Plan to De-Godify Coins Foiled

We can all relax now. The first moves in a nefarious plan by atheists and secular humanists to de-Godify our coinage have been foiled by the quick action of Brother, I mean, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and President Bush. The U.S. mint is issuing a series of useless one dollar coins commemorating various past presidents. As part of the design the motto "In God We Trust" has been moved from the face of the coins to the rims. Over at the Conservative Voice website, Bonnie Alba ominously asked:

Is there a possible correlation between this coin and the ongoing actions in all areas of society and our court system to delete any public reference to God, to Christianity, and the transition of our nation to total materialsim with a State religion of Humanism? Without God? Without reliance on God's providence?

As the Christian Post reports:

Legislation sponsored by Sen. Sam Brownback to move "In God We Trust" back to a prominent place on the coin was signed by President Bush on Wednesday as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008.

The move of the inscription from the edges to the front or back of the coin "shall be put into effect by the Secretary of the Treasury as soon as is practicable," according to the provision.

The motto first appeared on U.S. coins during the Civil War and on paper currency in 1957. "New atheist" books may have been bestsellers in 2007, but readers had to pay for them with a currency that pledges fealty to the deity. So there.

Comments

[Bingo]

Um, is Bonnie related to that other Alba?

[Episiarch]

Ah, the one dollar coin. Every issuance of these coins has been overwhelmingly rejected by the American people*, yet they keep on coming like Joan Rivers. I guess the mint needed some pork.

* yes, we all want 6 pounds of metal in our pockets to walk around with. I don't understand why the Canadians and limeys put up with it.

[the innominate one]

"...the ongoing actions in all areas of society and our court system to delete any public reference to God, to Christianity..."

I must have missed the news reports of all those televangelists being arrested for their public references to God and Christianity.

[joshua corning]

books may have been bestsellers in 2007, but readers had to pay for them with a currency that pledges fealty to the deity. So there.

Visa must put that on my plastic with invisible ink. Those godful bastards!

[Beelzebub]

Fear not, my secular humanist friends. This is only a setback ...

[Ron Bailey]

jc: Invisible indeed, but when I use my Visa an ATM, it spits out bills with the motto on them. 😉

[scooby doo criminal]

...and I would've gotten away with it if it wasn't for those meddling kids politicians

[Tbone]

So even interesting coin design must fall subservient to the "God has to be in your face to be relevant" crowd. As if the mythical creator of heaven and earth would give a rat's ass.

I wish the US Mint would just hurry up and kill the penny and the dollar note.

[Bingo]

joshua:

Don't you know that a cashless society is a sign of the coming of the anti-Christ? Repent, sinner!

[J sub D]

Ah, the one dollar coin. Every issuance of these coins has been overwhelmingly rejected by the American people*, yet they keep on coming like Joan Rivers. I guess the mint needed some pork.

That's because the Treasury Department is run by idiots. Stop making $1 bills. Mint the coins. The US populace will somehow muddle through. Sheesh.

[J sub D]

* yes, we all want 6 pounds of metal in our pockets to walk around with. I don't understand why the Canadians and limeys put up with it.

A buck is worth less than a 1960 quarter. Yet people still used coins, not paper, for their 1960 $0.25 purchases. Re-Sheesh!

[crimethink]

yes, we all want 6 pounds of metal in our pockets to walk around with.

You'd need a lot of dollar coins to even amount to a pound. Do you typically carry that many singles?

I would say that the main constituency with reason to oppose dollar coins would be strippers, but given the inflation rate, they're probably demanding fives now anyway.

[J sub D]

We used to have the Roman god Mercury on our dimes. Were all of the good Christian Americans protesting back then? A bunch of insecure people looking to get offended and politicians that pander to them.

[thoreau]

We libertarians should be all in favor of metallic money!

🙂

[Warren]

I wish the US Mint would just hurry up and kill the penny and the dollar note.

That has been my line in the sand. I'll trade in dollar coins only after we stop minting G-D pennies. But as noted above, I rarely ever exchange cash anymore. Wealth flows in direct deposit, and goes out with online bill pay (purchases are made with plastic and paid online).

[Pro Libertate]

At least the new coins feature people I think deserve coinage. With all due respect to Ms. Anthony and Sacagawea (and the kid in the papoose). A coin featuring a loon would also be cool. Hmmm.

Let's face it, this is all a waste of time. Electronic money is where it's at, man.

[J sub D]

As if the mythical creator of heaven and earth would give a rat's ass.

Are you kidding me? He cares if we eat shellfish and if menstruating women defile his temple. Surely the creator and destroyer of galaxies cares about the designs of coinage.

