East Kern car ad ignites controversy

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Published: 5/29/2008 7:32 pm

Updated: 5/29/2008 7:33 pm

A radio ad has generated a lot of negative feedback for a local car dealership.

Rick Kieffe, owner of Kieffe and Sons Ford, said he doesn't regret running the ad, which aired on radio stations in eastern Kern County and the Antelope Valley, but he does apologize for offending anyone.

The ad said, "Did you know that 86 percent of Americans say they believe in God? Now since we know that 86 out of every hundred of us Christians believe in God, we at Kieffe and Sons Ford wonder why we don't just tell the other 14 percent to sit down and shut up. I guess maybe I just offended 14-percent of the people who are listening to this message. Well if that's the case then I say that's tough, this is America folks. It's called free speech and none of us at Kieffe and Sons Ford are afraid to speak out. Kieffe and Sons Ford on the Sierra Highway, Mojave, Rosamond. If we don't see you today, by the grace of God we'll be here tomorrow."

Rick Kieffe said, "I do not regret it, it's simply how we feel. We feel that one child shouldn't keep the other 29 children in class from saying the pledge of allegiance. We feel it should say, In God We Trust should be on the money, and there's these things where the majority feels one way but a smaller group tells them to sit down and shut up and that's where the unfortunate language came into this ad. The sit down and shut up part kind of got by me."

What's your opinion on the ad? Tell us what you think by voting on our home page at kget.com.

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The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of KGET TV 17 - In the Spirit of the Golden Empire

brianna102 - 10/26/2008 9:32 PM

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bobrussell1957 - 5/31/2008 3:37 AM

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This ad is as idiotic as the comments that are in favour of it. Rightly are the stupid called. As a freethinking atheist, I don't give a hoot about Jesus, God, Moses, Mohammed, Bhuddah, Thor, Wotan or any other mythical character thought up my ignorant goat herders. As an advocate of free speech, I support their a right to say what they wish because it shows who they really are and what they really think. Clearly these facists would deny the same right of freedom of speech to anyone who disagrees with them. I would never, ever, give this facist car dealer my custom.

hadit - 5/30/2008 9:11 PM

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I live in Santa Maria and my husband and I have bought several cars from Kieffe and Son's over the years. I love their chill attitude and sense of humor. These people are real people with no phony baloney gimics to try to sell their cars. "No Bull", I believe is their slogan. I stand behind their ad and will continue to make the 3 hour journey to buy all our cars from them. I don't believe an apology was the right thing to do. I bet the owner was pressured to submit that apololgy. The one thing in the ad that was wrong was that the 86% of people who believe in GOD means ALL people who believe in GOD, not just the Christians. Other than that, the ad was perfect and the remaining 14% really do need to sit down and shut up. We are not going to take it anymore, we will take our country back.

Calladus - 5/30/2008 5:14 PM

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You've seen the lame walk and the blind see with your own eyes? You know that Jesus Christ is the Messiah through your own experience. I find this fascinating. You see, I have an Islamic friend who has healed the sick through prayer to Allah, and he is convinced that calling Jesus the "son of God" is a blasphemy. I have another friend who is personally fulfilled through her connection to Hinduism. She too, has seen miracles in the name of her God, including re-attached limbs, and dead people brought back to life. Who am I, as an Atheist, to believe? If God wanted me to believe, I would believe. Since I don't, I must assume that he either wants me as I am, or is powerless to change me, or doesn't exist at all.

sharris - 5/30/2008 3:23 PM

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Calladus-I see that your focus is on your own understanding, i agree that christians throughout history have done many dishonorable things. However the focus should never be on man but on God and his son Jesus Christ. How do I know he is the Messiah? Jesus said, "The lame will walk, the blind will see", this I have seen with my own eyes. Jesus boiled down the Biblical law into to points-Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And Love your neighbor as yourself. As I said in previous comments we have all strayed away from principles that have guided this country for so long, we choose to modify our morals to fit our lifestyles. (If it feels good, do it). Case in point is your reference to Matt 7:3. When I made my initial comment it was not directed at you but was my general opinion about the ad that aired. However, you felt the need to respond(judge) directly to me. Why? Maybe to 'put the W.A.S.P. in his place'. America isn't a safer place today in part because many have decided to their own thing. As an old Hebrew proverb said, "There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end leads to destruction."

crownpump - 5/30/2008 2:45 PM

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I absolutely agree I am happy that the add is playing. Maybe some people will think about it and also realize that if truly 87% of Americans are Christian ,than why the heck don't we stop all the "political correctness" crap with the homosexuals. God designed man to be with woman it don't get much more basic than that we need to STAND UP AMERICA Shawn Fowler Kern Valley

Calladus - 5/30/2008 2:39 PM

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It wasn't me who debunked these particular Christian lies. Dave Barton himself admitted his quotes don't have a source. You can read it on his own website. Other evangelical scholars of American history have pointed out how damaging it is for the Christian position to lie about history. As for straining at gnats - speaking as a former Christian I know how this might be misapplied. This doesn't just mean being careless over big things - it can also mean saving souls for the right reasons. By telling religious minorities to "sit down and shut up" - by trying to create laws to enforce your view of America as a Christian Nation - Christians themselves become guilty of straining at gnats. By "straining out" religious minorities you become guilty of turning them away from your God - in effect you swallow the camel. Just in case you don't get the analogy, look to Matt. 7:3

blondie - 5/30/2008 2:35 PM

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Couldn't agree more and I am proud of him for standing by his words. Amen and God Bless

blondie - 5/30/2008 2:34 PM

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A Men! I could not have said it better myself. Proud of him for standing by his words and not feeling pressured to recant.

sharris - 5/30/2008 2:05 PM

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Calladus-When I read your last comment I was reminded of something Jesus Christ said to the Pharisees, "You strain at a gnat and swallow a camel", if you want to spend endless hours debunking quotes of past presidents and other officials regarding their Christian faith you have a long way to go(but obviously you have considerable time on your hands so that should not be a problem!). It is also obvious that you skirt around the issue that we are moving away from principles that have stood the test of time to...well, whatever sounds good for the day.

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