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The 'God' issue in the pledge is really a tough issue for me...I love God so much, and believe as firmly as anything, that He does exist, and wishes only the best for His children...that is my personal belief...

On the other hand, I guess I try to place myself in the shoes of those who would wish the words 'Under God' were not in the pledge....

I do seem to remember being a little girl, and originally learning the pledge without the words 'Under God'...when we were to learn it, using the words 'Under God', I dont remember what my little girl thoughts on that issue were...I would like to think I was pleased, because going to Sunday School and Church had taught me all about such a loving God...and I remember our ministers always praying for God to bless our leaders, and give them wisdom to lead our country.....so I guess, combining God and our country, did not at all seem strange to me....

But it does not seem to me, that having the words, 'Under God' violates any constitutional guarantee...it is not establishing a religion, one is not forced to say the words 'Under God'....I guess I am letting my own prejudice show here....that is why this is a tough issue for me...

I know that the Jehovahs witness, do not say the pledge at all, nor do they allow their children to say it in school...I think that if one choses to raise their family as atheists, then one could still recite the pledge , and just not say the words, 'Under God', tho of course, they would be subjected to hearing those words...

As I say, this is really a difficult issue for me...I think I am trying to figure out what God would want, and that is difficult...I would hate to see the words 'Under God' deleted from our pledge...that is what my heart and my spirit says...

But what do we say, to those children whose parents have raised them to be atheists? I dont think that these children really suffer any harm at all from the words 'Under God'...Yet I guess I can say, that from these parents points of view, somehow their teachings of their children are being undermined by the pledge and the words 'Under God'...Yet the opposite of this, is that, is such a child is exposed to the words 'Under God', perhaps that child will then explore the possibilities that his own parents could be wrong(which as we know, since no parents are infallible, we all make mistakes)and the child may actually investigate 'God' on his own...

As I said, this is a difficult issue for me...