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Friday, July 12, 2002

By Lynda Guydon Taylor, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, as its name would imply, is pleased about the court ruling that inclusion of God in the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional.

"Patriotic rituals ought to remain secular. One of the tests used over the years is: Does the act of government aid or further religion? If it does, it's unconstitutional," said Robert Boston, assistant director of communications for the 70,000-member group, whose membership runs the gamut from Christians, Jews and Pagans to atheists or nonbelievers.

Although nondenominational, the Washington, D.C.-based group traditionally is led by clergy. Its current executive director is the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, a United Church of Christ minister.

Chartered as an educational organization, the group strives to help the public understand the importance of the separation of church and state. It educates through its Web site and speakers and has attorneys on staff. It does limited lobbying and monitors legislation affecting the separation of church and state.

Its position is that whenever religion becomes involved in government, it does more harm than good.

What many people may not know, Boston said, is that the original 1892 text of the pledge did not contain any religious content. Until 1954 when "under God" was added by a congressional act, it was simply a patriotic exercise. But when God was added, it became a religious exercise, too.

The insertion of God came during the height of the McCarthy era and the Cold War, when it was viewed as a counterpoint to Communism.

But there are those who do not want to make a religious statement when saying a pledge, Boston said. Some observers already have predicted the decision is not likely to stand up on appeal because in the past courts have ruled ceremonial uses such as "under God" and "in God we trust" are OK. The thinking is that those phrases have been so much used that they've been drained of any religious significance, an argument with which Boston doesn't agree.

In any event, it's the view of Americans United for Separation of Church and State that government ought not to be in the business of promoting religion, whether it's in a generic or specific sense.

While this week's Think Tank members cited what they see as an important link between God and patriotism, Boston said, people should recognize the nation's diversity. Polling indicates nonbelievers now number about 10 percent of the population. That's millions of people, and, if correct, it's higher than the percentage of Jews, which is about 3 percent.

"You can't dismiss any minority group, no matter how small their numbers," he said.

Boston also finds the argument that people are not obligated to recite the pledge insensitive to nonbelievers. Although the Supreme Court has ruled a youngster cannot be forced to say a prayer, if the only option is to single oneself out by not saying it, it can be quite a burden on a child.

While some have speculated the full circuit court will overturn the three-judge panel's "unconstitutional" ruling, Boston said that would be preferable to a constitutional amendment assuring the inclusion of God in the pledge as some have proposed since the ruling was released.

The Americans United for Separation of Church and State Web site can be accessed at http://www.au.org.