This week, the U.S. House overwhelmingly approved a resolution “reaffirming 'In God We Trust' as the official motto of the United States and supporting and encouraging the public display of the national motto in all public buildings, public schools and other government institutions."

The resolution also states, “Whereas the sentiment, ‘In God We Trust,’ has been an integral part of United States society since its founding.” This is patently false. The religious motto was adopted following a religious lobbying campaign conducted during the Red Scare in 1956.

Our nation's first motto, "E Pluribus Unum" ("Out of Many, One"), was originally chosen by a committee of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. It appears on the Great Seal of the United States and is still on our currency. The U.S. Constitution ensures that there is no religious test for public office. Yet, this resolution amounts to such a test for good citizenship. The founders of our nation wrote and adopted an entirely godless Constitution. They did not pray during the Constitutional Convention, and every reference to religion in the Constitution is exclusionary.

The religious motto is exclusionary, divisive and unconstitutional. It also threatens our rights as parents or grandparents by encouraging public schools to force nonreligious children to pass by a godly motto every day in school. The resolution is reckless and encourages even more religious violations in public buildings and public schools.

Much to my disappointment, my representative in Congress, Donna Edwards, voted in favor of this resolution and in doing so, chose to take a firm stand against the separation of church and state.

Scott Cooper, Gaithersburg