December 07, 2007

Expunging God From America

Vic opened the program with news that hate crimes legislation sponsored by Senator Edward Kennedy, legislation that was attached to a major defense spending bill that would authorize more money for the Iraq war, was struck down.

William James Murray is the son of the late Madalyn Murray O'Hair. He is with the Religious Freedom Coalition in Washington, D.C. and is also the author of the book, The Pledge: One Nation Under God.

The Religious Freedom Coalition works on a variety of social concerns leaning toward those with religious significance such as the Ten Commandments issue, life as beginning at fertilization, the rights of Christians overseas, and the main subject of this program, the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

William reported that atheist Michael Newdow lost his case against the phrase, "under God," in the Supreme Court but he refiled the suit. He won his case in a district court and this past Tuesday he had another hearing at the 9th Circuit level where he will probably win again. This will once again place the case in the Supreme Court.

In addition to that he has filed a lawsuit in New Hampshire. William says that this time Newdow has an unnamed family, rather than his daughter, named in the suit.

Another interesting fact brought up by William is legislation (S 2417) that would require that all presidential dollar coins minted would have "In God We Trust" on the face of the coin rather than on the edge. This legislation is being sponsored by Senator Brownback of Kansas and Senator Byrd of West Virginia.

More Information

http://www.rfcnet.org

To order the book, The Pledge: One Nation Under God:
http://www.pledgeundergod.com