Published: April 15, 2008 11:50 pm            

John Cannon: The past came calling: 4/16/08

I was at home a few weeks ago when I received a totally unexpected telephone call from my former pastor in Tennessee. While we have kept in touch during the almost 30 years since my wife and I attended his church, we often have gone a number of months — maybe even as long as a year or more — without speaking to one another.

Now in his 80s, the Rev. Alfred Bennett told me he called because the Lord had laid me on his heart during his prayer time. He believed he had received a message from God he was supposed to deliver to me.

That was the purpose for his call. I won’t go into the details of what he told me because, well, that’s just between God, Alfred and me. It’s no one else’s business.

However, I was reminded of this conversation and my particular relationship with Alfred while listening to Barack Obama defend his relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Although Wright’s style of preaching is far different from Alfred Bennett’s, I could relate to what Obama was saying about his longtime minister.

You see, Alfred Bennett is the man who introduced me to Jesus as my personal savior. I was 27 at the time, and although I had grown up in a family where my mother, my three sisters and I — and sometimes even Dad — were in church just about every time the doors were open and I knew all the pertinent facts about Jesus and his life, I never really knew who Jesus was. Being “born again” was just not preached in the church of my childhood. Thus, I had a lot of head knowledge about Jesus but no heart knowledge.

In defending Wright, Obama said he is the one who led him to Christ, and for that reason, he could never turn his back on him. No matter how outrageous some of Wright’s sermons and ideas may be, Obama said he would be eternally grateful for Wright for teaching him about Jesus.

I feel the same way about Alfred Bennett. I didn’t always agree with everything he said, but how I love that man for introducing me to a faith that made my life worthwhile. Just like Obama is eternally indebted to Jeremiah Wright, I am eternally indebted to Alfred Bennett. You never forget the one who led you to Jesus.

That’s all I’ll say about Obama for now, but to give equal space, I’ll also share a thought about Hillary Clinton.

A number of years ago, I knew a man — now deceased — whose life was one of accomplishment. His exploits as a athlete were legendary and still being talked about long after his playing days had ended. He was a successful businessman who was well liked by everyone who knew him.

Yet his achievements apparently were not enough to satisfy him because he had a bad habit of boasting about things he didn’t do. While a tremendous athlete, he continued to embellish his record.

I was reminded of him when Hillary Clinton falsely claimed to have come under sniper fire while visiting Bosnia as first lady. Like the man mentioned above, Hillary Clinton has had enough achievements in her life that she doesn’t need to add to them.

Despite his considerable accomplishments, I always thought my old friend added to his resume because he was not satisfied with his life — that he thought he needed to make up accomplishments in order for others to like and accept him.

Now I wonder the same thing about Hillary Clinton. Whether or not she came under sniper fire in Bosnia has zero to do with Clinton’s qualifications to be president. By claiming something that was easily proven false, she only shot herself in the foot.

Shoot, if it were important for a presidential candidate to be tested in battle, John McCain would win in a landslide.

As a registered Democrat, I can honestly say I have yet to decide who I will vote for on May 20. I’m just happy that my primary vote will mean something this year.

JOHN CANNON can be reached at jcannon@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2649.

        

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