What does motto mean?

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Re "'In God We Trust' license plates may soon come to Utah" (Tribune, Oct. 4):

"In God We Trust" may soon be appearing on Utah license plates. What does that phrase mean, exactly, and why would one want it on a car (or a dollar bill)?

To me, the phrase implies passivity, a declaration that oneself is not in control, and a wishful hope for the best, despite daily evidence that God (or nature or the laws of physics, as you please) inflicts both bad and good on humans. It's not the mentality I want from a driver on Interstate 15 at 80 mph.

To Tate Christensen, the 11-year-old champion of the specialty license plate, best wishes for further theological and philosophical growth; you've barely started down that interesting road.

Mike Duncan

Moab