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A holy temple with a luxury carmaker’s brand name on its letterhead? That could happen if Mercedes-Benz USA renames a Sandy Springs street for itself to celebrate its new corporate headquarters—while also forcing a new address on its neighbor, the Atlanta Georgia Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Mormon church will oppose the renaming of Barfield Road to Mercedes-Benz Drive, which goes before the City Council on March 7, according to metro Atlanta church spokesperson Bill Maycock. He called for a separation of church and brand.
“The Mercedes-Benz brand is known for prestige and luxury and class status and all that sort of thing,” Maycock said. “In the Atlanta Georgia Temple of the church, we don’t do any of that…It’s not what the Atlanta Temple is. It’s not what the Atlanta Temple teaches its members.”
MBUSA met with church leaders, but is driving ahead, according to company spokesperson Donna Boland.
“We don’t feel that the road renaming has an adverse impact or implication on church beliefs, but understand if the church feels it must voice its disagreement to the city,” Boland wrote in an email. “We are focused on being a valued member of the Sandy Springs community and hopefully that will be a more important factor than what this particular road is called.”
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Cynthia SmithMarch 5, 2017
It is a street name...I am sure it does not alter the truthfulness of the Gospel. Be good members of society...maybe get Mercedes to furnish mission cars. ;)
Gail ButlerMarch 5, 2017
Symbolically speaking, this renaming of a street upon which a holy temple stands, for an automobile company, is another example of how capitalism seeks to erode and supplant spiritual values with monetary profits and excessive brand-name recognition. Why not seek to rename a street in the commercial district which would be more apprpriate. The commercial district would likely be less attractive than then would be a street whereon a temple stands. In fact, the beauty of the temple might be why the auto company wants that particular street! I think it is inappropriate for MB to force itself in this way.