[Rhywun]

Sickening. "In God We Trust" is now more important than "E Pluribus Unum" (which remains banished on the edge)? Ironic, given that the former slogan is proof of the latter's irrelevance in today's America.

[brotherben]

Methinks the strippers might be a little uneasy with the change from from use the g-note string to the coin slot.

[Tbone]

Oh and before I forget, Brownback's an asshat. . .like this needed legislative attention. I would further imagine the production cost impact is significant.

[Mr. Nice Guy]

No religion is a religion, see?
No opinion is a opinion, see?
No state is a state, see?

This gets silly. For the government to take no religious position is not in itself a "religious" position. In fact it is plainly the opposite. It is, in fact, to take NO position. It's only "God-less" in the sense that a theological position is unneccessary to decide where to build roads or where to place a police department.

[anon.]

So, when paper and coin become obsolete can we count on Sen. Brownback (or one of his intellectual heirs) to sponsor legislation mandating the motto on our credit/debit cards? Because if I don't see a reference to God every time I pull out my wallet, I don't know what I'll do.

[Rhywun]

I don't understand why the Canadians and limeys put up with it.

If we must have money (and we will for a long time to come), don't you think it's a good idea to cut costs?

PS. I prefer dollar coins, which don't require my compulsive need to smooth them out before putting them in my wallet, plus they work better in machines. Dollar bills are so worthless now I just toss them in a drawer when I get home, just like change, rather than deal with using them.

[crimethink]

He cares if we eat shellfish and if menstruating women defile his temple.

That was only for our own good.

[Pro Libertate]

It's all Big Dollar Store's fault. They don't want to have to lug around bags of coins, see.

[Biff]

Dollar coins are actually better for the stripping industry, in a way. Ever been to Montreal? You put the coins into delicate places, and the strippers do some pretty acrobatic moves to manuever the coins into special slots in the stage.

[Pig Mannix]

The U.S. mint is issuing a series of useless one dollar coins commemorating various past presidents.

Well, not entirely useless. The vending machine at work spits them out as change for a fiver...

As part of the design the motto "In God We Trust" has been moved from the face of the coins to the rims.

I can see the headlines now - "U.S. Mint Gives God a Rim-job!"

Sorry, couldn't resist.....

I prefer the originlal motto on our coinage. In a country where no one, anywhere, seems to be able to mind their business anymore, the citizenry could profit from the reminder....

[crimethink]

I've never heard of the "stripping industry" before! It's only a matter of time till we all become slaves of the erotic-industrial complex, I guess.

[the innominate one]

MNG, if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice 🙂

[Lamar]

If by "God" you mean, "this worthless piece of paper that we can just print more of" then you have a point.

[crimethink]

The fourth verse of the Star Spangled Banner seems to indicate this motto was already around in 1812:

Oh! thus be it ever,
when freemen shall stand,
between their loved home
and the war's desolation!

Then conquer we must,
when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto:
"In God is our trust."

And the star-spangled banner
in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free
and the home of the brave!

[.]

You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill.
I will choose a path that's clear; I will choose freewill.

[Pro Libertate]

If we're going to have godlike currency, why not go back to the classics, like "In hoc signo vinces"? At least it's in Latin. Better yet, use the real phrase that Constantine claimed to have seen, "En toutoi nika" (Greek, but no time to use correct alphabet). Of course, using either of those phrases under, say, "One Dollar" conveys a different meaning than historically intended.

[Graphite]

Why don't we just put God's face on the next dollar coin? For that matter, on all the coins?

It's a symbol of how far those overbearing materialists and atheists have come that we haven't done this already.

[brotherben]

In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc.
Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620.[

[Heinrick]

" It's only "God-less" in the sense that a theological position is unneccessary to decide where to build roads or where to place a police department."

Do you mean to tell me that they are not gonna build new govenrment offices, only on consecrated ground?

[Heinrick]

"Why don't we just put God's face on the next dollar coin? For that matter, on all the coins?"

To be inclusive we should do one with the face of Mohamid on it.

[thoreau]

If you want to put God's face on a coin, first we have to figure out what He looks like.

I hear there's a picture in this Ark. Maybe the President could go open it...

[Graphite]

I always figured we could use Wilford Brimley as the model for God. Or maybe the "energy storm God" thing from the conclusion of Star Trek V.

Although the thought of a dollar coin that strikes you dead if you look at it is most intriguing ....

[VM]

"At least it's in Latin"

like:

"vidi, vici, veni"?

[Taktix?]

I'm all for putting the Buddy Jesus on the dollar coin.

And I'm a secular humanist (wow, sounds so much less threatening than "atheist." Thanks for the term!

