orb@whuxl.UUCP (SEVENER) (11/15/85)
Steve Adams asks:
> Why does our money say "In God We Trust"?
The answer has nothing to do with the Founding Persons belief
in God or any such thing. If you read the book, "Lincoln" by
Gore Vidal, it explains that the motto "In God We Trust" was
put on the first federal paper currency by Salmon P. Chase,
Lincoln's Secretary of the Treasury, who was an extremely devout
Christian and an abolitionist. (the position I believe Christ
himself would take so therefore the logical moral position for
an authentic Christian)
It was because of his strong abolitionist views and his following
in that wing of the Republican party that Lincoln brought Chase
into his cabinet. It had nothing whatsoever to do with his
religious views as Lincoln did not go to Church, and appears
to have followed most of the Founding Persons in having
a Deistic conception of God, rather than any strong belief
in the personal God touted by Christians like Chase.
Chase did a fantastic job of currying favor with Northeastern
bankers and printing currency to finance the Civil War.
Besides placing his Christian motto of "In God We Trust" on the
new paper money, Chase also fosterd both his and Lincoln's
political ambitions and support by placing his own portrait
on the one-dollar bill and Lincoln's portrait on the five-dollar
bill. (I recall it was the five dollar bill, it may have been
a different denomination)
"the Truth shall set you free!"
*Peace in the World,
or the World in Pieces!!*
tim sevener whuxn!orb