Religion Belongs in Pledge?

Religious and social conservatives are happy that the phrase “under God” will stay in the Pledge of Allegiance, at least for now. They are, however, having some trouble explaining how government-endorsed theism squares with government neutrality towards religion. It’s not possible, at least when one is being honest, but that doesn’t stop some from trying anyway.

The Southern Illinoisan publishes this editorial:

America is a religious country, the very foundations of which rest on Judaeo-Christian values, which have guided us the last 228 years. Our Founding Fathers had good foresight and did their best to ensure government would be involved in neither the practice nor establishment of religion, nor the regulation of religion. They didn't want government to play a role. Period. There's a big difference, however, between the government taking a neutral stance on religion and courts banning it from all public life. Such a stance would be decidedly anti-religion and therefore go against the Founders' intent.

Why do so many religious and social conservatives insist on distorting the truth every single time they write about the Pledge of Allegiance? Surely they know that, had the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Newdow, no one would have been prevented from including the phrase “under God” voluntarily when they recited the Pledge. Surely they know that religion would not have been “banned” from “public life.”

The editorial takes the position that government neutrality in religious matters is a good thing. But if the author really believed that, then they would have tried to explain how linking belief in God with patriotism is being even remotely neutral. The rest of the editorial is similar: a statement is made in favor of government neutrality towards religion and then a statement is made in defense of government-sponsored or government-endorsed religious affirmations. You can’t have it both ways, though, and trying to promote the opposite sides of the issue in the same editorial like that simply isn’t very ethical.

Read More:

• Secularism 101
• Separation of Church and State 101
• Religion in Public Schools