Court Upholds 'Under God' in Pledge of Allegiance

A federal appeals court in San Francisco today upheld the use of the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and "In God We Trust" on US currency. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals panel rejected two legal challenges by Sacramento atheist Michael Newdow, who claimed the references to God disrespect his religious beliefs.

"The Pledge is constitutional," Judge Carlos Bea wrote for the majority in the 2-1 ruling. "The Pledge of Allegiance serves to unite our vast nation through the proud recitation of some of the ideals upon which our Republic was founded." In a separate 3-0 ruling, the court upheld the "In God We Trust" motto on coins and dollars. (More Pledge of Allegiance stories.)