I Call Bullshit

Last updated on: August 7, 2012 at 9:43 pm by Libby Anne

I Call Bullshit 2012-08-07T21:43:51-04:00 Libby Anne

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I’m sitting here listening to NPR’s coverage of the 9/11 memorial ceremonies. If I had a dollar for every time the official speakers at these official events has mentioned God or heaven or quoted a Bible verse, I’d be rich. The president himself led in prayer and read a Bible passage at the memorial for Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. What is this?

I was taught growing up that we live in a secular nation where Christian speech is persecuted. This is bullshit. After leaving my parents’ home, I found a surprisingly – and even officially – Christian nation.

Our state and national legislatures have chaplains and open sessions with prayer. “In God We Trust” is on every piece of money I touch, and our pledge declares that we are “one nation under God.” The current and previous president have both quoted from the Bible in official speeches, evoked God and faith, and repeated “God bless” at every event where they speak like a dogma. We are not supposed to be an officially Christian nation, but you know what? In practice, we are.

Now, I get that most Americans are Christians, and that Christianity is part of our national heritage, but isn’t the government supposed to refrain from endorsing any sort of religion? Isn’t that what freedom or religion is about? Beyond that, isn’t that the very foundation of freedom of religion? Great Britain has an established national church, the Anglican Church. We’re supposed to be different. The government is supposed to stay out of religion and let people pick what to believe for themselves. It’s not doing that.

As an atheist, sitting here listening to radio coverage of the memorials, I feel like I am not represented. I feel like I am somehow on the outside, somehow less American, because of my lack of belief. As government officials – my government officials – use official speeches to evoke a God I don’t believe exists, I feel alone. I feel left out and forgotten. What about Americans who do not believe, what about them? What about Americans who do not believe in the Judeo-Christian God, what about them? I don’t get it! Can’t they see that this only builds national unity by alienating those on the outside?

When my daughter starts school, I’ll have to deal with the whole pledge of allegiance thing. I’ll have to explain to my daughter that her nation – her nation – officially endorses belief in God. Sally will have to decide what to do. Will she stand and say the pledge, stand and say all but that phrase, stand and remain silent altogether, or sit and remain silent? I have heard stories of the phrase “under God” in the pledge being used to humiliate atheist students, or at the very least setting them up for accusations of being un-American. Official school prayer was banned in 1962 and 1963 because students outside of the Judeo-Christian religious tradition faced just these problems. If the pledge creates problems for Sally, and wants to sue to remove the words “under God,” I will do everything I can do to make this happen.

I look back on what I was taught about the persecution of Christians and the secular nature of our government, and I shake my head. It’s simply not true. The reality is that the government I had been taught was wholly secular in reality endorses belief in a God I don’t believe in, and is thus complicit in the building of a national identity that leaves me out entirely.

Evangelicalism/Fundamentalism

Politics

Christian Right

church and state

Previous Post

September 10, 2011

"Love Virginity"

Next Post

September 11, 2011 What I Learned in College

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Atheism Evangelicalism/Fundamentalism Family Feminism Homeschool Meta Parenting Patriarchy Politics Purity Quiverfull Social Justice Uncategorized Worthwhile reads

Select a Month February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "Here I am, send me!"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Moses Isaiah Peter Elijah