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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 1961)
In Browsing Room lectwre Straton explains oain explanation ■ ■ By IM>\ KNORKS Kmerald Staff Writer "An attempt to explain the ex istence of pain in the world In the light of a thclstlc jsiint of view" Is the way Dr. Douglas Straton described his lecture giv en In the Student Union Brows ing Room Wednesday night. Dr. Straton, head of the De partment of Religion, centered his paper on the problem of evil as a major stumbling block to belief in <Jod. He pointed out that people often ask, "If (3od Is good and loving and if His power Is adequate, why is their physical and mental suffering in the world ?" Me phrased the theistic reply In four major parts. PART I consisted of the "Ra tionale of Pain.” Straton's first point was that pain is basically good, not evil, and Is a normal mechanism that prompts adjust ment to unfavorable situations He then stated that pain is a necessary warning device, and quoted Douglas C. Macintosh In saying that "A special sort of sensation, sharply stimulating to change, is called for." Straton also pointed out that pain is the negative aspect of sensory life hs demonstrated in the pain reflex to hunger. In ad dition, painful punishment is a learning experience, he said. He then posed the question why Stadium... <Conlimifd from p<uic 2) deliberately designed to under mine the students' political effi cacy, he is defeating his own program. ALI’MNI ASSOCIATIONS often lament their Inability to interest graduates in joining. But is it really any wonder when students are discouraged from Investing real affection in the institution by not being al lowed to help make important decisions? Frustration with ac tivism has gone so far that the products of academia find it im possible to muster sufficient strength to give America a via ble answer to the "preventive war” programs advocated by the rising tide of the political right. If this nation one day dis appears in the smoke of nuclear holocaufit it may be partially the fault of college administra tors who played it "safe” with student participation. In his tel evision appearance with Dr. Teller, President Flemming de plored the irrationality of the suggestions made by the radical right. But isn’t he inviting such activity by not pursuing a pos itive policy which would involve students completely and mean ingfully in his own decision making processes? I WANT to close by asking the President to consider the following suggestions: 1) allo\fr the student body to make the final, binding decision on the question of building a stadium and on the matter of their financial support; 2) if the students reject the stadium, either a) declare a 3 year moratorium on the ath letic fee, or b) use the money for higher priority, necessary proj ects; 3) reduce the status of athletes by making “full rides" illegal and substitute in their place long term loans; 4 I raise the status of the aca demic man by raising teacher's salaries, or reducing the salaries of coaches; refrain from recom mending academic titles for non academic staff members. living beings were not. created physically substantial enough to eliminate the need for painful warning. The answer lies in the nature of our finite state. THE WARNING, he said, could not be more pleasant because there is a need for the anticipa tion of pain in situations where there is the necessity of quick change from danger. The “Problem of Excessive Pain" was the theme of Part II. The question posed here was with regard to the purpose of this “ir rational evil." Straton's answer suggested that the agents of suf fering . . . disease germs, chem ical imbalances, and mutations . . . were a risk that God encoun tered in creat Ing a finite world. In early times, the Creator him self sometimes intervened “as He worked through normal laws to effect an earlier and merciful death” to counteract excessive pain. “Now we see the love and purpose of the Creator at work in modern medicine.’’ PART Ilf, concerning the Evil Mutation" was, more speci fically, the Rationale of Finitudc and Freedom.” The thcistic an swer to (his problem was that it was Impossible for God not to [>ermit evil mutation in the free ly developing process of genetic evolution. Straton then undertook to an swer the question why God cre ates. Theistic answers suggest ed were (1) He creates out of life, <21 He creates out of a desire for fellowship, (3i He cre ates for the sake of its own ulti mate being and enjoyment of freedom. In conclusion, Straton posed three premises on which his lec ture was based. 11 that life has continuity or unity, 2i some de vice by which life could be free for organic evolution, develop ment, adaption, and eventual spir itual evolution if necessary, 3) that given mutation at all, we must have mutation throughout. In regard to the third prem ise. Straton suggested that this is why the Diety does not destroy bad mutations when they appear. He also stated that some muta tions which at first seem evil are eventually good, and that further more, evil mutations tend to kill themselves off by natural selec tion. As an over-all conclusion, Straton said "that our world is, lfter all, regarding necessary pro cess, the best possible world; for in many ways, it seems the only kind of world imaginable in which freedom is possible." SPARKLING ELEGANCE (ilittering marquise-shaped side diamonds centered in graceful p rung setting which reflects the brilliance of the diamond. 