With God on our plates
Monday, Mar 10, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I really wish the General Assembly would stop fooling around with the God issue…
Atheist Rob Sherman believes that if Illinoisans are able to buy license plates saying “In God We Trust,” they also should have the right to purchase “God is Make-Believe” plates. Sherman, a resident of Buffalo Grove, said he wouldn’t put such a plate on his car, “but if some Christian wants it on their car, that’s fine.”
The Illinois House of Representatives last week approved the “In God We Trust” proposal — House Bill 4183 — 105-3 vote. It awaits approval from the Senate.
The bill would give drivers the option of purchasing the specialty license plates for $20 in addition to regular licensing fees. Part of the receipts would be placed into the Illinois Military Relief Fund, which is available to families of men and women in the armed forces.
Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, sponsor of the legislation, said the plates would give Illinoisans the opportunity to recognize the national motto and provide needed resources to military families.
“It’s voluntary. You don’t want the plates, you don’t need to buy them,” Bradley said. “It’s a potential source of revenue for military families and indicates a wonderful message. I would anticipate there would be broad-based support (in the Senate).”
It seems like every time the General Assembly broaches the God topic, they muck it up.
Last year, they voted to require a moment of silence in school under the School Prayer Act. They even overrode the governor’s veto to get it done. This year, the House has already voted to overturn the law they just passed, and now a bit of political gameshmanship has emerged in the Senate over who will control the bill in that chamber.
This isn’t an argument about kicking God out of school, as this article claimed the other day…
State lawmakers voted Tuesday to kick God out of the classroom but put him on special license plates.
Oh, please.
If you believe in God, then you have to agree that God can’t be kicked out of anywhere by mere mortals.
This is, among other things, an argument about which politicians are on God’s “side,” whichever side that may be. And, as Rep. Mike Boland put it, this is also about crass mass marketing schemes, albeit for a good cause…
“The last thing we want is someone over in Iraq or Afghanistan that is getting shot at and worrying about bombs, also distracted with how they are going to pay their house payment,” Boland said. “The fund is strictly voluntary. Now, this (‘In God We Trust’ license plates) will provide a steady revenue source on top of the private donations that come in to help those families.”
No matter which way you look at it, this is just unseemly.
But, perhaps you disagree. Thoughts?
- schroedk - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 8:18 am:
I think it’s all very, very silly and pointless. As a Christian, I believe that our relationship to God is just that, OUR (as in my) relationship with God. I don’t think this should be any different regardless of whether you believe or don’t believe in God, or believe in a different god or gods. I don’t need to “advertise” that relationship on my car any more than I need to advertise my relationship with my wife or kids. Whether or not you have a Christian bumper sticker, license plate, or necklace makes absolutely, 100% no difference on your eternal reward or punishment, and, believe it or not, scores you no extra credit points as a Christian. Similarly, the state “ordering” a moment of silence so kids can pray or not pray if they want to or don’t want to, blah, blah, blah, means absolutely nothing. I attended public school from 1978-1991, and I prayed all the time at school. No one except God needed to know that, and no law could have prevented me from doing it, either.
It’s beyond time that the legislators in Illinois actually did some meaningful work for the citizens of Illinois rather than some pointless attempt to pander to some special interests.
- This Guy - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 8:27 am:
“As a Christian, I believe that our relationship to God is just that, OUR (as in my) relationship with God.”
Okay, but aren’t Christians instructed to spread the Word and inform non-believers?
- schroedk - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 8:37 am:
Yes, we are instructed to have a ready answer for our faith in Jesus Christ. But I’ve never understood how that’s accomplished by driving 55 MPH in front of someone (okay, 64 MPH) while displaying a bumper sticker.
It’s been my observation (I have no statistics to back it up) that most people that have the Fish bumper stickers, wear the cross, etc., seem to think that is enough of an attempt at sharing the Gospel. Obviously, there are exceptions. But, adornments, t-shirt slogans, etc. only work if they prompt a question such as “why do you believe in Jesus Christ?” that we should then answer.
You can spread the Word lovingly with others, or you can shove it in people’s faces. I think the second style is more counterproductive.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 8:44 am:
To quote the words of Bob Dylan, made famous by the Neville Brothers:
“Oh my name it means nothing, and my age it means less.
For the country I come from, is called the Midwest.
