How about a crescent moon?
h/t Think Progress
If not, can the state of South Carolina do this? Vanity plates usually cost $70, but the state is going to sell these for $4 to $6. And if I’m an atheist, can I get one with a blank area?
[...] has received enough applications to begin making “I Believe” license plates. As we’ve noted, these plates cost less than the typical vanity plates. The same idea never passed muster in [...]
South Carolina: A religious symbol is as much a label as the label its self.
In Germany during the 40’s a whole group of people were branded, identified, marked, and issued by the government a religious symbol for their home, cloths, business, and life. This was the negative, discriminatory, segregation through symbolic labeling. The same mind set or behavior that happened in Germany during World War Two can happen through what at first seems like positive labeling. When the government or state entities or any related function become or allow specific labeling of religious symbols they open Pandora’s Box. Even though we have a hard time considering the thought of discrimination based on belief happening here in the land of the free, we seem to be heading toward allowing the camel into the tent. We assume that people will choose who is hired for work on merit rather than what symbol or lack of symbol is on my license plate, bumper, or trunk. I would hope that we refrain from choosing who we talk to based on what symbol might or might not be draped in advertisement around our neck, wrist, or finger. If the state issues a license plate say in South Carolina they open up the potential for everyone to put their symbol on the plate. Now imagine road rage based on religion instead of someone cutting you off. Allowing the state to get into the business of religious symbols can create the visual ability to discriminate against those who have no symbol on their license plate. What don’t you love Jesus enough to order the special plate? Are you a believer? There are the thoughts that go through some people’s minds, either consciously or subconsciously. We all know someone who always declares a strangers life story based on nothing more than the visual first impression. Even so-called positive labeling by believers who view the labeling as positive are not the victim of the discrimination. It is the non-believer or the person without the label who usually suffers potential discrimination or segregation. Yes we do not consider that the lack of a religious symbol is as much a label as the label its self. It is who receives the segregation or discrimination that determines which is negative.
Thank any God you want for that.
There are many Biblical verses about the forbid the use of molten images, or any image bowed down to and worshiped like God, in the Old Testament and New Testament. Yet a license plate is a very molten image. Image worship seems to be the trend with many of the religious followers these days. Some people want everyone to see their cross, fish, or other image depicting that they are special due to their chosen label. This is their right, but it is not the proper or constitutionally acceptable place to display religion, your license plate. If South Carolina will be allowing religiously specific license plates, will they allow Atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Satanic, Jewish, or whatever my personal God symbol happens to be on a State Issued, tax payer Funded, personalized license plate? Would the state of Florida allow a ? mark for the Agnostics? I doubt it. The excuse would be vast and wide for why, just as the lame excuses for why the state of South Carolina has no respect for the constitution and its ban of any state promotion of religion. The explanations will sound patriotic on the surface but in the end they will be only an excuse for why South Carolina does not have to enforce the constitution or respect for other differing individuals. Will South Carolina allow someone to put am “I Hate God” statement as their license plate? I doubt it. Would South Carolina have to make room for a “My God is Better than Your God” or “Satan loves You” statement on their plate? Now that would be constitutional. Once you sponsor or help promote one religion you would have to promote all religion in order to protect equality. That is not a place government should be concerned with because the government would be to busy or occupied with every Satanist, Christian, Muslim or Pagan to get anything or real need accomplished with out absolute gridlock. This is why the promotion of any religion by the state is forbidden by the Constitution of the United States. Thank any God you want for that.
The last time I checked Christians always talk about God being the one to judge who is worth or righteousness. It is God they claim that will determine who is a Christian and who is not. That is the whole segregationist aspect of most of the main religions. Yet Christians and Muslims are the first to judge for themselves who is or is not a Christian or Muslim. They, themselves seem to have judged themselves to be Christian, Muslim, or whatever. But this behavior is the exact opposite if what their religions preach, they quickly forget about that when believers display symbols or license plates with their religious idolization embolden upon it earthly surface. What a bunch of Hippocratic behavior. If your going to claim that only God can judge, do not judge yourself by forcing the government to help you show the world that you believe you know more than God. I do not want the government promoting self-righteous religious license plates. It is your right to be self-righteous under the freedom of religion. But it is not constitutional for the state to pay for or promote it. We already have cars coated in more stickers and placards than paint. We do not need the state adding to the clutter idolatry.
