Another Reason to Drop “In God We Trust”

February 29, 2012 | Filed under: In God We Trust,Islam,Mike Daniels,News | Posted by: Mike Daniels

I, like many secularists — theists and non-theists alike — have long been in favor of dropping “In God We Trust” from our currency.

There are ample reasons, of course.

First, it’s divisive. A large minority of Americans, ranging from non-theists to Hindus to Buddhists to Neo-Pagans and others — do not follow the imaginatively-named “God”.

Second, it’s clearly not accurate. If we truly “trusted in God”, we wouldn’t need seat belt laws, or food safety controls, or a national defense. God would take care of all that for us.

And here’s a new reason: Imaginary Muslims are scratching out “God” and writing “Allah” instead:

Self-proclaimed “ex-terrorist” Kamal Saleem tells quite a story about his life, claiming that he worked for late Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, Hamas, the Palestine Liberation Organization, and fought with Al Qaeda in Tora Bora, all before coming to the United States in order to carry out the “culture jihad.” Sure his entire story is a fabrication, but that hasn’t stopped this descendent of the imaginary “Grand Wazir of Islam” from getting speaking gigs across the country where he criticizes Islam and warns of impending Sharia law in the United States.

Yesterday, Saleem sat down again with fellow anti-Muslim activists Jerry Boykin and Rick Joyner on Prophetic Perspectives where he warned that as part of the effort of Muslim-Americans to usher in an Islamic theocracy, they are replacing the words “In God We Trust” on the dollar with “In Allah We Trust”!

Click through to see the video at rightwingwatch.org.

This could be a good thing. If more people were to cross out “God” and write in something else — “Cthulhu” comes to mind, though I suppose “Allah” or “Good” or “Ourselves” will do too — it might help point out to defendants of IGWT that a declaration of faith just might not belong on currency.

Please note: Defacing US currency is illegal. However, let’s look at what “defacement” is:

Whoever mutilates, cuts, defaces, disfigures, or perforates, or unites or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national banking association, or Federal Reserve bank, or the Federal Reserve System, with intent to render such bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt unfit to be reissued, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

That’s pretty serious! But note the key phrase, “with intent to render such bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt unfit to be reissued”.

If you damage currency in such a way that it can’t be used any more, then you’ve committed a crime. If you cross out “God” with a Sharpie and print “Cthulhu” in the margin above, the bill can still be used, and it is also clear that your intent is not to render it unfit to be reissued.

10 Responses to Another Reason to Drop “In God We Trust”

Thopter February 29, 2012 - 4:01 pm

Though one could argue that having IGWT on our currency already renders it unfit to be reissued.

James February 29, 2012 - 4:39 pm

Well I’m quite sure God appreciates His name being on currency stuffed in stripper’s g-strings..

- Mike Daniels February 29, 2012 - 5:03 pm
  
  Who doesn’t?
  
- jay March 2, 2012 - 3:30 pm
  
  That’s a religious act. Sure beats a collection plate. But if we trust in God, why waste billions on military?
  
sheldon February 29, 2012 - 8:52 pm

“Second, it’s clearly not accurate. If we truly “trusted in God”, we wouldn’t need seat belt laws, or food safety controls, or a national defense. God would take care of all that for us.” Exactly. There are no real Christians who really have faith in their Lord. If they did, they would never visit a doctor, dentist or hospital. Never look before crossing the street. Never look before crossing the street and never purchase insurance etc etc.

Carneades of Ga. March 1, 2012 - 6:57 am

Remember that God has such low self-esteem that billions must give him hosannas constantly! We owe no God anything! I go to the theistic jugular! And God faces that one-way street of having to have put us into a better place in the first place per Fr.Meslier’s the problem of Heaven. The divine protection racket is just that! Again that jugular. M.-L.G. Lamberth

jay March 2, 2012 - 3:33 pm

Actually the more I think about it… we’re trying to fool God. Obviously we don’t really trust in him (for reasons above), but unless he thinks we trust in him, he’ll get really, really pissed. I guess it’s just good policy. [still haven't learned to use that human thing]

Christian Poppycock March 2, 2012 - 8:10 pm

We’re going to need bigger bills: “In The Flying Spaghetti Monster We Trust”

- Mike Daniels March 2, 2012 - 10:32 pm
  
  Why not just “FSM”?
  
Billy Price March 5, 2012 - 9:51 pm

I like to cross out the G-word and replace it with Reason.