And the windmills aren't even real. Speaking as a supposed skeptic about God (he's actually an atheist--that is, someone who not only doesn't believe in God, but who actually believes that there is no God), Michael Newdow is an idiot:

Michael Newdow, the Sacramento, California lawyer and doctor who had previously launched a court challenge on behalf of his daughter over the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance said in schools, had argued that "In God We Trust" on monetary instruments violates his rights.

Newdow claimed that by using coins and currency bearing the phrase, he is forced to carry religious dogma, proselytise and evangelise for monotheism.

He needs to get a life.

He needs to move to Europe - they don't have anything so crass on their currency.

I've always thought the only four word phrase that needs to be on the currency is "United States of America" myself.

Sad. As an atheist myself I find this embarassing. Even though I agree with him in principle, I don't think it's an issue that's so pressing it requires any action. Worry about the religious fanatics who want to blow up our buildings and saw our heads off first.

"In God we trust" is too trivial an issue to waste time on.

Look! Up in the sky! It's Sol, named after the latin god. And there's Venus on the horizon. Soon we'll see Jupiter!

I wonder what he would do if his patients started paying him with chickens or potatoes?

I know my sphincter always tightens a little when I read it. Much as it tightens when I cross the border into China or some Islamic state. I am not a US citizen, I have not grown up with such substantial cross over between church and state. It makes me very nervous because it is not just paying lip service.

Has anyone else noticed that religiosity tends to be inversely proportional to social spending? When I realised that I begrudgingly had to accept the necessity for a state sponsored safety net. Unlike churches, such social spending is at least subject to public elections and is focussed on the welfare of the individual, as opposed to their initiation.

Welfare of the individual? I thought it was to buy votes for lazy politicans!

Rand:

What is your point? That the wording on currency is _not_ a violation of rights and the constitutional requirement for separation of church and state?

Or that it _is_ a violation, but in your opinion too small of a violation for anyone to be concerned about. If so, how severe does a rights violation have to be before you think anyone has a right to complain? How much does, say, a pickpocket have to steal from you before you have the right to be angry? Ten dollars? Five dollars? Would you call someone who complained that one dollar was stolen from him an idi0t?

Yes well it is far from perfect. I tend to advocate the separation of social spending, perhaps with a separate democratically elected government. The rest of the government could then focus on maximising economic strength with the social spending government given a strict budget from which to help as many people as possible… Hopefully this would be far more effective, separating the fiscally conservative from the socially liberal - the separation of business and charity.

What is your point? That the wording on currency is _not_ a violation of rights and the constitutional requirement for separation of church and state?

Yes, that is my point. There is no "constitutional requirement for separation of church and state" (the mere mention of God is not the establishment of a state religion, since it doesn't say what god it is) and it's certainly not a violation of anyone's rights.

Or perhaps he needs an "after-life" ... [drum kick]

Does religion require a god? (Buddhism, Scientology etc.)
"IGWT" does tend to point specifically to those originating in the Middle East.

Barbara needs to look at some Euro change. Most Euro coinage has pretty specific Christian motifs (especially those minted in the Vatican City). People forget the reason Christian fundamentalism never took off on the Continent was that they never really were successful in divorcing nation and church - and, of course, the monarchies that served as the historical template for most European nations derived much of their popular legitimacy from their religious roots.

Get used to it. I've met him and he won't let it go.