The argument put forth by the Bush administration/United States of America in the Pledge “under God” case is that the reference to God is not a reference to God, but a reference to a reference to God. Read the article, Wieseltier’s nailed it.

Breyer suggested that the God in “under God” is “this kind of very comprehensive supreme being, Seeger-type thing.” And he posed an extraordinary question to Newdow: “So do you think that God is so generic in this context that it could be that inclusive, and if it is, then does your objection disappear?”

Needless to say, Newdow’s objection did not disappear, because it is one of the admirable features of atheism to take God seriously. Newdow’s reply was unforgettable: “I don’t think that I can include ‘under God’ to mean ‘no God,’ which is exactly what I think. I deny the existence of God.” The sound of those words in that room gave me what I can only call a constitutional thrill. This is freedom. And he continued: “For someone to tell me that ‘under God’ should mean some broad thing that even encompasses my religious beliefs sounds a little, you know, it seems like the government is imposing what it wants me to think in terms of religion, which it may not do. Government needs to stay out of this business altogether.”

[…]

In his intervention at the Court, Justice Stevens recalled a devastating point from the fascinating brief submitted in support of Newdow by 32 Christian and Jewish clergy, which asserted that “if the briefs of the school district and the United States are to be taken seriously,” that is, if the words in the Pledge do not allude to God, “then every day they ask schoolchildren to violate [the] commandment” that “Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord in vain.”

I’ve desperately been searching for well reasoned explanations of the opposing view of this, but so far all I’ve illogical arguments centering on just what the article exposes- the politicalization of God- when you dumb down the concept of God to the point that saying “God” is no longer a reference to God you’ve already lost the fight.

The separation of Church and state is a good thing for both sides. I just hope this Supreme Court can put aside their ridiculous partisanship and rule on the law. (Yes, I’m referring to Florida…)