Cereal Maker Backtracks After Including Bible with CD-ROM Offer
By Fred Jackson
AFR News
(AgapePress) - General Mills has issued an apology for including a free software version
of the Bible in more than 12 million boxes of its cereals due on store shelves this
morning. According to the Detroit Free Press, the $10 million promotion campaign was
set to kick off today.
Millions of boxes of cereal such as Cheerios and Chex, with the free CD-ROM, apparently
were already on their way to stores before General Mills issued the apology on Friday
afternoon. The CD-ROMs contain games, dictionaries--and the New International
Version of the Bible supplied by Zondervan Publishing. Apparently there is no
mention on the boxes that the CD-ROMs include the Bible.
The Detroit newspaper quotes a press release from General Mills which says the Bible was
included on the CD-ROM "without the company's knowledge or consent." But
the newspaper offered evidence to the contrary. The paper quotes one e-mail written
several days ago by General Mills spokeswoman Liv Lane. It says "The fact that
there are Bibles and other reference materials on the CD-ROMs should be a great bonus to
consumers."
The Free Press also quotes the founder of the software maker that helped create the
CD-ROM. Gregory Swann of Wisconsin-based Rhinosoft Interactive says General Mills
knew the Bible was included.
Copyright 2000, Agape Press.