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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 9, 1985)
Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, October 9, 1985 Opinion GOBBLE... GOBBLE-GOBBLE >•> GOBBLE-GOBBLE- gobble . GOBBLE-GOBBLE... GOBBLE-GOBBLE-GOBBLE- GOBBLE- GOBBLE-GOBBLE GOBBLE-GOBBLE... Mail-order miracles exploit religion for sake of a buck Some motif's in ancient literature are timeless. Reli gion is one of them. Certain el ements of every civilization, such as government, sex and religion, are the basis of con troversy, and thus Camille Brown addressed in the literature of that age. One problem that is documented in literature through the ages is corruption within the church. Geoffrey Chaucer, in the 14th century, used religious vice as a theme in his Canterbury Tales, and it continues to plague us today. The prob lem, of course, has new tw'ists, but the bottom line is still misuse of religion’s in herent power. A major religious problem today is centered in the religious propaganda that is mailed out by enterprising “mi nisters.” These elaborate brochures claim to deliver Godly blessings for a small price. I somehow ended up on their religious propaganda mailing list, and so twice weekly I am blessed with the opportu nity to buy mail-order miracles. When I find one of these letters in my mailbox, I make a straight line for the dumpster. But the last one I got looked like a sweepstakes contest, so I opened it, hoping not to find what I found. There was Rev. Ewing and his “Bible Study In The Home By Mail” brochure. With outstretched hands he urged me to buy a special book, which, he prom ised, would bring me happiness and am azing financial rewards. Hallelujah. But I must send money NOW, he said. Just to prove he wasn’t lying, he in cluded these and other unbelievable — but true — testimonials: “1 believe God has blessed me because of the Gold Book Plan and Rev. Ewing’s teachings and prayers. God has blessed me with a home, several rent houses, two warehouses, four cars, three trucks and a mobile home. (Three Cadillacs and one Buick.) — E.E.R., Houston." Mrs. H.S. from Little Rock wrote, “I requested a financial blessing . . . the Lord blessed me in an unexpected way with $ 1,800,000. I never have received that much at once before. Here is my Gold Book Payment.” An image of Rev. Ewing flashed into my head: a gold-chain covered, Mer cedes-driving entrepreneur who had found a golden opportunity to make a few extra bucks. . This type of scandal in an institution that is supposed to be holy is a sure way to ruin its reputation. Again, the prob lem is not new. Chaucer wrote about re ligious fraud in his Canterbury Tales. He describes his character, the Par doner, as a hypocrit who exploits Chris- tian principles to enrich himself . The Pardoner: “Thus can I preche again that same vice, Which that I use, and that is avarice.” Rev. Ewing has just modernized the game, revised the rules. The spirit of the Pardoner lives on. So people will continue to receive Ew ing’s pamplets. and mail-order miracles will continue to give hope to gullible mailbox owners throughout the nation. Meanwhile, others like Ewing soon will catch on: invest in a four-color bro chure, make a few r intangible promises, back them up with Bible quotes and a few lines of “God loves you” and watch the cash roll in. If we watch this happen, then we can watch the principles of a dignified insti tution get shot to hell. Religion, by definition, is the spiritual and emotional attitude of one who rec ognizes the existence of a superhuman power. Ewing’s type of propaganda is the stuff that reduces the dignity of peo ples’ attitude toward religion. It’s unlikely the problem will ever be solved. It has been around for centuries because there is always someone around finding ways to cheat to get ahead. But societies in the past didn’t have consumer protection agencies. I pro pose an all-out attack by consumers on this degradation of religion. We must end this practice of using the power of religion as a tool in the rat race for profit. Amen. Camille Brown is a senior journalism major and a columnist for The Battal ion. