To the editor:

Pondering “In God We Trust” as a national motto, Isaac McPheeters asks, given that government is accountable to the people, “to whom are the people accountable?” The founders of our nation believed that politically we are accountable to one another and the Constitution, while personally we answer to whatever dictates of conscience – religious or not – we freely choose to observe. The government has no authority in matters of faith, they said, no business pronouncing doctrine or offering prescriptions on whether we should trust in one, many or no gods, on how – or even whether – we should worship.

Yet we have a class of believers in America, with us from the start, who insist government is accountable to their idea of monotheism. Those are the folks who eventually plopped “In God We Trust” on the money, and “under God” in the pledge. These diligent sappers present a constant danger to democracy.

Though our wise founders took pains to prevent them from using our government to impose their metaphysical agenda, they’ve been chipping resentfully at this great American ideal of separation, with too much success, for too long. The mottoes are the least of their usurpation, symbols of their arrogance and political power. Thankfully, others of us are on guard against such high-handed bigotry, such forced faith by fiat.

What should we trust in? I, for one, trust that reason, equality and freedom of conscience allow Americans to live together in prosperity and peace – not official privilege for those who claim to speak for God.

Bruce S. Springsteen, Lawrence