# One Nation Under God



## Warrigal (Mar 31, 2015)

This is interesting to me. The phrase "one nation under God" in the American oath of allegiance was originally just "one nation". 

How did God enter the equation? Glad you asked.  It involves "The New Deal"



> The words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and the phrase "In God we trust" on the back of a dollar bill haven't been there as long as most Americans might think. Those references were inserted in the 1950s during the Eisenhower administration, the same decade that the National Prayer Breakfast was launched, according to writer Kevin Kruse. His new book is _One Nation Under God._
> 
> In the original Pledge of Allegiance, Francis Bellamy made no mention of God, Kruse says. Bellamy was Christian socialist, a Baptist who believed in the separation of church and state.
> 
> ...


There's more here: http://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/39636...ome-under-god-until-the-50s-religious-revival

Can anyone confirm this idea?


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## Ameriscot (Mar 31, 2015)

Interesting article.  I didn't know all the facts of when and who.  When I lived in TN there were a lot of people trying to forcibly put a plaque of the ten commandments back in courtrooms, including some judges.  I just kept my mouth shut as I was outnumbered by those who thought it was right.


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## Ralphy1 (Mar 31, 2015)

Furriners should just accept that we are God's chosen country and people...


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## Ameriscot (Mar 31, 2015)

Ralphy, go sit in a corner.


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## Ralphy1 (Mar 31, 2015)

Do I have to sit in the same old corner?  I am tired of that one...


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## Ameriscot (Mar 31, 2015)

No, sit in a different corner.


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## Ralphy1 (Mar 31, 2015)

Thanks, you are very kind...


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## Ameriscot (Mar 31, 2015)

I know.


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## Ralphy1 (Mar 31, 2015)




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## QuickSilver (Mar 31, 2015)

Back in the McCarthy era everyone was looking for Godless Commies around every corner.. So all the "God" stuff was added to the pledge and to our currency.  Then in the 90's the Religious Right was brought in by Republicans to attract the social issue voters and NOW we are well on our way to a Theocracy..   Funny.. Many countries in the Middle East that we so love to hate are Theocracies..  But never mind that... we have the RIGHT God...


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## Ameriscot (Mar 31, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> Back in the McCarthy era everyone was looking for Godless Commies around every corner.. So all the "God" stuff was added to the pledge and to our currency.  Then in the 90's the Religious Right was brought in by Republicans to attract the social issue voters and NOW we are well on our way to a Theocracy..   Funny.. Many countries in the Middle East that we so love to hate are Theocracies..  But never mind that... we have the RIGHT God...



Very true!


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## QuickSilver (Mar 31, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> Very true!



Double entendre intended for the word "RIGHT"


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## Ameriscot (Mar 31, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> Double entendre intended for the word "RIGHT"



Gotcha!


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## SifuPhil (Mar 31, 2015)

There were far earlier usages of phrases referencing God on U.S. currency ...



> It was found that the Act of Congress dated January 18, 1837, prescribed  the mottoes and devices that should be placed upon the coins of the  United States. This meant that the mint could make no changes without  the enactment of additional legislation by the Congress. In December  1863, the Director of the Mint submitted designs for new one-cent coin, two-cent coin, and three-cent coin  to Secretary Chase for approval. He proposed that upon the designs  either OUR COUNTRY; OUR GOD or GOD, OUR TRUST should appear as a motto  on the coins. In a letter to the Mint Director on December 9, 1863,  Secretary Chase stated:
> _I approve your mottoes, only  suggesting that on that with the Washington obverse the motto should  begin with the word OUR, so as to read OUR GOD AND OUR COUNTRY. And on  that with the shield, it should be changed so as to read: IN GOD WE  TRUST.
> 
> _ ​The Congress passed the Act of April 22, 1864. This legislation changed the composition of the one-cent coin and authorized the minting of the two-cent coin.  The Mint Director was directed to develop the designs for these coins  for final approval of the Secretary. IN GOD WE TRUST first appeared on  the 1864 two-cent coin.
> ...



*Source*


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## Josiah (Mar 31, 2015)

That 1954 change has galled me ever since and I look forward to the day when it is removed from the pledge and damn it, it will be removed.


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## Josiah (Mar 31, 2015)

Hell, I'd prefer One Nation Under Santa Claus or even One Nation Under the Koch Brothers. The latter option perhaps being more accurate.


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## AZ Jim (Mar 31, 2015)

"One nation under AZ Jim, indivisible with liberty and justice for all". Has a nice right to it, yes?


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## Ameriscot (Mar 31, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> "One nation under AZ Jim, indivisible with liberty and justice for all". Has a nice right to it, yes?



It does!  I'll vote for that.


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## AZ Jim (Mar 31, 2015)

k:


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## QuickSilver (Mar 31, 2015)




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## oakapple (Mar 31, 2015)

One Nation under Starbucks.


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## Pappy (Mar 31, 2015)

President Pappy? King Pappy? Slap Happy Pappy? Just doesn't work, does it?


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## ClassicRockr (Mar 31, 2015)

Saying "One Nation Under God" today does seem a little odd, being that so many want to take God out of everything. As for me, I think if there was more "God" in things in America, we'd be a much better society!

Now, I'll go to my corner and sit........LOL


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## Josiah (Mar 31, 2015)

ClassicRockr said:


> Saying "One Nation Under God" today does seem a little odd, being that so many want to take God out of everything. As for me, I think if there was more "God" in things in America, we'd be a much better society!
> 
> Now, I'll go to my corner and sit........LOL



Rockr, you're a very good sport for tolerating all us disrespectful heathens and if every one was like you the world would be a better place. But I can't let your statement  "I think if there was more "God" in things" go by unchallenged. Remember 9/11? There was A LOT OF GOD in that whole horrible episode. I don't see where having a lot of God in things necessarily makes things better.


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## QuickSilver (Mar 31, 2015)

Josiah said:


> Rockr, you're a very good sport for tolerating all us disrespectful heathens and if every one was like you the world would be a better place. But I can't let your statement  "I think if there was more "God" in things" go by unchallenged. Remember 9/11? There was A LOT OF GOD in that whole horrible episode. I don't see where having a lot of God in things necessarily makes things better.



Yes...  But it wasn't the REAL God... or the Right God..


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## AZ Jim (Mar 31, 2015)

Yes!  It can't be his god or her god it has to be whomever is speaking or acting's brand of god.  Then as long as it is god's will it is OK.  Kill people if they have the wrong "god".


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## drifter (Mar 31, 2015)

One nation split down the middle, torn asunder.


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## Warrigal (Mar 31, 2015)

drifter said:


> One nation split down the middle, torn asunder.



This statement intrigues me. Looking from the outside it appears that some scars of the Civil War have never really healed. States seem to be much stronger than the concept of nationhood, at least in the practical sense, and they are mostly ideologically and politically aligned as they were in Lincoln’s time. It probably takes an external enemy to hold the United States together which could explain US foreign policy since 1945. 

As I said, that is my view from the outside. I am open to correction.


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## drifter (Apr 1, 2015)

On further consideration, I really don't know why we are divided; maybe we've always been this way. Or maybe merely my perception late in life.


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## NancyNGA (Apr 1, 2015)

Drifter, I blame some of this division on incessant red meat advertizing by some political action groups whose purpose is to divide and 
thereby gain support of various factions.     In many cases I don't think even *they* believe what they say.  It's all about money.


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## BobF (Apr 2, 2015)

Then another reason to end political parties on our ballots.   Let all get to know the persons running so they will know they are voting for the ones that will do the job they want.   So no more R and D on the ballots will make our voting much more honest.


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