86730@LAWRENCE (Bill Sklar) (01/15/90)
While I perfectly agree with the sentiment expressed on the dollar bill ("In God we Trust") I have some serious reservations with any religious commentary being placed on U.S. Government property. It seems to me that: (1) It's a violation of Church and State (2) It's offensive and rude to those who have a different idea of God than ourselves, and mostly it: (3) Trivializes Christianity by placing God's name on such a completely materialistic object. I know this has nothing to do with other talk about the dollar bill and symbols found on it, but I thought this would make an interesting topic. Any comments? --Bill
87236@LAWRENCE (I love animals) (01/15/90)
> While I perfectly agree with the sentiment expressed on >the dollar bill ("In God we Trust") I have some serious reservations >with any religious commentary being placed on U.S. Government property. I have a problem with the phrase being on dollar bills, partially because it excludes atheists and agnostics, who, whether we like it or not, are just as much a part of this country as we are, and also because I see very little "trusting in God" by the U.S. government. Anita
DEVOSCM@RUG.NL (Marco de Vos, Kapteyn Lab Groningen) (01/15/90)
> While I perfectly agree with the sentiment expressed on >the dollar bill ("In God we Trust") I have some serious reservations >with any religious commentary being placed on U.S. Government property. I too have some problems with thing like the "In God we Trust" on dollar bills (most dutch coins have "God with us" on their side). I myself agree with those remarks. However, many of my fellow-citizens don't. To them, the remark most probably has the same effect as some Islamitic expression of faith would have on me. I can respect it, but do not share it, and still I am passing it aroud while paying with those coins. No you may look at the inscription as a way of spearding the Gospel (I don't say it's not, it can be used that way), but I doubt wether it's a very efficient one. There is an other thing about this that worries me more. A complaint (if I may call it such) of many non-christians is that "religion" is just a side-effect of culture. Look at the inscription on the coins, they say. Nobody believes that anymore, and still it's there. No I can argue that "nobody believes that" is quite wrong, but the point they raise is still valid. Those inscriptions were first put on in a time when most people were believed them, and when the state had strong connections with some churches. That is no longer true. I think it's better to accept that truth than going on putting words on coins that, for most people are just traces of the past. They may start thinking that my own expression of that faith is also just a trace of the past, or a cultural expression. It's not, of course, but the coins may give them an excuse not to think about it. By the way, how should we think of "giving to Ceasar what's of Ceasar" in view of those expressions? Marco.
TJSTEGGA@MTUS5 (01/16/90)
In Response to: Message by Marco de Vos ??? Marco, you mentioned the quote, "Give to Caesar what is of Caesar." It is my opinion that Jesus meant that what Caesar requested (in the way of taxes, etc.) was to be paid to him with his money; in this sense, we should repay God with the many blessings He has given us. God be with you, Christian Renegade (TJSTEGGA at MTUS5)
COLELA@SNYPLAVA (l. anne cole) (01/16/90)
>Marco, you mentioned the quote, "Give to Caesar what is of Caesar." It is my >opinion that Jesus meant that what Caesar requested (in the way of taxes, etc.) > was to be paid to him with his money; in this sense, we should repay God with >the many blessings He has given us. To me, this also means that Caesar has no right to order us to do what is not in Caesar's domain. For example, Caesar has no right to demand our worship. Caesar has no right to ask us to do something that our God forbids, for that is not Caesar's. God Bless, Everyone Anne
DEVOSCM@RUG.NL (Marco de Vos, Kapteyn Lab Groningen) (01/16/90)
>In Response to: Message by Marco de Vos ??? Yip, 't was me. >Marco, you mentioned the quote, "Give to Caesar what is of Caesar." It is my >opinion that Jesus meant that what Caesar requested (in the way of taxes, etc.) > was to be paid to him with his money; in this sense, we should repay God with >the many blessings He has given us. > >God be with you, > >Christian Renegade That's my opinion too. I made my remark because Jesus "proofs" money is something of Ceasar (or the state or the world or so) by pointing at the sign of Ceasar at the coin, and we were discussing a reference to God on our coins. As a matter of fact, I think "wealth"/money is be a blessing that we might repay God by sharing it with our fellow human beings. There are many other like honour and worship that we should give to God, and not to Ceasar (well, some kind of honour probably, but not the kind I try to give to God). Marco.