What do Atheists do with their money?

[tommyz]

As a matter of principle, in terms of living in harmony with my values and beliefs, I would never carry around, promote, endorse or personally approve of anything that I simply do not believe in
REGARDLESS of whatever monetary benefit I may gain from it. That's what INTEGRITY is all about.

For example, and based on this theory, a vegetarian would never promote or endorse a steak house or a meat manufacturer. Not by doing a commericial, appearing in an ad, or wearing any merchandise with said manufacturer's name.

Here in the United States, ALL denominations of our currency (whether in coin or in paper) have the enscribed phrase "In God We Trust"

Thankfully, I myself am more of an agnostic, so I can peacefully accept and tolerate that. But for those of you DIE HARD atheists out there, how do you live with yourselves, carrying coins and paper currency that has this unacceptable phrase promoting a concept that you outright reject? And would it be fair for the United States government to simply delete this controversial word from its currency in favor of more acceptable and secular terminology?

Your thoughts and opinion please...

 

[Phil]

There are no such phrases on my check card, nor are there any on my credit cards.




Who uses cash anymore?

 

[apoger]

And would it be fair for the United States government to simply delete this controversial word from its currency in favor of more acceptable and secular terminology?

Of course it would be "fair". The phrase wasn't there until the 1950's and McCarthyism.

As far as "integrity" goes... it's a matter of practicality. I need money, so I put up with the nonsense. Hey, if the only place to get food was a church, I'd be going there as well.

The analogy with vegetarians/steakhouses is lacking. Just because I use money, does not in any way mean that I endorse god/religion. Money isn't about god. Steakhouses are about meat.

How do I live with myeslf? I try not to become inappropriately concerned over this sort of thing.

 

[Dr Adequate]

Hold on.

You claim:

(1) You're agnostic.

(2) You wouldn't carry around any statement you didn't believe in.

(3) You carry around pieces of paper saying "In God We Trust".

If you believe "In God We Trust", how are you an agnostic?

You should insist on having money saying "In God We... Er..."

 

[Timothy]

As a matter of principle, in terms of living in harmony with my values and beliefs, I would never carry around, promote, endorse or personally approve of anything that I simply do not believe in
REGARDLESS of whatever monetary benefit I may gain from it. That's what INTEGRITY is all about.

That simple-minded, black-or-white, unilateral, and unchangable position is what DOGMA is all about (See: Kant, Catagorical Imperative)

Thankfully, I myself am more of an agnostic, so I can peacefully accept and tolerate that. But for those of you DIE HARD atheists out there, how do you live with yourselves, carrying coins and paper currency that has this unacceptable phrase promoting a concept that you outright reject?

It annoys me, but not sufficiently that the gain from rejecting it outweighs the convenience of using it.

And would it be fair for the United States government to simply delete this controversial word from its currency in favor of more acceptable and secular terminology?

Yup.

- Timothy

 

[fishbob]

I buy gas and bait. This helps a lot in living harmoniously with my values and beliefs. And gets that phrase-enscribed currency out of my pocket really fast.

 

[Marquis de Carabas]

I buy only ungodly products with my cash, and as I hand it over, I yell "Ha! Suck on that, five-dollar bill! You just bought gum with blasphemous jokes on the wrapper! Trust in that, bch."

I often get asked kindly to not return to stores.

 

[TragicMonkey]

I'm performing an experiment. In the "Way of the Pilgrim", famous 19th century mystical work, the author suggests that merely reciting a prayer to Jesus repeatedly, whether one believes or not, will bring about belief. In the same vein, I'm wondering if possessing enough objects with "In God We Trust" inscribed on them will convert me by osmosis.

To that end, I'm collecting cash. Feel free to send me all of yours. My prediction is that when I have enough money, I will either believe in God, or be too rich to worry about it.

 

[Lisa Simpson]

I like to cross out "In God We Trust" and write blasphemous sayings on it instead.

 

[Ashles]

As a matter of principle, in terms of living in harmony with my values and beliefs, I would never carry around, promote, endorse or personally approve of anything that I simply do not believe in
REGARDLESS of whatever monetary benefit I may gain from it. That's what INTEGRITY is all about.

Hmm let's see, yes having thought about it I couldn't care less.

By carrying and spending the money I don't feel I am 'promoting' religious belief at all.

In fact I can't actually remember the last time I spent some money and the cashier said "You believe in Jesus too? Great!"

Overall I feel very few people have been converted or "saved" by my use of money.

 

[LostAngeles]

I put my cash into vending machines and give it vendors in exchange for goods. I also put my cash into my pocket and sometimes leave it on the desk.

 

[wahrheit]

I'm glad we have that funny euro money over here...

no God stuff on it, only phantasy buildings, a map, some numbers depicting the value and a strange character from the greek alphabet for the "O" in "EURO".

