Politics
Wednesday December 5, 2007
"In God We Trust" and Pledge of Allegiance Put on Trial Again
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
By John Connolly
SAN FRANCISCO, December 5, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco began hearings today in two cases over the mention of God in the Pledge of Allegiance and the motto "In God We Trust" on money.
Michael Newdow, a professed atheist whose views have been endorsed by the Ninth Circuit Court before, filed both suits on the grounds that each use of the word 'God' is an unconstitutional establishment of a national religion.
"This is not a case of people who believe in God vs. people who don't believe in God," Newdow said in court. "It's a case about treating people equally."
In 2005, Newdow won a similar case in Sacramento which barred schoolchildren from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), a non-profit legal defense organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom and parental rights, is taking an active role in the battle over the right for Americans to say the word 'God.' PJI Chief Counsel Kevin Snider has joined lawyers for the Department of Justice to defend the national motto.
"The national motto, 'In God We Trust,' is a perfectly permissible, commemorative acknowledgment of our nation's history and traditions," said Snider. "Without coercing anyone to adopt any religious viewpoint, it reminds us that our rights are a gift from God and are not at the discretion of the government."
The judges appear to be split on the issue, and have given little indication of the court's ruling. No ruling is expected for the next several months.
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Feds Erase "In God We Trust" From Face of Coins - Tiny Scratches on Edge Don't Cut It
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/mar/07030802.html
California College Bans Pledge of Allegiance After Atheist Complains
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/nov/06111008.html
U.S. House Votes to Protect Pledge of Allegiance from Courts
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jul/06072001.html
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- Cardinal Rigali: You Can't Claim to be "Reducing Abortions" but Publicly Funding them in D.C.
- General Electric to Use Embryonic Stem Cells for Testing, Phase out Lab Rats
- Ohio Supreme Court Allows Planned Parenthood to Conceal Abortion Records in Sexual Abuse Case
- LifeSiteNews Canada Day and Independence Day Message. Taking a few days off. LSN returns Monday July 6
- Heroically Pro-Life Brazilian Archbishop's Resignation Accepted Under Cloud of Vatican Newspaper Misrepresentation
- Pro-Life Groups Announce New Colorado Personhood Initiative
- Judge Puts Kibosh on DC Gay "Marriage" Referendum
- Al Franken Win Hands Supermajority to Senate Democrats
- Group Funded by Canadian Bishops' D&P Joins with Others to Denounce the "Natural Family" and "Family Rights"
- Financially Troubled Planned Parenthood of El Paso Closes Doors
- Abortion Linked to Subsequent Pre-Term Births, New Research Again Confirms
- New Orleans Homosexual Couple Ask Fed. Court to Overturn Marriage Amendment
- Slim Hope Of New Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Leader Promoting Pro-Life, Pro-Family Issues
- Pope Accepts Resignation of Bishop Caught Involved in Homosexual Encounters
- Young Children Removed from UK Schools for "Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour"
- Northern Ireland Politician Cleared of Wrongdoing after Reiterating Christian Teaching on Homosexual Acts
- UK Conservative Leader Speaks at Gay Pride Fundraiser
- More Letters to the Editor on Canadian Catholic Development and Peace Scandal (July 1)
- Letters to the Editor - Readers Respond to Development and Peace Scandal
- Watch This Dramatic New Video on Catholic Bishops Conference Funding of Pro-Abortion Groups
Most Read this Week
- Homosexual Duke U. Director Charged with Offering Adopted 5-Year-Old for Sex
- Famed Fr. Corapi Calls Canadian Bishops' Dissent from Humanae Vitae "Catastrophic"
- Pope: It is a Childish Faith to Oppose the Church Teaching on Life and Family
- LifeSiteNews Detailed Response to Canadian Bishops' Whitewash Report on Development and Peace
- Heroically Pro-Life Brazilian Archbishop's Resignation Accepted Under Cloud of Vatican Newspaper Misrepresentation
- Young Children Removed from UK Schools for "Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour"
- Is Pro-Choice the New Pro-Life?
- General Electric to Use Embryonic Stem Cells for Testing, Phase Out Lab Rats
- Swedish Parents Won't Tell if Child is Boy or Girl as Gender Experiment
- Cardinal Rigali: You Can't Claim to be "Reducing Abortions" but Publicly Funding them in D.C.
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.