by Gavin Wyatt

Created on: October 07, 2009

The hand ringing. The anxiety. The idea of taking the words "In God We Trust" off of the American currency has brought the ire of many pastors upon their flock. They say it shows how far we have slipped from our basic beliefs in God and country. Understanding that the flock is apathetic to most of the topics the church has made important. The goal is to keep this large portion of society and an ever present portion of the political landscape in step. To do this, they draw battle lines under the guise of protecting freedom of religion. Preachers explain that if there is any retreat in this battle, all is lost for the church and the country. The Old Testament is filled with wrath filled scripture that they are able to use to back their claims. With local, state, and national courts trying to come to some conclusion, the war has begun to drag to a halt. The real truth of the matter is starting to become evident. True freedom is being left behind for the sentimental concerns of a tired church, holding on to the last strings of elusive control of the religious population. The heart breaking part of this struggle is that it has taken the focus of the church off of the "lost", and smattered it all over the judicial system.

Throughout our nation's capital, monuments and government buildings hold the same words "In God We Trust" as evidence that this country was founded with Christian principles in mind. If an immigrant was to walk the streets of Washington D.C. today, it would be very clear that the founding fathers took religion into consideration. The phrase "In God We Trust" is not just found on American currency, but it is carved in stone at the Lincoln Memorial depicted on the one dollar bill. The foundation of religion was always evident. The very real concern of the writers of the constitution was not to ensure God's place in government, but to ensure that government could not have so much power over the population's religious freedoms. Little did the founding fathers know that in future years it would be the church pushing its agenda on the Government with the foothold being this phrase.

Look at the basics of a free society. Just as a product must stand on its own two feet to be bought, used, and sold by the masses, the church must now stand on its message, not its history in American Government. The view of the church unintentionally screams that it is desperately grasping to hold on to relevance in society and power in government, not onto the hearts of

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