[brotherben]

Uva Uvam Vivendo Varia Fit

[crimethink]

I hear there's a picture in this Ark. Maybe the President could go open it...

Not yet, Bush is on his way out already. Wait till Hillary wins nextthis year.

Anyway, I would suggest allaying concerns of religious favoritism by putting a picture of Mohammed on the coins as well, but that might not go over either.

[bigbigslacker]

One day we'll be required to display one of these:

http://www.alittleleaven.com/2007/11/dashboard-jesus.html

[Mike Laursen]

Yes, I'm sure God wants His name all over our mammon.

Meanwhile, the Postal Service is a den of atheists. I don't see one reference to God anywhere on any of the current crop of stamps. I trust Brownback will get to them next.

[Mike Laursen]

I'm all for putting the Buddy Jesus on the dollar coin.

I'd be for "In God We Trust" if we added, "All others must pay cash." What would that be in Latin?

[Taktix?]

I hear there's a picture in this Ark. Maybe the President could go open it...

Not yet, Bush is on his way out already. Wait till Hillary wins this year.

Open the Ark at the Fox News debate this weekend...

[VDB]

By tradition the US Mint does not portray living people, or things, or beings on coins. To place god's image on a coin would mean that the US Mint, and by extension the US Government, believes "God is Dead".

[thoreau]

Then we'll put Nietzsche's image on the coin!

[Aresen]

crimethink | January 2, 2008, 6:10pm | #

The fourth verse of the Star Spangled Banner seems to indicate this motto was already around in 1812:

As a Canadian, it may be inappropriate for me to make note of this fact, but when I'm watching sports on TV, most Americans seem to have trouble getting through the FIRST Verse of The Star-Mangled Banner. [sic]

[joe]

It's not a statement of faith, but a scrawl to show whose turf this is.

I'm pretty sure that using the Lord's name as a gang sign counts as "in vain."

[thoreau]

I'm pretty sure that using the Lord's name as a gang sign counts as "in vain."

joe, God is an old school G. I mean, it's right there in the name: God.

[Eryk Boston]

It seems entirely fitting for our money to have a reminder that its value is wholly based on faith.

[joe]

Warty inspired me on the Paul/debate thread.

The motto on the coin should be "Thundercats Ho!"

[TWC]

Eryk, pretty sure you win the thread.

Now, if that fifty in my wallet was worth more than twenty bucks I wouldn't care who it said we trusted in.

More important to get to the important stuff.

[TWC]

I'm pretty sure that using the Lord's name as a gang sign counts as "in vain."

honorable mention

[crimethink]

The interesting thing is, having a religious inscription on our coins might lead to difficulties with this Gospel passage: (Lk 20:21-25)

21 They questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. 22 "Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" 23 But He detected their trickery and said to them, 24 "Show Me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?" They said, "Caesar's." 25 And He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

Looks like God's going to have to get a cut now...

[brotherben]

And there is the problem with folks like the Huckster. They are trying to give to God what is rightfully Caesars

[Graphite]

Open the Ark at the Fox News debate this weekend...

LOL ... "It's beautiful!"

[Johncjackson3rd]

I like dollar coins and have a lot of them. The Tooth Fairy also gives them to my sn and he likes them. The Pizza Guy and the toll booth worker enjoy them as well.

I often put a $20 bill in the old fashioned stamp machine to buy 1 stamp so I can get a bunch of them.

[Brian]

We've replaced the Gold standard with the GOD standard.

GOD doesn't seem as interested in curtailing inflation as Gold is.

[R C Dean]

A coin featuring a loon would also be cool.

Since the new coins feature former Presidents, I suspect you will get your wish.

[jimmy smith]

Minnesotans have already reserved the Loon for lottery tickets and pull-offs. We were here first. Besides, its our state bird and mostly resides in the Capitol, Butt out !!

[TrickyVic]

"""And there is the problem with folks like the Huckster. They are trying to give to God what is rightfully Caesars""""

I doubt God would want his name on something that represents material wealth.

[edcoast]

"vidi, vici, veni"?

I came, I saw, I got venereal disease?

[Pro Libertate]

R C,

Well, they're only featuring the early presidents right now, so no loons yet.

Abutebaris modo subjunctivo denuo.

[Syd]

Apparently they've left out the Emperor Norton.

J sub D | January 2, 2008, 5:33pm | #
We used to have the Roman god Mercury on our dimes. Were all of the good Christian Americans protesting back then? A bunch of insecure people looking to get offended and politicians that pander to them.

Technically, that was the Winged Liberty Head dime. She and Mercury were separated at birth.