From the Declaration of Independence:

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

Now, it seems pretty clear to me that our founding fathers & mothers acknowledged a Supreme Being. Nature's God... Creator... divine Providence... or am I just not reading that right?

That being said, however ------------ it is my belief that institutions supported by public tax dollars should not display items of a religious nature, on behalf of said institution; but said institution cannot prevent individuals within it from expressing religious beliefs on their own behalf. (does that make sense?) Meaning that while public school doesn't observe grace before lunch, the school can't stop an individual student from saying grace if he/she wants to.

I don't need to see the Ten Commandments in the courthouse, because I can read them at home. I don't need a moment of silence at school, because I can do that at home too. And I really believe that the practice of any religion should begin in the home, with the family. I am aware, though, that your mileage may vary.

But here's a couple of interesting things. The Metro-Nashville Courthouse, downtown, has on its entryway, an inscription from the Bible about the walls of Jericho coming down. I guess this is because the original building was torn down, and the current one rebuilt on the same spot. And isn't there in the CIA lobby something about "the truth will set you free"?

I say, just take the "under God" out, and get on with it.