"In God We Trust" is the official motto of the United States. But many people object to the phrase for religious reasons. And now there is a group who wants the phrase removed from our currency.
The 112-page lawsuit against the federal government by nearly 40 plaintiffs who are mostly atheist want that phrase removed from American cash.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in a federal court in Akron and argues the phrase on our money violates the constitutional rights of those who do not believe in God.
The unnamed parents and children listed as plaintiffs are from both Ohio and Michigan including The Northern Ohio Freethought Society of Cleveland, who say they just want equality.
"We're forced to sort of carry this message around of 'In God we trust' when we don't agree with it,” says Salvatore Salerno, Secretary of the Northern Ohio Freethought Society Of Cleveland. He added, “Anything that has a promotion of God in it in a public arena we feel it's an endorsement of religion by the government, and therefore a violation of the first amendment."
The lead lawyer, Michael Newdow, has sued the government twice before and lost a similar suit about removing the use of the phrase 'under god' in the pledge of allegiance.
A judge has yet to be assigned to this case.
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