WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court won't take up a dispute over whether an image on Oklahoma's license plates showing an Apache warrior shooting an arrow contains a religious message.
The justices on Monday let stand an appeals court ruling that threw out a pastor's lawsuit claiming the plates endorse a polytheistic religion.
The image comes from a famous bronze sculpture that depicts an Indian shooting an arrow skyward in hopes that the "spirit world" or "rain god" will answer prayers for rain.
Keith Cressman argued that the "Sacred Rain Arrow" image conveyed a religious message that was an affront to his Christian beliefs.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver last year upheld an Oklahoma federal judge who had dismissed the lawsuit.