Should the Pledge of Allegiance be changed?
By wigima5
@wigima5 (904)
United States
March 11, 2010 8:30pm CST
Well there has been controversy for a while about the pledge of allegiance and the part where it states "under God". People have been trying to change it because they think it offends some people and doesn't work with the seperation of church and state. I think it's completely fine and that these are just the same over-sensitive people that ruin things for the rest of us. There are always those select few that seem to get bothered by EVERYTHING, and long standing traditions, like the words in the pledge of allegiance, have to be changed to their will. Yes, it mentions God, but there are many various Gods in every religion. By mentioning God, it just means that you have to rule as if you have to answer to a higher power, so make your decisions morally, truthfully, and do the right thing. Plus, it creates the feeling of protection. It's been this way for many years, and it is tradition, and the pledge of allegiance is a huge part of being American. To change the the words because it bothers a few people is ridiculous. I HATE these people who always force their will on the greater mass. It seems to be happening more and more, like all you think that will be safe and kept sacred will be torn from you.
*If you are from an outside country, and you do not know what the pledge of allegiance is, it is this thing we say every morning, that is a pledge to our country etc etc*
What is your opinion on the subject? Should the mention of "God" be so important, or do you think it is overexagerated?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@ladybugmagic (3978)
• United States
12 Mar 10
I refused to say the pledge of allegience throughout school; I will not hold my hand over my heart and make an honourable commitment to a country I am still learning about.
I think "under god" should most certainly be omitted, because it implies a sense of a judeo-christian religion, even if meant only to instruct you to be moral and answer to a higher power. It is a disrespect to other religions or those with no religion.
It enrages me that "In God We Trust" is imprinted on our currency. Not everyone trusts in one god.
That, and if we tried to suggest replacing "Under God" with "Under Satan" or "Under Budha", or even "Under Allah", there would be an outrage about that.
Religion has no place in politics, or in our pledge of allegience, or on our money.
@wigima5 (904)
• United States
12 Mar 10
You make good points. So what religion are you? Though, in all reality, this country was founded on christian grounds. The colonists that all came here were various christians, and many of the early government involved people who believed in God. So, that is y we have all of these references to God in our pledge and on our money. Well, definitely not under Satan. because satan stands for all the wrong reasons and represents sin and evil. And Buddhism and Muslim is not that of a predominant religion here, especially buddhism.
@TheMetallion (1834)
• United States
12 Mar 10
This nation was not founded on Christian grounds. Prior to this nation's founding, seventeen hundred years of Christian theology held that the just power to govern originated with Jhvh who bestowed grace upon Kings, and that to rebel against a King was to rebel against Jhvh. The Founders explicitly rejected this idea by asserting in the Declaration of Independence that Christianity had it exactly backwards all those centuries: the just power to govern originates with the consent of the governed, and that to rebel against a King is the people's proper remedy when they no longer wish to be ruled by that King. Search the Bible and the New Testament all you want, you will not find support for that notion.
The fact that you find "God" appropriate in the pledge but not "Allah" or "Budda" gives the lie to the idea that the term is in any generic or inclusive.
@ladybugmagic (3978)
• United States
14 Mar 10
wigima5 - I was raised catholic, but am an avowed athiest. I often think that organized religion is a weapon of mass destruction, but I do support people who have faith, as long as it is not oppressive, or used to justify hate crimes. Many people misread bible quotes in particular, and I am not educated enough on the koran, or revered books of other faiths, so I can not comment on how some fundamentalists may misconstrue things.
I do have to echo TheMetallion's last sentence.
@TheMetallion (1834)
• United States
12 Mar 10
"Should the Pledge of Allegiance be changed back to the way it originally was?"
Fixed that for you.
"I pledge alliegance to my flag, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
This became the pledge in 1892. The words "under God" were not added until 1954, the height of the McCarthy craze. Contrary to your beliefs, they were not added in any ecumenical sense of the word. It's there specifically to assert that this is a nation under Jhvh.
It should be removed because it is inaccurate: this is not a nation under any God, it is a nation under law.
@ladybugmagic (3978)
• United States
15 Mar 10
I can answer your question by actually quoting you, wigima5:
Those who placed the words "Under god" in the pledge of allegience should realize that it's stressful when those of other religions have rights and traditions, and those have to be stopped and banned because of them not agreeing with their religious views.
There are universal hallmark holiday decorations people can put up, but, again, you have to remember, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
If you are a christian, and the jewish tradition was upheld, how kindly would you take to the menorah being the symbol most paraded around?
If it is something you don't believe in, why should you be forced to worship it, or swear your allegience to it?
