The Rant

The United States has established itself a secular government. As a government that promises not to inflict religious beliefs on its people (as stated in the constitution) its use of the words 'Under God' in its official Pledge of Allegiance is a violation of the Nation's supreme law of the land, and should be taken out immediatly.

In addition to being a violation of the constitution, 'Under God' offends several different religions for several different reasons. Polythiestic religions are being forced to pledge allegiance to one deity, and non-believing people are forced to hear about the notion of God. However, God-beleiving religions are offended by the remark as well. Some find it as God's name taken in vain...a sour attempt by our government to bring God into the nation and force him on their citizens. Others are apathetic, saying that leaving the words, or taking them out, will not affect their religios faith in any way, shape or form. Whereas it deeply offends non-religious people like Athiests.

Above all, the words 'Under God' are a sour attempt by our country's government to distinguish itself from Godless comunist contries. If this can even be considered a valid point, God has nothing to do with the government of a country. And it is no governent's place, especially that of the United States of America, to force any religious belief on the people who live there.

What the Experts Say

The experts for my side of the argument have a lot to say about 'Under God' in the pledge.

Mary E. Williams, a writer for Religion In America says, "[Elk Grove Unified School District]'s policy pressures schoolchildren to profess religious belief and affirm religious ideals. Indeed, the policy pressures schoolchildern to profess a particular religious docterine, monothiesm, thereby violating the [Establishment] Clause's command of neutrality among religions. And my yoking patriotism to religion, EGUSD's policy exerts an even greater coercive pressure than the school- prayer policies, forcing schoolchildren to choose between declaring religious belief and being branded religious and political outsiders."

Dr. Michael Newdow, the athiest responsible for the controversy over the phrase 'under God' (because he didnt want his daughter to hear there was a god, or to express she believed in one) said, "'Under God' assumes upfront that God exists, and it's unaccpetable for a country with a secular government to ask people to say it."

However, not all experts opinions are from the non-believing side. Elisabeth Sifton, a baptist minister in the south said, "Giving lip service to God does not advance faith, it cheapens it."

Also, in a letter to the editor in USA Today, Thomas B. Moore of Elk Grove, California, a United States Navy veteran, said, "I...pray. And I've never thought of adding "Our Republic" to any personal prayer to God. There is a difference between a pledge and a prayer."

From experts to concerned citizens, the evidence that Under God does not belong in our nation's pledge is strong.

My Second Strongest Argument

My second strongest argument will be that the pledge was written originally without the words Under God in it at all.

The first recorded words that are similar to today's pledge said, " I pledge allegiance to my Flag, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all." on October 11, 1892. It is unknown who wrote or came up with the words that would become the pledge.

Later, on June 14, 1923, when immegration was at its peak in the United States, the first National Flag Conference was held in Washington, D.C. The conference decided that there could be some confusion as to the words "My Flag" in the pledge, so they changed it to, "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all. These words were again changed a year later to inclued "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all."

The most recent change to the pledge came in 1954 when Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized the words Under God to be added to the pledge. He justified his statement by saying, "In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."

My Strongest Argument

My strongest argument will be that religion and government should not mix. The Establishment Clause of the Constitution forbids the government to endorse religion or pressure schoolchildren to profess religious belief. It also says, "Neither a State nor the Federal Government can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another." By adding 'Under God" to the pledge, the Federal Government preferred all monothiestic, God believing religions. This excludes athiests, Buddhists, and many other religious preferences. The phrase 'Under God' implies the fact that there is a God. Those who wish to express thier patriotism cannot because of the reference to God in our pledge.

I will argue the con side of the argument

I have selected the con side of the argument (take the words out) because there is a more cogent argument on that side. It will be easier to argue against the religious believers because our constitution protects all people from religious bias.

My strongest arguments will be that the Constitution protects all people's rights all the time. Our Constitution also prohibits the establishment of a formal religion in our country. It protects individuals with no religious beliefs as well as individuals with countless religious beliefs.

I can convince readers to agree with my position by citing Supreme Court cases on seperation of church and state, and get them to see my point of view by showing that even if a person is not forced to recite the pledge, they are still forced to listen to it. The reference to God prohibits a person who is athiest or polythiestic to recite the pledge, even if they want to express their patriotism.

