Christian Morality/ the Pledge of Allegiance, Under God

The Pledge of Allegiance is a statement of patriotic loyalty - it is also a religious oath because it contains the phrase 'under God.' There are, therefore, debates over whether forced recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance violates the separation of church and state. Should students be expected to say it? Should politicians be recalled if they don't recite it? Here you will find news and information dealing with the inclusion of the phrase 'under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Two words in the Pledge of Allegiance - "under god" - have sparked a firestorm from the schools of California to the halls of the Supreme Court, which will decide next June about the legality of the phrase. In a diverse country with a great variety of religious faiths running the gamut from devoted believers to atheists, issues of government and religion are a touchy subject. However, it is clear that the phrase is unconstitutional, and removing it will restore the Pledge to its original meaning.

The issue of the words added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 has evoked many debates as well as proposals as to how the controversial issue can be solved. The first of two main proposals is to remove the words “under God” from the salute and return it to its original version. The other main proposal is to leave it as it is, but teach about its meaning and intent.

The most obvious contention against the "under god" clause is that it violates the Constitutional separation of church and state. Mandating young children in public schools to pledge their allegiance to a nation "under god" is an unmistakable confirmation of a governmental belief in god. As the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled, the phrase "under god" is as ...