The argument put up by the conservative Christians shows a cultural history in our nation of such phrases being used in the Judiciary---indeed the Supreme Court itself opens its sessions with an utterance involving God.
Its a battle that won't soon go away because for everyone who feels insulted mentioning God as a symbol of affirmation of obedience to a overseeing social benevolance, there are as many people who feel equally insulted that humans acknowledge no such benevolance.
The entire church/state controversy is being debated between liberal humanist organizations such as the A.C.L.U. who are being urgd to eliminate religion from public life, and neocon conservatives who do NOT want such historic tradition eliminated from public life.
As long as the "state" is made up of people, there will be debates and discussions on these issues.
Some of us get offended that our children are being taught that collective human wisdom is the apex of authority.
Others of us get offended that Christianity is pushed as the authoritarian standard in a nation founded on pluralistic principles.
This issue, if aggressively pursued by EITHER side, will eventually split the U.S. into two or more seperate nations (or nation states.)
I cant understand why you are so sensitive to it, since I am a Christian....(I never understood freethinkers passion at being allowed to think as they so wanted) but then I would probably be offended if the culture changed and Islam became a majority and I HAD to acknowledge Allah as my one true God!
Despite being a Christian, I think that pluralism is the way to go, but it may take quite a few years to get the majority vote needed to establish a truly religion-free society.
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