The American public can rest assured that "In God We Trust" is in fact the official motto of the United States. The Republican-led House approved a resolution Tuesday night to reaffirm the slogan as the country's motto and encourage the public display of it in all public buildings, public schools and other government institutions. The resolution, introduced by Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., was considered under an expedited floor procedure and passed in a 396-9 vote, gaining the two-thirds required for passage.
I heard this earlier this evening on the Rachel Maddow Show and the stupidity of it is making my brain bleed.
Number one this is COMPLETELY unconstitutional, completely!
The First Amendment of the Constitution states the following:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Did you get this part? " Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
How is passing a resolution that affirms "In God We Trust" as our official motto NOT establishing a religious preference?
If you are a Christian and having difficulty following my line of reasoning then imagine that the motto were "In Buddha We Trust," or "In Vishnu We Trust," or "In Gaia We Trust." How alienated would that make YOU feel?
Number two, the statement is patently false. Americans do NOT simply "trust in God."
If we did we would not have meat inspectors, because we would trust God to protect us from contaminated meat.
We also would not have seat belts. Surely we trust God not to let us die in a car accident, right?
How about the flu vaccine? Christian Americans by the millions take this shot every year because they do NOT trust that God will protect them from this virus.
No, Americans trust science.
They trust doctors.
They trust their airplane pilots.
And they even trust (Can somebody cover Sarah Palin's ears for a moment please?) the government.
In other words we trust each other. We trust our fellow humans to help watch over our safety, our health, and our country. Not God.
And we should trust each other enough to allow each individual citizen to make their own religious choices, without having a certain religious choice shoved down our throats.
Which, by the way, is exactly what the Founding Fathers REALLY intended.
Essentially this is a nonsensical motto that simply allows some hypocritical politicians to pander to a Christian base that they know rises to this kind of bait like starving fish to a Christian scented lure. In the end this does nothing except nail down the Fundamentalist votes they were going to get anyway, and convince non-Christian Americans that "Freedom of Religion" is really nothing more than a slogan we put on our brochures to make us seem far more tolerant in theory than we are in practice.
(P.S. Don't even get me started on how many Christians check their horoscope very morning, carry a rabbit's foot, or believe in fate.)
Ok, I'll wade in. I'm a Christian, and I totally agree with you, Gryphen, until you say that "In God we trust" means we ONLY trust God. The rest of your argument is silly to me and over the top. That being said, I think it is down-right creepy to put God's name on money and pass it around. And yes, it was totally a waste of time and money and pure grand-standing to even present this piece of illegal legislation. Where are the damn jobs, assholes?
ReplyDeletewhich god? who's god? your god? my goddess? its just more dog whistle evangapolitics.
ReplyDeleteIf you think having "In God We Trust" as the official motto for the United States is a fine idea...
ReplyDeletethen you don't understand freedom.
I agree with your comments about the government wasting taxpayer dollars to pass this unconstitutional resolution. Why aren't they working on issues that affect America?
ReplyDeleteWell said, Gryphen.
ReplyDeleteI was shocked this morning to hear that Herman Cain is actually gaining in the primary polls over Romney - completely burying Romney.
Guess all that singing about Jesus must trump his alleged unsavory past and his ignorance on international issues.
Michael Steele says it is because "Cain connects with people in a way no one else can." Depressing thought, isn't it?
Gees, considering how arrogant and ignorant Cain is and how much he panders to the fundamentalist true believers, I must say I think Sarah Palin missed her chance. She matches Cain on ignorance and arrogance, point for point. They both play the gullible evangelicals for every advantage.
Not only would their Jesus weep, but also their God must be shuddering to think so many people are being taken for fools by the faux Christians for fame and fortune.
I'm a Christian (and a Sunday school teacher) and I completely agree with you, Gryph. In fact, as a Christian it really IRKS me when government takes upon itself the power and influence of the Creator. Very disturbing.
ReplyDeleteThe other part about all this that also IRKS me is that those promoting this sort of thing clearly hold the word "God" as meaning "the God of the Christians" (and, nominally "the God of the Jews"). Not only to I object to that as a human being, as an American citizen and a student of history it is clear that those who wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution meant no such thing. The word "God" was meant in a general way, according to one's belief.
At that point, no only had our Founders had it up to here with despotic monarchies and governments of all stripes, they were sick and tired of religious wars, each side claiming the special cause of their own "God." They,(the Founders) and their parents and grandparents before them had personally witnessed and paid the price the destruction such a position creates.
