BMV Accepts 'BE GODS' Plate; Suit Moves Ahead Anyway

CAMBRIDGE CITY, Ind. -- A Wayne County woman is moving forward with a lawsuit against the Bureau of Motor Vehicles even though the agency reversed a decision that disallowed the renewal of a license plate that reads "BE GODS."

Liz Ferris said what started as a personal belief is now about her constitutional rights, 6News' Sarah Cornell reported.

"I associate it with the Bible verse Romans 14:7, 8," Ferris said. "No one belongs to himself. If we live, we live onto the Lord. If we die, we die unto the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."

Nine years ago, Ferris had the religious reference put on her license plate. Last year, she was late in renewing the plate, so she had to request it again, but that request was denied.

"I was actually very shocked. You know, I'd had it for nine years on my car and I'd gotten many positive comments," Ferris said.

The BMV denied Ferris' request because the plate violated a policy that it adopted this year.

"We do not permit personalized license plates with references to deity," said BMV spokesman Dennis Rosebrough.

With 12,000 personalized plates printed this year alone, Rosebrough said it's difficult to censor every message.

"For every request that might be perceived as a positive request mentioning deity, there very well could be and certainly have been what would be perceived by the general public as negative," Rosebrough said.

The BMV reversed course Wednesday afternoon and decided it will allow Ferris to keep the plate, saying she will be grandfathered into the new policy.

Ferris said she intends to move forward with the lawsuit in hopes the policy will be changed.

"You can develop a system that can monitor and … be fair to all parties and yet still allow reference to deity," Ferris said.

Ferris said she isn't seeking monetary damages from the BMV.