[genefromjersey]

I have the disadvantage of being old enough to remember when the phrase " one nation under God " was added to the original Pledge.

If memory serves, it was during the Eisenhower administration, and a lot of folks thought it had a kind of smug, self-righteous ring to it; but said: " Aw, what the heck ! If it makes people happy, why not ? "

In those dark ages, before the "one nation" phrase was added,church/synagogue attendance was exceptionally high,patriotism, the doing of good deeds, etc. was fairly normal, and we were, in some respects, a little closer to being the sort of society many of you dream we could have again.

In my humble opinion, if we are not "one nation", and at least willing to pretend we are under a watchful divine eye,saying we are, during the Pledge of Allegiance isn't going to make it happen; any more than slapping a coat of whitewash on a tomb makes a graveyard a nice place to be.

[RJayneJ]

I also recall when 'under God,' was added to the pledge and I remember an in class discussion about it. The Cold War was the over-riding reason that the phrase was added. The Soviet Union was rarely mentioned without adding 'Godless Nation' to define it. So, legislators and the White House wanted to make the distinction clear between the two nations, and you could say that it was a bit of domestic propaganda.