I suppose they have to write something on these coins. What would be an alternative?
As far as In God We Trust….I have never combined the thought of God with money.

Maybe there are really more suitable quotes
Here are some suggestions.

Preserve nature
Be thrifty
Spend wisely

Ellem you thought of it before I did, it was Christ who said "render unto Caesar..." He had no trouble separating church and state. It seems to be harder and harder to do that in this country. Now when a person runs for office, not only do we need to know what church he goes to, but we need to put his pastor under the microscope too. And they have to say prayerful things in their speeches. Better to do good than to talk about it, that's what I believe, it all seems hypocritical to me.

I can see both sides of the issue, but as someone who was either not in the United States or not in public schools during those times, I have no idea what public schools used to do regarding prayer. Having gone to Catholic schools, I tend to cast a doubtful eye that some morning prayer can be considered to give people religion. If their parents are not reinforcing any teachings -- or providing the teachings themselves -- it seems like a waste of time. Like I said, I don't care for what strikes me as wishy-washy religion. (Obviously others feel differently, as is their right. I think there are far more people who disagree with me than agree, but I grew up as kind of a minority regarding schooling, so I can't be nostalgic for something I never had.)

And times have changed. A long time ago, smokers ruled the land and got to blow their smoke in everyone's faces. We didn't dare speak up lest we seem impolite, but now the tide has turned and it's the smokers who are no longer assumed to have center state. Regarding prayer in the schools, I think we're long past the time when Protestant prayer can be considered the only real thing. I don't want to see the fighting as people try to work out some system that's inclusive; let the students pray on their own. (And no, I don't think religion is like smoking.)

The unfortunate outcome of all this is that I think our students should study about religion. They should be able to take comprehensive courses discussing the importance of the Bible and other holy books, relate it to literate, and learn at least the outline of other's beliefs. But then we'd have to have the parents not freak out at exposure, however academic, to beliefs they might not subscribe to. But I'm all for it: the more educated, the better.

By the way, the Blaine amendments that forbid federal funds for parochial schools were explicitly passed to give Catholic immigrants a thumb in the eye, so I'm not boo-hooing too much. It's not like Christians have always been nice to each other even in matters of schooling. I'm sure the folks back then never dreamed that they'd get bitten in their own behinds when the Supreme Court decided that schools could not be both public and at least nominally Protestant.

The mean part of me wants non-Catholic Christians and other religious folks to suck it up and pay for their own schools if they want religious teaching. The more mature and sensible part of me wants us to stop arguing and fund all our accredited schools properly.

Ellemm i think i have spelled your name right this time!
I was precisely one of those kids. I went to Catholic school for 2 years and then had to go to public school. I was forced to say prayers at the public school that were different from what I had learned before and with which I was really uncomfortable. I'd learned that prayer was sacred and had to be just so, and now my 2nd grade teacher was telling me I had to do it another way!
As it was, this new prayer was just one sentence different from what i'd learned in Parochial school but it gave me the perspective of the outsider, I felt trampled, wronged. What would a Jewish kid feel like being forced to say that prayer? Or a Muslim or a Buddhist? I was really glad that prayer was taken out of school in time for my own children. Religion starts at your home and should be in your heart. Secular teachers shouldn't be forcing children wholesale to pray a Protestant Christian prayer. It just doesn't make sense to me. I would never trust public school teachers with the job of teaching my own children about God or religion. That was MY job.
What I love about this country is that we have religious freedom. Freedom to practice my faith or lack of it the way I see fit without anyone else forcing it down my throat.

The US may have been founded on Christian principles, but there is also a clause in the Constitution forbidding state religion, which means that the government cannot say that Christianity is the only religion allowed. I get tired of being told I'm going to hell because I don't worship a particular way or belong to a particular church or have a particular set of beliefs. My beliefs and my faith are mine; yours are yours. As far as the name of God being on the money, I don't have an opinion one way or another. From listening to some people outside this forum, anything we put on our bills and coins is going to make somebody unhappy or angry. And, it seems to me, that those who protest the loudest are sometimes those who are the least Christ-like. "By their fruits you shall know them." I don't believe in spreading hate in the name of any God, and I don't believe in judging people. What is in someone's heart is between that person and his/her higher power.

Amen sister...amen. I couldn't agree more.

The pendulum has swung soooooooo far, to the point where the word "God" is now being seen by some as a curse word.

How much more of this God-erasure agenda is enough? I LIKE that the President ends speeches with "God Bless America." I like that ALL religions are free to practice in the USA. I like that "In God We Trust" is still part of what 92% of Americans hold dear. I like that there is a separation between church and state.

I went to Catholic school and prayed my heart out while I learned about academics and values of decency. I went to public school and prayed silently....Nowadays public schools seem to have more security guards, drugs, guns and violence than ever before.

If I was raising youngsters in today's world, I would send them to a school of any spiritual background which allowed for the word "God."

Unlike dictators and radicals, I believe Presidents evoke the name of God publicly because that name in a democracy means peace and love. We may be an imperfect society, but imo we sure need,God, peace and love........

IMO, nobody is a bigger part of history than GOD! And it's obvious the US does not bow to money. Otherwise our economic
sector would not be in such disarray. LOL....

Well, you can look at it that way, but so many people's desires for more money, making a quick buck, and wanting enough 'stuff' that they lived (and many still do) on credit seem to indicate an inordinate "bowing" to wealth and a disregard for common sense. If that doesn't indicate a preoccupation with money over values I don't know what does: we are what we do, not necessarily what we say. Just because people are in business doesn't mean they are intelligent, have decent values, or concerns even for the longevity of the company. The wealthy ones have taken their millions and left the stockholders, the employees, and the taxpayers to clean up the mess. We move quickly to put some guy who steals $300 from a QuikTrip (and we should), but I'll bet nothing will happen to the nice, well-dressed people who bankrupted their own companies and an entire nation.

And you'd win that bet too Ellemm. Sadly enough they don't do a day of time and go on living high off the hog.