Newspapers / North Carolina Wesleyan University … / Dec. 14, 1992, edition 1 / Page 5
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DECEMBER 14,1992 — THE DECREE — PAGE 5 Wesleyan’s slogan, education defended (Continued from Page 4) dent — and I refer you back to the third paragraph of this letter when you feel that the student hasn’t been put first. But I also know most of the faculty and staff on campus, and for every one I know who deserves your slap, I know a lot more who deserve bet ter treatment. The Decree looks good this year. Keep raising the standard, don’t lower it. AI LaRose Parties must unite, not divide country Dear Editor: I am vrating in response to a letter that was published in the paper Nov. 6 titled, “Keep stand ing for the right.” Why must people continue to split the coun try into two parts? In the letter the writer splits the country into conservatives and liberals. When are people going to learn that we must work to gether to accomplish and truly make America best? I encourage all to read Tho mas Jefferson’s first Inaugural Address of 1801. This was the first time that the country had a change of power from one group to another. Jefferson did not criti cize the policies of the Federalist party that was leaving office. In stead he called for the nation to pull together and work as one to accomplish goals for the good of the country. Remember what Abraham Lincoln said about the Civil War: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” How many of you know that this is actually a quote from scripture? In Ross Perot’s book, United We Stand, he writes on Page 95, “The melting pot is our strength, not our weakness. Our culture is dynamic because it is varied. Our nation became the envy of the world because it is a unique tapestry woven of many strands drawn fi'om every part of the globe.” When the people of this coun try realize that we must work to gether to accomplish our goals, then something might happen. Until that time, though, just re member that we are all in the same boat. If you really want to make America better and the best, then work to bring the country together as one, not as many litfle parts. Patrick Brannan A liberal education offers basis for views Dear Editor: The battle between religion and intellect at institutions of higher learning has continued since these institutions were founded. Thomas Hardy captures the spirit of this battle in his novel, Jude the Obscure, as he describes the battle at the University of Christminster: “At present intel lect in Christminster is pushing one way, and religion the other; and so they stand stock-still, like two rams butting each other (121).” Kenneth Leonard touched upon the spirit of this debate be- Letters tween religion and intellect in his essay included in the Nov. 6 is sues of The Decree. Just as Leonard examined the Statement of Institutional Purpose of North Carolina Wesleyan College, I too would like to invite the readers of The Decree to examine this same Statement. However, while Leonard examined only parts of this Statement out of contest, I am examining this Statement in its entirety in order to arrive at an educated conclusion. Just to refresh everyone’s memory, the Statement of Insti tutional Purpose is found near the front of the college catalog and reads as follows: “North Carolina Wesleyan College strongly affirms the ide als of Christianity and the fi'ee- dom of intellectual inquiry. The liberal arts are the foundation for its degree programs. The College provides its students the opportu nity to develop intellectually, spiritually, and physically, to ap preciate artistic expression, to un derstand and respect the Judeo- Christian heritage, and to value learning as a lifelong endeavor.” The first sentence refers back to the battle that I mentioned ear lier between religion and intel lect Wesleyan strongly affirms the ideals of Christianity and at the same time strongly qfflrms the fi'eedom of intellectual inquiry. Our school motto is “Wisdom and Assassination heralded era (Continued from Page 4) Then she quickly gathered her stuff and hurried back to the other side of town. She was afiraid. All of this was earthshaking to me. A man had died and people were reacting in ways I didn’t understand. Some people thought he deserved it. Others thought it meant the sky was about to fall on them. As so often happens dur ing childhood, I didn’t know how to ask the questions that were only vaguely rising to consciousness. A Mend of mine who went to the Catholic school came home later than usual that day, and still an other way of looking at the man arose. It is also trite to say that the countiy drew together that week end. The pictures of Mrs. Kennedy’s pink suit, of President Johnson’s somber face, of Walter Cronkite showing emotion, and of the first live television killing. The images of John Jr. saluting, of Carolina and her mother kneel ing at the casket, of the riderless horse snorting in the autumn air. I had a sense that we all cared, and the initial contradictions sank back into unconsciousness. I ac cepted the grief as real and as communal. We survived. The point about John Kennedy’s assassination for my generation is that we never found that acceptance again. Not only did too many people face the same kind of death, but also we knew why Malcolm and Martin and Bobby died. We grew up expect ing another headlined assassina tion as someone else decided to blow away the opposition. Most of us did not accept violence as a solution to our problems with the political system, but we expected other people to do so. The murder of John Kenney still means something to me be cause I remember it as the last time I was surprised that some one would use death to solve his or her problems or to get on TV. I’m hurt by it, but I don’t think I’m very surprised any more. Per haps if it had been an isolated incident, it would have remained a tragic historical event. To me, however, it seems to have her alded in an era. Courage Through Christian Edu cation.” How is it possible to ob tain wisdom and courage through a Christian education that strongly affirms both the ideals of Chris tianity and the freedom of intel lectual inquiry? The College responds that this goal can be achieved if the stu dent takes advantage of the op portunities to develop intellectu ally, spiritually, and physically. As a result of this process the student wiU be able “to appreci ate artistic expression, to under stand and respect the Judeo-Chris- tian heritage, and to value learn ing as a lifelong endeavor.” Leonard is concerned that this process of learning does not hold true to the Statement of Institu tional Purpose, since he has ex perienced professors who ask him to question everything that does not sound reasonable; has spent more class time discussing Bud dhism (which has far more fol lowers) than Fimdamentalism; is exposed to individuals who ad vocate human rights to everyone, including homosexuals, who have suffered through a long history of discrimination; and in generd is receiving a liberal arts educa tion. There is a danger to develop ing the intellect of individuals b^ cause along with this develop ment comes an awakening of the curious and questioning mind. The individual then applies the intellect towards everything that once was taken for granted, in cluding religious beliefs. If the individual is unwilling to main tain an open mind while develop ing the intellect, this process can then be described as “putting new wine in old bottles.” Perhaps my point can be bet ter understood when examining this phrase in its original Biblical context. The entire verse comes from Matthews 9:17: “Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fiesh wineskins and so both are preserved.” (RSV). If an individual is trying to incorporate new learning within the existing structure, the pres sure will c^e the individual to tear apart, as would an old wine skin under the pressure of new wine. There is no room for both under the existing system. A student cannot just wake up one morning with an understand ing and respect for the Judeo- Christian heritage, or any of the other goals that Wesleyan strives for its students to achieve. These goals are achieved through intel lectual inquiry, inquiry that is free from any of the restraints that may be imposed by the Judeo-Chris- tian heritage or any other moral code. Does this sound immoral? Per haps, if you have reached the level of being omniscient However, I suspect that no student has reached this level and therefore can always stand to learn more. Then, after receiving a hberal education, the student may de fine his own religious beliefs based on a process of free intel lectual inquiry. Judith Boyd THE BARKING DOG BY OaRRYL KlUSKOWSKI E TV\c 4^wc|ry \a\e. oTa nemdeeroncl^he real re«son -fcr hfs g/owmg Schnoz/ ^r\^n4s^r^ a>-ujor\e.ers Wtl ^ He«V«»(*cw»WlI-S-Cku!^ U*,‘ uiiMvMkM/ _TVi«CL« lower
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