The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 74, No. 27, Ed. 1, Tuesday, December 9, 1986 Page: 2 of 6
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Opinion
L tucsday dec 9 1986 page 2
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7
Fall Chapel rules
Last year's Chapel program and for
mat was in a shambles. Few students
would attend and when they did attend
tjie noise level would often rise to a roar
feven during the devotional period.
The university introduced changes
beginning tills semester strictly enforc-
ed attendance Vali-Dine cards to re-
cord attendance and possibly even a
conduct probation note on the
transcript for students who do not
comply.
However somewhere in com-
municating the ideas to the students
there has been a speed bump a real
communication problem. And because
the policies concerning Chapel have not
adequately been explained to the stu-
dents they should not be binding on
students for the fall semester.
Most of the changes were accepted by
students and the changes have had a
positive influence on Chapel.
But a series of "Who's on first?" type
Choosing
disrupts
destiny
The greatest joy in life is children.
This statement has been made so many
times it is almost a cliche.
Expectant parents rush to the hospi-
tal after nine months of eager anticipa-
tion and if all goes well emerge a few
days later with a healthy blanket-
swathed infant.
And most parents are happy with
whatever they receive even if Nicholas
turns out to be Nicole or vice versa.
But thanks to yet another home
testing kit prospective parents can in-
crease their chances of producing a
child of prc-selected gender.
Ordinarily the chances of having a
boy are 53 percent and the possibility
of a girl is 47 percent according to
FroCare Industries the manufacturer
of Gender Choice.
The Gender Choice system now in-
creases the chances of having a boy to
85 percent and a girl to 80 percent.
The kit's manufacturers state that the
system is completely natural and con-
tains no drugs or chemicals.
But once again a decision previously
in God's hands is in the process of be-
ing transferred to man's control.
Of course the kit only increases the
chance of gender selection it does not
predetermine the child's sex... but who
knows what technological advances the
future may bring.
Choosing the sex of your child may
be similar to unwrapping a Christmas
gift early and wishing you had waited
for the big day instead of spoiling the
surprise.
Some people may reason that God
gave man the knowledge necessary to
make such technological discoveries and
advancements.
But God has been making the deci-
sion on the gender of children since
Adam and Eve left Eden and has been
doing a pretty good job ever since.
Some things after all are better left
in the hands of someone infinitely wiser
and more experienced.
Scopes
Gall it "Scopes Trial 2: The Search
for; Justice" or call it just another
monkey trial it's the latest round in
the creationism versus evolution debate
set;to rage this week before the United
States Supreme Court.
Details of the case are elsewhere in
this newspaper.
Tfhe nine justices will rule on the
constitutionality of a state law that may
just' be the fairest approach yet
legislated to end the evolution versus
creationism controversy.
The case concerns a Louisiana law
requiring schools to teach creationism
supported by scientific evidence
alongside scientifically based evolution
theory.
The American Civil Liberties Union
is challenging Louisiana's appeal of a
1981 decision in a lower court which
declared the law unconstitutional.
"We are defending the student's right
to be exposed to all the evidence" said
Louisiana Attorney General William
questions began to arise as the semester
progressed. If students do not satisfy
Chapel attendance requirements a note
of conduct probation will be placed on
the transcript said one administrator.
"It cannot be placed on the transcript"
another said.
"The Vali-Dine machines are to.be
cut off at 11:05 a.m." students are told
one day and "There's a five- to
eight-minute grace period for the tar-
dy" students are told next.
With this in mind examine the uni-
versity's past record of enforcing its at-
tendance requirements for Chapel. To
say the least It has been inadequate.
So when students are told the uni-
versity is taking Chapel seriously what
should they expect? That it will keep
them from participating in Sing Song?
That it will keep them from par-
ticipating in other extracurricular activ-"
ities?
No. "The university itself doesn't
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B1-B
U.S. 'Whiz-bang' bomber frazzled
The "hottest whiz-bang on the
street" said one officer describing the
potential of the B-1B bomber stationed
at Dycss Air Force Base potential the
high-tech bomber is reportedly not liv-
ing up to.
"We're disappointed...;" he said.
We're disappointed too.
The Air Force says the bomber is
ready to fight now but stubborn pro-
blems might cost hundreds of millions
of dollars to fix before the plane per-
forms to its promised potential.
Problems with the B-1B are many.
The plane is overweight. - -
Ground-tracking radar systems
designed to keep the plane in the air as
returns Mile '80s
Guste explaining the state's position. '
The law doesn't require God or the
Bible be taught said Guste only that
"scientific evidence be taught."
We think this is a fair approach. -
The ACLU doesn't seem to agree m
saying the law is an attempt to teach
religion by disguising it as scientific
fact.
The ACLU points to a brief attacking
the law filed by 72 Nobel Prize winners
which said "Teaching religious ideas
mislabeled as science is detrimental to
scientific education."
But the Nobel Prize winners' state-
ment and the ACLU's case is built on
the belief that religion is by nature in-
compatible with scientific inquiry
which is not always the case
Just as evolutionists claim there is ev-
idence which supports their theory
creationists are doing the same.
The government need not play Big
Brother by mandating that only evi-
dences supporting one viewpoint be
pose questions
know all the changes and rules" we.
can imagine students saying.;. "And
besides; they haven't enforced the rules
in the past."
