Once Again The United States Supreme Court Blows It

[Twilight Hue]

.

Aside from its 2008 ruling on the Second Amendment right to possess a firearm this is one of the Court's more egregious decisions.

"Earlier today, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from a group of atheists trying to get “In God We Trust” off our money. (It’s case 18-1297 in case you’re curious.) This was the most recent case brought forth by atheist activist Michael Newdow, most famous for his unsuccessful battle over “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Last August, the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously (3-0) against more than two dozen atheists, their children, and two groups named in the lawsuit. They said the phrase didn’t violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), or the Equal Protection component of the Fifth Amendment.

The judges said that the motto was part of an established tradition in the U.S. going back to our founding and that the phrase wasn’t unfairly coercive. (One judge didn’t concur on some of the analysis, but the end result was the same.)

The Constitution does not prevent the Government from promoting and “celebrat[ing] our tradition of religious freedom,” even if the means of doing so — here, adding the national motto to U.S. money — was motivated “in part because of religious sentiment”… Placing “In God We Trust” on coins and currency is consistent with historical practices.
…
… we recognize that convenience may lead some Plaintiffs to carry cash, but nothing compels them to assert their trust in God. Certainly no “reasonable observer” would think that the Government is attempting to force citizens to express trust in God with every monetary transaction.​

source

.​

That's weird . I've been taught that the term, In God We Trust was placed on our currency as a result of the Cold War with the USSR. It never was a part of our original currency prior.

 

[Revoltingest]

History shows that "God" (the proper name of the Christian god) refers to a
singular god of a singular religion. Many of them have a theocratic bent in
wanting the country to be recognized as a Christian country. This is the best
they can do....so far. And so they cling to it, despite 1st Amendment problems.

A post from another thread....

Think the motto is about tradition?
Nay, it's mostly about anti-atheism & anti-communism.
It was made law by Christians for Christians.
Some history...

1776
"The...motto was suggested in 1776 by Pierre Eugene du Simitiere to the committee responsible for developing the seal. At the time of the American Revolution..."

1782
"E pluribus unum..."One out of many"...a 13-letter traditional motto of the United States, appearing on the Great Seal....and adopted by an Act of Congress in 1782...."

1787
"The Fugio Cent is the first official one-cent piece of United States currency."

"On April 21, 1787, the Congress of the Confederation of the United States authorized a design for an official copper penny...later referred to as the Fugio cent because of its image of the Sun and its light shining down on a sundial with the caption, "Fugio" (Latin: I flee/fly). This coin was reportedly designed by Benjamin Franklin; as a reminder to its holders, he put at its bottom the message, "Mind Your Business."..."

It also had the motto which I find best.....
"We Are One"
Clear advantages...
- It's secular.
- It's in English
- It means (or should mean) something to all citizens.

1795
"...E pluribus unum was first used on U.S. coinage in 1795, when the reverse of the half-eagle ($5 gold) coin presented the main features of the Great Seal of the United States. E pluribus unum is inscribed on the Great Seal's scroll."

1798
"The motto was added to certain silver coins in 1798, and soon appeared on all of the coins made out of precious metals (gold and silver)."

1834
"In 1834, it was dropped from most of the gold coins to mark the change in the standard fineness of the coins. In 1837, it was dropped from the silver coins, marking the era of the Revised Mint Code."

1863
"In December 1863, Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of the Treasury decided on a new motto, "In God We Trust," to engrave on U.S. coins. Lincoln's involvement in this decision is unclear."

1865
"An Act of Congress passed on March 3, 1865, allowed the Mint Director, with the Secretary's approval, to place the motto on all gold and silver coins..."

1873
"In 1873, Congress passed the Coinage Act, granting that the Secretary of the Treasury "may cause the motto IN GOD WE TRUST to be inscribed on such coins..."

"An Act of February 12, 1873 made the inscription a requirement of law upon the coins of the United States. E pluribus unum appears on all coins currently being manufactured..."

1956
"....E pluribus unum was considered a de facto motto of the United States...until 1956 when the United States Congress passed...H. J. Resolution 396...adopting "In God We Trust" as the official motto...."

