"In God We Trust"

[Griff]

Should it be yanked? vote here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/

[JerryB]

Thank's Griff, I just voted. The count as of now is 57% to 43% for our God.

[Blackhawk]

42% Yes. It's a violation of the principle of separation of church and state.

Actually its not.

[J Miller]

I wonder what is behind all of the attacks against our history and tradition.

Should the motto "In God We Trust" be removed from U.S. currency? * 2217588 responses
Yes. It's a violation of the principle of separation of church and state.
42%
No. The motto has historical and patriotic significance and does nothing to establish a state religion.
58%
Not a scientific survey. Click to learn more. Results may not total 100% due to rounding.

Joe

[gon2shoot]

Joe, they know if they destroy our history, they destroy our country.
The love of God, freedom, and fellow man is what made this country. If we lose the founding principals can our nation be far behind?

[C. Cash]

Thanks Griff! What's amazing is that nearly 1 million people think it should be yanked. We are living in interesting times boys.......

[Noah Zark]

42% Yes. It's a violation of the principle of separation of church and state.

Actually its not.

You want to hear about church and state?

Our children cannot have a minute of "silent reflection" in public school let alone prayer, but both Houses of Congress have their own Chaplain who starts each session with an honest-to-God prayer.

Don't get me started. NOTHING lights my fuse faster than negative prayer in school debate commentary by a Congresscritter . . .

Noah

[Duff L Bagg]

How is it that so many can be willing to throw our traditions and history away so fast. Any more I bet if there were a poll for putting Britney Spears on the twenty dollar bill they would be in favor of it 70-30. Some times I wonder if we are not headed to He11 in a hurry.

[RIHMFIRE]

What part of this dont they understand!

Amendment One

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.

[Bruce Scott]

This is not an issue downunder but here is another point of view:

On November 11, 1907, President Roosevelt 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 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."

President Theodore Roosevelt argued against placing the motto on coinage, not because he objected to its constitutionality, but because he thought it sacrilegious to put the name of God on something so common as money.

[FWiedner]

I've always thought it was strangely hypocritical to put "In God We Trust" on our currency.

If we truly trusted in G_d, why would we need currency in the first place?

Maybe we should change it to "Thank G_d I have money".

[C. Cash]

My .02. I understand those who revere the physical name of God enough to not want to get it soiled with money, but it is still the hearts of individuals that The Lord is going to judge and not an inscription. If our heart is right and it means the right thing to a people...that you trust in God above all else and not in your own abundance/money/power..etc, there is no sacriledge in this motto. It is merely a declaration of what is right(we trust God, not our wealth) and what Americans have historically believed. It's what on the inside of ourselves and other people that is going to bring on God's wrath, and not what is on outside of our money. No offense meant to anyone.

[Ysabel Kid]

60-40 right now - with the correct answer (no) winning. Amazing that 40% of the respondents are stupid enough to buy the "separation" nonsense. That phrase does not appear in the Constitution anywhere. This is not the establishment of a state religion, and the first amendment protects the citizens from the establishment of a state religion - including secularism - which is currently being violated.

darn morons...

[gunslinger598]

Voted : No - it should not be yanked.

Just reading the writings of founding fathers and the number of times the references to God and country are used was enough to make me realize .....................

[Hobie]

Over 3.5 MILLION responses and 64% in favor of retaining the motto. Proud to be one of the 64%!

[GoatGuy]

+1 more for the "no" crowd!

[O.S.O.K.]

Proud to be a 64%'er

Interestingly though, did ya'll know that this was done by Pres. Eisenhower? That it was a reinstatement of a previous stamping from the turn of the century? I saw that on the History Channel IIRC the other day and though I'd heard this before, I'd forgotten.

[tman]

give to casear what is casear's. give to GOD what is GOD'S. vote to remove.

[Ysabel Kid]

give to casear what is casear's. give to GOD what is GOD'S. vote to remove.

As we have seen, the less this country trusts in God, the more we go into the dumper...

[bunklocoempire]

give to casear what is casear's. give to GOD what is GOD'S. vote to remove.

As we have seen, the less this country trusts in God, the more we go into the dumper...

