"In gods and goddesses we trust"

[jks9199]

It's a non-event.
Summary: House Concurring Resolution 13 (H.Con.Res 13) available via thomas.gov
Text:

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Whereas `In God We Trust' is the official motto of the United States;
Whereas the sentiment, `In God We Trust', has been an integral part of United States society since its founding;
Whereas in times of national challenge or tragedy, the people of the United States have turned to God as
their source for sustenance, protection, wisdom, strength, and direction;
Whereas the Declaration of Independence recognizes God, our Creator, as the source of our rights, `We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.';
Whereas the national anthem of the United States says `praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation * * * and this be our motto: in God is our trust.';
Whereas the words `In God We Trust' appear over the entrance to the Senate Chamber and above the Speaker's rostrum in the House Chamber;
Whereas the oath taken by all Federal employees, except the President, states `I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.';
Whereas John Adams said, `Statesmen may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand.';
Whereas if religion and morality are taken out of the marketplace of ideas, the very freedom on which the United States was founded cannot be secured;
Whereas as President Eisenhower said and President Ford later repeated, `Without God, there could be no American form of government, nor, an American way of life.'; and
Whereas President John F. Kennedy said, `The guiding principle and prayer of this Nation has been, is now, and ever shall be `In God We Trust.': Now, therefore, be it

• Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress reaffirms `In God We Trust' as the official motto of the United States and supports and encourages the public display of the national motto in all public buildings, public schools, and other government institutions.

Passed the House of Representatives November 1, 2011.
Attest:
Clerk.

 

[Sukerkin]

As an individual I agree it's a non-event but what of that sizeable number whose reason tells them that there is no such 'creature' as god (in any of the extant forms)? Is it not a sign to them that the superstitious theocrats are still knocking on the door of secular power even now in the 21st century?

In their eyes (and mine) such phrases as JKS lists above are inherently false in their presumption of the existence of what does not exist and to perpetuate such things in the modern setting of an advanced Western culture is a worry. Particularly as the one great 'enemy' of peace still out there (not counting the economic giants that are poised to swallow up the West) uses much the same language in it's (violent) political decision making.

Is it a good thing to be putting out a theocratic 'message' to the international community when the very thing that is supposed to be promulgating the doom of us all is a theocratic message?

 

[Carol]

Religion is irrelevant. This is an act of desperation. A desperate toss of red meat to pacify the loyalists of a party who haven't produced fearful of losing a majority in the upcoming election, and fearful of losing to an unpopular President.

Would have predicted that they would see a headline such as THIS during the election cycle?

Both the Republican winner of the special election in Rockingham County and the Democratic loser said that the Tea Party was really the big loser of the election tonight.

http://politicalscoop.wmur.com/gop-dems-tea-party-loser-of-special-election

I dunno if it was the Tea Party activist Joe Barton that threatened a female (Republican) state senator, then later persisted on calling her out on NHGOPs facebook page, offering a large sum of cash for anyone to primary her (Representatives and Senators are unpaid here!). Some though it was fair game, as the senator was a Republican that (gasp) did not support Right To Work legislation! But.....shockingly, that same activist fell mighty silent on the subject when a Republican union firefighter was voted in to office in a special election and said he would not support Right To Work. I wonder why Barton hasn't threatened the union firefighter?


Or maybe it was the 91 y.o. rep who said disabled people should be shipped to Siberia, or the state rep that was elected but never ever showed up at the capital.....stating "financial difficulties" (again....Representatives and Senators are unpaid here! ). Or maybe it was the guy that didn't step down after getting arrested on a DUI last year. It took till he got arrested for driving on a license that had been suspended since that DUI matter that got him to step down. Or maybe it was because the NH Tea Party was far more interesting when it was independent and outside voters, and much less interesting now that they are just another sourceparroting the RNC party line.

Voters (remember them?) have had enough. 2010 saw Republicans taking a trouncing majority...Republicans outnumbering Democrats 3 to 1 in both houses.

But since starting the session in January...3 deep Republican districts suddenly elected Democrats in landslide 60%-40% victories. The union firefighter that won, was the only special election won by NHGOP...even with Obama's numbers at an all time low.

NH is not giving up on the GOP. Romney has the strongest Republican primary numbers since Reagan. But clearly the voters believe that they aren't being heard, so they are speaking with their ballots.

The RNC is watching while districts that are 100%, 100%, and 90% Republican elect a Democrat in a landslide. The DNC is watching while Democrats are elected from heavily and historically Republican districts in a landslide, but the sitting Democrat President is tanking.

9 weeks till NH, 4 months till Super Tuesday, then we'll really see the desperation kick in. Its already being planned.