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Rhonda Snider, Editor Michelle Powe, Managing Editor Loren Stef fy, Opinion Page Editor Karen Bloch, City Editor John Hallett, Kay Mallett, News Editors Travis Tingle, Sports Editor The Battalion Staff Assistant City Editors Kirsten Dietz, Jerry Oslin Assistant News Editors Cathie Anderson, Jan Perry Assistant Sports Editor ....CAvarean Williams Entertainment Editors Cathy Reily, Walter Smith Art Director Wayne Grabein Make-np Editor Ed Cassavoy Cojiy Editors Rebecca Adair, Mike Davis, Sarah Oates, Brad Whitten Editorial Policy The 11.million is n non-prolit. sell-supportinir newspa per operated as a comnniniiv service to Texas A&\t and lit \ an-C '.oUctrc Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Editorial Board or the author, and (lo not necessarily rep- resent tin * opinioi •IS ol 1 e\.,s \X \I adminisnaints. laeuilt nr the Ho; 0,1 nIR Cgen is 1 he H.i itt.llinll ; list, se, •res as a lahoratort newspaper lor students in repo King. editing and photographs classes within tin ■ Depart ,1 Contintinications. . 1sstteia led t're tilled exelusis eh to the use lot re- prnthtatn n ol all ncUs ( lispatehes < redited n, it. Rights ol re,troth,et ion ol a Ho,he r mane, herein reset s ed. t he Halt; tlion is , puhlisl led Mnndas through hidas din- ing 1 exas AXM r et-ular semesters, except lot hnlidas ami exantinati on pent ,ds \l ail suits,, ip,ions are £10. 7a per se- ntester. S.'l.'l.'Jo pi •r seha ol s ear and S.'fa pet lull seat \d- vcrtistngt .ties In, nishec htnrecptest. Our ./< Idress: 1 he Hattalinn. LOO Reed McDonald Building. 77B4X ' 1 exas \.<\l L itis ersits. College Station. I X Second class pa •stage paid at College Station. I X 77H4:i. Slouch By Jim Earle “I feel morally obligated to write a letter in rebuttal to your letter to the editor that you ’re working on. Would you tell me which side of the issue you ’re tak ing so I can start mine?” Mail Call Letters to the Editor should not exceed SOU woids in length. The editorialstafa right to edit letters Lor style and length hut will make evei i ellort to nwiniaimi intent. Each lettet must lx- signed and must include the address and telephonti, the writer. El. I’ vesfgau Campus Police de serve no respect EDITOR: Robert E. Wiatt never mentions the impression that most students have toward the University Police. Well, I can’t blame him — I’d be embarrassed too! Apart from the obvious lack of parking, excessive ticketing, and excessive towing problems on cam pus, the police have yet to show us how effective they are with real po lice work: solving the other great problems on campus —theft of stu dent’s bicycles and backpacks. Every time that the column “Po lice Beat” appears in The Battalion, about ten bikes and three back packs have been stolen. The onlv time I have ever seen a case solved was when some students (not offi cers with their big guns and speed- loaders) caught him red-handed. It is this that has given the Gam- pus Police names such as “KK and "Rent-a-pig,” and a reputation that varies from ineffective and useless to dow’nright embarrassing! I am impressed with how well College Station police officers do their job — yet they are not despised one- hundredth as much as our depart ment. How does Wiatt expect am respect if the University Police haven’t earned it? Benito Flores-Meath ’83 Views on ‘evil’differ EDITOR: This is in reference to David Ross’ sermon from the Sept. 27 is sue of The Battalion, concerning the “evils of rock and roll.” First, let it be said that no one in the Senate has, or will, attempt to draff a bill towards rating records, regardless of their wives’ grievances, due to its ridiculous connotation. Next, quoting Ross, he seems to have trouble believing that songs concerning “lust, war, rape-mur ders, drugs, immorality and sex” are artistic expressions. Songs concerning war? Bruce Springsteen’s title song and concert opener, “Born in the USA" is con sidered patriotic by the majority of music lovers, who don’t listen to the words anyway. Actually, it deals with the Vietnam War. Then what about those songs concerning drugs? Huey Lewis and the News sings a hit pop song titled “I Want A New Drug.” For that majority who doesn’t listen to the words, probably three-fourths of them do know the title. I found it hard to believe that either Springsteen or Lewis is engaging in any business with the devil, as Da vid has implied with his article, due to the subject material in their songs. Fitially, how many songs deal with the topic of lust or sex? Maybe if we made those songs a little harder to get to, the birth rate may decrease.