by Wayne Douma

Created on: December 03, 2009   Last Updated: December 05, 2009

There are numerous reasons why the words "under God" should be in the Pledge of Allegiance, as they currently are, and should stay right there. First, they are there because Congress passed a law that placed them there in the 1950s.

Secondly, the words "under God" do not break the ideas of the United being a secular nation that separates church and state. And third, the words have a deep and important meaning when studying the United States history as a nation.

If Congress passes something, it is the general idea that it is something important to the people whom they represent. The words "under God" were passed by Congressional legislation and that means obviously the people who voted in those legislators felt it to be something of importance to them.

Though it was passed in the 1950s, I can say with absolute guarantee that if a debate came up in Congress today, the words would still be upheld to be in the Pledge. The simple fact is that an overwhelming majority of American citizens want the words there, and Congressional leaders know that it is their job on the line if they vote against something a majority of their constituents want.

The term "under God" is commonly said to refer to the idea of the Judeo-Christian God. However, American citizens of any religion can recite the Pledge and be referring to their specific God. It is not a written rule that you must be referring to the Christian God. A person of any religion can Pledge Allegiance to their country and to their own god when saying the words in the Pledge.

Finally, if one studies the history of the United States, they would know that this nation was indeed founded as "One nation under God." The Pilgrims first came to America to have the ability to worship God in a free manner with no interference from the government.

America's first leaders and authors of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence put the words God into those historic documents. If one goes to Washington DC and visits any sort of Memorial or Monument, they will see the presence of the word God somewhere (note, if you do not believe me on this then read Newt Gingrich's book "Rediscovering God in America."

Newt travels to all DC landmarks and points out the reality of God on the Jefferson, Lincoln, World War 2, etc Memorials). This is a nation "under God" and why not say that in the Pledge of Allegaiance to one's country?

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