Gary McCaleb vice president of the
university and dean of campus life told
the Optimiit last Week that the rules are
"'written clearly in the 1985-86 handbook
which remains in effect until January
when the new handbook will be
distributed
This handbook was in effect last year
but the rules weren't enforced nearly as
strictly as should have been. So why
should students know clearly that these
rules will be enforced this year?
Students also Were not aware df the
impact their lack of attendance in Cha-
pel would have on their activities until
mid-semester. Dr. Norman Archibald
associate dean of students said the stu-
dents were informed by an Optimist ar-
ticle of the effect missing Chapel
would have on participation in activi
it flies TjcIow' Soviet defenses' aren't
working properly. The plane could
crash instead of completing its mission
in a real war.
The electronic radar and missile
jamming systems known as electronic
countermeasures have not been
perfected. Again in a real war this
could cause mission-threatening pro-
blems. Delays in testing and perfecting these
systems may delay the "whiz-bang"
from reaching its full potential until
almost the end of the decade
It seems the Whiz-bang is frazzled.
But the Bl-B was made a part of the
"United States' nuclear war plans begin
taught.
Education for the purpose of selective ""
Indoctrination while ignoring opposing":
points of view is not in the best'interestT
of anyone. "T J ItS
"Oliver Wendell Holmes a Supreme '
HCourt justice from 1902 to 1932 wrote
of the marketplace of ideas. Said
Holmes "The best test of truth is the
-power of the thought to get itself ac-
cepted in the competition of the market
.... That at any rate is the theory of our
Constitution."
The nine justices entrusted with the
Constitution should allow Louisiana
and other states to create an educational
atmosphere where no theory thought
or evidence is beyond the realm of
discussion to allow each indvidual's be-
licfs to evolve from all the available ev-
idence. The Supreme Court should let the
scientific evidences for evolution and
creation be presented side by side to all
students
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ties.
But the article he referred to ap-
peared in the July 21 issue published
when most students were not on cam-
pus. And the only reference to
discipline for missing Chapel too often
was by Dr. William J. Tcague presi-
dent of the university saying students
would face the " 'ultimate correction'
dismissal from school."
We agree that students who com-
pletely ignore the university's Chapel
attendance rules should face the
"ultimate correction" but not yet.
Let's not make an example out of
someone now.
Clearly a communication gap has
kept some of the Chapel reforms from
being clearly and concisely presented to
the students. Therefore the administra-
tion in all fairness should use the fall
semester as a trial period and instigate
the enforcements throughout next
semester and in the future
ning Oct. 1 and at least one of the big
deadly birds is always on alert at Dyess.
The U.S. might not actually need
more planes with more nuclear missiles
and the Bl-B's present shortcomings
might not change the outcome of & nu-
clear war but the plane was purchased
to do things it hasn't yet delivered.
The problems with the bomber need
to be cleared up quickly at little added
cost to the government.
The question "Do we really need the
bomber?" is obsolete. We've got it.
Now the corporations that designed
the plane owe it to the nation to make
the plane truly be the "honest whiz-
bang on the street."
mat .
"We know that In everything Cod works for good with those who
love him who are called according to his purpose." Romans
8:28
v
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Optimist
thomas graham
editor in chief
leura smith managing adfie
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tho authors.
Place Chapel
with students
Several changes have been made
in our daily assembly. For the
most part these changes have been
for the better. More people are at-
tending Chapel and students arc
beginning to take Chapel seriously-
However I think some addi-
tional changes mu3t be made to
make Chapel the success it could
be.
The program needs to attract
students rather than alienate them.
To do this it must be placed in the
hands of students.
A typical daily Chapel will con-
sist of the following: an ad-
ministrator will preside over the
fielder's
choice
thomas graham
assembly a faculty member or
administrator will lead singing a
student will lead the payer and
another faculty member or ad-
ministrator will speak. Occasional-
ly the students' role in Chapel is
more prominent but for the most
part it is an assembly where uni-
versity administrators address
about 3000 students. The ratio a
ocrc scans w dc i uiuc oui oi
sorts.
This is a sketchy view of the
students' perspective as I see it:
Dr. Gary McCaleb and Dr. Nor-
man Archibald ore aside from be-
ing very busy individuals in
charge of disciplining students.
The two also preside over the
Chapel assembly more often than
not.
This sends a nonverbal message
to the students that Chapel will be
run and ruled by a stern hBd.
As one buddy of mine who's in
the know concerning Chapel put
it "Students aren't given a
chance."
The university seeds to look at
Chapel from the students' perspec h
tive and make it the kind of pro-
gram that students will be interest-
ed in attending on a daily basis.
This can be done if two things
are changed. Fust a young ad-
ministrator someone who can bet-
ter understand students' needs
should be placed directly in charge
of Chapel; secondly a committee
of students should be in charge of
selecting the participants in the
Chapel progvam.
The administrator would be
under the direction of the Campus
Life offices but free and indepen-
dent when it comes to arranging
the daily program. This would be
someone like Jeff Nelson or Greg
Perry the types of guys whom
students can relate to yet who
understand what the university
wants from Chapel.
These changes would reduce the
workload of McCaleb and Ar-
chibald and return student interest
in Chapel Coupled with the re-
cent changes already implemented
these changes can make Chapel a
dynamic daily activity.
charles mmrler
adviser
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 74, No. 27, Ed. 1, Tuesday, December 9, 1986, newspaper, December 9, 1986; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth92087/m1/2/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.