# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/121 "2013-04-03T02:11:02Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > First things first. I’d be happier if God were not referenced on official documents and money, etc. Separation of church and state and all that. Plus, it’s a lie. We trust in $, much like Ayn Rand. True. Maybe the word “god” is just a metaphor and we’ve all been whooooshed. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/122 "2013-04-03T02:43:00Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > There is no movement. Anyone who claims to be leading me is telling a lie. We are people who happen to share a single belief.🙂 > > ETA: Religious folk: is Fred Phelps your leader? Cause I think he’s a jerk. Yeah, Phelps is our leader. We will take you to him. Madalyn Murray O’Hair was your guys’ leader. In case you didn’t know. ---
**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 3, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/123 "2013-04-03T02:54:15Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Second, to answer your question as to how one changes the culture to make it more atheist friendly? To make a friend, you have to be a friend. The leaders of your movement should not be obnoxious jerks. Garbage. It’s only by being “obnoxious jerks” that atheism has gained as much tolerance as it has. Refusing to back down, asserting that you are right in the face of condemnation, pointing out the stupidity and evil of religion is the method that works. Which of course is why atheists are told to be “polite”. Atheists being polite just means that at best the believers pretend they don’t exist, and more likely that they are demonized into beings of pure evil. Just as what happened in the Cold War, with “godless Communism” being equated with atheism, and atheism being equated with totalitarianism and mass murder. Something that many believers still try to pull, especially if no one is “impolite” enough to call them wrong. And the great majority of serious believers are never going to be the friends of the unbelievers. Most of them will disown or persecute their own friends, family and children for not believing, much less some stranger. All that can be done is to secure what legal rights can be secured, and wait for them to die of old age. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/124 "2013-04-03T02:56:49Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Garbage. It’s only by being “obnoxious jerks” that atheism has gained as much tolerance as it has. Got a cite for that? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/125 "2013-04-03T04:06:55Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Garbage. It’s only by being “obnoxious jerks” that atheism has gained as much tolerance as it has. Are Martin Luther King Jr, Ghandi and Harvey Milk etc. remembered for forging their movements through being obnoxious or being right and decent? Is Rosa Parks lauded for her rudeness? The movement will never become accepted by the mainstream until it has leaders that atheist parents can proudly show to their atheist children. Who will go through a teenage theist phase just to piss off the geezers. ---
**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 3, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/126 "2013-04-03T04:24:02Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Are Martin Luther King Jr, Ghandi and Harvey Milk etc. remembered for forging their movements through being obnoxious or being right and decent? > > Is Rosa Parks lauded for her rudeness? > > The movement will never become accepted by the mainstream until it has leaders that atheist parents can proudly show to their atheist children. Who will go through a teenage theist phase just to piss off the geezers. The atheist “movement”(such as it is) will never be accepted by the Christian mainstream as long as any leaders make themselves known in any way, shape or form. They want them to behave like Alan Colmes did when he was on Fox’s _Hannity & Colmes_ show-like a pet that is tolerated but shuts up when told to. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/127 "2013-04-03T04:54:06Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > To have a clearly designated national motto is of obvious value – it suggests a unity of purpose and ideals. The presence of such recognized unity binding together citizens of the land is of both spiritual and psychological value – man, as a social animal, gains comfort from the belief that he is part of a group, tribe, or unit. The phrase is of inspirational value because it alludes to the history that made our country great – to pick one example, it reminds us of the concept of manifest destiny, a popular concept that led us to embrace and transform the western expanse of our land. Up until this post, I’d been largely indifferent to the issue, but after reading how potent a motto can be, it seems like a really bad idea to have such an explicitly divisive statement like “In God we Trust” serve such an important role. Thanks, **Bricker**! You’ve really turned me around on the issue! ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/128 "2013-04-03T11:54:20Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 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. As I see it is an empty slogan, I don’t see too much trust in a God from those who want it there. As for myself I don’t care if it is there or not, It is a Pharisee like slogan, If one trusts in a God( or person) they don’t have to go around telling people, they Just trust! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/129 "2013-04-03T12:40:04Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Yeah, Phelps is our leader. Are you being sarcastic? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/130 "2013-04-03T13:02:58Z")
I wouldn’t object to “In God We Trust” being removed from U.S. currency. But I can’t see value in pushing for removal, mainly because I don’t want to hear loud caterwauling from the God Squad about the decline and fall of civilization. You’ve got to pick your pissant battles wisely. Mine is not standing or otherwise recognizing “America The Beautiful” and its God reference whenever a dumbass baseball franchise insists on playing it during the 7th inning stretch. It is not my national anthem, so screw it. