I have some questions about taking the words “under God” out of the pledge of allegiance.
What about the person(s) who changed the pledge in 1954 to include “under God”, how would they feel about government taking out what they must’ve believed was the cornerstone of the pledge? What about those who adopted it as our country's pledge? Where were the atheists/freedom criers then? (You might be safe betting that if something tragic happens to them, an "Oh my God" or "Oh God" might slip out of their mouths.) But don't make them say or hear it in a pledge that, realistically, isn't even said every day.
If you don't want to say the pledge, don't. It would be different to protest if this was a new pledge being adopted, but it's been around for many years. Is someone going to make a big stink about our U.S. currency, which declares “In God We Trust”?
Because one man didn’t want his daughter to hear the pledge with “under God” at school, the Supreme Court is going to possibly deem it unconstitutional?
Did anyone force the child to say the pledge? When I was a child, I don’t remember anyone making me say the pledge. Saying the pledge didn’t make me a Christian; many other factors played in that. Did someone force this father to hear the pledge as a child and he’s now traumatized as an adult, trying to save his little girl? Perhaps he could move to another country where he has more “freedoms.” I think we live in the greatest country on earth.
I don’t agree with some things being taught as fact in the public schools, but I’ve taught my children what I believe and they know that everything they’re taught in school isn’t necessarily true according to our beliefs. They are taught to learn what they can in school and go on. Parents can instill whatever beliefs they choose, however, I think they should leave a country’s long-standing pledge alone.
I don’t like a lot of laws and rules here, but that would be a whole other story. Who likes being told to wear a seatbelt? But, you may choose whether or not to wear it and pay the consequences if you don’t. Either the police catch us or we get hurt, hurt someone or die in an accident. It’s a choice.
This democracy was founded with God included, and in this country, the majority rules. Maybe a national vote should be taken to clear this up.
Separation of church and state was intended to keep the government out of the church's business, not the other way around. And since when is saying “under God” about church anyway? Church is a place where a group of people meet to worship God. “Church” is not merely saying "God". Most people have a god or gods, no matter what they are, so the pledge should cover almost anyone who wants to be included.
How about swearing in those who testify in a court of law with "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth 'so help you YOU?' Would you rather someone swear by oneself, to no one or nothing, or God? I’d rather someone testifying on my behalf to feel like they’re swearing to “tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” to a higher being (that would be God) rather than having no motivation or anyone to answer to.
Perhaps that’s why some people don’t want to include God’s name in anything -- they don’t want to feel like they have to answer for anything to anyone but themselves? Whether we like it or not, we all have to answer for our actions, whether it’s to God, a parent, a teacher, the law or each other. We all, as humans, hold each other accountable.
What can it hurt to say God’s name if you’re an atheist? Who’s going to care? In the atheist’s opinion, to whom will they answer in the hereafter for it? We Christians, who do believe in God, believe we will ultimately answer to the God we are all arguing about taking out of our pledge of allegiance if we don’t stand up and defend him.
Sometimes having freedom weighs us down. Kids cry they want freedom. Does that mean they should get to do anything they want, or should parents limit them for their own good? Everyone cries that our freedoms are being taken away one by one.
We’re making them say “under God” when we pledge allegiance to the flag of this great country. This wouldn’t be a great country without those who fought for our so-called freedom. The stripes in the flag we salute represents the bloodshed of war, and purity, which none of us possess, only God possibly could. Were those soldiers all free as they were slain for our freedom? I think not. They lost their lives; their families lost them forever.
Being free doesn’t always mean getting things our way. It’s about sacrifice. You can choose to not recite the pledge if you don’t believe what it is saying and has said for many years, but if you take it out, what shall those of us who believe it should remain do?
I suppose we can all just say it how we choose and be out of sync with one another. That’s no way to be united now, is it?
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