The Daily Detour

And a child shall teach them

God gives us children to humble us. Imagine for a moment Yours Truly jogging down the side of the road dressed to the nines in a dress shirt, pants and shoes. That was my morning this morning.

It didn't start that way, but these things never do. Instead of driving Caleb to preschool myself, we decided to make it a family affair. It was a nice change of pace...right up until we ran out of gas. Not cool!

I got out of the van and saw a lady nearby walking around to her backyard. Jean stayed in the van while I tried to tactfully follow her around the house. I caught up with her just as she was pulling her lawn tractor out of the small barn. I approached and politely asked if she had any gas she could spare. She replied, "I'm sorry. I don't have any gas for you." And it was said not in that "I really wish I could help you, but I have no way to do so" kind of way. Instead, it came across in that dismissive "I don't want to be bothered by your plight" tone. Even after I tried to explain that I had a wife and family stranded in the van, she would not be moved. And to add insult to injury, I glanced inside the barn as I talked and noticed at least three gas cans sitting there. Needless to say, I walked away fuming internally.

I made my way back to the van and explained the situation to Jean. I gave the boys a quick pep talk about keeping a positive mental attitude (even though I wasn't having much of a PMA myself). Assessing my very limited options, I decided to make the 1-mile trek to the gas station on foot. So I headed off running down the road in my dress clothes.

And as I ran past the lady's house I was looking for her in order to give her the stink eye. No such luck. :)

I had gotten about a half mile when a young guy pulled up in a car. He told me had talked to Jean and had come looking for me. He very graciously drove me to the gas station and drove me back to the van. Then he stayed long enough to ensure that the van would start. (The boys wanted to make sure that I told him that they thought he was a Good Samaritan.) Indeed he was.

Once I got back into the van after it was all over, Jean and I began lamenting our experience. She then shared with me what Caleb had said while I was on my early morning run. In talking about the lady who shunned me, he said, "Even if she isn't nice to us, we still need to be nice to her." Ouch! What a sobering reminder of how Jesus would want us to respond in such situations.

We pastors need to hear sermons, even if they come from a 5-year-old.

The fiery Rev. Wright keeps on preaching...

...and Obama keeps on back-pedaling. (In fact, there is Breaking News right now in which Obama is conducting a press conference where he is firmly denouncing Rev. Wright's most recent comments. He is understandably upset. And he's driving the bus that is currently running over Rev. Wright.)

Rev. Wright's inflammatory sermons were originally seen to be targeted by the conservative right for being racist, anti-American screeds within the context of a black liberation theology. At that time, the liberal pundits quickly came to the defense suggesting that the video clips that saturated the airwaves and the internet were being taken out of context. (The assumption being, I guess, that if they were viewed within their original lengthier context, his rhetorical perspective would be proven to be more acceptable.) Now that Rev. Wright has done his media tour over the weekend, including an in-depth interview with Bill Moyers and speeches before the NAACP and the National Press Club, even liberals are seeing the light.

Here's Joan Walsh, an acknowledged liberal feminist, writing over at Salon:

...I am grateful to Bill Moyers for airing so much of the sermons. I enjoyed their thoughtful conversation about theology and politics. But the whole idea that Wright has been attacked over "sound bites," and if Americans saw his entire sermons, in context, they'd feel differently, now seems ludicrous. The long clips Moyers played only confirm what was broadcast in the snippets (and the longer excerpts out today are even more troubling).

African-American columnist Eugene Robinson writes this:

Given Wright's long silence, I thought he had taken to heart Jesus's admonition to turn the other cheek. Obviously, I was wrong.

I'm through with Wright not because he responded -- in similar circumstances, I certainly couldn't have kept silent -- but because his response was so egocentric. We get it, Rev. Wright: You're ready for your close-up...

...Historically and theologically, he was inflating his importance in a pride-goeth-before-the-fall kind of way. Politically, by surfacing now, he was throwing Barack Obama under the bus.

Sadly, it's time for Obama to return the favor.

And so Obama has. As much as the media will attempt to spin Obama's press conference today as a demonstration of political courage, a couple of thoughts come to mind.

