church v. state facts

We watched an episode of "30 Days" in which an athiest was sent to live amongst Christians (notice the big C, as in non-denominational, bible-toting, megachurching, born more than once christians). It was a very interesting episode and I learned some factoids about myself and other free-thinking brethren.

That IN GOD WE TRUST is on the money and UNDER GOD is in the pledge of allegiance is not really proff that the USA was founded upon a religion.

In God We Trust first appeared on the 1c and 2c coins in 1864 and wasn't added to all currency until 1966. From the US Treasury currency fact-sheet:

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.

The words "Under God" were added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 by Congress as the result of a campaign by the Knights of Columbus.

So, while there is officially only 5% of the US population that is atheist, I suspect the number is actually higher but many people do not openly admit it. So hey, finally, a 16-35 year old white male finally, legitimately, belongs to an oppressed minority group.

And if you think athiests are not oppressed...think again. How comfortable would you feel if our currency had "There is no god" printed on it? (borrowing from one of the people on the show). Yeah.

And why isn;t there any mention of God, any god, in the constitution?

Its funny, because as much as people following different religions have problems getting along, they at least have the common experience of beliving in a god, so they relate to eachother in terms of, "Oh, you've just got the story a little mixed up". It realy is comparing apples to apples. Whereas the atheist is unrelatable. "You think the story is fiction? No, no, non-fiction, no-fiction! See? It's in a book and everything."

Of the dialogues between the atheist and the Christians, one of the most tellings exchanges went something like this:

C - So, I know what you DON'T believe in. But what do you believe in?
A - That you should treat everyone well and you are responsible for your actions. Everyone should act morally and ethically.
C - But, I mean...how do you know that's right? We have the Bible. What do you have? What tells you what's right and wrong?
A - There is no text. I believe these things are correct because they are logical, rational ideas, they are what I would consider natural laws.
C - But who tells you what's right or wrong?
A - Who tells YOU what is right or wrong?
C - God. The Bible.
A - Logic. Reason. I can figure out what is wrong or right myself through reason, natural law. The golden rule.

Very telling. Think about that.