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It's true. The State of Florida plans on offering this plate to consumers. The letters are where the numbers go. Jesus is backed by the sun, and instead of INRI, "FLORIDA" is above His head. At least they had the dignity to not rename the state "SON-shine State". There is no word if they are planning on offering Thor, Pan, Buddah, Mohammed (oops, can't do that, they're iconoclasts), or "the homeless guy on the corner of Main and Stapley that thinks he's God" license plates.Of course this IS a free country and Christians who wish to express their faith (or non-Christians who wish to buy them as a campy kitzch piece to make fun of Christians) can decide to buy them or not. In that sense the State is not promoting religion, just profiteering on its fringe adherents. But...is this any more or less offensive than Jesus bumper stickers, license plate frames, hanging a rosary or prayer rope on your rear view mirror, using an icon key chain, wearing a cross or "faith based" T-shirt? In that sense will the license plates make Christianity any more offensive than it really is, or will it just further affirm what non-Christians already think, that Christians are just plain weird. And is there a difference?
8 comments:
I don't live in Florida but if I did I don't think I'd go for it - the iconography is way off...
Well, leaving aside that it's Jesus, I daresay that darned near nobody would put a license plate with a picture of himself on his own car.
Mairs, I asked someone if they saw this license plate in a parking lot, would they need to venerate it, and they said, "Only if its on a Lambourghini". :)
Kyralessa, ohhhh, you don't know some of the people I know. The states don't make "vanity plates" for nothing. If they let people put their pictures on them, they'd sell like hotcakes, I bet.
As I recall, the sun refused to shine....
I live very close to Florida and if it will make a buck the state will sell it. There is no income tax in Fla. so the state government is always strapped when the tourist taxes don't pour in.
What about the Satan worshippers? They'll want their guy with the bifurcated tail getting equal time.
And I have become so used to icons I don't care for the image at all but I would take offense with an icon image being used.
And I figured you would understand and get a kick out of the beard discrimination piece.
Uh oh. I hang my prayer rope on my rear view mirror when I'm not in the car (this one stays in my car so I don't forget to take one with me). Is that a no-no?
Mary
Hi Mary, I hope not, I have one hanging on my rear view mirror also. That said, the question was more rhetorical...how do we truly regard "holy things" or objects of our faith, and what is the boundary of tacky and sacreligious, or cheap commercialization and a true show of piety and faith. In that sense I'm asking are we guilty of the same thing even if we regard the "Jesus license plate" as tacky, commercial and cheap? Its just a question I think we need to ask ourselves before we cast stones.
That plate would make a great tattoo
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