Tennessee New License Plates

It's funny, I hear people complain about too many churches and people living by old school values are reasons they stayed away from Tennessee, meanwhile that's why I picked it.

Coming from Denver and Gainesville before that my Knoxville suburb is very peaceful in comparison. I for one will vote to reelect everyone on my ballot.

 

You have no choice but to indicate your religious preference on a license plate. If you are an agnostic/atheist in a small town in Tennessee you are being forced to either 'out' yourself or choose a license plate that goes against your beliefs. It's indefensible, yet here you are trying to defend it.

 

So my neighbor with the Darwin fish eating the Jesus fish sticker, who takes God's name in vain every 5 seconds, and heads to the boat ramp every Sunday morning needs a little phrase on a license plate to show me his lack of religion? I mean I really wasnt sure until I noticed his license plate.

This is the epitome of made up controversy.

Heck I imagine some on this board would relish the chance to proclaim your lack of faith

 

Except it isnt. I dont chose the option in my state. We have the choice here too.

I dont have a "Jesus" fish on my car or any other identifiers. Nor do most believers I know.

It's not like this thing is some ironclad ID.
Im in a southern bible belt state and rarely see the option on the road

 

Ok, so NC is as backwards as TN then. 'God' should not be on a license plate. You want 'god' bumper stickers, knock yourself out. But it should not be on a license plate.

 

... And THERE it is.

I suppose you will enlighten us with some legal reason that a state cant chose such a thing?

 

So, you take the most extreme example to make your point? Because “some” in your post is the key word. Millions and millions of people on both sides of religion consider it a private matter, and no ones business what they believe or don’t believe. The plate is a dumb idea by any reasonable standard, it only further serves to divide. Sorry if you can’t see the obvious.

 

You keep saying it's an "option". It isn't. These are the standard, default license plates. You either have to allow them to put "In God We Trust" on your standard license plate, or you can ask for one with that statement removed, and they will change the number/letter sequence to make it obvious.

 

I personally think it is unconstitutional. But beyond that it's just plain decency to not force people to indicate their religious preferences on a license plate.

 

I’d get a God plate for sure. Ain’t trying to get pulled over by Boss Hog because I don’t love the lord.

 

What religion teaches that it should be kept private?

 

1. The constitution doesnt touch this.
2. A generic belief or lack of does not indicate religious preference. Are they being forced to announce Atheist, Jewish, Baptist, Catholic, Hindu, Methodist, Muslim, Diest, Agnostic etc?

It's such a benign term that our nation has embraced for centuries.

 

sounds like you can't make god plural? that's BS

 

for the same reason the 10 commandments aren't hanging i the courtroom anymore and why "Under God" shouldn't have been added to the POA?

perhaps if Tenn issued plates for each and every religion then there wouldn't be a constitutional problem

 

Sure it does. It's just that our country ignores the constitution when it wants to. And displaying that you don't believe in god on your license plate in a small town where 90% of the population is Christian most certainly does indicate religious preference.

 

'God' shouldn't be on coins either. It's just more examples of Christians forcing their beliefs on the rest of us.

 

One set starts with numbers, one with letters. The state's explanation is ridiculous and wrong. So what's the real reason for the difference?

 

It is very unlikely to be held unconstitutional, particularly if people can choose what's on their plates. But I don't like it on our money for several reasons. From what I've read, In God We Trust became popular during the Civil War and was not made the national motto until 1956, when Congress voted on it - much like they added God to the Pledge. I'd prefer E Pluribus Unum, which was on our Great Seal. I view In God We Trust as being as much of a political statement as a religious one given the history.

 

It's an option. You have the option to decline.