"One nation, under God." These are words we have all grown up saying. We recited them every day for 12 years in grade school and we often recite them before meetings. But how closely do any of us really analyze what is being said? In a nation that touts separation of church and state as a fundamental tenet of government, religious phrases such as this one have no place in our Pledge of Allegiance.
The pledge was written in 1892 by minister Francis Bellamy. His oath has, for the most part, remained in its original form, but there has been one glaring addition: the non-secular words, "under God." These words were not added until 1954 under President Eisenhower at the urging of a number of religious groups such as the Knights of Columbus - a Catholic organization - and other prominent ministers such as George MacPherson Docherty.
But why does this added phrase remain in the pledge after so many court decisions have made it a policy to keep religion out of secular institutions? Prayer is not allowed in public schools; many of us grew up with a "moment of silence" instead. The debate about whether creationism should be taught alongside evolution in science classes has also been hotly debated, and most states have decided to omit school lessons on creationism. Alabama, meanwhile, has removed the Ten Commandments from courtrooms. All these rulings were made in the interest of the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."
Proponents of this debated phrase argue that the United States is a Christian nation based on Judeo-Christian values. And while there is no doubt that the majority of Americans are Christians, it does not follow that America is a Christian nation. The Constitution has assured this distinction through the First Amendment. Although the issue about whether the founding fathers were deists or Christians is often hotly debated, it is clear they had no intention of founding the United States on Christianity. John Adams even signed the Treaty of Tripoli, which stated that "the Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion."
Actually, atheism and agnosticism are on the rise in our country. A 2008 American Religious Identification survey showed that 15 percent of Americans claim to belong to no religion. This number is up from the 8 percent who claimed to have no religion in 1990. Polls also show Christianity on the decline, from 86 percent of Americans claiming Christianity in 1990 down to 76 percent in 2008. And while many Christians see this as a reason for concern, it should be interpreted as a reason to re-evaluate some of our basic practices, such as reciting "under God" and using the phrase "in God we Trust" on U.S. currency.
Although the majority of Americans consider themselves religious, this does not mean that the nation's non-religious minority should be silenced on the issue. Alexis de Tocqueville, followed by John Stuart Mill, argued against "the tyranny of the majority," and this sentiment was further echoed in the Federalist Papers under the phrase, "the violence of faction." Clearly the words "under God" are neither tyrannical nor violent, but the premise remains. The minority's rights should not be infringed upon at the whim of the majority. And in this case, it is the Constitutional right to freedom of religion - or lack thereof - that must remain. The majority cannot insert a religious belief into secular institutions.
"Under God" and "in God we Trust" have become so commonplace in our nation that we hardly consider the fact that these words have no place in secular government. Though it seems a small issue, it is actually quite indicative of a much larger debate brewing in our country. Debates over what should be taught in our public schools and what is appropriate in our government institutions have the subjects of popular between political candidates since the evolution debate began in 1925 with the Scopes Trial. While debating these issues, it is important to keep in mind the Founding Fathers' original intent and to consider Thomas Jefferson's famous words that the First Amendment was included as "a wall of separation between Church and State."
Claire Shotwell's column normally appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at c.shotwell@cavalierdaily.com.\n
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