Life with Cars.(Column)

Byline: Rich Ceppos

As the sun rose, they descended upon the city, like wise men riding asses. They came unto the religious capital, to deliver their solemn message, righteous in the name of the Almighty. And so they arrived in Detroit-center of worship of the automobile-a phalanx of clergymen and women representing a bewildering array of ecumenical coalitions, some driving gas-electric hybrids. And together they posed the question to the great leaders of the lay automotive movement: ``What would Jesus drive?'' Really, that's what they asked.

The religious leaders, from groups with names like Evangelical Environmental Network, National Council of Churches, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (yes, it was an interfaith full-court press), came to Motown a couple of weeks ago to prod, proselytize and generally tsk-tsk the carmakers for building-what else?-gas guzzling SUVs and fuel-suckers of all types. ``We look at it as the beginning of a conversation,'' said Paul Gorman, the executive director of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment. He made it clear they'd be back to ``talk'' some more.

The clergy posited the big, bad vehicles pouring off assembly lines were the cause of almost everything ill befalling mankind, from health problems to a burden on the poor to war itself. The car companies, they maintained, should be producing more responsible-read high fuel-economy-cars. They didn't let us consumers off either. What we drive is an issue of morality, they intoned.

Uh-oh. These were clearly professionals. Even I felt a twinge or two of shame. But wait. This ...