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"One nation under God" - Does it belong in our Pledge of Alliegance?
From: WeirdBliss
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002
Subject: serious thoughts
" A house divided against itself cannot
stand."
This evening while I was out in Port Jefferson, I went into a store with
Barbara (my friend who rocks). The
radio was on and I could not believe my ears
when I heard what the announcer had to say. Apparently, the Pledge of
Allegiance
was ruled unconstitutional today because it says, "One nation
under God." So first we have no prayer allowed, now this
too. It doesn't
surprise me, it only worries me. This country was built upon the foundation
of the Bible. Our rules,
our morals, come from God's word, or at least they
used to. People are always asking if God is real then why doesn't he
help us
out, meanwhile we are stuffing him in a closet in this country every day of
our lives, I myself in many areas
of my life are guilty of this, as we all
are in some regard. Do any of you own the Sonic Flood CD? Right after "I Have
Come to Worship," one of the members of the band starts talking about our
country, he said: "Foundations can't be
moved w/o destroying the
building...everything about the laws of this land were taken from scripture."
Along that
line of thought, if you destroy the structure that supports this
country, what will happen? We are walking a fine line
here...it's
unsurprisingly a scary thing being that what's going on is all coming
directly from Satan himself.(John
10;10-the thief comes only to steal and
kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.) It
makes me want to lay in bed all day crying just thinking about it, but don't
worry, I won't do that. I will eat some
lollipops and move on out of the
house. God has come so that we may have abundant life!(very cool of him!) It
seems
like were are now in a time where we are like grains of sand sliding
through the hour glass of time that leads to the
end. I am only writing all
of this because I am very upset about what's going on these days, especially
the message
I heard on the radio tonight. God's message is clear to me right
now (at least I think...)
2 Timothy 3;1-4 : "You
must understand this, that in the last days
distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers
of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents,
ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers,
profligates, brutes,
haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of
pleasure rather than lovers
of God."
Does 2 Timothy sound like us as a nation or what?! Like I said above, this is
some scary stuff.
If all
that has bothered me has bothered you to, I ask of you the following
things of you today.
1) please pray for our country
EVERYDAY!
2) time is running short, life has no guarantees, pray that you'll have the
opportunity to talk to someone
about Christ today, and if you get the window,
pray that you don't pass it up.
BE BOLD! And,
3) tell the people
that matter to you how much they do, you never know what
tomorrow brings, don't be left with regret, trust me, I know
tons about it!
Tiffany
p.s. the Bible quotes are from the NRSV (New Revised Standard Version) of the
bible.
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002
From: Jonathon Schilpp
Subject: Oh poo.
Tiffany,
Sorry, this is going to be
very quick indeed.
I know you're upset about this Pledge decision, but I have to agree that the phrase "under God"
didn't belong in the Pledge in the first place.
And in fact, it wasn't. Congress didn't revise the Pledge to include
the words "under God" until 1954. Ah, the 1950s! McCarthyism, Cold War paranoia, conformity, etc. And let's not forget about
the politicians who, pandering for votes by appealing to the flag, mom's pies, June Cleaver, religion, and of course "patriotism."
How
long before the media ask these judges "are you now, or have you ever been anti-American?"
Johnny Rocket
Thu 27
June 2002
From: GOVTKIM
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002
Subject: Re: serious
thoughts
Tiffany, I am so very happy that you had inspiring words for
all of us. Your collaboration of thought was interesting. I wrote to all of you to explain my thoughts on this subject and
I have to say they won't be so well put as Tiffany's.
Separation of Church and State was never outlined in the Constitution,
this we know is true; but however the Founding Fathers all had a silent agreement on it. Now that's simply be cause we were
a religious "free" country. Anyone who wanted to live here could, and practice whichever religion they cared too. That's what
makes us the country we are. Now even though the founding fathers were protestants, Catholics, Christians, whichever sector
of Christianity; they believed this too. They integrated things like "under God" into our country for a reason. Although we
were religiously "free" we weren't religiously abstinent. But what we all must understand is that the saying "under God" can
mean something different to the Muslims in this country or the Buddhists for instance. So it wasn't just directed for us out
there who believe in God, meaning the God we believe in.
Why was separation of church and state so big the last hundred
years? Well not only did it become a part of political lingo and culture; but everyone knows what it means. It was merely
done for monetary issues initially so that the government wouldn't' favor any religion in particular and given them more money
than another, so that's why it exists.
As far as my reaction as to yesterdays ruling. I think its all ridiculous. Prayers
in school is used to optionally, no one was forced; so to being stripped from the roster was pathetic. But think about the
sorts of people we have in the country. There are still atheists who want that cross that was standing after the WTC fell
to be taken away, after all why have a cross up if not everyone believes. So I say this country needs revising but it always
has. We're not perfect and unfortunately I don't think its the last we heard about the atheists of this country so in all
this; write more comments I love when we discuss American history and Politics.
