god' on the money then the government had better be able to show that any other alteration to the money made by other people is being prosecuted with equal zeal. If the government cannot do that, then it is definately a case of religious discrimination.

On top of that is the freedom of speech. The government would have to prove that the money is now unusable or something to prove that the changes were detrimental somehow. If the government could not do that then the freedom of speech is applicable here.

An interesting note, the person who said defacing the money is a sin. Exactly, where in the bible does it say that defacing money is a sin? Does that mean that person worships money? Sounds like it to me.

Answer 3

Right or wrong probably won't affect you much on this one.
The law allows writing on the bill only in the unprinted margin. HOWEVER...

A friend of mine had "Printed in Japan" printed on many dollar bills, on the back, in the margin, in a green that very closely matched the dollars green ink. He would spend them normally and they were turning up all over the country. (This was in the late 70's) Months into this, and a few hundred bills later, he spent one in a fast food place (taco bell iirc) and he and the teller had a laugh about it. While eating his food, Treasury department agents rolled up! The teller had called it in. Apparently, they had gotten a LOT of calls about the bills and had wasted a lot of time over the months and wanted him to cease and desist. They had a 'discussion' over the legality of his method which ended with something like: "legal or not, we now know who you are and it is causing us problems...do you want US to cause YOU problems?" He did not print any more after that.

So... If you think no one will complain (probably true), go for it. If you are worth going after (or just don't want to take a chance) then try something else.

p.s. (queue spooky music) . . . btw, he is dead now . . .
(the 2+ packs a day could not really have been the cause, lol)

Answer 4

It is only considered defacement of currency if you render the money unfit for use. Thus, in your example no law would be broken. Please note that the religious nature of your vandalism affords no special protection. The right to religion and free speech means they cannot make it illegal to simply state something or to worship a certain way. It does not suddenly render illegal actions (such as defacement of currency) legal.

United States Code
TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I - CRIMES
CHAPTER 17 - COINS AND CURRENCY
§ 333. Mutilation of national bank obligations

“Whoever mutilates, cuts, defaces, disfigures, or perforates, or unites or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national banking association, or Federal Reserve bank, or the Federal Reserve System, with intent to render such bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt unfit to be reissued, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.”

Answer 5

It's perfectly okay. The operative words in the quotation below are: "...with intent to render such item(s) unfit to be reissued..."

http://www.moneyfactory.gov/document.cfm/18/104

Defacement of Currency

Defacement of currency is a violation of Title 18, Section 333 of the United States Code. Under this provision, currency defacement is generally defined as follows: Whoever mutilates, cuts, disfigures, perforates, unites or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national banking association, Federal Reserve Bank, or Federal Reserve System, with intent to render such item(s) unfit to be reissued, shall be fined not more than $100 or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

Defacement of currency in such a way that it is made unfit for circulation comes under the jurisdiction of the United States Secret Service.

Answer 6

That 780 Billion that was to bail out the Companies would have better been spent by dividing that up among the people, Let the people bail out the companies, The math was done in this, It would have amounted to over 40 thousand dollars for evey Tax payer, Now just what could you do with 40 thou? Pay off your mortgage That's helps out and bails out those companies. Pay off your Credit cards, That pays off the Credit agencies Pay off or buy a new Car, That bails out the Auto industry I mean really, the list can go on and on, It would pull this Country out virtually overnight. BUT noooo The Democrats want a Socialistic Government, so they do it accordingly

Answer 7

The pagan child that you are should have more tolerance for all religions. You have God's and Goddess's. Which goddess would you be referring to? Why not think of the "God" on US currency as one of the God's you worship? Why do you really care whats on money? This is petty. If you are secure in what you believe this shouldn't bother you. To each his own.

The freedom of religion is correct. Dont you want to keep having your freedom? Why do you want to take away another American's freedom away. When we all keep complaining about things to the government, "Oh this is not fair daddy, fix it" They come in and take it away. Why cant we all just play nice and let everyone have their own toys!

Answer 8

US Code, Title 18, Part I, Chapter 17, § 333

"Whoever mutilates, cuts, defaces, disfigures, or perforates, or unites or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national banking association, or Federal Reserve bank, or the Federal Reserve System, with intent to render such bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt unfit to be reissued, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both."

The key phrase here is, "with intent to render such... unfit to be reissued". As long as you're not making the bill unusable or altering it for fraudulent purposes, you should be in the clear.

Personally, I think we should write, "E Pluribus Unum". It served as a fine national motto on our money for 180 years, and was only changed out of Cold War paranoia about "godless" Communists.

Answer 9

It should be legal .The idea behind the rules against defacing are that one would deface with the intent to defraud. ,That is not your intent.What you are doing is the equivalent of writing a phone # on a dollar and I don't think that anyone has ever been arrested for doing that.

Answer 10

Why on earth would you want to do that? Any markings or changes will constitute defacing in court so be careful.

Answer 11

Q -- "If I changed "God" to "Goddess" on all of my currency..."

A -- ...no one but an RRR Cult lemming or two would care one whit. But the currency STILL would be in error, because it *still* would not be representative of ALL the people... would represent an ENDORSEMENT of a religion by the government... and therefore would continue to be in violation of the Constitutional principle of separation of church and state.

Only if you were to BLACK OUT that slogan, would your currency be in compliance with the Constitution, and our rights.

There is NO WAY that "in God we Trust" should be on ANY currency, or that "under God" should be in the Pledge of Allegiance, for that very reason.

To "marbledog" -- "E pluribus unum" does seem to be absent from our paper currency -- but it is PRESENT on ALL of our coins. Even the new gold dollars (the Presidential series) has it engraved on the edges.

-- "Roadrat." **Sensible** Christian. (Actual Christians should never be confused with the *pseudo*-Christian lemmings of the RRR Cult. The latter oppose church-state separation, and WANT governmental endorsement.)