You shouldn't, because your rights to escape the persecution of religion supercede the rights to have a religion.
@wigima5 (904)
• United States
15 Mar 10
I did not know that. And well played. hmm... That is very true. Maybe it should not have been changed in the first place, and this does slightly change my opinion on this. But since it HAS been changed, why can't it just stay that way? I have many friends who are not even Christian, like Buddhist and even atheist, but they've never had a problem with this slight word.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
12 Mar 10
It is not something that ever occurred to me to be bothered by. If you don't believe in God then don't say it. I know what you mean about people being overly sensitive on this stuff. I have never been offended by someone else's beliefs and I don't understand why anyone would be. No I don't think they should change it. It's history. The man who wrote it is not here and it would be wrong to change his words. Those that don't like it should just keep quiet and not recite it.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
15 Mar 10
It's gotten way out of control. I was raised Catholic so yes, we celebrated Christmas but so did many that were of no religion at all. I had friends from many different religions and beliefs. A celebration is or should be a time of love and joy. I could not imagine getting offended by someone elses holidays. It's all pretty dumb and it's killing the fun.
@wigima5 (904)
• United States
15 Mar 10
Yes. stand silent and respectful or skip over the God part. Even replace God with "Allah" if you want. (even tho allah is just a different word to mean God...) but whatever. Maybe it offends them in some way, but they should realize that it's stressful when OUR rights and traditions have to be stopped and banned because of them not agreeing with our religious views. Not even about the pledge thing, but like how in schools we are not allowed to put up any christmas decorations or xmas trees anymore and mentioning santa claus is against the rules. In some cities there have been even bans for putting up xmas decorations on your own lawn! How is THAT constitutional? How is THAT fair?
@redhotpogo (4401)
• United States
12 Mar 10
I agree with you. People trying to take away holidays, and everything cause they hate Christians so much. Frikin sheet people. It doesn't say "Under the Christian God" it says "under God" choose your God. You want it to be under the spaghetti God then go for it. Stop frikin whining. It still applies by the separation of church and state. Believing in a God does not mean that you belong to a church. And since it just says God, it implies all religions. You never hear them complain though "Jews are imposing their religious beliefs on us." Its always the Christians. lol. tools.
@ladybugmagic (3978)
• United States
14 Mar 10
There is not a strong enough separation from church and state when tax exempt churches are allowed to make sizable contributions to political campaigns and when we have to swear on a "bible" in court.
You probably don't hear complaints of Jews trying to impose their religious beliefs on anyone, because they don't go out and try to "spread the truth" like some strains of the christian faith. You have some people so die-hard christian that they will insist on saying "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays", and boast about it with a bumper sticker, as if only their religious belief should be honoured.
@ladybugmagic (3978)
• United States
15 Mar 10
The bumper sticker said "I SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS". It wasn't a happy santa saying "Merry Christmas". It was someone very dedicated to their religion, so much so that they made a statement with their sticker, implying that their religion is the chosen one, despite Chanukah and Kwanzah taking place right around the same time.
It is akin to placing a bumper sticker saying "My religion is the only one that counts."
If you know someone is Jewish, the proper ettiquette would be to wish him a "Happy Chanukah". If you know someone celebrates Christmas, wish them a "Merry Christmas". If you don't know, its easy to be polite and say "Happy Holidays".
If you were bilingual, and knew someone who spoke only Spanish, would you speak to him in Spanish or English?
In one breath you say, "Swearing on a bible in court is ridiculous, and lots of people aren't religious or don't believe in the bible."
In the next breath, you undermine just that by saying that we should only say "Merry Christmas", because we have the right to.
@wigima5 (904)
• United States
15 Mar 10
:( If people WANT to say Merry Christmas, why shouldn't they have the right to? Why, I can't say Merry Christmas to someone because it might offend them by chance? Because some passerbyer might not like it that I didn't aknowledge THEIR specific religion? I have to be forced to act a certain way and instead say "Happy Holidays" because others are bothered by it? Don't like it? Don't listen to me. Don't force your ways on me. But I DO agree with the sware on the Bible thing. tat IS ridiculous, because then it is a specific religion and lots of people aren't religious or don't believe in the Bible. and you seem pretty unhappy with the christian religion. But yea, people are religious, and if they have a certain bumper sticker to express their opinion, what does it matter? They like to state their opinion on the issue.
And I agree redhotpogo, there are many Gods out there.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
12 Mar 10
The pledge of allegiance stands alone. There is no need to change one word of it.
@TheMetallion (1834)
• United States
12 Mar 10
Then why did they change it to add the words "under God"?
1 person likes this
