'In God We Trust,' the American Pun

I was initially repulsed upon learning that the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco declared the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional. How could my country, my dear America, reject the God upon which it was established? Doesn’t America trust God? Isn’t that where the “equality of man” doctrine comes from? Like a good, officious citizen, I immediately surfed the Internet, read the words of fellow sympathizers, and contributed to heated discussions. I couldn’t help but brood over the future of America’s spirituality. Then it hit me: This is a good thing. It makes sense.

Being the staunch Christian that I am, I refer to God strictly and exclusively as Yahweh and Jesus, my Savior, not Allah, Zeus, or Vishnu. When I promote “God,” I am really promoting the God of the Christendom, the God of the remnant Israel. An abstraction just won’t do. I don’t want anyone using my God’s name, any reference, or allusion to him in vain. I already hear enough of that. Nor do I want to coerce any child or force any Christophobic citizen into professing God’s sovereignty over America. I hold his name and reality sacred, not something to be freely trampled on by those in active opposition.

DC Talk, a popular Christian band, sings it well: “’In God We Trust’ is an American pun.” Citizens by and large have already abandoned allegiance to the Christian God by abandoning traditional Christian morality. Take the trends for example: Abortion over adoption, safe sex over abstinence, and conceding to irreconcilable differences rather than persevering commitment. The Supreme Court is transitioning to the absolute of moral relativism. Tolerance is now understood as acquiescence. George W. Bush had the guts to hold a pluralistic prayer meeting in the National Cathedral. Do you need any more examples?

America isn’t just my country. It belongs to every American citizen, and if the government should decide by legislation or judicatory to purge itself of God, then so be it. Rattling off the Pledge of Allegiance as a vacuous, ritualistic ordinance without meaning and faith in Christ, God in the flesh, is to me nothing but an ignorant blasphemy. I am thankful for the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. I even hear that two of the residing judges who made the decision are Republican. Let’s face it, Christianity isn’t under attack. Nor is the Christian God himself. This was something inevitable and consistent with the consensus’ evolving interpretation of the Constitution. It isn’t “stupid” or “ridiculous” or “nuts.” The man who prompted this case has a logically sound argument to push.

Scarcely any repugnance has been expressed by a sensible rebuttal explaining why this country should endorse God, who is, yes, contrary to the claims of some, more often than not assumed as an allusion to the Christian God. (Don’t believe me? Ask Osama bin Laden.) For those of you distressed over this possible precedent, my sentiments sympathize with you. Alas, our country is departing from God’s favor and advancing into the void, missing out on the blessings of our God. My critical thinking faculties, however, cannot sympathize. Should the decision stand, more good will come out of this than bad. This is a unique opportunity for public religious discourse, an elucidating polarization of believers and non-believers, and just another part of God’s wonderful plan. He is in control. Professed or not, the nation and its people have been and will always be "under God."

This decision and any further decision to remove the endorsement of God in American government does not interfere with my right to continue openly professing my belief in God. Too many Christians spend way too much time being mad at the world instead of loving it. The ruckus is embarrassing. Let us all “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” and get on to more pressing issues.

Aaron Shafovaloff is a young, impetuous Web developer from Dayton, Ohio, with a love for witnessing to Mormons. He currently is spending the summer in MormonLand, Utah, on a mission to propagate grace to the masses.

"This decision...does not interfere with my right to continue openly professing my belief in God...Let us all “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” and get on to more pressing issues"

The kid makes sense.

If only this were a debate about religion but it is not. This ruling tears at the very heart of the American political and social structure. The phrase "under god" is the recognition that our rights do not come from "man" but from "god". And who, atheist or not, should want it any other way? It is in the best interests of all people to have their basic human rights coming from a power other than man. To ascribe otherwise would be to put the power of tyranny in the hands of people (President, Congressman; a General etc.). Simply stated, if "man" gives us our rights (ie the constitution, bill of rights etc) then "man" can take them away. The founders understood all of this in their genius and structured our governemnt accordingly. In an organizational chart "god" is at the top; the individual man with his god given rights (the "people") is next in descending order and the govermnent is third with only those powers given to it by the people (man) as an organization established to enforce and secure the god given rights of the people. Thank God that George W understands all of this. If only we could go back and teach "government and the constitution" to the last several generations that had it pulled from their curriculum.

For half the history the United States we didn't even have a pledge. And we were still a Christian nation. The pledge is not the issue: it's taxes.

I think we should take the "in God We Trust" off the money as it seems to say we can worship God and Mammon at the same time. Disgusting...

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