Nashua area heathens whine about popular Christian bumper sticker

While trying to find out what organization initiated the bumper sticker, Nashua Belongs to Jesus Christ, via a recent Google search, I couldn’t quite believe the hatred and animosity (not to mention, the popularity) that I noticed about this particular item on the Internet.

Although I was unable to find the exact origin of this bumper sticker, a fairly reliable source felt it may have been initiated through a Spanish, Assembly of God church in Nashua several years ago. A couple of these bloggers from 5-6 years ago mentioned that the bumper sticker had an association with a website, nashuabelongstojesus.com. But a recent check on WhoIs.com, shows that nashuabelongstojesus.com is now an open domain name and currently available for purchase.

Personally, I don’t think this statement was ever that catchy enough to warrant this type of response from the Atheists, Agnostics, and various other local critics. Don’t these people have anything more fascinating to blog about like, for example, picking up a “significant other” from a bar and then, “getting lucky”?

Besides that, a national Gallup poll in 2011 indicated that New Hampshire, along with Vermont, was deemed “Least Religious” in America. Last year, in a similar poll, Gallup deemed the Nashua-Manchester region the third “Least Religious” in the country. Whoever Nashua “belongs to”, it sure the heck ain’t Jesus Christ.

Forums which attacked the, Nashua Belongs to Jesus Christ bumper sticker ranged from Blogger, Yahoo Answers, and even one called, AtheistNexus.org. Wow, and all this time, I just assumed that Nashua Patch was the ONLY community blog in Nashua. The earliest blog entry on this topic I could find was posted in ’07, while the last was made in 2010. Collectively, between those three forums, there were over a dozen bloggers posting more than three dozen separate comments – not too shabby for a bumper sticker with a rather frivolous, superfluous message. Had I been directly involved with the entity behind that bumper sticker, I would’ve pushed to have milked that thing for all it was worth and helped make it the most popular item in Nashua history, just behind Twinkies and pet rocks.

Believe me when I say, had I known about these postings back then, I DEFINITELY would’ve responded to some of these comments. So file this blog under: Better Late Than Never. That being said, I’ll just pick the best few out of the whole bunch and comment as I see fit. Let’s start off with an individual calling themself, “Smirk Resurrected” on the Yahoo Answers forum from five years ago:

I live in New Hampshire and work in Nashua. I've been seeing bumper stickers on cars that say "Nashua Belongs To Jesus". I don’t live in Nashua, but if I did this sticker would really chap my hide as a tax-paying atheist. I basically read it as: “If you’re not a Christian, you’re a second-class citizen in Nashua”. Do the Christians displaying this sticker have any idea how offensive it can be to non-Christian citizens? Do they care? Or is that their intent?

If they're simply proclaiming their faith, why not an "I Love Jesus" sticker or a Jesus Fish? Why does it have to be "Nashua Belongs to Jesus"? And believe me, I DON'T offend easily--I just see this sticker as the epitome of arrogance.

First off, with this individual claiming to be a “tax-paying atheist”, I can only assume they’re expecting some government (Federal, State, or Local) official to step up to the proverbial plate to pass a law or an ordinance making these particular bumper stickers “illegal”. In other words, “publicly censoring” them. Yet, there’s absolutely nothing in those five words, “Nashua Belongs to Jesus Christ” that’s either libelous or vulgar.

What about when you’re driving with you kid(s) in the car and you’re behind a vehicle in traffic that has a bumper sticker: “How’s My Driving? Dial 1-800-Eat-BLEEP”? Use your imagination on what the “BLEEP” stands for. Or what about those rear window decals of the little boy who’s turned around with a big smirk on his face, obviously urinating from the front side on a New York Yankees emblem? Now, as obnoxious and vulgar as those items are to have publicly displayed on the back of a vehicle, should some government official make them “illegal”? Or “censor” them? I don’t think so.

Personally, I don’t feel Nativity scenes displayed at Town Halls or City Halls ought to be banned from public viewing during the Christmas season, but they definitely are. Ditto with department store clerks and cashiers being fired because they said, “Merry Christmas” to customers instead of the more politically-correct, “Happy Holiday” also during the yule-tide season.

Is this the gutter that we’ve sunk down to as an American society?