I was taught and brought up, to the laws to abide.
That the land that I live in, has God on its side….
….In the nineteen-sixties,came the Vietnam war.
Can someone tell me, what we were fighting for?
So many young men died, so many mothers cried.
No I ask the question, was God on our side?
I learned to hate the Russians, all through my whole life.
If another war comes, it’s them must fight.
And to hate them and fear, to run and to hide.
And accept it all bravely, with God on my side.
Through many dark hours, I’ve been thinkin’ ’bout this.
That Jesus Christ was betrayed by a kiss.
But I can’t think for you, you’ll have to decide.
Whether Judas Iscariot had God on his side.
Now that I’m leaving, I’m weary as hell.
The confusion I’m feeling, ain’t no tongue can tell.
The words fill my head, and they fall to the floor.
That if God’s on our side, he’ll stop the next war.
Jesus loves me, this I know.”
A lot of politicians seem to have been jockeying over the last decade to prove that God’s on their side, none more famous than Alan Keyes, who once claimed to have divined that Jesus would vote for him, not Obama.
Was “chutzpah” a word in 32 B.C.? I don’t know, but I do know this. We’d all be better off if politicians spent less time trying to prove that God is on their side and much more time giving some serious thought to whether they are on God’s side.
- Justice - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 8:50 am:
Okay….so now instead of a plastic Jesus on the dashboard of my car, I can get a plate that says I trust in God? Perhaps I can get a flag that says it, or maybe a T-shirt? Why do we feel we need to tell people by such ’signs’ as apposed to actually acting like it? If I had to guess, somebody stands to make a lot of money on this, and it’s pretty much nothing more. Who gets the money and how much eventually gets to the military families? How do they get it and how, if ever, is it paid back, or is it? And then that silly, silly question: Who is making money off this “God” marketing? I say enough is enough. If we want to give to our military families, why not a check off on our tax returns and all the money collected goes to the military families? We sure manage to bog ourselves down with all the good we can make people think we are doing. For many it appears that it is easier to say what we believe than to be what we believe; thus the need for signs proclaiming our beliefs.
- anon - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 8:57 am:
This is yet another way for people to advertise their religion. Puting a bumper sticker or license plate on your car doesn’t get you a ticket into heaven. It would be wise to remember how Jesus chastised the pharisees for praying in public.
- plutocrat03 - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 9:08 am:
This is the legislature’s way to ‘accomplishing’ something.
They cannot or will not address the upcoming disasters in queue for this state. Gridlock, budget deficits, substandard schools, waste, mismanagement….. this list goes on.
I sure am happy the Democrats have 100% control and cant take credit for their efforts in good government.
- Ghost - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 9:16 am:
Seems like no big deal to me. This just transfers our national motto to license plates for those willing to fork over extra doe. I think the stories about it create more of a tempest then it deserves.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 9:16 am:
If we want to fit God into a bumper sticker slogan for veterans, how about:
“God doesn’t start wars, He finishes them.”
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 9:25 am:
Ghost -
A little historical context, please.
E Pluribus Unum was our national motto for nearly 200 years.
It wasn’t until 1956, at the height of McCarthyism, that “In God We Trust” became the national motto.
Those who think McCarthyism was a good thing probably see this as one of the Red Scare’s greatest achievements.
I know what Ben Franklin thought:
“Anyone who trades liberty for security deserves neither liberty nor security.
For my part, I’m not really sure how slapping “God” on everything helps convince the third of the world that worships Islam that we aren’t just a bunch of Crusading hypocrites.
It sure doesn’t convince me.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 9:32 am:
I was raised that faith was a private matter. As far as spreading the Gospel, in my tradition, that was done through works and by example. Loud or ostentatious displays of faith were viewed as not being humble.
Kind of the same with the flag. Out of respect, the flag was to be flown according to the Boy Scout rules. No car stickers. No flag clothing. No flag lapel pins. I don’t recall seeing photos of FDR or Eisenhower wearing flag lapel pins. Old school.
- Poli-Sci Geek - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 9:44 am:
If I can quote Henry Miller: “The animal makes no excuse for killing his prey; the human animal, on the other hand, can invoke God’s blessing when massacring his fellow men. He forgets that God is not on his side but at his side.”
