JEDI MIND MELD

BY STEVE DUNN

Poor President Obama.  As a friend of mine, Harvey Freedenberg, says, "After the 'Jedi Mind-Meld' gaffe, I hear President Obama is looking for a new Pop Culture Advisor."  (Actually, in this day and age of orchestrated political packaging, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a Pop Culture Advisor on the White House payroll.") A little bit of cultural awareness is a dangerous thing, especially when people are so quick to criticize our gaffes.

Once in a sermon I was quickly referring to rock groups and named one, "Stone Dead Temple Pilots." My children were amused and quick to comment to their "perfect" Dad, "It is Stone Temple Pilots. They are not dead, Dad."  Also, the 35 year-old drummer in my church choir also had a good laugh and smirked all the way through my exposition on Nehemiah (at least I think I was preaching on Nehemiah).  It didn't help that I ad-libbed the same gaffe at least twice again--once more than a year later.  Of course, the first gaffe was still etched in the public memory.  I don't think I intended laughter to be the response to my message that morning.

There are times it helps to not take oneself too seriously.

I really doubt that Mr. Obama needs to have his Press Secretary do damage control on this one.  He's got bigger problems and so does our country.  If he can laugh at himself on this one, I guarantee you I will be laughing with him.