Questions about `In God We Trust'. (Letters).Concerning state and local decisions and proposals requiring the posting of "In God We Trust" in public schools, reported in the March issue of Church & State ("People & Events"): Proponents who consider such postings constitutional as merely the posting of the national motto should be reminded that the moral message they want "In God We Trust" to project needs to be explained by the teachers in these schools. The fact that this entails religious instruction renders such postings unconstitutional unconstitutional adj. referring to a statute, governmental conduct, court decision or private contract (such as a covenant which purports to limit transfer of real property only to Caucasians) which violate one or more provisions of the U. S. Constitution. . Besides, some teachers may rightly object to adding any form of religious instruction to the duties for which they were hired. Legislatures intent (whatever the legal risk) on requiring such postings in public schools should feel obligated ob·li·gate tr.v. ob·li·gat·ed, ob·li·gat·ing, ob·li·gates 1. To bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie. See Synonyms at force. 2. To cause to be grateful or indebted; oblige. to appropriate the funds, not only to pay for the postings, but also to ensure that teachers are properly instructed in how to interpret To run a program one line at a time. Each line of source language is translated into machine language and then executed. those hallowed hal·lowed adj. 1. Sanctified; consecrated: a hallowed cemetery. 2. Highly venerated; sacrosanct: our hallowed war heroes. words in a totally nonsectarian manner (if such a standard is possible). In the absence of religious interpretation (unconstitutional), "In God We Trust" would end up getting as much meaningful attention as it does on our currency -- as much as those other inscriptions on the dollar bill: "Annuit Coeptis" and "Novus Ordo Seclorum The phrase Novus Ordo Seclorum (Latin for "New Order of the Ages") appears on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States, first designed in 1782 and printed on the back of the American dollar bill since 1935. ." --David J. Steinberg Alexandria, Va. |
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