Athiest Sues To Take, "In God We Trust" Off Of Money

[Gold9472]

Atheist Now Sues to Take Motto Off Money

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051119/..._motto_lawsuit

By DAVID KRAVETS, Associated Press Writer Fri Nov 18,10:54 PM ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - An atheist who has spent four years trying to ban the Pledge of Allegiance from being recited in public schools is now challenging the motto printed on U.S. currency because it refers to God.

Michael Newdow seeks to remove "In God We Trust" from U.S. coins and dollar bills, claiming in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday that the motto is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.

Newdow, a Sacramento doctor and lawyer, used a similar argument when he challenged the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools because it contains the words "under God."

He took his pledge fight to the U.S. Supreme Court, which in 2004 said he lacked standing to bring the case because he did not have custody of the daughter he sued on behalf of.

An identical lawsuit later brought by Newdow on behalf of parents with children in three Sacramento-area school districts is pending with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, after a Sacramento federal judge sided with Newdow in September. The judge stayed enforcement of the decision pending appeal, which is expected to reach the Supreme Court.

Congress first authorized a reference to God on a two-cent piece in 1864. The action followed a request by the director of the U.S. Mint, who wrote there should be a "distinct and unequivocal national recognition of the divine sovereignty" on the nation's coins.

In 1955, the year after Congress inserted the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, Congress required all currency to carry the motto "In God We Trust."

"The placement of 'In God We Trust' on the coins and currency was clearly done for religious purposes and to have religious effects," Newdow wrote in the 162-page lawsuit he filed against Congress.

Newdow's latest lawsuit came five days after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected, without comment, a challenge to an inscription of "In God We Trust" on a North Carolina county government building.

In doing so, the justices upheld the Richmond, Va.-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that "In God We Trust" appears on the nation's coins and is a national motto.

"In this situation, the reasonable observer must be deemed aware of the patriotic uses, both historical and present, of the phrase 'In God We Trust,'" the appeals panel ruled in upholding the inscription's display.

[somebigguy]

I agree, lets cut the crap. God and religion are the perceived justifications for all wars and terrorism.

We all know in reality that the justification is really money and power, the religion is used as the excuse.

[Gold9472]

I agree, lets cut the crap. God and religion are the perceived justifications for all wars and terrorism.

We all know in reality that the justification is really money and power, the religion is used as the excuse.

"Jesus is a logo and a slogan for the Fellowship."

[jetsetlemming]

This is crap. You don't need a religon or a belief to trust God, and it's good advice.

[somebigguy]

I got a better idea, how about:

"In Honesty We Trust"
or
"In The Truth We Trust"
or
"In Ethics We Trust"
or
"In Full Accountability We Trust"

I can think of a million better ideas. This "God" nonsense has run its course and has achieved nothing.

[jetsetlemming]

It's not a religous statement, nobody reasonable is offended by a tiny little statement on a dollar, there's no need to replace it.

[Gold9472]

I got a better idea, how about:

"In Honesty We Trust"
or
"In The Truth We Trust"
or
"In Ethics We Trust"
or
"In Full Accountability We Trust"

I can think of a million better ideas. This "God" nonsense has run its course and has achieved nothing.

I have to agree with you. How about... In Peace We Trust...

[somebigguy]

I have to agree with you. How about... In Peace We Trust...

I like that one Jon.

Remember, G.W. "claims" to talk to God. God told him to get those terrorists in Afghanistan, then God told him to get those terrorists in Iraq, I'm pretty sure God is telling him to get those terrorists in Venezuela, Iran, and everywhere else that coincidentally also has oil.

This worldwide belief in myths is not doing any of us any good, and those that use these myths to further their own agenda should be removed from power and thrown into the loony bin.

[jetsetlemming]

You can't judge God by Bush's pretend association. You'd have to judge him by jesus.

[somebigguy]

You can't judge God by Bush's pretend association. You'd have to judge him by jesus.

Well, I don't know what that means, however, when evil people get free reign to cause havoc throughout the globe while claiming it has all been okayed by a higher power, then I have a problem with it.

When a large segment of society blindly follow this evil man, all in the name of "God", then I have a problem with it. Just because you want to believe in god, doesn't mean you no longer have to subscribe to the basic principals of common sense and ethics.

These people that support Bush for no reason other than his religious beliefs are ill informed to make any decision whatsoever and should not be allowed to even vote. Since that is unlikely to ever happen, we need to banish this nonsense from the public mainstream, so people in power are forced to make decisions based on current events, rather than by backdoor shenanigans sold to the public as "God's" agenda.