Saturday, October 08, 2005

New nickel design.

Here's what the new US five-cent piece design looks like. Sort of. There's a lot of lip service to religious freedom in this country, but our government is saturated with references to God. Not just the Pledge of Allegiance, it's all throughout our currency as well. Many official government functions begin with a benediction, a prayer to God by some Christian religious figure. We swear in court on the Bible, not the Koran.

If you don't see a problem with that, take a look at the image here. Are you okay with that? Because that's what "In God We Trust" looks like to somebody who has a religion that doesn't believe in God.

I call this acid test "The Old Switcheroo." When you think there might be a problem with religious freedom, insert the word "Satan" where the word "God" goes and see how that makes you feel. The Switcheroo also works to detect sexism. Remember the old commercial for Arrow that showed a lovely lady wearing her lover's shirt? He calls her at home and she says, "I was just thinking about you." Now flip that around and put him at home in her bra when she calls. Creepy? You decide.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like the "switcheroo" idea you pose. While I don't know that I would call it a perfect litmus test, it at least forces you to think of the concept in question in a more balanced light.

When I was teaching we discussed this topic, more specifically referencing the "one nation under God" clause in the Pledge of Allegience. During the conversation one of my students posed an interesting thought - the First Ammendment guarantees us freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. I'd never thought of that before, and it's a pretty relevent distinction.

Kathy said...

I hate to be the one to point out the semantics, but when someone else's religion is forced on you, you by definition do not have the full freedom of your own.

thisismarcus said...

Right on, brother! I love it.

Jason: someone like Dave Chappelle does a pretty good job of mocking his own race too. I love the White American accent he does. The colour of someone's skin shouldn't dictate what they can and can't say, should it? Hate is hate and comedy is comedy. It's funny because it's true!

Shocho said...

Yeah, I think that when every piece of change in my pocket talks about God, that's the government pushing an agenda. It's bad enough they have to use Latin, another practice I abhor.

Mkae said...

I will be happy to take any money that athesists find distasteful. Certainly, if they're so offended, then they won't want any part of it. Please post your bank account information here and I will relieve you of this burden.

Kindralas said...

Three things real quick:

One, in court, they will provide a Koran if you are Muslim to swear upon.

Two, one also cannot reasonably complain about refernces to the Christian religion as being offensive in today's society. This is a pretty huge deal when one thinks about it.

Three, it amazes me how many Christians simply don't know what they're talking about. Many Christians quote "let he who is without sin cast the first stone," but very few seem to understand the parable.

Maybe I'll break the religion rule on my blog and say somethings...

Shocho said...

Maybe I didn't make my point well enough. Why do you have to swear on a religious book when you testify in court? Can't I be an agnostic? Doesn't freedom of religion mean my choice can be none? References to God from my government tell me that I should be believing in God. I don't think they should do that.

Kindralas said...

Maybe I didn't make my point well enough. The court will accomodate your oath when you swear in. They do have an "agnostic" or "atheistic" oath as well.

Anyway, in a response to Mkae, above, though I know he was joking, the point isn't necessarily an offense taken to the statement, but to the falsehood that one has religious freedom in America. You are not necessarily free to practice your religion, you are free from persecution from practicing your religion.

Much like the freedom of speech does not mean you can say what you want and nothing will happen, but that you can say whatever you want, and the Gestapo won't kill you for it.

GiromiDe said...

Some argue the establishment clause keeps government free of religious entanglements and not the other way around. To be sure, many of this nation's founders subscribed to the Enlightment notion of deism -- of a more passive Supreme Being that can be recognized but not necessarily worshipped.

Mkae said...

Kindralas,

What religion are you not free to practice in America?