"During the Cold War era, the government of the United States sought to distinguish itself from the Soviet Union, which promoted state atheism and thus implemented antireligious legislation....The 84th Congress passed a joint resolution "declaring IN GOD WE TRUST the national motto of the United States". The resolution passed...unanimously and without debate...The law was signed by President Eisenhower on July 30, 1956.[32] The United States Code at 36 U.S.C. § 302, now states: "'In God we trust' is the national motto."

...the President signed into law...a requirement that "In God We Trust" be printed on all U.S. currency and coins...."


Ref....
In God We Trust - Wikipedia
E pluribus unum - Wikipedia
Fugio Cent - Wikipedia

 

[Revoltingest]

.

Aside from its 2008 ruling on the Second Amendment right to possess a firearm this is one of the Court's more egregious decisions.

"Earlier today, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from a group of atheists trying to get “In God We Trust” off our money. (It’s case 18-1297 in case you’re curious.) This was the most recent case brought forth by atheist activist Michael Newdow, most famous for his unsuccessful battle over “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Last August, the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously (3-0) against more than two dozen atheists, their children, and two groups named in the lawsuit. They said the phrase didn’t violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), or the Equal Protection component of the Fifth Amendment.

The judges said that the motto was part of an established tradition in the U.S. going back to our founding and that the phrase wasn’t unfairly coercive. (One judge didn’t concur on some of the analysis, but the end result was the same.)

The Constitution does not prevent the Government from promoting and “celebrat[ing] our tradition of religious freedom,” even if the means of doing so — here, adding the national motto to U.S. money — was motivated “in part because of religious sentiment”… Placing “In God We Trust” on coins and currency is consistent with historical practices.
…
… we recognize that convenience may lead some Plaintiffs to carry cash, but nothing compels them to assert their trust in God. Certainly no “reasonable observer” would think that the Government is attempting to force citizens to express trust in God with every monetary transaction.​

source

.​

As for you dislike of the 2nd Amendment.
We won. You lost.
Neener neener neener!

 

[Skwim]

Well God isn't specific to any religion/belief, so the govt isn't mandating any specific beliefs. And even those without theistic beliefs still hold a concept of what God is to them, even "nonexistent" means that the concept has been thought about.
.

It's very simple: I don't believe in "God," but my money says I do.

I am an American, but I am not a part of the "We" in "In God We Trust." Millions of good, moral, patriotic citizens do not believe in a god. We pay taxes, vote, sit on juries and serve in the military, but every time we spend a dollar bill we are told that Congress considers us outsiders.

Unbelievers represent 32% of the population (see post 11) By comparison, Jews are a respected minority at 2%-3%. Most people would consider "In Jesus We Trust" to be exclusionary and inappropriate. So, why is it okay to exclude atheists and agnostics?

.

.

 

[Skwim]

That's weird . I've been taught that the term, In God We Trust was placed on our currency as a result of the Cold War with the USSR. It never was a part of our original currency prior.

"The motto IN GOD WE TRUST was placed on United States coins largely because of the increased religious sentiment existing during the Civil War. Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase received many appeals from devout persons throughout the country, urging that the United States recognize the Deity on United States coins. From Treasury Department records, it appears that the first such appeal came in a letter dated November 13, 1861. It was written to Secretary Chase by Rev. M. R. Watkinson, Minister of the Gospel from Ridleyville, Pennsylvania,

The Congress passed the Act of April 22, 1864. This legislation changed the composition of the one-cent coin and authorized the minting of the two-cent coin. The Mint Director was directed to develop the designs for these coins for final approval of the Secretary. IN GOD WE TRUST first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin."
source

.​

 

[Skwim]

As for you dislike of the 2nd Amendment.
We won. You lost.
Neener neener neener!

Please celebrate with a glass or two of Flint water.

.

 

[Revoltingest]

Please celebrate with a glass or two of Flint water.

.

Flint water is up to snuff these days.
You could safely make your Kool Aid with it.
Using the Moon as part of a Mars mission has long been discussed.
What you're missing is the real error, ie, that sending humans to Mars is worthwhile.

 

[Stevicus]

 

[Shaul]

Stand on a chair, then fall back and let him catch you.

“Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God.”-Deuteronomy

 

[Salvador]

.

Aside from its 2008 ruling on the Second Amendment right to possess a firearm this is one of the Court's more egregious decisions.

