This sort of silliness just makes no sense to me:
Unless a federal court intervenes, South Carolina drivers may soon be able to profess their Christian faith with a state-issued license plate.
The state plans to issue plates featuring a Christian cross and the words “I Believe,” but a group advocating the separation of church and state says that goes too far.
A similar design had been considered by Florida’s lawmakers, but it was rejected there because of concerns over separation of church and state.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which includes Christian, Jewish and Hindu clergy, filed a federal lawsuit last month. The group contends that the plates violate the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against government favoring one religion over another religion or non-religion.
I really, really do not understand this sort of thing. I just don’t get it. Assuming there is a God, and that God is all of the things we hear and read from various Christian texts and other assorted authorities on the matter, am I really supposed to believe that what really concerns an omniscient and omnipotent being is vanity plates?
calipygian
As long as there are similar license plates that have a noodly appendage or a crescent moon or a matzoh ball in place of the cross, I’ll be happy.
Otherwise its just another example of christians attempting to bully non-christians and then crying victimhood when they dont get away with their bullying.
Rosali
It’s about drivers being able to show that they are holier than thou and more patriotic than thou as they speed down the highway in SUVs that are covered in crosses, fish decals, ribbons, and W stickers.
TR
Look, it says it clearly in the Bible. The Book of Matthew, Chapter 6, Verses 1, 5-6:
Wait, that’s the wrong passage. Shoot, I know it’s in there somewhere.
Maybe it’s near the passage that says true patriotism is just wearing a flag pin, and supporting the troops is a magnetic car ribbon?
dnA
No, what concerns HIM is gay marriage, which will become MANDATORY if we don’t have vanity plates celebrating jesus.
Andrew
As I understand it, it’s not so much the design of the vanity license plate as for the fact that that particular design can be bought for a massive discount, compared to other vanity designs.
The reasoning for that is because the plate is not intended to fund a charity or organization (for example, S. Carolina has vanity plate it sells featuring, I think, a loon, and the proceeds go towards wetlands conservation), and so the cost of the plate only reflects the cost of its manufacture and supply.
Opponents are saying, I believe, that having that particular license plate be cheaper is tantamount to state-funded endorsement of the religion, but when you consider what’s said above, the problem is not fundamentally related to the cost of the plate, but rather the fact that it is the only religiously-motivated design. If, for example, S. Carolina were to start offering a Noodly Appendage design, it would be for the same cost as the “I Believe” design.
I think the solution here is to offer a variety of religiously-motivated designs rather than none, if everyone’s really intent on getting a Christian design out there.
Wilfred
It goes against the separation of clutch and plate, which increases friction and rattling.
AdrianLesher
Indiana already has this “In God We Trust” plate:
http://www.in.gov/bmv/images/InGodWeTrust.jpg
stevie314159
Ecclesiastes 1:2
Vanity plates of vanity plates, saith the Preacher; all is vanity plates.
jake
I urge the the Chicken Farmers of America to lobby for their own plate: ILUVCOCK.
TR
If these can be personalized, the sky’s the limit.
“I Believe IN BUDDHA.”
“I Believe VISHNU.”
“I Believe IM DRUNK”
Jersey Lou
This is another example of government overstepping its bounds. The people of America need to be vigilant and relentless in their defense of individual liberty and justice for all.
http://www.humanityovercomes.blogspot.com
RTM
If this plate really gets approved by these ninnies, then I want one that says ‘I BELIEVE IN GAY MARRIAGE’. So take that, you idiotic, moronic Christian right-wingers!
Mishell
Can any of you that oppose this plate show me where it says “God” on that plate? I DO believe in GOD, I DO live in South Carolina. I am not a bible thumper by any means, but as I understand it; the purchase of this tag is a CHOICE, as is gay marriage, and voting for a MUSLIM to run the United States of America – after all isnt that what this country is about? Freedom of CHOICE? Sheeze people, lets face it, there are more important issues at hand rather than what MY license plate says. If people feel that strongly about it, perhaps they should also stop using the money that says “In God We Trust”?
fred m
What is the problem? Simply offer those who hate America their own plate. May I suggest one?
Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, athiests, pro-Choice, and the ACLU-demand change. OBAMA NOW.
SirGeshko
There is no shortage of stickers, signs, or banners people could put on their vehicles. If you want to profess your faith on the back of your car rather than through your actions, do it that way.
License plates are meant to identify your vehicle. THAT’S IT. To claim your freedom of speech is being violated because a government agency isn’t putting out an official religiously-themed identifier for your car is absolutely ludicrous.
Ryan
I find it kind of comical that individuals need to put their religious preferences on their license plates.
I am against all vanity plates in general. Cannot we have the good old European style plates that look so hip?
Ravensun
Personally?
If the Christians want to go all out and have a vanity plate, whatever.
AS LONG AS the pagans, Jews, Muslims, and every other faith get the same opportunity.
Personally, I think a religious bumper sticker is going too far in the “shove it down others’ throats” direction.
DZ
1) I think vanity plates are foolish. Back at 16 yrs old I could barely afford the $40 for the STICKERS that validate the plates, much less the plates without them being personalized. We step closer back to selling the low numbers to richer and more affluent citizens, as was done when license plates originated.
2) My car says a lot of things. I go to a particular university, I take part in a particular professional organization, I can park in certain lots from 8am-5pm, I like to wash and wax my car, and I am a Christian. This is with the standard license plates, the ones that are already taxed to high heaven. If you need a license plate to make it clear to others that you are a Christian, try the tasteful universal fish outline or using your blinker when you change lanes.
kwAwk
Perhaps I’m just a little cynical but it seems to me that this could be viewed better in a political context. If they approve this plate, which is an obvious violation of church and state, it is by all means going to get struck down by the courts.
Which ofcourse will lend itself to the decrying of the liberal activist judges, the heathen ACLU and the ‘war against Christianity’ in this country.
It is the 2008 version of the Gay Marriage amendments on the ballot, put out there by politicians in the name of ‘Conservative Family Values’ in order to rile up the base.
He She
In all fairness, they should also be able to get a license plate with a pentagram on it.
The Grand Panjandrum
A word to our fellow citizens in SC: Don’t fuck with the FSM. If you think Katrina wreaked havoc, just wait. Y’all gonna be under a pile o’ palmetto bug shit if you aren’t careful. Its not nice to mock the FSM.
hifox
Why is everyone so worked up about vanity plates. If you like it buy it if not don’t worry about it. Live and let live people. Stop stressing over everything and just live your life – we need to stop trying to control things that don’t actually harm anyone. As Americans were are to worried about being politically correct. Anyone can get the license plate made the article stated but the setup fee costs $4000 – so if other religious groups want one then let them get together and order a ton of them the cost should be the same – unfortunately the states won’t let them use words but symbols are just as good. So take off I believe on this plate and then there won’t be any issues it will only be the cross and a stained glass window.
Everyone needs to stop getting there panties in a bunch over things like this. GOD (no matter which you believe in) doesn’t care if we have a vanity plate he or she cares how we treat others. Lets get back to basics!!!!
cleek
i actually saw this plate yesterday : STFU&DRV
i’m amazed the DMV allowed it
L.R. Taylor
Ok, lets set the record straight. T.R. The passage you expressed was talking about fasting not about showing that you are a Christian. The Lord God Almighty has shown all of us His grace by giving His son as a sacrifice for us all. He did that in full view of the public so that all could see His Majesty. He did not hide the fact that He was and still is God. As Christians we believe that His comming back will be in full view of all the world as the book of Revelations explains. So why the fuss about license plates?GOD IS IN CONTROL OF ALL THINGS. That no one can dispute, The Lord God puts the government and the state at His disposal and He chooses who will be in office, We as a people are no more than instraments to be used by God to do the work that has been assinged to us by Him. So if we who believe that God is the one and only Living God choose to Honor Him by showing non-believers (even through license plates, or some other fashion )that we love and adore Him, it`s only a way to maybe get them to question there own lives as to where they will end up at the end of time, and to date and forever there are only two choices Heaven with the Glory of God as your Home or Hell with all the abominations of the World smoldering in a LAKE OF FIRE…You have a Choice!!!
