Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 13

Decatur, Illinois, Saturday, April 12, 1986 erald Review Religion. Section C. Mike McManus i 3 "J9' Ethics 8c Religion SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. The Attorney General's Commission on Pornography is in trouble. In the six weeks since the commission met in this elegant Phoenix suburb, I've hesitated to report upon its muddled mind, uncertain that it would be constructive.

But I can be silent no longer. I regret the need to use some sexually explicit descriptions in this column to be clear about the problem. If that offends you, read no more. Fortunately, there is some good news. The commission became the first official body to conclude that sexually violent pornography such as the R-rated slasher films Chain Saw are immoral and harmful, and said their "willful distribution and production are an offense against humanity." While the Supreme Court has not ruled slasher films "obscene" and therefore illegal, the commission noted evidence that some people try ing their most impressionable years" to massive doses of porn to see if that prompted some to become rapists.

He added that even if pornography were harmless to adults (which he didn't concede), it clearly had "invaded the world of children." In Houston, commissioners heard of a study which said that a larger percent of high school students than adults had seen X-rated films, and that 84 percent of males and females aged 12 through 39 had seen X-rated fare. But other commissioners said porn was helpful to some sex therapists in counselling to overcome inhibitions and was entertaining. Father Bruce Ritter, founder of Covenant House, which offers a safe haven for teen runaways at Times Square (460 W. 41st St, NY, NY 10036), said the pornography1 commission would be the laughing stock of the country if it could not agree on the harm to the family of X-rated materials that are considered legally obscene by the U.S. Supreme Court.

harmful were combinations of porn with violence or with scenes degrading women, such as pictures of sex with bondage, defecation or urination. The commission could not agree if it was harmful, for example, for films to depict graphic portrayals of fornication, of orgies involving a number of men and. women, of homosexuals doing fellatio on one another, of a man performing oral sex on a woman, or incest involving adults! Commissioner Ellen Levine, editor of Woman's Day (1515 Broadway, NY, NY 10036) said that such porn fantasies may be "therapuetic" for some married couples who have lost sexual interest in one another. Other commissioners who are academicians noted that no scientific studies have proven the impact of these materials, on adolescents, for example. Commissioner James Dobson, a psychologist whose books have sold 7 million copies was outraged.

He noted that it would be "unethical" to purposely expose "adolescents dur Taking a new tack, Ritter asked if the commission could agree that a loving, caring relationship between a man and woman is the basis for a strong family and the most perfect expression of human sexuality. Not wanting to offend those who might disagree, Dr. Park Dietz, a professor of law and psychiatry at the U. of Virginia (Charlottsville, Vir. 22901) said the matter was beyond the mandate of the commission.

Indeed, a day earlier, when Dobson argued that the family was the basic unit of society, Levine said only five percent of today's families were "traditional," with a husband who supports the family, a mother who doesn't work and two children. Dobson retorted that that data excluded families with one child or three, or those with working mothers with traditional values. Yet in a 5-5 vote, the commission failed to decide if the family is basic to society. After days of stalemate, each commissioner agreed to write a per sonal essay on porn's harm, if any. Staff will then attempt to "blend" 11 divergent views before a final meeting in late April.

Prof. Judith Becker (Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St. NY, NY. 10032) said that after 10 years of work with sex offenders she saw no impact of porn on sex crime.

She snidely said if others came to different conclusions by "divine releva-tion," they should say so in their essays. I suggest that readers write the commission's libertarians and ask them to explain some amazing facts. Alaska and Nevada residents buy five times as many porn magazines per capita as North Dakota, and have a rape rate that is six times higher per capita! Mere coincidence? Nonsense! An FBI study of 36 murderers confessing multiple killings, found 29 used hard and softcore porn to fuel their anticipatory fantasy. One insider adds, "Tell your readers to pray." to imitate them in real life, and that they create a tolerance of rape. The way rape scenes are depicted is convincing some men that when a woman says "No!" she means "Yes!" said Commissioner Frederick Schauer, a professor of law at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.

98109). Further, the commission agreed that existing laws on obscenity must be enforced with much greater vigor. However, the commission could not agree on what is obscene on which the law should be enforced! In fact, the only materials they labeled I I McClendon brothers to be ordained Sunday 1 i Two sons of The Rev. and Mrs. graduate of Millikin University, where he received a bach I elor's degree in religion and philosophy.

