Christianity In America Research Paper

Not to mention this was also not the first rewrite of the Pledge, but is the first rewrite of the Pledge to cause such a dilemma. It should be deemed inappropriate wording for a nation with diversity in all aspects in the view of the fact that what is supposed to unite us is actually separating us. A simple solution would be to either not say the Pledge or remain silent while others utter the words “under God”, but individuals may feel urged by peer pressure or otherwise viewed as un-American (57).

Gwen Wilde’s essay “Why the Pledge of Allegiance Should Be Revised” highlights key reasons why the Pledge of Allegiance should be changed to be less divisive towards Americans who do not believe in a God. Wilde begins her essay by informing the audience of the countless alterations the pledge has gone through over the years. The earliest version of the pledge, which was published in 1892, left out the words “under God.” The words “under God” were not added until 1954 when president Dwight D. Eisenhower approved the pledge we all know today. Wilde goes into detail about the hypocrisy illustrated within the Pledge of Allegiance. She explains how the words “under God” are needlessly divisive in a nation that is said to be indivisible. However,

Why the pledge of allegiance should be revised, by Gwen Wilde, is a very well written essay that the reader would most likely deem convincing. Gwen Wilde states that the Pledge in its latest from simply requires all Americans to say the phrase “one nation, under God,” when many Americans do not believe in God. She uses many different writing strategies to get her point across in a very precise and appropriate manner. Although there are some minor problems, this analysis will explain how Gwen Wilde uses certain writing strategies that are able to back her argument with a very convincing approach.

This has become a very controversial topic these days because of one line in the pledge, “under God” This is a “questionable religious reference” (Tucker 1). “Congress and President Eisenhower add “under God” to the pledge” (Tucker 4) in 1954, this is completely unnecessary because it brings religion into the pledge of the country and some groups of people do not believe in god, yet they are being forced to say excluding California. Such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, a group of people that do not believe in serving the country, but believe in serving god. Ultimately, our counties schools should not be obliged to recite this pledge. It is “outdated and unnecessary” (Tucker 1). Using California as an example, it does not affect the performance of students, but does affect

President Obama sat down with the President of Turkey and told him “We have a very large Christian population, we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation; we consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values” (White House Press Release). Although the United States has a large Christian following we also have many religions within our culture; with an ongoing conflict against citizens that are nonreligious, Atheist, Agnostic, etcetera. The two words that were added to the Pledge of Allegiance proves the favoring of religion in a secular government. Even though the pledge does have a loyalty amongst the majority of citizens, we should remove the

Every American citizen must show loyalty to our nation, but do they have to show loyalty to “God”? When saying the pledge, one must elicit the words “one nation under God.” This not only contradicts freedom of religion, but it draws attention away from the purpose of pledging loyalty to America.

Over the course of 62 years, Bellamy’s pledge has been revised three times, and the more specific it seemed to get, the momentum of controversy grew. The first set of phrases to be exchanged was from “my flag,” to “the flag of the United States” in June 1923 (Moss 2006). The reason was due to the massive influx of immigrants and their interpretation of the Pledge; the committee of the First National Flag Conference wanted to clarify to people who migrated to the States that it was specifically the United States flag and not their indigenous flag they were saluting to. The following year, “of America” was attached to the tail end of “United States;” forty years later, as courtesy of then President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Pledge of Allegiance was modified to accommodate the phrase “under God” in between “one Nation,” and “indivisible” in June of 1954. President

Socialist minister Francis Bellamy wrote the Pledge of Allegiance in August 1892. In 1923, the words, "the Flag of the United States of America" were added. Then in 1954, President Eisenhower encourages Congress to add the words "under God." Communist threats during that time period lead to the issue of whether those words should be added. This resulted in the pledge that many American citizens know and say today: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." This pledge states the federal government’s promises to all American citizens. Since our Founding Fathers declared the United States’ independence from Great Britain on July fourth, 1776, American politicians have hailed our country as both a beacon and leading exemplar of individual liberty and freedom. Although the pledge states “...liberty and justice for all,” the United States has not lived up to the promise of freedom and the claim in the Pledge of Allegiance because it does not apply to every citizen, even though that is what the Pledge of Allegiance promises; immigrants were, and still are, mocked and discriminated against, and certain genders, races and religions are not given the same rights as others and are treated differently.

Wilde states that not many people are aware that the original pledge did not contain “under God.” It originally ran “I pledge allegiance to my flag, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, with

Seventy-three years ago, Congress put the United States in a difficult situation. It concerned the Pledge of Allegiance. They decided to add the phrase “Under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance which started a great amount of controversy among people. Some people argument that since “under God” was never a part of the original Pledge of Allegiance and many US citizens don't believe in a god at all. Any pledge they may make 'under god' would be irrational and irrelevant. But the rest have a different idea about the problem. They believe the U.S. is a nation founded by religious persons and Americans are joined by great ties to multiple religions, so there should be no separation of church and state. They want to keep the “Under God” in the pledge. Gwen Wilde, a student at Tufts University, explains this issue in her essay, “Why the Pledge of Allegiance Should Be Revised”. She says “the addition of the words ‘under God’ is inappropriate, and they are needlessly

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, for liberty and justice for all”. Notice that it leaves out “Under God.” Saying the Pledge of Allegiance

The history of the nation’s Pledge of Allegiance is a crucial component to this issue. Often times students are taught to recite the Pledge but not to understand the history and meaning behind it. The Pledge of Allegiance holds tremendous importance to this nation; an importance that is often forgotten. The reciting of the Pledge represents patriotism to America. In America citizens are tremendously protective of their rights. The First Amendment of the Constitution establishes religious freedom. The phrase “Under God” was not a part of the original Pledge but added in the early 1950’s. In the article, “One Nation, Under God: Tolerable Acknowledgement or Unconstitutional Cold War

The First Amendment is about the freedom of religion and being able for anyone to express what they believe if the government was forced to remove ‘under God’ from the Pledge of Allegiance it would violate the freedom of religion of those who do believe in God. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (“First”). If congress did make a law restricting the use of ‘under God’ in the Pledge of Allegiance it would be a breach in the rights of American citizens. Included in that is the complication of the fact of freedom of speech which in addition to freedom of religion is a part in the Amendment. “It [the First Amendment] guarantees freedom of expression by prohibiting Congress from restricting the press or the rights of individuals to speak freely” (“First”). By not allowing citizens to say the words ‘under God’ in the Pledge of Allegiance would be breaking the inalienable rights of all American

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” The Pledge of Allegiance was originally written in 1892, but the version we all know and recite was rewritten in the year of 1954 when President Eisenhower convinced Congress to add in “under God” during times of communist threat. “I pledge allegiance,” when we are taught in kindergarten to say this with our hands over our heart, we are being coerced into pledging allegiance without even truly knowing what it is. We are promising to be loyal and devoted to the following things that are to be said. “To the flag of the United States of America,” the flag represents the land we are on which is the United States.

Originally the Pledge of Allegiance did not carry the words “under God”. “The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an oath of loyalty to the national flag and the republic of the United States of America, originally composed by Francis Bellamy in 1892. The Pledge has been modified four times since then, with the most recent change adding the words "under God" in 1954” (Wikipedia). Additions to any thing are always made to make things better. No one makes an addition to something so important that it is stated everyday at every school, before every sports event, even before some ceremonies with the intent of defiling it; they make an addition only to perfect and complete it.