A career path determined.

A Baptist preacher from West Texas had a teenage son, and it was getting time the boy should give some thought to choosing a profession.

Like many young men, the boy didn't really know what he wanted to do, and he didn't seem too concerned about it.

One day, while the boy was away at school, his father decided to try an experiment.  He went into the boy's room and placed five objects on his desk:

a Bible,

a silver dollar,

a bottle of whiskey,

a marijuana cigarette, and

a Hustler magazine

'I'll just hide behind the door,' the preacher said to himself, 'and
when he comes home from school this afternoon, I'll see which object he
picks up.

If it's the Bible, he's going to be a preacher like me, and what a blessing that would be!
If he picks up the dollar, he's going to be a businessman, and that would be OK.
But if picks up the bottle,  he's going to be a no-good drunkard, and, Lord, what a shame that would be.

If he picks up the marijuana cigarette, he's going to be a worthless dope-head,
And worst of all, if he picks up that Hustler magazine, he's going to be a skirt-chasing bum.

The preacher waited anxiously, and soon heard his son's footsteps as he  entered the house whistling and headed for his room.  

The boy tossed his books on the bed, and as he turned to leave the room he spotted the objects on the table.  With curiosity in his eye, he walked over to inspect them. Finally, he picked up the Bible and placed it under his arm.  He picked up the silver dollar and dropped it into his pocket, put the joint to his lips, and lit it up.  Taking a long drag from the doobie, he uncorked the whiskey bottle and took a big swig, while admiring the Hustler centerfold.

'Lord have mercy!,' the old preacher whispered in disgust, 'he's going  to work offshore!"