Sunday, November 1, 2009

At the time of this writing

An ongoing rumor over the years is that "under God", would be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America. It hasn't happened officially at the time of this writing. Some individuals have assuredly already removed it from their personal pledge, (whatever that may be).
According to wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance, "Under God" was officially incorporated into the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. How did we survive as a nation for almost two hundred years before this was added?
A while back there was a rumor circulating around about the new coins. "In God we Trust", was to be removed from the United States currency. The bearers of this rumor cautioned us to not accept any of the coins. I checked into this story to find out if it was true. It is not true at the time of this writing. The inscription was to be moved to the edge of the coin to allow more room for the Presidential portrait. That being discovered by some, they then said that it was signifying that God was relegated to "the edge", and that He would soon be removed all together.
"In God We Trust", has only been on the one cent piece since 1909, and on the ten cent coin since 1916. It has been on all gold coins and silver dollars, half dollar coins and quarter-dollar coins struck since July 1, 1908, according to religioustolerance.org/nat_mott.htm.
Theodore Roosevelt disapproved of the motto. In a letter to William Boldly on 1907-NOV-11, he wrote:
"My own feeling in the matter is due to my very firm conviction that to put such a motto on coins, or to use it in any kindred manner, not only does no good but does positive harm, and is in effect irreverence, which comes dangerously close to sacrilege...It is a motto which it is indeed well to have inscribed on our great national monuments, in our temples of justice, in our legislative halls, and in building such as those at West Point and Annapolis -- in short, wherever it will tend to arouse and inspire a lofty emotion in those who look thereon. But it seems to me eminently unwise to cheapen such a motto by use on coins, just as it would be to cheapen it by use on postage stamps, or in advertisements."
Was the United States of America more of a Christian nation before these inscriptions were added to our pledge and currency, or after?
To some, this topic begs the question W.W.J.D.? 19Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. Matthew 22:19-21 Apparently Jesus was not concerned that there was no tribute to God on their currency.
The words "under God", in the Pledge of Allegiance, and "In God We Trust", on our currency give many Americans the false assurance that America is still a Christian nation. Is it?
"Under God", can be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. "In God We Trust", can be removed from our currency. God cannot be removed from anything. God is sovereign. It's all His anyway. Take courage because, "In God We Trust"!

2 comments:

  1. Our public schools need you, Michael Martin. It is not too late to get a degree in history; you're still young. It would be a piece of cake for a guy as smart as you - All you'd have to do is show up. - San

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  2. Well said, Mike - God cannot be removed from anything.

    Even Frank will acknowledge the following: Once you are a believer, you can not become an unbeliever.

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