"In God We Trust" Should it be removed from money?

I know there are several threads that are simular to this subject, but I was wondering if there was any thoughts. I have heard a few times of people who think that the phase "In God We Trust" should be removed from out currency.

Now, I don't believe in god, but I really don't have any problem with the word "God" being used on our money or in our Pledge of Alliegance. "In God We Trust" is our National Motto.

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

I thought there was already a thread specifically on this topic...

EDIT:
Right here.

 

No way!

 

It doesn't do any harm to have it on money.

I find it ironic though, since the principle figure of america's majority religion lambasted His people for being too commercial .....

Peace,

V-03

 

Wow, who would guess there was a thread on this already. I looked for one for a while but didn't find anything. Oh well.

 

I have no problem with it.


What amuses me is that the atheists who raise a stink about such petty things are generally the ones to scream "Oh, MY GOD!" when something unbelievable happens....believe me, I've witnessed one such occasion....

 

What amuses me is that the atheists who raise a stink about such petty things are generally the ones to scream "Oh, MY GOD!" when something unbelievable happens....believe me, I've witnessed one such occasion....

Bah.

People say that like they are saying "holy ***t" or whatever. I mean for a person of a religious group that's not Christianity, they could yell out "Jesus Christ!" in astonishment, and wouldn't be saying it religiously. People say that all the time and get used to phrases like that. Do you get the gist of what I'm saying?

 

I see his point, though. I've known "atheists" who question God's motives when something goes wrong in their lives.

 

Well, it did save Santa Claus.

 

I think it should be replaced by "In Bellini we trust" everyone loves Bellini.

 

Or better yet: "In George Lucas We Trust"

 

The country is founded on teh belief that No religion is better than the other. Yet there is printed on teh money "In God we trust". It seems curious how a country who doesn't wants to hold one belief over another, refers to God when it comes to money. Atheists surely are left out of a common item we all share.
They don't trust in God, so why should they be bombarded with small subliminal messages every time they see a bill?
It seems wrong. Don't imprint God on money, Jesus was angry for those how were merchants in teh house of God, yet God is used for money, and humans ignore that the entire earth is teh house of God.





DD - Love Spliff

 

Did no-one get my joke?

I'm sad!

 

Just my opinion, but anything coming from, owned by, or part of the US Government should not have anything religious related on it.

That just puts the whole separation of church and state thing to waste...

If you want them separated, then don't engrave and stamp "god" all over your currency.

 

Meh. We've got HRH Queen Elizabeth II on our money. Don't matter one bit...

E_S

 

The country is founded on teh belief that No religion is better than the other. Yet there is printed on teh money "In God we trust". It seems curious how a country who doesn't wants to hold one belief over another, refers to God when it comes to money. Atheists surely are left out of a common item we all share.
They don't trust in God, so why should they be bombarded with small subliminal messages every time they see a bill?

I couldn't agree more, but there are many people who are part of a given religion who don't actually believe in God.

 

"I couldn't agree more, but there are many people who are part of a given religion who don't actually believe in God."

True, but we should have an option if we want to be subjected to it. Having it on the money overrides your choice.
What if your religion is satanism, which is allowed in the US(it is isn't it?). They, I imagine, are appaled that they have to see this everyday.

Money should not be involved with the spreading of God, or people's belief in God. Not when it is from teh government.





DD - Love Spliff

 

Well as far as the sepration of Church and State goes, I see that is merely a way to keep the Church from running the government like it did in Europe. It is NOT saying that religion should be left out of government things. There's no way religion can be left out.


But it is our National Motto, isn't it?

 

It is NOT saying that religion should be left out of government things. There's no way religion can be left out.

Why not? What would go horribly wrong if there was no religion in government business?


But it is our National Motto, isn't it?

It was made our national motto in the 1950s, I think, around the same time as "under God" was added to the pledge. (It had appeared on money as early as the Civil War, however.)

Before that, the national motto was E Pluribus Unum.