(HA!) In conclusion, I think it’s fair to say that Loren Steffy, Ross, the sen ators’ wives, myself and everyone else have their own opinions. Fur thermore, I hold nothing against any of you for speaking your mind, as I hope you hold nothing against me. However, I have trouble justify ing you or any board distinguishing between the different lyrical inter pretations and determining which “artistic expressions” are beneficial and which are detrimental to my well-being. So, let’s leave the trust in the in dividual or parent and just pray that those rock stars that may be drinking from the devil’s cup real ize what destructive ideals they’re provoking and maybe grow to earn your respect as real artists some day. Leslie Molloy ’89 Bonfire Bash blues EDITOR: The redpots and the organizers of bonfire have let Texas A&M stu dents down. It was 7 p.m. Fri day and, after a week of tests, my roommates and I were ready for a night out. By 7:30, with collars but- present t toned, shoes tied, andhaiiiE' ',,,, source of concern chanjje nik syri the hot water supplv to; covered Ding’s entertainmem.lt Pat A R o \ / ." M ( - Phrmp riii cer i 1 '1 t entei tainment.ltjl M( ? Phone calli^B made. Four dollars at De P al . I - n open bar Roxz, one Five said M< )ers of lorfclen ended ft Iren at il ''I 1 -'■""T!" perform "Iran,II1« wiie debating the relativerj^K a dollar and an houroffoj T1 * e cl a novel suggestion wasmadt Bonfire Bash? Ofcc all seen the signs: S7 a beer and barbecue. To»H « bon r uas obvious. Howt^Bhe | mug friend from Sant 1 son S| " ( 1 1 11 \ e i s 11 \ ' 'l)l if lev' s,ev».„ I I VOUUS a »'w<us. bucks ]usi[J' 1 1,1 '•'itic-i bose uhiskevi^B I eazers for four!” During the long driven cast Bryan \v e tried tom understand Aggie Spit friendliness. The Aggie ( Honor . I he unity of thei m * heir support of bS each other. Arriving at the pavillion out $7 and went directlvto table. No lines! Great! 1 nately we soon found t when the l>e that StU les cr guy mfoi txters were 50 cents ea 8hocked and appal thought there was a mista you don’t understand,** paid our S7 at the door.' vote and cash :ount leit x| option. Though the beer J the whole deal “sucked,’J reeled us to the gate for a ref J Disappointed, we trudjjtil to the gate. I he man at tk] hereafter the “gate guy,"(lJ us hack to the beer tabletofl red pot. 1 hough the redpotJ »itated and rude, he eventual us, "the door swings botliJ meet me at the gateandliij care of you." | B\ tfie time we got bacbj gate the redpot had coikj gone. 1 iowever, we hadagairl misled. “Sorry, guys,” hes;:: was told not to give votil money hack." By this time, pretty mad. Angry wordsw:| • f.111vtc■ 11 .mil ii was only* the mediation of the Bnanifl that a fight was avoided. | People w aiting in linecouKl what we were arguing aboiif realizing that the deal was»>!I at all. began to turn away.N | this point ihat the redpot ST judic ions reappearance.“il|| all light. y;i\r them theiti and gcM them the hell out!'' j The ride home was silerfl our friend f rom SHSU.said,J I guess you were right. YoiiJl are friendly and nonest id that. Can we gotoTeazersnM Daniel John Reading Wiatt unaware needs of bikers EDITOR: Once again, campus I ward bicycle riders has reiil! ugly head! I am referringtoS^ E. VViatt’s letter in Friday's! which he declares open rvarf^ bicycles not parked in racks haps Wiatt is unaware need f or hike racks on thiscatf Where are the racks neartk^ tie bus stops? Hasheevern park a bicycle at Harfingt|| room Building at 2:00 day, or at Zachry Engineering ter, at any time of the there are racks, but the rating cycles to available slots is [ about 10-to-l. I am not averse to walking tra 20 or 30 yards to thebii need, but the shortage ofli racks is a campus-wide probld matter w here I wish to park. Wiatt should be more' standing of the bicycle riders of the situation and bewi help provide racks in propoiti the thousands of bikes wet campus. Before Wiatt cracks! on us “bikers,” I suggest I find a more amiable solution! 11 ! problem by giving us accfti adequate number of racks.] sure he would find the j the problem solved. Lisa L. Palmer