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THE CLUSTER, MARCH 4, 1989-PAGE 9
It’s Scratch And Sniff Funtime!
Yes, my children it’s time for scratch & sniff funtime. Now follow all the
directions and you ’ll have lots of fun. (Freshmen, please get an
upperclassman to help you with the hard part.)
Roland Ochoa is a humorist for the Cluster.
Individualism is key to spiritual fulfillment
Docs one need religion to experience spiritual growth?
Although 1 convened to Mormonism a few years ago in
search of spiritual fulfillment and although from that point
on I have no longer felt a great need to continue searching.
I would say one does not need religion or any other institu
tion for spiritual growth. It is not religion that provides me
with any of my spiritual needs.
Thai I believe in the Trinity is not because 1 want to but
because I cannot discontinue my belief in it. The fact that
I cannot, as a result of religious doctrines being enforced
upon me while I was a mere child, rid myself of such beliefs
must certainly mean that some kind of relationship with
Nature or the Christ resides somewhere within me. If this
be true, then I can find spiritual growth through interacting
with myself and others.
Organized religious doctrines arc nothing but a prop.
Eddie L.
Sanford
stampeding to market with signs claiming that each is the
most authentic: upon purchasing the souls of the confused,
they proceed to herd them off to their new abodes where
they are then hurried under contradictions.
Such organizations seek to produce carbon copies of an
ideal, retarding individualism. If 1 feel no need to attend
church, then, it is not because 1 reject God but because I
have learned to seek out answers for myself, from myself,
which reunites me with Nature. Therefore. I have found a
sure ways to achieve a meaningful existence. /
Religion is. therefore, for the masses. Who cannot bd hap
py unless they arc exactly like each other. The more fun
damental you are. the more meaningless your life as an in
dividual is because you do not have the time to address the
question of who you really arc. Only persons-who know
themselves are refused to be deterred from a true life through
use of contradictions are people who have truly lived.
It is therefore, evident that we can achieve spiritual
fulfillncss only when we take it upon ourselves, as in
dividuals. to find the Christ within us.
Eddie L Sanford columnist and staff writer for the Cluster.
LETTERS
Sanders shows
misconceptions
Editor:
1 was frankly appalled at the
prevailing ignorance evident
throughout Dan Sanders' letter to
the editor in last week’s Cluster. I
am sincerely sorry that members of
our athletic teams had to read the
inane btabberings of this misguid
ed and misinformed individual. I
seriously doubt Dan’s ability to
become educated, regardless of his
intentions. A truly educated person
does not hold the prejudices and
misconceptions that he obviously
does. They would not be juvenile
enough to write the declaration of
ignorance that Dan had published.
All the students on this campus
have come here to be educated, in
cluding our atheletes. They just ex
tend their education beyond the
classroom. The image of the
’dumb jock” that Dan seemed to
present in his first two paragraphs
is prejudicial, stereotypical, and
completely unfounded, especially
at Mercer. 1 personally know
several members of the basketball
team, and you couldn’t ask for a
better bunch of guys. They are
friendly, outgoing, funny, and in
telligent. Dan has absolutely no
right to claim that they are con
ceited when he doesn't even know
any of them personally.
There is no reason why
academics and atheletics cannot
coexist. Dan should stop separating
and stereotyping our athletes and
realize that they are our fellow
students. Athletes are as much a
part (if not more) of this universi
ty as anyone else. The enure stu
dent body can be unified, but only
if the ridiculous attitudes express
ed in Dan’s letter can be
obliterated. Our atheletes deserve
our support and not our unfound
ed criticism and unsubstantiated ac
cusations. Dan's experience as an
"athelete” should have taught him
that. I'm sure our athletes would
appreciate a checnng crowd as
much as he would have at his
meets. It is extremely hypocritical
to complain about the lack of sup
port at meets and then claim that
supporting our basketball team is a
waste of time. 1 wish this guy
would get it together and stop
wasting our lime with his
outrageous assumptions and un
sound observations. He needs to
face the fact that Mercer has the
best of both worlds: great
academics AND a terrific athletic
program, and they both need our
full support.
Lisa Treadwell
MU needs
athletic spirit
Editor:
Mercer University, now more
than ever, needs athletic spint, but
what it does not need arc self
centered, personal attacks on the
student body and the athletes like
that presented by Dan Sanders
It is clear that Mr. Sanders takes
more than one "cheap shot" at the
Athletic Department, student body
and possible a world that he is
unhappy with. It seems as though
this article makes no attempt to
back up its many statements.
Like Mr. Sanders. I was also a
member of a Mercer intercollegiate
athletic team (Baseball), and I am
now Student Sports Information
Director. I only point this out to
state that I am involved in all
athletic programs and know the
athletes well. By not knowing the
atheletes. how can he make such
accusations? How docs he know
the basketball team and other teams
are not unified? Who has given him
the right to paice such labels on his
fellow students?
I happen to know that the athletic
teams are unified. There is not a
problem with fighting or jealously
among teammates. Just because the
basketball team docs not sit
together in the cafeteria, docs not
mean they are divided. What Mr.
Sanders must remember is that they
have other friends also. Maybe this
is the only time during the day they
have to visit these people. Anyway,
how can a group of people that live
together, cat together, practice
together and play together over fif
ty percentof the day be divided. If
this is the only example that can be
given for our athletes being divid
ed. then I would not waste my time
worrying about it.
This article show no class in its
attack on the Mercer students. If
the attack was directed towanLnot
needing alhcletic spint. Iran it ,
should have stuck to that premise!^
Grouping or labeling people that
you do or do not know is a cruel
act. These people are who they are.
so let God watch over them with a
caring hand an not an oppresive on.
what we should slnvc for is to
educate all. whether they arc
awarded academic or alhelctic
scholarships for their talents. What
we should stnvc for is a unified
spint in all areas at Mercer. What
we should strive for is to bring
Mercer back to its high standing
and eliminate the cruel criticism.
Robbie Bums
There’s room
for athletics
and studies
Editor:
You hate it when one individual
feels he has the prerogative to
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