Where Is God?

Sir—... and so consequently, as I have, through my brilliantly analytical thetical observations, concerning those matters which, as my erstwhile acquaintance, the selfsame and selfcalled obt. and humble James (need I mention) Mitchell, regarded with, I may add without, I hope, falling into the absurdly pretentious snare of loquaciousness, which, I may humbly be permitted to observe, the aforementioned critical moral advisor attempts too, too readily, regarded with (I repeat) excessive and, venture to suggest, brutal wrath and ire, from the position, may I presume to envisage, of one of her most powerful and honourable Majesty's revered and beknighted Druid high-priests who, mark the expression, strides along, nose-up-lifted, tie glistening, fiery cross brandished (and other pertinent phrasial expressions, descriptive of a bigoted reactionary fanatic (and here I must add that I am in no way drawing facetious comparisons to a former honourable member of our 'petite' (to use a French term) campus opposition, who has I have been informed, recently, and for no apparent reason, accountable or otherwise, transported himself to another breeding-land of political joy and palpable human indifference), upon those matters which, to repeat, for perhaps the benefit of those many worthwhile individuals, who, like I am, are too sorrowfully grieved at the scurrilous and vindictive attack upon my reputation, perpetrated by the twiceaforementioned base and grateles villain—concerning those matters which were, indeed, to be brief, censured so groundlessly by the triceaforementioned person, whose name will not venture to impart upon your ears, in last week's otherwise ineffable. but in this matter inexcusably treacherous Salient,... as I have, I repeat, in order briefly to return to the subject in hand, through my brilliant thetical observations, affirmed my most humble opinion, which I will summarise at length, that the perpetrator of such abdominations, and here I utilise his very word, if sane, is committing an act. yes I say, a sacriligious act of blasphemy, against all the higher, and more righteous ego of my person (incorporating the most advanced inculcations of spiritual and ethical justice)—so consequently (and once again I repeat), as the scriptures assert: "Wrath shall return wrath, and lightning shall return lightning, until heaven become hell once more, and our hearts be ruled by fire" (James 7 v. 20583 SV), or as the great mediaeval philosopher and theologian. Jeh. Amen, mentioned: "Mitchell Mightee mochte Bya Nightee."

Vowed to eternal vengeance Fr. J. S. Hales Esq., Grand Prophet and Acting God.

Abridged—ed.

Founder

Sir—There is a touching modesty in Barry Mitcalfe's comment in your last issue on my assestment of the nature of the Committee on Vietnam.

I have not ceased to be amazed at the ungenerous attitude of the waves of protesters who followed Barry in the COV.

There have been some quite amazing attempts to belittle the contribution he made to the organisation and what ft stood for.

This has been in the period since he made his decision to abdicate from the chairmanship of the COV.

Had it not been for the personality of this very human human, all those diverse elements in the protest movement would never have been as cohesive as they were.

He was successful where contemporaries were not. Larry Ross, and William Hall, for example, likewise charged with strong feeling against the war, were unable to make the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation "stick" in the New Zealand context.

Now it seems that Barry feels a personal need to display the personal humility of one subjected to some ungrateful pressures.

He wrote that he was responsible, but with others, for the foundation of the COV.

If there is a need to set the historical record straight as to just who did "found" the COV, Barry ought to be seen in a wider perspective than he placed himself.

I call him founder just because he was, as he says, "midwife".

Had I written about those who "fostered the child" I would have Riven due credit, as he does, to Nick Rosenberg, Jan McElwee, Adrian Webster and the Melsers.

However, to do so is insufficient. Other individuals, too numerous to name, and sometimes I feel, too difficult to trace, contributed in various ways.

But this is the significant point.

Barry brought together and welded these diverse individuals, and these numerous groups who became linked to the COV— some of which I listed in my Salient article.

The Vietnam protest movement sprang out of the social climate in which it had lain latent for some time.

Nudes

Sir—Regarding your "Art" column, in the issue of April 30, which begins: "It's about time the Wellington City Council woke up ..."

May I suggest that it's about time that your correspondent woke up to the fact that the National Art Gallery is—as its name implies—a New Zealand gallery administered by the Internal Affairs Department.

If the paucity of "nudes" in the gallery is, as your correspondent suggests, a poor show, then perhaps the Wellington City Council is to be commended for having at least presented one of the three the gallery does have.