During the press conference Obama was attempting to feign ignorance about knowing who exactly Rev. Wright really was/is. I find this claim hard to believe, given that he has been a participating member of Wright's church for over 20 years. First of all, Rev. Wright's commentary from the pulpit (and the worldview it represents) did not materialize overnight. His worldview has shaped his ministry and his message for the greater part of his 36-year career.

So, why would anyone, including Obama, be "surprised" to hear this kind of destructive rhetoric coming out of his mouth? And this is especially true for someone like Obama who has been intimately familiar with who Rev. Wright is and the overarching message he proclaims. Is it just now that he has discovered the real Rev. Wright?

If any parishioner had just walked into a new church and was just learning about it, it is understandable that they may not be familiar with its theology. But to be an active member in a church indicates both a thorough knowledge of, and commitment to, that church's theological beliefs. (You don't simply pull your church membership certificate out of a Cracker Jack box.) Having been both a parishioner and a pastor in my lifetime, it is naive and highly implausible to think that one would not have a pretty good idea of who your pastor is. I've only been a pastor here at Light and Life for about 6 years, and those who regularly attend this church have a pretty clear understanding of who I am and what I promote.

From a political standpoint, this attempt to distance himself from Rev. Wright is something Obama should have done when he first had the chance during his original speech in Philadelphia. Now, this reflects more of a political opportunism intended to support a flagging campaign.

UPDATE: Gary Varvel gives his editorial version of the Apostle Peter's infamous 3 Denials.

Just got back from seeing the movie, Expelled

Jean's birthday celebration culminated tonight in the spontaneous decision to go see Ben Stein's movie, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

Lots of thoughts...but it's nearly midnight and I'm tired. So, I'll put something up later on it. Goodnight all.

What a weekend!

Well, it's been quite the weekend! Not only here on the blog (I'll have more reaction to the question of "Was Jesus a socialist or not?" later), but on the homefront as well.

First, we had Caleb's birthday celebration, which is still ongoing and evolving right into Jean's birthday celebration. So, we spent Friday night bowling with Caleb (who got a spare on his first frame and was beating me through the first two frames, thanks to the bumpers :).

Saturday, I pulled the Crane Bros. Moving Co. together to help Jean's Mom and Dad move out of there apartment. (Thanks Dad, Doug and Stephen for your labors.) Then it was off to the theater to celebrate Jean's birthday. We went downtown in Indianapolis to see "Looking Over the President's Shoulder", a one-man production which tells the story of a little-known Hoosier, Alonzo Fields, who served in the White House as the Chief Butler for 5 presidents over 21 years. Very well done and a must-see for any American history buffs out there.

Sunday was the usual mad scramble with various pastoral responsibilities. And then there was this morning.

Even though we started Jean's birthday celebration earlier in the weekend, her official Big Day is today. So, it was the usual attempt to try to start the day off in a special way with breakfast in bed. My first little helper, Caleb, came into our room bright and early to sneak into bed with me and remind that me had big plans for the morning. So, I had him go wake up the Second-in-Charge, Andrew, in order to commence the breakfast responsibilities.

I set the two of them to work making a birthday "poster", which Andrew immediately delegated to Caleb. His rationale being that Caleb could do the drawing while Andrew stood guard with the new Nerf-style rocket launcher in order to "Protect Mommy from the bad guys".

Meanwhile, Mark woke up, so Caleb went and pulled him out of bed, and somehow Mark found his way into our room with Mommy. She was already up and working out on the Eliptical machine during our chaos in the kitchen. So, once we finally got everything set and ready to go, Caleb went back into our room to make sure Mommy was in bed, in order to recreate the ambiance of "breakfast in bed."

We all came marching in to the room with the poster, the cards/presents, and the breakfast (topped off with Crystal Light and flowers). Sweet fun was had by all, but unfortunately, it was short-lived. We were up against the clock, and Caleb and I had to hustle to get out the door and off to preschool.

