Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside

by Nick Offerman

Pulling onto the main road, I was soon assaulted by a veritable barrage of billboards, reading “JESUS IS LORD,” “CHOOSE LIFE,” “LEGALIZE JESUS,” “FEAR GOD,” etc. It was a rather ham-fisted display that didn’t seem particularly well thought out. I mean, it didn’t remotely give me a feeling of love or safety or welcome, which is what I would think a Christian-minded organization would desire. Even a dum-dum like me recalls Jesus’s saying in Matthew 25: “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” But, no, the clear message here in Kalispell was “Fear God (or Else).” If they’re going to monopolize the local billboards, why wouldn’t they try something less aggressive, like “Welcome to our town, we hope you safely enjoy the ways in which we will be providing you succor in exchange for your tourism dollars, and by the way, we have a church or two if you’re looking for that sort of thing, but mainly just don’t forget to love one another!”