Atheist renews challenge to 'under God'

[Soldier4Christ]

Atheist renews challenge to 'under God' 
Rejected by Supreme Court on technical grounds but finds new plaintiffs

California atheist activist Michael Newdow is renewing his fight to remove reference to God from the Pledge of Allegiance, this time with a suit filed on behalf of an anonymous New Hampshire couple against a school district.

The couple, an agnostic and atheist with three children, say in their complaint that they "generally, deny that God exists" and contend their constitutional rights are violated when school authorities require their children to "participate in making the purely religious, monotheistic claim that the United States is 'one nation under God.'"

Newdow previously sued over the inclusion of "under God" in the pledge, but his claims were rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2004 on technical grounds. The self-described atheist said he did not want his third-grade daughter to have to listen to the phrase "under God" in a public school.

Five justices, however, found Newdow did not have the legal standing to bring the case. He never married the child's mother, who has expressed support for having "under God" in the pledge.

"To give the parent of such a child a sort of 'heckler's veto' over a patriotic ceremony willingly participated in by other students, simply because the Pledge of Allegiance contains the descriptive phrase 'under God,' is an unwarranted extension of the establishment clause, an extension which would have the unfortunate effect of prohibiting a commendable patriotic observance," then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist wrote in rejecting Newdow's appeal.

The couple in the current lawsuit, from Hanover, N.H., are also represented by an activist group based in Madison, Wis., the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Newdow told the Nashua Telegraph he believes children shouldn't be coerced to assert the existence of God, let alone allegiance to a supreme being.

Schools and the government should have nothing to do with religion and religious rituals, he argued, contending there are "numerous instances where kids are traumatized for life."

The phrase "under God" was added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 by Congress. Two years later, Congress made "In God We Trust" the country's official motto.

Courts also have turned back efforts by Newdow to challenge the phrase printed on U.S. currency.

The Hanover couple argues the peer pressure that results from refusing to say the pledge is coercive and unfairly challenges a child's patriotism.

Their lawsuit says that by "endorsing the religious notion that God exists, the now-religious Pledge creates a societal environment where prejudice against atheists – and, thus, against Plaintiffs here – is perpetuated."

They further argue the rights of the parents to instill in their children "religious beliefs they find persuasive – free from governmental influence – has been abridged by Defendants' practices."

The complaint notes the couple does not object to reciting the pledge but contends "government may not employ or include sectarian religious dogma towards this end."

"By placing the religious words 'under God' into the Pledge, Congress not only interfered with the patriotism and national unity the Pledge was meant to engender, but it actually fostered divisiveness … in a manner expressly forbidden by the Constitution,' the suit claims.

As WND reported in May, the Texas Legislature voted to add the words "under God" to the state pledge.

[Soldier4Christ]

Atheist: Yank 'under God' from Pledge, currency
Michael Newdow takes arguments back to federal appeals court

An atheist seeking to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance and U.S. currency is taking his arguments back to a federal appeals court.

Michael Newdow, a Sacramento doctor and lawyer, sued the Elk Grove Unified School District in 2000 for forcing public school children to recite the pledge, saying it was unconstitutional.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Newdow's favor in 2002, but two years later, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Newdow lacked standing to sue because he didn't have custody of the daughter on whose behalf he brought the case. He immediately filed a second lawsuit on behalf of three unidentified parents and their children.

In 2005, a federal judge in Sacramento found in favor of Newdow, ruling the pledge was unconstitutional because its reference to "one nation under God" violates children's rights to be "free from a coercive requirement to affirm God." The judge said he was following the precedent set by the 9th Circuit Court's ruling in Newdow's first case.

A three-judge panel from that court was to hear arguments in the case on Tuesday. The same panel also was to hear arguments in Newdow's case against the national motto, "In God We Trust."

In 2005, Newdow sued Congress and several federal officials, arguing that making money with the motto on it violated the First Amendment clause requiring the separation of church and state.

Last year, a federal judge in Sacramento disagreed, saying the words did not violate Newdow's atheism. Newdow appealed.

Congress first authorized a reference to God on a two-cent piece in 1864. In 1955, the year after lawmakers added the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance, Congress passed a law requiring all U.S. currency to carry the motto "In God We Trust."

[Shammu]

An open letter to Michael Newdow,

All I have to say is, what about MY RIGHTS? I celebrate Christmas, but because it isn’t celebrated by everyone, we can no longer say Merry Christmas?? Well BULL I am expressing my RIGHTS as an American, saying MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I am Christian and believe in God, I respect any man in America, no matter of nationality, color or language they speak, with one huge exception. They must abide by the laws of this country as all Americans are required to. If you break the laws of America, and convicted in a court of law, then you must pay the piper.

If Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don’t like Uncle Sam, or our ARMED FORCES, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. Perhaps Iran is where you need to move to.... I am happy with my Christian culture and have no desire to change it, and frankly I really don’t care how you feel!!

“In God We Trust” is our national motto. This is not some Christian, right/left wing, political slogan..... AMERICA adopted this motto because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.

This is OUR COUNTRY, our land, and our lifestyle. Our First Amendment gives every citizen the right to express his opinion and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great American freedom, THE RIGHT TO LEAVE!!!