John S.
Whew.
The legislature narrowly rejected this bullshit in Florida. I’m glad some other state gets to wear this around their neck.
gypsy howell
I dunno, John — from everything I’ve seen and heard about this god, vanity plates strike me as perfectly apropos.
KevinD
“I Believe”? Maybe it’s some weird X-Files product placement.
jrg
Yup, you got it. This is just a cynical political ploy (religious voters fall for it every time): attempt to use the government to give Christians special rights, then when people object, claim that Christians are being persecuted.
Some people are so stupid they will fall for the same trick over and over again.
Poopyman
Instead of a cross, can I get mine with a picture of Santa Claus and the phrase “I believe”?
barkleyg
Combining this post and the previous one about REPUG infighting.
If there is a GD, I don’t think he would care what you called him, as long as you respected what he stood for and believed in him. He wouldn’t care if you called him Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha, whatever you wanted to call him. I wrote this previously, and got many positive responses; the most funny being 1 person who called Gd Rhonda, as in help, help me Rhonda(Beach Boys for the yungins).
If you want ‘I believe” plates, so be it, as long as I believe with a Jewish star, pentagon, or any other religious symbol is also allowed. Remember, Gd goes by many different names and symbols, not just the ones that some of the religious extremists in THIS country want to believe in.
This is why the seperation of church and state makes sense in a democratic society.
From previous post on GOP infighting:
“A platform fight at the convention could disrupt that carefully choreographed effort by highlighting the stark differences in vision for the party separating McCain from some of the GOP’s most dedicated activists.”
Maybe there really is a RHONDA after all!
Halteclere
I call bullshit.
The biggest reason states offer vanity plates are because the plates are great revenue generators. People pay much higher fees to get these plates, and states (Florida, I believe, offers more plate options than most any other state) do all they can to entice people to up-size their DMV purchase.
South Carlina, by offering a godly plate at a reduced cost over other vanity plates (for no economic reasons – people would gladly pay the normal vanity plate charge), is backhandedly subsidizing the proliferation and purchase of this particular vanity plate.
The Other Steve
BLASPHEMY!
The Loon is the state bird of Minnesota!
How dare they defame our most sacred image!
Alabama Blue Dot
The Alabama Legislature is trying to get in on this foolishness too. Here’s the problem: this plate is NOT a vanity plate. We have lots of “vanity” plates – all our cars have “Cure Childhood Cancer” plates which we pay extra for. The “I Believe” license plate is rather a STANDARD plate that is available for NO EXTRA CHARGE. Right now in Alabama you can choose between the standard tag (Which says Stars Fell on Alabama which is pretty lame) or one that says “God Bless America” and the price is the same. This “I believe” tag would join the other two as standard issue tags. It would have Christian symbols on it. It is prima facie government sponsorship of religion.
If they wanted to get a VANITY tag the way that other groups have done (e.g. the anti-abortion “Choose Life” tag) then it wouldn’t be so much of a problem. Then any religious group would at least officially have the opportunity to try for their own tag.
Halteclere
Besides, why do you need a vanity plate with a cross when you can just put the letters “I TITHE” (an actual vanity plate in Dallas, on a Mercedes 2-seater) on any old fashioned vanity tag? You get to show that you are both a Christian AND holier than thou! Who needs a special vanity plate for that!
Scott H
What a stink there would have been if, when West Virginia allowed the NASCAR vanity plate, they had authorized only a Dale Earnhardt version.
There is a kind of person who values something only so far as they can keep everyone else from having it.
This isn’t silliness; this is hardball politics. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and his fellows know they can wind up the resentment in their base by engineering this divisive stunt. Were he faithful, he would know the last will be made first, and he would have promoted other faiths and non-faith before his own – but that would have made the way easy and without controversy.
