Friday, 15 May 2009
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Want to Be a Christian Nation? Take 'In God We Trust' Off of the Currency
In So You Want to Be a Christian Nation?: Part I, I talked about how, in order to be a Christian nation, we need to change the Constitution to make us a true Christian state. I also pointed out that we would need a completely different monetary system – one that wouldn't upset the very jealous God we Christians worship. I find it ironic that you can find "In God We Trust" on our currency.Obviously, what I'm saying isn't a brand new idea. However, this subject is something that Christians ought to think about. Who is the "we" our currency is talking about? Not everyone believes in God. Some believe in a god or gods, but its (or their) name(s) isn't (aren't) "God". However, our currency seems to suggest that we (Americans) trust in God. Not all of us do. In fact, many Christians don't even put their trust in God. Many people put their trust in (drum roll please?) ...MONEY! Again, I blame it on our system of capitalism.
So does the phrase, "In God We Trust" really belong on our money? I don't believe it does. I think that mammon is part of the world and should not taint the church. It is just another one of those things on the dollar bill that has become part of its intricate design- easy to overlook. Really, I don't feel comfortable knowing that I will be trusting my money to put food on my table and not God. What I'm saying is, if "In God We Trust" is meant to be a friendly reminder telling us to pay attention to what we are investing in, it doesn't work, and it really only serves as a contradiction. In a sense, this forces many people to live a lie.
The solution to this problem is simple, though it may cost a lot. Take "In God We Trust" off of the American currency. It doesn't need to be on our money and causes God to look at us and say, "Really? You trust me? You trust me, but you've refused to give that homeless man even a penny of what you've earned?" Remember- how you treat others is how you treat God. What you give others is what you give to God. If you want to be a Christian nation, trust God. Give away all that you have. See how God takes care of you. You may not have everything you want, but God will give you everything you need... and you would be doing this so others can have what they need. That would make one's spirit beautiful.
I would also say that, along with taking "In God We Trust" off of our currency, we should take out "one nation under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. But I'm not going to say just that. I am taking it a step further. I'm saying get rid of the entire Pledge of Allegiance... if you want to be a Christian nation (you can read some interesting stuff about the Pledge of Allegiance on Tom's blog). The reason why I say this is because as you recite the Pledge of Allegiance, you are declaring the USA your home. Is it really your home though? I don't think it is. We are citizens of another kingdom. This makes us ambassadors. We are here temporarily and our purpose is threefold:- Worship God - serve only Him (when we serve "the least of these, we serve God as well).
- To let the world know about Christ (this is something that is less of a duty and more of something we shouldn't help. The Spirit should be overflowing in us, so we would have no choice but to tell others the source of our joy).
- Help bring Heaven to Earth (the work of an ambassador- to represent his home).
That is all we are here for- and it is only temporary. Soon, we will be with God in our true home - the kingdom of God, which we are to help bring to earth. However, if Heaven is our true home, why would we declare the USA as our home? Is it because the USA seems more tangible then the Kingdom of God? Is it because we have a group of rulers that we can see? Is it because here, we have a sense of "freedom?" I've said it before and I will say it again. The term "freedom" is relative. If all of our freedoms are ripped away from us, God is still in Heaven and Christ still died for us. That is all the freedom we really need- that is, the peace and rest Christ has given us in and through Him. I could still feel free if I can't speak my mind (granted, it would not be fun). I could still feel free if I can't worship God anywhere outside my home (I would probably do it anyway- but that is an entirely different blog altogether). I would still have my thoughts. I would still have my beliefs, and NOBODY can take that away.
Anyway, back on topic, when you say the pledge, you are claiming that we are one nation under God... this is a dilemma. Saying this can equate to saying that if you are not "under God" you are not a citizen of the USA or if you are in the USA, you are automatically under God. I have a problem with this. First, I want to explain that I do believe the USA and everyone in it is "under God." That is my belief, and since it is my belief, I say this is an accurate statement.
However, as dwellers of the USA, we have a freedom of religion which is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Not everyone believes in God or they may believe in a different god. But when they recite the Pledge of Allegiance, they are forced to say that they are under God (spiritually, they are, but in their own mind, they are not). Perhaps "forced" is the wrong word, but there is only one Pledge of Allegiance for the U.S.A. But when you are saying that you pledge your allegiance to the USA, you are pledging your allegiance to God. Otherwise, you are not really pledging your allegiance. This goes against our very Constitution, making it a contradiction to what the U.S. actually stands for, thus, technically voiding the Pledge of Allegiance. Which to a Christian, this should be okay... because this is not our true home. We are simply visiting and making the best of our stay.
But we are not a Christian nation. If we were, we shouldn't have a Pledge of Allegiance. Our Pledge of Allegiance should be our constant prayers to God. He is the only one we should be pledging our allegiance to, anyway.
So you want to be a Christian nation?