 

[jks9199]

Sorry, but this bill is a non-event. It does nothing, it simply restates that the US motto is "In God We Trust", with a lot of pretty verbiage and a vague encouragement that the phrase be promoted as such. It makes no change in law, it's just feel good noise. It'll be a very small sop to the Religious Right... emphasis on small. It's not much more than a company saying we value our employees -- while freely planning a massive layoff.

 

[elder999]

Sorry, but this bill is a non-event. It does nothing, it simply restates that the US motto is "In God We Trust", with a lot of pretty verbiage and a vague encouragement that the phrase be promoted as such. It makes no change in law, it's just feel good noise. It'll be a very small sop to the Religious Right... emphasis on small. It's not much more than a company saying we value our employees -- while freely planning a massive layoff.

Or, to put it another way:

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest...We-Trust-Why-Congress-reaffirmed-the-US-motto



"The House on Tuesday passed a non-binding resolution reaffirming "In God We Trust" as the national motto. The measure sponsored by Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., supports and encourages the motto's display in all public schools and government buildings."


Woooow. Seriously?!

"Non binding resolution"=doesn't mean ****. :lfao:

 

[Carol]

Or, to put it another way:



"Non binding resolution"=doesn't mean ****. :lfao:

What, you don't like red meat?

 

[WC_lun]

I not christian, but I don't give two hoots that they want "In God We trust" on our money or on government buildings. What I do have a problem with is the House wasting time on this nonsense while there are such bigger issues going on in the US. I have to ask, Republican or Democrat, is this what we are paying our representatives to do?

 

[granfire]

I not christian, but I don't give two hoots that they want "In God We trust" on our money or on government buildings. What I do have a problem with is the House wasting time on this nonsense while there are such bigger issues going on in the US. I have to ask, Republican or Democrat, is this what we are paying our representatives to do?

yes, yes it is......

 

[Twin Fist]

seperation means the government cant sponser a church like what happened in england, everyone just forgets what that actually was intended to protect us from...

not to mention freedom OF doesnt equal freedom FROM

Ahh. So you don't agree with the separation of church/state concept. I guess I just assumed.

 

[Tez3]

seperation means the government cant sponser a church like what happened in england, everyone just forgets what that actually was intended to protect us from...

not to mention freedom OF doesnt equal freedom FROM

The government here doesn't 'sponsor' a church, I think you have muddled things up. The Queen is the 'Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England'.
http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/QueenandChurch/QueenandtheChurchofEngland.aspx

 

[elder999]

The government here doesn't 'sponsor' a church, I think you have muddled things up. The Queen is the 'Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England'.
http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/QueenandChurch/QueenandtheChurchofEngland.aspx

The Church of England also has 26 seats in the House of Lords-I've always thought of it as officially part of your government, but does not receive any government revenue. (This from someone who was raised as part of the Anglican communion-Episcopalian-is the son and grandson of Episcopal priests and the son of an avid Anglophile....)

So it's the government sanctioned and recognized church, of which about something like 2% of the populace attend....:lol:

 

[fangjian]

I just can't help but laugh

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumblarge_247/12052858698UU67M.jpg

Tried to get an image of Americas dollar as well.

----------Note: Sorry, can't figure out how to upload or get the url right. I'm just contrasting Americas money with British money, and how they are different in what they show support for.

 

[Tez3]

The Church of England also has 26 seats in the House of Lords-I've always thought of it as officially part of your government, but does not receive any government revenue. (This from someone who was raised as part of the Anglican communion-Episcopalian-is the son and grandson of Episcopal priests and the son of an avid Anglophile....)

So it's the government sanctioned and recognized church, of which about something like 2% of the populace attend....:lol:

The Cheif Rabbi is also in the House of Lords as a 'Lord Spiritual' as opposed to a 'Lord Temporal'.

The House of Lords is part of Parliament not the government. The government at the moment is made up of a coalition of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

We have always had figures of note on our bank notes never politicians or their ilk.

The church of England isn't government sanctioned, it's under the protection of the monarch who will however take advice from the Prime Minister on appointing senior ranks in the church but as with a row thats going on at the moment the Queen doesn't have to take their advice, she often has ideas of her own. Prince Charles if and when he takes the throne has said he will become the Defender of the Faiths.

 

[elder999]

The House of Lords is part of Parliament not the government. The government at the moment is made up of a coalition of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

Okay-color me confused. I thought Parliament was the legislative body of Great Britain-wouldn't a legislative body be part of the government? Wouldn't having seats in that body make an organization also part of the government?

The church of England isn't government sanctioned, it's under the protection of the monarch who will however take advice from the Prime Minister on appointing senior ranks in the church but as with a row thats going on at the moment the Queen doesn't have to take their advice, she often has ideas of her own. Prince Charles if and when he takes the throne has said he will become the Defender of the Faiths.

