Fifty Years of ‘In God We Trust’

Sam Rainer

October 1, 2007

I am actually excited about going to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to register my truck in Indiana. Don’t get me wrong, shelling out a wad of dough in order to get a thin piece of metal stuck on the back of my truck is not what brings me this excitement. Rather, I’m stoked about getting one of the Indiana “In God We Trust” license plates. Drive around the state for any amount of time, and you will see several.

I bring up this subject to tell everyone that today marks the 50th anniversary of the first appearance of “In God We Trust” on paper currency in the United States. Click here for a brief and interesting history of the slogan, which became our nation’s official motto in 1956. It was passed by joint resolution in Congress and signed by President Dwight Eisenhower. The phrase was also adopted last year as the official motto of the state of Florida.

Even with all the hullaballoo over separation of church and state, 90% of Americans approve of the motto’s use on currency. But what do you think? Is it too exclusionary? Is it a slippery slope towards theocracy? Or are you proud to clink two quarters of “In God We Trust” into a pop machine for a diet soda in return? What’s your two cents?

3 comments on “Fifty Years of ‘In God We Trust’”

  1. Josh H. says:

    “Even with all the hullaballoo”

    I find no disagreement with your sentiments as written in this article. My reason for commenting is that I can hardly picture you actually saying “hullaballoo” in the spoken word…

  2. Sam Rainer says:

    Ha! Don’t worry, Josh, if I ever did say “hullaballoo,” it would be with my typical “marbles-in-your-mouth” Kentuckiana accent.

  3. Mark says:

    “In God We Trust” on objects like money and license plates are symptoms of a theocratic nation…nothing more. This is an infringement upon polytheistic and atheists as well. They are citizens also.

    The Bible Belt has the highest rates in murder, divorce and obesity, nationwide. Are these things the attributes of being an American Christian or has the American Christian gotten too greedy and slothful like their million dollar evangelists?

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