One nation under God. In God we trust. God bless America. God is everywhere in the American government, even though the Constitution technically calls for a separation of church and state. In 1636, the idea of separation between church and state was first proposed by Roger Williams, founder of the Rhode Island colony, who said there should be a ‘wall between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world’ (Separation of Church and State). In 1791, the First Amendment of the Constitution stated that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The fine details of where the government should draw the line of separation and church and state are hazy and debatable. The
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It was written in 1892, more than one hundred years after the Constitution promised us freedom of religion. People didn’t oppose the unanimous act of Congress to add God to the pledge until 2002. The Supreme Court ruled that it was perfectly okay for the government to do this because the Constitution says it is unlawful for the government to make laws requiring the practice of religion or preventing the practice of it. But if schools are requiring that kids participate in the Pledge of Allegiance, pledging themselves to the flag of a nation under God, is that not making them comply with one particular religion? Based on what the Constitution says about the government not being able to make people practice one religion, the words “under God” should be taken out of the Pledge of Allegiance out of consideration for the American citizens who are not Christian or don’t believe in any god. They have as much right as anyone to pledge themselves and feel love for their country, and they should be able to do so without also pledging themselves to a religion they don’t believe in. The government involves religion in many aspects of its branches and events. National Prayer Day is one day the current president designates each year where the nation is asked to spend a day in prayer and meditation to God. Is this not asking people to get involved with one specific religion, as the Constitution states is illegal? The concept is a good thing for the Christians of the country, but it is almost erasing the very diversity the United States boasts
It was written in 1892, more than one hundred years after the Constitution promised us freedom of religion. People didn’t oppose the unanimous act of Congress to add God to the pledge until 2002. The Supreme Court ruled that it was perfectly okay for the government to do this because the Constitution says it is unlawful for the government to make laws requiring the practice of religion or preventing the practice of it. But if schools are requiring that kids participate in the Pledge of Allegiance, pledging themselves to the flag of a nation under God, is that not making them comply with one particular religion? Based on what the Constitution says about the government not being able to make people practice one religion, the words “under God” should be taken out of the Pledge of Allegiance out of consideration for the American citizens who are not Christian or don’t believe in any god. They have as much right as anyone to pledge themselves and feel love for their country, and they should be able to do so without also pledging themselves to a religion they don’t believe in. The government involves religion in many aspects of its branches and events. National Prayer Day is one day the current president designates each year where the nation is asked to spend a day in prayer and meditation to God. Is this not asking people to get involved with one specific religion, as the Constitution states is illegal? The concept is a good thing for the Christians of the country, but it is almost erasing the very diversity the United States boasts