You know when the first, hard death knell for democracy was tolled in America? When McCarthyism succeeded in adding “Under God” to our pledge (and soon after made it mandatory on money. *see below)
Look at the placement–“One nation under God, indivisible….” Dividing one nation, and indivisible with the very thing that divides us most completely. There is no denying the overwhelming influence of Christianity on the United States at inception, and in the present, but religious freedom is one of the prized tenets of Americans as a people. It’s being used as a weapon of mass destruction, and no one seems to get it.
I’m not blaming God. Not yours or anyone else’s. Don’t get all twisted up thinking I’m disdaining your faith. I’m disdaining those who saw, as history has always seen, that you can control a whole people by controlling their god. That is something all people of faith should disdain. Religion is being used, repeat–AS IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN USED–for power, and political gain.
This is where most of the strife comes from, whether it’s a Muslim ban or anti-abortion advocates demanding their beliefs dictate the choices of all, the misuse of “God’ has divided this nation. It’s no secret that the Republican party, that proud and respected entity, has dug too deeply into the pocket of the Christian Right, and now can’t seem to get out of it. Every other party in existence can rant and rage and protest, but the power to actually fix anything lies in the hands of Republicans who have the courage to say enough is enough, to take their party back from the dark places it’s gotten lost in.
I’m not a fan of Russel Brand, nor do I have any animosity for him. I have no real opinion of the man, actually, but he said something I feel deep in my core–this thing is done. (Speaking of Trump as well as Brexit.) What we need to concentrate on is how it was allowed to happen. We need to know why it did, and take measures to see that it can’t happen again.
Under God…You may say, “So what? They’re just words.” But words have power. It’s subtle, and it’s insidious, but it is very purposely done.
*It was stamped onto coin currency starting 1864 and has appeared on paper currency since 1957. A law passed in a Joint Resolution by the 84th Congress and approved by President Dwight Eisenhower (who also approved the change to the pledge) on July 30, 1956 declared IN GOD WE TRUST must appear on currency.
Modesty Is For Suckers 
Love this post because I love the twisted history of our country. Francis Bellamy originally wrote the pledge with the idea it could be said by anyone in any country. Using “I pledge allegiance to MY flag and the Republic for which it stands.” ‘The United States’ was not in the original version. He also thought maybe it could be said once a year or on special occasions. I’ve read that his granddaughter was appalled when ‘under God’ was added and thought he’d be turning over in his grave. I’ve read other accounts that he’d be fine with it. I guess we’ll never really know.
Right or wrong Rev. Watkinson thought that putting In God We Trust on the coins in 1864 would help unite and heal the country and the religious tension after the civil war and pleaded with the Secretary of Treasury.
I wish we would leave God and Animals out of our human shit. They always get dragged in to our problems, rituals, policies, wars, for entertainment purposes, sacrifices, lab tests, etc., and I’m sure they’re both getting tired of it.
🙂
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We are of like minds, Deb. No surprise, huh?
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