Andrew
I think we should allow the license plates as long as we also have roving death squads to eliminate anyone eating the abomination that is shellfish.
jake
And GOPers can signal their support of Bush’s DesertDemocracyQuest(R) with a picture of Tinkerbell & the same phrase.
AkaDad
John McCain’s Vanity Plate:
IH8CLOUDS
BLGRSSUK
IH8GOOKS
gbear
Last time I saw God cruising around the lakes in his convertible, he was sporting a vanity plate that said URMINE. What an ego that guy has. His car is nice though.
J. Michael Neal
I think you meant to spell “comming” with a “u” instead of an “o”, since you used two “m”s.
That would have made your comment at least mildly interesting.
pinola
Apparently, we don’t have enough religious bumperstickers, marquis, various auto shop signs, paraphenalia at the office and in local businesses, or billboards here in SC.
kwAwk
hifox Says:
I care about this because what they are basically talking about is issuing a state identification with a religious indentifier. It gives an impression of state sanctioning of a particular religion.
And lets not pretend for a minute that the Christians wouldn’t be up in arms if the state issued a vanity plate which they felt demeaned their religion or insulted them.
The Moar You Know
I’m fine with the retarded wanting special license plates.
Andrew
Maybe we can make the Jews drive around in yellow cars?
pinola
Mishell, I think the issue is that the vanity plate has a cross. But, as a resident, I understand how you feel. If you live here, you just get to where you don’t even notice it. Crosses and litanies are everywhere and it’s just too overwhelming to fight it when more pressing battles, such as relieving the plight of our brothers and sisters who are suffering and dying here and in Iraq, require our energies.
CFisher
Yeah, so long as folks have a choice, if they want to get a vanity plate that reflects their religion, I don’t care.
Though, given history, if they did offer a Star of David plate, a lot of Jews would opt to pass on that.
ET
I find people wanting people to get vanity plates with religious themes a bit odd. I mean vanity plates.
Lakeguy
Whats wrong with just having the fish symbol on thier bumpers. Thats what I have, even though is says sushi inside the fish…
pinola
Mishell, I should have more carefully read your post, what do you mean about electing a “Muslim for President”??!! PLEASE don’t make us look ignorant.
pinola
It’s not a loon, it’s a Carolina Wren. We have enough loons, here already, thank you.
Surabaya Stew
Once the courts declare that Muslims, Mormons, and Atheists are entitled to their own state-issued license plate, this issue will die the quiet death it deserves.
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
The way I see it, Christianity is practiced one of two ways. The first way, the proper way, is the way Jimmy Carter does it. Ministering to those in need. If a person needs food, you provide them with food; if a person needs shelter, you provide them with shelter. That which is done to the least of us you do unto me (or something like that). The second way of practicing religion occasionally includes the desire to drive around with ILUVGOD license plates and entails attendance at a “mega-church.” How mega-churches jive with “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:6) I’ll never understand. These folks are more con-artist than Christian and include the overwhelming majority of those “born again.”
My personal rule, treat all outwardly religious people the way one would treat an over-bearing salesman, short and direct with an occasional “f*ck off” thrown in for good measure.
malraux
He’s the easy way to identify a christian who actually doesn’t know a thing about the bible: He thinks that the last book of the Bible is Revelations. John foretold only one Apocalypse. If you don’t even know enough about it to get the name right, then please don’t try to tell others that they are wrong.
Anyway, if we’re gonna allow one religious symbol on plates, why not copy from capital one and let everyone make their own. I’d love to get an FSM plate.
Z
I’m not a christian, and I can’t get worked up about this. If the jesus freaks want their little vanity plate so that everyone thinks they are toooo holy to do meth and boink male prostitutes, then let them have it…. just as long as it is a choice. Just as long as you can choose NOT to have license plate that tells the world that you are so insecure in your faith that you need to overcompensate by broadcasting it.
OniHanzo
It’s. the. first. fucking. amendment.