As I'm preparing to argue the con side of the argument, I am definitely conflicted. For every argument I can come up with, I can think of one that counters it. Since I personally don't have that strong of an opinion on the subject, I figured I could argue the more cogent side. However, I fear that I cannot counter-argue the fact that 'In God we Trust' is engraved on our currency. Or that religion has played a major role in shaping how our country was formed.

Con- Take the phrase 'Under God' out of the pledge of allegiance

The freedoms and rights that the United States flag represents are protective of the Government establishing a religion, or forcing specific religious beliefs upon anyone. The words 'Under God' in our nation's oath, coerce citizens into believing that there is, unquestionably, a God. The reference to the Deity cannot be left aside as a 'ceremonial' phrase, or a history lesson, because it is an oath, and since it refers to God, it could be considered a prayer. Because of Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) the Supreme Court decision that set up 3 rules for separation of church and state, one of which was "there must be no excessive entanglement between government and religion". The words Under God clearly refer to some religious belief, which does not apply to every American citizen.

One could argue that no citizen is forced to recite the pledge. However, whenever the pledge of allegiance is said, these people hear a reference to God, which may make them uncomfortable and even outcast in the eyes of those around them. Children without religion, or citizens of polythiestic religious beliefs sit in school and hear their peers make an oath that they cannot make, even if they wish to express their patriotism, because it professes a religious beleif that they've been taught not to beleive in.

From the beleiver's point of view, the reference to God should not change their opinions about the pledge. By removing the words, no religion will be affected. Religions like Judiasm and Christianity will not be affected by the removal of the words. It's not like they attend church services and begin each one with the pledge of allegiance to the American flag. The bottem line is that religious Americans will not change their beliefs strictly on the removal of the words 'Under God' from the pledge of allegiance, and those who are disturbed by the words, but still wish to express thier patriotism will be comforted.

Pro- Keep the words 'Under God' in the pledge of allegiance

The words 'Under God' were added to the pledge in 1954, to distinguish the United States from other countries practicing 'Godless communism'. however, the words play a much more significant role in everyday life than was probably meant by the officials who added the words. For example, our founding fathers based this country on a relegious support system. Thomas Jefferson, in the Declaration of Independence, implied that all men are created equal, and every man has certain unailable rights, under a divine creator. Also, after the Ninth Circuit Appeals Court ruled the words unconstitutional, huge numbers of Americans became aware of the issue and sought to keep the words in. Political leaders and citizens alike met in Washington to sing God Bless America and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

An effort to take the phrase 'Under God' out of the pledge would be more a hassle than keeping it in. It is obvious that not everyone will be happy with the outcome of the decision. the Athiests will not like their children are being introduced to the notion of a God existing, and the 'believers' will not wish to live in a nation that does not acknowledge thier creator and ultimate ruler.

Background on topic

The words 'Under God' were added to the United States pledge of allegiance in 1954 by Congress, in order to distinguish the United States from other countries that were practicing 'godless communism'. Recently, there has been debate whether that addition to our nation's pledge is unconstitutional, violating a person's right to freedom of speech and separation of church and state. Since public schools begin each day with the salute to the flag, atheists and denominations of other religions have been upset since their children are experiencing an introduction to God and religion, implying that there is, undoubtedly, a God. I don't have especially strong feelings about this topic, since I've pledged my allegiance to the flag using God's name since kindergarten. I hate to bring my religious beliefs into the picture, but I do believe in God, and I think that 'One nation, under God' is appropriate for our country to have in it's pledge, simply because without God, our country would be hopeless, faithless, and beaten down.

I chose this topic because I knew there would be a lot of information about it. I have found many articles, including simple letters to editors in magazines, as well as scholarly sources from Internet databases with strong opinions about this topic. Also, it is a topic that directly affects me and my life, since just this morning, all of James Caldwell High School recited the pledge. I know that it will be easier to argue from the athiest point of view, because there is no clear evidence, from the Athiest's point of view, that God exists. However, I could argue that our nation's history is based on a God-beliving society, with founders who beleived every man had equal rights under a divine creator.