"Earlier today, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from a group of atheists trying to get “In God We Trust” off our money. (It’s case 18-1297 in case you’re curious.) This was the most recent case brought forth by atheist activist Michael Newdow, most famous for his unsuccessful battle over “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Last August, the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously (3-0) against more than two dozen atheists, their children, and two groups named in the lawsuit. They said the phrase didn’t violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), or the Equal Protection component of the Fifth Amendment.

The judges said that the motto was part of an established tradition in the U.S. going back to our founding and that the phrase wasn’t unfairly coercive. (One judge didn’t concur on some of the analysis, but the end result was the same.)

The Constitution does not prevent the Government from promoting and “celebrat[ing] our tradition of religious freedom,” even if the means of doing so — here, adding the national motto to U.S. money — was motivated “in part because of religious sentiment”… Placing “In God We Trust” on coins and currency is consistent with historical practices.
…
… we recognize that convenience may lead some Plaintiffs to carry cash, but nothing compels them to assert their trust in God. Certainly no “reasonable observer” would think that the Government is attempting to force citizens to express trust in God with every monetary transaction.​

source

.​

If there is any Atheist who is so offended by "In God We Trust" on American paper currency, then he could just fold up his bills so these words won't show or maybe he could put a small strip of tape over these words.

 

[Skwim]

What you're missing is the real error, ie, that sending humans to Mars is worthwhile.

Nah, I never thought sending humans to mars was anything but outright stupid.

.

 

[Revoltingest]

If there is any Atheist who is so offended by "In God We Trust" on American paper currency, then he could just fold up his bills so these words won't show or maybe he could put a small strip of tape over these words.

Say that we heathens took over government, & changed the motto to....
"There Ain't No God"
or
"Satan Is My Copilot"

Would Christians accept that as de minimis, just as they expect others to accept their motto?

 

[Skwim]

If there is any Atheist who is so offended by "In God We Trust" on American paper currency, then he could just fold up his bills so these words won't show or maybe he could put a small strip of tape over these words.

And if there's any Christian who is so needful that he has to be reminded that he trusts in his god then he should have it tattooed on his genitalia.

.

.

 

[Salvador]

“Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God.”-Deuteronomy

Say that we heathens took over government, & changed the motto to....
"There Ain't No God"
or
"Satan Is My Copilot"

Would Christians accept that as de minimis, just as they expect others to accept their motto?

Well, I suppose then said offended Christians would just have to trade away their Satanic currency for cryptocurrency.

 

[Revoltingest]

Well, I suppose then said offended Christians would just have to trade away their Satanic currency for cryptocurrency.

So they'd so greatly resent some other religion's motto that they'd eschew using the money?
This shows that the motto is indeed far from de minimis, the USSC's reasoning notwithstanding.

 

[Subduction Zone]

“Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God.”-Deuteronomy

So you are saying that you did something awfully wrong, Why else would God be tempted to drop you?

 

[Revoltingest]

So you are saying that you did something awfully wrong, Why else would God be tempted to drop you?

I suspect that it's about their God working in "mysterious ways",
ie, that his interventions in the material world are unpredictable.

 

[Road Warrior]

You'd perhaps be surprised by how many people still whine about marriage equality, despite SCOTUS rulings and a clear majority supporting it.
Tom

I've seen their complaints. Obviously they never accepted the 14th Amendment.

 

[shmogie]

By history you're referring to McCarthyism, right? Personally, I think the Constitution is a more valuable, less shameful piece of history. Specifically the establishment clause of the first amendment.

The Establishment clause was specifically written to deny an established state supported religion, as Britain has.

In God We Trust on a coin provides no financial support for a state religion nor does it create a state religion.

The idea of a wall between Church and State is not found in the Constitution. This is a construct one founder wrote about, that didn´t exist in law till the 1960´s.

The Establishment clause says absolutely nothing about the government being hostile to religion, nor does it say that the government must pretend that religion doesn´t exist.

I find it interesting that the atheist lawyer who brought the action stated that the plaintiffs were victims of discrimination because of their religion. They believe that God doesn´t exist, so seeing His name written on a coin is a direct government attack on their faith. Ahhhhhhhh

The supremes were spot on to not hear this case, it is a travesty, good for them.

 

[shmogie]

Cool beans, but that establishment clause though.

You don´t understand the Establishment clause.