If the reference to religion is so neutral maybe, instead of removing under God, we add under God and Allah and as many other deities there may be to cover every religion that exists in this country or use a different one each day and see if that is still ok with people of the Christian faith when they're children have to sometimes pledge allegiance to Allah or whatever else may come up.If they have a problem with that then that will prove the validity of any opposing view point.

When in Rome, do as the ROMANS! Does this not apply to America? When in America, do as the Americans. If the diety of "God" offends those who pray to "Allah", they must not be Christians. This nation was founded on Christian principles, when/if they became American Citizens (through Canada), did they not make a similar allegiance to obey Christian principles? Maybe because they said "under God" in their oath, or daily pledges we should revoke their citizenships, because they refuse to continue to worship our GOD! Maybe only then will they begin to do as Americans do!

What exactaly is the purpose of the pledge? I can't think fo any other democratic nation that requires it's citizens to swear an oath of allegiance unless they are joining the military. The pledge did teach me one thing...America is not a Democracy, it is a Republic. I bet most of it's citizens even don't know the difference. As Robin Williams says..."One Nation, under Canada, above Mexico."

If you do pledge your allegiance then you should have the right to say it. If not, you should have the right not to say it. Simple as that. I myself don't say the pledge because I believe it's a way to remind us we're being controlled. Also, I don't necessarily pledge my allegiance to the U.S. I pledge my allegiance to what is right.

As a citizen of the USA I say the pledge as a duty and because I am thankful for living here. However, in my heart I do not fully agree with the pledge because my allegiance is to God alone, not to the flag or the nation it represents. My faith tells me to obey the government, so I do when it does not violate my convictions (thankfully this nation protects my convictions and does not persecute me for them). Even though the pledge includes the words "under God" it is such a vague term, it could mean anything. If I was a cosmic humanist, thinking that everything contained aspects of divinity, then I may as well say "one nation, under myself", or at least I could define it that way. Plus, many citizens who are trying to remove the words are striving to create a more "tolerant" society. If they were being authentic with their beliefs (even if atheistic), then they would "tolerate" beliefs different from their own. I do not agree that the words "under God" are pushing someone else's religion on you - even if you are an atheist. If you define God as "Allah", any other "deity", or a "crutch" then in your heart, you are inserting that definition when you recite the pledge. That phrase honors the fact that there is religious freedom in this nation. If you worship Jesus, a goddess, or the trees, yourself, or the TV, or sports, or Hollywood, or nothing, then you are treating them as if they were "God" (by definition God alone is worthy of worship) and you have the religious freedom to do so. We need to protect the fact that we do have religious freedom - even the freedom to not worship, thus we need to protect the words "under God" in our pledge.

I use to have to say that pledge in elementary school and I never really thought about it as being a bad thing to be thankful that we are able to do all we in the in United states, however I do see the argument from the other people as to why they don't like saying it. Some people don't believe of God and some poeple do, It's just a matter of how you were raised and how you were taught to think. I personally don't see the pledge being harmful.

what is sad is that we were founded on the basis of freedom to serve and worship whichever god we chose AND YET it angers people that they have such freedom... The four founding fathers decided to serve and worship God of the Bible and they built our nations principles on that choice. Is it such a bad thing to have laws that keep us from killing our neighbor or stealing from his feilds to make our own slef bigger and richer? Would we not them complain that there is nothing to keep our family or ourself from the risk of other religious ppl dictating to us which god we should worship? saying "under God" in a pledge is a priviledge not many other countries have in the first place because it is first UNDER GOVERNMENT. We at least have a choice in speaking or not. Personally I believe the "under God" is how I live-even without a pledge of allegience. My allegience is not going to be pledged thru a pledge under God or without under God. Pledging to the flag was what was wrong. it is an object. A symbol. Just as I do not stand in standing ovations. Man falls one step at a time and man will not be my hero. Men do heroic things and their deeds be praised but that same man has the ability to ill cheat or steal for his next breath just as anyone else. I wil not put symbol or man on a platform. We all have a civil liberty to defend the nation we live in OR GET OUT. under God or under gods or under no God or god at all we all live for something and we will all die for something. Just as the founding fathers decided to die or live to die for the religious freedom to choose which God to serve and how so we stand at a gate of decision: should we kick God out of schools again in yet another thing that distinguishes us from a nation only under government? Or do we stand for the freedom of all to choose INDIVIDUALLY if they would like to just not say 'under God' when it is said? We are so big on how it is going to effect our children and yet I have turned out fine and many of you have to. It did not hinder me from becoming who i am today and the words under God havenh't hindered otehr religions from worshiping their gods at all. we have bigger situations that should be taken care of like HOW IN THE WORLD KATRINA HAPPENED WITHOUT HELP FIRST OFF FROM OUR MILITARY instead of like SUNAMI when we were there to help those devistated individuals right away. Were too many of our men and women dying for a nother country's right to worship freely and live in a land of the free while our brave were needed here??

