Your Belief (or disbelief) in God on Display in Indiana
Thursday April 10, 2008
I bought a new car last year. When I went to the Indiana BMV to pay the taxes on it and get a license plate, the woman asked me if I wanted the new "In God We Trust" plate. I told her no, thinking that it must be a specialty plate and she was going for the up-sell. Then I drove around happily for a year with my pretty, landscape-bearing Indiana license plate.Needless to say, I was floored this year when I was informed that I was going to have to buy a new license plate: either the "In God We Trust" plate or the new generic Indiana plate. Why didn't that woman tell me that I was going to have to buy another new plate this year if I didn't opt for the "In God We Trust" last year? Anyway, now I'm out an extra $65 or so – I don't even know the actual amount – and the only thing I have to show for it is my belief, or disbelief, in God.
With all fury over having to buy another license plate aside, I can honestly say that I was taken aback and somewhat offended when the BMV worker told me that I had to choose between two license plates this year: either a plate that seemingly displayed my belief in God, or a plate that displayed the fact that I had chosen not to display my belief in God.
The truth is that people are going to assume that the people without the "In God We Trust" license plate don't believe in God. In fact, they might assume that you are one of the people who are fighting to rid public schools of all references to God. They might assume that you are a member of a Pagan religion. And, if you look as though you might be foreign, regardless of your actual nationality, they might assume you're a terrorist.
Sure, in a way it's a slippery slope argument, but I honestly don't think that these things are so far-fetched. I've grown up in this area, and I've spent a lot of time in the smaller towns outside of the cities where people have not yet let go of the stereotypes and prejudices of the past. Differing religious beliefs have been and still are the cause of some of the world's longest and most brutal wars. In a world like that, does the desire to keep your religious beliefs to yourself make you a coward or a realist?
Sure, they claim that the license plate is a symbol of the words and beliefs of the men that founded this country. It is, in fact, the official motto of the United States. But, in a time when the Ten Commandments are ruled down from government buildings and children are no longer allowed to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school because it has the words "under God" in it, is it not suspiciously convenient that suddenly government officials want to include it on license plates? I mean, the last time I checked, Indiana's motto was "The Crossroads of America."
Personally, I think it's just another way dividing a community by way of religious belief. What do you think?
Comments
I think it would make more sense if there were more than two options (maybe an IU plate or something) rather than, “Are you a patriot? Check yes or no.”
I would consider myself to be a Christian; however, I don’t particularly feel I need to display my faith on a liscense plate. And I also understand that the slogan is a national motto, but it makes really weird sense to me to bash that all over the place on a plate when our kids can even pray in school before a meal. And you’re exactly right–why are their only two choices? I’m going to get the other generic looking liscence plate. Specifically because the other plate is weird to me.
Seems as if the communities all over this country are already divided by way of religious belief. This is just one more example of the creeping element of theism in government (in or around it) that we see in so many areas, i.e., so-called “faith-based” government supported social programs. The constitution says “NO” to religious tests of any kind. I resent any question of any religious nature on any subject by a government entity anywhere, any time.
I agree Mike. Whether or not they’re asking about your religious beliefs directly, it certainly feels like that’s the case. And Indiana isn’t the only state sticking “In God We Trust” on a license plate. North Carolina, South Carolina, and Ohio all have “In God We Trust” plate options as well.
MOst of the comments are grasping at reasons
to disparage the slogan on license plates.
To take umbrage at a simple question as to what type of plate you want is simply childish. If you believe or do not believe in
a Deity is your choice, but to disparage those
that do is narrow minded and downright bigoted.
The question is not simple when one considers the inferences that can be made based on the answer, whether that answer is based on a religious belief or a simple matter of taste. I agree wholeheartedly that it is bigoted to belittle those that have religion, as well as those that do not. However, I see no instance of either of those things happening in this blog. I assure you I would delete any offensive material immediately. Thanks for reading!