More on the "I Believe" License plates

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Rosamond on March 18, 2009 at 10:06am

Not this again. Why do people feel the necessity to brand their automobiles with their religious affiliation? If Andre Bauer becomes the next governor, I may have to move.

Permalink Reply by Mike Hein on March 18, 2009 at 10:21am

It's really a non-issue legally but the bible thumpers are making it the issue of the year.

Permalink Reply by Ian on March 18, 2009 at 11:19am

If they trust in God, why do they wear seat belts? The extension of this argument would be that seat belts are anti-Christian and should be banned from cars for sale in South Carolina.
I hope you are right, Mike, this would be a costly legal goose chase for the state (using our tax dollars) if the legislature decided to move forward by endorsing Christian license plates.

Permalink Reply by Mike Hein on March 18, 2009 at 9:20pm

Well said (written), Carrie.

To be a bit of the understanding sort, I'll say that the Christians who support this license plate honestly believe that this is a tempest in a teapot, that is, there is no harm in it.

It IS of course, a problem for the non-believer, for all the obvious reasons and it SHOULD be a problem for the believer too if they thought through all the ramifications of government-sponsored religious icons. But they won't see that because their world is not broad enough. It is our job, in protecting our interests, to broaden that world.

Cheers,

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on March 27, 2009 at 5:39am

Can't they just get it done without it being state sponsored? There are other ways to get a license plate made then the channel they are going through, right?

Permalink Reply by Mike Hein on March 27, 2009 at 7:44am

Yeah, Stephanie, they can. Any group can get custom designed plates and there is an existing process for the application, fees, etc. Brauer, et. al. simply wanted to make a statement to that would make their 'base' happy and position them for the next state election cycle; it's all posturing.

Now, every other day in the Greenville Times, there is a letter to the editor and a kazillion comments arguing over the plates. Hell, even I'm tired of arguing about it with the zealots.

Permalink Reply by Stephanie on March 28, 2009 at 10:39am

I see. So they're making it into a discrimination case. Ridiculous.

Permalink Reply by Whalehugger on April 27, 2009 at 4:02pm

We thought it was bad with the "I Believe" plate... Look at what the Florida Senate is working on getting approved.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/legislature/article995257.ece

Specialty plates need to be stopped in all states. It certainly would save money.

Permalink Reply by Judith Bandsma on May 20, 2009 at 9:01am

Quite frankly, that "I Believe" plate conjures up a bunch of almost pranks that would probably cause them to pull the plates. Think about that honking big cross with the plate letters 'itties' after it. Or the bumper stickers for right below it..."I Believe" that religion is a crock or 'in the power of reason and sanity' or 'that this license plate sucks'.

Lots of ways to use it to counter itself.

Permalink Reply by Mike Hein on May 20, 2009 at 9:05am

That's pretty funny, Judith. On the flip side, your car would be vandalised. :)

Permalink Reply by Judith Bandsma on May 20, 2009 at 10:33am

We thought we'd have problems when we put the 'In Reason...' plate on the car but except for problems from the dealership mechanic (who kept hiding the part we needed to fix the car and stealing the headlight bulbs) we've had no damage.

Permalink Reply by atheistfightingback on May 24, 2009 at 10:50pm

I don't understand why people think it's ok to put their religion on state license plates and then act suprise when non-theists complain.

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