Mike Johnson’s first speech as Speaker of the House featured deeply problematic remarks about the phrase “In God We Trust” and its historical context. Advocates of secularism, as well as those concerned about the separation of church and state, have long criticized the implications of this motto.
Speaker Johnson’s comments completely disregarded the historical backdrop against which “In God We Trust” became the national motto. This phrase emerged during the McCarthy era, a period marked by widespread paranoia about communism and the abuse of governmental powers to suppress individual freedoms. Christian nationalists took advantage of this dark time in our history to advance their historically revisionist agenda, which seeks to convince Americans that our nation was founded to be a Christian nation—and therefore should be governed by their particular brand of Christian biblical principles.
In his speech, Speaker Johnson peddled one of the most common tropes Christian nationalists use to argue for the mixing of religion and state—by claiming that regimes like the Soviet Union were inherently immoral enemies of freedom because they officially endorsed atheism. Christian nationalists often make similar claims about communist China. The truth is, whether it’s Christian nationalism or an atheist authoritarian communist regime, any nation dominated by dogmatic beliefs is not free. Russia’s alignment with the Russian Orthodox Church in recent decades has certainly not made Russia any less authoritarian.
It’s crucial to challenge the narrative put forward by politicians who conflate dictatorships and communist rule with atheism. This narrative serves to present Christian nationalism as the antidote. In reality, secular democracy is the best path to guarantee freedom for all. Implying that atheists are enemies of the United States, stigmatizes and alienates millions of nonbelievers. This kind of rhetoric has been normalized for far too long.
Speaker Johnson’s speech focused on the Declaration of Independence, but he conspicuously omitted any mention of the Constitution. This omission is significant because the Constitution is a secular document. It explicitly calls for the separation of church and state in the First Amendment and prohibits religious tests for office in Article VI. The founding fathers went out of their way to ensure religion was not mixed with the state.
The original motto of the United States was “E Pluribus Unum,” meaning “Out of many, one.” Notably, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries made a nod to our original motto in his first speech upon being elected Minority Leader. This motto reflects the diverse and inclusive nature of our nation. One day, I hope we will return to this motto, which reminds us of the values that unite Americans.
