The US Supreme Court has refused to hear an atheist's challenge to the uses of references to God.
Michael Newdow claimed that the government’s references to God are
unconstitutional and infringe his religious beliefs.
Specifically,
Newdow's complaint alleged that the motto unconstitutionally places the
government's imprimatur on a belief in a monotheistic God.
Newdow further alleged that the national motto turns him and other
atheists into political outsiders by reinforcing, “The twin notions that
belief in God is good and disbelief in God is bad.”
The appeal also dealt with the inscription of the national motto 'In God We Trust’ on US coins and currency.
The court however claimed that the phrase is ceremonial and patriotic
and “has nothing whatsoever to do with the establishment of religion.”
The court therefore refused to hear Newdow's appeal against that
decision.
The phrase 'In God We Trust' was first put on US coins in 1860 and on
paper currency, after it was signed into law by President Eisenhower on
July 30 1956.
Within a decade, all money minted or printed in the United States bore the motto.
The phrase became the official motto of the United States of America
following passage and enactment of Public Law 84-851 in 1956.
The law,
as currently listed in the United States Code declares, 'In God we
trust' is the national motto.
Last week’s Supreme Court challenge was not the first as previous
challenges in the early 1970's and in 1984 were also dismissed.