"In God We Trust" is the official motto of the United States, adopted by Congress in 1956 but placed on coins as early as the Civil War. As a general description of the nation, it is accurate -- Americans do trust in God. Unfortunately some believers don't trust common sense and don't recognize the blessings of tolerance that flow from the separation of church and state.

The latest example of blind piety comes from Harrisburg, where another skirmish in the culture wars has opened. House Bill 1012 would permit public schools to display the motto "In God We Trust" in every classroom, school cafeteria and auditorium in Pennsylvania. As some school districts already permit display of the motto, it's not clear why this bill is needed.

Actually, the motivation of the bill may be more problematic than the display of the motto, which, after all, has been rendered fairly meaningless by being part of the cultural fabric of the country.

The bill's supposed purpose is to instruct children in history and patriotism. In truth, the real intent here is to make official the idea that America is God's country. Although the bill tries to defend its own constitutionality, saying the motto passes court scrutiny if "the purpose of the display is to advance or endorse the national motto rather than a particular religious belief or practice," it is disingenuous to suggest that the proposed law isn't motivated by religion. Of course, it is.

The introduction of the motto bill follows the lead of a national campaign launched by the American Family Association, an ultraconservative group that supports the so-called traditional family values of conservative Christians. It is headed by an ordained United Methodist minister, Donald Wildmon.

Just as intelligent design is creationism by a more politic name with the same purpose of injecting religion into public schools, the motto movement is another cause that serves no benign secular purpose. Instead, it has about it a whiff of intolerance and sectarianism. As it happens, the bill's prime sponsor has also introduced legislation to permit the teaching of intelligent design in biology classes whenever evolution is discussed.

Religious zealots should be opposed when their obvious if unstated intent is to deploy the national motto as a battering ram to put another hole in the wall separating church and state, a wall that has been under constant assault in the Bush years, even though religion in America has always prospered in its shadow. The state House should reject this bill, the fruit of a dubious tree in the garden of religious freedom.