LDS church opposes renaming a street that would place temple on Mercedes-Benz Drive
(KUTV) The LDS church is opposing a Georgia city renaming a street that would place an already-existing Mormon temple on Mercedes-Benz Drive.
The German auto maker is moving its U.S. corporate headquarters to Sandy Springs, Georgia, in the Atlanta area, and planned to rename what is currently Barfield Road. According to a story from the Reporter Newspapers, the change is opposed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because the name change would also change the street name where its Atlanta, George temple is located.
“The Mercedes-Benz brand is known for prestige and luxury and class status and all that sort of thing,” LDS area church spokesman Bill Maycock said. “In the Atlanta Georgia Temple of the church, we don’t do any of thatIt’s not what the Atlanta Temple is. It’s not what the Atlanta Temple teaches its members.”
The paper said Mercedez-Benz met with LDS church leaders, but is speeding ahead with its plans.
“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,” Donna Boland, spokeswoman for Mercedez-Benz wrote in an email.
The automaker also said renaming streets around its facilities is a tradition and part of its branding. It is owns the naming rights to the stadium of the NFL's Atlana Falcons that is under construction. It will be titled Mercedez-Benz Stadium.
The city council will consider the renaming at a meeting March 7, but the change was agreed to in an incentives package, according to a 2015 story.
The LDS church rededicated its Atlanta temple in 2011 after it was originally dedicated in 1983. The church states on its website:
Temples are considered “houses of the Lord” where Christ's teachings are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and strengthen their commitment to serve Jesus Christ and those around them.
The opposition from the church is reportedly to only be from a local level in Georgia. The church's Salt Lake City headquarters has not yet become publicly involved.
Maycock said having a corporate name showing up on temple letterhead, wedding invitations or other documents was problematic.
“I think it’s mostly the concept of being forced to use the Mercedes-Benz brand,” Maycock said. “The teachings of the church and the practices of the church [are] a non-materialistic view of life as taught by Jesus and the New Testament[and a view of] equality, that we are all equal as God’s children.”
The LDS church states on its website that while anyone can enter an LDS meetinghouse, which is also located on the church's property in Sandy Springs, but that members in good standing with an endorsement from local clergy can enter a temple. It said in part:
Latter-day Saint temples are considered houses of God, a place of holiness and peace separate from the preoccupations of the world.
Mercedez-Benz said it considered alternatives.
Unfortunately, no alternative has proved to be viable, and so we have requested that the city move forward with its commitment to MBUSA to rename a portion of the road.
