Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Path: decwrl!sun!imagen!isaak
Subject: To De-coin a Phrase
Posted: 5 May 88 17:18:47 GMT
Organization: Imagen Corp., Santa Clara CA

Congress is starting to talk seriously about modernizing the designs on coins.
This would be an excellent opportunity to remove one of the most firmly
entrenched instances of discrimination in the country--the phrase "In God We
Trust" on U.S. coins.

This phrase is a blatant denial of the millions of Americans who believe in
atheistic or polytheistic religions, who worship a goddess, or who don't
believe in religion at all.  It is also contrary to many of the mainstream
religions, because by saying that God has a hand in controlling the country,
it contradicts the belief that people have free will.  When that phrase is
stamped on the nation's coins, does that mean that the people who object to it
don't belong in the country, or just that they shouldn't have any money?

Our coins used to have the word "Liberty" on them.  I find it ironic that that
concept disappeared shortly after a parochial religious motto was added.

Other than tradition and religious proselytizing, there is no reason for our
coins to say "In God We Trust."  Proselytizing is not the proper function of
the U.S. Mint, and tradition should not take precedence over the First
Amendment.

If you wish to express your views on this subject to those who are in a
position to do something about it, the members of the Senate Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs Committee are:  William Proxmire (chairperson), Alan
Cranston, Donald W. Riegle, Jr., Paul Sarbans, Christopher Dodd, Alan J.
Dixon, Jim Sasser, Terry Sanford, Richard C. Shelby, Bob Graham, Jake Garn,
John Heinz, William L. Armstrong, Alfonse D'Amato, Chic Hecht, Phil Gramm,
Christopher S. Bond, and John H. Charee.  They can be reached at Senate Office
Building, Washington, D.C., 20510.

The members of the U.S. Fine Arts Commission, which advises the government on
coins, are:  J. Carter Brown (chairperson), Carolyn J. Deaver, Roy M. Goodman,
Frederick E. Hart, Neil H. Porterfield, Pascal Regan, and Diane Wolf.  The
address of this Commission is 708 Jackson Place Northwest, Washington, D.C.,
20006.

     -- Mark Isaak
    UUCP: {decwrl,sun}!imagen!isaak
    ARPA: imagen!isaak@decwrl.dec.com
    Standard disclaimers apply.

        "Inquiry is fatal to certainty." - Will Durant