<p>Does that phrase offend you? and if so, what do you want to be done about it?</p>
<p>I’d just like to say I absolutely despise all those poor, misguided souls who believe we were founded on “Christian ideals” and argue that we are a “Christian nation.”</p>
<p>That said, I think we should just strike “under God,” for the sake of honoring the Establishment Clause. The phrase isn’t even historic – Congress added it to the original pledge in 1954.</p>
<p>It should be completely removed from the pledge.</p>
<p>Just when I realize that the actions of this nation would not be condoned by the God of any major religion, and that “God” is often cited in ways to justify unjustifiable behavior on a national stage, when a loving all-good being would not be associated with such hateful or murderous behavior. Otherwise, nope. I don’t care whether it’s there or not. I have my beliefs, and don’t need a pledge of allegiance to a country that doesn’t establish religion to tell me.</p>
<p>I agree, I’m a Christian but I don’t think we are a “Christian nation”. Sure, we have many people of Christian beliefs but we were founded on freedom and tolerance and that involves religions other than Christianity. I don’t agree with these other religions or non-religious people, but that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t have the right to believe what they believe.</p>
<p>It makes us Christians look stupid when people say that the USA is founded on “Christian ideals”.</p>
<p>Do I believe the line should be in the pledge? I really don’t care. But if they don’t change it and you don’t believe in it, you have the freedom not to say the pledge or not say those words. My belief that there is a God isn’t going to change whether the line is in the pledge or not.</p>
<p>It does not offend me. Then again, I believe in God.</p>
<p>I also have no problem with countries with an established religion so long as they permit other religions freely. But the U.S. obviously cannot have that system.</p>
<p>As for the Christian nation bit, I have a particular strategy for that. Pretty much everyone I hear say that is a part of the “religious right”, so I just respond with a bunch of socialist Jesus quotes and tell them I also agree that we should condemn the rich and aid the poor above all else, while hating no one, and stopping the death penalty. I mean, it’s more fun than stating the first amendment and telling them about religiously diversity, but I suppose the latter is a good strategy, too.</p>
<p>^BillyMc, I think that there’s a lot of hypocritical Christians out there today. If you believe that God is sovereign and in control of the universe, why waste a second worrying about who’s going to win the election or what policies are going to be put in place?
If you hate Obama, why did Jesus say to love your enemies and pray for them?</p>
<p>A lot of Christians on the “religious right” try to change other people’s behavior when they don’t realize that they aren’t doing everything that the Bible is telling them to do and that it’s themselves that need change in the first place.</p>
<p>I don’t mind that phrase. I just skip over it when saying the pledge.</p>
<p>As for those advocating a “Christian nation”, I particularly enjoy Sarah Palin. She (and/or her party) spent $150,000 on her wardrobe for the campaign. Then there’s the Bible quote that says that if there’s a man dressed richly and a man dressed poorly, not to treat the man dressed richly better, for it is he who oppresses you. Of course, there’s always the bit about the rich not going to heaven, or loving your neighbor, or not executing people, or helping the poor, or healing the sick (usually the poor - who would be uninsured nowadays - in the case of Jesus). If you can’t tell, I’m Catholic, and I believe that a Christian ought to act like Christ (if we had 2 billion people doing this, plus all the non-Christians who are good people, the world would be much better). Also, I am a United States citizen, and I realize that we are a nation of religious freedom and no official preference. The “under God” bit doesn’t bother me, as I don’t see it as mattering a lot (our nation doesn’t act “under God” anyway), but I wouldn’t have participated in all the lobbying it took to add it. Again, it really doesn’t make a difference to me.</p>
<p>You’re not forced to say that part or even stand for it if you don’t want to.
I don’t think its that much of a big deal.
Besides, you don’t even say the Pledge after elementary school. At least I don’t.</p>
<p>^I agree with you, with a few minor corrections. </p>
<p>It says that it is hard for a rich man to go to heaven (easier for a camel to pass through a needle of an eye), but doesn’t say the rich don’t go to heaven. But you’re right, someone who lives an extravagant life but doesn’t give to the poor or help anybody out of it isn’t living a lifestyle that Jesus would’ve wanted.</p>
<p>But other than that, I believe that a Christian is supposed to be Christ-like and I just don’t see it from a lot of people.</p>
<p>My school district did the pledge all the way up to high school, in fact, the last day of my senior year, I said it.</p>
<p>I think it should just stay the same, and if you don’t want to say it, don’t say it.</p>
<p>^^in agreement:</p>
<p>“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
-Mohandas Gandhi</p>
<p>For Gandhi, “Christians” were the oppressive and murderous British (who also oppressed other Christians in Ireland with the Penal Laws).</p>
<p>The pledge is of historical and cultural significance. The fact that it includes the word “God” is irrelevant in every day life.</p>
<p>It doesn’t offend me and I do not believe in a God. There are plenty of more important matters to think about than this trivial matter.</p>
<p>Let’s see, you have the right to say under god and you have the right to not say it and walk out. Like an above poster said, America is about tolerance. It’s not, in my opinion, a literal “god is watching over us” interpretation is incorrect. We were founded on Anglo Saxon ideals. How many founders were jewish or Islam or Buddhist? Most relgious Americans are christain. That’s not offensive or saying that we should all be christain. It’s a fact. Yes, were a big mixing pot of races and religion, but were predominately judeo christain. It’s just a fact. There’s nothing wrong with that. The establishment clause means we can nt adopt an official religion or ban a religion. It doesn’t mean we have to have god out of the pledge or under god we trust on currency. I am not christain, but god talk doesn’t offend me. We have the freedom to practice religion, and the gov can’t advocate a certain religion, and scotus feels the same way. Just because there is a seperation of church and state doesn’t mean that there can’t be a mention of god. It’s sad people misinterpret that fact and get offended so easily. It’s immature and close minded to be up in arms because something mentions god. You’re not being indoctrinated and you aren’t being forced to say it. It’s hardly saying we should all be christain. I get annoyed with how easily offended people in our society are. But the new cool thing to do is be athiests and godless. Seriously, it’s all the rage.</p>
<p>I just prefer not to recite the thing, and that’s not only because of the inclusion of “under God.”</p>
<p>@ tiff, the Founding Fathers weren’t Christian. They were Deist.</p>
<p>And the phrase was added at the start of the Cold War because the government thought that Christianity couldn’t reconcile itself with communism (which is actually pretty silly if you’re talking about theoretical communism, since it’s all about sharing and whatnot).</p>
<p>As for me, I’m Christian so it doesn’t bother me, but I have had a few friends in high school actually get in trouble for exercising their right to not say the pledge. That’s more the teacher’s fault than their own, though.</p>
<p>Does it offend me? No. Should it be removed? Absolutely. </p>
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<p>Not really. Not many. And who cares? There is a separation of church and state.</p>