De-Godding Money

Last Monday I had the opportunity to teach my young niece the reason I de-god all my paper money. I usually take care of this task at home whenever I get change after spending already de-godded money, but this particular time my niece and my brother were with me and I needed to de-god a $10 bill in order to use it to pay for sushi.

My niece asked me why I was doing it and I jumped at the chance to teach her about the First Amendment of the US Constitution:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

I then explained that putting "God" on our money is our government establishing this as the preferred deity over all others in the world. Clearly a violation of this Amendment.

Later her father let her de-god some of his money.


It brought a tear to my eye!