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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 9, 1953)
Church Holds Plato-Like Talks ., To i Combat Religion's Skeptics LI Br GEORGE Wj CORNELL , NEW YORK UP) Skeptic: f'How could a good God have created or allowed so much evil in the world?" Believer: "God ! decided to five Men freedom of i choice. That necessarily means freedom to! do the wrong thin.' j all That's a sample lot the frank, give-and-take religious discussion which was completed this week in one of the summer's most unusual series of church services. f Modeled on the dialogues of jthe ancient Greek philosopher, Pla6, the series has produced some! re markably plain talk about the J or dinary doubter's "roadblocks I to faith." ' i ' M l j f The pro-and-con; discourses; have been held Sunday nights for the past five weeks In New York' Pro testant Episcopal Cathedral off St. John the Divine. ! j Play Btk Rales i The Very RevJ Dt. James A. Pike, deaa of .the cathedral i and Rev. -John M. Krumm. head of Columbia University's, Department of Religion, have alternately played both roles of skeptic and believer. Here are a few abbreviated lex cerpts of jthe questions posed by the skeptic stationed: with a micro phone in the congregation, and jthe answers given by the believer stand ing in the pulpit: ; j Virgin BirUi Belief f . Skeptic: I Is not lour: religion un scientific? Since it deals with jthe mysterious, isn't it becoming less important as science reveals more of the unknown?" I ! f - Believer: Religion deals with the meaning of things, the "know why," science only with the "know how." Science can release atomic energy, but it cant say when it's right to use it We may do amazing things with calculating machines, but twe can never invent one that will an swer the cjuestion why a calculat-! tag machine? - I Skeptic: I take the virgin birth, j That's something: a scientifically trained person would find very dif-1 ficult to accept. 1 Religion Uses Analogy f Believer: For 1900 years. he! image of the virgin birth has been the most effective: way to preserve from distortion the truth about the divinity and humanity of our Lord. Men's words and explanations pass with time, but this medium of com munication abides; Since in the in carnation, God was trying to lay something, maybe this was the best way to do ..It. That's why I believe ia the virgw birth historically J Skeptic: But science gives us pre cise and definite results. Religion is so vague and personal. ; Believer: True, precision comes more readily at lower levels. For example, it s easier to be precise about chemistry than psychology. ( Skeptic: But does It make any real difference how people behave whether they accept this dubious hypothesis of the existence of God? 1 Believer: For everyone, there is something that is ultimate, basic, and that is God. For some people, their God is themselves. The real question then iswhat kind of God. Skeptic: I don't like these man like descriptions of God. Isn't God above that? Believer: We have to speak in some form, some analogy. We have borrowed human language, person al language. Some people speak of God as "a great force." They've borrowed language from physics. Some speak of God as "a: value." That's borrowing language from economics. God is something more than human, but not something less. Skeptic: Granting I already ac cept Christian ethics, I can go along living just as good a life; without going to church. Believer: You remind me of a man who was heir to a great for tune who was content to live on the inherited capital, without doing any thing to replenish it Warship Anywhere? Skeptic: Timid souls may need church fellowship, but doesn't it take more courage to strike out on one's own? Believer: Assume one can be a Christian by himself, why do it the hard way? There's , such a thing as a self-educated man. But a man would be foolish to throw over the advantage of schools just to prove his courage. Skeptic: I can worship God just as well on the golf course or driv ing through the countryside as I can in church. Believer: It isn't really a ques- dtion of whether you can, but wheth er you do. In a sense, you could work at golf while in church muse on the best shot for approaching a certain hole. But most golfers would consider that a feeble substitute for the real experience. Skeptic: Speaking of evil, could not an all-powerful God have ar ranged it so we all do the right thing. Believer: Yes, he could have run us like a puppeteer manipulates his manikins. But God chose free dom as the most rewarding possi bility for us. Skeptic: But what about wars, in, which so many Innocent people are involved entirely apart from tneir own wills. ? i Freedom of Choice . i Believer: 'Just as God decided wan should be free, not an auto ma ton, be decided man was to be social, not isolated, that he was to work out bis destiny in