Posted on 11/15/2002 8:49:54 PM PST by naine
'What would Jesus drive?' gas-guzzling Americans are asked
Oliver Burkeman in New York
Thursday November 14, 2002
The Guardian
The midwestern United States, equally devout in its worship of God as in its worship of gas-guzzling four-wheel-drive vehicles, is about to be asked to choose between the two.
"What Would Jesus Drive?" is the slogan dominating a television advertising campaign about to blanket cities in Iowa, Indiana and Missouri, along with the southern state of North Carolina.
The question presumably did not arise in first-century Galilee, but the Christian group behind the ads believes the answer would not include sports utility vehicles, the fuel-inefficient, environmentally unfriendly monsters that rule America's roads.
"We have confessed Christ to be our saviour and Lord, and for us, that includes our transportation choices," the Rev Jim Ball, of the Washington-based Evangelical Environmental Network, said.
"Most folks don't think of transportation as a moral issue, but we're called to care for kids and for the poor, and filling their lungs with pollution is the opposite of caring for them."
The campaign's slogan is inspired by What Would Jesus Do?, a phrase ubiquitous among young Christians in the US who sport it on bracelets, clothing and customised Bible covers.
"We take seriously the question What Would Jesus Do?", Mr Ball said. "What Would Jesus Drive? is just a more specific version. What would he want me to do as a Christian? Would he want me to use public transportation?"
A coalition of religious groups, led by Christians and Jews, are due to launch a related campaign later this month in Detroit, America's car capital, where they have called for a meeting with representatives from the big three manufacturers, Ford, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler.
Though all three companies have begun to launch hybrid cars powered partly by electricity, SUVs, vans and pickups still account for half the new vehicles sold in the US. TV ads abound declaring them "professional grade" and built "like a rock".
Car companies say they are only responding to demand.
"If people would be demanding tailfins on cars, we'd be making tailfins on cars," said Eron Shosteck, of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
At least one car maker is fighting on the same territory as Mr Ball: Chevrolet has been touring a series of nationwide evangelical rock concerts entitled Chevrolet Presents: Come Together and Worship, prompting condemnation from non-Christian groups.
"This may be a sign of the times," Rabbi James Rudin, spokesman for the American Jewish Committee, said recently. "But it's not a good sign."
Nonsense! They'd all have their own Harleys.
Major Leage Hypocrites. Think how much energy and other resources are consumed to create their massive homes, and how much energy and other resources are consumed for every day operations.
You must live in a warm climate. Out here in rural Minnesota, 4WD is very nice in the winter.
I like my wife to be safe. I got her an Expedition. It is safer than your Chevette. It pollutes less than your Micro Bus. It keeps her safe from nuts who drive little pop cans and hate SUVs.
We have kids and haul lots of people to various places and events. We would probably drive a station wagon but environmental whiners got them CAFE'd out of existence. Therefore we have a big SUV, and I can accurately blame the environmentalists for forcing me to purchase two of them.
It has been shown that 5% of the cars on the road produce 50% of the auto pollution. I drive a super-efficient vehicle. Mr. Natural drives a smoking tin can because he wastes his money on dope and Grateful Dead concerts, not on maintaining his 79 Citation. I am more environmentally responsible than Mr. Natural.
I have two big SUVs now. I have never been hunting or camping with them. I got them for reasons stated above. If you want to pursue irresponsible polluters, go after the garbage-driving oil-burning 5%.
SUVs aren't the problem. Jealous whining sniveling stereotyping greenpeacing unemployable vegans are.
And it would doubtless have to be a 1969.
?
TR3B w/racemod TR4 engine
Funny! Giving one of these cars to Jesus is about the only way to fix the ever present oil leak. ;o)
Here's my 2 cents:
Concerning Jesus when on the earth had a profession that would correlate to a blue collar construction worker (that's what a 'carpenter' was in his day - someone who built houses) he would drive a great big pickup truck to haul all his tools around and it would at least be a 4WD to get to remote places in all kinds of weather.
His seconds choice would be an SUV, whose owners are villified by the self-righteous environmentalist and liberals. Jesus championed the oppressed and had very strong words against self-righteous people.
Even though this is a kit, Lord would drive one of two Cobras made. Carol Shelby made one for him and one for Bill Cosby. It was powered by a 428 Cu In Ford with 2 Four Barrel Carbs that were fed by 2 PAXTON SUPERCHARGERS !
They also had Automatic Transmissions. They would do 0 to 60 in 4 seconds top out at over 185, and you didn't have to shift it, He He....
Listen to an old Cosby album the skit about the car is funny. Cosby sold it cause it scared him. They guy he sold it to I think put it Lake Tahoe, I don't know if it has been restored. I don't know what happened to the one Shelby had, though I think this one may have been restored.
Can any Cobra Nuts help me on this one?
IMHO, if Jesus were driving a Cobra, it would have a 427 SOHC under the hood. That is, after all, God's Engine. ;-)
I'm more inclined to agree with the heavy-duty pickup truck being more appropriate for a carpenter. 4x4, tool box, bumper winch, the works. Functional, but not grandiose.
Of course he would drive a brand spanking new Caddilac with chrome rims and white walled tires that had been paid for by welfare...
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