Use a red pen or stamp to "de-God" all of your paper money. It's fun. It's easy.

"In God We Trust" was put on all paper currency by an Act of Congress in 1955; the phrase was declared the national motto by an Act of Congress in 1956 and first appeared on paper currency in 1957.

The mid-to-late 1950s were a time of overt racism, religious discrimination, and political oppression in the United States. McCarthyism was at its feverous peak. The "red scare" had Congress and President Eisenhower acting in paranoid fits of illegal and unconstitutional activity. The FBI, under the militant J. Edgar Hoover, engaged in illegal spying campaigns against Americans.

During this period, the federal government acted more like an authoritarian dictatorship than a constitutional democracy. The government violated civil rights with impunity.

Adding "In God We Trust" to the US currency was an act of religious and political propaganda, allegedly to counter the threat of "godless communism."

In the early 1990s, the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit to remove "In God We Trust" from currency and as our national motto, but their case was dismissed by a federal judge on the grounds that "In God We Trust" is not a religious phrase. If "In God We Trust" is not a religious phrase, what is it? Of course the judge did not attempt to justify his absurd claim.

The Foundation appealed, but in 1996 the US Supreme Court refused to hear the case, claiming the issue was de minimus.

The word "God" is 100% religious and exclusively sectarian with respect to the monotheistic religions of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The word "We" implies a statement that is inclusive of all citizens, yet millions of Americans do not "Trust In God." The word "God" is in fact nonsense to more than 30 million atheist citizens.

By refusing to remove "In God We Trust" from currency and repeal the religious motto, the government continues to act in paranoid fits as it did in the 1950s.

FIGHT BACK BY SPENDING YOUR GODLESS MONEY

For more than 10 years, I have spent only Godless dollars. Using a red pen or stamp, I mark a circle and slash over the word "God" (as pictured above) on every bill that passes my way. When I make a withdrawal from the bank ATM, I immediately "de-God" each of the crisp new $20s. When I spend the $20s, and receive $1s, $5s, or $10s in change, I "de-God" each bill before passing it along. No merchant or business has ever refused to accept this "godless" money.

I probably spend at least fifty "godless" bills per week. That adds up to more than 2,500 "godless" bills per year.

Assuming that each dollar bill changes hands at least 20 times in the life of the bill, I estimate that my "godless" money passes through at least 50,000 people per year. In the past 10 years, I have thus circulated enough ""godless" money to reach a half-million people.

I'm not the only person to "de-God" money. I have many friends who have adopted this practice, thus we are reaching countless millions of people with "godless" money. In fact, thousands of atheist citizens de-God their money on a regular basis, potentially reaching every American with our "godless" money.

If you believe in "God", you may be interested to know that "godless" money spends just as well as the "In God We Trust" variety. One would think, if there actually is an "Almighty God," that "godless" money would "miraculously" drop in value. Or those godless bills would not work in vending machines. Guess what? They spend just as well.

Is it legal? YES! It is perfectly legal to "de-God" your money.

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 18, PART I, CHAPTER 17 - COINS AND CURRENCY

Whoever mutilates, cuts, defaces, disfigures, or perforates, or unites or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national banking association, or Federal Reserve bank, or the Federal Reserve System, with intent to render such bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt unfit to be reissued, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

Simply marking a red circle and slash over the word "God" does not constitute "intent to render [the bill] unfit to be reissued." As evidenced above, the "godless" bills spend just was well as the religious denominations (pun intended :-).

Most financial transactions in the United States are in fact conducted with "godless" money -- personal and business checks, credit cards, wire transfers, bank credits and debits, stocks, bonds, and the like. In fact, billions, perhaps trillions, in "godless" money changes hands every day.

So what does "In God We Trust" actually mean? Based on the facts, it means only that the government continues to maintain superstitious practices and paranoid acts that should have died along with McCarthyism. It means that the government does not actually support religious freedom. It means that the government continues to establish that monotheism, belief in one "Almighty God," is the de facto official religion of the United States.

God Bless America! One Nation, Under God.

Along with "In God We Trust" these ridiculous and unthinking statements are the hallmark of government in the United States.

As Americans evolve to reject religion and the ranks of atheism, agnosticism, and secular humanism continue to grow stronger, we may eventually achieve an enlightened government; one that supports the separation of state and church; one that respects the rights of individuals.

Until then however, let's just keep on spending that "godless" money….

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