Martin
It’s not about God, it’s about the neighbors and showing you are better than them.
joe
It’s not there to praise God, John. It’s there to mark the car owner as belonging to a group, so that both members and non-members of that group can see it.
Sort of like the Hell’s Angels colors, or dyed black hair on a goth.
Josh
Since when do the Elite need license plates to make known their chosenness? I thought that’s what SUVs were for.
OniHanzo
And that’s truly about the sum of it. Screw putting your beliefs into action. Screw actually following Christ’s teachings (Matthew 22:36-40. What the hell else do you need?).
Instead it’s all about the peacock feathers of faith. THAT’s what’s valuable, what has importance in this morally bankrupt country.
The fucking show.
Martin
Can you teach the fish people here in SoCal to use their blinker? I swear they all believe that God will save people from running into them when they make a sudden right turn. Me, being an atheist, have to actually give a mortal indication of my intentions and am aware of that fact.
Scott H
If it didn’t matter, there would be no reason to care. Back when I was a kid nobody cared about the prayer before this that and the other, like football games, except those people to whom it mattered. Equal time for everybody. What the heck. It’s America, am I right?
But, when equal time, or equal rights, became conditional from the Evangelical point of view – equal rights became “special rights” – then all this did begin to matter. I no longer care to hear somebody ape piety from an index card in a bad suit in any public venue.
Those plates would bring a lot of joy to the sort of people to whom they appeal, bless their hearts, and it is just too bad that people like Lt. Gov. Bauer choose to exploit every opportunity to make a huge self-aggrandizing controversy.
srv
George rewrites Jefferson at Monticello, here.
George:
Tom:
You know, I’m totally convinced GW’s speech writers are having a ball with this nut with his quoting Graham Greene and all.
h/t reddit.
Genine
I don’t particularly care either, as long as all religions have that option.
I went to this small, yet sophisticated town in Pennsylvania during the holiday season several years ago and they had a Nativity scene, a Jewish Menorah and a Pentacle for Yule. I thought that was awesome. The whole town was very religiously mixed and you had Merry Christmas decorations beside Yule decorations and Blessed Be signs. The people were very friendly, too. I loved that place.
But, yeah, the only reason someone would want a license plate to declare their beliefs is to be holier-than-thou or to broadcast they’re part of a group.
Its sad, really.
HeartlandLiberal
I have two Indiana plates. Neither are the “In God We Trust” variety. Unfortunately, there was no “All Others Pay Cash” option I could go for.
So one plates is a Indiana University vanity plate:
“IN nn”
where the nn is a low two digit number. Nice to know someone in Alumni who hooked it for me and had it sent to the license branch for me.
The second is an environment support plate, with an eagle. The extra cost goes to a fund for buying and preserving natural resources for wildlife sanctuaries.
Somehow I suspect that $DEITY will smile on how I spent my money more readily than if I had opted for the free “In God We Trust” plate.
But then I have always argued that works and deeds are the appropriate paths in life, not a life of sinning followed by a little quick repentance and declaration of faith at the last moment. Or even a life of faith alone, with no good deeds.
Roonieroo
There are a couple of problems with this plate:
1) The Governor of SC is the one that is paying the $4,000 for the creation of the Christian only version. That makes this state sanctioned in appearance.
2) The only choice other religions have is to have their own made and pay for the $4,000 but they will NOT be allowed to have any words and are subject to rules not applied to the Christian version.
In addition, they are specifically prohibiting any plates for Atheists such as “I don’t believe” and I suspect, though not stated, that groups such as Wiccans would be prohibited also.
The governor said quite plainly that allowing Christians to have a specialty license plate is freedom of speech. But any people that opposed this are prejudiced against Christians.
It’s pretty cut and dried as the state sanctioning only Christianity.
jake
[Gasp!] Are you suggesting that sheet-wearers, skins, shirts and various unaffiliated scumbuckets would target such cars for vandalism?!