During the 1600s, many of the state governments coopted religion as part and parcel of the government, particularly the Puritans. That did not work out so well, increasingly most citizens came to reject that form of government and the all too human/political abuses that entailed and by the 1700s the tyranny of that form of government had been soundly rejected.
MicMac
I am a bible-believing Christian and I think this is a complete waste of time. If religious people want to demonstrate how much they trust in God, forget the empty slogans and pass laws that assist the poor, the sick, children and the disabled. That's what the God they claim to trust in cares about. Pathetic.
ReplyDeleteCan the GOP sink any lower in my estimation. I think not. And my estimation of them was below zero before this.
ReplyDeleteYour post was delicious. You are a kindred spirit.
Have a look at this article in the L.A. Times by Penn Jillette (Penn and Teller fame): "Politics and the Bugnut Christians."
http://richarddawkins.net/articles/643324-politics-and-the-bugnut-christians
BTW, he states, "Atheists are growing way fast...you're getting up to 20% [of the American population]."
I'm with you, Gryph. Ridiculous waste of time, money and completely unconstitutional. Panderers one and all.
ReplyDeleteThe comments on the website above are worth reading, too.
ReplyDelete@Neodarwinian calls "Christians" -- Christers.
I also like the British word for them -- god-botherers.
I'm glad Congress is spending their time on this instead of the economy.
ReplyDeleteActually, I kind of am glad. This should be advertising gold for progressive candidates come reelection time.
I get so sick and tired of these theocratic assholes and the people who enable them.
ReplyDeleteAs a citizen and an atheist, I continue to be offended by this crap.
ReplyDelete(and now, from another perspective)
ReplyDeleteWhen you hold American money in your hand and see "In God we Trust"
...the money in your hand is the "God" to which that phrase refers.
Vote the Republicans OUT of office next cycle....they waste time horribly and do not represent the people across the USA.
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is, these words have been on our money since 1957, I think, and none of us progressives had paid any attention to it or cared--but NOW MY BLOOD BOILS over this--not only because I believe fervently in the SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE--but because Republicans would sink so low as to wave the "God issue" (always a red herring!) to distract away real substantive discussion of the important things: the huge deficit battle (not going well), the jobless rate, wrapping up these wars overseas, etc.
ReplyDeleteThese wedge issues are always invoked with the purpose of distracting and inflaming the voters. What intelligent progressive really wants to fight this battle over our nation's "motto" right now? What a fuckin' mess!
Next election, all these people camping out in all the various "Occupy ______" venues better get out and vote. And they better vote these clowns out. Also they better make sure they have proper documentation so they CAN exercise their Constitutionally-assured right to vote, because these same idiots who are worrying about our nation's motto in a time of crisis are the same ones that want to introduce legislation that would inhibit some citizens' rights to vote. You know, poor people.
Occupy Wall-Streeters--keep up the good fight, but make sure you get to the polls and VOTE!!
Only 6 voted against this POS?
ReplyDeleteThat means a majority of Dems voted for it, too.
I'm disgusted.
I wish they'd pass a resolution forbidding wasting time and money on pandering.
ReplyDeleteDid this RIDICULOUS affirmation create even ONE job, Mr. Boehner? No, didn't think so.
So the Repubes in Congress think this is more important than ohhh, I don't know...JOBS!? THE ECONOMY?!
ReplyDeleteSeems the only person in Washington who is working on any of this, and for the people (even those who vehemently don't like him) is President Obama.
The Repubes remind me of this Monty Python skit: Monty Python Twit Race Sketch
5:24 am. The OWS people need to vote and not for Ralph Nader! The thought that the Republicans in the House have wasted so much time and effort on female reproductive issues and now "God" issues ia just amazing. Out on the stump they talk about unemployment but back in Washington they do nothing about it. Whatever possessed the American voters to put them in office anyway?
ReplyDeleteWhat does "in god we trust" actually mean? We trust god for what?
ReplyDeleteI suppose that I am an atheist and bisexual, I belong to a minority that it's still okay to openly offended and alienate.
ReplyDeleteLook at the virtually unanimous vote - 396-9.
ReplyDeleteSigh...
ReplyDeleteEmpty, hollow pandering. Just another "flag pin" issue.
True freedom allows for the individual to define their religion or lack thereof.
Sounds like CONGRESS didn't make this illegal law, only the HOUSE. The House, with the Repub majority. But with only 9 "no" votes (and 2 voting "present"), I say WTF???
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking that the House GOP came up with this bill hoping that the Democratic Reps would vote against it, thereby allowing the GOP to use it against them in next year's election ("Look, those awful Dems don't believe in God!). It will be interesting to see what happens when the bill reaches the Senate. Let's hope there are enough media types to make a public issue out of this before then.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet they can't seem to find the time to work on a jobs bill.