Thanks again Tiffany and you too Allison
Kim
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 2002
Subject: One nation under God
From: Norbert Paetz
A message to all who happened to
drop something in my "Inbox" recently.
(and to all my other friends who have been reading the news lately)
Hey
guys,
My Inbox has been getting busy lately, with unfamiliar addresses and
interesting, and somewhat upsetting messages
dealing with the removal of
"under God" from our Pledge of Allegiance. It seemed to have started with
a message from
WeirdBliss. (Hooray for Tiff!) It obviously
started a ball rolling, and caused me to consider what I believe.
I went
through elementary school back in the 60's when we said the
Pledge of Allegiance, had a moment of silent prayer, and we
found the words
"God" and "prayer" in my history books. Yes, this was public school. In
the summer, I went to YMCA day
camp. For those who do not know, YMCA
stands for Young Men's Christian Organization. I never heard about
Allah, and
I didn't know what an atheist was. At 12 years old, I
believed that this nation was founded by people who turned to God
for
advice on how to build it.
God. Yeah, that's what we call him, since he never told us his name
except, perhaps
YHWH or I Am. Since we believe he is the only one (I'm a
Christian) then only he can be called God. But who is he? I believe
he
is the god of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the father of Jesus Christ,
who I call the Messiah. Only he, who fits
that description, can I call
God, and he is the one named in our Pledge of Allegiance.
Why is it in our Pledge of Allegiance?
Why can "In God we trust" be found
on all our currency and in all our courtrooms? Because the people who
implemented
that practice wanted to give God the glory for what he has
done in creating this nation. Most of the people before me believed
in
this. If you don't believe that, then just look at what most of them
wrote. In my generation, and thereafter, people
seem to have forgotten
where credit is due. Removing God from the equation is like removing the
foundation this country
is built upon. It would surely fall. WeirdBliss
expresses this in her letter very well.
Lastly, it is about religious
freedom. We enjoy giving God the glory
for what he has done. If an atheist wants to live here, fine, but it is
still
a nation "under God" whether he likes it or not. We will let him
believe what he wants. Are you Islamic? Come on in and
worship Allah.
We don't mind, but don't ask us to change our country to conform to your
beliefs. Anybody, regardless
of their religious faith, or lack of, may
live here, but don't ask us to forget the god that helped our forefathers
establish
this great nation.
May God bless,
Bert
The Pledge of Allegiance
A Short History
Copyright 1992 by Dr. John WE. Baer |
Francis Bellamy (1855 - 1931), a Baptist minister, wrote the original Pledge in August 1892. He was a Christian Socialist.
In his Pledge, he is expressing the ideas of his first cousin, Edward Bellamy, author of the American socialist utopian novels,
Looking Backward (1888) and Equality (1897).
Francis Bellamy in his sermons and lectures and Edward Bellamy in his novels and articles described in detail how the middle
class could create a planned economy with political, social and economic equality for all. The government would run a peace
time economy similar to our present military industrial complex.
The Pledge was published in the September 8th issue of The Youth's Companion, the leading family magazine and the
Reader's Digest of its day. Its owner and editor, Daniel Ford, had hired Francis in 1891 as his assistant when Francis
was pressured into leaving his Baptist church in Boston because of his socialist sermons. As a member of his congregation,
Ford had enjoyed Francis's sermons. Ford later founded the liberal and often controversial Ford Hall Forum, located in downtown
Boston.
In 1892 Francis Bellamy was also a chairman of a committee of state superintendents of education in the National Education
Association. As its chairman, he prepared the program for the public schools' quadricentennial celebration for Columbus Day
in 1892. He structured this public school program around a flag raising ceremony and a flag salute - his 'Pledge of Allegiance.'
His original Pledge read as follows: 'I pledge allegiance to my Flag and (to*) the Republic for which it stands, one nation,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.' He considered placing the word, 'equality,' in his Pledge, but knew that the
state superintendents of education on his committee were against equality for women and African Americans. [ * 'to' added
in October, 1892. ]
Dr. Mortimer Adler, American philosopher and last living founder of the Great Books program at Saint John's College, has
analyzed these ideas in his book, The Six Great Ideas. He argues that the three great ideas of the American political
tradition are 'equality, liberty and justice for all.' 'Justice' mediates between the often conflicting goals of 'liberty'
and 'equality.'
In 1923 and 1924 the National Flag Conference, under the 'leadership of the American Legion and the Daughters of the American
Revolution, changed the Pledge's words, 'my Flag,' to 'the Flag of the United States of America.' Bellamy disliked this change,
but his protest was ignored.
In 1954, Congress after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus, added the words, 'under God,' to the Pledge. The Pledge
was now both a patriotic oath and a public prayer.