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/131 "2013-04-03T13:24:34Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I wouldn’t object to “In God We Trust” being removed from U.S. currency. But I can’t see value in pushing for removal, mainly because I don’t want to hear loud caterwauling from the God Squad about the decline and fall of civilization. > > You’ve got to pick your pissant battles wisely. . . That is generally where I fall. Each and every day there are hundreds of things that can get my boxers in a bunch. War, famine, death camps in Korea, religious intolerance in the middle east, global warming. So I just can’t get fired up about a big gulp being served in New York city or the words “In God We Trust” written on my dollar bill. I don’t believe in God. But I’ve lived fifty years with that written on the money, and I’ve managed to overcome that injustice thus far. I wonder how good and stress free a lot of people’s lives have to be to find or invent a trivial issue like this to get all riled about. Really who gives a fuck? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/132 "2013-04-03T13:27:14Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Are you being sarcastic? Yes. > [@Bricker](#): > > To have a clearly designated national motto is of obvious value – it suggests a unity of purpose and ideals. The presence of such recognized unity binding together citizens of the land is of both spiritual and psychological value – man, as a social animal, gains comfort from the belief that he is part of a group, tribe, or unit. The phrase is of inspirational value because it alludes to the history that made our country great – to pick one example, it reminds us of the concept of manifest destiny, a popular concept that led us to embrace and transform the western expanse of our land. Under that logic, “We’re Number One!” would be more agreeable and accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/133 "2013-04-03T13:30:29Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > That is generally where I fall. > > Each and every day there are hundreds of things that can get my boxers in a bunch. War, famine, death camps in Korea, religious intolerance in the middle east, global warming. So I just can’t get fired up about a big gulp being served in New York city or the words “In God We Trust” written on my dollar bill. I don’t believe in God. But I’ve lived fifty years with that written on the money, and I’ve managed to overcome that injustice thus far. > > I wonder how good and stress free a lot of people’s lives have to be to find or invent a trivial issue like this to get all riled about. > > Really who gives a fuck? Well, given that we can rank order the issues that should concern us, one has to be of the greatest concern. Please tell me **spifflog** , what is the one concern that we can talk about, lest it appear that we are the type who make trivial matters into more than they ought to be? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/134 "2013-04-03T13:59:17Z")
Won’t somebody think of the Pagans? I dislike “In God We Trust” because there are many gods.\* “God” privileges the Abrahamic faiths, though it can be stretched to cover a few of the other major religions. It pretty clearly and pointlessly targets atheists and polytheists, though, and for that reason it should go. _E pluribus unum_ is a lovely motto. Of course, I also think the Pledge is creepy and fascist, with or without “under God”—I stopped saying it as soon as I was old enough to understand the words. How is it that countries with established churches manage to have a more secular governing environment than the USA? (\*I’m a pagan agnostic, so I’ll accept the addendum “. . . that probably aren’t really real, but that **Dr. Drake** finds a useful construct.”) ---
**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 3, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/135 "2013-04-03T14:07:49Z")
Well, I’ve used a sharpie to redact the slogan from my paper money, so I’m happy. How long before I get one of these bills back? ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/136 "2013-04-03T14:12:03Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Well, given that we can rank order the issues that should concern us, one has to be of the greatest concern. Please tell me **spifflog** , what is the one concern that we can talk about, lest it appear that we are the type who make trivial matters into more than they ought to be? Permission granted to get indignant about life or death issues. Is there anything that you view as too trivial to get excited about, or should we all be offended about everything, all the time? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/137 "2013-04-03T14:14:31Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Well, given that we can rank order the issues that should concern us, one has to be of the greatest concern. Please tell me **spifflog** , what is the one concern that we can talk about, lest it appear that we are the type who make trivial matters into more than they ought to be? He gave you quite a few. I would pick “Global Warming”. But it’s not just about the level of importance, it’s about the likelihood of success. You’re not going to take “In God We Trust” off US currency. Ain’t gonna happen. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/138 "2013-04-03T14:17:22Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > Is there anything that you view as too trivial to get excited about, or should we all be offended about everything, all the time? Obviously, we must be offended about all thing all the time. And all of us should be offended by all things to the same degree as everyone else. ---
**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 3, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/139 "2013-04-03T14:17:24Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > He gave you quite a few. I would pick “Global Warming”. > > But it’s not just about the level of importance, it’s about the likelihood of success. You’re not going to take “In God We Trust” off US currency. Ain’t gonna happen. And you think the Global Warming battle will be shorter and/or easier? ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633/140 "2013-04-03T14:18:20Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I would love to see In God We Trust banished, replaced by a rotation of sayings. Why not just sell it as ad space? Profit! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-in-god-we-trust-be-on-our-currency/654633.md?page=8)