@From a Republican: You’re right. They should also make license plates for Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, etc. citizens or make none at all.
Alan, if you want a crescent moon plate? just move to south carolina. they might have a tissue at the dmv after your done crying.
Only registered user allowed |
I don’t think you’d want anything on your vehicle in South Carolina identifying you as an “atheist”.
I’m sure that would only get your car “keyed” the first time you left it alone in the Walmart parking lot.
A “cresent moon” would only bring on more problems. The rednecks would wait for you to exit the store and then follow you home to burn a cross in your front yard. The Army of God has eyes everywhere.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Government subsidized religious licence plates: Christians only.
Sounds like a job for the ACLU.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Sadly, anonymouse is understating what could happen.
June 6th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
ok what is going on that comments aren’t showing up :(
June 6th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I want a license plate with a gun on it. In fact, I want my plate number spelled out with little pictures of guns. Just like the Sopranos.
And I want to put it on my tank.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I’m all for Christianity. But people forget that this isn’t a Christian theocracy. We have to be fair to everyone. They can’t have their license plates w/out giving the option for other faith plates as well. You know that arguments going to come, and it’ll be interesting to see what SC does about it.
‘Mouse~ Your comment about the car getting keyed made me laugh. Then I just got sad b/c it’s true.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
RC~ LMAO.
Where is Smithtown?
June 6th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Oh man, you guys have GOT to check out the comments left on the THINK PROGRESS thread for this (the one Alan linked to). Pretty damned funny.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I think you’d be safer with a “star or David” on your license plate in Tehran or Baghdad than self identified as an atheist in SC.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Star OF David.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I want to put Pac Man on my plate. Make it the plate all black with blue lines. Put one of those fruit or some ghosts in the background too.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I love how they make it so cheap too just so that they can get as many people as possible to say “in your face” to non Christians.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
This is why we have separation of Church and State. Is the State so broke that they are now stealing from the collection plate?
June 6th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
They’re not making any money on it at all if you look at the link. They’re just doing it to show everybody how Christian they are….apparently they didn’t read the part of the Bible that said your relationship with God should be a private one and you shouldn’t go around showing off and saying “Look at me!! I’m Christian!!! Therefore, I’m better than you!!”
June 6th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I want a liscence plate with Jesus holding a shotgun.
June 6th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
….standing on top a Muslim he just shot.
June 6th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
…whose laying on top a Jew he just stabbed.
June 6th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
If it’s South Carolina, I’m surprised it’s not a confederate flag…
June 6th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Michael makes a good point about gascons.
And, I don’t know, do you think TDro’s trolling?
[Smithtown's in New York, and it's a funny little place, because for like the last forty years the town government's been controlled by the Republicans; but, this year, it seems like they're all under indictment for one thing or another, so I find myself frequently amused.]
“I don’t care if it rains or freezes
‘Long as I got my plastic Jesus
Riding on the dashboard of my car
Through my trials and tribulations
And my travels through the nations
With my plastic Jesus I’ll go far…”
June 6th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Police officers in Indiana are complaining about liscense plates that are way too hard to read, due to all the extra junk on it. Relegious theme liscense plates are fine, but it should be either have one for each of the major religions or none.
In additon, I think the states need to cut out of the extra colors out of the plates, so the police officers to not have guess at the license plate. That Flordia plate could have a simple cross on it.
The states are inviting trouble when they are only allowing one type of license plate for a certain religion and not others. It would be the same as saying you can register to vote, but only as this particular party.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
I think the example shown could be open to interpretation. I mean, just put an image of Huckabee’s head by it and you can’t really be sure it’s a cross can you.
derrrrrr
June 6th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
>Can I Get One With A Star Of David?
Sure. But do not neglect your Messiah.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Perhaps some of these states need to take a clue from the government that they need to include the other emblems of beliefs. If they need help, they can go to the link below -http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp
June 6th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
And what do you do when someone wants a Wiccan symbol, or a swastika, or a tantric emblem, or an inverted pentagram, or some druidic insignia?
It’s just silly. It’s adolescent. Put something on your license plate and feel like part of the team. And then next comes the ACLU or some guy with a beef, and now here’s your state government spending your tax money on lawyers to go to court and defend their idiocy.
If you want a cross on your car go down to True-Value and buy a can of paint.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Alan, if you want a crescent moon plate? just move to south carolina. they might have a tissue at the dmv after your done crying.
