I think the biggest problem with this whole thing, is that it's a bunch of people spouting off about things they don't know anything about. Now I'm not going to claim to be a politcal/law book whiz, but I do know a few things. First of all, the phrase "separation of church and state" is merely that. A phrase. It is NOT law. President Thomas Jefferson coined this phrase in a carefully crafted letter to the Danbury Baptists of Connecticut in 1802. It has since been widely picked up and invoked in major Supreme Court decisions. (Source: http://www.ffrf.org/cgi-bin/ffrfquiz.cgi ) This separation was not established to create a completely religionless government. It was established to keep us from turning back into England. (No offence intended toward our English friends or their country.) The England that our founding fathers were fighting had a system in which the political leaders were the religious leaders, essentially making them all-powerful in terms of controling the people. This is what we were fighting, not religion itself.
Second, the first amendment states that we have freedom of religion. This means that we are allowed to worship what we like. Be it a God, an element, money, time, or even ourselves. Believe it or not, but the definition of "religion" is simply a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith. (Source: http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=religion ) By that definition, even athiests practice religion. Established or not, God or not, it's a religion. And yes I know, everything I've said so far has annoyed some, angered others, and convinced several of you that I have no idea what I'm talking about, but do your reaserch, check out the links I've listed, I may be out of it, but I'm not wrong.
Third, the 9th circut ruling ONLY affects those states under it's jurisdiction, and ONLY when the pledge is said in SCHOOL. Nothing else. So far anyway.
Fourth, removing references to God is a two sided coin. This whole thing was started by an atheist father who was standing up for his beliefs in not wanting his daughter to recite the pledge of allegiance and thus acknowledge a God. I have no problem with this. But he proceeded to turn around and decide that since he did not believe in a God, everyone else should have to cease references to their own beliefs to suit him. This doesn't sound like freedom of religion to me. This sounds like freedom of his religion, and sh** for everyone else. If he doesn't want his daughter exposed to religion, that's fine. Have her step out of the room before the pledge is said. I think that is much less problematic than forcing the rest of the population not to say it.
Second, the first amendment states that we have freedom of religion. This means that we are allowed to worship what we like. Be it a God, an element, money, time, or even ourselves. Believe it or not, but the definition of "religion" is simply a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith. (Source: http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=religion ) By that definition, even athiests practice religion. Established or not, God or not, it's a religion. And yes I know, everything I've said so far has annoyed some, angered others, and convinced several of you that I have no idea what I'm talking about, but do your reaserch, check out the links I've listed, I may be out of it, but I'm not wrong.
Third, the 9th circut ruling ONLY affects those states under it's jurisdiction, and ONLY when the pledge is said in SCHOOL. Nothing else. So far anyway.
Fourth, removing references to God is a two sided coin. This whole thing was started by an atheist father who was standing up for his beliefs in not wanting his daughter to recite the pledge of allegiance and thus acknowledge a God. I have no problem with this. But he proceeded to turn around and decide that since he did not believe in a God, everyone else should have to cease references to their own beliefs to suit him. This doesn't sound like freedom of religion to me. This sounds like freedom of his religion, and sh** for everyone else. If he doesn't want his daughter exposed to religion, that's fine. Have her step out of the room before the pledge is said. I think that is much less problematic than forcing the rest of the population not to say it.