And lack of trust is why in politics we vote "lesser of two evils" instead of "no" evil.

Bunkloco

[Gary]

Today's count:

Remove national motto: 26%
Keep national motto: 74%

I think of it as a reminder that we do not trust in government OR money; ~IN GOD WE TRUST~

The Mayflower Compact


King In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc.

Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern Parts of Virginia; do by these Presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, convenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due Submission and Obedience.

In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscibed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620.

[Tycer]

[danthegunman]

What is this Country coming to. First they want to pull "In God We Trust" off our currency, NOW hallmark is putting out cards for quote un-quote "civil unions". Men on Men and Woman on Woman cards.

[FWiedner]

Just a thought...

The passengers on the Mayflower weren't Americans. They were fanatical religious separatists running from the law.

I don't see a lick of difference between them and those FLDS folks out in west Texas.

Build a community far from and separate from accepted authority. Isolate men, women, and children to facilitate and grow an unpopular cult... say God a lot...

[Bruce Scott]

Proud to be a 64%'er

Interestingly though, did ya'll know that this was done by Pres. Eisenhower? That it was a reinstatement of a previous stamping from the turn of the century? I saw that on the History Channel IIRC the other day and though I'd heard this before, I'd forgotten.

The full background appears in this US Treasury Fact Sheet: http://www.ustreas.gov/education/fact-s ... trust.html

[BAGTIC]

It was added to our money as a reaction to the rabidly paranoia anti-communist witch hunt of the 1950's. The country had survived just fine without it.

Doesn't really matter either way as it all depends on how one defines "God'.

""When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less."
"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master – that's all."

'Alice Through the Looking Glass', Lewis Carroll

[Griff]

Let me see: Eisenhower musta "re-instated" the practice; for proof, I had to look no farther than my pocket:

Not to scale:

1878 Dollar:


1868 5¢:


1864 2¢:


Nay, sez I.

[Hobie]

Just a thought...

The passengers on the Mayflower weren't Americans. They were fanatical religious separatists running from the law.

I don't see a lick of difference between them and those FLDS folks out in west Texas.

Build a community far from and separate from accepted authority. Isolate men, women, and children to facilitate and grow an unpopular cult... say God a lot...

[Bruce Scott]

History of 'In God We Trust'
The motto IN GOD WE TRUST was placed on United States coins largely because of the increased religious sentiment existing during the Civil War. Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase received many appeals from devout persons throughout the country, urging that the United States recognize the Deity on United States coins. From Treasury Department records, it appears that the first such appeal came in a letter dated November 13, 1861. It was written to Secretary Chase by Rev. M. R. Watkinson, Minister of the Gospel from Ridleyville, Pennsylvania, and read:

Dear Sir: You are about to submit your annual report to the Congress respecting the affairs of the national finances.
One fact touching our currency has hitherto been seriously overlooked. I mean the recognition of the Almighty God in some form on our coins.

You are probably a Christian. What if our Republic were not shattered beyond reconstruction? Would not the antiquaries of succeeding centuries rightly reason from our past that we were a heathen nation? What I propose is that instead of the goddess of liberty we shall have next inside the 13 stars a ring inscribed with the words PERPETUAL UNION; within the ring the allseeing eye, crowned with a halo; beneath this eye the American flag, bearing in its field stars equal to the number of the States united; in the folds of the bars the words GOD, LIBERTY, LAW.

This would make a beautiful coin, to which no possible citizen could object. This would relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism. This would place us openly under the Divine protection we have personally claimed. From my hearth I have felt our national shame in disowning God as not the least of our present national disasters.

To you first I address a subject that must be agitated.

As a result, Secretary Chase instructed James Pollock, Director of the Mint at Philadelphia, to prepare a motto, in a letter dated November 20, 1861:
Dear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins.
You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition.