Aaahhh, life as a parent. The joys and chaos of raising children gives these kinds of celebrations there own unique experience. We don't always get the glow of the moment that is captured in the movies, but the love is the real and the memories are priceless.

I love you, honey! Thanks for being such a beautiful, wonderful wife and an amazingly-versatile, incredible mother to our boys (and maybe our new girl?). Happy Birthday from your Crane men (both big and little).

UPDATE: I almost forgot to mention one aspect of the Jean's birthday celebration. After we brought in the flowers (a blossoming branch from a Dogwood tree), Andrew thought it would be helpful to spray some of Jean's "Wild Honeysuckle" body splash on it to make it smell even better. Ten minutes later it turned brown and died. :) Happy Birthday, Mommy!

A big birthday milestone for Caleb

My intent was to put this brief post up yesterday, on Caleb's actual birthday, but since the "Birthday Express" is still rolling through the entire weekend, I figured he wouldn't mind if I brought it to you now. Our #1 son, Caleb, turned 5 years old. It's incredible to believe that is was that long ago when Jean and I were heading down to the hospital for the start of what is becoming the creation of our Crane basketball team. :)

Caleb, I love you very much and am so proud of the little man you are becoming. Thanks for being such a wonderful son and a great older brother. Happy Birthday, little buddy!

From bank robbery to murder

It seems lately that the news in the Indianapolis area has been reaching the national stage. You may have heard about the armed robbery at a local bank here on the Eastside of Indianapolis in which a bank teller, Katherin Shuffield, was shot in the stomach. She was carrying twins. (In fact, a very close friend of mine, John VV, is the pastor of the Aldersgate Free Methodist Church across the street from the bank. Their church inadvertantly became ground zero for the manhunt which got underway this past Tuesday morning.)

I received an email Tuesday from John which provided a bit of insight into this situation:

Greetings from the exciting eastside where we’ve seen more policemen and TV trucks that we’ve ever seen in one spot—since 9:30 this morning.  As you may have heard, a bank teller who works at Huntington Bank just a few yards west of our front lawn, was shot this morning.  She’s carrying twins but it appears all will survive.  Needless to say, it’s been a bit hectic with Aldersgate serving as the command center, but we were so glad to provide not only the space but refreshments to those who’ve been here all day.

Unfortunately, that initial relief that the mother and children would be alright has taken a tragic turn. It was reported earlier this afternoon that Mrs. Shuffield has lost both of the twin babies.

The manhunt has continued throughout the week with gradual clues leading authorities closer to finding the shooter. But his status has now changed dramatically, from bank robber to murderer. I'll be interested to see how this development affects both the manhunt and prosecution of those responsible for this heinous crime.

As you've read from me before, it is always interesting to me that the unborn fetus takes on full human status when its life is taken at the hands at the criminal. But when it comes to abortion, it's not a crime; it's a choice. How is it that we've become so desensitized to this?

(On a personal note: Speaking of desensitization, it just occurred to me how much my own conscience has begun to atrophy. I knew about this story on Tuesday, but did not deem it blog-worthy only because these kinds of shootings are becoming so much more commonplace it seems, even here in Indianapolis. It was until the babies died that this story warranted my attention and your attention here at TDD. That's sad! When we become part of the problem, we lose our ability to become part of the solution.)

"Welcome to the Republican party"

Within American culture these days, there has been a decline in civil engagement (and a corresponding increase in efforts to address the issue by authors like Cal Thomas and Os Guiness). Not only that, but there is also a growing ignorance of why we believe what we believe on just about everything, including politics. I'm not inclined to shove my political philosophy into anyone's face. It defeats the purpose of actually trying genuinely persuade a person toward a particular position.

But occasionally one comes across a real-world example which clearly illustrates some of the fundamental differences between one political philosophy and another. This anecdotal story was sent to The Daily Detour, and it's worth considering during this political season. (Having spent some time in the graduate classrooms of Indiana University studying Marxism from some of America's finest professors, this perspective articulated below is an accurate depiction of the educational worldview being promoted in many of today's American university classrooms.)

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and was very much in favor of "the redistribution of wealth."

