By Catherine M. Welch
Wilmington, NC – A religious watchdog group is suing the state of South Carolina to keep it from making a license plate that says "I Believe" next to a cross superimposed on a stained glass window.
The lawsuit is filed on behalf of three South Carolina pastors, a rabbi and the Hindu American Foundation. It claims South Carolina endorsed Christianity over other religions when it approved the "I Believe" license plate.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed the lawsuit. Director Barry Lynn says the license plate comes across as a special gift to the majority religion in the state.
"But frankly it has caused other people in South Carolina to feel like second-class citizens."
South Carolina's Lt. Governor Andre Bauer disagrees.
"I'll help anybody do a license plate, if you're Wicca or from any different faith, if somebody wanted to profess their faith via a license plate, I don't have a problem with it and would help any of those groups."
South Carolina's governor allowed the "I Believe" license plate to become law without his signature earlier this month after it cleared the legislature. An Alabama lawmaker has since proposed legislation for a similar plate in his state.
Read the lawsuit here.
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