Christian Right Gets Its Way: 'In God We Trust' Will Have Prominence on New Coin

reply to post by pc is here


Why do coins need to be stamped with any affirmations at all? Why can't they merely be stamped with their value, country of origin, date...and whatever minting information is actually necessary?

F

I don't know what the big deal is. I don't mind if "In God We Trust" is on money or not. Someone explain the hysteria around this.

here's an idea. lets have coins with jesus, mary and noah on the face. why not go all out? i'm all for it. why just put in, "in god we trust"? why not make all the coins kinda artistic with the many faces of the people from the bible? it's an obvious reference to chiristianity. I'm not joking at all. to have just the words in there makes it really lame. lets have a dollar bill with jesus on it.

reply to post by jedimiller


Jedimiller, yes; I concur.

But, to bastardise and misrepresent your idea:

Let's get Jesus on the coins...and Shiva on $5 bills, and Buddha on $100 dollar bills.

And maybe Darwin on the $10's.

F





[edit on 4/2/08 by Fuggle]

oh thats a great idea. have everycoin represent god. starting with the penny and so one. that way you have covered all the gods.

reply to post by palehorse23



i'm more of the mind that the 'God' part of the motto is secondary to
the real focus of the meme, which is "Trust".


considering that the fiat money system is presently on the skids,
and the Amero is still a pipe-dream... the masses need an
anchor of positivity, and a constant reminder & reinforcer would be
a Pavlovian ploy of having a pocket full of 'Trust' inscribed coins

... falls in line with evoking feelings of nationalism, patriotism, etc
A very subtle pursuasion technique that may excape one's awareness

The money is our "God", now will you guys start trusting in your God and well, quit preaching economic doom and gloom and predicting the dollars fall!! Have faith that your God is stronger than the great God yen, or Euro, or Dinar, or Pound...and all the other "fake" Gods!!!

We were attacked, and what did we do? Did we go to church and trust in the Christian God to save us from our enemies? Or were we told to go out, spend!! Put your faith in the almighty Dollar, who gave us the power to journey overseas and start a war with two countries, never mind that one had nothing to do with it!! Even now, fully entrenched in these two wars, when we capture the enemy, do we trust in the Christian God and treat our enemy as he tells us to, or do we trust in the power of that almighty God the dollar! Send him as a representive for our country to places like Egypt, pay them to hold our prisoners in their jails for daily torture!!!

Who do we spend more time and energy for.....the Christian God, or the great God...Dollar?

It's just a slogan on our currency.....it says nothing about our spiritual state, or the state of the country, and really for most of us, it really doesn't mean much of anything....
it definately doesn't mean we are all just "trusting" the christian God!! maybe it's part of the name it and claim it theology....ya know, get enough people reading the little words on the coins and making the affirmation that somehow, miraculously......it will become true!

I am a man of faith, not religion and I find these people tedious as all sin... as if, this is somehow going to make us a more religious people.

It really is a hollow victory though we all know how successful dollar coins are.

reply to post by dawnstar


'Cept, that's a universal belief. It isn't isolated to the US to be interested in the material world and the various means to live comfortably within it.

There is an old Arab saying... Have faith in God but tie your camel.

Perhaps these people need to focus more on their individual faith instead of trying to shove their religion down everybody elses throats.

Originally posted by palehorse23
The problem is that you have people on the religious side that are almost extremist and give religion a bad name. A lot of them happen to be on the right wing of politics and a lot of these people are the leaders of our country.

The problem ... is threads like this, started by people who are just spoiling for a fight. They'll hide behind words like 'atheist' and throw up 'religious freedom' and slam anyone who disagrees with them calling them 'extremists,' 'zealots' or other equally silly names. They try to poo-poo religion and demand that everyone be like them - while at the same time claiming no religious affiliation. They try to make it seem like others are giving religion a bad name.

But at the end of the day those with faith remain unshakable.

That says more about them and their religion - and the good name it has because of the good people who believe - than mere words from an anti-religion zealot like yourself every will.