Step One: Rewrite the Bill of Rights.
Step Two: Find a monetary system that does not cause us to put our money before God.
Step Three: Remove "In God We Trust" from our currency- unless you really are trusting God.
Step Four: Get rid of the Pledge of Allegiance.
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- From: jmallory@xanga
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- About Me: I am a Christian. I am an anarchist. I am a pacifist. I am a listener. I am an observer. I am a feeler. I am a reader. I am a lover. I am a joker. I am made in the image of God. I am Jimmy. Hi, how ya doin?
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Comments (81)
I think that the reason behind putting "under God" into the pledge in the '50s (making sure we were different from those Russian commies!) is behind us. Maybe now we can revert that decision?
That and the monetary thing have never been a big issue for me as an atheist, more of a minor annoyance.
Maybe we could compromise and just add an l.
Let's take God off of everything. Churches included. In fact, let's make God illegal. Let's tear down all the churches.
*obvious sarcasm included
Revelife is becoming such an anti-Christian site, with each post trying to out-do the last for the most radical idea. Surely there is something more uplifting to post about than complaining about "God" appearing on our currency...for a supposedly Christian site.
The title does not even make sense. I do not see how taking this off the currency would make us "more Christian".
God be the king ?
I think history as shown that the closer any religion is to the government of that land, the further away from it's original mission it gets.
The idea of people actively trying to make the U.S. a Christian nation scares the crap out of me.
@BLISSFULOUS@xanga - I agree.
@methodElevated@xanga - Link.
"In God we Trust" is on the money because it is our national motto.
Your post doesn't make alot of sense. Now, I don't want to impose my beliefs upon someone else. But if America were a Christian nation, why would I remove "In God We Trust" off the currency? If it were a Christian nation, it would be a beautiful thing to put on our money. You said: "Really, I don't feel comfortable knowing that I will be trusting my money to put food on my table and not God." Well, that's exactly why we should put "In God We Trust" on our dollars, as a reminder that dollars don't secure us, they don't create meaning or provide relief, and that God does.
Your response to this is that many people put their money before God, and so it's hypocritical to say In God We Trust. That's just as logical as saying that we should stop fasting, since the meaning of fasting has been ignored by many people and that fasting has actually allowed people to create hostility and division. But, just as we can see in Is. 58, that a physical form of worship has been abused doesn't nullify the meaning of the form. God doesn't respond to Israel by saying "Stop your fasting." He says "Go back to the true meaning of fasting." He doesn't say "Stop using podiums to preach." He says "Use the podium to preach God's word, not your own."
That the meaning of a form of worship has been forgotten doesn't make the form vacuous of meaning. And removing the form doesn't make one step forward to fill it with meaning. So, as good intentioned they are, your points are misguided. This is almost obvious when you end with saying " Remove "In God We Trust" from our currency- unless you really are trusting God." How can this be implemented? What, are you proposing we conduct a survey of Christians to know whether they are truly trusting God? Suppose 50% do and 50% don't, do we then refrain from printing out the sign for people, "unless you really are trusting in God"? "In God We Trust" is not merely a description, but an ideal, and that ideal holds whether the people fail to hold up to it or not.
The Declaration of Independence says that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
Since the Declaration along with the Constitution comprise the ideas and philosophy upon which America was founded we must use them as the original premise of this discussion.
Who is the "we" our currency is talking about? Not everyone believes in God.
Taking into account our founding documents and philosophy, this statement is complete non-sense. For God is self evident. Therefore, anyone who doesn't believe in God is unreasonable.
So does the phrase, "In God We Trust" really belong on our money? I don't believe it does. I think that mammon is part of the world and should not taint the church.
Again simple reasoning shows that this statement doesn't make any sense. From Acts we know that people made monetary contributions to the Church. Money is only mammon if it is used for material gain. When money is given in charity it is pure holiness.
Every family, church, hospital, soup kitchen, job-providing employer needs money. Money is good. The ability to create, acquire and use money is pure wisdom.
Further, capitalism is the only economic system in human history that creates wealth out of nothing. This images God's creative power. Capitalism is incredible!
We need IN GOD WE TRUST on our money because, according to Scripture, all prosperity comes from God. We must constantly be reminded what money truly is and where prosperity comes from.
I talked about how, in order to be a Christian nation, we need to change the Constitution to make us a true Christian state.
This is facism not Christianity. A facist theocracy is not necessary for America to be a Christian nation. America became a Christian nation because the people incorporated Christian values into everyday life.
The notion that a Christian America demands a Christian theocracy is a Marxist notion not a Christian notion. For Marxism demands tyranny. Christianity requires liberty.
Christianity liberates the human being. Therefore any Christian-based government would work to insure liberty. This is EXACTLY what the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence do.
Therefore America is a Christian nation.
@LoBornlite@xanga - "Christianity liberates the human being.
