In days of old

ONE REFERENCE TO RELIGION: [Article 6] No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any Office or Public Trust under the United States. The motto of the United States, adopted as part of the Great Seal of the U.S. by an Act of Congress in 1782, was E. Pluribus Unum (Out of Many, One). Congress changed it 174 years later (1956) to "In God We Trust". The ORIGINAL 'Pledge of Allegiance' was written in 1892 by Baptist Minister Francis Bellamy who DID NOT INCLUDE the words "Under God". Those were added by Congress 62 year later (1954). The U.S. didn't issue Paper Currency until 1861, & 'In God We Trust' didn't appear on it for 96 years. “As the government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian Religion" ~ Treaty of Tripoli; initiated under President George Washington, 1796, signed into law by President John Adams, 1797, ratified unanimously by the Senate, 1797, published in all 13 states, with no record of complaint or dissent. "I am for freedom of religion and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendancy of one sect over another." --Thomas Jefferson,

letter to Elbridge Gerry, January 26, 1799 “Christianity neither is, nor ever was part of the common law.” -- Thomas Jefferson “Religion and government will both exist in greater purity the less they are mixed together.”

--James Madison “The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion.”

--John Adams "In every country, in every age, the priest has always been hostile to liberty...He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection of his own." --Thomas Jefferson Founding Father Thomas Paine on Christianity. “The most detestable wickedness, the most horrid cruelties, and the greatest miseries that have afflicted the human race, have had their origin in this thing called revelation, or revealed religion…”