Furthermore, most people tend to the right of center and the leaning is conservative. That doesn't put them 'on the right wing of politics' by any definition. At best, they're at the wing root. Painting them with a broad brush of hate and fear doesn't sway them, and causes your argument to fail - by displaying your hate and fear.

Also, while your paranoia may leaad you to think that the government is full of right wing religious extremists ... that's just not so. And they're probably not out to get you, either.

But, even if your statement was true - that most people are right wing and most of them run the government - why the hell (pun fully intended) should the majority cater to the minority?

Your pal,
Meat.

Originally posted by Fuggle
Why do coins need to be stamped with any affirmations at all? Why can't they merely be stamped with their value, country of origin, date...and whatever minting information is actually necessary?

Because it's the national motto of the United States of America, and the USA has a unique history among nations. We should be proud of our country and our heritage.

That's why.

Your pal,
Meat.

Originally posted by grover
Perhaps these people need to focus more on their individual faith instead of trying to shove their religion down everybody elses throats.

Meh. Seems to me the people attempting to force their beliefs on others are those that believe others are trying to shove their religions down people's throats.

Your pal,
Meat.

Originally posted by palehorse23
As we all know, not everyone trusts in God.

But most do, so the majority gets their way. Deal with it.

How can we preach freedom of religion, yet our form of currency is plastered with this slogan.

The phrase in question is perfectly correct regarding the freedom of religion. You do realize that God is meant as a higher spiritual being and does NOT belong to one religion but most other religions. So in effect, the phrase is ideal to promote freedom of religion.

reply to post by mmmeat


Mmmeat, yes, you're right. It is the official motto.

I prefer the original motto, "E Pluribus Unum", especially as my family was unfairly targetted by McCarthy during his witch-hunt (It's my understanding that the official motto changed from E Pluribus Unum to "In God We Trust", at least in part, as a reaction to the anti-communist hysteria that gripped the US during the 50's).

Of course, coins were printed with the "God" phrase before that happened, but that's beside the point.

I acknowledge that you're correct so, alas, your argument outweighs mine...but I don't have to like it!

F

Originally posted by grover
It really is a hollow victory though we all know how successful dollar coins are.

I use them all the time. just a moment ago went to rallys and paid with dollar coins. I do this in purpose of course to get people to use them. I get them from my machine at work, 20 bucks worth, then go spend them during the day. just gives me something to do. at times I pay for gas with dollar coins too.

reply to post by mmmeat


That is one of the most convoluted and sloppy piece of logic I have ever read.

reply to post by grover


That is what he is all about grover. Check out all his posts. Same with 4th doctorwhofan. They get off on uneducated babble. Everytime they post it is the same retoric with nothing to back it up. Childish. I think they are a team as they seem to hit all of my threads about religion. Watch, they will post a childish rant about this reply I am sure. Don't mean to target but when it happens regularly, something needs to be said and done. And if this is what it takes, so be it.

Sorry if this sounds harsh guys - but why care what's on a coin, or a note for that matter?

It's for spending, not for worshipping.

Personally, I am not a royalist, but it doesn't bother me that the queen is on every piece of currency.

The people who pushed this through must be so proud of their work when people around the world are dying from wars and lack of food.

Sorry for the rant - my tuppence worth

Originally posted by Fuggle
Why do coins need to be stamped with any affirmations at all?

Because it's the law. All coins must have the phrase "IN GOD WE TRUST" stamped onto them based on a United States law that was passed in 1908.

In response to a general demand, Congress ordered it restored, and the Act of May 18, 1908, made it mandatory on all coins upon which it had previously appeared. IN GOD WE TRUST

www.treas.gov...

You see, this new legislation that has everyone so worried was just a cosmetic change that decided where it would be placed on the coin. By law it had to be on the coin. President Bush had no say-so in the matter.

"IN GOD WE TRUST" has been on American coins since 1864. Does anyone wish to show the evidence that this country has grown more and more religious since this date? Despite everyone's worries that touching the coin will somehow influence their religious beliefs, you'll find that these coins still work in Vegas slot machines, liquor stores, strip clubs, and can be used to pay for abortion on demand.

A tempest in a teapot for sure.