Therefore any Christian-based government would work to insure liberty.
This is EXACTLY what the Constitution and the Declaration of
Independence do.
Therefore America is a Christian nation."
Atheism liberates the human being. Therefore, any atheism-based government would work to ensure liberty. This is EXACTLY what the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence do.
Therefore, America is an atheist nation.
Christianity does not have the monopoly on liberation and freedom.
@LadyLibellule@xanga - Therefore, America is an atheist nation.
This cannot be true because the Declaration of Independence says that our basic rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness come from God.
That our rights come from God is what makes America so special and exceptional AND Christian.
@LadyLibellule@xanga - Atheism liberates the human being. Therefore, any atheism-based government would work to ensure liberty.
Because the existence of God is a matter of simple reason, atheism must be the result of a stunted intellect.
@LadyLibellule@xanga - Christianity does not have the monopoly on liberation and freedom.
The self evident truth is that our unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness come for our Creator. Since atheists deny the existence of the Creator, they deny the source of basic human rights.
Your comment is a non-sequitor and consequently holds no meaning since monopoly has nothing to do with the discussion.
@LoBornlite@xanga - You're hilarious.
The Declaration of Independence was written largely by a bunch of Deists... not "Christians" as you define Christians. Non-Christians use the words "God" and "Creator" too, you know.
"For God is self evident. Therefore, anyone who doesn't believe in God is unreasonable."
It's self-evident that the Caribbean Sea is blue. Therefore, anyone who doesn't believe that the seawater there is blue is unreasonable.
Or are you making Kool-Aid?
@LadyLibellule@xanga - The Declaration of Independence was written largely by a bunch of Deists...
Not true. Deism holds that the Creator did his thing and then stepped back.
A Creator that bestows basic rights upon mankind and then prospers them when they follow his Word, is not a deist god.
@LadyLibellule@xanga - Non-Christians use the words "God" and "Creator" too, you know.
True. But America was settled by Christians.
@LadyLibellule@xanga - It's self-evident that the Caribbean Sea is blue. Therefore, anyone who doesn't believe that the seawater there is blue is unreasonable.
This is a true statement if the premise that the Caribbean Sea is blue is true. Anyone who denies what is reasonable is, by definition unreasonable.
@LoBornlite@xanga -
Oh come off of it. Basic human rights don't come from the idea of a Creator. They SHOULD come off of the simple fact that we are human. There doesn't need to be another explanation. You must have never met an atheist who was kind, or could be classified as a "good" human being.
@Iluffyewstupidwhore@xanga - Oh come off of it. Basic human rights don't come from the idea of a Creator.
According to the Founding Father of the United States of America they do.
What is truly tragic is that the education systems no longer teaches American history the way it really is.
God is so incredibly essential to America. America without God is no longer America.
And as any fool can plainly see the America that the Founders designed no longer is. For even Christians deny the importance of God in the fabric of civil society.
@Iluffyewstupidwhore@xanga - You must have never met an atheist who was kind, or could be classified as a "good" human being.
Since atheism denies basic reality (the existence of God) it is a parasitic philosophy. That is to say the atheist simply sucks at the life blood of the society in which it finds itself.
A "good" atheist is only "good" because it has absorbed the Christian values from the society at large.
An atheist born in Maoist China or Leninist Soviet Union might well be a ruthless murderer.
@LoBornlite@xanga - You are so full of it. Your concept of "basic reality" is warped, coloured by the brainwashing that you've obviously been indoctrinated with since birth.
"Not true. Deism holds that the Creator did his thing and then stepped back."
Thomas Jefferson wrote much of the Declaration of Independence. He was a deist. And I don't see your point. So what if the Creator did his thing and stepped back? That doesn't contradict with anything in the Declaration of Independence. You just can't conceive of a God that's not standing over you all the time, directing things like a puppet master.
"A "good" atheist is only "good" because it has absorbed the Christian values from the society at large."
What about a Buddhist who lives in a non-Christian society? Are they automatically bad? What about the Christians in Christian societies who do bad things? They should've had a head start in absorbing those Christian values... shouldn't they?
You claim to be reasonable and logical, but your arguments probably don't make sense to anyone but yourself. I'm done with you. I have better things to do than exercise your lone brain cell.
@Iluffyewstupidwhore@xanga - @LadyLibellule@xanga - @LoBornlite@xanga -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYLsyNBnE5M
@LadyLibellule@xanga - Alright, I can't stand this any longer.
-Check your facts! Only Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were deists.
-Before you start on the whole "but what about those not living in Christian environments rants..." consider a biblical point of view. Start with Adam, who was created by God. Naturally, God would teach man about life. Adam would pass these ideas on to his children, and his children would pass it on to their children, and so on. Therefore, everyone has the influence of Christian morals, even as new religions were being conceived. Even you, who so easily can rip on people without considering their VERY reasonable facts.