- Chicago Law Student - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 9:48 am:
I chalk this up to, surprisingly, good business management. Think of specialized license plates as a form of voluntary tax. Want to support something, but don’t want to raise taxes? Sell people something they want.
Why not have a “God is make believe” license? Because no one would buy it. If 1,000 people told the state they would buy that license plate, then go ahead and make it. Send the money to the ACLU or something else.
I might dislike the close link between politics and religion, but I think that ship has sailed. The House opens with a prayer, putting God on license plates isn’t worse than that.
- Anon - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 10:12 am:
Maybe instead of God license plates, they should have a whole series for the different denominations. Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, etc.
- so-called "Austin Mayor" - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 10:19 am:
Rich,
I feel a deep, deep sense of pity for any deity lame enough to get personal or professional satisfaction from a generic declaration of faith printed on a license plate.
– SCAM
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 10:26 am:
How about a Flying Spaghetti Monster license plate?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 10:29 am:
Or if you aren’t a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (these guys are satirists), how about the Church of Google? (THESE GUYS ARE FOR REAL. And really scary)
- Frank Booth - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 10:49 am:
Rich, if you don’t think the “moment of silence” law had something to do with religion, perhaps you should spend more time at the Capitol.
It was a total and complete — let’s suck up to the God crowd — moment no matter what the actual legislation says, and you know that as much as I do.
- Ministry - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 10:54 am:
Jesus built my hotrod.
- Skeeter - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 12:10 pm:
The tie to military families is interesting. The next thing you know, people will say “You don’t have the `In God We Trust’ license. You must hate the military.”
It was bad enough when people started demanding flag lapel pins (and ripping the patriotism of those without the pins). Where will this end?
If this thing passes, can I get a sticker for my license saying “I donated to the cause, but want people to see that some Loyola alum drive BMWs, which is why I have this plate rather than the other”?
- taxmandan - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 12:31 pm:
Just so people know, one of the easiest ways to donate money to Illinois military families is to use line 28g on your IL income tax return.
- the Other Anonymous - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 12:35 pm:
Rich got it exactly right.
The only thing to add is how quickly an “In God We Trust” license plate will be ruled unconstitutional.
Every other special plate’s message has some connection to the cause it supports. What’s the connection here? As some commenters suggest — e.g., Skeeter — it’s that support for God somehow equals support for the troops (or vice-versa).
This creates an interesting situation where the plates can be attacked from two different perspectives. First, there is the claim that the message constitutes a government endorsement of religion. Second, non-monotheists who wish to support the troops can claim that their 1st Amendments association rights are violated, because to support the troops by purchasing a license plate they will also be forced to carry a message endorsing monotheism.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 12:41 pm:
Maybe it should read “In Guns We Trust”?
- Little Egypt - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 1:42 pm:
YDD, now that’s a plate I would buy.
- alsatian - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 1:44 pm:
Get rid of all special plates and let special interest groups sell bumper stickers.
- Anonymous - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 5:07 pm:
We’ve got multi-billion dollar problems that need solutions, yet some of our legislators chose to make token gestures and grandstand for headlines.
Here’s one step to solving our funding shortages:
How about encouraging the growth of state and local non-profit foundations with professional fundraisers to raise endowments to help support public services, such as police, firefighters, and teachers?
Universities know they can raise billions from alumni and volunteer donors by hiring professional fundraisers, so why not inspire thousands of new jobs in every community in Illinois? What better cause than helping support our most dedicated public servants?
Would the legislature be able to help by making the initial paperwork simpler for every community to establish such non-profit foundations?
- Jay SeaBee - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 5:19 pm:
Why not change to slogan to “In God I Trust.” And let’s open it up to all types of slogans, such as “Cardinals Rule,” “Cubs Rule,” “Computer Geek,” “Jeff Gordon Rulz,” “Tony Stewart Whinz.” Talk about a potential revenue stream for the state!!!
- Pot calling kettle - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 6:45 pm:
Prediction: The Gov. will sweep the money from the “In God We Trust” fund into the GRF to pay a few bills.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 8:18 pm:
It’s clear to me and John Kass that Kjellander, McKenna, and the Combine are to blame for this problem. (What are we talking about?)
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 14, 08 @ 2:14 pm:
===Rich, if you don’t think the “moment of silence” law had something to do with religion, perhaps you should spend more time at the Capitol.===
Where did I say that?