Savanna Snow

Laurie Oberg
English B2
24 February, 2016
Is Under God a Religious Phrase When Placed in The Pledge of Allegiance?
Having the phrase under God in the Pledge of Allegiance (POA) has been a
controversial subject for years. Some people believe it should be taken out due to the fact that it
is religious content and therefore is unconstitutional. Others believe that rather than being
religious content, it simply represents love for our country and what our country stands for and
so it should be kept in. When looking at both sides of the argument, it is clear that the phrase
under God should be kept in the Pledge of Allegiance (POA).
The phrase under God is not religious content. Solicitor General Theodore Olsen
characterized the phrase as descriptive and ceremonial rather than a prayer or religious
invocation (Baer, 1). When placed in the POA the phrase simply represents our country. Judge
Frank Easterbrook concluded that the words under God reflect ceremonial deism rather than a
constitutionally prohibited religious exercise (One Nation Under God? A Constitutional
Question, 3). The Pledge symbolizes our country and the views our country represents, not
religion.
When the phrase under God is placed in the Pledge it represents our country as a
whole. Judge Carlos Bea said The Pledge of Allegiance serves to unite our vast nation through
the proud recitation of some of the ideals upon which our public was founded (Chea, 10). The
phrase serves to unite our country as a whole through shared ideals. Greg Katsas said This
phrase encapsulates the philosophy on which the nation was founded. When someone says the
Pledge, theyre not praying to God, theyre pledging allegiance to the country, the flag, and the
ideals of the country (Chea, 10). By saying the phrase under God in the POA people are
simply pledging to a country with shared ideals not to God.
It does not make sense to take the phrase under God out of the POA. In light of the
1943 Barnette decision people are free to refrain from reciting the Pledge at school or they can
recite it and simply omit the words under God (One Nation Under God? A Constitutional
Question, 3). Since people who wish to not say that phrase have the opportunity to personally
remove it, then why take it out of the Pledge altogether? On average the Pledge is recited tens
of millions of times a day (Robinson, 4). The Pledge is recited so often and has been in place for
so long, why bother changing it now? Also why change it for just a small group of people who
can take it out if they wish?
The phrase under God should be kept in the Pledge. When used in the Pledge the
phrase simply represents the ideals of our country. It does not make sense to change the Pledge
itself when people have the choice to personally remove it. For all these reasons it does not make
sense to take the phrase out and therefore it should be left in.

Works Cited
Baer, John W. The Pledge of Allegiance a Short History. oldtimeislands.org. nd. Web.
February 4, 2016.
Chea, Terence. Under God in Pledge of Allegiance Upheld by Court. Huffington Post. March
11, 2010. Web. February 8, 2016.
One Nation Under God? A Constitutional Question. Pewforum. March 19, 2004. Web.
February 10, 2016.
Robinson, B.A. The U.S. Pledge of Allegiance. Religious Tolerance. nd. Web. February 4,
2016.