Oliphant 1 Haley Oliphant Laurie Oberg English 11 17 February 2014 Under God in the Pledge of Allegiance Many citizens

of the United States remember reciting the Pledge of Allegiance every day before school. For many, it was a silly recitation, a monotone speech of little significance. For others, it was a way to honor the soldiers in their families, the ordinary people who fought to protect our beloved flag. Some have said, however, that the cherished pledge is an endorsement of religion; thanks to the phrase under God. These arguments were soon forgottenuntil Michael Newdow re-sparked the challenge by claiming that the inclusion of under God in the Pledge makes it a religious exercise and therefore violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. This clause prohibits the government from establishing an official religion, favoring one religion over another or preferring religion to non-religion and vice versa. The issue with these claims is the fact that those who oppose the inclusion of the phrase are assuming that under God makes the pledge innately religious, when it is clear that it is simply one of the U.S.s non-sectarian references to God in ceremonial settings (One Nation Under God?). Furthermore, by taking two words of the pledge and stating that it is overall religious is ridiculous when it is known that the pledge is used as a statement of patriotism and national character, not a tool to endorse a particular religion. Some may argue that the history of the addition of under God shows that the purposes behind its insertion are religious. However, the reason it was included in 1954 was to show that the U.S. was not a supporter of communism and

Oliphant 2 the unlimited power that communistic governments exercised. For these reasons, under God is constitutional and should be kept in the pledge. The United States has many traditions that reflect ceremonial deismthe Presidential Inaugural Addresses and Thanksgiving Proclamations, the lyrics to God Bless America, America the Beautiful and The Star Spangled Banner, even the national motto In God We Trust that appears on all of the United States currency. These examples are the same as the phrase under God, used to assert the seriousness and gravity of events, places, or people. Judge Ferdinand Fernandez, in regards to the phrases under God and In God We Trust, stated that the purpose of these expressions is not to establish a national religion, and those who oppose these phrases are just seeking to remove all religion out of the public life of our polity (Lawmakers Blast Pledge Ruling). By immediately thinking that the mere mention of God makes a statement religious is absurd. Many citizensreligious or notexclaim Oh my God! in a manner of surprise, irritation, or extreme happiness. These exclamations are not considered inherently pious, so why is under God considered theological? These two words, in context of the pledge, are not used to say that Christianity is the official religion of the United States. Rather, it is an idiom used to show non-secular reverence and adoration of the country, and add a layer of depth to the pledge. Under God does not define the entire Pledge of Allegiance as a God-fearing statement. As a whole, the pledge is designed to promote patriotism and national unity, not to coerce, endorse, or promote any theological understanding (One Nation Under God?). When citizens are reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, they are pledging their allegiance to their country and the ideals it was founded upon, not the existence of a higher power. They are pledging their belief in the indivisibility of the nation, liberty and justice for all, and the republic for which it

Oliphant 3 stands. In fact, by swearing loyalty to the flag of the United States, citizens are essentially rebelling against the Christian commandment of not worshipping idolsrendering the argument of under God as promoting Christianity moot. Citizens are not proclaiming their devotion and love of God in this recitation, they are proclaiming their love and devotion to their country. Many challengers of under God like to reference the fact that the expression was a result of the Second Red Scare in early 1950s. At that time, American political leaders and citizens alike were appalled by the communistic standards of Soviet Union. It was also common for the words atheist and communist to be considered synonyms in the U.S. Because of this fact, those who oppose under God claim that the insertion of the saying was to show that America was anti-atheist. The common misconception, however, is the subtle fact that the purpose of the inclusion of under God was to promote anti-communism. Judge Carlos Bea stated that the motive behind the addition was to provide a stark contrast to the unlimited power exercised by communist forms of government (Egelko). By subjecting themselves to a higher idea or power, the government was advocating the idea of limited control over the citizens. The purpose was not to say that God is real and therefore every atheists beliefs are incorrect. The current Pledge of Allegiance is a narration of the values we stand for as citizens of the United States. It is not an appeal to a deity nor a proclamation of a certain national theology. It is way to remember the principles upon which our country was founded. Other American traditions also include phrases mentioning God which serve the purpose of solemnizing an event, or affirming the ceremonial gravity of an event, person, or place. Though some believe that the decision to include under God was meant to be a statement against atheism, it was actually a way to show that the government does not want to exercise complete power over its citizens. Under God does not violate the Establishment Clause because it does not, in fact,

Oliphant 4 make the Pledge of Allegiance a religious statement. This pledge serves only one purpose: to unite the citizens of the United States of America in nationalism and patriotism, and remind the citizens of the values of their country.

Oliphant 5 Works Cited "One Nation Under God?." The Pew Research Center. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 19 03 2004. Web. 23 Feb 2014. <http://www.pewforum.org/files/2004/03/backgrounder.pdf>. "Lawmakers Blast Pledge Ruling." CNN. CNN, 27 06 2002. Web. 23 Feb 2014. <http://edition.cnn.com/2002/LAW/06/26/pledge.allegiance/>.
Egelko, Bob. "Appeals Court says 'Under God' not a prayer." SFGate. Hearst Communications Inc., 12 03 2010. Web. 23 Feb 2014. <http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Appeals-Court-says-UnderGod-not-a-prayer-3196948.php>.