Clarence Mc Clendon is a H. Levi McClendon Jr. will follow their father into the ministry. Levi McClendon III, 23, and Clarence McClendon, 22, will be ordained at 3 p.m. Sunday at an ordination council called together bv Eb- iunior at Milli kin majoring in It 1 irlH religion and philosophy.

Baptist min it? isters from Decatur churches! enezer Mission- Levi McClendon III ary Baptist Church, 240 N. Edward of which the elder McClendon is pastor. Levi McClendon III is a 1985 will form the Clarence McClendon ordination council. The Rev. A.W.

Green, pastor of Second Baptist Church of Danville, will deliver the sermon. First Lutheran Church, 250 W. Decatur will mark the end of its mortgage Sunday with a special service and dinner. "irst Luitheram burns mortgage Workshop helps programs Roger L. Dahlin and Mark S.

Brocker. Erickson now is Bishop of the Lutheran Church in America congregations in Illinois and the St. Louis metropolitan area. Erickson will be presiding minister at the special service, and he and his wife, Jo, will be guests at the dinner to follow. post office at North Main and Eldorado.

The church purchased and renovated the building and used it until the present church was completed. The present church's cornerstone was laid in 1964. The new church was built during the pastorates of Paul E. Erickson and Troy Hedrick. Present pastors of the church are construction of the present church began.

It is the latest in a series of church buildings First Lutheran has occupied since it was formed in 1882. The cornerstone for its first building at North Main and William streets, was laid in May 1886. The second church was in the former A debt retirement and symbolic mortgage burning ceremony will be held at 10:45 a.m. Sunday in First Lutheran Church, 250 W. Decatur St.

A dinner in Fellowship Hall will follow the ceremony. The symbolic burning marks the end of a debt created in 1964 when Alberts returned recently from a fact-finding trip to South Central Asia and will tell how local churches can become directly involved in the support of missions. Other speakers will be represent-atives of Blue Mound United Methodist Church and Sanner Chapel United Methodist Church. Booths and displays will cover such topics as world hunger, work camps. Dove and Oklahoma Indian missions.

The workshop is open to the public without charge. MACON A workshop to help churches develop new programs will be held at 7 p.m. Monday in Macon United Methodist Church. Called "The Decatur District Missions Workshop," it will discuss programs that will work for churches and how to implement them. The featured speaker will be Rev.

David Alberts, conference secretary of Global Ministries and program counselor for the Central Illinois Annual Conference Council on Ministries, Bloomington. The conference will be a series of workshops designed to give participants insight and help with personal problems. Topics include sharing your faith, preparing children for adolescence, how to read and understand the Bible, ways to let go of adult children physically and mentally. Featured speaker will be Luci Swindoll, sister of Christian writer Winning Women of the Midwest, a non-denominational Christian group for women, will hold its 18th annual convention April 18-20 in the Decatur Holiday Inn. More than 700 women have registered for the conference, which begins at 7 p.m.

Friday. Walk-in registrations at $15 each will be accepted for the day-long April 19 event. Charles E. Swindoll. She is employed by Mobil West Coast Pipe Lines.

She has sung professionally with the Dallas civic chorus and opera, and has published two books. The first was "Wide My World, Narrow My Bed" about living and loving the single life. The second, "The Alchemy of the Heart," tells about life's process of freeing people from themselves. GOD LOVES YOU. GOOD NEWS AMERICA, Winning Women plan meeting Burden to be ordained, installed A service of ordination and formal installation as pastor for Stan- Revival Revival Revival April 13th-18th 7 p.m.

nightly You are To come and hear the inspired preaching of Jesso Powers Nursery Provided Birth thru 3 years. Tabernacle Baptist Church 2000 N. Main, Decatur Charismatic Evangelical II OYU the JORD I If yuometn Marnnatha Assembly of God 555 W. IMBODEN 423-2452 (Just off Bt. 51 S.

-Across from Great Skate South and Redwood) GOOD NEWS AMERICA GOD LOVES YOU REVIVAL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH OF HAMMOND, ILLINOIS APRIL 13 20. 1986 SUNDAY 10:30 AM NIGHTLY 7:00 PM Pastor Doug and Rosemary Lowery R. Durden ley SCHEDULE OF SERVICES 9 Early Morning Worship 8 AM Sunday School 9 AM Morning Worship Children's Church 10 AM Sun. Evening 6:00 PM NEW CREATION SINGERS A group of former drug and alcohol abusers who will witness their faith in Christ, from Teen Challenge, Cape Gerardeau, Mo. will be held at 10:30 a.m.

