Best Prayer Ever: Pastor thanks God for 'smokin' hot wife'

Reaction to pastor giving thanks for 'smokin' hot wife'
By Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor

A Baptist preacher giving thanks to God for a "smokin' hot wife" in a prayer that opened a NASCAR race last weekend has generated reams of online commentary, with one religion blogger summing up some Christian reaction: "Shocking, I tell you, that a pastor might have a little fun."

The prayer came from Tennessee Pastor Joe Nelms, who told CNN he was taking a line from the Will Ferrell movie "Talladega Nights." In addition to the way it gave thanks for his spouse, Nelms' prayer was noteworthy for invoking NASCAR sponsors:

Thank you for the Dodges and the Toyotas. Thank you for the Fords. Thank you for Sunoco racing fuels and Goodyear tires.

Nelms told CNN that the prayer wasn't officially sponsored. "There were no endorsement deals," he said. "But I'm not against them."

The pastor ended his prayer by quoting NASCAR Hall of Famer and Tennessean Darrell Waltrip: "In Jesus' name, boogity, boogity, boogity, amen."

"It means 'Go get after it, boys," Nelms told CNN. "It's Southern for 'Get to it.'"

Reaction to the prayer has been mixed. From the twitterverse:

@ChrisElrod: I don't (get) what the rub is with this ...I thank God for MY smokin' hot wife every day.

@brandonreagor: Pretty sure this is not how you approach the God of the Universe: NASCAR Pastor's Head-Turning Prayer

@MorgannSpicer: Okay, so that was a powerful prayer. Wow. Never heard a man say a thank you for his "smokin' hot wife" LMAO

"We should definitely pray for the safety of our soldiers and public officials," Nelms told The Christian Post, explaining his prayer. "But nobody seems very interested in it. We wanted to do something to get their attention."

What do you think? Hilarious/innovative or blasphemous/offensive?
religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07...

[@retsildash]

Just want to say Jesus walked this earth and understands love in whatever form it maybe. He put a smile on a lot of faces and so did Jesus

[@pharmdmsn]

Putting the fun back into fundamentalism and start prayer by, "Dear Lord babe Jesus or Sweetheart Lord Jesus". Now the lustful phrase "Lord I thank you for my smokin' red hot wife". "Whoever looks at a woman lustfully has committed adultery with her in his heart"-Matt 5:28. A woman can also be a wife or a fiancee, so you can also lust and so commit adultery with your wife in your heart. That's how crazy religion is!

[@userwl2850]

maybe he should pray harder for his eyesight. smokin hot wife?????

[@TheTshozen1]

Thats wrong