Bellamy's granddaughter said he also would have resented this second change. He had been pressured into leaving his church
in 1891 because of his socialist sermons. In his retirement in Florida, he stopped attending church because he disliked the
racial bigotry he found there.
What follows is Bellamy's own account of some of the thoughts that went through his mind in August, 1892, as he picked
the words of his Pledge:
It began as an intensive communing with salient points of our national history, from the Declaration of Independence onwards;
with the makings of the Constitution...with the meaning of the Civil War; with the aspiration of the people...
The true reason for allegiance to the Flag is the 'republic for which it stands.' ...And what does that vast thing, the
Republic mean? It is the concise political word for the Nation - the One Nation which the Civil War was fought to prove. To
make that One Nation idea clear, we must specify that it is indivisible, as Webster and Lincoln used to repeat in their great
speeches. And its future?
Just here arose the temptation of the historic slogan of the French Revolution which meant so much to Jefferson and his
friends, 'Liberty, equality, fraternity.' No, that would be too fanciful, too many thousands of years off in realization.
But we as a nation do stand square on the doctrine of liberty and justice for all...
If the Pledge's historical pattern repeats, its words will be modified during this decade. Below are two possible changes.
Some profile advocates recite the following slightly revised Pledge: 'I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States
of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, born
and unborn.'
A few liberals recite a slightly revised version of Bellamy's original Pledge: 'I pledge allegiance to my Flag, and to
the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with equality, liberty and justice for all.'
A question asked... "What Is Beauty?"
Date: Thursday 28, 2002
Basically I got into a conversation the other day about beauty. And I wanted to know what
you guys thought beauty is or if you could give an example.
Paul
Tell me, "What makes a Man?"
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| Subject: |
Unusual question |
| Date: |
Tue, 17 Dec 2002 | |
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I figured I'd ask a Question
What makes a Man? What defines him?
What makes a woman? What defines her?
What the difference between an adult and a child?
A boy and a man, A girl and a woman?
Paul
And what do you think "Love" is?
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| To: |
"just a girl" |
| Subject: |
Hey |
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Sat, 26 Oct 2002 | |
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I know I asked you the other day this question but
I wish to ask it again.
What do you think love is?
Paul
Trust is needed
and family is a good example "You don't want to go on vacation with them but you cry at their funeral" Mark
Lowry
Actually I'm learning to be better with my family, My little sister is definetly a pain. Oh and she does enjoy reading
my emails
In some ways I guess love is being for someone even at the cost of self.
Love at times desire the happiness of someone else even if they don't return the feeling.
It giving without expecting anything in return. Although when love is given the receiver should respond in kind
Love has a proper response, yet it is wild and powerful
It's hopeful. It believe in great expectations
Love is dangerous
It can and does change people. It changes the one giving it as well as the one who receive it.
Love is not guranteed. It is a conscience effort. People can fall out of love
Perhaps Love best defined is the gaze of the heart. It what we dwell upon. So real love I guess depends on the object
you looking at. Let me explain. Some people have a love for money. All they do is think about getting money. That desire
of the heart, when given to money will return empty and destroy the heart. Yet if you look upon something worthy of love.
Like someone else and especially God, then the love returns and fills the person who gave with great emotion and satisfaction.
So by giving our lives we gain it when we give it to something worthy of that love. The more value that individual has the
more satisfying the love
Since I don't write poetry or anything really worth quoting I give you one of my favorite quotes about Love and Yes it
from C.S. Lewis
To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you
want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal... lock it up safe in the
coffin ofyour selfishness. But in that casket... it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbrakable, impenetrable...
The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbation of Love is Hell
Lastly I think that love is and essence, a virtue and out that being comes forth powerful emotions. The emotions are
not the source but the result.
Paul
"What Does 'America' Mean To You?"
Thought this might spark some letters and or conversation to you new website.
" WHAT DOES AMERICA MEAN TO YOU"
From a Romanian newspaper
We rarely get a chance to see another country's
editorial about the USA. Read this excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper. The article was written by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu
and published under the title "C"ntarea Americii
meaning "Ode To America") on September 24, 2002 in the Romanian newspaper
Evenimentul zilei("The Daily Event" or "News of the Day").
~An Ode to America~
Why are Americans so united?
They would not resemble one another even if you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the
world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs.
Still, the American tragedy turned three
hundred million people into a hand put on the heart. Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the army, and the secret
services that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts. Nobody rushed out onto
the streets nearby to gape about. The Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.
After
the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors
of the national flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a government official
or the president was passing. On every occasion they started singing their traditional song: "God Bless America!"
I
watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors
with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting
with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.
How
on earth were they able to respond united as one human being? Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory
of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were
put in a collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy.
What on earth can
unite the Americans in such a way? Their land? Their galloping history? Their economic Power? Money? I
tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding commonplace.
I thought
things over, but I reached only one conclusion... Only freedom can work such miracles
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