America is "One Nation UNDER God" why are my liberty's judged by anothers conscience when all men are equal?
110974
First, the pledge has only said "One nation, under God" since 1954 when it was added by Congress.\n\n"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal" is the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, an inspired but non-binding governmental document.\n\nYour liberties are judged as determined by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, both at the federal and state level. The government rules by the power granted it by the governed. There have been cases where the governed have made their case known and the government responded, such as granting women the right to vote, granting blacks equal rights in the 60's, or repealing Prohibition. \n\nMy subjective take on law is that it generally restates over and over again a simple premise: do no harm. Criminal laws cover doing harm to another in forms of personal or property damage, or even harm to oneself. Environmental law covers doing harm to the planet, financial laws cover doing harm to clients, etc. I think everyone has an equal stake in ensuring that no harm come to them or those around them and, as a result, have enlisted the aid of the government and the law in that struggle.
229549
I'm proud to be an American, but i do not share the same views as most of my fellow country men. it is wrong for the media or any one else for that fact to blame an entire county for what a few people do. no matter what country you come from now we all started in the same place. made by the same God. most of us wish to help other countries while still some Americans want to fight and go to war. the only time i believe god would approve of was is if it were to protect the innocent. fighting to conquer or revenge is just plain wrong. God didnt put us here to kill each other.
334484
America is ONE nation...there was no cohesive government to allow people to come to America back then. There were many many Tribes, some were war like and some weren't...they all wanted to attain what we have today...sooo..to answer you, NO...America belongs to Americans..The declaration of independence was written by Americans for the rest of the world to understand that from now on...we are a nation and will protect our own.
240052
Because: \n\nWe 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.\n\n The "all men are created equal", "liberty", and "pursuit of happiness" parts apply here. "Marriage" appears nowhere in the Declaration of Independence or The Constitution or Bill of Rights. Its a fundamentalist religion thing. The signers of the Declaration were fighting against exactly this type of thing when this country was founded - religious persecution.\n\nGay marriages do not need to be approved of by the Church, but need to be legal if the rights given to Americans by the Declaration of Independence and Constitution are to be upheld.\n\nI am a happily married heterosexual and see no reason why 2 homosexuals getting married would "demean" or "weaken" my marriage. Those who feel this way must not have much of a marriage in the first place.
978285
You infer correctly, and bravo for pointing this out.  People insist on it because that is what they want to believe, whether it is true or not.  They will insist that this is a "Christian" country, simply because Christianity is the main religion of the people.  In reality that doesn't mean squat to our Constitutional principles or freedoms.  If the founders wished to create a Christian nation they had the perfect opportunity to do so.  They chose instead to create a democratic republic in which religion has no say.  This fact gets conveniently ignored by fanatical Christians who think they automatically have the right to run everyone's lives.  They'll quote scripture as though it is civil law, but have little clue what the meaning of separation of church and state is at all.  Better education in our schools could help dissolve their ridiculous notion.\n~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\nAce?  For every quotation from a founder supporting the role of religion in government, I can produce two from the same founder speaking against it.  This debate went on for quite some time and the founders wrote and spoke about both sides of it extensively.  The proof in the pudding is that they had a chance to install a theocracy and chose not to do so.  They chose to keep that distance between church and state in the end.  How can you even argue with that when they didn't take the opportunity to create a theocracy?
1061768
Amen !  America was founded   with  God  as its leader, with the ten commandments as our basis for the law..God was   put on our currency, accepted in the  schools,  at sporting functions,in the home ,in the courts etc etc... now they  want to abolish God   ,  as if God has gone out of style,if the ACLU and  all the liberals have their way they will continue to  remove God from any thing and every thing !  it becomes more and more like revelations all the time... God bless!!!!
264555
I agree about our Constitution.  This nation was the first nation in the modern world where it was openly acknowledged that no one possesses perfect foresight, so our body of laws had to be flexible enough to accommodate future Americans and their future issues, but solid enough and based upon firm enough principles that they would not be changed on a whim.  The principles upon which our system was founded were (and are) so cutting edge that they have become a model for many countries where liberty and equality are at issue.  Under the ideals upon which this country was founded, it is easy to see why we are held up as the model against which other countries measure themselves.  However, the ideal and the reality sometimes are just far enough apart to reflect duplicity to those looking for c hinks in our collective armor.  Suffice it to say that ours is the most effective system operating for most intents and purposes, inconsistencies notwithstanding.