inter-rela- bonships with other free beings. Freedom means the possibility of hurting others. If our culture is living too fast, if we are running the human machine in ways it isn't designed to run, erratic disorders- even diseases are not surprising. Skeptic: I don't see mat Christi anity does not have a complete explanation, but it has an answer. Christianity does not avoid tragedy in life, but it takes men beyond tragedy. It affirms that despite evil men do to themselves or others, or the pain that fortuitous circum stances bring, God still reigns and his mercies are sure. - i t ' ' 1 ;i , Yoiing Rider, Old Story Premier of Kashmir State Out of Office 5RINAGAR, Kashmir Ufl Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, Premier of disputed Kashmir state, was re moved from office Saturday night by the ruling son of the abdicated Maharajah. The nominal chief of state, Yu varaj Karan Singh, regarded as a figurehead ruler over the hotbed of feuding between India and Pakistan also dismissed Abdullah's five-man Cabinet. Abdullah was replaced as Pre mier by the pro-Indian formes de puty premier, Bakshi Ghulam Mo hammed. India Radio at New Delhi re ported a state-wide ban was order ed against public meetings, proces sions and gatherings of more than five persons in Kashmir. Enforced by Militia The order was being enforced by the Kashmiri militia operating un der the new government, as a pre caution against disorders, the radio said. The sheikh, a towering, bearded Moslem, has been the1 Kashmiri strongman since the partitioning of the Indian subcontinent in August. 1947, when the British withdrew J a. ! t 1 Vt4 RUTHERFORD, Ni J. The perils ef metering eftme as a rude theck ; U five-year -old Steven Levy, ef Brooklyn, N. Y as he weeps ever the prostrate form f bis grandfather, Ruben Sarapin, following a collision with ! another ear near Rutherford, N. J. The boy's mother, Mrs. Anita Levy, lies Injured In rear of ear. The crash occurred when an approaching car jumped the concrete divider strip and then struck the Sara pin ear headon. Ne one was seri ously injured. (AP Wlrepheta t The Statesman.) and granted independence to India and Pakistan. The future of. Kash mir was left pending in the parti tioning. Pro-Indian Abdullah had been generally pro Indian in the long dispute between India and Pakistan over possession of the big Himalayan state border ing on Red China and Afghanistan ana a near neighbor of Soviet Asia. The Cabinet crisis arose over cur rent talks between the prime mini sters of India and Pakistan over Kashmir's future. Sheikh Abdullah, a Moslem, was quoted in India last April 11 as saying he by no means was in favor of complete accession of his largely Moslem state to India, which has a Hindu majority. Abdullah rose to power after Sir Hari Singh, the Maharajah, ac ceded his state to India in late 1947. However, India put the case before the United Nations, and it has been pending there since January, 194a. Abdullah rallied the Kashmiri people behind him, and has been a problem at times to both Pakistan and India. although he gen erally favored a sort of union with India. Nearly two-thirds of American farms keep dairy cows. . 193 Forest Fires in State This Year PORTLAND UD One hundred ninety-three fires have blackened 519 acres in Oregon so far this year, George Spaur, state forester, reported Saturday. The report, which covers 15 mil lion acres protected by the State Forestry Department and private fire patrol organizations, said the figure was considerably belbw av erage. There were 143 fires and 540 acres burned over last month, however. Seventy-six of the fires were in Eastern Oregon and 117 in the western section of the state. Light ning caused 40, and the remaining 153 were man caused 44 due to smokers' carelessness. VALLEY GI ON SHIP SEATTLE Of) The transport Gen. Hugh J. Gaffney arrived Fri day from the Far East with 1.245 passengers. Aboard was CpL Rob ert C. Wilson, 238 Grand St., Independence. This demonstration showed me the way to a better deal! I'd bn planning to buy a highnr-pricad car until I found out all Chevrolet offorod and how much I could savol Lr-:T ,v ,w 1 1 i- , , - , M h .Ot i4 ?7?r""rlZlnMf iti ' IliiBIIlP Yow'ro "sifting pretty" bohindlHo whool Take this Bel Air model. First thing you'll notice is the rich-looking uphol stery and appointments and roomy, comfortable seats. Just turn the igni tion key to start the engine and you're ready to go. Yo got more powor on lt sot Here's all the power and performance you could ever ask for. And along with it comes the most important gain in economy in Chevrolet history! That's because of Chevrolet's two great high-compression engines. Yaw .can so all arownd You look out and down It the road through a wide, curved one-piece windshield. The panoramic rear win dow and big aide window! provide a clear view in all directions. Ifs hoovior far batter readability You're