But how much do you want to bet that every time someone who BELIEVES gets a ding on their car it will be proof that the forces of the Anti-Christ are roaming America?
grandpajohn
WE sure do especially here in my part of the state(Upstate not far from the Georgia line).
Some of us like to think that it is the result of imbreeding with or immigration of wetbacks across the Savannah river
for those of you not familiar with our geography the hint to the reference about wetbacks is found above in the reference to our closeness to the Georgia state line and the fact that the savannah river is the border between the states
Dreggas
on the bright side it will easily identify all the dope-fiending, hooker using hypocrites by their license plates.
James F. Elliott
I heard that God was going to let Jesse Helms in to Heaven, but then he saw on his record that he didn’t have a license plate or license plate holder or even a Jesus Fish to profess his faith on his car, so Helms was disqualified.
grandpajohn
Well after all he does have to have something to produce controversy besides his constant arrest for speeding like doing 100 in a 55 zone and things like that. its a constant struggle to determine the biggest embarrassment him or the Governor
Ah yes our beloved governor who can’t even get his legislation through the republican controlled legislature that unlike the national republican party is not a rubber stamp having recently overrode 80% of his numerous vetoes and has made a habit of doing so annually for the last several years along with the constant war between him and the leglislative leaders. Most Carolineans now praise the forsite of term limits which means that our most excellent gov cannot run again.
Someone could really do an excellent farce of a soap opera about SC politics under republican control somewhat remeniscent of the glory days of reconstruction and the first invasion of republican carpetbaggers and scalawags
calipygian
I think its pretty well established that there are plenty of Christians on their knees in closets all over the place, particularly in conservative congressional districts.
w vincentz
Can atheists get a plain white plate, and if they are non-nationalists, do they charge extra to forget the flag as well?
Shygetz
Imagine the response if S. Carolina had come out with an Islam vanity plate with the words “Allahu Akbar” written on it and did not offer a Christian one with the same rules. You could measure the governor’s political (if not biological) lifetime with an egg timer. But, since this is the majority religion being offered special treatment, I am told not to fret.
Bullshit. Yes, it’s silly piddling crap, but these things always start with silly piddling crap.
Just Some Fuckhead
I wish we could get those Christian plates in Virginia. It would be nice to know which cars to steer clear of in the event of the rapture.
w vincentz
@ Calipygian,
If not in closets “all over the place”, does that include men’s room stalls at airports?
RSA
Given that God is my co-pilot, I’m surprised that the focus isn’t on dashboard Jesuses rather than vanity license plates.
SamFromUtah
Can atheists get a plain white plate, and if they are non-nationalists, do they charge extra to forget the flag as well?
Sounds good, but only if agnostics can get a grey plate with a blurred, not-quite-legible motto.
calipygian
Another name for men’s room is water closet, isn’t it?
So Larry Craig was just following Matthew’s injunction to pray on his knees in closets.
See, its so innocent, you pervs.
w vincentz
Larry must really like Matthew. I’m not sure whether he favors the “injunction” or a different body part.
Tax Analyst
Does Obama have “I believe” license plates? If not, then that’s proof-positive that he is a secret-closet-Muslim-bad-guy who’s gonna turn and cut all our heads off right after he’s inaugurated. In fact, I hear that at the inauguration he plans to tear the Bible to shreds and declare it illegal and then make the Koran the Official Religious Book of the Country Formerly Known as the United States, which from hereon will be referred to as “West Tehran”.
So unless you wanna haveta spend your days with your ass in the air bowing to Mecca, you’d better vote for John McCain, the guy who not only is a genuine REAL War-Hero, but also fears the Right God as well.
Soylent Green
I don’t care if it rains or freezes, long as I got my sheet metal Jesus, bolted to the bumper of my car…
Tony J
But in the meantime, the renfields who came up with this little wedge-issue get to argue that “I BELIEVE” is surely only an affirmation that anyone could apply to themselves, regardless of what religion they follow, or whether they’re religious at all. Surely even the most devout agnostic actually believes in something? Surely this is just another example of Teh Left trying to pick a fight with Christians, because they hate them for their faith in something higher than man-made law.
