Last week on Thanksgiving, the pastor who helped push to have "under God" inserted into the Pledge of Allegiance died.  He was 97.  I wrote about the history of the Pledge of Allegiance last year:

For the first 100 years this nation existed, we actually didn't have any pledge of allegiance at all.  The first pledge came into being through a proclamation by President Benjamin Harrison in 1892, and did not contain the words "Under God".  Instead, it read "I Pledge allegiance to my Flag, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all."  The words "Under God" were only inserted into the pledge through an act of Congress in 1954, thanks in no small part to the Knights of Columbus.

But let's look at the Pledge of Allegiance as it stands today:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all.

There's been a lot of controversy around the recitation of the pledge, including a Supreme Court case where Jehovah's Witnesses did not want to pledge because it was considered idolatry.  The pledge is largely symbolic, and so many people would dismiss it as unimportant.  But since it is symbolic, I think its very important to look at exactly what it symbolizes.  So let's break it down by the order in which things are stated, and how they are stated.

1. You first pledge your allegiance to a flag, a symbol... or idol if you will.
2. You next pledge allegiance to the republic.
3. You recognize God.

Now, those who have no problem mixing church and state say this should be no big deal.  After all, this does not establish a particular religion.  Though it does force any reciters to acknowledge the existence of one God.  This not only is an issue for atheists, but also polytheists.  It is not establishment in it's purest form, but it certainly does force the issue unnecessarily.  But I would think this to be an issue even for Christians.

God is third on the list!  You pledge your allegiance first to an idol, second to the nation, and you only recognize God exists!  More importantly, the symbolic interpretation, by pledging your allegiance to the flag and the republic is that somehow God's works are best done through the nation, or government.  After all, for those who willingly make the pledge, your allegiance belongs to the government, not to God.

I'm sure one would argue that you can both pledge your allegiance to the flag, and also pledge to live a good Christian life under God.  But God instructs first, thou shalt have no other gods before me, and second that thou shalt not make yourself an idol.  In other words, God instructs that the only allegiance you should pledge is to him.  So how do you reconcile this conflict?  And why do people want this conflict written into law?