In God We Trust

By: Maddy Watson

In God We Trust A simple statement, but something with such a large impact throughout the United States How can a country that’s said to be rooted in religious freedom, value this statement so highly when the prevalence of Christianity is so visible

Looking back into the history of the United States you can see that the founding fathers were all white Christian men, but with a falsified idea of giving people “freedoms.” Moreover, these freedoms were only given to specific people. One of these freedoms included the freedom of religion, which includes the separation of church from state. This freedom of religion allowed for individuals to freely practice whatever religion they pleased throughout the United States. This freedom also included having legislative material not be impacted by religion, keeping politicians secular in their decision making Even though the mention of God is never written within the constitution it’s seen through many different public systems such as schools and even courts The idea of God is seen everywhere within the United States

Throughout public schooling the pledge of allegiance plays throughout the intercom and the phrase “One nation under God'' is played. If public school systems are funded by the government, the use of God should not be mentioned. However, this also institutes the idea of religion to young children, even if their parents are not religious. Exposing people at such a vulnerable age to the idea of religion represents the ideology and deeply rooted insights into Christianity, and that God is the higher power, allowing the country to follow his rule. Even though laws have been passed that children cannot get in trouble for not repeating that part of the Pledge of Allegiance; it is still played everyday Students repeat it, and their classmates are quick to follow their peers This is a key example of how church vs state is a concept with blurred lines and something most cannot escape

“No longer religious in nature, the phrase has become, rather, a historical artifact, a public recognition of the role of religion in national life, and an expression of patriotism,” said D Jason Berggren in the article “The First Amendment Encyclopedia '' by MTSU This quote explains how the phrase, “In God We Trust,” is not seen from a religious standpoint, but something of historical American culture. This article also shows how American courts are defending this phrase, going beyond the idea of how its background affects citizens and the religious culture of the country. If courts are defending this phrase it begs us to ask the question if court decisions are being upheld to the secular standard, or if christianity plays a role in decision making?

Throughout 2022 legislation, a common topic has been over the right to ban abortion, and whether it’s ethical or not However, many fighting for the criminalization have fought under the idea that God created a life, and it should not be taken away A prime example of one of these believers would be supreme court justice Amy Coney Barrett, who has been accused many times of bringing her catholic beliefs into decision making, and it is extremely evident throughout her career.

Barrett has stated many times that her beliefs do not impact her thought process when it comes to her career, but she has been found to have supported groups like the Women’s Care Center which is highly supported by faith guided people This center is also misleading because they claim to provide support and guidance towards creating an abortion plan, but they offer no services for actually providing it As an influential person through Washington it should not be evident where her support lies when it comes to issues like this Instances like this open the questions towards how many others with heavy decisions like this follow their beliefs as opposed to what is actually right. People should be allowed to practice whatever they want while in office, but people who push their views and support unethical, faith-based businesses and make dire decisions based on their views as opposed to the ethical ideals that uphold the constitution, should be held accountable.

However, Washington has made many efforts to show their secular efforts and thoughts towards this religious inclusion such as not having to swear on the Bible and no prayers during public school, but how inclusive is this environment?

Because the United States was founded upon Christianity majority of the population does identify as that, allowing for a growth in influential Christian actions However, throughout history there has been an overwhelming amount of anti-semitism and attacks against muslims, and there still are to this day Little is done for the protection of Muslim Americans within the current legislature, but issues such as abortion and trans-gender rights are the top priority because some see them to “threaten” God’s wishes and what he created. But if God is said to be so loving, then why are some of these people who believe in him not fighting for acceptance of these people? Instead they choose to fight against the right to privacy for many Americans. This plays on the idea that the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are being ignored as people are losing their basic freedoms due to someone's take on what being a Christian truly is. As time moves forward people are thought to progress and learn from the past, but things only seem to be getting worse The need for even higher secularization is rising as time passes As much as the government tries to hide it, it is more prevalent than ever that it is restricting the rights of Americans In God do we trust?