Ta da!
Shygetz
I’m with ya, Tax Analyst. I’ll go one farther; Obama has to immediately move to S. Carolina and purchase an “I Believe” license plate or else he’s a secret stealth Muslim who will burn in a LAKE OF FIRE.
What’s that? Of course McCain doesn’t have to do that–he’s white and has a normal-sounding name.
TenguPhule
Corrected for accuracy.
Aaron
Seriously, could I get one of these with the words “XFILES” or “MULDER” or even “SCULLY” on them?
Ill just paint over the religious decorations.
Otoh- Scully is a believer….maybe her plate would leave it.
Nylund
So they allow “I believe” but outlawed, “I don’t believe”?
That is ludicrous and unjustifiable. I want vanity atheist plates goddamnit, but no one hears my prayers.
Lola
What about these freaks w/ the Jesus fish on their vehicles – one to represent each member of their nuclear family. A big “Papa” fish, a smaller one (below him of course) representing “Mama” fish, and a few little baby fish below that. Truly obnoxious. I once saw this silliness paired with a bumper-sticker promoting some anti-gay ballot initiative. Jesse Helms would have loved it.
Aaron
Hey here’s one:
“MOR THNU”
and another:
“GYSG2HLL”
/I’m just imagining the possibilities here, sorry.
another
“GDAVNGES”
combine this with a border frame that says:
“The Wicked Will Be Punished.”
put this on a dented up early model muscle car painted in flat black with a roll cage and a big ole cross for a hood emblem… and a driver you don’t really get to see…
… well, then you’ve got yourself a Quentin terrantino movie….
how about SAVYRSLF
that one seems a little cool actually….
ANY OTHERS?
Rome Again
South Carolina chose to separate church and state a long time ago… well perhaps not the church, just the state, from the nation. Isn’t that why they enjoy them their confederate flags?
Surabaya Stew
This may be true, Tony J. However, citizens of South Carolina have the right not to believe in anything if they so choose. To have any government come down on the side of faith is asking for trouble. I do hope this silly stuff passes away before the courts get involved; it will just be a waste of time and money if they do.
Rome Again
Fasting? Hmmmmmm!
I don’t see fasting in there anywhere. These passages speak of acts of righteousness in the first instance and praying in the second instance. You can believe whatever you want to believe L.R. Taylor, but you’re clearly wrong.
If you would look at verse 16, THAT is where fasting is mentioned.
You DO go to church? You DID learn how to read these texts? I’m just making sure, since you’re so bent on interpreting them.
Rome Again
I Believe: IMNIDIOT
Delia
Yeah, you really need to get those plates. Because God doesn’t know who you are if you don’t have special license plates on your car. It’s in L.R. Taylor’s special bible, the one he’s not sharing with anyone else.
wingnuts to iraq
TR quotes my favorite bible passage. You win an internet.
Matthew 6:1-8 FTW!
Krista
I hope that there is a God. I really do. And I really, really hope that there is an afterlife. And in that afterlife, I really, really hope that all of the hateful and/or peacock-preening self-professed Christians get a serious verbal spank from the man upstairs. And I hope I get to see it.
I may be an atheist, but I’ve been a very good girl, and if I get any sort of reward in an afterlife, that is what I want as my reward: to see all of those bloviating jackasses put in their place and told how wrong they were.
louisms
The key to understanding religicos is realizing that even the most fervent God-lover needs constant re-affirmation from others of his kind that the sky fairy actually exists. His faith is based on absolutely nothing but wishful thinking. So part of the tacit contract between “believers” is that they will dutifully bolster each others unavoidably shaky faith in that invisible guy in the sky. That’s what the communal experience of church services is all about. The “Faithful” have to endlessly proclaim their faith to each other. So those license plates aren’t for the benefit of some diety, but for other believers, to let them know that they’re not alone in their baseless beliefs, to validate the delusions of their fellows.
louisms
Sorry about those runaway italics.