This generally states that the government cannot endorse religious beliefs of any kind. Based on this Newdow says that a government ratified pledge cannot include religious phrases or relations. A similar case was brought forth to the Supreme Court in the 1950's about religious prayer in public schools. The Church was opposed to this case as well and felt that prayer was good in schools. Despite disdain of religious influences the court ruled to uphold the Establishment Clause of the Constitution and throw prayer out of public schools. This decision is on almost the same as the one made on this case. On June 26 2002, the California 9th Circuit court of appeals in San Francisco made a decision on the so-called "Pledge Case", and judged that those words were unconstitutional in a congressionally ratified pledge. Since that decision was made, there has been an uproar of controversy surrounding the case. This decision is considered by the church to be offensive. This decision would affect the lives of many believers and non-believers, and has been criticized most profoundly by followers of the Christian religion. The case now moves on to a national level, to the United States Supreme Court. If the decision is upheld, the pledge of allegiance will have to be changed. If it is thrown out, then as it has been for years before, many non-believers will be subjected to hearing a pledge that supports the idea of the existence of God. .
According to Doris Lessing in her essay "Group Minds", "The fact is that we all live in groups - work groups, social, religious, and political groups." The Christian religion can be considered a group mind. They all believe in the same basic set of beliefs on moral rules and existence of God and other things of the religious sort. Thus, since they all have a similar belief system, they then all make similar decisions to certain issues. To follow their religion they are all following one set of beliefs.