Anotehr thought: should we rewrite the historical documents next because the infringe on the rights of the people to chosewhich God they serve I should hope not! I would hate to think that those who love this country would not love all we have built ourselves up through the years with blessings given from the God who our nation prays to in times of tragedy like sept 11 2001 and this katrina situation. It is sooooo funny and ironic how we try to kick God out and then when the first sign of trouble falls we are all on our knees seeking God's counsel. And his wisdom and asking him why we have escaped his blessings. It is sooo obvious that even though we used to be one nation under God now we are just millions of ppl who chose singly to be under God or under government or under a god or under no God. and a house (or country) divided will not stand.

The two words, "Under God," seem to cause a problem for people who feel that the faith that there is a God is being forced on to them. I believe that those two words do no harm in the pledge, but if it offends people in this country then, yes, I suppose it is unconstitutional. It is true that there is freedom of religion in America and we all have a choice of where to put or not put our faith. America must continue to respect that.

To be honest, it's two words and it pisses me off that people want to complain about it. Nobody said you had to say it, nor should they force you to. America was funded on Christianity blah blah blah. but really, this isn't even worth debating. peace!

The pledge of allegiance has the words under god in it. To get rid of them would be to get rid of the original pledge. When reciting the pledge of allegiance you are not pledging anything to nay god. People should not be complaining about such a small thing. There are many other problems in the world and this is not one of them. If you do not want to acknowledge “god” then you do not need to state them. This innocuous offensive language can be found everywhere in our interactions with people today. That is why we need to step back and let it go. We need to make sure no one is forced to recite but we should not change it.

First off, the words "under God" were not in the pledge of allegiance at all. In fact, the creator of the pledge would have never put those words in because he felt it should spark pride in our nation, not in a religion. Second off, the founders did not create a country around religion. In fact, they did the opposite, the created it around freedom. In fact when it was suggested that they pray before beginning each say, it was immediately turned down because they feared that it would led to involving religion in the constitution. Therefore the only time they mentioned religion was to say that you could practice any religion you want freely, that the government could not create a national relgion and that church (religion) and state should always be seperate. Now I'm saying all of this, being a very strong christian but you have to ask yourself that if the pledge said "under Budda" would you really be willing so recite that or have your children reciting that everyday? I didn't think so.

To me I think its another way for someone to complain about. If it isent one thing then its another. "Under God" is in the pledge and we have been saying it for years.Nobody is forced to say it!Like no one is forced to have a religion."Under God" was even used on our Americian money.It was used by the early generation and it's in our American History.You don't like it okay,your choice.But the ones that do have there say too. Maybe people should start making a non-religios state and the religios have another.But that still wouldn't be good because I'm sure someone else will complain.

ok, just so everyone knows, the original pledge did not contain the words "under God". it went "i pledge alligience to my flag and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." then it was latered over the years to include certain words. then, in 1954 president Eisenhower added the words "under God" because "In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war." -Eisenhower. the true reason that the pilgrims first came to America was because they didn't have RELIGIOUS freedom in england. but because this has to do with God, many people don't know this. they don't teach this in school. there's what i had to say, now, are you for the pledge, or against it? i am for it, becasue we were founded under God. if we take these words out, then we are basically becoming enemies with the pilgrims, in the way that we refuse to acknowledge God.

first off anybody that said this country was not found on religion just does no know their facts. all the pilgrams that came to this country, mostly came for religous freedom. they were being persecuted in europe so they came to found a new country were they could practice their religion which just happened to be christianity. so those two little words in the pledge, "under god", fit this countries backround whether you like or not, its part of the United States history.

I've heard both sides. I know my point of view and i will say it, but its confusing.

Being a christian and loving god, i can't whole heartedly take his name out of everything because of what he's done for me. I just can't do it and i'd hate to be in the position of those having to decide.

With that being said, i also can't whole heartedly make others who aren't christian pledge to a god they don't believe in. Granted, the pledge is to the flag, not god, but even so, saying "under god" confirms that you believe there IS a god. Even if you don't. And you say this every day. If i were to be pledging to someone elses god, or confirming someone elses god, i wouldn't be able to do it. But i'm just hoping that others see that for a lot of us, our reason for keeping it in there is absolutely not to offend you. At least mine isn't. I do not agree with that whatsoever. But i just can't take god's name off of something without feeling an.... emptiness. Yet and still, i can't help but feel a little dent in my ethics everytime i see a muslim girl say "under god" just so she won't be hated by all in her classroom. Its a really hard descision and i'm glad i'm not the one making it, but, i am completely divided.