Semi-Truck Theology

I never gave much thought to semi-trucks. As I no longer wonder at the unusually large amount of birds in any given place at any given time, giant mechanical wonders of mega marts have begun to no longer phase me. Even when I look around on the highway and notice that there are three of these giant metal death machines, I find that I have no worries of meeting my demise at being crushed by one. Or two. Or all of them.

Anyway, as I was on my way up to the church last week, I noticed on the back of a semi up ahead a small bit of writing. Being the dangerous, yet curious driver that I am, I decided to speed up and see for myself what the words were.

As I approached the truck, I was surprised to find that the words were actually a verse. I was not in the least bit surprised that the verse was in fact John 3:16.

I'm beginning to wonder if American bibles only contain one page. Okay, two pages. The left side of the first page has the verse John 3:16. The other side has a giant American flag with the words GOD BLESS AMERICA written in blazing red, white and blue font. Oh, and the last page says "Made In China". But I digress.

Immediately my mind thought "Awww... now thats cool. He's trying to show the drivers around him the love of God. I would have picked a different verse, but I'm not going to complain. At least he's trying." (Or she... many truckers these days are women. Not to offend.) But then my mind jumped to the idea that this would most likely offend someone... and if someone hasn't already complained about this truck imposing on their "Freedom of Religion", they probably will. As I contemplated this idea of freedom versus ignorance, I exited onto the offramp onto Broadway, which leads into Oak Grove. For those of you who have been to Oak Grove, the entire center of the city is a giant trucker mega-plex. I'm talking a giant rest stop, complete with gas station, Wendy's, mom and pop breakfast, hotel, and one of those "We have everything that has ever been made that you will never need." But you know you will stop in there and spend hours upon hours just looking at things you have no need for. Maybe even buy a Missouri license plate magnet with your name on it.

As I drove past, I stopped to allow a truck out in front of me. As I gazed at the side, I noticed one of the most awful pagan god's in the world pasted all across the side of the truck.

Now, whether Brad Paisley was inside the truck, or millions of Hershey bars, or a giant Brad Paisley made of Hershey chocolate, I would never find out. But what surprised me was the fact that we live in a country where a few words of hope from the Bible offends so bad that a trucker that is being "dangerous" when he puts it on his truck, yet we find it fine when we put the giant image of a country singer on another. A man who cannot save you, a man who cannot bring you any self importance... unless you marry him I guess.

Now I'm as big of a country music fan as any. I tear up every time I hear a sad ballad of a girl leaving a man and his dog dying on the same day as his truck breaks down. And of course I jump for joy as a large man with a cowboy hat on sings songs about kicking the rear of any country who thinks that America is not the perfect God-country that it obviously is. But where do we draw the line?

Apparently the Bible is still dangerous. Good thing a giant chocolate Brad Paisley isn't. You can imagine the controversy THAT would cause.

Peace Out