The preacher's son

From Woodsterman:

Preacher’s Son

An old country preacher had a teenage son, and it was getting time to
where the boy should give some thought to
choosing a profession. 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 on his study table four objects:
1. A Bible
2. A silver dollar
3. A bottle of whiskey
4. A Playboy magazine.

“I’ll just hide behind the door,” the old preacher said to himself.
“When he comes
home from school today, I’ll see which object he picks up and is interested in.
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 business man and that
would be okay, too.
But if he picks up the bottle, he’s going to be a no-good drunken bum,
and, Lord, what a shame that would be.
And worst of all, if he picks up that magazine he’s going to be a
skirt-chasing womanizer.”

The old man 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
eyes, 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. He
uncorked the bottle and took a big drink, all the while admiring the
magazine’s centerfold.

“Lord have mercy,” the old preacher breathed to himself. “He’s gonna
run for Congress.”