Would American Christians consider it a 1st amendment breech if we changed the national motto?

Question

I am an atheist. I don't believe that there is a (big G) God or a (little g) god or a goddess or a flying spaghetti monster for that matter. Yet I live in a country that has adopted "In God WE trust" as MY national motto.

The first amendment to the Constitution - the primary specific right granted in the bill of rights - promises me that my Congress shall pass no law establishing a national religion, yet they violated this promise to make the idea that all Americans trust in one and the same God the central thematic idea of our shared rallying cry.

The truth is, however, I don't trust in God. Neither do the Hindus who live here or the neo-pagans or the Buddhists or Seiks or Shintus or native Americans who practice the old religions. So I'm wondering, would Christians be offended if a majority of Americans decided to change to a secular motto such as "In reason we trust, because there may not be a God?" Wouldn't this be in keeping with our first amendment rights?
Just wondering.

VTJames, the country was founded on PRINCIPALS, not Judeo-Christian principals because here is no such thing as a uniquely Judeo-Christian principal other than a belief in Jehova which is NOT required by the US Constitution. Sorry.

DC Timberstone, I have no personal stake in this. It's a matter of principle not personal gain. It also has nothing to do with money. Also, the motto had nothing to do with the founding fathers. It was not adopted until the 1950s. Prior to that, the unofficial motto was e pluribus unum - out of many one - a much better motto for our Republic.

Plumeria, there were other principles our founding fathers agreed to and which were tradition until somebody said wrong is wrong. Slavery, women's sufferage, civil rights, child labor etc were all commonplace and those who opposed these were considered boat rockers. Patriots see that and take action. Granted, the motto is minor by comparison, but there is still room for real improvement here. So we'll wait for the motto. First, let's get a national amendment recognizing gay marriage, then we can revisit the motto.

Answer 1

I don't think they'd really approve of it? They love complaining about the lack of God in schools and such...so they'd jump on this in a second. Their pretty conceited to believe that they are the only ones with a "religion" and "that their god" is the absolute only one. How would they know? Personally, though I don't care about the words "In God We Trust" being printed on the coin for the fact that I know alot of atheist/agnostics that pretty much are not aware that they claim to be so anti-God but you will catch them saying things like "Oh My God" or "Jesus, man!"

Answer 2

The TRUTH is most AMERICAN citizens TRUST GOD>>...I am an American citizen, my family members are all American citizens, our Founding Fathers, and the soldiers of the United States are all fighting for our freedom. We are PROUD of our heritage...our beliefs are in God...in God we trust! This country was built on our belief in God....You can't come to our country and change what has been a belief of our nation for over 200 years.

Our belief in God doesn't make us put on a vest rigged with bombs and walk into a train to blow up ourselves and thousands of other people in the process. We believe in doing whats right for our people, our nation, and our country. We will retaliate, however, if we are being threatened by terrorists or dictators who try to rule the world....Sadam Hussein, Hitler, Chairman Mao, etc. It's written in our History books... End your hatred to our country....concentrate on your own country and how YOU can help your own people and religion. AETHIESTS....Leave the American system ALONE!!!!!!!!!!! For your information, Native American Indians, (the first Americans) do believe in GOD!

Answer 3

If that's the case,why have a motto at all? No matter what our motto may be,there will always be some close/narrow-minded people like yourself who will claim offense. Someone always has to open their traps and ruin it for everyone else.
Your proposed motto still has the word God in it. Doesn't that offend your soft sensibilities?

Answer 4

How will this benefit you personally? If money is your thing then look at the cost just to please your sense of personal need. At this point the In God We Trust is still the symbol of our founding fathers, not as much a religion but in all the documents they scribed and how they felt. I will never understand taking on a cause, as great as this one, with little or no personal gain.

Answer 5

Regardless of how you and anyone else feels about the motto, it is a matter of American history, tradition and culture.

Why is it that we must continually respect the cultures of foreigners coming into our nation but our majority culture must be under constant attack?

Have your beliefs, no one cares. Let the rest of us do the same.

Answer 6

Like it or not this nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. You are free to be an atheist but not free to rewrite the history of the nation

Answer 7

I think we should change it to: "IN US WE TRUST" meaning, of course, each other....not god, not the government and not the church, and totally not mythologies transcribed in unholy books throughout the world....all of them, Islam, Judaism, Christianity.....all of it. If there's anything to be learned from centuries of religious wars, it is that religion and god are basically untrustworthy and evil.

Answer 8

I didn't know we had a national motto...

Answer 9

Short answer- NO