Religious messages pop up in some odd places

You expect to find religious symbols/messages on a church or temple. Steeples soar upward, representing the aspiration we should have for heaven. Church marquees regularly list positive messages.

However, religious symbols can also be spotted in unlikely places, too.

For example, the Sam Kholi trucking company, based in San Diego, has trucks that roll through Utah with a bold message printed on some of its trucks — "Jesus Christ is Lord, not a swear word: — in approximately 3-foot-tall red letters.

The owner of the trucking company is offended by all the times the sacred name of Jesus Christ is used as a profanity in movies and wanted to get some positive usages out there.

The truck messages also mentions some scriptures, such as Romans 10:13.

The trucking company has a fleet of more than 100 trailers and 70-plus tractors.

Response to the Jesus message is about 90 percent positive.

For another example, you just have to look under your feet at various places in downtown Salt Lake City.

Although this is technically "graffiti" and likely breaks city regulations, some Christian has gone to great lengths to paint "Trust Jesus" on the sidewalk in permanent spray paint along the western section sidewalk of Main Street, between 400 S. and 500 South.

This sidewalk message is also found in places to the east, in the downtown area.

Those who shop at the gift shop at Franklin Covey field may find a broken bat for sale that one of the Bees has not only signed but written down a scripture reference — the standard John 3:16.

There is also a variety of bumper stickers out there.

Some of the bumper sticker messages range from " 'Love thy enemy' — Jesus" to "In case of rapture this car will be unmanned" to "My God is alive, sorry about yours."

A variety of Christians continue to wear crosses to symbolize their faith and Mormons have their "CTR" rings, standing for "Choose the right."

Salt Lake's Mancuso's Religious Goods, Gifts & Books Inc., specializes in Catholic items. Tony Mancuso, store manager, said he hasn't received much feedback on the religious items he sells, but he said people "buy them to remind themselves of their faith." He feels they are primarily for the buyer and gauging how others respond to them is difficult to determine.

He suspects some non-biblically educated people may erroneously wonder if the "3:16" references aren't gang-related.

Mancuso also said sales of religious items are up in these troubled times. His store's most popular items of late relate to St. Jude Thaddaeus, the Patron of Desperate Cases.

E-mail: lynn@desnews.com