USA voting on "In God We Trust" Motto

[Meow Mix]

Apparently in the middle of a financial crisis, our government finds it necessary to take time voting to "re-affirm" the motto of the United States of America as "In God We Trust," following a mis-statement from Obama that the motto of the nation is "E Pluribus Unum."

Not only do I find the timing of this whole thing completely ludicrous, but I find the idea in itself to be something of a frightening prospect. It depresses me that this seems like it's important enough to spend time and resources voting on during a crisis on one hand, and that it's even being considered in a country that's supposed to be secular anyway.

I really fear for the future of this country, and I'm sort of glad to be moving to Ontario for grad school in a year or so.

I just wish there were a country that was profoundly and undeniably secular with guaranteed religious freedom for its people -- a concept that so many fanatics mistakenly find contradictory. Some -- in fact, many -- Americans really make me want to become a straight up misanthrope.

 

[Bob Dixon]

Just be glad you're coming to Ontario.

 

[Revoltingest]

Apparently in the middle of a financial crisis, our government finds it necessary to take time voting to "re-affirm" the motto of the United States of America as "In God We Trust," following a mis-statement from Obama that the motto of the nation is "E Pluribus Unum."

Not only do I find the timing of this whole thing completely ludicrous, but I find the idea in itself to be something of a frightening prospect. It depresses me that this seems like it's important enough to spend time and resources voting on during a crisis on one hand, and that it's even being considered in a country that's supposed to be secular anyway.

I really fear for the future of this country, and I'm sort of glad to be moving to Ontario for grad school in a year or so.

I just wish there were a country that was profoundly and undeniably secular with guaranteed religious freedom for its people -- a concept that so many fanatics mistakenly find contradictory. Some -- in fact, many -- Americans really make me want to become a straight up misanthrope.

An empty unconstitutional motto is the least of my worries.
Someone hasn't acknowledged a little requested doggerel I wrote for her recently......sniff, sniff.

It ain't like they'd be doing something productive anyway.

 

[Sunstone]

Our congresspeople are voting on this matter at this time because of their immense competence to run a country.

 

[waitasec]

all i can say is
:thud:

 

[Meow Mix]

An empty unconstitutional motto is the least of my worries.
Someone hasn't acknowledged a little requested doggerel I wrote for her recently......sniff, sniff.

It ain't like they'd be doing something productive anyway.

It greatly worries me that my government conspicuously thumbs their noses at the notion of religious freedom and neutrality; regardless of how inconsequential a silly little motto is. It's a warning symptom of a far deeper sickness pervasive throughout this country.

The sad thing is, I'm not sure there's anywhere I can go that has true religious neutrality. Even countries that are for the most part secular have these ridiculous laws still on their books that either grant some religion more recognition than others or have a state religion (e.g., even Canada has ties to the Queen who is the head of the Church of England, etc.).

This world disgusts me sometimes, it really does.

Anyway, I didn't ignore your awesome limerick -- check your private messages again; you may have overlooked my response or something

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I really fear for the future of this country, and I'm sort of glad to be moving to Ontario for grad school in a year or so.

I'm glad you're moving here, too, but Canada's fate is inexorably tied up with the US. If it goes down, we're going down with it.

 

[Revoltingest]

It greatly worries me that my government conspicuously thumbs their noses at the notion of religious freedom and neutrality; regardless of how inconsequential a silly little motto is. It's a warning symptom of a far deeper sickness pervasive throughout this country.
The sad thing is, I'm not sure there's anywhere I can go that has true religious neutrality. Even countries that are for the most part secular have these ridiculous laws still on their books that either grant some religion more recognition than others or have a state religion (e.g., even Canada has ties to the Queen who is the head of the Church of England, etc.).
This world disgusts me sometimes, it really does.

This is just the status quo, so it shouldn't upset you any more than it has in the past.
Despite all the efforts of the theocratically minded, we heathens still have it pretty good....as long as we don't run for office.

Anyway, I didn't ignore your awesome limerick -- check your private messages again; you may have overlooked my response or something

Thanx!

 

[Meow Mix]

I'm glad you're moving here, too, but Canada's fate is inexorably tied up with the US. If it goes down, we're going down with it.

