A20-Sunday News, September 14, 1980 . God is not a person and a prayer is not a_ private conversation between two parties, a Canadian appeals court says. The British Columbia Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday a man who was heard by a policeman to say “Oh, God, let me get away with it just this once,” must stand trial again for inciting arson. The ruling reversed a lower court decision which acquitted the man on the grounds of prayer being in- admissable evidence. In its 2-1 majority decision, the province's court of appeal ruled prayer was admissible evidence since God is not a person, defined in the laws as “a human being having rights or duties recognized by law.” Jusuce Henry Hutcheon said he did “not accept the proposition the word ‘person’ ... extends beyond the human species,” saying the prayer did not constitute a “private conversation” as defined by the Criminal: Code, because God was not a person. The legal question of God’s status as a person arose during an appeal of the Merger between Syria and Libya announced DAMASCUS, Syria (UPI) - Libya and Syria, separated by 700 miles, proclaimed their merger into a single Arab nation Wednesday and hinted the new state will seek closer ties with the Soviet Union. A joint communique, the Tripoli Declaration, an- nounced establishment of “full political, military, economic and cultural union” between Syria and Libya “in all fields.” But, as with past efforts by each to marry into wealthy or strategically located states for political or military gain, the details of this still unnamed merger, unfolded with great fanfare and embroidered with propa- ganda, were left to be worked out at a later date. In the landscape of Arab politics, where alliances shift as Often as the desert sands of Libya itself. it was not expertise (outer mall) ANNOUNCEMENT! UNICUTTERS' dynamic styling team 1s pleased ta welcome VICTOR as then newest addition VICTOR’S clients will enjoy the new surroundings and he encourages new cheats to expenence bis UNICUTTERS Maneline Salon Park Royal North immediately clear where the new “state” announced simultaneously by Tripoli and Damascus radios would fit. Some Western diplomatic observers did not take it very seriously.- Egyptian President Anwar Sadat called it “childish” but Israel said it was worried about the added military capability the agreement could give to Syria. Libyan strongman Col. Moammar Khadafy proposed the merger in characteristic fashion, announcing that if Syria did not accept, he would take up a rifle and go to northern Galilee to fight as a com- mando. Syrian President Hafez Assad, who is reported to be in senous trouble at home and in need of political as well as military aid, agreed 24 hours later and flew to 922-4124 1979 acquittal of Morris Davie in Prince George County Court omcharges he told two other persons to set a forest fire. Davie had agreed to undergo a lie detector test in connection with the in- cident, but before starting the procedure, a police sergeant left Davie and went in to an adjacent room equipped with a _ video camera and microphone. From there, the officer saw Davie slide off his chair, fall to his knees, raise his hands and say: “Oh, God, let me get away with it just this Tripoli for two days of talks. The 13-point communique proclaiming a “unified” state to oppose “Zionism and American imperialism” and to overthrow Sadat and “liberate Palestine,” was announced minutes. after Assad returned to Damascus. It said the aim was to establish “one unified state in the two countries, with full sovereignty over both of them,” to “achieve = full political, military, economic and cultural union between the two countries” separated by 700 miles and by the enemies they are uniting to oppose — Egypt and Israel. In an indication the union would take a _ pro-Soviet bent, the communique said the new slate “is part of the popular liberation move- ment of the world and an ally to all socialist and hberahion forces.” dis not a person, Appeals c once.” The Davie’s ensuing county court trial, but the judge ruled it the Call to Fall! supplication | was © presented as evidence in See Park Royal's special Fall Fasnion Presentations Thursday, September 18 — South Mail was a private conversation, which under Criminal Code provisions must be between two persons, and therefore privileged information and Friday, September 19 — North Mall Shows both days at ourt rule inadmissable. Davie was acquitted, but the Crown appealed, asking that the prayer be admissible as evidence in a new tnial. BELL FUNERAL CHAPEL 2746 E. Hastings St. (1 bik. West of PNE) 253-1343