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Islamic Car Design Contest [Updated]
Posted by civil truth on November 12th, 2007
On a slow news day, CNS News is carrying word that Malaysia’s national auto maker, Proton, is considering an Iranian proposal to build a car designed for Muslims, complete with a compass to indicate the direction of Mecca for prayers and a compartment to house the Koran and prayer scarves. This car, the article notes, would be intended for export.
With all the entrepreneureal enterprising spirit evident in America, it would seem clear to me that if we put our minds to it, we could come up here with some “modest” marketing improvements and enhancements that would increase functionality and boost sales.
So have at it, folks.
[Update 11-12-2007 4:41 pm]
To clarify the thrust of my post here, what I find perverse is that someone would explicitly market a car, which is after all merely a mode of transport, exclusively for practitioners of one particular religion. Can you imagine marketing a horse or a bicycle like that? Hindu ox, anyone?
I would have the same reaction if someone were to propose an Orthodox Jewish car that automatically shut down for the Sabbath, or a Christian car that automatically prevented backseat consummations unless the couple were heterosexual and legally wed to each other.
The point is that there is a disturbing trend in today’s world towards pomposity and segmentation, and the best tool to meet this threat is humor and satire, to prick the bubble and let the air out.
November 12th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
“The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn.” — Martin Luther
November 13th, 2007 at 9:35 am
For some muslims, such as those in Fatah, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, etc., the car should come with a built-in bomb.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
I was laughing until this thought came to me: in light of the fact that some states want to give legal drivers licenses to illegal aliens, how about a car that won’t start unless you are a legal resident of the country? Okay, I know. I’m reaching again . . .
November 14th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Francis,
Thanks for reminding me of Luther’s famous quote. C.S. Lewis also has a number of pithy statements about the key importance of humor, especially in the Screwtape Letters. In the political sphere, I tend to notice that humorlessness is one of the key characteristics of the serious leftist – and a key warning sign. Thanks for stopping by.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Bigfoot,
With respect to your comment, I came across this video (obviously shot in Great Britain):
November 14th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
Mustang,
Glad you’re still kicking and healthy. You know, actually I think that my “Christian car” idea would be very comforting to any parent of a teenager who’s giving their kid the keys to their car…Best regards, ol’ friend.
November 20th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Improvements have certainly been made on the original camel model, from adding combustion to including a Mecca friendly compass, but I think the inclusion of a bomb, as suggested by Bigfoot, is an absolute must — just think, just point and step on the gas, access to all those virgins without even having to get out of the car.
What an excellent selling point that would be!