In [Redacted] We Trust
The Evangelical Atheist has a suggestion for us:
What if the U.S. Government forced you to carry around a religious text in your pocket in order to make simple, everyday purchases? Would you stand for that? Would you just let them get away with it? Before you answer, take a look at the often-overlooked profession of faith on every single piece of U.S. currency in your wallet, and ask yourself why you haven’t done anything about one of the most blatant infractions of the establishment clause in American history: In God We Trust
I won’t tolerate it anymore. I’m certainly not the first person to write about this topic, and I hope I won’t be the last, but I had to write a post about this simple and wide-reaching way to evangelize atheism. Take a pen (I use a Sharpie) and leave it on your dresser or night stand. At the end of each day, when you remove your money from your pocket, take 10 seconds to make it constitutional. I like to think of it as “money laundering.â€
Some people like to cross out the entire phrase. I just cross out the word god. Most people who will see the bill don’t know what’s there well enough to get the point if I cross the whole thing out. If you want, you can substitute something of your own, like “Ourselves†or “Timmy,†but I like the simplicity of just a black line. If you are offended by this phrase’s presence on our money, and you’re not doing this, you’re just lazy.
“In God We Trust” has only been on paper bills since 1957. Is it time to take this establishment of religion off our currency? If the politicians won’t do it, is it time to do it ourselves?
From a few years back, here’s our answer.
Hey, that’s a pretty good idea…
Makes me want to put a goofy face on our coins! Oh, wait; already got the queen’s, that’s close enough.
Upon close and lengthy study on that subject, I have come to the conclusion that this is, in fact, something honest from the statists: The so-labeled article(s)are, indeed, the diety in which the conservative really invests his trust. Oh, they feel that it’s a good idea to give the peripheral popuation the pie-in-the-sky mumbo jumbo, keep them occupied and seperated, but the real object of veneration, hushed, reverent, tones, and true awe and worship is the medium of exchange. In the near east they have Hesb’allah, here we have the Hesb’sheckel.
Wow. I didn’t even realize that the U.S. had an official motto, certainly not one established as recently as 1956! I guess that was Eisenhower’s doing? Thanks a lot, Dwight. I know having the phrase on currency doesn’t technically violate the First Amendment (”Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…”), but isn’t there such a thing as violating the spirit of the Bill of Rights? I guess some people like to take advantage of every loophole in Ye Olde Constitution…?
Actually we have had an official motto for quite some time now, it’s E Pluribus Unum and I already do cross out “In God” on every bill I have in my possesion. My quiet form of protest.
Becca, actually, it does violate the First Amendment because only a few religions have this character “God” in them. So this “In God We Trust” business establishes “God” monotheism over non-”God,” non-monotheistic religion.
And Stryder, unfortunately hysterical legislation designed to show the commies who’s who changed the motto from E Plurubus Unum in the 1950s.
The “In God We Trust” thing came during the civil war under Lincoln. The “under god” came into the pledge early in the fifties. Fifty years ago this year I got generous helpings of grief because someone peached on me for not closing my eyes and praying and not actually saying the pledge. Ah! The wonderful days of my childhood. Yech.
Lemme clarify, that motto appeared on coins first during the Lincoln years as bills were not the preferred medium of exchange and until the civil war weren’t used much. Even government bills could be discounted at a pretty steep rate, so money like we use was called “faith paper”, “shin plasters” and other less flattering things.
There is a thing called “peculation”, and during the civil war one of it’s many forms was in the hiring of substitutes and payment of “bounties.” The enlistment agents would receive specie (”hard money” gold coins) and convert some to paper. They’d pay the substitue in paper and pocket the gold that was left themselves.
Jim, as for violating the First Amendment, isn’t that specific to the legislative branch? “Congress shall make no law ….” That’s what I meant by taking advantage of loopholes and/or violating the spirit of the Bill of Rights. And yeah, according to that link to the U.S. Treasury website, the motto was officially set to “In God We Trust” in the 50s. Loverly.
It works well to cross out GOD and substitute REALITY - leaving the phrase “In reality we trust”
You can still use money without being forced to pray or any other religious act. Some of you atheists take the nonsense line to the extreme. Are you also going to black out the “eye” of the great seal? I think that’s a Masonic reference, which has ties to religion as well. Do you really have nothing better to do than deface currency each morning?
What a pointless “protest”. I wish you well, but pick something that actually is hurting you in some way. If you’re bothered by handling money with the word “God” on it, then you’re a bit too sensitive to live in a larger world. Do you also not drive down a street if it has a church on it? Do you also refuse to shake hands with someone who wears a cross around their neck? If you’re working with someone who bangs their thumb with a hammer and sez “goddammit!”, do you leave the room?
Man, this is immature, and lame, don’t you have anything better to do with your time. These pointless childish actions will only make the right laugh at you