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What would Jesus drive? gas-guzzling Americans are asked [MEGA GUARDIAN BARF ALERT]
The Guardian ^ | November 14, 2002 | Oliver Burkeman

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."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: automobiles; cars; chevrolet; chevy; excursion; expedition; ford; gasguzzler; globalwarming; gm; gmc; god; green; jesus; maxlucado; roadhog; stationwagon; suburban; suv; suvs; trucks; wwjd
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To: eastforker
Them Duke boys drove a Dodge not a Mayflower, no dohc on the 427s.
81 posted on 11/15/2002 10:23:47 PM PST by Slewfoot
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To: Aliska
Jay Leno talked about this last night. Lets see, Jesus is a single guy, lives in a rural area, his dad's a carpenter. Seems like he'd drive a big ol truck.
82 posted on 11/15/2002 10:24:21 PM PST by Godel
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To: The KG9 Kid
LOL! He was into power trips. Either that or a custom popemobile :-).
83 posted on 11/15/2002 10:24:40 PM PST by Aliska
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To: Godel
Perhaps. Or a school bus. He would need room for 12 apostles. The women would have to follow from behind at a distance. Probably in a Mary Kay Cadillac, ya think?
84 posted on 11/15/2002 10:26:51 PM PST by Aliska
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To: naine
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.

Wow what a sick hate-filled statement, saying that most Americans "worship" vehicles as devoutly as God. Can you imagine the outrage if a reporter in the Guardian remarked that Muslims seem to worship suicide bombers and Allah equally? Oh, but that wouldn't be tolerant, that would be hateful. Seems like every generation, there needs to be one group that is the scapegoat, unworthy of any protection.

85 posted on 11/15/2002 10:27:50 PM PST by Godel
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To: naine
H2, because he's cool and doesn't buy into PC bs.
86 posted on 11/15/2002 10:27:55 PM PST by ApesForEvolution
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To: per loin
Yeah! That's it!
87 posted on 11/15/2002 10:30:44 PM PST by ApesForEvolution
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To: naine

Jesus Car

88 posted on 11/15/2002 10:32:11 PM PST by gunnut
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To: Slewfoot
My reply was to the cobra in #68 and ford did do a DOHC 427,production model to qualify nascar.
89 posted on 11/15/2002 10:34:14 PM PST by eastforker
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To: naine
Wasn't it in the good book, thou shall not covet thy neighbours gas.
90 posted on 11/15/2002 10:38:24 PM PST by Slewfoot
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To: eastforker
No they did a sohc in 65 but nascar would not allow it, some of them went drag racing but very few were made. The cobra had 427 side oiler right out of nascar with more carbs.
91 posted on 11/15/2002 10:45:21 PM PST by Slewfoot
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To: Slewfoot
Do some research,Ford did do a 427DOHC,not many but they did for prouction for nascar.
92 posted on 11/15/2002 10:49:37 PM PST by eastforker
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To: naine
'What would Jesus drive?' gas-guzzling Americans are asked

Not a camel says I.

93 posted on 11/15/2002 10:52:23 PM PST by LoneRangerMassachusetts
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To: Slewfoot
Just a thought,how you gonna have a SOHC in a V-8?think about it.
94 posted on 11/15/2002 10:53:27 PM PST by eastforker
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To: naine
'What would Jesus drive?' gas-guzzling Americans are asked

Not a camel says I.

95 posted on 11/15/2002 10:54:10 PM PST by LoneRangerMassachusetts
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To: naine
WWJD? A rat harley. But the more important puzzle is...

Why does Elvis need Boats?

96 posted on 11/15/2002 10:57:35 PM PST by nunya bidness
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Comment #97 Removed by Moderator

To: eastforker
I was a young car nut in the sixties. I did a lot of research then. Nascar never let in ohc. The ford sohc was a dealer install option not production, they were trying sell enough to meet minimum required for nascar when nascar said no ohc.
98 posted on 11/15/2002 11:09:24 PM PST by Slewfoot
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To: eastforker
Just a thought,how you gonna have a SOHC in a V-8?

One cam per head, it was like a mopar hemi but it had a cam between the rocker arms and rollers on the ends of the rocker arms. Mopars have sohc V6s now days.

99 posted on 11/15/2002 11:17:01 PM PST by Slewfoot
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To: naine
A white horse, next time he's around.
100 posted on 11/15/2002 11:30:28 PM PST by Smokin' Joe
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