 

There's no way religion can be left out.

Why not? Can you explain why religion cannot be separated from government? What links the two so completely that they can not be used individually?

But it is our National Motto, isn't it?

Yeah, and that is an issue, as well. Here's a little history on that:

An Act of Congress dated January 18, 1837, prescribed the mottoes and devices that should be placed upon the coins of the United States. This meant that the mint could make no changes without the enactment of additional legislation by the Congress.

Many people began turning back towards God during the Civil War, giving rise to a call to place the Motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" on United States coins. Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase received many appeals from devout persons throughout the country, urging that the United States to officially give recognition to God on United States coins.

During the tenure of Director Pollock the Rev. Mark Richards Watkinson (1824-1877), pastor of "The Old Ridley Baptist Meeting House" , sat down on November 13, 1861, and wrote then Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase. The letter read as follows:

Dear Sir:

You are about to submit your annual report to Congress respecting the affairs of the national finances.

One fact touching our currency has hitherto been seriously overlooked. I mean the recognition of the Almighty God in some form in our coins.

You are probably a Christian. What if our Republic were now shattered beyond recognition? Would not the antiquaries of succeeding centuries rightly reason from our past that we were a heathen nation? What I propose is that instead of the Goddess of Liberty we shall have next inside the 13 stars a ring inscribed with the words `perpetual union'; within this ring the all-seeing eye crowned with a halo; beneath this eye the American flag, bearing in its field stars equal to the number of the States united; in the folds of the bars the words `God, liberty, law.'

This would make a beautiful coin, to which no possible citizen could object. This would relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism. This would place us openly under the divine protection we have personally claimed. From my heart I have felt our national shame in disowning God as not the least of our present national disasters.

To you first I address a subject that must be agitated.

Within a week after receipt of Rev. Watkinson's letter, Secretary Chase sent a letter to the new Director of the Mint, James Pollock.

Dear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins.

You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition.

In response to this directive Director Pollock came up with various wordings such as "Our Trust Is In God," "Our Trust in God," "Our God and Our Country," "God And Our Country," and "God Our Trust," . In December 1863, designs were submitted to the Secretary of the Treasury. On December 9, 1863, Secretary Chase wrote a reply to Director Pollock :

I approve of your mottoes, only suggesting that on that with the Washington obverse the motto should begin with the word, "Our," so as to read, "Our God And Our Country." And on that with the shield it should be changed so as to read, "In God We Trust."

Other organizations throughout the country were also pressing for similar National recognition of God? presence in society.

On February 3, 1863, eleven Protestant denominations (including United Presbyterians and the Methodist Episcopalian General Conference) organized the National Reform Association. Their aim was to "reform" the Constitution and one of its principle purposes was to amend that document to "indicate that this is a Christian nation." The association formally petitioned Congress to amend the preamble of the Constitu

 

Because there will always be polititians who mix religion with their politics and pass laws accordingly. I mean think about it, how many political issues deal with religion in some way? Many.

Do note, though, that the Star Spangled Banner bears a line which reads, "Conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: 'In God Is Our Trust'". I used to think that the motto wasn't that old, but the phrase, or at least something very close, seems to have been around for 200 years.

 

E Pluribus Unum.

This means the many in one?




DD - Love Spliff

 

E Pluribus Unum: "From Many, One"

One nation created from the people of many other nations.

 

Are you sure there is supposed to be a comma in the translation?



DD - Comma spliff

 

Because there will always be polititians who mix religion with their politics and pass laws accordingly. I mean think about it, how many political issues deal with religion in some way? Many.

Can you cite some examples?
Off hand, I can think of:

Pledge of Allegiance,
"In God we Trust",
Prayer in Schools.

The latter was ruled unconstitutional. In time, I am hopeful that the government will come to acknowledge that religion need not be linked to government...

That, or the flip-side will occur, and we will become a wholly religious nation. (you think we have discrimination now?? Pfft!)