Just came accross this on CNN, don't think anybody has posted it yet. 'Jesus,' government eye SUVs Religious, environmental coalition begins campaign as government considers new rules. November 20, 2002: 4:03 PM EST RALEIGH, N.C. (CNN) - Church and state are getting involved in the gas-guzzling SUV debate. A coalition of religious and environmental groups is launching a "What Would Jesus Drive?" campaign Wednesday, hoping to get people to switch to more fuel-efficient cars. The move comes as the Bush administration reportedly considers a proposal to increase fuel efficiency standards for SUVs and light trucks. According to the Wall Street Journal, the proposal, currently at an early draft stage, is likely to draw intense opposition from car manufacturers. The religious and environmental campaign is likely to draw more immediate attention, however. The group plans a news conference Wednesday in Detroit. Members hope to meet with the Big Three automakers and the United Auto Workers union. Car buyers in four states will soon hear an advertised appeal to their environmental conscience: "What would Jesus drive?'' It's a joint effort of the National Council of Churches and the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life. The group is planning television advertising in North Carolina, Iowa, Indiana and Missouri to urge consumers to park their sport/utility vehicles -- claiming that Jesus would prefer a cleaner vehicle. Meanwhile, top regulatory officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are considering a proposal to increase fuel efficiency standards by half a mile per gallon a year, starting in 2005. The overall increase would add up to 1.5 miles a gallon by 2007, according to the Journal. Bush administration officials, contending with foreign oil dependency issues, are believed to be somewhat sympathetic to the proposal, although industry concerns about the new standards may sway the final requirement. All right, now i'm curious to hear what people have to say to this.
Many of the conservation efforts in the past have been championed by Christian groups. This is really in line with those beliefs.
I think the deeper questions here would be: How much does Jesus want to pay for a car, how fast does he want to drive and is he ok with only having a couple of cars to choose from?
I work near the Baptist church on Woodway and I've never ever seen so many SUVs in my entire life on a Sunday!
Yeah, between there and the Whole Foods parking lot, it's almost as if cars that aren't SUV's don't exist! The irony door seems to swing in both directions.
I don't know. Jesus might well drive one of those big SUVs. I mean, he did have a large posse. At the very least, a minivan might sit in Jesus' garage. I support the increased fuel efficiency standards, but I find this campaign somewhat silly. I would be afraid the campaign message would get lost in a sea of ridicule. I'm not saying that religious groups should not get involved in environmental causes, I'm saying the campaign itself is problematic (especially since we don't know that Jesus wouldn't be pro-SUV... I'm also kind of against using Jesus in a non-religious advertising message. It's just not too far away from having him dancing with vacuum cleaners. Jesus wants you to have clean floors, after all.) More importantly, though, do we know what kind of car the Buddha would drive?
Jesus either walked or rode a donkey...how can someone claim that he'd want a cleaner vehicle...why not say that he wouldn't want anyone to drive any kind of vehicle. This is like saying that Jesus supports bicycles. Its the ultimate clean transportation. Even a Volkswagon Golf uses much more fuel than a bike.... ...so according to this groups logic...Jesus wants us all to ride bikes.
A 1984 Ford LTD Oh damn!!... You mean Jesus as in Christ?!?!?! I thought you meant Jesus (hey - suse) as in Martinez... my bad.
I always pictured him in a VW bus. And Mrs. JB, assuming the artwork is somewhat accurate, there's not a bicycle on this planet that could hold that doughboy. Maybe one of those mopeds like those 2 fat guys in the Guinness Book ride.
I agree with the VW bus (with pop-up roof-tent) for Jesus. As for the doughboy, maybe he could have one of those huge adult tricycles that special people sometimes ride. It would have to have one of the very tall orange safety flags too.