14 karat white gold. Engagement ring, $250; wedding ring $100. budget terms; $35 down, $19.50 per month. VJ ~| JEWELRY (MIP/U STORE 1027 WILLAMItT* SU leaders at conference The District 11 Student Union Leader’s Conference will be held at Bremerton, Wash., today through Saturday, Nov. 4. THIS ANNUAL convention for Region 11 of the Association of College Unions will consist of five basic sessions, each of which will include seven workshops. These sessions include Group Tech niques, Programming, Role of the Union, Problem Workshop, and Union Relations and Co-ordina itions. University students attending the conference arc Jay Jackson, SU Board Chairman; Bob For syth, Assistant SU Board Chair man; Kip Lombard, old Regional Board Member; Mary Alden, new Regional Board Member; Keith Powell, Board Member; Dave Hill. Directorate Chairman; Dan Williams, ASUO President; Shar on Carr, Talent Chairman; Elisa Thomas, Personnel Chairman; Jim Morton, Games Chairman; Si Ellingson, SU Director; and Adell McMillan, Student Union Pro gram Director. BOB FORSYTH will be discus sion leader for the session on Intercollegiate Programming and Cooperation; Kip Lombard will attend a session on Foreign Stu dent Programming, and Adell McMillan, one on Group Dynam ics. Si Ellingson will attend the meeting on Facilities, Planning and Expansion. Both Adell Mc Millan and Si Ellingson will at tend sessions for Union Staff, running concurrently with Union workshops. The student conference will be comprised of 250 delegates from colleges in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Western Montana, British Colum bia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Hawaii. FRIDAY EVENING’S session will be held in Vancouver, Wash. US attacks Cuba WASHINGTON (UPI) — The US says Cuba has linked itself with the Soviet and Red Chinese bloc and is trying to subvert gov ernments in the Western Hemis phere. SO SMART on your shoe ■ SO SMALL in your bag! NEW NL U.S. COMPACTS From their pointed toes to their heel less backs, our COMPACTS spell fashion in the rain. More, they fold into a tiny purse-pack. Feel light and cool. Easy on and off. Quick to wash and dry. In smart rainwear colors. Get yours now! Only $1.98. DOWNTOWN EUGENE WAW speakers will visit classes Five of the speakers for the World Affairs Week, Nov. 6-10, will be speaking in University classes. The speakers are: Victor Er lich, professor of Slavic lan guages and literature at the University of Washington; Her-1 bert Dinerstein, current chair-! man of the Soviet section of the Social Science department of the i Rand Corporation, and an expert j on Soviet military policy. Also speaking in classes will j be F. J. Kreiger, student of So viet space technology and a member of the Physical Science department of the Rand Corp.; Richard David, deputy assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, and from 1927 to 1959 counselor of the American Em bassy in Moscow, and, G. Kor nienko, counselor of the Soviet Embassy in Washington, D.C. These guests will present speeches which will be open to the public. Infirmary Currently reposing in the infirmary are Susan Dribble, l>esley Pearsall, Sharon Wells, Warren Wilson. Danny Hurd, Christopher Vogler, Michael Hood, Alan i^ec, Prian Lrppman, John A! undigel, Denis Milligan, William Cody and Jon Harlan. ——-— - pQnCanqiofi MfcMraan I )r {Author of “I Woe a Teen-age Dwarf”, “The Many Lrjvea of Dobie Gxllis”, etc.) — - — HUSBANDS, ANYONE? It ha® been alleged that coeds go to college for the sole purpose of finding husbands. This is, of course, an infamous canard, and I give fair warning that, small and spongy as I am, anybody who says such a dastardly thing when I am around had better be prepared for a sound thrashing! Girls go to college for precisely the same reasons as men do: to broaden their horizons, to lengthen their vistas, to drink at the fount of wisdom. But, if, by pure chance, while a girl Is engaged in these meritorious pursuits, a likely looking husband should pop into view, why, what's wrong with that? Eh? What's wrong with that? The question now arises, what should a girl look for in a husband. A great deal has been written on this subject. Some say character is most important, some say background, some say appearance, some say education. All are wrong. The most important thing—bar none—in a husband is health. Though he lie handsome as Apollo and rich as Midas, what good is he if he just lays around all day accumulating bedsores? The very first thing to do upon meeting a man Is to make sure lie Is sound of wind and limb. Before he has a chance to sweet-talk you, slap a thermometer in his mouth, roll back his eyelids, yank out his tongue, rap his patella, palpate his thorax, ask him to straighten out a horseshoe with his teeth. If he fails these simple tests, phone for an ambulance and go on to the next prospect. If, however, he turns out to be physically fit, proceed to the second most important requirement in a husband. I refer to a sense of humor. A man who can’t take a joke is a man to be avoided. There are several simple tests to find out whether your prospect can take a joke or not. You can, for example, slash his tires. Or bum his “Mad’’ comics. Or steal his switchblade. Or turn loose his pet raccoon. Or shave his head. After each of these good-natured pranks, laugh gaily and shout “April Fool! If he replies, “But this is February nine teenth,” or something equally churlish, cross him off your list and give thanks you found out in time. But if he lauglis silverly and calls you “Little Minx!” put him to the next test. Find out whether he is kindly. The quickest way to ascertain his kindliness is, of course, to look at the cigarette he smokes. Is it mild? Is it clement? Is it humane? Does it minister tenderly to the psyche? Does it coddle the synapses? Is it a good companion? Is it genial? Is it bright and friendly and filtered and full of dulcet pleasure from cockcrow till the heart of darkness? Is it, in short, Marlboro? If Marlboro it lie, then clasp the man to your bosom with hoops of steel, for you may be sure that he is kindly as a sum mer breeze, kindly as a mother's kiss, kindly to his very marrow. And now, having found a man. who is kindly and healthy and blessed with a sense of humor, the only thing that remains is to make sure he will always earn a handsome living. That, fortunately, is easy. Just enroll him in engineering. © 1961 Max Shuim&n * • • Joining Marlboro in bringing you this column throughout the school year is another fine product from the same makers—the king-size, unfiltered Philip Morris Commander. Here is pure, clean smoking pleasure. Try a pack. You’ll be welcome aboard!