June 7th, 2008 at 10:47 am
@From a Republican: You’re right. They should also make license plates for Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, etc. citizens or make none at all.
June 8th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Thank any God you want for that.
There are many Biblical verses about the forbid the use of molten images, or any image bowed down to and worshiped like God, in the Old Testament and New Testament. Yet a license plate is a very molten image. Image worship seems to be the trend with many of the religious followers these days. Some people want everyone to see their cross, fish, or other image depicting that they are special due to their chosen label. This is their right, but it is not the proper or constitutionally acceptable place to display religion, your license plate. If South Carolina will be allowing religiously specific license plates, will they allow Atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Satanic, Jewish, or whatever my personal God symbol happens to be on a State Issued, tax payer Funded, personalized license plate? Would the state of Florida allow a ? mark for the Agnostics? I doubt it. The excuse would be vast and wide for why, just as the lame excuses for why the state of South Carolina has no respect for the constitution and its ban of any state promotion of religion. The explanations will sound patriotic on the surface but in the end they will be only an excuse for why South Carolina does not have to enforce the constitution or respect for other differing individuals. Will South Carolina allow someone to put am “I Hate God” statement as their license plate? I doubt it. Would South Carolina have to make room for a “My God is Better than Your God” or “Satan loves You” statement on their plate? Now that would be constitutional. Once you sponsor or help promote one religion you would have to promote all religion in order to protect equality. That is not a place government should be concerned with because the government would be to busy or occupied with every Satanist, Christian, Muslim or Pagan to get anything or real need accomplished with out absolute gridlock. This is why the promotion of any religion by the state is forbidden by the Constitution of the United States. Thank any God you want for that.
The last time I checked Christians always talk about God being the one to judge who is worth or righteousness. It is God they claim that will determine who is a Christian and who is not. That is the whole segregationist aspect of most of the main religions. Yet Christians and Muslims are the first to judge for themselves who is or is not a Christian or Muslim. They, themselves seem to have judged themselves to be Christian, Muslim, or whatever. But this behavior is the exact opposite if what their religions preach, they quickly forget about that when believers display symbols or license plates with their religious idolization embolden upon it earthly surface. What a bunch of Hippocratic behavior. If your going to claim that only God can judge, do not judge yourself by forcing the government to help you show the world that you believe you know more than God. I do not want the government promoting self-righteous religious license plates. It is your right to be self-righteous under the freedom of religion. But it is not constitutional for the state to pay for or promote it. We already have cars coated in more stickers and placards than paint. We do not need the state adding to the clutter idolatry.
June 9th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
South Carolina: A religious symbol is as much a label as the label its self.
In Germany during the 40’s a whole group of people were branded, identified, marked, and issued by the government a religious symbol for their home, cloths, business, and life. This was the negative, discriminatory, segregation through symbolic labeling. The same mind set or behavior that happened in Germany during World War Two can happen through what at first seems like positive labeling. When the government or state entities or any related function become or allow specific labeling of religious symbols they open Pandora’s Box. Even though we have a hard time considering the thought of discrimination based on belief happening here in the land of the free, we seem to be heading toward allowing the camel into the tent. We assume that people will choose who is hired for work on merit rather than what symbol or lack of symbol is on my license plate, bumper, or trunk. I would hope that we refrain from choosing who we talk to based on what symbol might or might not be draped in advertisement around our neck, wrist, or finger. If the state issues a license plate say in South Carolina they open up the potential for everyone to put their symbol on the plate. Now imagine road rage based on religion instead of someone cutting you off. Allowing the state to get into the business of religious symbols can create the visual ability to discriminate against those who have no symbol on their license plate. What don’t you love Jesus enough to order the special plate? Are you a believer? There are the thoughts that go through some people’s minds, either consciously or subconsciously. We all know someone who always declares a strangers life story based on nothing more than the visual first impression. Even so-called positive labeling by believers who view the labeling as positive are not the victim of the discrimination. It is the non-believer or the person without the label who usually suffers potential discrimination or segregation. Yes we do not consider that the lack of a religious symbol is as much a label as the label its self. It is who receives the segregation or discrimination that determines which is negative.
June 9th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
[...] has received enough applications to begin making “I Believe” license plates. As we’ve noted, these plates cost less than the typical vanity plates. The same idea never passed muster in [...]
November 9th, 2008 at 3:23 pm