In Theocracy We Trust

The United States of America still has the words "In God We Trust" inscribed on its money and its pledge of allegiance still includes "under God."  This should concern all Americans.  It's been roughly a half-century since Congress adopted the motto and the pledge at the request of a majority.  Yet both changes go against the constitutional right to freedom of and freedom from religion.

Having a religious motto with God on U.S. currency essentially turns America into a theocracy.  It says that all Americans believe in God, the Christian god; because if one trusts in God, logically they must first believe in God.  If that isn't enough, in most states, the U.S. Pledge is required.  There are no state or federal laws prohibiting the U.S. Pledge.  Texas public school students, for example, are required to recite the U.S. and Texas Pledges, both of which include "under God," even though public schools are government entities.  Other examples of Christianizing that could lead to tyranny can also be seen in the placement of crosses and the Biblical ten commandments on public government property.  This is not the separation of church and state as Thomas Jefferson intended.

The Establishment Clause within the first amendment in the Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."  U.S. currency is legal tender, which is why it's concerning to see "God" on it.  Regardless of recent efforts by Dr. Michael Newdow and the Freedom From Religion Foundation to have the motto removed, federal judges continue to deny atheists their first amendment rights.  Supposedly, the Establishment Clause doesn't apply to atheists, according to the ruling on the Newdow case.  That couldn't be further from the truth.

If people are allowed to believe whatever religion they desire, then atheists should be able to freely disagree with theism.  America doesn't have blasphemy laws.  It prides itself as being a country of many cultures and ideas.  America's first amendment is suppose to cover people of all worldviews and protect all minorities from tyranny of the majority.  The inclusion of "God" on public property prevents equality for all citizens.  One could argue that if "Allah," "Krishna," or "Zeus" were in the place of "God," Christians would most likely feel like their rights were being threatened; but they still demand that Christian displays exist in the public domain. Non-Christian minorities are forced into deity worship, which goes against their worldview.  They have a right to be upset.  This coercion not only violates an atheist's right to free thought, but it also violates the Jehovah's Witnesses' desire not to swear allegiance to any god or salute any flag.  Whether Christians like it or not, having their god in the Pledge and on money is divisive, unconstitutional, and disrespectful; and in other words, it's anti-American. If one accepts the Pledge and U.S. legal tender as they are, then they don't believe in freedom of or from religion and become a non-compassionate trampler of minority rights.  Minorities, like atheists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, and others, are citizens and people just like Christians and should be able to enjoy their first amendment freedoms too.  America is not the land of the free if theocracy is allowed to flourish.