SOURCE :
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,95342,00.html
First, the concept of the “separation of church and state” is NOT IN THE CONSTITUTION OR THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE!
The Declaration of Independence(1776) mentions “God” in the first sentence and “their Creator” in the second paragraph. In the last paragraph God is referred to as “the Supreme Judge.”
The phrase “…so help me, God” is included in the USVP’s Oath of Office(US Constitution, written 1787, ratified 1789.) Though it is not included in the President’s Oath of Office, the phrase has been added by presidents since I can remember(JFK.)
For scores of years in courts across the USA, witnesses have been asked, “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,so help you, God?”
As for the phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST”…
SOURCE :
http://www.ustreas.gov/education/fact-sheets/currency/in-god-we-trust.html
…it was instigated by letters written to the SecTres in 1861(ring a bell?)
[from the same source, 2/3s the way down the page]
In addition, regarding the phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST” a law was passed by the 84th Congress (P.L. 84-140) and approved by the President on July 30, 1956, the President approved a Joint Resolution of the 84th Congress, declaring IN GOD WE TRUST the national motto of the United States. IN GOD WE TRUST was first used on paper money in 1957, when it appeared on the one-dollar silver certificate. The first paper currency bearing the motto entered circulation on October 1, 1957.
???
How can the courts say 'God/The Ten Commandments must be removed from government facilities"?