Money does not exist "for the express purpose that it be observed and read by the public."
Citing this as one of the grounds for its decision, a U.S. district court on Wednesday dismissed a case filed by a group of atheist humanists who sought to remove "In God We Trust" on the U.S. currency, Charisma News reported.
The atheist group referred to in court documents as "New Doe Child" had alleged that the inscription of "In God We Trust" on the American currency "violates the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses of the First Amendment; the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, and the right to equal protection under the Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause."
However, the wartime veterans' organisation American Legion, with the legal assistance of the First Liberty Institute, filed an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in May, stating that the plaintiffs made three errors in their argument.
That American Legion pointed out that the plaintiffs confused free exercise doctrine with Establishment Clause doctrine; confused the purpose of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act; and confused government speech with compelled speech.
U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson then came up with a ruling last week granting a motion to dismiss the case, stating that she agrees with the arguments presented by the First Liberty and American Legion.
As part of the court's ruling, Pearson pointed out that money does not exist "for the express purpose that it be observed and read by the public."
She explained that "no reasonable viewer would think a person handling money does so to spread its religious message," adding that "a person does not own the bills and coins printed by the United States Treasury" and that "the government does not require citizens to display money."
First Liberty President and CEO Kelly Shackelford thanked the court for upholding the federal government's ability to display the national motto on currency.
"Federal courts have repeatedly upheld the national motto as constitutional," he said. "'In God We Trust' is deeply embedded in our nation's history and is a symbol of patriotism."
"In God We Trust" was first adopted in 1956 as an alternative to the unofficial "E Pluribus Unum" ("Of Many, One") placed on the Great Seal of the United States upon its adoption in 1782, Charisma News noted.
The new motto began appearing on America's paper currency in 1957, but it had been used on coins dating as far back as 1864, it added.
