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Pledge of allegiance: 'one nation under God, Buddha, Allah or the Goddess'?
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It is not common knowledge that the Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy. A Baptist minister and Christian socialist, Bellamy was forced out of his Boston church because of his socialist sermons. The pledge was originally written for the popular magazine Youth’s Companion, in 1892 on the occasion of the nation's first celebration of Columbus Day. Its wording omitted reference not only to God but also, to the United States.
The first version of the pledge read: "I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Reflecting the historic Baptist belief in the separation of church and state, Bellamy wrote this pledge never imagining that the name of God would appear in it some 60 years later.
In 1923, the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution, formed a body called the National Flag Conference. Reacting to a rising tide of immigrants the National Flag Conference might interpret the pledge’s reference ‘allegiance to my flag’ to the flags of their native lands. It was then that pledge language was changed from “my flag” to the flag of the United States.” (“Of America” was added in 1924.)
The God clause (under God) was added in 1954 when fears of Godless communism were sweeping the country.
This pledge, believed by many to be an inviolable and utterly sacred creed was written by a socialist and revised by reactionaries whose revisions reflected more fear than faith.
America the beautiful is a land of delicious paradox.
In 2002, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the use of the pledge in schools was “unconstitutional” because of the words “under God”. A year later this ruling was reversed on a technicality by the US Supreme Court. The plaintiff was an atheist parent of a school child.
It would have been more interesting and complicated if the suit had been brought by someone who believed in God and also the separation of church and state—someone like the original author.
Following the ruling the ruling of the Court of Appeals, a national drama unfolded. The day after, members congress stood and sang God Bless America. And many people everywhere were saying that the ruling was preposterous because of course we are under God. President Bush said, “we get our power from God.” And all around the country ordinary folks were saying if somebody doesn’t want to say the pledge because it mentions God, then they just shouldn’t say it.
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Many couldn’t fathom why the use of the ‘God” was such a big deal. Arguing that ‘God’ is not necessarily a Judeo/Christian Deity—but a word that expresses America’s founding purpose as being rooted in a higher power or greater calling—also known as civil religion. Everywhere Americans were saying, “if you don’t believe in God then just don’t say those two words. Leave the pledge alone.
Whenever people tell me they don’t believe in God I ask, “which God do you not believe in?” I ask this not to crack wise but because the word “God” is loaded and therefore means different things to different people. While I have my own belief in God—I also believe the words “under God” have no place in the pledge.
Think about it. What if the pledge said, “under Buddha” or “under Allah” or “under the Goddess” or how about “one nation under Zarathustra”? What if the pledge invoked a deity other than your own?
What’s your problem? Not a Buddhist? Then just omit “under Buddha”.
Jesus said, “render unto Caesar the things that belong to Caesar, and to God the things that belong to God. I always figured that patriotism belongs to Caesar, and worship to God.
To combine the two can be not only confusing but dangerous. When God and country become a merged, it’s hard to know where one starts and the other leaves off. Political leaders can declare and enemy evil or godless and justify about anything. Likewise, when God and country become blended, the country can easily become a deified material object, in other words—an idol.
Note to all believers in God: It’s never too late to refrain. Let’s stop saying we are a nation under God—which implies that not only is our status is favored but that we can do anything it the world that fits our rationalizations. Now, in the 21st century its time for believers of God to claim not exceptionalism, but radical inclusiveness.
Note to believers in God: Let’s omit “under God” from the pledge and commit ourselves to seeing God in the face of every living being, everywhere in the world.
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