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The US, Congress has emblazoned our money with "In God We Trust" and reworded our pledge of allegiance to read "one nation UNDER GOD." (emphasis added)
However, between 9% & 12% of Americans are Non-Believers, who neither trust in God nor see the US as subjugated by any deity. By including these words into our national icons, Congress has made a religious point for believers, but at the same time divided the nation on religious grounds.
So, for R&S participants: Is national unity worth rescinding the divisive language, or instead does making this religious point justify alienating about 10 percent of the country?
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2007-08-28 13:23:27 · 11 answers · asked by NHBaritone 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
words for the birds: So in your mind, national unity is based on telling your fellow citizens to "STFU"?
2007-08-28 13:43:10 · update #1
It should be removed. Christians constantly argue that it should remain simply because they are in the majority, but it's not about the majority, it's about ALL of the people and about keeping religion out of the government. If it were about the majority, then this country could end up as a theocracy and that is unconstitutional.
atheist
2007-08-28 13:30:34 · answer #1 · answered by AuroraDawn 7 · 3⤊ 3⤋
The words on the bills were only added fairly recently and I think that fact is overlooked quite often.
As for unity, the last election showed quite clearly that the US is divided almost exactly down the middle. There will be no reconciling that any time soon. Although the deviant shenanigans of the right wing fundies is definitely having a negative effect on their power base.
"A law passed by the 84th Congress and approved by the President on July 30, 1956, the President approved a Joint Resolution of the 84th Congress, declaring IN GOD WE TRUST the national motto of the United States. IN GOD WE TRUST was first used on paper money in 1957, when it appeared on the one-dollar silver certificate. The first paper currency bearing the motto entered circulation on October 1, 1957."
2007-08-28 20:49:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
If the courts and military can have oaths without god, so can the money and pledge.
If it said in allah we trust there would be an uproar, so why is it fine to say in god we trust?
If it were truly about unity then each group of people should have equal say and not just the popular majority.
Now that I really think about it, how does god unite people? Look at history, more people died over relgion than anything else.
2007-08-28 20:58:50 · answer #3 · answered by riding128 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you want to argue that the government is making a religious point you are also arguing that it is blatantly unconstutional. The government cannot favor one belief over another. You ask if national unity is worth it. I don't see unity being the problem here. Religion doesn't belong on government property.
2007-08-28 20:44:06 · answer #4 · answered by Nightwind 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They added it to the pledge to help fight "godless communism." It should be removed from the pledge. When the fundies stand up and shout at our efforts to make this nation sane, we should ask them to prove their god is real. I believe that this will be a long process.
2007-08-28 20:42:50 · answer #5 · answered by Lionheart ® 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It's just so funny to me... the pledge says: "One nation, under God, indivisible". So in other words: "One nation, indivisible -- BUT actually we're going to divide the country into theists and nontheists anyway". Yes, this country is indivisible -- except when it comes to religion. In that case, division is OK, apparently...
Yes, it should be removed. It's out-of-place and unnecessarily excludes many people, including atheists and agnostics and polytheists as well.
2007-08-28 20:33:26 · answer #6 · answered by . 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
You complainers are the ones who are undermining our national unity. Whine, whine, whine, and all over a couple of words that mean NOTHING to you anyway! What a bunch of spoiled little whiny-@ss hypocrites! STFU!
2007-08-28 20:35:07 · answer #7 · answered by words for the birds 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I really don't care that In God We Trust or whatever else is up around the country... If we talk those sayings away Christians will just act like victims and I don't want to hear all their whining...
2007-08-28 20:31:50 · answer #8 · answered by Highlander 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
More important is for US community to uphold morality including intergrity.
2007-08-28 20:34:07 · answer #9 · answered by Ray Mystery 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They added "under god" to our state pledge. I was really dissapointed. I never liked saying the pledge anyway.
2007-08-28 20:30:38 · answer #10 · answered by nckmcgwn 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