# God even loves \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ! (with answer) and other church signs.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 4, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964 "2010-06-04T18:18:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/1 "2010-06-04T18:18:07Z")
Other thread: [God even loves \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ! - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=565784)
I decided to repost the poll (and asked that the other thread either be closed or at least the polling disabled so you guys can continue your “Finish this sentence” game) to include the information I didn’t post last time until into the thread: the missing bit would be included in a discrimination thing, like EOE job ads (race, creed, gender, national origin, religion, etc.), so baseball teams and Obama are out.
I think some people may have changed their answer had they known this before voting, so here’s the chance. Also, in the spoiler is what the sign actually said.
“God even loves Norwegians!” I think the church must have had at least a few complaints because it was changed the next day to read “Sorry if we offended, just trying to wish a Happy Syttende Mai.” which is what they should have put in the first place, I think.
There was a sign in town that said “If you forget that Jesus cares, just remember all his tears.” Every single time I saw it my mind read “tears” to rhyme with “cares”, which is funny for me.
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/2 "2010-06-04T18:31:37Z")
Was it supposed to be a joke? The person who put that up didn’t see how Norwegians might be offended?
That’s just so … inexplicably … borderline xenophobic and naïve.
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### Author:  [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/3 "2010-06-04T18:43:17Z")
It sounds like a Monty Python joke about Belgians
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### Author:  [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/4 "2010-06-04T18:47:39Z")
I laughed when I saw what it actually was. I was expecting something inflammatory like ‘gays’ so I had myself all pumped up. How deflating and anticlimactic it was when it was revealed. 😛
Anyone who gets up in arms about this is stupid.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/5 "2010-06-04T18:51:47Z")
> [@Giles](#):
>
> It sounds like a Monty Python joke about
Pining for the
fjords
?
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/6 "2010-06-04T18:52:02Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#):
>
> Anyone who gets up in arms about this is stupid.
Or Norwegian!
Yeah, it was kinda funny, but you have to admit the implications weren’t well thought out.
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### Author:  [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/7 "2010-06-04T18:58:32Z")
Hmmm. This is interesting. My **ASSUMPTION** (yes, I know) would be that this is in a part of the country with many people of Norwegian descent, and was meant to be a joke along the lines of the “Sven and Ole” series. Likely self-deprecating humor, as I’m guessing the congregation is largely Norwegian (i.e., of Norwegian descent, not citizens of Norway). If that’s the case, and given that Norwegians are not subject to the type of intense hatred (often religion-based) that Muslims, Jews, atheists, homosexuals, etc. often get, I would see it as a joke and not offensive. Now I’m not Norwegian, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some Norwegians took it seriously and were offended. But if it’s from where every other name ends in “-en” and people routinely celebrate and joke about their Norwegian heritage, I’d say it was pretty clearly just another little joke.
ETA: My poll vote is still the same – it depends.
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### Author:  [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/8 "2010-06-04T18:59:18Z")
> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> Or Norwegian!
But **Leaffan** , Norwegians _are_ stupid!
/rimshot
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### Author:  [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/9 "2010-06-04T19:03:20Z")
I think the church should switch gears and have the sign say “God Even Loves \_\_\_\_” all of the time. Each time listing another group. One week it could be Norwegiians, the next banana slugs, the next Irish. On and on and on. Everyone is loved. And everyone is offended. Who doesn’t win?
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### Author:  [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/10 "2010-06-04T19:05:39Z")
Hell, I’m Norwegian and I wasn’t offended.
After getting the answer, did anyone else hear Swearengen’s voice saying, “God even loves the squareheads,” or was it just me?
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### Author:  [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/11 "2010-06-04T19:06:16Z")
If it said something like “God even loves YOU!” that’s not offensive, and possibly qualifies as effective. But if it’s a racial/political/ethnic group or something similar – very bad taste. I haven’t read the spoilers yet.
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### Author:  [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/12 "2010-06-04T19:07:57Z")
Okay, now that I’ve read the spoilers. Not greatly offensive (since it was obviously done jokingly) but not well thought out either.
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### Author:  [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/13 "2010-06-04T19:13:10Z")
> [@Leaffan](#):
>
> That’s just so … inexplicably … borderline xenophobic and naïve.
That’s what I thought, too. Like I said in the original thread, even though I’m not personally offended, I definitely do see where somebody might be and the whole idea of it seems stupid to me. I can’t figure out why anybody thought that was a good idea.
And yeah, Norwegians aren’t known for being discriminated against in the way some other groups are, so I wouldn’t expect anybody’s level of offense to be as high as if the sign said “God even loves black people!”, but I don’t think somebody who IS offended by that is stupid.
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### Author:  [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/14 "2010-06-04T23:30:57Z")
Depends on the blank. If it’s a ethnic/racial type group, like the example, that’s kinda offensive.
