In God We Trust: a modest proposal.Like many of your readers, I had already gotten the word that Michael Newdow Michael Arthur Newdow (born June 24 1953 in New York City) is a Sacramento, California attorney and emergency medicine physician. He is best known for his efforts to bar public schools in the United States from reciting the current version of the Pledge of Allegiance because of its had lost his case in federal court challenging the constitutionality of having "In God We Trust" on our coins and paper money. But when I read your article ("Federal Court Upholds 'In God We Trust' On American Money," People & Events, July/August Church & State), I found some information I had not received earlier--some of the exact language of the court's decision. The wording that just staggered me (I kept reading it over and over) was as follows: "The national motto is excluded from First Amendment significance because the motto 'has no theological or ritualistic rit·u·al·is·tic adj. 1. Relating to ritual or ritualism. 2. Advocating or practicing ritual. rit impact' and is of a purely secular, 'patriotic' and 'ceremonial character.'" Huh? I am left to wonder if this judge is using and understanding the same English language English language, member of the West Germanic group of the Germanic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages (see Germanic languages). Spoken by about 470 million people throughout the world, English is the official language of about 45 nations. that the rest of us are using. The expression "jaw-dropping" is just not strong enough! Mr. Newdow appropriately said, "What's next? 'In Jesus We Trust'?" Since the doctrine of the trinity, which much blood was spilled to establish as central to the religion of Christianity, declares that God and Jesus are co-equal, co-substantial and co-eternal, then a substitution Substitution Arsinoë put her own son in place of Orestes; her son was killed and Orestes was saved. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 32] Barabbas robber freed in Christ’s stead. [N.T.: Matthew 27:15–18; Swed. Lit. of the word "Jesus" for the word "God" does not really change anything. Right? Therefore, I have a "modest proposal." I think secularists should unite with the Christian Right The term "Christian Right" is used by scholars and journalists, to refer to a spectrum of right-wing Christian political and social movements and organizations characterized by their strong support of conservative social and political values. and start a nationwide campaign--write our congressional representatives, etc.--to have "In Jesus We Trust" on all of our money and posted in all schoolhouses and court buildings. Now, perhaps future federal judges will find "no theological impact" in such a motto and such displays, but I very much doubt it. If my calculations are correct, the backlash should be so overwhelming as to put a final stop to all this nonsense.... maybe. Donald Havis San Mateo San Mateo (săn mətā`ō), city (1990 pop. 85,486), San Mateo co., W Calif., on San Francisco Bay; inc. 1894. It is a commercial and retail center with some high-technology manufacturing. San Mateo, Spanish for St. , Calif. |
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