Sunday, May 17, 2015

Atheist Activist Will Use RFRA To Challenge "In God We Trust" On Money

Atheist activist Michael Newdow is looking for individuals who will act as plaintiffs in a new set of challenges to "In God We Trust" on U.S. coins and currency.  For the first time, the suits will rely primarily on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  In a post last Friday on Friendly Atheist, Newdow says suits are being prepared in states in the seven federal circuits that have not already upheld the constitutionality of the national motto on coins and currency. The cases will argue that being forced to carry a message that violates one's religious ideals is substantially burdensome, and that the government has no compelling interest in having the motto on coins and currency. As pointed out by Inquisitr,  this is the latest recent attempt to turn state and federal RFRA's-- which have been strongly supported by conservative Christian groups-- into tools to oppose the conservative Christian agenda.