| It is no secret that one of the most powerful tools in | | | | contestants and the field extends all the way to post |
| public speaking is humor. No matter how glum the | | | | grads apparently. No insult intended to those who still |
| subject matter if the speaker can get the audience | | | | work hard at education, the naturals or the geniuses in |
| laughing at some anecdotal story, joke or wisecrack | | | | America however few they may be. |
| the crowd relaxes and the rest is a piece of cake. | | | | While presidential candidates manage to downplay |
| Hillary Clinton is a seasoned speaker who craftily used | | | | race issues, explain away elaborate lies in campaign |
| the humor factor on the Jay Leno Show Thursday | | | | speeches and still get laughs and accolades on late |
| evening April 3, 2008. | | | | night TV shows, the preachers and theologians are left |
| As Hillary took the stage on the Leno show which | | | | to deal with the last but not least, our souls. How are |
| was taped in Burbank California Kevin Eubanks | | | | they doing? |
| cranked his band up to play the theme from the | | | | If we are to believe Oprah Winfrey's Tollenesian |
| famed "Rocky" movies. Touting her as the underdog | | | | spawned new age musings the answer would be |
| who can still shape up to knock em all dead it started | | | | "everything is hunky dory." It's a happy, happy new |
| the segment off on a light note. Hillary raised the level | | | | earth where dat ole man river, he just keeps rollin |
| of hilarity by saying "It is so great to be here, I was so | | | | along according to Oprah's new mentor. Elkhart Tolle |
| worried I wasn't going to make it. I was pinned down | | | | and friends are assuring America that there's no sin, |
| by sniper fire" | | | | we are our own saviors and Christ died for nothing. |
| Staving off the serious question Leno was bound to | | | | Over a half million people in America opted into |
| ask about the now famous Hillary "misspeak" Clinton | | | | Oprah's latest offering of nebulous new age ether |
| once again wielded her craft as a master politician by | | | | raising the question yet once again; who is smarter |
| diffusing what might otherwise have been a dark | | | | than a fifth grader? |
| moment later in the show. | | | | Don't worry all the men and women who are |
| Ironically a later segment of the show meant to be | | | | preaching the gospel and teaching the Bible have not |
| even more hilarious turned more somber when | | | | been blown away by new winds blowing in from |
| contrasted against Hillary's frivolity. | | | | directions not found on any compass. Many of the |
| Leno corralled a few passers by, some who were | | | | faithful are still plugging away and skillfully "contending |
| college students and asked them a few questions that | | | | for the faith once delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3) |
| almost anyone would know the answer to. Almost | | | | Over forty years ago while passing a large graveyard |
| anyone that is; except all of those questioned by Leno. | | | | I was asked by a friend if I knew just how many dead |
| Not much was funny about a male nursing student | | | | people there were in that cemetery. I quickly replied |
| who had no clue about who Florence Nightingale was. | | | | that I had no clue. My passenger retorted with "all of |
| Another young man giggled and whispered into Leno's | | | | them." It was hilarious at the time but gets less |
| ear who he thought John Hancock was; that answer | | | | humorous each time I hear it. It took me years to form |
| was bleeped! One girl answered that Benedict Arnold | | | | a much more important question about the population |
| was probably a rock singer. | | | | of graveyards and no hilarity can be attached to it. |
| Its only entertainment after all so what's the big deal? | | | | The question is "how many souls are in the |
| Was it the musical equivalent of cognitive dissonance | | | | graveyard." The answer is no surprise to the Biblically |
| or an accidental comedy flip flop where what was | | | | grounded but it is still almost totally miss-understood by |
| intended to be serious became laughable and what | | | | every one else. Quite simply, there are no souls in any |
| was intended to be funny illumined a tragic truth about | | | | graveyard, not even one. |
| America? | | | | The scriptures warn, promise and elaborate that man |
| The Constitution wisely says the Congress shall make | | | | is indeed "tripartite" and at the end of life, the host |
| no laws regarding religion and that is why we have the | | | | (body) is laid aside and returns to dust. The life of man |
| department of Health, Education and Welfare and not | | | | does not hang around in the dust. The sentient, |
| the government office of "Body, Mind and Soul." The | | | | cognizant and personal part of man (soul) removes to |
| Bible and the church are left to deal with man as a | | | | other quarters but can never be destroyed. Judged, |
| "tripartite" creature made in the likeness of God. If | | | | yes, but never completely destroyed. |
| report cards had to be issued for either the | | | | Our health, education or our welfare has little to do |
| government or the church would they get a passing | | | | with how the soul fares after death. The soul of man |
| grade? | | | | holds little interest to the politician and perhaps that's as |
| American health care may be near shambles but our | | | | it should be. What should not be ignored is the spiritual, |
| bodies are generally in good shape except for the | | | | theological or moral stand of the candidates. Ignoring |
| rising tide of obesity and the looming portent of aids | | | | one "soul" for the other "sole" is not good politics at |
| especially among African Americans. What politicians | | | | any time. The other "sole" being the sole attention |
| and presidential candidates are building their platforms | | | | being given to healthcare and education. It is a focus |
| on has more to do with how we are going to pay for | | | | that is bound to become a blur if we continue to make |
| healthcare not what shape our bodies are in. This | | | | light of racism, hatred and public lying. Is all that |
| theme has been vigorously enjoined by McCain, Clinton | | | | something to laugh about? |
| and Obama. | | | | The tenants of the Bible are neither funny nor |
| Education is still a major point in political rhetoric as it | | | | overwhelming. In an article published in June, 2004 |
| has been for several generations now but the record | | | | Christianity Today also in The Voice of the Martyrs |
| shows that no candidate has offered more than the | | | | April 2008, writer Andy Crouch said "the Bible is not a |
| promise of throwing more money at the problem. So | | | | make-up mirror, casting a flattering soft light and |
| far that has not worked. | | | | showing us mostly ourselves. It is a window into a |
| Even though homeschooled children consistently score | | | | larger world...full of tragedy and hope. The hope where |
| higher in any tests the state or federal government | | | | God's Word becomes flesh...Great advances in |
| can come up with it is fast becoming an uphill battle for | | | | demonstrating the Bible's relevance rarely comes from |
| homeschoolers. New York State has laws for | | | | the restless minds of marketers. They come from |
| homeschoolers that make jumping through burning | | | | people who dare to obey what they read. On the |
| hoops look like child's play. California has slammed the | | | | cruel edges of the world, there is no need for |
| homeschoolers and the backlash is a near exodus of | | | | elaborate explanations to bring distant biblical text |
| people who still think their children's education is their | | | | closer to our lives. Rather, when we go to the cruel |
| business not the states. | | | | edges of the world, we bring our lives closer to the |
| With some states reporting a high school drop out rate | | | | text." |
| as high as 35 percent; other states have been sending | | | | It is the truth in the scriptures that make it virtually |
| police to escort frightened students who fear for their | | | | impossible to separate our lives from the text even if |
| lives to their respective schools. It is a little easier to | | | | we are not believers. Ignoring that inseparability may |
| understand why some kids think Benedict Arnold was | | | | seem like the better part of discretion in political |
| a rock and roll star. The popular show "Who's Smarter | | | | rhetoric but it is the part that will undue the nation if |
| than a Fifth Grader" doesn't have to look very hard for | | | | ignored completely in all politics or our daily lives. |