Imagine there’s no “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. It’s easy if you try. No “God” on our currency or prayer in our schools. Imagine there’s no allocating of government funds to faith-based organizations; it isn’t hard to do. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m certainly not the only one.

When dealing with the issue of the separation between church and state, a clear and distinct line must be drawn. There is no room to broaden this definition or work outside the lines of the law. Once the door is opened the beginnings of a theocracy could take hold on our democratic society.

As important as it is to keep the church and state separate, there are already violations of that in the Pledge of Allegiance, on our currency and in our government’s policy.

President Barack Obama has recently announced that his administration will not favor one religion over another nor religious groups over non-secular ones. However he went on to contradict himself regarding his council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

“It will simply be to work on behalf of those organizations that want to work on behalf of our communities, and to do so without blurring the line that our founders wisely drew between church and state,” Obama said.

Obama is trying hard to maintain this separation, but his actions prove otherwise. The government should not be offering money to faith-based organizations.

That association is also present in our everyday lives. People may argue that it doesn’t hurt anyone to use that word, because it’s just a word.

Words, however, do carry a lot of power. Matt McCormick, associate professor of philosophy, points out some substitutions to the word “God” in our everyday lives.

“If you really think it doesn’t matter to have God in the pledge, or you think that the people who don’t believe ought to just go along with it. Let’s try it this way, ‘In Mohammed we trust,’ or, ‘In Satan we trust,'” McCormick said.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation offers another idea, none at all.

The foundation is an association of freethinkers who have been working to keep state and church separate. Part of its campaign is putting up billboards like the one located near the Sacramento State campus at 8280 Folsom Blvd. This sign reads, “Imagine No Religion.”

The organization is in federal court right now over the removal of one of its billboards in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. When this line is crossed, when the government sanctions free speech, our Constitution begins to lose its power. Organizations such as this foundation preach the importance of the separation of church and state, and we should all recognize its ability to do so. Groups like this fight to keep the church and the state separate; imagine a country where they didn’t.

Matt Rascher can be reached at [email protected]