Atheist Now Sues to Take Motto Off Money

By DAVID KRAVETS, Associated Press Writer
Fri Nov 18,10:54 PM ET

An atheist who has spent four years trying to ban the Pledge of Allegiance from being recited in public schools is now challenging the motto printed on U.S. currency because it refers to God.

Michael Newdow seeks to remove "In God We Trust" from U.S. coins and dollar bills, claiming in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday that the motto is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.

Newdow, a Sacramento doctor and lawyer, used a similar argument when he challenged the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools because it contains the words "under God."

He took his pledge fight to the U.S. Supreme Court, which in 2004 said he lacked standing to bring the case because he did not have custody of the daughter he sued on behalf of.

An identical lawsuit later brought by Newdow on behalf of parents with children in three Sacramento-area school districts is pending with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, after a Sacramento federal judge sided with Newdow in September. The judge stayed enforcement of the decision pending appeal, which is expected to reach the Supreme Court.

Congress first authorized a reference to God on a two-cent piece in 1864. The action followed a request by the director of the U.S. Mint, who wrote there should be a "distinct and unequivocal national recognition of the divine sovereignty" on the nation's coins.

In 1955, the year after Congress inserted the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, Congress required all currency to carry the motto "In God We Trust."

"The placement of 'In God We Trust' on the coins and currency was clearly done for religious purposes and to have religious effects," Newdow wrote in the 162-page lawsuit he filed against Congress.

Newdow's latest lawsuit came five days after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected, without comment, a challenge to an inscription of "In God We Trust" on a North Carolina county government building.

In doing so, the justices upheld the Richmond, Va.-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that "In God We Trust" appears on the nation's coins and is a national motto.

"In this situation, the reasonable observer must be deemed aware of the patriotic uses, both historical and present, of the phrase 'In God We Trust,'" the appeals panel ruled in upholding the inscription's display.
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I wish him luck.

Who didn't see this one coming?

Good luck, dude.

This guy Newdow is an idiot. He's going to waste a whole bunch of taxpayer money and court time for his own personal vendetta against religion. In the end it will get thrown out by the Supreme Court... if it goes that far. Seriously. I'm not exactly a 'God' person, but righties take crap like this and attach it to the liberals and Democrats in this country every time. If you are going to fight Intelligent Design...which is introducing religious theory into a scientific classroom setting, that's fine by me. But if you are going to waste time and money attacking traditions like the pledge, God on money, and the 10 Commandments in courthouses, you seriously need to find something more productive to do... like picking scabs or something.

I thought the "tradition" in this country was the promotion of the separation of church and state? Having "In God we Trust" on our money and "under God" in the pledge has more to do with giving the middle finger to the USSR (which no longer exists, by the way) than any longstanding tradition.

That's what I thought too.

I hate it when people use the whole "tradition" angle to support things that really should be ended.

If there is a God, do you think he would want his name printed on money?

Agreed.

two sides:

1 - this nation was founded upon the seperation of church and state.

2 - when the declaration was written, thomas jefferson had a 'natural god' in mind. so in god we trust, or something or other, may have been applicable, but it may not be anymore.

either way, the ten commandments should not be in courthouses. that's a joke.

Mat 22:21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.


Mar 12:17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.


Luk 20:25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

And unto me, all of your monies.

I understand what the guy is doing, but I think he's going about everything in the most douchebaggeredly way possibly.

Yes, but douchebaggery is his business. Seriously, who the hell reads their money? Don't we have better things to waste tax dollars on, such as bridges to nowhere and literacy programs in Arkansas? This guy needs a good ole' "Moses Bolt" to the ass.

I agree. I mean, honestly, I know the whole separation of Church and state issue is a real hot topic, but is anyone's live being ruined or has it been ruined because our currency says, "In God we trust"?

I mean, how is it any different thatn "In McGuiver we trust"? I don't believe in or trust McGuiver, but if our money said that, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

Seabass, I fucking believe in McGuiver. I think the whole thing could be averted, and include unique weapontry made out of office supplies, if McGuiver replaced God.

I'm not here to argue that.

And how the hell did you know I was Fighting Seabass?

I'm probably this board's McGuiver. WHAT!