[wanabidii] Fw: Filipino City Requires Taxi Drivers to Display Bible Verses on Vehicles

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From: "ANS@Assist-Ministries.com" <ANS@Assist-Ministries.com>
To: ASSISTNEWS@sheperd.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2014 8:38 PM
Subject: Filipino City Requires Taxi Drivers to Display Bible Verses on Vehicles

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com Tuesday, December 30, 2014 Filipino City Requires Taxi Drivers to Display Bible Verses on Vehicles By Jeremy Reynalds Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service TAGBILARAN, PHILIPPINES (ANS) -- A city in the Philippines mandates all of its taxi drivers to paint Scripture on the back of their vehicles, in an effort to curb crime in the city. Photo via CBN News screenshot According to an article by Heather Clark for the Christian News Network, while the law in Tagbilaran has been in effect for over twenty years, reports have just recently highlighted the requirement. "This is the only city in the Philippines that has such an ordinance," Samuel Belderol, who issues taxi licenses at city hall, told reporters. "We want the world to know that we are a God-fearing city and that these Bible verses help us draw closer to God." "We only issue 3,000 licenses every year and each one must have a unique verse on it, no duplicate verses allowed," he explained, nothing that the drivers are assigned a particular Bible verse. The story by Christian News said those who fail to have the Scripture painted on their taxis may be fined or have their license revoked. City Council member Lucile Lagunay said that the presence of the verses has helped to change the atmosphere in the city, and has consequently lowered the crime rate. "With a Biblical message at the back of the units, commuters get to see the message every day and it helps in way to preserve the peace in our city," Christian News reported she said. "Everyday commuters get to see the biblical message on the tricycles and who want to think of crime when they see biblical passages everywhere." Some of the verses painted on the taxis include, "I am the way, the truth and the life," "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul," and "God loves a cheerful giver." "Years ago people used to paint obscene messages and images on their tricycles, but the city ordinance changed that," Buala Siongiex, who has been painting verses on the motorcycles for two decades, said. Christian News reported she added, "Now when you read the word of God you can't help but feel alive; even a little bit of God's word makes you happy." While it is not clear how the law was passed or who was responsible for the law's passage, Christian News said the vast majority of Filipinos are Roman Catholic. An estimated 2.8 percent profess to be evangelical Christians, w ith numerous Baptist, Pentecostal and non-denominational congregations throughout the nation as well.     See all ASSIST News articles at www.assistnews.net Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "From Destitute to Ph.D." Additional details on "From Destitute to Ph.D." are available at http://www.myhomelessjourney.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@comcast.net. ** You may republish this story with proper attribution. Send this story to a friend. Note to our subscribers: It you really appreciate what we do through ANS and would like to make a donation to help us continue with this unique news service, you can do so in two ways. First, just go to our secure site at www.assistnews.net/assist/donations.htm, where you can sign up for a monthly gift or a one-off contribution (tax-deductible in the US). Second, if you prefer to send a check, just make it out to ASSIST, and mail it to ASSIST, PO Box, 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609, USA (also tax-deductible in the US). Thank you so much for caring! Dan Wooding Click here if you wish to unsubscribe ASSIST News Service is Sponsored By