Sunday in Emma-nual Methodist Church (Interdenominational), U.S. 36 and Sunnvside Rd. The Rev. Dr. Harold Burgess of Wilmore, will offici J' I PASTOR JACK ROOT EVANGELIST DAVID BURZYNSKl Maranatha WAND TV Channel 17 Sun.

a.m. Cable Channel 23, Thurs. p.m. Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Phone 877-2444 Pilgrim Lutheran Church "Where the Bible is regarded the inspired inerrant Word of God" SUNDAY SERVICES: 8 and 10:45 a.m. "What About Everything In Between?" Rev.

Acts 5:41.42. St John 21:4.5,6 a 9 Bible Investigation Class Sun. 9:30 A.M. MIDWEEK WORSHIP WED. 7:00 P.M.

BIBLE INVESTIGATION CLASS THURS. 7:00 P.M. WSOY BROADCAST SUN. 9:11 A.M. annual CHURCH MINISTRIES CONFERENCE ate at the rainr Hmrnfmrn 1 RHEMA CHRISTIAN CENTER 1635 HUSTON DRIVE MOUNDFORD FREE METHODIST CHURCH 1803 E.

MOUND ROAD 8:30 10:30 A.M. "So you're discouraged" 6:00 P.M. "Retaliation Regulations" Gerald Coates EQUIPPING YOU TO FILL YOUR PLACE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST dination and Stanley Durden will deliver the morning message. Durden graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1969 and with a Juris Doctorate in 1972. He practiced law in Athens, for 11 years before beginning work on a Master of Divinity degree at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore.

Ky. He will receive his degree this summer. He and his wife, Marie, have three children: Tammy, a junior at the University of Georgia: Paige, a junior at Warrensburg-Latham Hfgh School; and Rob, a fifth-grader at Warrensburg-Latham Elementary School. I I 7:00 Wed. Eve.

CYC. FMY Y-Tet Adult Prayer Service APRIL 17th 7:00 p.m. 18th 10:00 a.m. (Ladies) 7:00 p.m. 19th 10:00 a.m.

7:00 p.m. 20th 9:30 a.m. If A -f A. I liioi, Pastor Assistant Pastor Steve La Fleur Dr. Bob Lemon Herbert H.

Coates Buddy Bell GOOD NEWS AMERICA, GOD LOVES YOU. SIMULTANEOUS REVIVAL I.N CHURCHES OF CENTRAL BAPTIST ASSOCIATION April 13-20, 1986 KICK-OFF RALLY Sunday, April 13 2:00 P.M. TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH 2000 N. Main Decatur, Illinois SPEAKING SINGING: Douglas (Doug) Horner, Director Baptist Student Center, Carbondale Meet All Of Our Pastors Evangelists Prayer Time For Revival Praise The Lord In Song-Participating Churches EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH of AMERICA "With A Vision For Decatur" Invites you to an informational meeting on Monday, April 14, 1986. Rev.

Curtis Foss from the Great Lakes District Office of the Evangelical Free Church, will be presenting the goal of beginning a new congregation in Decatur. The evening will begin with a get acquainted time followed by a brief TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (Orthodox Presbyterian) Meeting at Farm Bureau bldg. 1150 W. Pershing, Decatur Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship 10:45 a.m.

6:00 p.m. Rev. Donald M. Parker. Pastor 877-9008 presentation of what the Evangelical Free cnurcn is an about.

There will be a time for questions and answers. LOCATION: Swartz Restaurant ADDRESS: 204 N. 22nd Street TIME: April 14 at 7 p.m. (Monday) Coffee served when 0. Emmanuel Baptist Church, Decatur Arthur Southern Baptist Church Bethany Baptist Church Forsyth Baptist Church First Baptist Church, ML Zion Long Creek Baptist Church Calvary Baptist Church, Decatur Hammond Baptist Church Summit Avenue Fellowship Baptist Chapel, Shelbyville Lincoln Baptist Church First Baptist Church, Macon Sullivan Baptist Church Trinity Baptist Church.

Decatur Argenta Baptist Church Findlay Baptist Church Tabernacle Baptist Church, Decatur Baptist Church, Decatur conclusion of discussion. i up sorne -bargains! HeraIaV Review For information I call: 429-9062 I It.