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In reply to the discussion: Rep. Jones declines to lead House in pledge; GOP leader calls for resignation [View all]Ford_Prefect
(8,261 posts)15. The phrase "under God" was not part of the pledge until the Red Scare days of the 1950's.
The saying one nation under God is a part of the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America. An early version of the pledge was composed in 1885 by Captain George Thatcher Balch. Balch was an officer in the Union Army during the Civil War who wanted to find ways to teach patriotism to young children in the public schools. A few years later, in 1892, Francis Bellamy, a Baptist pastor from New York, significantly revised and expanded Balchs original pledge in an effort to promote the 1893 World Fair. This version of the pledge went largely unaltered for decades when Congress officially adopted it in 1942 at the start of World War II.
However, the saying one nation under God was not a part of Bellamys pledge (the original draft simply stated, One nation, indivisible). In fact, Bellamy staunchly believed in the separation of Church and State and intentionally did not include any references to God in the pledge. It wasnt until 1954 under the direction of President Eisenhower that the words under God were added to the pledge. This was mostly due to the growing fear of communism throughout the United States during the Cold War.
The inclusion of the phrase under God was meant to reaffirm Americas heritage as a predominately Judeo-Christian nation in the face of looming global threats (especially ones that were derived from atheistic, materialist worldviews such as communism). Having just come out of World War II, and with the Cold War in full swing, President Eisenhower sought to unify the nation and proclaim trust in God against destructive, godless forces.
https://www.gotquestions.org/one-nation-under-God.html
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Rep. Jones declines to lead House in pledge; GOP leader calls for resignation [View all]
B.See
Feb 2024
OP
I'm old enough to remember when the "under god" was put into the Pledge.
PoindexterOglethorpe
Feb 2024
#48
The phrase "under God" was not part of the pledge until the Red Scare days of the 1950's.
Ford_Prefect
Feb 2024
#15
Have not been able to do the 'liberty & justice for all' since Nixon was pardoned
Attilatheblond
Feb 2024
#16
We only said it in my classroom when some kid requested it. Good on Rep. Jones.
Magoo48
Feb 2024
#24
GOPers treat their supposed "patriotism" the way they do their alleged "Christianity."
GoCubsGo
Feb 2024
#25