PASTOR’S COLUMN Feb. 5, 2012

      Sometimes we have a hard time getting it right. This is why the Bible says, “For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle.” James. 3: 2.

      For example, Pat Robertson, spokesperson on behalf of the Prince of Peace on The 700 Club, once said while interviewing Joel Mowbray, author of a book critical of the State Department, “Well, it looks like Congress had better do something, and maybe we need a very small nuke thrown off on Foggy Bottom to shake things up.” (Foggy Bottom is the area in Washington where the agency is.)

   Or Kendel Ehrlich, when she was wife of the governor of Maryland, once said while speaking at a conference on domestic violence, “If I had an opportunity to shoot Britney Spears, I think I would.” (Had to do with Ms. Spears being an unhealthy role model for teens.)

   Or after the Wright brothers were successful in getting their flying machine off the ground in December 1903, they excitedly telegraphed their sister Katherine: “We’ve actually flown 120 feet! Will be home for Christmas.” Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas.” He entirely missed the real news!

     More recently, actor Mark Wahlberg said about 9/11 in an interview with Men's Journal, "If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did. There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, 'OK, we're going to land somewhere safely, don't worry.'"

      But then Mark admitted he crossed the line, "To speculate about such a situation is ridiculous to begin with. I deeply apologize to the families of the victims that my answer came off as insensitive, it was certainly not my intention." 

       It seems that almost every day some politician is caught off guard and answers in a way that he/she has to later retract. (I, for one, am less concerned about a questioner catching a politician off guard than I am about some of the well-prepared answers politicians givel.)

     The Gospel of John says about Jesus, “He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.” Given the difficulty we and others have getting it right when we speak, are we surprised? -DJ