The evangelical faith is a current that runs through this country. And it runs real deep in the south. During the election this year, the Christian right organized behind Donald Trump. The outcome of the election was a shock to many of us. And I’m still in disbelief as I think about the stark contrast between Trump and the conservative Christian movement, and the sheer hypocrisy of the two forces joined together.
I must confess that the 21st century is becoming less real to me: our combined dependency on fossil fuels to move restlessly in our large SUVs to and fro, the insatiable appetites of the masses for un-nutritious food, senseless entertainment, and social media that fuels an addiction to digital media. Combined this with evangelical religion and you have an intoxicating cocktail. Though this might all pale next to growing impact of climate change and artificial intelligence,
At the intersection of Interstate 10 and the Foley Beach Expressway, I happened upon an extraordinary symbol of decadence: Buc-ee’s. Here, you can find three rows of 180 gas pumps and nearly 20,000 sq.ft of Buc-ee’s swag and junk food. It’s America’s indulgent consumerism on steroids 24/7.
During my drive around Buc-ees, following the election of Donald Trump, the preacher extols the virtues of this time in history when the nation is poised to go back to an earlier time of traditional religion —‚to a god fearing people —in a world where drivers are mindlessly pumping gasoline into their gas guzzling vehicles. Is my condemnation of this spectacle somehow aligned with the words of the preacher, begging my listener to find a different path and not continue on this insane path of selfishness?
Is there really a “god” involved in this play, as the narrator assumes? Or are we the tragic characters part of an evolutionary trajectory toward extinction? Have we reached the limit of passengers on the plane? How much longer can we continue to test the limits through our blind faith in the almighty power of Gas and God?
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