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One of my day jobs is co-publisher of the Newport-Mesa Daily Voice, an online newspaper for Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, Calif. One of Costa Mesa’s council members is an evangelical Christian who is trying to get the “In God We Trust” motto posted inside the city council chambers. This is an open letter I wrote to Councilwoman Wendy Leece in the Daily Voice.

Dear Councilwoman Leece,

Wendy, we’ve been mutual admirers for a long time. I’ve always respected your religious convictions, whether I’ve been a believer in Jesus Christ or, more recently, as an atheist.

But I strongly disagree with your latest cause.

Before I continue, a major disclosure. I’ve lost my faith. You can read about it in my recently published memoir, “Losing My Religion: How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America — and Found Unexpected Peace.” The New York Times Review of Books gave it a glowing review, as did many evangelical pastors.

That said, here’s the deal. My views on putting “In God We Trust” mottos inside government buildings (or on our currency or in our Pledge of Allegiance) has not wavered whether I believed in Christ or not. I just don’t think the public square is any place for the promotion of God — because of the First Amendment and, more pragmatically, because it’s simply not an effective tool for evangelism.

Wendy, as the Daily Voice first reported last week, you’re lobbying to have the “In God We Trust” motto put inside the Costa Mesa City Council chambers. Why? Obviously to signal to residents that the City Council is operating under the guidance of God, specifically the Lord of Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament.

I believe your faith is genuine enough that the “In God We Trust” proposal has nothing to do with pandering to your base. But in a lesser politician, I would think otherwise.

It’s an easy political play to propose that “In God We Trust” should be displayed in the City Council chambers. I mean, who can be against it except the devil? But in reality, it’s fundamentally unAmerican.

First, it’s blatantly unconstitutional. The “In God We Trust Motto” is clearly an endorsement by government of a monotheistic religion. The First (significantly it’s not the 2nd, 3rd or 9th) Amendment makes clear that the government should not endorse ANY religion.

Second, it’s offensive to those who don’t believe in the Judeo-Christian god (i.e., Muslims), who believe in many Gods (i.e., Hindus), or who believe in nothing (i.e. atheists).

Wendy, you’ve taken a lot of couragous stands in your public life. Please take one more. Remove your proposal from the City Council agenda. If your God is the one, true God, He doesn’t need a motto to support Him plastered inside the Costa Mesa City Council chambers. And the U.S. Constitution is too important to circumvent in order to inject your heartfelt religious beliefs into local government.

I know it’s nearly impossible, Wendy, but please imagine that you simply don’t believe God exists. You believe it with the same force that you believe now that God is real. And then a local government official wants to put an “In God We Trust” into the public square. You would look at the First Amendment and the official’s proposal and say, “This just can’t be.”

Be a profile in courage. God, if He exists, would totally approve.