But if it said something like “God even loves atheists” or “God even loves murderers” or something like that, that’s a little different, especially if they followed up with “so He must love you too!” or the like. (and no, I’m not equating atheism with murder, they’re just unrelated examples that came to mind)
I could see in a town with sports rivalries putting up a “God even loves [rival team] fans” being being just kinda fun, not offensive.
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### Author:  [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2010, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/15 "2010-06-05T03:38:09Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#):
>
> Hmmm. This is interesting. My **ASSUMPTION** (yes, I know) would be that this is in a part of the country with many people of Norwegian descent, and was meant to be a joke along the lines of the “Sven and Ole” series. Likely self-deprecating humor, as I’m guessing the congregation is largely Norwegian (i.e., of Norwegian descent, not citizens of Norway). If that’s the case, and given that Norwegians are not subject to the type of intense hatred (often religion-based) that Muslims, Jews, atheists, homosexuals, etc. often get, I would see it as a joke and not offensive. Now I’m not Norwegian, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some Norwegians took it seriously and were offended. But if it’s from where every other name ends in “-en” and people routinely celebrate and joke about their Norwegian heritage, I’d say it was pretty clearly just another little joke.
>
> ETA: My poll vote is still the same – it depends.
Jackass! you were supposed to put norwegian in spoiler tags! You just HAD to be the first to reveal it outside the spoilers, didn’t you!
:D:D:D:D:D
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### Author:  [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/16 "2010-06-05T04:51:58Z")
“It depends on what \_\_\_ is” has to be the answer. It depends on whether it’s offensive to suggest that we’d be surprised that \_\_\_ is lovable. “God even loves murderers” would be fine, but not “God even loves [insert race here]”.
That said, I’ve never even heard of anyone discriminating against Norwegians, so it’s hard for me to take that too seriously. But maybe anti-Norwegian discrimination is big in Finland or somewhere, who knows?
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### Author:  [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2010, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/17 "2010-06-05T08:13:03Z")
There’s two things I hate in life; Intolerance of other people’s cultures, and the Dutch.
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### Author:  [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/18 "2010-06-05T13:27:10Z")
I originally voted “always offensive”, but in light of this:
> [@tim314](#):
>
> “God even loves murderers”
I have to change my answer. I see that there are _ **a very few** _ exceptions. As **tim314** said,
> [@](#):
>
> It depends on whether it’s offensive to suggest that we’d be surprised that \_\_\_ is lovable.
It implies that there is good reason for people to believe (though wrongly) that \_\_\_ is not lovable. Many murderers would believe that of themselves, because of their actions, and so would be being told that “God still loves you”. Most groups, on the other hand, it just slaps in the face, sending the message that people have good reason to think \_\_\_ are unlovable. There’s something wrong with \_\_\_, but God loves them anyway.
ETA: You needed a fourth option. “Usually offensive, with a small number of exceptions” Option 3 doesn’t quite cover it.
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### Author:  [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/19 "2010-06-07T16:51:27Z")
> [@Silver\_Fire](#):
>
> I decided to repost the poll (and asked that the other thread either be closed or at least the polling disabled so you guys can continue your “Finish this sentence” game) to include the information I didn’t post last time until into the thread: the missing bit would be included in a discrimination thing, like EOE job ads (race, creed, gender, national origin, religion, etc.), so baseball teams and Obama are out.
> [@TBG](#):
>
> But if it said something like “God even loves atheists” or “God even loves murderers” or something like that, that’s a little different, especially if they followed up with “so He must love you too!” or the like. (and no, I’m not equating atheism with murder, they’re just unrelated examples that came to mind)
I am not a lawyer, but I don’t think murderers fit the terms of the OP.
> [@](#):
>
> I could see in a town with sports rivalries putting up a “God even loves [rival team] fans” being being just kinda fun, not offensive.
I could see this being offensive to humor-impaired people with chips on their shoulders. I can also see it offending people who take the thing about not using the Lord’s name in vain very seriously, and would be offended by any jokes about God. I suspect that the complainers in this case are mostly of the former type, with a bit of the latter.
> [@Gary T](#):
>
> My ASSUMPTION (yes, I know) would be that this is in a part of the country with many people of Norwegian descent, and was meant to be a joke along the lines of the “Sven and Ole” series. Likely self-deprecating humor, as I’m guessing the congregation is largely Norwegian (i.e., of Norwegian descent, not citizens of Norway).
I think it’s more likely that the church has a largely _Swedish_ congregation. There’s a long tradition of (mostly) good-natured kidding between Swedish-Americans and Norwegian-Americans. It’s funny because nobody else can tell the difference between them, and they know it.
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-even-loves-_______-with-answer-and-other-church-signs/541964/20 "2010-06-07T17:06:52Z")
I am disappointed. Norwegians? How prosaic.
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