It was found that the Act of Congress dated January 18, 1837, prescribed the mottoes and devices that should be placed upon the coins of the United States. This meant that the mint could make no changes without the enactment of additional legislation by the Congress. In December 1863, the Director of the Mint submitted designs for new one-cent coin, two-cent coin, and three-cent coin to Secretary Chase for approval. He proposed that upon the designs either OUR COUNTRY; OUR GOD or GOD, OUR TRUST should appear as a motto on the coins. In a letter to the Mint Director on December 9, 1863, Secretary Chase stated:
I approve your mottoes, only suggesting that on that with the Washington obverse the motto should begin with the word OUR, so as to read OUR GOD AND OUR COUNTRY. And on that with the shield, it should be changed so as to read: IN GOD WE TRUST.
The Congress passed the Act of April 22, 1864. This legislation changed the composition of the one-cent coin and authorized the minting of the two-cent coin. The Mint Director was directed to develop the designs for these coins for final approval of the Secretary. IN GOD WE TRUST first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin.

Another Act of Congress passed on March 3, 1865. It allowed the Mint Director, with the Secretary's approval, to place the motto on all gold and silver coins that "shall admit the inscription thereon." Under the Act, the motto was placed on the gold double-eagle coin, the gold eagle coin, and the gold half-eagle coin. It was also placed on the silver dollar coin, the half-dollar coin and the quarter-dollar coin, and on the nickel three-cent coin beginning in 1866. Later, Congress passed the Coinage Act of February 12, 1873. It also said that the Secretary "may cause the motto IN GOD WE TRUST to be inscribed on such coins as shall admit of such motto."

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. Later, the motto was found missing from the new design of the double-eagle gold coin and the eagle gold coin shortly after they appeared in 1907. In response to a general demand, Congress ordered it restored, and the Act of May 18, 1908, made it mandatory on all coins upon which it had previously appeared. IN GOD WE TRUST was not mandatory on the one-cent coin and five-cent coin. It could be placed on them by the Secretary or the Mint Director with the Secretary's approval.

The motto has been in continuous use on the one-cent coin since 1909, and on the ten-cent coin since 1916. It also has appeared on all gold coins and silver dollar coins, half-dollar coins, and quarter-dollar coins struck since July 1, 1908.

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. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) was converting to the dry intaglio printing process. During this conversion, it gradually included IN GOD WE TRUST in the back design of all classes and denominations of currency.

As a part of a comprehensive modernization program the BEP successfully developed and installed new high-speed rotary intaglio printing presses in 1957. These allowed BEP to print currency by the dry intaglio process, 32 notes to the sheet. One-dollar silver certificates were the first denomination printed on the new high-speed presses. They included IN GOD WE TRUST as part of the reverse design as BEP adopted new dies according to the law. The motto also appeared on one-dollar silver certificates of the 1957-A and 1957-B series.

BEP prints United States paper currency by an intaglio process from engraved plates. It was necessary, therefore, to engrave the motto into the printing plates as a part of the basic engraved design to give it the prominence it deserved.

One-dollar silver certificates series 1935, 1935-A, 1935-B, 1935-C, 1935-D, 1935-E, 1935-F, 1935-G, and 1935-H were all printed on the older flat-bed presses by the wet intaglio process. P.L. 84-140 recognized that an enormous expense would be associated with immediately replacing the costly printing plates. The law allowed BEP to gradually convert to the inclusion of IN GOD WE TRUST on the currency. Accordingly, the motto is not found on series 1935-E and 1935-F one-dollar notes. By September 1961, IN GOD WE TRUST had been added to the back design of the Series 1935-G notes. Some early printings of this series do not bear the motto. IN GOD WE TRUST appears on all series 1935-H one-dollar silver certificates.

Below is a listing by denomination of the first production and delivery dates for currency bearing IN GOD WE TRUST:

DENOMINATION PRODUCTION DELIVERY
$1 Federal Reserve Note February 12, 1964 March 11, 1964
$5 United States Note January 23, 1964 March 2, 1964
$5 Federal Reserve Note July 31, 1964 September 16, 1964
$10 Federal Reserve Note February 24, 1964 April 24, 1964
$20 Federal Reserve Note October 7, 1964 October 7, 1964
$50 Federal Reserve Note August 24, 1966 September 28, 1966
$100 Federal Reserve Note August 18, 1966 September 27, 1966

http://www.ustreas.gov/education/fact-s ... trust.html