"In God We Trust" to remain on US currency, appeals court rules

[True Dough]

Just a matter of time until Trump has it altered to "Official American Donny Dollars" anyway.

(Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Tuesday said printing "In God We Trust" on U.S. currency is constitutional, citing its longstanding use and saying it was not coercive.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Paul, Minnesota rejected claims by 29 atheists, children of atheists and atheist groups that inscribing the national motto on bills and coins violated their First Amendment free speech and religious rights. While other courts have allowed the motto's use on currency, Circuit Judge Raymond Gruender said it also did not constitute an establishment of religion under a 2014 Supreme Court decision requiring a review of "historical practices."

Gruender said the Constitution lets the government celebrate "our tradition of religious freedom," and that putting the motto on currency "comports with early understandings of the Establishment Clause" without compelling religious observance.

"In God We Trust" began appearing on U.S. coins in 1864 during the Civil War, a period of increased religious sentiment, and was added to paper currencies by the mid-1960s.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-religion-motto/us-court-rejects-atheists-appeal-over-in-god-we-trust-on-money-idUSKCN1LD24K

[trotsky]

1. That's disappointing, but not unexpected.

Religious privilege is a thing.

[Cartoonist]

2. So we went almost a hundred years without it

Didn't need it then, don't need it now.

The court should have considered the circumstances in which it was added. Clearly this was compelling religious conformity.

[MineralMan]

3. It's been tried before. It's not going to work, I'm afraid.

It's not a battle we're likely to ever win.

[The Genealogist]

4. I still think it being there is government support of religion

Religion is based around supposedly powerful deities, for the most part. You'd think powerful deities could survive without being mentioned on currency.

[True Dough]

5. But the church needs that currency to roll in to support their operations

and to purchase a $2.3-million high-end home for a retiring bishop.

[Mariana]

6. It's not about honoring a deity.

Maybe it was, once upon a time, but not anymore. Now it's there to serve as a big Fuck You to everyone who doesn't worship that particular god. That is its purpose. That is why so many Christians support it so vehemently.

[trotsky]

7. We've come full circle - the motto is now cited to support other violations of church and state.

https://religionnews.com/2018/07/02/a-campaign-to-blitz-the-country-with-in-god-we-trust-laws-takes-root/

[Pope George Ringo II]

8. I'd settle for just getting it off all the Sheriff cars in my county.

I'm still pondering giving them a bunch of "In Odin we trust" stickers and asking for equal treatment.

[Lordquinton]

9. It's not coercive

You can just not use money