Under God Declares War

Wynter Guilbault
Mrs. Scott
March 10, 2015
4th Hour

Under God Declares War

I.

The Under God Portion in the Pledge of Allegiance Limits the Religious View of the
United States and Violates the Strength of the First Amendment

II.

Violation of Religious Neutrality

A. Feeling Outcast
B. Hostility Towards Other Religions

III.

First Amendment Statements

A. The Establishment Clause
B. Religious Statements

IV.

Separation of Church and State

A. Separation Between Citizens
1. Atheists Involvements
2. Different Deity
B. Intrusion of Religion in the Government

V.

The Under God Piece in the Pledge Limits the Religious Outlook of the United
States and Violates the Power of the First Amendment

Under God Declares War

Search Story
I fear my fellow Americans have become a people with little knowledge of where we
come from or how we got here- and no vision of our future, says Barbara Dority, an author of
the magazine The Humanist. Ever since the Ninth Circuits decision in 2002 ruling the under
God in the pledge is unconstitutional, it has become a widely debated topic across the country.
Some people question the reason behind placing that phrase in the pledge in the first place! Why
should America insinuate the United States is a monotheistic country when they are diverse in
races? The under God portion in the Pledge of Allegiance limits the religious outlook of the
United States and violates the power of the first amendment.

Reflecting back on these few weeks of endless working already gives me a headache. It
was a slightly difficult process, but it was rewarding nonetheless. We started in MEL, a database
supplied network. At first, I wanted to argue something different, but the lack of sources for my
original topic led me to pick a different one. This time around, I found nearly all my sources on
MEL, which simplified the experience quite a bit. Soon enough, we were moving from collecting
our sources to writing short pieces of information on an index card. At first, the rather simple
task seemed vexatious and dragged on. However, once I reach about my tenth card, writing
information was more of a reflex. Developing an outline fell next, but it didnt bother me. The
points of each paragraph came quickly, but I knew my difficulty would come when I actually sat
down and explained those points further.
Poll Results

When we were first told to conduct an interview or poll, I was compelled to create an
interview with a Ninth Circuit member. However, many people emphasized how difficult it
would be to interview someone whose schedule never seems to end. I found my answer when
Mrs. Scott said that there was no real expert I could talk to about my topic and she would be
intrigued to hear what other peers thought. I then created a poll with a total of five questions, and
I selected three of my classmates, my parents, my politically involved grandmother, three history
teachers from Larson Middle School, and my soccer coach. Ninety percent of people agreed with
the statement that the under God violates the first amendment. This surprised me because,
according to my sources, most people argued against that claim. Another 90% of my pulled
citizens agreed with the assumption students who dont believe in a deity feel like an outcast
during the pledge. One result that was unexpected was only 50% agreed that under God is
religious and does not belong in a national oath. Twenty percent of the remaining remained
neutral on the question. My overall results on my poll satisfied my curiosities as to what the
common person thought about my topic.
Search Findings
Most students who believe in a deity that isnt Christian feel like an outcast during the recitation
of the pledge. Students feel inclined to recite the words under God if their friends do so, even
if it means going against their own religion. In this way, those who reject theistic religions rightly
object to their children having to affirm that this is a nation under God. However, when peers
detect the one person who doesnt recite the words to our so-called oath, that person can be
targeted and may enter a more uncomfortable, hostile environment. Children also feel that their
religion may be particularly sought out, and their religion doesnt belong in what is forced as a
monotheistic country. When, in reality, this country is one to accept all varieties of people. This

constitutes more than words are a performative act; this is itself an act that communicates to
others (a kind of witnessing) the speakers belief in what he or she is saying (Marty 6). Some
people believe saying the words under God from the pledge is hostile towards religion. The
problem is young scholars are likely to view the pledge as an oath to their country, and if one
does not participate in that oath, they feel as an outcast and religiously vulnerable.
First Amendment Statements prove the under God in the pledge to be unconstitutional.
The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from interfering with individual religious
beliefs. Under God violates The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment by interfering
with those rights. The First Amendment does not demand hostility towards religion, but
neutrality! This country may have been first built under God, but it has evolved and been shaped
to except all religions that may cross its boundaries! The First Amendment prohibits
establishment of religion in the government, but One Nation Under God is obviously a religious
statement.
Not just The Establishment Clause is being violated by these religious words. Citizens of
the United States feel violated too! Why should the oath single out one deity from another?
Doing so shows feelings of favoritism to those who believe in a different god, or no god at all.
Such a purpose runs against the Establishment Clause- which bans the government from favoring
one at the expense of another. Citizens, not just school children, feel singled out by the authority
they seem to consume. The pledge sends a message to Atheists that they are outsiders and that
adherents are therefore favored in the political community.
Expressing your obligation to a god should not be included in an oath of patriotism. Love
of a country is not based on the citizens religious beliefs. When the government of the US sees

to fit to place the value of patriotism or adherence to constitutional principles predominately in a

religious context, it serves to weaken the bonds that hold all citizens of this country in common
(American Atheists). The under God is a government sponsored claim of the existence of a
single god that excludes believers in all other deities and excludes those who do not believe in
any god. Under God should have never been added to a government-created pledge because it
involves church as it is performed as a religious oath.
The under God piece in the Pledge limits the religious view of the United States and
violates the power of the First Amendment. It separates citizens of the United States, singles out
children with different beliefs than Christianity, and defies the First Amendment. As Barbara
Dority wrote, The displays of ignorance and intolerance and the arrogant posturing of
politicians have been truly appalling. Why is it so difficult to understand that we might just as
well be saying one nation under Buddha, David Koresh, Allah, or Zeus or one nation under
Wallstreet (or, as comedian Robin Williams suggests one nation under Canada)?

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