# Why should "In God We Trust" be on our currency? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 2, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633 "2013-04-02T16:07:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/1 "2013-04-02T16:07:30Z")
Is there any reason why the phrase “In God We Trust” should be kept on our currency? If you would object to it’s removal, please tell me why. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/2 "2013-04-02T16:10:52Z")
One fairly logical reason is that it is the official motto of the United States of America. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/3 "2013-04-02T16:12:02Z")
Is there any reason why the phrase “In God We Trust” should remain the motto of the United States of America? If you would object to it’s removal, please tell me why. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/4 "2013-04-02T16:12:04Z")
It’s traditional. I don’t care if it stays or goes. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/5 "2013-04-02T16:17:21Z")
It gives right wingers somthing to twist their knickers about, as an [often circulated email will testify.](http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/godpoll.asp) So we have a national motto. Whoopie. Personally, I don’t give a rat’s ass one way or the other. Well, I guess I would prefer that either we remove it completely or add “All Others Pay Cash” after it. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/6 "2013-04-02T16:17:47Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > One fairly logical reason is that it is the official motto of the United States of America. Which replaced _E pluribus unum_, in the 50s. All very symbolic; it’s a way of underlining on every dollar that you aren’t really regarded as an American if you aren’t a Christian. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/7 "2013-04-02T16:27:34Z")
We should keep it because the last thing we right now is yet another issue to make the Religious Right feel persecuted such that massive amounts of political capital has to be spent to soothe their fragile egos, that could be better spent on issues that actually matter. They can keep in god we trust on the money if I can have universal health care and gay marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/8 "2013-04-02T16:30:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > One fairly logical reason is that it is the official motto of the United States of America. Would you object to the removal of the phrase from our currency? After all, the Bald Eagle is the Official Bird of the United States but it isn’t on all the currency. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/9 "2013-04-02T16:31:28Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Which replaced _E pluribus unum_, in the 50s. All very symbolic; it’s a way of underlining on every dollar that you aren’t really regarded as an American if you aren’t a Christian. E Pluribus Unum was never the official motto…it was the defacto motto until '56 when the Congress officially adopted the In God We Trust thingy. But they didn’t just adopt that out of the blue, it’s on the Great Seal as well, and was on US currency as far back as (IIRC) the 1860’s. And people have been agitating for it for a long time…heck, I think Key said something about our motto being In God We trust in the Star Spangled Banner somewhere. As to why it’s still on the currency…well, why not? Most people don’t care enough to be riled up about it, so why would they change? I mean, have you noticed how boring our currency is compared to other countries? And how low tech it is? And that we still have things like the freaking penny? We don’t change because there hasn’t been a big need for us TOO change, and most people just don’t care or even give it any thought. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/10 "2013-04-02T16:31:30Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > We should keep it because the last thing we right now is yet another issue to make the Religious Right feel persecuted such that massive amounts of political capital has to be spent to soothe their fragile egos, that could be better spent on issues that actually matter. They can keep in god we trust on the money if I can have universal health care and gay marriage. As it now stands, they’ve already got their motto, so why should they give up anything? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/11 "2013-04-02T16:32:18Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Which replaced _E pluribus unum_, in the 50s. All very symbolic; it’s a way of underlining on every dollar that you aren’t really regarded as an American if you aren’t a Christian. You don’t think there are non-Christians who believe in God? I think this transcends the Christian nation concept, and says you aren’t really regarded as an American if you don’t believe in a deity, for some people. I think for most it has no meaning though. And even for some Christians (probably not many), the idea of religious symbolism on money isn’t well accepted. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/12 "2013-04-02T16:33:05Z")
> [@XT](#): > > As to why it’s still on the currency…well, why not? Most people don’t care enough to be riled up about it, so why would they change? I mean, have you noticed how boring our currency is compared to other countries? And how low tech it is? And that we still have things like the freaking penny? We don’t change because there hasn’t been a big need for us TOO change, and most people just don’t care or even give it any thought. If most people don’t care, then they should have no objection to it’s removal. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/13 "2013-04-02T16:33:11Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Which replaced _E pluribus unum_, in the 50s. All very symbolic; it’s a way of underlining on every dollar that you aren’t really regarded as an American if you aren’t a Christian. It is not exactly the case that E Pluribus Unum was the national motto (which is a shame, because I think it’s an awesome motto.) It was a de facto motto, but no law ever officially made it so. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/14 "2013-04-02T16:33:16Z")
In a perfect world, the motto would be something more secular like ‘E Pluribus Unum’. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/15 "2013-04-02T16:34:05Z")
I would love to see In God We Trust banished, replaced by a rotation of sayings. And get rid of the penny. > [@](#): > > America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between > [@](#): > > Sacred cows make the best burgers > [@](#): > > Money is the root of all wealth ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/16 "2013-04-02T16:35:37Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > We should keep it because the last thing we right now is yet another issue to make the Religious Right feel persecuted such that massive amounts of political capital has to be spent to soothe their fragile egos, that could be better spent on issues that actually matter. They can keep in god we trust on the money if I can have universal health care and gay marriage. This is a good answer. I do wish it weren’t on our money, and I do prefer _E Pluribus Unum_, but these are good points. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/17 "2013-04-02T16:35:52Z")
> [@XT](#): > > I mean, have you noticed how boring our currency is compared to other countries? And how low tech it is? In all fairness I believe they are continually improving the anti-counterfeiting features. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/18 "2013-04-02T16:35:36Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If most people don’t care, then they should have no objection to it’s removal. Because most people don’t care doesn’t mean that you could push through a change. But, I don’t care either, so feel free…what’s your projected time table for getting something as hide bound and stuffy as the treasury to make this change? Personally, I wouldn’t hold my breath unless you are willing to do so for a century or so… While you are at it, see if we can eliminate the penny, ehe? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/19 "2013-04-02T16:39:04Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > In all fairness I believe they are continually improving the anti-counterfeiting features. They are, but our currency is pretty low tech and drab. Just get a note from another country and you can see the difference. A lot of them aren’t rag paper at all any more, but instead advanced composites that are both more durable AND less prone to holding germs and such…and also more difficult to counterfeit from what I understand (could be wrong here). I hardly ever even carry cash anymore…I probably haven’t had more than a hundred dollars (total) in my pocket in the last 2-3 years. I do have a nice collection of currency from other countries that I travel too and visit, however. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/20 "2013-04-02T16:39:35Z")
It’s kind of a dumb motto for a country with religious freedom, in that it seems to imply that an essential part of being an American is belief in God. So, I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing it go… but that said, I don’t see it as a very important issue. It’s pretty easy to ignore. I’m sure there’s plenty of much more meaningful religious discrimination that goes on in this country every day. Also, I’m pretty sure “In God We Trust” and “One Nation, Under God” both arose as attempts to emphasize how we differed from the Godless communists. As such, they’re kind of anachronistic in this post-Cold War world. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633.md?page=2)