Like bellbottoms, boy bands and bangles, God - the big G - is apparently back in style.
Not only that, it's suddenly become uncool again to not believe as everyone else does.
After the attacks on Sept. 11, the resulting national fear and confusion has pulled prayer and other religious things back into public life, setting back years of work to truly separate church and state.
Even worse, it seems expected that people should go Christian at times like these. The entire nation watched the night after the attacks as President Bush got the little lady and a beer, saddled up his diesel-powered, sport-utility bandwagon and took off on a crusade.
I watched Bush's speech, and, while his usual lack of speaking skills was nothing shocking, his reference to Psalms on national television caught me off guard. So much for the separation of church and state. It was right about that time that I got a strange feeling in my gut, like suddenly I was out of the loop again.
The odd feeling - and general absurdity of the week - worsened when Congress got together on the steps of the Capitol and sang "God Bless America."
It's just weird to see so much religion on TV. It's like watching "Survivor." If you start during the middle of the season, you can kind of figure out what's going on, but none of it makes much sense.
I feel slightly divided from the majority of the nation, but I really have no problem with people turning towards religion at times like these. If it comforts you, more power to you.
It just kind of bugs me when people use it as a way of communicating their own beliefs, essentially taking advantage of national tragedy to further their religious cause.
Bush isn't the only name-made-of-single-syllable-words celebrity to express religious or anti-non-religious beliefs.
According to the homepage of American Atheists, Ben Stein, comedian, former professor and owner of (believe it or not) Ben Stein's money, called the attacks an "atheistic evil."
Someone send me a letter and explain how an attack can be labeled as atheistic, please.
Bush, in his efforts to console the nation, frequently referred to his faith, quoted the Bible, and supported the idea that if we all trust in God, unite under him/her/it/that, we'll make it through these troubling times.
It's all right, I've never expected him to reflect my wishes or beliefs. I didn't vote for him. I just feel bad that his desire that we all unite is going to go unrealized.
What most people have failed to realize is that even though many people are turning to their faith, issues involving church and state relations and religious discrimination do not go away.
The most apparent example of this is the proliferation of God Bless America signs that have popped up all over the place. There's even one hanging up outside 7-Eleven on Nord Avenue.
One such sign at Breen Elementary in Rocklin has been criticized by the American Civil Liberties Union and parents of several students as divisive for its public endorsement of religion.
According to the Arizona Republic, school officials refused to take the sign down, saying that it was an expression of patriotism, not religion.
It seems that for a time, our nation was numbed to religious issues, and it was pretty much laissez-faire as far as expression went. But after more than a month, and severe religious inundation, the same old issues are arising, and if people aren't careful, we're going wind back up at square one.
Church and state were separated for a reason, and those reasons are still around. Religion can - and does - divide. People are discriminated against because of religion or a lack thereof. If our nation is to be truly united, we need to find something more universal to rally behind than a god.
Jason Goldman-Hall can be reached at:
philosophyrkyng@aol.com
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