She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.

One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the addition of more government welfare programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school.

Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying.

Her father listened and then asked, "How is your friend Audrey doing?"

She replied, "Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties, and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over."

Her wise father asked his daughter, "Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA."

The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, "That wouldn't be fair! I have worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!"

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, "Welcome to the Republican Party!"

As I mentioned above, sometimes simple real-world examples like this one help us better recognize some of the fundamental differences between two very divergent political worldviews. And for that, they are worthy of our thoughtful reflection.

Why can't Obama close the deal?

That's the big question that CNN's Jack Cafferty and others have been asking in the media. At first glance, Hillary's victory in Pennsylvania may not seem to have changed the dynamics of the Democratic primary. Obama still leads in the number of pledged delegates, states won, and the popular vote. But, as much as Obama's camp wants to downplay the significance of his defeat, it betrays a deeper reality that could threaten his dominance.

Consider that Hillary's facing money troubles (or, at least, she was until PA), and Obama outspent her by more than 2-to-1 for a total of $11.2 million to her $4.8 million. Combine this with the record number of people who are registering to vote and/or crossing party lines to vote in the Democratic primary, and all of the measurable variables were in place for Obama to win, or at least make a more respectable showing than losing by nearly 10 points. (In political terms, that's a trouncing.)

Most pundits are pointing out the elephant in the Obama camp, namely, that he is failing to win white, blue-collar voters. (Hillary beat him with this group by 69% to 30%.) This voting bloc is a critical component of the Democrat party base, and a must-have in November's general election. If he can't win them now, it's a pretty big gamble to assume he'll be able to do so then.

One final thought for consideration: Given the large numbers of people who are flocking to the Democratic party (and presumably to Obama's cause), this loss is that much more disconcerting. The truth is, as most politicos understand, Obama should have put Hillary away a long time ago. That he hasn't, especially as the purpoted agent of change and the Great Unifier, means that his Messianic facade may have started to crack. It's just a matter of whether or not people are willing to admit it.

UPDATE: It didn't take long for Obama to address this criticism by confidently insisting that he will close the deal. Unfortunately for him, that claim is not his to make. It's up to the voters to determine.

UPDATE: Former Clinton advisor, Dick Morris, offers his prediction.

Hillary gets much-needed win in Pennsylvania

Hillary Clinton lives to fight another day after defeating Barack Obama in the Pennsylvania democratic primary race. I must confess, when I heard an audio sound bite from one of her speeches in Philadelphia earlier this week, which included the playing of the Rocky theme song at the end, I thought it was all a bit too much hokey stagecraft. But, now? Well, she's picked herself up off the mat. And who am I to question the "eye of the tiger"?

It looks like Indiana really will matter in this presidential race after all (at least for the Democrats). We'll keep you posted as the frontlines of this ground war moves to the Hoosier state.

UPDATE: The more I've thought about the Rocky backdrop on this victory, the more I realized how much money I would pay to see Hillary run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a la the Italian Stallion. The word is that she's needing more money to match up against Obama. Do I see a fundraiser in the making? :)

Also, this morning's Indianapolis Star reported that this win for Hillary puts the current delegate count at 1694.5 for Obama and 1561.5 for Hillary (with 60 still to be awarded), according to the latest AP tally. My question, "Who's the poor delegate that gets to fall under Solomon's sword?" (1 Kings 3:16-28)

UPDATE: Here's Gary Varvel's take on the Hillary the Tortoise.

The inconvenient truths of Al Gore's filmmaking

It looks as though Al Gore has actually been promoting fiction as fact in his highly-publicized global warming crusade. It was discovered recently that one of the key sequences in his highly-acclaimed documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, focusing on the effects of global warming on icebergs, was actually computer-generated footage from the blockbuster film, The Day After Tomorrow. In ABC's 20/20 report on this revelation, they asked an compelling question, "Is it wrong for a documentary to use a fabricated Hollywood shot to make a point even if there's science behind it?" Interestingly, when ABC tried to ask this question of Al Gore and his movie studio, neither of them responded to the calls.