ReplyDeleteThey wonder why their approval rating is in single digits and getting lower?
Just like Bush's THREE inexplicable and indefensible tax cuts, I'm sure this exercise has created gobs of jobs - GOP rulz!
ReplyDeleteIn the Declaration of Independence, our founding fathers acknowledged the Creator numerous times, even in the last sentence:
ReplyDelete"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
So, religion means man made religion, any and all religions. The US Constitution protects me from those who don't want me to believe in God and from those who want to force a religion upon me.
That motto does not make this a "Christian nation."
I'd love to know the names of the nine strong Representatives who voted against this resolution.
ReplyDeleteJust a quick heads up, off topic, but Twitter rumor: Palin is reconsidering. Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water!!!!
ReplyDeleteAs they say -- we have to get ready to rumble.
Useless Kochsuckers.
ReplyDeleteDo we really need a "motto"?
ReplyDeleteI thought it was "In God We Trust, all others pay cash or obscene interest rates."
The commenter at 6:00 AM has pin-pointed it: "trust God for WHAT?" If the republicans really trusted God, their electioneering, pandering, vote-rigging, and lust for political power would be completely unnecessary. By engaging in this crass political opportunism, they are committing blasphemy – using God's name about a claim that their actions deny. What's next? An amendment to force the rest of us to swear by their proven-false motto?
ReplyDeleteAs a Christian, I resent their giddish, goddish propaganda because it is so completely unmatched by actions. Their actions prove that they trust in money and power above all else, with nothing else ranking as even a close second.
Hell will probably freeze over before we see their changed lives, changed language toward their opponents, and care for the sick and unfortunate, not to mention humility, respect, and grace toward those different from them.
"In God We Trust" on our money and "under God" in the pledge of allegiance were post-WWII additions, meaning that they are traditions less than 60 years old.
ReplyDeleteThe phrases have not one thing to do with the constitution and not one thing to do with Jesus.
I really resent how any time the word "God" is used somehow the Christian-right co-opts it to mean ONLY their God and wield it over the rest of the populace.
I don't mind the phrases being a part of our traditions. I just hate having them falsely interpreted as being constitutional and seeing one particular sect always claiming it as theirs and nobody elses like it was a privately owned football and if you don't like it you can't play.
If I choose to believe the Great Pumpkin is my God - that's my right.
And btw... just to be clear - in the God business, Jesus is the newbie.
I always say loudly and firmly "One nation, indivisible"
ReplyDeleteIt's not unconstitutional. They didn't specify which god and there were historically and are ow thousands of them.
ReplyDeleteAnd there are not punishments if a person doesn't quite trust their God.
Well, I don't care if they put that on the coins or not, but I don't see it relating to the first amendment. It isn't the establishment of a religion, nor a prohibition of a religion.
ReplyDeleteI don't think atheism is required as the only way to not establish a religion. Mentioning the existence of God is not the establishment of a religion. Freedom of religion means that the state does not endorse one particular religion, as used to occur in Europe and still occurs in Islamic countries.
The founding fathers often mentioned God and thought our rights were of divine origin, despite many of them being really far out there as theists and deists, not following any particular religion. What they did NOT think was that silence about the existence of God was some sort of requirement.
Great Post, Gryphen. And refrseshing to hear from REAL Christians who find it offensive and baseless as well. Thank You each and every one.
ReplyDeleteThis excommunicated Roman Catholic, now Atheist respects and appreciates others who belive speak up against this madness. I only wish my family and former freinds were just as accepting.
So how many j-o-b-s does this bi partisan vote create?
Occupy Congress is sounding like a good idea to me.
"Christian Redux" - I am sorry, but to answer the few posters here who do not think an official government bill passing "In God We Trust" is not unConstitutional, does not violate separation of church and state (be it lawful or faithful) is barking up the wrong Crucifix Tree.
ReplyDeleteThe government has no place in moving people toward God; in fact, it is talentless, historically destructive and abusive in this arena.
Folks accept God or do not accept God, without the help or interference or force of the State. Worse, far worse if they do, or don't. (Re: Communism, Hitler, Mao, Inquisition, 1600s Puritans, Jew Conversos in Europe. . .the lists are endless and endlessly dehumanizing.)
Not only is this contrary to the New Testament, particularly, it is abhorrent to a thoughtful, careful, discerning reading of the Old Testament. The kind Jesus dedicated himself to before he went out to spread the Word.
MicMac