My Personal Views
I am a Christian of the Mormon variety. I believe in God, and in God I certainly trust. However, I can see why some people might not be too happy about the phrase appearing all over their coins and federal buildings. As it is, I think both sides of the debate have a point.
Argument for keeping 'In God We Trust'
Does it really matter what it says on our coins and federal buildings? In regards to coins, I never even look at the details of the dang things. It's not like you look at a coin and stare at the phrase 'In God We Trust' with barely-contained fury before handing it over to a cashier to buy a candy bar.
And let's be honest here, Christianity is the dominant religion of the United States. True, Christianity has so many splinter factions that no one Christian religion dramatically dominates the rest. But hey, with all of Christianity's powers combined, they wouldn't form Captain Planet, but they would form one clear religious majority in the United States.
Given that the United States is a democratic republic, there are more people who believe in God than people who don't. Therefore, if the phrase 'In God We Trust' is supposed to represent at least a majority of our citizens, then it continues to. And consider that our country's foundation was built upon religious freedom. It makes sense for us to acknowledge that in some way. Why not the pieces of metal nobody really looks at anymore?
Argument against keeping 'In God We Trust'
Does it really matter what it says on our coins and federal buildings? They could put Hillary Clinton on the quarter and I probably wouldn't even notice until someone hashtagged about it on the Twitters and Instagrams. And based on my recent studies of trending topics, that trend would last for three, four hours tops before everyone grew more interested in the latest One Direction music video.
So if we were to change the phrase on the coin to a more universal phrase, like E Pluribus Unum, would you really notice or care? I mean, it's not like you really need some materialistic reminder of your religious beliefs. If you absolutely need one, carry a Bible or a clerical collar.
And seeing as how the United States has a rich history of welcoming others into the country who believe in deities and practices other than God and traditional Christian rituals, wouldn't a phrase that represents the collective American populace be more suitable to put on general government property? And wouldn't a statement that favors no religion better represent the concept of religious freedom? And who cares if nobody looks at the coins, I still know the phrase is there.
My Final Thoughts
In the end, I'm not convinced it really matters. I'm not going to get up in arms if we remove 'In God We Trust' from coins and government buildings, but I'm certainly not going to try and change it. I will say, if I wasn't religious or even Christian, I doubt the phrase would offend me. There are so many other, more important battles to fight.
This Week's Top Comments
What a surprise. Another believer decides that it doesn't bother him that the government posts pervasive advertisements to endorse his belief.
ReplyDeleteBut it's not very important to him, so it shouldn't be very important to anybody else either. He imagines that if he were an atheist, the motto still wouldn't offend him, so actual atheists shouldn't be offended either. After all, he gets to decide what's important to other people, and what should or shouldn't offend them.
I wonder what would happen if the government used its authority and his tax dollars to post the slogan "There Is No God" on public buildings, and the walls of courtrooms, and the back bumpers of police cars, and the money that he is obliged to carry around in his pocket. Or, since he is a Mormon, suppose the government promoted the slogan "Joseph Smith was a philandering con man." I wonder if he would be as blasé about it as he is about a religious slogan that he agrees with.
This is a fair response! Thank you for your insight. You're absolutely correct that I present my apathy in general terms. Your points about "There is No God" and "Joseph Smith was a philandering con man" are also accurate. You're absolutely right I wouldn't like those things broadcast on coins or government buildings. With that perspective in mind, I have a better understanding of the concerns of atheists and other individuals who wish to remove "In God We Trust." Had I received this comment on my Tuesday post, you can be sure I would have written this post a lot differently.
DeleteThank you again for reaching out and sharing your thoughts. I really do try to see both sides of things, and I'm aware I don't always succeed.