From the Church of England's webpage :

The settlement of 1689 has remained the basis of the constitutional position of the Church of England ever since, a constitutional position in which the Church of England has remained the established Church with a range of particular legal privileges and responsibilities, but with ever increasing religious and civil rights being granted to other Christians, those of other faiths and those professing no faith at all.

As well as being the established Church in England, the Church of England has also become the mother church of the Anglican Communion, a group of separate churches that are in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury and for whom he is the focus of unity.

From the excellent Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English Language Technical Manual (that's engineerspeak for "dictionary"-oh, by the by, Webster's is an Encyclopedia Britannica company.):

established church noun Definition of ESTABLISHED CHURCH: a church recognized by law as the official church of a nation or state and supported by civil authority

Wikipedia redirects "established church" to here

A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. A state with an official religion, while not secular, is not necessarily a theocracy.

State religions are official or government-sanctioned establishments of a religion, but neither does the state need be under the control of the church (as in a theocracy), nor is the state-sanctioned church necessarily under the control of the state.

So, the Church of England is the "official religion of Great Britain"-with a congregation of 2% of the populace...
:lol:

Oh, and Happy Birthday, Irene!

 

[seasoned]

Oh, and Happy Birthday, Irene!

Missed it, Happy Birthday, Tez3.

Sorry to interrupt all the fun, carry on.

 

[Tez3]

Okay-color me confused. I thought Parliament was the legislative body of Great Britain-wouldn't a legislative body be part of the government? Wouldn't having seats in that body make an organization also part of the government?



From the Church of England's webpage :



From the excellent Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English Language Technical Manual (that's engineerspeak for "dictionary"-oh, by the by, Webster's is an Encyclopedia Britannica company.):



Wikipedia redirects "established church" to here





So, the Church of England is the "official religion of Great Britain"-with a congregation of 2% of the populace...
:lol:

Oh, and Happy Birthday, Irene!

The Church of England is the 'official' religion of England, not the UK. You won't find the Church of England in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, they have their own.


Parliament and Government aren't the same thing.
http://www.parliament.uk/education/online-resources/parliament-explained/

http://www.parliament.uk/education/...youve-got-the-power/ygtp-parliament-overview/



cheers! I am now officially very old lol!

 

[jks9199]

I not christian, but I don't give two hoots that they want "In God We trust" on our money or on government buildings. What I do have a problem with is the House wasting time on this nonsense while there are such bigger issues going on in the US. I have to ask, Republican or Democrat, is this what we are paying our representatives to do?

What, you think they ought to be doing something like, oh, passing a budget? Taking back some of the power they've ceded to the President by neglect?

Not happy with the job that the incumbents are doing? Vote 'em out. Me? I'm about this close to voting for the nutbar fringe candidates until the Congress is stacked with people who might actually do what they're elected for instead of the political gridlock between the two major parties... It ain't like they can be less effective than the incumbents!

 

[jks9199]

Regarding the confusion on "government" and "Parliament"... I think I know what's going on. For us here in the US, when we talk about the "government", we're talking about the entire group that governs the country (or city or county or state...). So, when you here us say "government", we might mean the elected officials, we might mean the working people who do most of the actual day-to-day work of running the country, or we might mean the whole kit & kaboodle. When Tez and many others from the UK (and other countries) talk about the Government -- they're referring specifically to the collection of ministers, secretaries, and what-have-you that do the work of running the country -- but NOT the Parliament. I get the feeling it's more or less limited to what we'd consider the Executive branch here in the US.

 

[ballen0351]

#1 It annoys me that congress is so worried about stupid thins like steroids in baseball, HGH in Football and now this instead of doing real work like cutting sending

#2 It annoys me that we must change tradition in the name of not offending anyone. "In God we Trust" has been on our money since the mid 1800's at this point its more tradition then a support of one god over another. People just need to grow up stop looking for any attempts to make a victim class. If You dont believe in God fine but the $5.00 in your pocket still spends just like the guys $5.00 bill that Pastor has in his pocket. When do we stop changing things just because someone does not like it. We wont have any traditions left at this rate. Then again I somehow think that may be the plan of some.

 

[Tez3]

What, you think they ought to be doing something like, oh, passing a budget? Taking back some of the power they've ceded to the President by neglect?

Not happy with the job that the incumbents are doing? Vote 'em out. Me? I'm about this close to voting for the nutbar fringe candidates until the Congress is stacked with people who might actually do what they're elected for instead of the political gridlock between the two major parties... It ain't like they can be less effective than the incumbents!

Contact these people and start an American branch of the party. When you read what they say it actually makes sense! They've put candidates up for Parliamentary elections and don't always come last.
http://www.omrlp.com/