Action Alert: “In God We Trust” motto to be reauthorized

[[deleted user]]

A resolution was recently introduced in the House of Representatives that would reaffirm “In God We Trust” as the official motto of the United States and would support and encourage the public display of the national motto in all public buildings, public schools, and other government institutions. This resolution is currently in committee, and will come up for a vote tomorrow in the House. We need your help to ensure that it does not pass.

American Humanist Association petition: http://action.americanhumanist.org/p/...

Secular Coalition for America petition: http://action.secular.org/p/dia/actio...

[Mimi V]

what a relief to know that all the important business of government has been dispensed with and that they now have time to address this kind of trivial bullshit.

[MadgeUK]

We have a similar motto in the UK, Dieu et mon Droit, used by monarch and government-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_co...

I can't say that I am much exercised about it as it is just an ancient tradition. The Scottish Office dropped it after devolution. I certainly wouldn't want government time and money used to get rid of it. It would certainly be a bonanza for printers if we did as it appears on all government publications!

[[deleted user]]

I understand where you're coming from, but the history of the US motto is a bit different. Firstly, unlike yours which is traditional and longstanding (and you furthermore have no protection from religious infringement on government), ours was installed in mid-1900s as part of the Red Scare (I guess we showed those godless commies!). Secondly, unlike the UK, the US has enshrined as one of it's primary protections of liberty a separation between church and state, which having a blatantly religious motto is clearly in violation of. Thirdly, the resolution voted on by Congress is not an effort to change the motto but to "reaffirm" it. Literally nothing is changed. They're just saying, "Yup, that's still our motto." It's obviously just another ploy at time-wasting while simultaneously appealing to their Teabagger Religious Right base.

To me and probably to a lot of other Americans, this is not only a sham waste of time so the Republicans in Congress can avoid looking like do-nothings, it is also a slap-in-the-face reminder of the blatant violation of our freedom of and from government-endorsed religion.

[George]

Jon Stewart satirized this useless piece of legislation on Thursday night's The Daily Show.

[MadgeUK]

Despite all your constitutional protections Donegal it seems to me that state and religion are still intertwined in the US and there is much more mention of God by the people and the President at government level. As one of Tony Blair's aides said to him when he wanted to mention his faith in a speech 'We don't do God.' The only public mention is at coronations and in the Queen's Speech on Xmas Day. I have also read instances of religion being introduced 'by the back door' into US schools and the military uses a lot of religion too. I think Americans kid themselves about this - you are still the Puritan City on the Hill, as the recent speech by Matt Romney pointed out:

http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/...

http://atheism.about.com/b/2003/11/21...

[George]

"Mitt" Romney, not "Matt." Don't give his first name more gravitas than it deserves!

[[deleted user]]

I don't disagree with you that religion still has it's corpsy fingers slithered into many if not most aspects of American politics and society, I was merely pointing out that in theory we're supposed to have protection under the law of and from religion, and that the current secondary motto is an infringement of that guarantee. Of course there are many notable violations in current events, but this one is particularly offensive in its double punch of spitefulness.

[Vernon]

MadgeUK wrote: "We have a similar motto in the UK, Dieu et mon Droit, used by monarch and government-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_co...

I can't say that I am much exercised a..."

HaHa!

[Vernon]

I'm not sure about the extent to which official/formal recognitions of GOD [Christian] exist in the UK.......but I am aware of the amount of religious broadcasting, casual reference and politics that exist for/around the Xtian cause. There seems little or no recognition of a secular view.

We had a very bad accident on one of our Motorways this week and lives were lost. Within the space of a few hours a local Baptist Church had decided to hold a service adjacent to the roadway. A service dedicated to those who were killed and their families. I am in favour of all of us empathizing with the tragedy but the speed with which the Church felt obliged to act suggests to me that Xtians feel there are no other bodies which can express sadness or display any moral tradition other than their own.

Christian sentiment seems to be prevalent at all levels of society whether formally or not...............

[Hazel]

I shouted at the TV the other day, when they were advertising a dramatisation of anne franks diary, and referred to the diary as the highest selling work of non-fiction since the Bible. I think it was a BBC channel.

[George]

I'm with you--here is my capsulized review of that infamous work of fiction:

A schizophrenic nightmare. The main character of the Old Testament, Yahweh, is a fictional petty tyrant singled out from many gods by the Hebrews for worship. He is pathologically cruel, guilty of encouraging genocide and misogyny. The New Testament is the work of a cult that adopts a marginal, perhaps quasi-historical figure, Jesus, for the purposes of propaganda and deification. Written by Iron Age hacks, the Bible should be read for two reasons: to understand the mental illness that infects millions with Christianity; and to understand the Biblical allusions in world literature.

[MadgeUK]

I'm not sure about the extent to which official/formal recognitions of GOD [Christian] exist in the UK

Whilst I agree that Christianity (and Islam) pokes its fingers into many corners of British life, it is now generally acknowledged that we are the most irreligious of the Western nations and there are far fewer practising religionistas, religious broadcasts etc than in many other countries. Which is a start.

Some interesting comparisons on the 'benefits' of religion here:-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfr...

[MadgeUK]

...the Bible should be read for two reasons: to understand the mental illness that infects millions with Christianity; and to understand the Biblical allusions in world literature.

Very true George.

[Roxy]

Vernon wrote: "We had a very bad accident on one of our Motorways this week and lives were lost. Within the space of a few hours a local Baptist Church had decided to hold a service adjacent to the roadway. A service dedicated to those who were killed and their families. I am in favour of all of us empathizing with the tragedy but the speed with which the Church felt obliged to act suggests to me that Xtians feel there are no other bodies which can express sadness or display any moral tradition other than their own."

Although I haven't seen it in this news, what usually happens is some religious person will claim it is a "miracle" when there are any reports of survivors of accidents/diasters like this. I'd like the hard working women and men who really save people's lives to be credited, but of course it's gode that gets the credit. And religious people will never be angry that god let it happen. Of course it's not god's fault (he doesn't exist). But that works both ways, he shouldn't be given the credit for anyone that makes it through a terrible event like this.

[Roxy]

The USA has "In God We Trust", we in the UK have a picture of Charles Darwin on on of our money notes.

UPDATE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1009901... From 2000 Charles Darwin has been on the back of the UK £10 notes.

[MadgeUK]

We've had various famous people on our bank notes - I think next year it will be Charles Dickens as it is his 200th Anniversary.