My state loves god more than yours!

[Anti_Hypeman]

Soon in Indiana you will be able to get a optional "In God we trust" car plate. If thats not the government showing favor to one diety I dont know what is. Why can't I get a "Submit to Zeus" plate.

I hate the fundies getting their way its just another step towards Hovind science in the classroom. On the other hand it gives me another way to identify those people in advance. If I see one of those plates in the driveway I know not to attempt a rational conversation.

[wunky]

Can you petition to get one that the complete opposite? In ED we trust?
Or even better:
In _______ we trust

How many signatures does it take? Do we have to live in Indiana? I know several people in Bloomington that would sign up.

[zakur]

At least it's just an option for you Hoosiers. Here in Ohio, our friggin official state motto is: "With God, all things are possible."

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

Zakur, could you ask the state legislature to give you $10 million? After all, if all things are possible ...

~~ Paul

[Marquis de Carabas]

Texas has both a God Bless America and a God Bless Texas plate, among many others (http://www.dot.state.tx.us/VTR/spplates/allplates.htm).

[JamesDillon]

I don't know... on the spectrum of government endorsement of religion, this is near the weak end. Does a Texas A&M license plate imply a government preference of Texas A&M over Dallas Community College, which doesn't have its own license plate? This might be another sign of the annoying need of Christians to trumpet their faith to everyone in sight, but I can't see it being found to violate the First Amendment.

[Marquis de Carabas]

I agree. Personally, I'm far more concerned about the partiality shown to the red grapefruit. No consideration is given to other exemplary fruits--no apples, no pears, no Freddie Mercurys. It's appalling.

[Rufo]

Soon in Indiana you will be able to get a optional "In God we trust" car plate. If thats not the government showing favor to one diety I dont know what is. Why can't I get a "Submit to Zeus" plate.

I hate the fundies getting their way its just another step towards Hovind science in the classroom. On the other hand it gives me another way to identify those people in advance. If I see one of those plates in the driveway I know not to attempt a rational conversation.
The plate doesn't specify a God. It might refer to Zeus, if you want to, though the capital 'G' might be less common when adressing Greek Gods.

Aren't you overreacting a bit?

[Mephisto]

Soon in Indiana you will be able to get a optional "In God we trust" car plate. If thats not the government showing favor to one diety I dont know what is. Why can't I get a "Submit to Zeus" plate.

I hate the fundies getting their way its just another step towards Hovind science in the classroom. On the other hand it gives me another way to identify those people in advance. If I see one of those plates in the driveway I know not to attempt a rational conversation.

I guess the only thing left to do is to get a personalized plate with 666 on it! :) They didn't say which God, right?

[Dcdrac]

What would be likely to happen if you drove in your state with a In Satan I trust plate?

[Marquis de Carabas]

If I saw a "In Satan I Trust" plate, I'd assume I was following an Islanders fan.

[JamesDillon]

I guess the only thing left to do is to get a personalized plate with 666 on it! :) They didn't say which God, right?

You mean one of the "In God We Trust" plates, right? That would be awesome.

[Belz...]

If I saw a "In Satan I Trust" plate, I'd assume I was following an Islanders fan.

:dl:

Yeah, I saw that the other day.

"Hey, Satan plays for the Islanders. Figures."

[Marquis de Carabas]

:dl:

Yeah, I saw that the other day.

"Hey, Satan plays for the Islanders. Figures."
Did ya see the headlines when Miro netted a game-winning shootout goal vs. New Jersey the other day? "Satan has Devils' number." I bet some writer had just been praying for the opportunity to use that one.

[Beerina]

Soon in Indiana you will be able to get a optional "In God we trust" car plate. If thats not the government showing favor to one diety I dont know what is. Why can't I get a "Submit to Zeus" plate.

Oh my god. I'd move to Indiana and pay $400 just to get the "Submit to Zeus" plate!

[Beerina]

The plate doesn't specify a God. It might refer to Zeus, if you want to, though the capital 'G' might be less common when adressing Greek Gods.

Aren't you overreacting a bit?

Nah, the only way they could get away with it was to claim it wasn't religious, but a cultural thing. But if it's a cultural thing, then God with a capital "G" can only refer to the mountain god Yahweh of Judaism and Christianity. Hence it cannot refer to Zeus, but only to Yahweh, a particular god.

But "In Yahweh We Trust" would differ, culturally, and would also piss off the few hardcore stragglers who don't wanna see the name of God spelled out.

[Iacchus]

Soon in Indiana you will be able to get a optional "In God we trust" car plate. If thats not the government showing favor to one diety I dont know what is. Why can't I get a "Submit to Zeus" plate. Hey Zeus! (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?postid=648176#post648176)

[TragicMonkey]

I wonder if "In The Gods We Trust" would be acceptable? If I believed in any, I'd believe in multiple. It would make more sense.

