Eli5: why does US currency still have “in god we trust” written on it even though church and state are supposed to be separate?
In: Economics
From the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in *Aronow v. United States.*:
> It is quite obvious that the national motto and the slogan on coinage and currency ‘In God We Trust’ has nothing whatsoever to do with the establishment of religion. Its use is of patriotic or ceremonial character and bears no true resemblance to a governmental sponsorship of a religious exercise. …It is not easy to discern any religious significance attendant the payment of a bill with coin or currency on which has been imprinted ‘In God We Trust’ or the study of a government publication or document bearing that slogan. In fact, such secular uses of the motto was viewed as sacrilegious and irreverent by President Theodore Roosevelt. Yet Congress has directed such uses. While ‘ceremonial’ and ‘patriotic’ may not be particularly apt words to describe the category of the national motto, it is excluded from First Amendment significance because the motto has no theological or ritualistic impact. As stated by the Congressional report, it has ‘spiritual and psychological value’ and ‘inspirational quality.
In other words, paying with money that says “In God We Trust” is hardly a religious act, and so Congress has not imposed a religion by printing money with that motto. The Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment only prevents to government from forcing religion. It does not mean that they cannot make allusions (and in this case a generic one) to religion.
Latest Answers