2008 Woodie Awards
Violating the Constitution
Sam Gomez
Issue date: 1/14/08 Section: Opinion
The 9th Circuit Court of appeals recently heard a case brought by a California atheist that challenged the use of the phrase "Under God" in the pledge of allegiance and "In God We Trust" on the U.S. Dollar Bill.
The man decided to challenge the use of this phrase because of the way that young Americans are expected to recite the pledge in school, in most public schools, every day. The man claimed that doing so was a violation of both the First Amendment that protects freedom of religious expression, and the establishment clause, which prescribes a separation of religion and government and freedom from religious coercion by the government.
The fact that schoolchildren are expected to recite the pledge every day in school can impose on their own personal religious freedom.
The very notion of a singular "God" violates the ideas of many world religions, not simply atheism. Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Wiccan, and Pagan religions all do not endorse the monotheistic idea of a singular God. The inclusion of the phrase was intended to endorse that notion, in recognition of the overt Christian ideals that this country was founded on.
The legislation enacted to create the pledge was an attempt to endorse the ideal that there is a God that our nation is dependent on. This sends the message to atheists and members of religions opposed to this view that they are disfavored and outside of the political community. The expectation that children will recite this phrase can be construed as religious coercion with the intent to force children to confirm the monotheistic notion of one God.
Besides the argument that inclusion of the phrase in the pledge infringes on the personal religious freedom of individuals, there is also the fact that, according to the establishment clause, the government should be completely separated from causes or ideals of religion. Because of the ideals that our country was founded on, this is difficult. Although "In God We Trust" is somewhat of a national slogan and is used for ceremonial, non religious purposes, that does not change the fact that use of the phrase on currency is a clear endorsement of a monotheistic, namely Christian, ideology.
The man decided to challenge the use of this phrase because of the way that young Americans are expected to recite the pledge in school, in most public schools, every day. The man claimed that doing so was a violation of both the First Amendment that protects freedom of religious expression, and the establishment clause, which prescribes a separation of religion and government and freedom from religious coercion by the government.
The fact that schoolchildren are expected to recite the pledge every day in school can impose on their own personal religious freedom.
The very notion of a singular "God" violates the ideas of many world religions, not simply atheism. Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Wiccan, and Pagan religions all do not endorse the monotheistic idea of a singular God. The inclusion of the phrase was intended to endorse that notion, in recognition of the overt Christian ideals that this country was founded on.
The legislation enacted to create the pledge was an attempt to endorse the ideal that there is a God that our nation is dependent on. This sends the message to atheists and members of religions opposed to this view that they are disfavored and outside of the political community. The expectation that children will recite this phrase can be construed as religious coercion with the intent to force children to confirm the monotheistic notion of one God.
Besides the argument that inclusion of the phrase in the pledge infringes on the personal religious freedom of individuals, there is also the fact that, according to the establishment clause, the government should be completely separated from causes or ideals of religion. Because of the ideals that our country was founded on, this is difficult. Although "In God We Trust" is somewhat of a national slogan and is used for ceremonial, non religious purposes, that does not change the fact that use of the phrase on currency is a clear endorsement of a monotheistic, namely Christian, ideology.
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