G.M. pushes christian fundamentalism

Gosh, and I thought it was just their cars and SUVs that were offensive.

Chevrolet, a division of General Motors, is title sponsor of the monthlong 16-city Come Together and Worship Tour, which begins on Nov. 1 in Atlanta. The tour will feature two acts in the fast-growing genre known as contemporary Christian music, W. Michael Smith and Third Day, along with a Texas pastor, the Rev. Max Lucado.

When Chevrolet announced its sponsorship, a news release described Mr. Lucado as a "world-renowned author." But, as The Detroit Free Press said in an article yesterday, Mr. Lucado will be preaching on stage between the musical acts of the show. The shows will also include the distribution of evangelical literature to audience members. As a result, some find Chevrolet's association with such a tour disturbing.

But there's even more.
The sponsorship is to be augmented by Chevrolet with a monthlong promotional program to some consumers on the concert stops, inviting them to take test drives at local Chevrolet dealerships where they can get free CD's featuring songs by Mr. Smith and Third Day and an audio version of a chapter from Mr. Lucado's new book, "A Love Worth Giving."

There are complementary promotions sponsored by a national chain known as Family Christian Stores along with general retailers like the Sam's Club and Wal-Mart divisions of Wal-Mart Stores, Borders and Books-A-Million.

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Published on October 24, 2002 12:28 PM.

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