Yesterday, CNN reported that a woman in New Jersey was denied the right to use 8THEIST for her license plate; the State motor vehicle agency felt that it would be too offensive. Of course, as we all know, there are a myriad of vehicle plates with JESUS SAVES, GOD BLESS and other religious declarations that are deemed to be suitable for public display.
In effect, the State of New Jersey has declared that expressions of faith (even of particular faiths) are acceptable while lack of faith in a divine being is offensive (i.e. immoral, deranged, not in the public interest). Even though many atheists might be open to the presence of a spiritual plane or a life force that we cannot comprehend (or have yet to discover), they reject the concept that a personal god monitors our lives, intervening as he/she sees fit and demanding our faith in order to reap eternal rewards. Since religions are governed by doctrine and beliefs vary widely among the faithful, truth cannot be claimed by all; perhaps truth and atheism have more in common.
But the New Jersey authorities are not concerned with truth. They bow to the political pressure of the masses and, in America, Christian faith is the accepted standard. Free speech is fine, as long as it does not offend devout Christians.
