Should "In God We Trust" be taken off U.S. Currency?

[The Yankee]

Would it be more expensive in the short term to change the presses or cheaper in the long term to save a bit of ink? (That much ink adds up.)

The presses will be changed, as was mentioned, and the old money would eventually get collected to be destroyed as is usual in the process. But the costs would probably not be as large as it is to produce pennies.

 

[Bluemofia]

I'm Atheist, and I don't care what happens. So I vote radioactive monkey.

 

[Esox]

Does anyone know when it was added to the currency? I wonder if it was around the same time 'under god' went into the Pledge of Allegiance.

(My question may be translated to read: "Poster is too lazy to Wiki this information")

 

[Donovan Zoi]

I say let it stand as a proud reminder of the McCarthy era, and coincidentally the last time that Republicans had full control of all branches of government.

I am glad that we Americans as a collective are informed enough to not let anything like that happen again.

 

[Cuivienen]

The presses will be changed, as was mentioned, and the old money would eventually get collected to be destroyed as is usual in the process. But the costs would probably not be as large as it is to produce pennies.

True. I'm also in opposition to pennies.

Interestingly, would it change people's minds if this change went hand-in-hand with the abolition of the penny?

 

[Cuivienen]

The presses have to be changed periodically anyway. It doesn't cost a dime to remove that from that from the next printing.

Yes and no. You do have to change the design for the presses, and bureaucracy costs money. Those people in the Department of the Treasury can't just get paid for doing nothing, so work is found.

 

[GenMarshall]

Roman Catholic and I say it should stay.

 

[toh6wy]

I would be happy to see it go (partly for its own sake, partly because it would probably be a sign of better, more important changes to come), but I wouldn't especially care if it sticks around.

 

[Yom]

You guys get our money in change too? That used to happen to me all the time, and I thought it was some sort of Canadian plot to devalue the US dollar.

Anyway, I'm religious, and I think it should stay. It shows America's Christian heritage, and it's not hurting anyone. And really: Don't we have anything better to do with our time and money than argue about something like this? How about we set up a giant Civ4 LAN instead, and play the night away? Something we can all agree on!

I'm really tired of this phrase. America doesn't have a Christian heritage. First of all, most of the Founding Fathers were Deist; secondly, the Constitution ensures the separation of Church and State. Thirdly, America doesn't have enough of a Heritage (no offense) at all for it to have a Christian heritage. Countries like France, England, Greece, Italy, Ethiopia, etc. have Christian heritages. America has a democratic, capitalist, and free heritage, but America wasn't founded to be Christian. There were two main original (successful) colonies. Granted, the latter (Massachusetts) was very Christian, but the other earlier colony was purely economical, as was the failed Roanoke. America is certainly predominantly Christian, and has been for most of its history, but its Christianness has not defined its existence as a state (as it had for the Crusading states, Greece, Ethiopia, etc.).

 

[malclave]

Does anyone know when it was added to the currency? I wonder if it was around the same time 'under god' went into the Pledge of Allegiance.

http://www.treasury.gov/education/fact-sheets/currency/in-god-we-trust.shtml

Excerpts:

The motto IN GOD WE TRUST was placed on United States coins largely because of the increased religious sentiment existing during the Civil War.

IN GOD WE TRUST first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin.

The use of IN GOD WE TRUST has not been uninterrupted. The motto disappeared from the five-cent coin in 1883, and did not reappear until production of the Jefferson nickel began in 1938. Since 1938, all United States coins bear the inscription.

A law passed by the 84th Congress (P.L. 84-140) and approved by the President on July 30, 1956, the President approved a Joint Resolution of the 84th Congress, declaring IN GOD WE TRUST the national motto of the United States. IN GOD WE TRUST was first used on paper money in 1957, when it appeared on the one-dollar silver certificate. The first paper currency bearing the motto entered circulation on October 1, 1957.

 

[Shylock]

Yes, by putting "In God We Trust" on money, they are destroying the lives of thousands of athiest everywhere, forcing them to be unable to touch money, as athiest cannot touch any item that has the word "God" on it. Down with the words! Burn every dollar that has that sentence on it!

But in all seriousness, I really don't care what my money says. Heck, how about, just to make everyone happy, we instead write "In Our Glorious God-Emperor Omega We Trust"

Help help! We're being oppressed!

 

[CaptainF]

I suppose it would be cool to take it off, but its a bit of a waste of time.

However, I do think that the words "under god" should be taken off of the pledge of allegiance. No wait, scratch that, the pledge should be scrapped altogether.

 

[malclave]

the pledge should be scrapped altogether.

Why do you say that?

 

[MobBoss]

It's ridiculous. "In God We Trust" was just anti-Communist propaganda in the first place.

Uh, no. Not unless you think Communists were around during our Civil War.

http://www.treasury.gov/education/fact-sheets/currency/in-god-we-trust.shtml

Nice try.

By the way, I vote keep it....it doesnt hurt a thing.

It's not a tradition. It started around the 1950s if I recall, as a jab at communists.

Wrong. Please see my link.

 

[MobBoss]

America is not a "Christian" country. The majority of Americans happen to be Christian, but our society was not founded on "Christian" values. Rather, our society was founded on the philosophical values of the Enlightenment Era, in particular the French philosophes, many of whom were ardent agnostics and atheists. Our society is also based on the values of ancient Greek democracy, ancient Greeks happened to be polytheists, not Christian. Our society is also based on the ancient Roman republic, which was also what Christians would call "pagan." American society is, primarily, based on these three exmples, not "Christianity." If societies with state churches (for example Sweden and the United Kingdom) can maintain their identities without having "In G-d We Trust" on their money, I believe a society with seperation of church and state, such as the US, could do likewise.

Wrong. How many of our founders were atheists? None to my knowledge. And this country was most certainly founded on christian values, albeit not any particual christian denomination. To say otherwise, is just simple denial of fact.

As for the UK and Sweden....they can have their identity and we American can have ours.

I'm really tired of this phrase. America doesn't have a Christian heritage. First of all, most of the Founding Fathers were Deist;

Blatently false. A few were Deist...the vast majority were most certainly avowed christians.

secondly, the Constitution ensures the separation of Church and State.

No, its says congress shall make no law. NOT the same thing.

Thirdly, America doesn't have enough of a Heritage (no offense) at all for it to have a Christian heritage. Countries like France, England, Greece, Italy, Ethiopia, etc. have Christian heritages. America has a democratic, capitalist, and free heritage, but America wasn't founded to be Christian.

Actually, America was founded by christians to be a free nation for all peoples regardless of their creed or religion.

 

[blargh]

Well, should it? Despite being Agnostic, I say no.

I say for the sake of respect for religions, it should go. It's downright tacky. When I see such a statement on currency it kinda connotes a theo-plutarchic state. Not in keeping with the traditions of Christianity nor the ideals on which the US was founded.

 

[HannibalBarka]

If it was just that. It is not just that, in the US reference to God is everywhere, Politicians end their speeches by "God bless you", the oath for a new president (or whatever it is called) is done on the Bible. US american are very religious, some thing a European couldn't imagine. It's fine by me, I mean it's their country, not mine. That was the reason why I didn't want to stay there for ever, I would have never wanted my kids to grow in such a religious envirenment.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Not an American citizen.

However, I think it should go; it's blatantly against the spirit of the establishment clause.

 

[Archbob]

Who really cares? America has more problems today that this silly issue.

 

[Perfection]

No, its says congress shall make no law. NOT the same thing.

This is a law.