The phrase "under God" violates the establishment of freedom of religion guaranteed in the First Amendment because the phrase was added to the pledge in 1954 in order to prove that the United States was a godly, humble nation. However, religious diversity in the United States is very prominent, and not everyone believes that a spiritual figure of authority even exists. Therefore, it is controversial to say that the phrase "under God" is representative of the entire nation. Though at the time, with the Cold War underway, the addition of this phrase was appropriate for helping maintain the sense of morale, unity and strength in the United States; however, because of the variety of religion now present in the United States, the phrase "under God" is in violation of the First Amendment, and it contradicts the idea that we were founded on the idea of freedom of religion.
The United States of America was founded upon the idea of religious tolerance, and since our country's early beginnings, many actions have been made to broaden the spectrum of accepted religions and create equality for all individuals. One of the earliest examples of religion in America was displayed during the colonization of Maryland. Founded by Lord Baltimore in 1634, Maryland was considered the most tolerant colony for all Christians (including Catholics), but the least tolerant for non-Christians. Furthermore, by 1817, Martin Luther had started the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation began with the Puritans, whose main goal was to utterly purify Christianity and separate the "damned" from the "visible saints." Not only did these two examples display early religious tolerance in the United States, but they also acted as catalysts to motivate others to flee from the less-tolerant colonies and establish even more liberal ones. Roger Williams, for example, left the Massachusetts Bay Colony and began a fresh start in Rhode Island.
