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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums‘In God We Trust’ on currency does not violate First Amendment, federal appeals court decides
The challenge came from Rosalyn Newdow, a member of the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) and coin-collector who felt obligated to stop purchasing coin sets which exclude her and all nonbelievers.
Its necessary, said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-President of FFRF, to remind not just the courts but the public that In God We Trust is a Johnny-come-lately motto adopted at the height of the Cold War. It was only officially required on all currency in 1955.
It creates the dangerous misperception that our republic is based on a god, when in fact it is based on an entirely godless and secular Constitution, Gaylor continued. These symbolic violations from the 1950s have damaged respect for the constitutional principle of separation between religion and government.
MORE HERE: http://wonkynewsnerd.com/god-trust-currency-violate-first-amendment-federal-appeals-court-decides/
leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)dilby
(2,273 posts)Allah is just the Arabic word for God, Arabic Christians use the word all the time.
unblock
(52,253 posts)i mean really, what's the downside of taking it off?
i know, i know believers who want to use the government as an instrument of their private religious beliefs will make the claim that their "rights" are being violated. this is a false claim, of course, but the exercise of naked political clout prevents elected government from fixing this problem.
phleshdef
(11,936 posts)Its all about picking our battles and I don't think this is a worthy battle.
However I do have to laugh at the irony of how Christian scripture teaches that money is the root of all evil and the whole story where Jesus took a whip to the money changers. If the Christian god is real, would he really want his name on money based on biblical attitudes towards it?
dilby
(2,273 posts)Because people who think God needs to be on money are just worshiping money.
onenote
(42,714 posts)It is true that In God We Trust was not made the "official" motto of the US until the 1950s, it also is true that the phrase first appeared on US coins in the 1860s. While it was not consistently on all coins from the 1860s on, it appeared on most coinage for decades before Congress required it to be added to paper money.
Here's the 1909 Lincoln cent:
By the way, not many people realize it, but the phrrase "In God We Trust" apparently is derived from a line in the rarely heard last verse of the Star Spangled Banner: "And this be our motto: "In God is our trust.""
My point is merely to correct the suggestions in the statements by the plaintiffs that references to god on US money is not something that started in the 1950s. That doesn't mean it should continue, but it doesn't help get that result to suggest that it is a recent thing when its not.
ieoeja
(9,748 posts)1950s is when it appeared on all currency for the first time. The US motto was changed from "E Pluribus Unum" to "In God We Trust" during the Gingrich administration.
Gingrich also eliminated use of the American flag lapel pin for designating military veterans.
For a so called Conservative, Gingrich was pretty good at trampling on traditions.
onenote
(42,714 posts)Public Law 84-851, approved on July 30, 1956 and signed by President Eisenhower.
The text of the law reads: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the national motto of the United States is hereby declared to be ``In God we trust.´´
E Pluribus Unum was never the "official" motto -- that is, Congress never passed a law designating it as such. It was the informal, generally accepted "motto" until the law quoted above was enacted in 1956.
Congress has from time to time "reaffirmed" that In God We Trust is the national motto, but there is no expiration date on the original 1956 enactment.
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)I know it's defacing money, but they insult us with that shit.
Exposethefrauds
(531 posts)It is a meaningless motto if one is atheist however I also keep on mind that atheists are not hung up on invisible deities either.
The God Nonsense has to be on things like money and buildings to placate the frightened believers into thinking if a country has enough things praising an invisible being the invisible being will be nice to them. Poor frightened deluded souls, it is sad to see so many living in fear and having their mind clouded with BS who are destroying this country all because they are scared and frightened to live free
Sadly now we are going to hear non stop nonsense from the frightened and weak minded at how we are now a christian nation