1142179
Because they do not read history.\nAnother reason is that if they believe there is no God, then they feel they do not have to pay the wages of their sins, which is death. (Death of the SOUL!)\n\nOH, and the seperation of church and state does NOT exist.  The Government can not tell you what church to belong to was the meaning fo that clause.  Church of England forced everyone to follow thier preachings.\n\nIN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776. \nTHE UNANIMOUS \nDECLARATION \nOF THE \nTHIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. \nWHEN, in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands, which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's GOD entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the Causes which impel them to the Separation. \n\nWe 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.--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate, that Governments long established, should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security. Such has been the patient Sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the Necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The History of the present King of Great-Britain is a History of repeated Injuries and Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid World. \n\nHE has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public Good. \n\nHE has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing Importance, unless suspended in their Operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. \n\nHE has refused to pass other Laws for the Accommodations of large Districts of People, unless those People would relinquish the Right of Representation in the Legislature, a Right inestimable to them, and formidable to Tyranny only. \n\nHE has called together Legislative Bodies at Places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the Depository of their public Records, for the sole Purpose of fatiguing them into Compliance with his Measures. \n\nHE has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly Firmness his Invasions on the Rights of the People. \n\nHE has refused for a long Time, after such Dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining, in the mean Time, exposed to all the Dangers of Invasion from without, and Convulsions within. \n\nHE has endeavoured to prevent the Population of these States; for that Purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their Migrations hither, and raising t
339250
IN the UNited States, mnay people see the oath upon the bible as meerely a nod to tradition.\n\nOur country was founded by many men, all who shared the same religion, who wanted to build the USA with a strong religious backround, hence we get "one nation under God".\n\nNeedless to say we live in a much different world today.  Not all americans pray to the same God, or pray at all. \n\nIn the beginning, presidents used their great great great grandfathers bible during their inaugural oath.  Today presidents are just as likely to use a regular old bible.  Perhaps a reflection of the times.\n\nGood thing or a bad thing, you decide.
352220
As the "self appointed" ruler of the universe,the U.S. government feels that the total annialation of a people is strictly their privlige.Only ONE "GOD" per planet PLEASE!
1022258
Interesting that most people have said Nationalism, thats probably true if you're an American since we think we are so great. However in a global scale I think religion is more dividing than nationalism.
626203
Well..I too am offended. I am so sick of people in America making decisions as to not offend others, but pushes our beliefs to the side...I LIVE IN AMERICA...I EXPECT to be able to speak of God when I wish and have his name on what I wish..if these people are so damn offended by God then they need to quit coming here. They use our american currency with God written on it don't they?!? We take God out of everything, take the pledge out of schools and wonder why so many kids are screwing up and going down the wrong path...It's like this because basically America has said...well we have founded ourselves on this BUT as to not offend anyone that has come here we are going to shut ourselves up to please others and keep God out of everything...Do the people in other countries quit worshipping whoever it is they do because we go there? Do they change the words in their pledges or whatever to satisfy us? Do they remove their God from anything public as to not offend anyone?? This is America, land of the free....or so I thought.
206899
Try this. I heard it really kills!\n\nFour score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.\n\nNow we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.\n\nBut, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate–we can not consecrate–we can not hallow–this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us–that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion–that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain–that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom–and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
379971
EVERY ONE IS EQUAL!! Why do you all think that b/c you were born in the U.S. that you are better than people that weren't? What makes you more deserving of living in a free country????? What have you done? They have fought and struggled to be here. You just happened to be the child of two people that lived here. THAT DOES NOT MAKE YOU MORE DESERVING THAN ANYONE ELSE!!! Get over your self righteousness and try do something for the world instead of yourself!\n\nNot in my country? What kind of BS is that?
481513
Hate is a powerful word...an emotion that can cause harm to others. It obliterates good judgement, changes decent people into obnoxious (and sometimes violent) individuals/mobs.  It is sad when people, who need to be right all the time, think they are.\n\nAmerica is not "pure and without sin".  I know you were just trying to point out that America is as good as it gets (and I agree), but America is run/influenced by individuals who are sometimes motivated by self-serving interests rather than looking out for the good of the country.  So, in some instances, America does not come off looking like the great nation it is/should be.\n\nAmerica has strayed from it's founders' ideas for a great nation, which was based on Christianity.  We were great when Christianity was at the head of this country.  Because believing in God and following his word does not allow certain behaviors (encouraged by the devil, himself), there are those who have chosen to "change" what is right to fit their wants and desires.  Sin catches on easily...so, we are becoming a mess...and it shows to Americans and to other countries.  (Of course, jealousy is a common thread too).\n\nWe still have a great country, but we are in need of some good, old fashioned values.  We need to follow God's rules and get back into shape.  It will take some doing, but those that believe need to stand up and say, "This is my America too, and we will follow God/Christianity!"
1115845
Lincoln put it best when he said, "Government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from this earth." Also the magnificent words of Thomas Jefferson. "All men are created equal. They are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. That amongst these are Life., Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.  "  Hard to improve on the words of these two statesmen when speaking of America's values.
354252
we hold these truths to be self evident, that all me are created equal. that they ere endowed by there creater with certain unalienable rights. that among these are life liberty and the pesuit of happiness.   bla bla bla