Article

Keep All Gods Off Money!

By BlackSun / March 27th, 2008 / Newswire, Atheism / 26 comments

I ran across this $20 bill recently–no, this was not my handiwork.

But I couldn’t agree more! Hells yeah. Anyone know where to buy this stamp?

Comments (26 comments)

loveit / March 27th, 2008, 7:35 pm / #1

I want one too!

Leana Yukari / March 27th, 2008, 11:06 pm / #2

If I had this stamp, I think I would forget about life for a few days and just wander around asking people if i could stamp their money.

Well maybe not to that extreme but I love it!!

Oz Atheist / March 27th, 2008, 11:39 pm / #3

at a stamp shop I’d guess? You can get stamps made with whatever you want on them.

I think this is funny and clever; however, is defacing currency a crime in America? Here in Australia it is:

Extract from Crimes (Currency) Act 1981

Defacing or destroying current coins or current paper money

16. A person shall not, without the consent, in writing, of an authorised person, wilfully deface, disfigure, mutilate or destroy any coin or paper money that is lawfully current in Australia.
Penalty:
(a) in the case of a person, not being a body corporate - $5,000 or imprisonment for 2 years, or both; or
(b) in the case of a person, being a body corporate - $10,000.

It’s a good idea, but not worth going to gaol/jail for.

BlackSun / March 27th, 2008, 11:54 pm / #4

Oz Atheist,

Thanks–yeah I figured I could have it custom made. I just wondered if someone was selling them on the web that I hadn’t heard about.

As far as defacing currency? Yes it’s technically a crime, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone being arrested for it. After all, unless they saw you stamping the bills, there would be no proof that the defacing didn’t come from someone else.

After all, putting “god” on the money is a constitutional violation in the first place.

Tony KW / March 28th, 2008, 5:46 am / #5

In about 1980 at a conference in Brighton, UK for GLBT politics we asked everyone to have their currency stamped with a pink triangle and to use cash instead of credit cards.

By the end of the long weekend almost 90% of the currency in town had been stamped.

That made people think.

It can be a very powerful tool to remind people of the financial aspects of your politics.

Misha Vargas / March 28th, 2008, 10:42 am / #6

It’s been said — but I won’t swear — that “defacing” requires doing more than just making little marks on a bill; that it requires making the bill un-reissuable (perhaps by covering or removing the bill’s number) . This seems to be correct, when I read the U.S. Code, Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 17, Section 333.

(Do it. C’mon. No one cares. You’ll totally get away with it.)

Alex / March 28th, 2008, 4:26 pm / #7

Unfortunately, I doubt the people who really need to get informed on this issue won’t get past the ‘in Allah’ line before deciding that whoever did it is a terrorist Muslim.

Generally, I go after this issue from a historical perspective, pointing out that the phrase wasn’t on our money previously and claiming that I want a return to the way it used to be. 100% true, and it doesn’t take an angle of attack that will be dismissed without thinking.

With a few exceptions, history is a big thing to conservatives, who form the big speedbump here, and convincing them that if it was good enough for our founding fathers is at least somewhat successful. Even if they’re too uninformed to know our founding fathers weren’t anywhere close to their brand of religiousity.

Liquid Egg Product / March 28th, 2008, 5:50 pm / #8

Muslims who speak English use “God” too, though…maybe go with Xenu…

Michael Morris / March 28th, 2008, 9:26 pm / #9

Perfect - just perfect. God is not Great. I am just finishing Hitchens book and it is wonderful. I haven’t felt this good since speed queens were washers. You know - way back in the olden days when Hillary was a Marine door gunner in Viet Nam?

No - seriously religion poisons everything.

vjack / March 30th, 2008, 6:27 am / #10

With my luck, I wouldn’t be able to get any of the Christian extremists in the area to accept my bills after that!

Christ Davis / March 31st, 2008, 2:28 pm / #11

I carry a sharpie at all times. If I can’t think of a reasonably clever edit I just run a thick line through the whole god/trust bit. It goes over big in AA meetings!

Aaron Kinney / April 3rd, 2008, 9:54 am / #12

Holy shit I need that stamp too!

kent / April 3rd, 2008, 1:53 pm / #13

In god we trust on the money never bothered me. I always took it to mean that we Americans worship money. Those bills we trust.

Black Sun Journal » Blame Canada / April 3rd, 2008, 2:43 pm / #14

[…] After posting about keeping all gods off money (previous article), I was starting to wonder what would be on the ideal currency. I was thinking it should be fun, pleasing to the eye, and totally offensive to both modern prudes and medievally inclined spirit-worshipers. Then I got these gorgeous designs forwarded in an email. […]

CLSFD / April 29th, 2008, 11:27 am / #15

Not trying to be hugely offensive, but there is a reason that Allah works much better than Xenu. Allah is like the rival football team for Christians. Christians don’t really feel threatened by Xenu or Zeus. Or even Buddha. But Allah, now there is a name that stirs up some feelings in most warm blooded Americans that can only be compared to seeing your worst enemy get a promotion.

By the way, the picture rocked.

jake / April 29th, 2008, 11:28 am / #16

@Liquid Egg Product

Muslims who speak English and say “God” do it because God and Allah are one in the same.

Their Allah who promises them 72 virgins and our God who promises them eternal salvation is the same person.

jon / April 29th, 2008, 12:42 pm / #17

Im atheist and it never bothered me.

Anti-theist / April 29th, 2008, 1:01 pm / #18

Another thing you can do, is scratch the T of Trust off the bill, so it says “IN GOD WE RUST”

Rexerex / April 29th, 2008, 4:26 pm / #19

Misha Vargas seems to be right.
As an example of leaglly stamping dollars check out this site and their FAQ.
wheresgeorge.com

Free Software / April 29th, 2008, 5:25 pm / #20

Loads a Money!

Justin / April 29th, 2008, 5:39 pm / #21

So, instead of this, I’ve been crossing out “God” on all my bills and writing “humanity” or “humankind”. Seems a more optimistic (and realistic) thing to give your trust.

MikedaSnipe / April 29th, 2008, 7:24 pm / #22

The “In god we trust” slogan was added to bills to keep other nations from calling the US secular and godless. Its a meaningless token, the worst thats come from it is idiots using it as “lolol 100% proof” that the US is for christians. Shouldn’t we be fighting other battles and let the religious folk have this little phrase? It makes them happy.

terry kelley / April 29th, 2008, 9:13 pm / #23

It seems to me that in FASCISM we trust would be more appropriate !
we do live in a fascist society, or is it a fascist theocracy i keep forgetting
LONG LIVE the CORPORATE OVERLORDS.

Jay / April 30th, 2008, 4:37 am / #24

It’s a nice thought, misguided as it is. Allah and God are one in the same, it is simply two names for the same being. God is our English word and Allah is Islamic. Why do most believe that an acknowledgment of religion is the same as establishing a church? The point is clear, religion should not be the basis of government, that’s a good point.

Steve / April 30th, 2008, 9:42 am / #25

Perhaps we should go with “All Glory to the Hypnotoad!”

ismgr / May 4th, 2008, 10:36 am / #26

It needs to come off. The sooner, the better. Religion needs to be separated from government as much as possible. The sooner, the better. I’m in favor of anything that wakes people up. _________, __________.

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Keep All Gods Off Money!

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