in for a pleasant surprise at the smooth, steady ride. One reason is that, model for model, Chevrolet will weigh up to 200 pounds more than other mw-priced cars. Yaw gat greator gataway with lha now Pawarglido Finer performance on less gas. That's what you get with the new Power glide. There's no more advanced auto matic transmission at any price. Evan Pawar flooring. If yaw want It You ought to try Power Steering to see how eery driving can be. You can. spin the wheel with one finger It's optional, of course, at extra cosf, and available on aH models. Biggest brakes for smoother, easier stans I t S An easy nudge on the brake pedal brings smooth, positive response right now! Chevrolet brakes are: the largest in the low-price field extra large for extra' stopping power. And Iff the lawest-prkod line A demonstration will show you that Chevrolet offers more in the lowest-, priced line in the low-price field. Combination of Fowcrzlid automatic traumUsioH mni 115-kj. "Blu-Flamt" rm optional on "Twv-Ten" mni. Ml Air mtodels mt txrrm cost. . - , i, Let us demonstrate all the advantages of buying a Chevrolet now! : i f MORE PEOPLE BUY CHEVKOLETS THAN ANY OTHER! CAR I naa Dr-re-rsxauairn sows aaossw m aocx tn seswasv eat ?!-! DOUGLASjAAcKAV CHEVROLET CO. Salem Man Heads Board of Accountants PORTLAND m The new board of governors of the National So ciety of Public Accountants Satur day named James E. Keys, Salem. Ore., executive director. He win direct the business af fairs of the public accountants or ganization from Its headquarters in Washington, D. C. James A. Gor man, San Bernardino, Calif., newly elected president, announced the appointment of Keys to the direc tor's post . 1 j Keys is a past president of the national society and of the Oregon Association of Public Accountants, which be helped organize. The national group's board of governors met here Saturday to implement the decisions of the na- . - 1 - - I J-.--!- II i : Statesman Cclem, Drew Sunday Xag. 1S53 (Sac 2 7, in ,. i i i3 NudistsEnd Convention w With Election CAJ0N, Calif. Nudists Sat urday reelected Mervin , Mounce, Spokane. Wash., president of their American Sunbathing Association which is holding its 22nd annual national convention here. The new board of directors In cludes Mel Stevens, Seattle, and James Sutherlin. Spokane. In other business matters the un dressed delegates decided their 1955 ASA convention will be held at the Sunway Society Ranch, Spo kane. A bid to have a nudist booth at tional convention held here Monday through Friday. Texas Heat iWaife Kills 2 ft DALLAS. Texas unTwo heat deaths wire reported in Texas Saturday las a blazing sun sent temperatures to record levels in several cities. 5 - t 1 Dallas' $08 was the! hottest day of the yenY and hottest Aug. a in Weather Bureau history. The same was true of Fort Worth's 108. The state's high reading ) was 109 at Llano in south Texas, . ! Olemargarine manufacturers in the United States liused about 213.828,001 pounds of skim milk in their product In 1&52. , 't- , I . -I trt the Oregof State Fair; next month was annrived. but the bare an nouncement gave ne I details on what the pooth would contain. CD MM f Si) il ii ) Pay Only in Amounts You Can A WEEKLY OR MONTHLY L let, you can nave la meiitht or more r pay for the Dtatel PUtes yeufeet RIGHT; NOW at Dr. Semier's. That means you est KEEP YOUR CASH FOR CURjXENT NEEDS . J . and you don't heve to be 4thout the bonofits of new denturosi There's e rod ape y; ne ' bonk or finance f componj te dool w3k. Dr. Somlor's Liberal Crodit Plan Is availoble fer al typos of Dental PUtos,!ncIudlnfl these set With ... t ' S; ! GlourtMi (WW DR. HARRY SIMLEX, Deeff Ml More Natural Looking More pommriabh More Sorvcccbo Ask Your Dentist how transparent ' PoUte fUtos and Bio form loom con add to Im proved PersonaJ Appearaice ... and help restore Yigorouf, HoalthfU Soo the somplos ef plates ot Dr. Semier's. PAY WE Chewine Power. heso moo orn m Dea't cemble away Good Health by neglect ing year ttttk! Have needed Dental Care WITHOUT DELAY . . . yn can arraaae pay AFTER work is completed, Dr. Sem lers Uberol Credit Plan. Easy Payments te fit small bndaehl 1 r IH SMAU EKLY or MffNTHLYj AMOUNTS: YOU CAM FORD i O 0 you; dicidi crtoii seyxtonrsl Or. semlor wal oooeele forms yi noy Woorioi While moll revr aheatd be 4 ! OH Jf Mf- WOOt. '! lfmr Ftotos 'nl! .511 If ne extraction needed, come In before 10 A. M. (except Saturday). Now plates will be ready by 5:30 THE SAME DAY. I! SPECIAL EMERGENCY SERVICE foj broken pUtesI Missing too4 quickly ro- pieced ... lease plotes prlmpily reset. SPECIAL SERVICE FOR OUT-OF-TOWN PATIENTS' -. Avoid extre travel espensel Save time! Take advantage of DrJ Jemler's Spledy Serviet-- YOUR WORK COMPLETE IN I TO 3 "DAYS (difficult eeiei efepfed. . AND STAFF OF REGISTERED DENTISTS Located In f , Commercial Street Salem, Oregon wad n (!)Cigin4ii iiuiimhc I." i 510 N.