Jon Stewart

I mean, the truth is that "under god" was only added [to the pledge of allegience] because we were fighting the communists in the 50s... they were godless and we wanted to show them we have god... and now we are fighting religious fanatics! So perhaps we can add the phrase "under our reasonable god" or some other version of that sort of thing.

Alfred T. Goodwin

A profession that we are a nation 'under God' is identical, for
Establishment Clause purposes, to a profession that we are a nation
'under Jesus,' a nation 'under Vishnu,' a nation 'under Zeus,' or a
nation 'under no god,' because none of these professions can be
neutral with respect to religion.

[Judge Alfred T. Goodwin of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Michael Newdow who had challenged the inclusion of the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegience.]

Tom Gordinier

Religion and patriotism are not the same. There are 30 million nonreligious American adults in this country. Many of us, like Pat Tillman and Lance Armstrong, are as red, white and blue as they come. It's time for America to remember that.

Eric Hoffer

The aim of a religious movement is to inflict malady in society, then offer religion as a cure.

David Mills

Religious leaders very cleverly try to recruit converts by preaching that you need their brand of religion in order to be contended. Without Jesus or Allah or Buddha, you'll supposedly lead a wretched and calamitous existance. Advertisers use this identical ploy to sell their products: they'll convince (1) that you have a problem, (2) that you need their product to solve your "problem", and (3) that other, competing products will leave you in despair. Ironically, if you truly believe that your hapiness requires a particular religion - or a chocolate sundae or a sports car or a certain bed partner - then you'll obviously create a self-fulfilling prophecy, making yourself unnecessarily miserable until your so-called "needs" are satisfied.