By Madhuri Dey
San Francisco, Mar 12, (THAINDIAN NEWS) The currency of the United States will continue carrying the words “under God,” along with the Pledge of Allegiance and the words “In God We Trust.” The appeal for the continued inclusion of these words have been upheld by a federal court, which has rejected counter appeals that they be removed. The judge who ruled the verdict, Judge Carlos Bea, commented that the verdict was passed keeping in mind the purpose with which they had been included. The words had been included in the currency in 1954.

The move was advocated by many of the members of the Congress, who claimed that the phrase helped to create a difference between the United States and other so-called “godless countries.” However, the innocuous phrase has since come under fire at least two times, the last time being in 2002, when it led to a nationwide movement demanding its exclusion from the currency. The activists claimed that the words violated one of the first laws in the constitution, that the government could not patronize any religion or anything to do with religion in any way.

The challenges were brought about by Michael Newdow, who brought about the lawsuits on the claims that the reference to God in the currency of the United States is contrary to what the constitution of the secular state suggests. He also cited that the reference to God in the currency might be hurtful to the religious beliefs of many in the population. However, the 9th United States Circuit Court of Appeals have refuted the claims, saying that the mention of the word God in the currency does not have anything to do with the endorsement of any religion.