I'm not sure whether or not the US will "go down." It seems to be diminishing greatly; yes, and it seems to be moving more towards over-commercialization, post-industrialism, idiocracy, and oligarchy of the haves lording over the hordes of the newly created have-nots; but as a nation-state entity it may end up just fine.

Us small folks may have to work longer and harder for less and less, but the country might do OK. We might end up in a "Christian Nation," but the country might do OK. I'm just saying that I'm not equating these things I'm complaining about to the "end of America" like a lot of doomsayers do: I'm just saying that this nation is headed in pretty much exactly the wrong direction of where I think it should go. I'm disillusioned from the idea of America that I always thought it was supposed to be: a place of religious neutrality (and thus equality), a place where the gap between the rich and the poor was bridgeable with good work ethic, a place where policy was made on rational decision rather than voodoo.

Everything my grandfather instilled in me as an idea of what America should be is turning out to be wrong, and that breaks my heart. If I can say without being vain in the slightest that I could out-think practically any member of high office in a country, that is truly frightening.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Ironically, I think Canada's lack of official secularism helped to reduce the amount of religion in the public square.

Historically, religion was encouraged, but we had (and to some extent still have) very marked regional differences between which sort of religion was predominant: most regions of the country were either very Protestant or very Catholic.

Because of this Catholic/Protestant divide, it kinda shook out early on in our country's history that, at least at the Federal level, all the politicians were going to have to set aside religion if they were going to get anything done... regardless of how devout they were. This tradition has generally continued even though the religiosity that originally spurred it has diminished.

 

[Revoltingest]

It certainly appears that we be go'n down the tubes.
Perhaps we should change our expectations.
(The country's status certainly won't change just for us.)

 

[Alceste]

Ironically, I think Canada's lack of official secularism helped to reduce the amount of religion in the public square.

Historically, religion was encouraged, but we had (and to some extent still have) very marked regional differences between which sort of religion was predominant: most regions of the country were either very Protestant or very Catholic.

Because of this Catholic/Protestant divide, it kinda shook out early on in our country's history that, at least at the Federal level, all the politicians were going to have to set aside religion if they were going to get anything done... regardless of how devout they were. This tradition has generally continued even though the religiosity that originally spurred it has diminished.

I think the provincial government still opens each session with a prayer in BC, so I wouldn't be so hasty to preen.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I think the provincial government still opens each session with a prayer in BC, so I wouldn't be so hasty to preen.

The Federal government has a non-denominational "Parliamentary prayer", too. But overall, I think we've got much less of a problem with church-state separation - at least as far as it affects substantive policy - than the US.

 

[jarofthoughts]

I just wish there were a country that was profoundly and undeniably secular with guaranteed religious freedom for its people.

There is.

The sad thing is, I'm not sure there's anywhere I can go that has true religious neutrality.

What does 'true religious neutrality' mean?

Even countries that are for the most part secular have these ridiculous laws still on their books that either grant some religion more recognition than others or have a state religion (e.g., even Canada has ties to the Queen who is the head of the Church of England, etc.).

In our case, the state church has in fact greatly helped the process of secularisation.
I know, it seems ironic that a country in which some 70% are atheist/non-religious we still have a state religion, but it is a state religion that is based on the same social democracy that the rest of the country follows, which means for instance female priests.
Other than that I don' think you can get much more religiously neutral than Norway.
Heck, we even have same-sex marriages if that's your thing.

Feel free to come over.
We could always use more awesome physics chicks!

 

[Father Heathen]

How do people who are so woefully unfamiliar with our country's constitution or its history manage to get elected? This is just religious pandering and posturing to retain a relic from the McCarthy era. Republicans would rather wallow around in the dust and bones of dead goat herders than do something that's actually useful like address things that are actually real and important.

 

[Heathen Hammer]

Heilsa to that ^^

 

[Awoon]

:bow::In $ We Trust"

 

[JamesMarttin]

people like this they justify themselves by such motto

 

[Reverend Rick]

Perhaps we could change the motto from "In God We Trust " to "Let Us Pray" :run:

 

[Sunstone]

Perhaps we could change the motto from "In God We Trust " to "Let Us Pray" :run:

It would be a more timely message.