Perhaps the University could present one?

Public Relations Officer,

City of Wellington.

Unclear

Sir—What is the point of having record listening facilities in the University Library if, when you wish to hear a record, the staff will not play it at sufficient volume to allow you to hear it?

I realise that noise filters through the ventilation system and disturbs those working.

But, what is the point of having these facilities, costing probably over $1,500, if you cannot hear the piece requested at a volume level loud enough to enable you to hear the music.

On two occasions I have requested a record and it has been played so quietly that I could only just hear the singing and none of the background music.

I think this atrocious considering it would only take the muffling of the ventilation system to correct this ailment.

Boobs

Sir—Apart from one or two mishaps on the centre pages the general consensus of opinion is that Salent in 1968 is a student publication of very high standard.

However Salient 9 comes to us with a new look: the "facially haemorraged" look and I am told will continue to do so for at least the next 16 issues.

Must student publications be for the ego involvement and profiteering of the advertising staff? If so, any chance of Salient's winning the Press Prize in August is, as I see it, out.

[I don't care what colour their money is, if it covers the whole of the production costs of three issues of Salient —ed.]

Matter

Sir—"Can a scientist be a Christian?" K. P. Perry has raised this interesting question but has failed to answer it, even if he has entitled his article "You can be a Christian and a Scientist."

He has done little more to define science or religion than say that they are both related to truth.

When he goes one step further to state that science and religion cannot be antagonistic because "truths cannot be mutually contradictory," he is claiming that both science and religion are "true" but appears to believe that the "truth" of science is different from the "truth" of religion.

One wonders what he means by "truth".

As a materialist and scientist (but not a Christian) I would suggest that neither science nor religion are true in an absolute sense.

Modern science accepts the existence of the objective world and understands truth to be that knowledge which correctly reflects this objective world.

Thus scientists would claim that truth is objective, i.e. is independent of man.

Science is the imperfect, but ever improving, knowledge we have which imperfectly reflects the objective world.

In the process of obtaining knowledge about the objective world the scientist assumes that all the objects and phenomena of the objective world are, in theory, capable of being understood, and are the sole source of his knowledge.

In principle, we could define Christianity as the philosophy expounded by Jesus Christ.

But there appears to be much disagreement on what exactly this was, and many Christians would prefer a wider definition.

However, unless a Christian can accept the existence of an objective world which is the sole source of our knowledge, he can not be a scientist.

K. P. Perry claims that the "materialist evolutionist" works from the "initial postulate that only matter exists."

But, as matter cannot evolve of itself an evolutionist must accept a wider initial postulate.

Indeed, science would not have reached the understanding of reality that it has today if it had not rejected this vulgar materialism. The evidence of evolution, together with the other great discoveries made at about the same time, led to scientists accepting not only the existence of matter but also the existence of motion.

Evolution then, is a form of motion of matter. The modern scientist materialist sees motion as being the mode of existence of matter—the two being inseperable.

Amnesty

Sir—I wish to inform you that 1968 is Human Rights Year. 1968 is the twentieth year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The United Nations at the request of the Secretary-General is marking the occasion by planning to intensify the practical work being done to ensure the Declaration is fully implemented by all governments.

Amnesty International plans to declare an International Prisoner of Conscience week in November. This organisation is striving for the general acceptance of Articles 18 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into our political and social thinking. Article 18:—

"Everybody has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes the freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom either alone or in community with others. And in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching. practice, worship and observance," Article 19:—

"Everyone has the right of opinion and expression, this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers."

On the basis of these two articles, Amnesty International attempts to aid in every way, people imprisoned as a result of the denial of their rights. Worldwide prisoners of conscience are contacted by Amnesty groups and their cases are investigated in hopes of legal forms of aid being discovered.

Their trials are attended by observers and by lawyers to ensure a fair hearing.

Letters written to influential people and governments plead for the release of the prisoners on the grounds of their rights, principles and health.

Amnesty has no connection with religions or, political groups, but tries to aid on purely humanitarian grounds with money, food, clothing and books.

None of the prisoners aided have advocated or used violence.

In these ways, whether 1968 is Human Rights Year or not, Amnesty International tries to prevent the nameless, faceless thousands of prisoners of conscience from being forgotten.