Currently there is an appeal in the Federal Courts for taking "under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance. Is this the right move?
I understand that there is the Separation of Church and State, but I also feel that the words "under God" reflect our civic culture, not so much as promoting a religion. The rights we have in the Bill of Rights protects freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. Our country was founded with a religious background. Are we so afraid of offending people and discriminating against them, that we are willing to desicrate our history.
Is it valid to look back to our Founding Fathers to determine whether such issues are valid? Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States, writes in a letter to Judge William Johnson on June 12, 1823:
"On every question of construction, carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed."
In March 2003, in Resolution 132, the House of Representatives had this to say about the words "under God":
"the phrase `one Nation, under God,' in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag reflects that religious faith was central to the Founding Fathers and thus to the founding of the Nation..."
We need to respect our history, our heritage, and keep the words "under God" in our Pledge.
Okay all this debate over the under God part in the pledge is useless, if you dont believe in god or god in the pledge leave that phrase out when you recite the pledge. The pledge of allegiance is all about patriotism and showing support for your country, even when you dont agree with it.
If I can save one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. - Emily Dickinson
I couldn't agree more.
I know it's promoted in in educational institutions, and if anything, saying it should be optional. Students can stand quietly out of respect to those who recite it. I know midway through my junior high years, as I knew I didn't identify as a religious person, I opted out of saying "under God" and was silent for the phrase instead. Peers around me did continue to say it, and I respected their choice, their patriotism, and their beliefs.
Students should not be asked to make a choice. It's inappropriate, and it's a way to single those who are willing to demonstrate their belief in God from those who aren't.
Although the original pledge was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, "under God" wasn't added until 1954, when the Knights of Columbus decided to turn it into a public prayer, signed into law by President Eisenhower, trumping it's original purpose as a statement of patriotism.
It's got nothing to do with the Founding Fathers.
http://history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/nat_pled.htm
Excellent advice
First Amendment to the Constitution
Article 6 Paragraph 3 of the Constitution
If we are a nation UNDER GOD then we are subject to God's rule. We are, in effect, a theocracy. The INTENT of our founding fathers was CLEARLY to NOT have that..
We need to respect our history, our heritage, and remove the words "under God" in our Pledge.
Cheers,
DB
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If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. - Anatole France
Thomas Jefferson was not Christian. He was a deist. If you look at the way he refers to god, it is fairly clear he was talking about the deist god.
And, yes, I have protection from Religion, as do you, which you should be glad for when someone tries to manipulate the government to favor a religion that isn't yours.
"-bah!! Pardon the "bah!" I feel several "bahs!", but out of courtesy I only say one."
H.P. Lovecraft
I, too, agree that any religion's deity has no place in our pledge of allegiance or on our money. But I also think that we as a country have more important things to worry about now. Maybe when the Iraq war is over and our economy is doing better, we we should worry about whether the name of a non-existent entity appears on our money and in our pledge.
Yes, and while we're at it let's forget about protecting the rights of citizens to be treated equally and stop fighting for homosexuals, Muslims, and people of other races to be treated equally.
Just because there are significant problems does not mean you drop everything and stop fighting the "smaller battles." The battles we fight every day, as citizens, where we can make a difference in our hometown, are the ones that really make a difference.
I want "In God We Trust" off our money and "Under God" out of our pledge as much as the next religious-freedom-loving atheist, but those statements aren't hurting anyone now. As far as I know, those statements haven't incited any violence against atheists, so I think it's in our best interest to let those be for now and worry about the more important issues that have to do with the separation of church and state. Issues like the attempts by the religious right to undermine the teaching of the theory of evolution in various public school systems around the country. The attempts to shove religiously-inspired idiocy like "intelligent design" into the biology curricula of public schools is simply atrocious. If there's one thing this country needs urgently, it's a reestablishment of the importance of science.
So, if we can get the two aforementioned statements removed quickly and easily, I'm all for it.
I saw this blog, and was all ready to launch into one of my famous rants, but engkatiemarie, Darwins Beagle and Jsaj beat me to the punch. Good job, guys.
Grumble, grumble...
percivale
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I think it's only fair. You always beat me to the punch, lol.
"-bah!! Pardon the "bah!" I feel several "bahs!", but out of courtesy I only say one."
H.P. Lovecraft
Ok I respect everyone's opinion on this subject. If the PROPER working of democracy takes out the "Under God" from the pledge then that's all great and all but it doesn't change my views on the subject because for as long as I can draw breath I will say it WITH "Under God" in it. That's a freedom that is protected by the constitution and one I will never relinquish. Of course if someone doesn't believe in what I do, I am not going to force them to do anything. I don't believe in forcing anyone to do anything...
-Cheez Out-
You can say the pledge with "under Xenu" for all I care, I really couldn't care less what you do in the privacy of your own home.
What simply must be understood is that it's not a question of what one believes, it's a question of what's constitutional. Having "under God" in the pledge is unconstitutional, and has been since 1954.