Atheist license plate doesnt have a prayer

[trotsky]

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/03/atheist-license-plate-prayer/98680062

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has denied a Goshen man’s request to have a personalized plate that read “atheist.”

The state agency denied Chris Bontrager’s request in a letter without citing specific reasoning, The Elkhart Truth reported. The letter states that the agency can deny a personalized plate if it has a connotation offensive to good taste or decency, would be misleading or if the agency considers it improper.

“The BMV’s online tool said that it fit the criteria to be on a plate and I paid for it,” Bontrager said. “So I was a little surprised when I got the denial letter.”

"Improper," eh?

Bontrager said he believes the denial was religiously motivated.

Tell me it isn't so!

[CrispyQ]

1. I saw a Colorado plate: OH MY FSM

The person with me didn't get it.

The other good plate I saw in CO once was: TARDIS

[Curmudgeoness]

2. It couldn't have anything to do with religion.

Nope. Not religion.

Maybe he should try again using "a theist".

[guillaumeb]

3. What do atheists pray for?

And to whom would an atheist pray?

[Mariana]

4. What makes you think atheists pray? nt.

[guillaumeb]

5. Playing off of the title.

Do atheists ever say goddamn?
Or is someone, I do not know who or even if, but someone damn the preferred usage.

[A HERETIC I AM]

6. You're so god damned clever it boggles the mind

It must be difficult for you to tear yourself away from the mirror in the morning, what with all that awesome cleverness and rapier wit you exude. I imagine if you stand still, you must leave a puddle of awesomeness.

Gee....you're terrific. Truly

[guillaumeb]

8. I am.............in awe of your insight in recognizing my exalted magnificence.

If I am ever in need of an entourage, I will consider you for a position.

Would you be wiling to carry a mirror so I can always see my divine reflection?

[A HERETIC I AM]

10. Look, I am NOT going out with you, so STOP messaging me

[guillaumeb]

11. An interresting response.

Given that there have been no messages exchanged.

Unless this is an attempt on your part to accuse.

[A HERETIC I AM]

16. Please stop messaging me. I'm not going to go out with you.

[guillaumeb]

17. This is either an attempt at humor, or an attempt to get a hide.

I shall ask about this because we both know that no messages have been exchanged.

[A HERETIC I AM]

19. You shall ask about this?

You might be awesome, but I have no interest in going out with you.

I prefer people of deeper intellect and originality.

So please stop trying to solicit me.

[guillaumeb]

20. This is the third time you have accused me.

You are deliberately making something up that you know is false.

I assume that the Administrators can check into this type of abuse.

[A HERETIC I AM]

21. So now you feel abused?

How the hell do you think I feel?

But you clearly don't care because it's all about how awesome you are.

[Act_of_Reparation]

7. You're "playing off" irony?

Yeah, you stick it to those abominable atheists and their damnable literary devices. Only true believers have the right to use the language with which they, the privileged class, have flooded our lexicon!

[guillaumeb]

9. Irony cannot be met with irony?

I have never accused atheists of being abominable, but if it fits your narrative to feel that way you are of, course, welcome to your views.

But if non-theists truly wish to free themselves from the oppressive yolk of belief, one would think that they could invent better ways to convey their thoughts.

[Act_of_Reparation]

12. Only if you're actually meeting it with irony.

Which you weren't.

[guillaumeb]

13. Ironic that an atheist would use a phrase associated with religion.

For your information.

[Act_of_Reparation]

14. Congratulations. You've identified the irony in the OP.

In case you were wondering -- and I'm guessing by your reaction you were not -- that irony was intentional.

As.

A.

Literary.

Device.

[guillaumeb]

15. In case you were also wondering, I was also being ironic.

Intentionally so.

But it loses something when it must be explained.

[Mariana]

24. What makes you think the headline writer is an atheist? nt.

[guillaumeb]

25. One presumes that the writer is not the DU poster.

So the choice of posting by a proclaimed non-theist is why I talked of irony.

[Mariana]

28. I think you're reaching.

The OP used the headline of the piece as the headline for the post, which is pretty common practice when posting a piece written by someone else. It's a real stretch to infer any irony in that.

[guillaumeb]

29. The poster made a deliberate decision to pick this particular post.

And given that the poster seems to generally post things in order to put religion in a bad light, I made the reach.

This could easily have been posted in the Atheists group.

[Lordquinton]

22. Yes, atheists say "god dammit"

and also "oh my god" usually in response to something unbelievable.

But if it's vexing to theists, we'll gladly stop, if theists stop using atheist things, like computers. As we all know computers were invented by Allan Turing, a gay atheist who was persecuted, tortured, and finally driven to suicide by theists, even though he changed the course of WWII, and also the entire world.

[guillaumeb]

23. And if some do say "goddamn", what does it imply?

That only a god can damn?
Cultural conditioning?
Linguistic conditioning?

I suppose saying deGrasse Tyson damn does not have the same conciseness, the same historic relevance.

[Lordquinton]

26. Your first question makes no sense.

Even theists say "damnit" does that mean they observe other higher powers that can damn things?

So, why do theists use computers?

[guillaumeb]

27. I actually used the term "goddamn".

But either way, damnation implies someone to damn.

So perhaps non-theists should not use terms that are religiously based? Perhaps non-theists should break from the religiously based linguistic shackles of theistic oppression and only use non-religious terms.

Unless, of course, they are being ironic.

[Lordquinton]

30. Perhaps Theists should stop using computers?

Seems a fair tradeoff.

[guillaumeb]

31. I am writing my response with a feather pen, and willing the words onto the DU site.

So far it is working very well. Except when the feather causes me to sneeze and then my hand..... alsjdnwie jadschbisa basdhc.
Sorry, I sneezed.

[Lordquinton]

32. Seriously though

I know you're avoiding the point like the plague, but there is zero reason for atheists to not say goddammit, or oh my god. It's a meaningless expression that most of us get from existing in an overly theistic society.

Turing, on the other hand, actually was persecuted, tortured, and driven to suicide by theists, so there's actually a good reasons to keep computers away from those oppressors.

[guillaumeb]

33. One would imagine that all of the oppressors are actually dead.

So their access to the internet is probably severely restricted by that fact.

How many believers were persecuted and worse by Russian and Chinese atheists? Was their suffering any less?

Intolerance is a universal trait.

[Lordquinton]

34. His opressors? That would be the Church of England, and the RCC

Both of which are alive and well.

[guillaumeb]

35. No, his oppressors were certain individuals in both organizations.

A somewhat different thing.

[Lordquinton]

36. Both those orginizations preach that homosexuality is evil

Francis travels the world spreading hate against such people.

Why do you give cover to groups that preach hate?

[Goblinmonger]

37. Nothing. No one.

That was pretty easy. Do we use the accepted vulgarities of the culture? Of course. That only makes sense.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

18. +1

Gee whiz Wally