The Pledge of Allegiance, Prayer & Religious Freedom

June 27, 2002

Letter to the Editor

Sent to: LA Times / Salt Lake Tribune / Deseret News

Dear Judges of the Ninth Circuit Court:

Please allow me to ask you some questions. 

What specific religion is being established with the words, "under God" in the pledge of allegiance?  Is it the God of the Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Methodists, Mormons, Presbyterians, Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah Witnesses etc.?  If someone can show me what specific religious denomination is being favored (or established) to the exclusion of the others then, in fact, I would agree that it would be unconstitutional.  

Our Constitution permits us to pray, or not to pray (even in the public square).  We have complete freedom of expression.  The first amendment says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."  It doesn't prohibit the mention of God in the public square.  By the way, the phrase "separation of church and state" is not found in the Declaration of Independence or The U.S. Constitution. Thomas Jefferson wrote the phrase in response to a letter he received from the First Danbury Baptist Church.  They had heard a rumor that the Federal Government was going to establish a national church.  The Founders never wanted to divorce God from politics.  That is a complete distortion of their views.

This misguided logic also applies to the Supreme Court decision that banned prayers from schools in 1962, Engel v. Vitale. Here's the prayer that was rendered unconstitutional by the court.  Now, tell me, what specific religious denomination was being established? 

"Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessing upon us, our parents our teachers and our country."

Now, if it were only a Jewish prayer, or Muslim prayer, or Mormon prayer, or Catholic prayer, it would be unconstitutional.  However, it was so broad, no one could be offended because of its inclusiveness.  It beautifully tailors our national logo, E Pluribus Unum, "out of many, one."  The courts decision in that case actually violates the establishment clause in the first amendment and, in my opinion, establishes a religion, "secular atheistic humanism."  Unfortunately, that is the law of the land, but there was no precedence for it at all.  It was judicial activism at best and distorts America's true history. 

For example, should we further distort American history by banning the reading of the Declaration of Independence in schools because it mentions God on four separate occasions?  

(1) Laws of Nature and Nature’s God; (2) endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness; (3) We, therefore...appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World; (4) with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence … mutually pledge to each other are Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

George Washington said in his first Inaugural address.   "No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States.  Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of Providential agency."  Should we ban his speech from the public square?

How about banning our national motto, "In God We Trust" from all U.S. currency?  Should we ban Congress from praying?  Both houses of Congress open their sessions with prayer and the Supreme Court starts its session with "God save the United States and this Honorable court." 

Nevertheless, we ban children from praying in school?  Explain that to me.  I am bewildered.  No wonder our children are confused.  No wonder basic values are eroded.

How about banning the singing of our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, which contains this verse:  "Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land, Praise the pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!  Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto "In God is our Trust."

How about banning Lincoln's famous Gettysburg address?  He said, "...We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

What would you do when, after Sept. 11, 2001 all of our Congressmen and Senators walked outside on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and sang "God bless America."  Should we ban the singing of that song on public property as well?  Was it unconstitutional? 

How about banning the 10 commandments from hanging in the Supreme Court?  It mentions God. Again, I ask, what specific religious denomination is it establishing?

The founders set up this country based on certain principles and among the most precious was our right of religious freedom.  We don't require anyone to believe in a particular religion and our justice is rightfully blindfolded to meet out its edicts regardless of one's religious beliefs.  We are all created equal and have equal protection under the law whether one is an atheist, agnostic, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Christian etc.  However, the fact is, whether one likes it on not, America is a religious country.  The Supreme Court summed up its views many years ago when it declared in Zorach v. Clauson "We are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being." 

We can't change history; however, some want to forget, distort, and revise it, thereby placing America's religious truths in history's ashbin.  

God bless America.

Brad Probst