 

[EHocking]

As a matter of principle, in terms of living in harmony with my values and beliefs, I would never carry around, promote, endorse or personally approve of anything that I simply do not believe in
REGARDLESS of whatever monetary benefit I may gain from it. That's what INTEGRITY is all about....Your thoughts and opinion please...

I suppose as an Australian that supports the idea of us becoming a republic that I should stop using GBP 'cos they have an image of the Queen on them?

Integrity should be saved for things other than strawmen...

 

[tommyz]

You should insist on having money saying "In God We... Er..."

Right on. Or more like "In (a) God (or Gods) that may or may not exist, we would like to trust despite evidence to the contrarary" but I don't think that would all fit. Besides, even though I'm not specifically saying that He/She/It/They doesn't exist at all, it's still enough to get many simple minded religious people pissed off...as if critical thinking were the devil himself!

Oh, and speaking of being "simple minded..."

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by tommyz
As a matter of principle, in terms of living in harmony with my values and beliefs, I would never carry around, promote, endorse or personally approve of anything that I simply do not believe in
REGARDLESS of whatever monetary benefit I may gain from it. That's what INTEGRITY is all about.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


That simple-minded, black-or-white, unilateral, and unchangable position is what DOGMA is all about (See: Kant, Catagorical Imperative)

Thanks for the philisophical advice, Timothy; I'll have to go to my local library or bookstore and look that up.

Putting semantics aside, no; life is not all black-or-white, or always clear cut and dry. From time to time, we may occasionally find ourselves locked into a rather awkward situation in which the only practical way out is to cut corners and breach your own sense of integrity. Apoger mentioned:

Originally posted by apoger
As far as "integrity" goes... it's a matter of practicality. I need money, so I put up with the nonsense. Hey, if the only place to get food was a church, I'd be going there as well.

So yeah...on that point I have to give you credit. Maybe this was too bad of an example, but still very interesting nonetheless. I wonder if or how many atheist organizations actually petitioned to have this phrase removed?

 

[phildonnia]

The way I see it, if you're under duress, then nothing you say is binding, either legally, or on your conscience.

So since I'm pretty much forced to use money to live in this world, I am not injured one bit by carrying around slips of paper that mention God.

And when the Inquisition comes around with their branding irons, I encourage you to declare your faith loudly. God will forgive your dishonesty.

 

[Yahweh]

I like to cross out "In God We Trust" and write blasphemous sayings on it instead.

Defacing money is a crime, that's why I recommend you print your own money with blasphemous sayings, then everybody wins.

 

[Bentspoon]

from a DIE HARD atheists

Die hard atheist - what is that - is that like activist judge?

Why is there always a label XXXXXX atheist. Why don't you just resort to evil atheist

Anyway, my answer to you, you Live Soft Agnostic

I only use cash for prostitutes. That way I can get a lot of mileage out of the term "In God We Trust". That way I make sure that the good christian prostitutes won't rip me off (fear of God = morality and all that)

But then I am an unprincilped DIE HARD atheist who lacks integrity.

Methinks your slip is showing

Bentspoon

DIE HARD EVIL CONSPIRATORIAL ATHEIST

 

[Robin]

Originally posted by tommyz
For example, and based on this theory, a vegetarian would never promote or endorse a steak house or a meat manufacturer. Not by doing a commericial, appearing in an ad, or wearing any merchandise with said manufacturer's name.

I am a vegetarian and I would have no objection to endorsing a meat manufacturer (that would be a cow or a sheep right?), or a steak house if the need arose. For example if a friend started a new hamburger joint I would happily wear the tee-shirt to get the message round since friendship is more important than diet. I don't necessarily think that everybody should share my personal choices.

Atheism is not about forcing people to stop believing in God (or at least it shouldn't be) it is just a personal outlook, even if it is a die hard outlook.

My money doesn't mention any deities, mostly famous Australians, but my coins have the image of an overseas monarch who I do not think should be our head of state. So what should I do - refuse to carry round the coins? But I have nothing personal against her. Should I refuse to allow felons to be locked up in Her Majesty's Prisons, refuse to be protected by a ship with HMAS in it's name?

No, clearly this is a ridiculous conception of integrity - I live in a democracy and for the time being people have voted for the status quo, so clearly I can respect the wishes of my fellow citizens and still hold my own beliefs.

I wonder how Christian can carry around money that mentions God when this goes against Christs teaching on the division between secular and divine authority? Now that God is on the currency rather than Ceasar shouldn't they render it all unto God?

 

[DarkMagician]

Die hard atheist? Is that a guy who.......I never saw "Die Hard."

And thanks for the idea, LS. I'm going to put sexual innuendo on mine.

 

[patchbunny]

I change it to "In Allah We Trust".