| The words "In God we trust" does not violate the | | | | religion in American jurisprudence. This argument is |
| first amendment's establishment clause. The clause | | | | not amusing or anticipating, expansion of such |
| reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an | | | | precedent, but merely it's effect as a de jure |
| establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free | | | | definition. |
| exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of | | | | This court decision does not and will not address U.S. |
| speech, or of the press; or the right of the people | | | | history as argumentation for original intent, nor will it |
| peaceably to assemble, and to petition the | | | | try to adopt a new meaning or precedent to the |
| Government for a redress of grievances." The words | | | | constitution as in the "Living Constitution." This |
| "In God we trust" does not pertain to any one | | | | decision relies on the U.S. Constitution verbatim, or |
| religion or another, the word God is ambiguous | | | | what it says literally. "Congress shall make no law |
| referring to a supernatural being, applicable to a | | | | respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting |
| myriad of monotheist and polytheist religions alike. | | | | the free exercise thereof." It says an establishment |
| The common assertion that the words "In God we | | | | of religion, or a particular religion or faith not religion all |
| trust" is directly analogous to a Judeo-Christian God is | | | | together. In an article in Slate magazine the prominent |
| fallacious. | | | | atheist David Greenberg reads his own words into |
| Further, it is ignorant of the universality held across | | | | the constitution. He stated that the use of the word |
| major cultures, beliefs and values spanning almost all | | | | "God" denotes endorsement of a particular |
| nations and time periods. The central core idea of | | | | establishment of religion. |
| trust in a singular or central supernatural force or | | | | He reasons that the absence of the word "God" |
| deity is found in nearly every major world religion, | | | | signifies a clear message advocating the absence of |
| thorough polytheism and monotheism. For instance, in | | | | the word God in anything pertaining to the |
| the Hindu religion they trust in Brahman, in Islam they | | | | government, clearly voiced by its absence in this |
| trust in Allah, the ancient Egyptians trusted in the sun | | | | document. Greenburg states in his article The Pledge |
| god as a central deity that breathed life onto this | | | | of Allegiance: Why we're not one nation "under God." |
| earth. The words "In God we trust" signify the | | | | "That the founders made erecting a church-state wall |
| United States' adherence to the establishment clause | | | | their first priority when they added the Bill of Rights |
| by promoting a non-specific universal belief that | | | | to the Constitution reveals the importance they |
| encourages the free exercise of religion not the | | | | placed on maintaining what Isaac Kramnick and R. |
| absence of it. | | | | Laurence Moore have called a "godless Constitution." |
| The establishment clause shows that the United | | | | (Greenberg , Par. 2)This statement is logically invalid |
| States can show no bias toward any one religion; it is | | | | and relies on speculation, a not what the document |
| to therefore promote freedom of religion, not | | | | actually says verbatim, nor the original intent. He |
| freedom of religion. The majority of opposition | | | | states this hypothesis as a matter of fact, as if he |
| comes from atheists who claim that the words "In | | | | knew the founding fathers and knew their original |
| god we trust" found on U.S. currency violates their | | | | indent. He cites historically inaccurate evidence that is |
| right to freedom of religion found in the | | | | extremely deceiving. He states "When Benjamin |
| establishment clause. | | | | Franklin proposed during the Constitutional Convention |
| However, atheism is not a religion, it is the lack there | | | | that the founders begin each day of their labors with |
| of, Webster's dictionary defines religion as: a personal | | | | a prayer to God for guidance, his suggestion was |
| set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, | | | | defeated." (Ibid) |
| beliefs, and practices. The antonym of religion in | | | | In every weak argument there is always a shred of |
| which atheism falls under is religionless which is | | | | truth to help it stand, in this case Benjamin Franklin |
| defined by the 1913 version of Webster's dictionary | | | | did make a motion to start each meeting with prayer. |
| as "Destitute of religion." This accurately describes | | | | However it wasn't "defeated" nor was it approved |
| atheism, as the centric core of this philosophy. | | | | respectively it was just left alone all together. The |
| Atheism being a philosophy deserves protection | | | | philosophy was a hands-off, neutral approach, due to |
| under freedom of speech but deserves no protection | | | | the disastrous articles of the confederation. This |
| as an establishment of religion. Can you image the | | | | failure was partially induced by a superfluity of |
| chaos if we allowed peoples personal philosophy to | | | | Christian prayer and dogma causing distraction. |
| hold the same legal merit as religion? If this became | | | | Regardless of original intent which is subjective, the |
| legislation or court precedent the effects would be | | | | constitution verbatim is what should take precedence. |
| catastrophic. | | | | In reading this verbatim, we see that secularism and |
| During the draft during the Vietnam War, if you were | | | | atheism are not establishments of religion. Therefore |
| a Quaker you were exempt from this obligation; due | | | | they deserve no protection under freedom of |
| to freedom of religion the government cannot pass | | | | religion. Further, atheism is a philosophy; if we allow |
| laws that violate your religion, because it is there for | | | | philosophies to have equitable rights as religions the |
| restricting "the free exercise thereof". If personal | | | | results will be disastrous to our English common law |
| beliefs and philosophies held the same merit as religion | | | | system, inhibiting due process, and preventing |
| in U.S. state and federal law, than personal | | | | enforcement of laws and obligations. |
| philosophies can be held as valid excuse for the war | | | | In sum, the words "In God we trust" does not |
| e.g. "I don't agree with violence." Further people could | | | | violate the first amendment's establishment clause |
| create their own holidays which would hold the same | | | | nor freedom of religion therein, it promoting it. It |
| merit as religious holidays, which are in fact created | | | | promotes free exercise of religion by promoting a |
| from no religion but from their own personal | | | | non-specific universal belief that encourages the free |
| philosophies. | | | | exercise of religion. Through the use of the words "In |
| Legal obligations like jury duty can be excused due to | | | | god we trust", the State has not produced or |
| your personal philosophy against this obligation. This is | | | | regulated any religious establishment, nor has it given |
| in no means a slippery slope argument, but simply a | | | | authority to any current religion. The words "In God |
| cause-and-effect analysis of adopting the precedent | | | | we trust" do not coherence anyone to be associated |
| restricting the words "In God we trust" into our | | | | or take part in any established religion. Additionally no |
| English common law system. In accordance with such, | | | | other free-exercise rights or civil liberties are in |
| it is rational to say that this precedent would cause | | | | conflict. The words "In god we trust" fully comply |
| personal philosophies to hold the same legal merit as | | | | with the constitution. |