People try to use the First amendment as a trumping card to outlaw or banish ANYTHING relating to religion or faith, i.e. nativity scenes during Christmas. The fact is the fist amendment has NOTHING to do with it and was written to specifically prevent a specific religion from becoming nationalized or government backed. i.e. the Church of England. Historical context has EVERYTHING to do with this debate. Our history tells us why these rules were set in place. You’re basically saying “forget the history or the reason behind the First Amendment when it was written, we have our own reasons now”. This is how people lose their roots in the first place. Its much like the kids thinking their smarter then their old outdated parents, but only later find out how naive and foolish they really were, especially when they have to go back home to rebuild their lives.

You said “ANY endorsement of religion or spiritual faith anywhere in the government or in policies is unacceptable to a free society”. This is true in terms of policy and policy being shaped around religion, but simply having God recognized by our government is not an obstacle in a free society, in fact, its a liberator. Because our founding fathers believed in a “creator” that made all men equal as per the declaration of independence, we live in a free society today. The fact they recognized freedom and happiness is a GOD given right AKA “creator” and not a product of monarchy to pass down to who ever it pleased is the very reason we are living in a free nation. You say it has no place in government? Your wrong. The acknowledgment of a higher power then mankind is what separated us from a hierarchy in the first place and stopped us from being ruled by other men. You should study the start of communism in Russia. When it was first implemented, one of the first things the government did to gain control over the people was to outcast all acknowledgment of god or faith. A soldier couldn’t even wear a cross if they desired. The reason? Faith gives people hope and will power. Once the Bolsheviks has gained power, the last thing you want is people with a desire to fight back against oppression. Like it or not, faith in God empowers the human spirit to stand tall in the face of an oppressive regime.The VERY reason your free to speak your mind is because of the beliefs our founding fathers had in a God which granted us unalienable rights, not man. Without knowing your history, you are lost. I suggest you seriously dust off a book and get back to the roots of why our nation was shaped into what it is today.

Let’s put it where it belongs for a moment, in today’s world. In today’s world you have nations in the middle east that have established religious belief injected into their laws. In their world, they are all “under Allah.” Given the rising population of muslim in the U.S.A., perhaps we should include “under God and Allah.” Why not? Allah means God to muslims. But I digress. People in may mid-east countries live in absolute fear of their government, mainly because of the religious fanaticism that is part and parcel with the law. This is what religion in government creates.

I’m not about to get into a debate over history. Nobody will win. Let’s talk common sense instead. ANY endorsement of religion or spiritual faith anywhere in the government or in policies is unacceptable to a free society. I have my own spiritual beliefs, but they are completely irrelevant here. I DO NOT want my government speaking for me in this matter. I happen to respect the constitution and am extremely grateful that I am able to practice my beliefs freely. I am happy and satisfied with that. Why can’t the religious right be happy with that?

Oh, and to the poster who said that revisionists have written religion out of U.S. history, you are mistaken. The religious right has written into history the notion that the founding fathers were a bunch of pious Christians trying to establish a Christian nation. Try doing some research that doesn’t come from a website with a political agenda for a change. That’s what I do. I look at my information even from sources I completely disagree with. You may learn something. “Under God” was not added to the pledge of allegiance until the Eisenhower adminstration. How does that have anything to do with the historical context of the 18th Century? The answer is, it doesn’t?

Anyway, quite a rant I put together here. I clearly disagree vehemently, but, as a former servicemember, I would still fight to the death for your right to say it.