Hey City, I heard about this a few weeks ago. The Pledge of Allegiance did not contain the phrase "One Nation Under God..." until 1954. In 1954 the Knights of Columbus were finally sucessfull in getting it added in. Also "In God We Trust" did not appear on money until 1957. I just think this is fucked up because religion has no place in my life- I am not religous, I am not against religion. I just choose not to have religion in my life I cannot accept the ideas. I do not want to have it invloved in my money, and I also remember in high school everyday having to stand up and hear that bullshit pledge every morning. Constitutional rights grant everyone a seperation of religion and goverment- so shouldn't money atleast say All God's. And one nation under many God's. Who the hell is their God? is he better than anyone elses?
I'm curious to know your sources *edit* wikipedia says your right. However, this nation was founded under christianity and under the God of christianity. Therefor, as shiva is the god of india, and muhammed/ala is the god of afganistan and other places, Yahweh (God) is the God of America. People need to stop getting so offended by this.
I'm not offended by it- just upset by it. It was not on money when this country was first started because the founding fathers knew it was critical to keep the two seperate- I would see your point if money and the pledge always were together with god however this is not the case. The 10 Commandments are posted usually in court rooms- religious symbols are spreading into the courts more in the past 30 years than ever. It served no purpose in our goverment for so long and now it needs to be associated? For what reasons?
First, the pledge of allegiance: Here is the original pledge of allegiance, written by Francis Bellamy (A Christian Socialist) in August 1892: 'I pledge allegiance to my Flag and (to*) the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.' He considered placing the word, 'equality,' in his Pledge, but knew that the state superintendents of education on his committee were against equality for women and African Americans. [ * 'to' added in October, 1892. ] In 1923 and 1924 the National Flag Conference, under the 'leadership of the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution, changed the Pledge's words, 'my Flag,' to 'the Flag of the United States of America.' Bellamy disliked this change, but his protest was ignored. In 1954, Congress after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus, added the words, 'under God,' to the Pledge. The Pledge was now both a patriotic oath and a public prayer. Source. Now to Money: Coins started using "In God we Trust" in 1864. Paper money started using it in 1957: Source.
Regardless of a person's beliefs, is it so bad to post something that says Don't Lie, Don't Steal, Don't Murder, Don't Commit Adultery, Don't Covet, Honor Your Father And Your Mother, Don't Worship False Gods, Don't Make For Yourself An Idol, Don't Use God's Name In Vain, Remember The Sabbath Day, And Keep It Holy. Would it be so terribly bad to have these things as guidlines? Even if you don't follow them as strictly as you should, are they so bad to try to implement into your lives? Hiding the ten commandments hides common morals and values that the world needs. People act like they're bad. Like they're taboo. If people followed them, there wouldn't be so many problems today. But now that I think about it, you're right. We have no right to call ourselves a nation under God, that trusts in God. It's a flat out lie, and the definition of using God's name in vain. Sure, a lot of us still love God and try to serve him. But as for the majority of America, they would rather keep to sin.
hell yeah. This nation is supposed to be separated in church and state, and yet our leaders are all christians. Hence they are one and the same practically. I think it's time to change that. We're heading away from that bible belt america bullshit finally...but let's end the relationship completely. Christian values have no place in America.
I think christian values have a place, as do jewish, islamic etc values. But they should not be part of the govt and people should not be forced to obey something they do not believe in.
You need to have good values to form the right solution to those issues. It's like the people that said we should just nuke afganistan because of 9/11 That's a solution right there, but it comes from a complete lack or morals and values. It that how you want the country run? What values did the Hitler and his army have during the holocaust? Is that how your country should be? Think about the full extent of what your saying.
Were humans we should be educated that we should do certain things because thats how people have to act to coexist. Children should be taught that they control things and influence nature and should always make concious decisions. They do not have to be associated with heaven and hell- which is what religion does. The values present with an association to religion brings what religion entails with it. Why can't the gov't have a set of morals or values rather than religious associated values presented in a way that promotes religion. Religion is not necessary in order to raise people- Children need to be taught to be respectful and such- not to be scared of heaven and hell. I remember times of worryng what hell would be like growing up (when I was little 5 or so). My parents made me go to a catholic school and I hated it when I was old enough to start realizing what religion is (or atleast to me) I believe in evolution but thats besides the point. I ended up going to a public school later on but I wonder- Why did my parents teach me values using fear? Is this what religion does- uses fear to keep the masses in line? Is that what the gov't is trying to do?
Just because Christianity teaches that there is Heaven and Hell, does not me that it is using fear to "control the masses." Terrorism is using fear to control the masses. Blowing people up is using fear to control them. Christianity teaches that God loves you and wants what is best for you. Most churches will teach you that all you have to do is accept Jesus into your heart, which they do by saying one prayer, and from then on your fate is sealed to heaven. Personally, I believe that it's a little more in depth than that, but when you accept Jesus, you tend to follow the right things and do the right things anyway. It is certainly not to control the masses.
But to present the idea of god to children is like brainwashing them. I mean look you tell them a guy comes and brings presents- like it's not hard to convince them of things. And the one thing they teach you is about heaven and hell- that sticks with you. Kids should just be taught to behave and have no association with religion.
But you guys are talking like christianity is some big scary conspiracy to scare kids into behaving by telling the they'll go to hell if they don't. That's not how it works. From an outside point of view, maybe that's how it looks. But go listen to a three year old's sunday school class. They're teaching them about what Jesus did for them. And even so, it's not like it would be the only time fear was used to get kids to behave. I'm not saying that's what they're doing, but i was taught to behave by getting spanked when I misbehaved. No one said that hell was going to eat me if I didn't eat my vegetables. The belt was going to be the thing doing the eating. Your using the concept of hell to say that religion is wrong, and therefor should be seperated from our government. But the reason the country is this country is because the founding fathers ran from england to pursue religious freedom; they wanted the freedom to be protestant. So why should we decide today that those values don't belong here?
True- got a bit off topic.... But what does God in the govement do for adults? Or what should it do? Why do we need it on our money and in our pledge? What does that do for me and every other person? I can tell you it annoys me- but thats just me, cause I don't see a point with it being there- IT shouldn't be there, at the dawn of the country it wasn't there
for someone who doesn't belive in God, it doesn't do anything. For me, it reminds me that all I have to do is trust in God, and everything will be ok. But who am I to force it on the country? I believe in God, and I love him. But we're coming to a time where soon I may be persecuted for that. For me, taking God out of this government is taking me one step closer to persecution; which, according to the Bible, will indeed happen. But since the majority of this country has forsaken God for evil ways...so must it be, I suppose.