Charles Ales is into Ford Mustangs. In fact, he owns several; his collection includes all three BOSS variants and four new Shelbys. Over years of collecting cars and hobnobbing with others who share his interests, he noticed that the real car people's enthusiasm for their rides borders on religious fervor. An idea popped into Charles' head last summer, and The Mustang Church of America and Museum was born. It's even got its own logo: the Christian fish symbol with the running pony inside. Built next to the house in which he was born, the facility is set to open later this summer and will display Mr. Ales' collection of Mustangs. He also plans to host car shows, swap meets and two Mustang blessings a year. Charles and his adopted son Robert Brunch, both ordained ministers, will preside over Sunday services in the non-denominational church. "I'll preach goodness and helping my fellow humankind. I'll preach what we're supposed to do - make this a better world than we found it," he told the local Pittsburg, KS Morning Sun newspaper.
The mural behind his pulpit will show Jesus at the wheel of a '66 Mustang. Bet you don't have one of those at your church.
[Source: The Morning Sun via MustangBlog]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jon @ Apr 5th 2008 10:48AM
BS. We all know Jesus drives an LS1-Powered S2000.
Andrew @ Apr 5th 2008 11:08AM
Ha!
caddy dave @ Apr 5th 2008 11:33AM
Wrong! S2000's and Toyota's are driven by "Kami" (Shinto God's).
No self respecting Christian God would be caught hanging from a cross driving a Japanese crapmobile.
vintage @ Apr 5th 2008 5:59PM
Because Jesus is American? Since when? Dumbass.
geo.stewart @ Apr 5th 2008 6:12PM
dont know about Jesus but the angels have Aston Martins, thus the wings on their logo.
I'm guessing Jesus has a Cadillac with a plastic Henry Leland on the dash.
Randy @ Apr 6th 2008 1:56AM
Jesus can drive on water so he probably drives a hoevercraft!
Andrew L @ Apr 5th 2008 11:07AM
oh... my... god....
flaming autoblog/mustang comments in
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MajorGeek @ Apr 5th 2008 11:12AM
There ya go, make a bigger joke out of organized religon then it has become over the past years.
GO GM! @ Apr 5th 2008 11:19AM
MORON!
iSpec @ Apr 5th 2008 11:24AM
yeah, we wouldn't want to mix any of this world's passions or, ACLU forbid, anything public with anything religious. That would just be wrong and would offend the humanists religious views that all religions are private except theirs.
Frank @ Apr 5th 2008 11:26AM
"I'll preach goodness and helping my fellow humankind. I'll preach what we're supposed to do - make this a better world than we found it,"
Yea, he sounds like a real jokester. He's probably dangerous too, preaching stuff like that.
/sarcasm
len simpson @ Apr 5th 2008 11:36AM
AMEN , brother, AMEN!
Cameron @ Apr 5th 2008 11:52AM
Ahem, God drives a silver Thunderbird. Just ask Mark Cohn.
mk @ Apr 5th 2008 12:03PM
kitchy fun if it is a joke.
Blasphemy and idol worship if this deluded person is serious.
The line between seems to be getting finer.
BlackbirdHighway @ Apr 5th 2008 12:12PM
Do they make a yearly pilgrimage to the Mustang Ranch?
AndyMF @ Apr 5th 2008 12:17PM
Err...how can a church be non-denominational? Or am I missing something here?
mk @ Apr 5th 2008 12:32PM
They sometimes declare themselves independent of denominational organizations. kind of "independently christian"
Whether that has implications on being free of an established convention, and what actual doctrine an independent church adheres to is usually up for debate, as we've seen recently with Rev. Wright in the news, and that independent UCC church.
independent churces sometimes go off-reservation, and preach about crazy things... like Christ in a CAR!!!
I think some of these folks haven't figured out that church is about connecting with, and learning more about the nature and word of God, than about pet socio-political causes or hobby topics. Associating God with those corporeal humanistic side-shows is disrespectful to Him, and to those who one like that would be preaching to.
Needless to say, I am quite skeptical about this sort of thing.
tankd0g @ Apr 5th 2008 12:55PM
Scientology. If they can have tax free church status, litterally ANYONE should be able to.
The Luigiian @ Apr 5th 2008 12:39PM
When I first saw this, I was hoping I had missed out and this was an April Fool's joke.
It was not.
It would have been a good one, but no. That said, they really should take the guy's idea and make a Christian Edition Ford Mustang with the horse inside of the fish on all the logos around the car, and possibly crucifixes or something, and a woodgrain interior since Jesus was a carpenter. They already have the Women's Edition (Warriors in Pink), they should start offending other groups with blatant stereotypes, seriously. Just pull out all the stops there Ford.
Cheech @ Apr 5th 2008 12:58PM
Loser.