[Iacchus]

An angel is an emissary of God. So in that respect there can be many emisarries/manifestations of one God. This, I believe is what the Greek pantheon represented ... or, how it was founded.

[Upchurch]

My state loves god more than yours!Oh, yeah?!? My state has a bill proposed to make Christianity the official state religion! Take that, heathen!

[Jon.]

It's just another way for the state to raise more money without being seen as raising taxes. As long as it's optional, I don't see a problem with it.

[blutoski]

It's just another way for the state to raise more money without being seen as raising taxes. As long as it's optional, I don't see a problem with it.

Yes, I think the key test is whether the service is restricted to certain views, at the exclusion of others.

If the government refused to print "In no gods we trust" or "In gods we trust" or "In nature we trust", then there could be a violation.

[Marquis de Carabas]

If the government refused to print "In no gods we trust" or "In gods we trust" or "In nature we trust", then there could be a violation.
Perhaps, but demand is also an issue. They're obviously not going to print any dumb plate you can come up with. They're going to mass produce plates that they think will sell well. Hence God plates and UT plates; no atheist plates or ETBU plates.

[ImaginalDisc]

The plate doesn't specify a God. It might refer to Zeus, if you want to, though the capital 'G' might be less common when adressing Greek Gods.

Aren't you overreacting a bit?

Praise to Zeus use's Zeus's name. Praise to the Queen of the West uses the Queen of the West's name. I can only think of one commonly revered god who prohibits his name being taken in vain.

[Zbu]

I'd go for the Zeus thing, but as the Odyssey proves there is nothing better than having Athena on your side. Maybe Hermes, and I'm half inclined at this moment to Vulcan, the God of the Forge. Who else to insure that your car won't fall apart or need unnecessary repair thanks to ill design? ;)

[blutoski]

Perhaps, but demand is also an issue. They're obviously not going to print any dumb plate you can come up with. They're going to mass produce plates that they think will sell well. Hence God plates and UT plates; no atheist plates or ETBU plates.

Agreed: they could use economic restraints as an excuse for only providing one version. However, my recollection of recent cases is that the government is responsible for the *effect* of its decisions, not just the motive.

This also prevents school districts from introducing an ecumenical 'comparative religion' course, but saying that they only have the budget to cover the Christ stuff. Nice try.

[Marquis de Carabas]

Agreed: they could use economic restraints as an excuse for only providing one version. However, my recollection of recent cases is that the government is responsible for the *effect* of its decisions, not just the motive.

This also prevents school districts from introducing an ecumenical 'comparative religion' course, but saying that they only have the budget to cover the Christ stuff. Nice try.
But, of course, no-one has to have the religious specialty plates; there are several secular ones to choose from. One need not even have a specialty plate. You can just take the standard one (as I do; screw paying to upgrade).

ETA: If it's not clear, my position would differ dramatically if such phrases were put on the standard plate, and one had to pay to get out of it.

[JamesDillon]

Agreed: they could use economic restraints as an excuse for only providing one version. However, my recollection of recent cases is that the government is responsible for the *effect* of its decisions, not just the motive.

This also prevents school districts from introducing an ecumenical 'comparative religion' course, but saying that they only have the budget to cover the Christ stuff. Nice try.

Under Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 US 602 (1971), a statute violates the Establishment Clause if it 1) lacks a valid secular purpose, 2) has the primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion, or 3) results in an excessive entanglement between government and religion. I don't think a court would hold that an optional state license plate with "In God We Trust" on it violates any of those criteria.

[Euromutt]

I don't know... on the spectrum of government endorsement of religion, this is near the weak end. Does a Texas A&M license plate imply a government preference of Texas A&M over Dallas Community College, which doesn't have its own license plate?A major difference of course being that Texas A&M demonstrably exists.
I'd go for the Zeus thing, but as the Odyssey proves there is nothing better than having Athena on your side. Maybe Hermes, and I'm half inclined at this moment to Vulcan, the God of the Forge. Who else to insure that your car won't fall apart or need unnecessary repair thanks to ill design? ;)Vulcan? Surely you mean Hephaistos, if we're going for the Greek rather than the Roman pantheon? With the added benefit that you won't be mistaken for a Trekkie.

I'd definitely be interested in an Athena licence plate, though.

[Marquis de Carabas]

A major difference of course being that Texas A&M demonstrably exists.
And Aggies have better senses of humour than Christians. You can tell Aggie jokes to A&M grads all day long; they'll tell you some back, and better ones. But try telling a Christian...

Why does God have bruises on his belly button?

Because his boyfriend's a God, too.

...and see what happens.

[eri]

South Carolina has a "in god we trust" plate as well. But I saw someone around town last week with a sticker over it that said "in humans we trust". It blended right in - someone around here has been mass-producing them. Got to find one of those.