Let me guess, the reason that Smirk Resurrected suggested here that Christians instead just go with either a Jesus fish or “I Love Jesus” as rear bumper stickers to profess their faith -- basically because they’re even more frivolous and ineffective than the statement, “Nashua Belongs to Jesus Christ”. I can only assume that Mr. or Ms. Resurrected must think Christians are stupid or something like that.

Lastly, what the heck is it about bumper stickers, or vanity license plates, or accidents on the side of the road, or somebody cutting another person off in traffic that brings out the ungodly rage, anger and curiosity in the average American motorist these days??? Whatever became of just driving to your destination and minding your own darn business?

Moving right along, here’s a Nashua resident named Doug Muder who has his own blog on the Blogger site weighing in on the subject back in ’07:

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Jesus has annexed my town

"Nashua belongs to Jesus Christ."

That's the slogan on the bumper sticker of a car in the parking lot of my apartment complex in Nashua, New Hampshire. I've seen it several times over the last few weeks. It's either a campaign of some sort, or else I keep noticing the same two or three cars. I'd ask somebody, but the cars are always either empty or moving.

To me it sounds like a threat, like non-Christians should get out of town or something. Is that paranoid? Maybe the people who drive these cars are just clueless and don't realize that it sounds that way.

What do the rest of you think? Have you run into this in your town? What's it supposed to mean?

For those who already feel that this is a rather stupid topic to be discussing on a local blog – present party included – Mr. Muder had 21 responses to this particular comment. Compare that with most of the postings initiated on Nashua Patch, which the vast majority proceed onto its Archive file with Zero responses.

There’s definitely some type of anger or passion being generated from the message on that bumper sticker which is prompting these local people to AT LEAST seek out an Internet blog and vent their viewpoints on this subject.

BTW, Doug, you are fairly paranoid to get all bent out-of-shape over a stupid message on a stupid bumper sticker.

One of the respondents to Mr. Muder on his Blogger forum was Richard Schwartz who came up with this “brilliant” solution:

I'm thinking about printing up a few custom stickers that say "Nashua Belongs To Everyone". If you're interested, let me know. rhsatrhs at gmail.com.

Dude…Seriously??? Did you ever hear of the cliché, “Imitation is the Greatest Form of Flattery”?? Now if Mr. Schwartz did indeed go through with that idea, I don’t think they were ever as popular as, “Nashua Belongs to Jesus Christ” because I never, ever saw one of those bumper stickers.

But in defense of Richard, he wasn’t the ONLY blogger responding to this topic that came up with that idea. One individual came up with the idea of making a bumper sticker which reads, “Nashua Belongs to the Flying Spaghetti Monster” and yet another blogger wanted to have a bumper sticker stating, “Jesus does NOT own all of Nashua, I paid for this small part”.  Un…believable!!!

Is it any wonder why most people view bloggers as individuals with way too much time on their hands???

Incidentally, I don’t think you’ve got to be a certified psychologist to realize that type of effort would just give more credibility and respect to the “Nashua Belongs to Jesus Christ” bumper stickers.

Speaking of Nashua Belonging to the “Flying Spaghetti Monster”, let’s check out what Ray had to say on the AtheistNexus.org site regarding this issue:

Reply by Ray on May 1, 2010 at 7:59 am

I've seen this all over the place, it makes me rage every time. We need "Nashua belongs to the flying spaghetti monster" bumper stickers. I always see one at the Hanover street Hannaford's. I see one there constantly. Oddly enough it's usually parked closest to the liquor store. Pure speculation; but perhaps they aren't "on fire" until they've had a little fire water.

First of all Ray, if seeing that bumper sticker makes you “rage every time”, perhaps you need to see a psychiatrist about your blatant anger issues. Secondly, Ray, does that vehicle with that bumper sticker automatically prove – beyond a shadow of a doubt – that ALL CHRISTIANS ARE ALCOHOLICS??? I mean, is it possible Ray that that car was sold to somebody else? Is it possible that there were no other available parking spaces at Hannaford’s parking lot, so that’s where they wound up parking? And even if a Christian did patronize a liquor store in a shopping plaza, why would YOU automatically assume, Ray, that person is an Alcoholic???

Incidentally, this particular thread topic on the AtheistNexus.org blog actively continued with individuals posting there for nearly two years beginning in 2008. Compare that with the average blog thread on Nashua Patch which probably winds up in its Archive file within about two days or so after it’s first initiated by an individual.