Controversy about the Ten Commandments has brought a publisher and cartoonist to Ames.

Richard Lem, publisher of Toons weekly magazine, will be on campus today from noon until 1 p.m. as a guest of the Seventh Day Adventist Student Association. Lem will be leading an informal discussion in Room 230 of the Memorial Union.

David Lincoln, pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist, said he became aware of Lem through newspaper articles and that Lem will be speaking “in defense of publishing the Ten Commandments and taking time for humor in religion.”

Lem first became involved in defending the Ten Commandments through a full-page editorial piece in his Toons flier. The piece, which was published Oct. 11, includes an anonymous letter and a response from Lem with his photo as a saint with a halo.

The feature hit a nerve, Lem said.

“You should have been here to answer the phone the day after it came out,” he said. “Some people thought I was pushing religion and I was horrible for doing that. Others gave me lavish praise.”

Lem said he writes to be funny in order to get the point across.

“It’s not my intent to push religion,” he said.

Lem said he will be talking about how the Toons flier goes out, and he will bring in some older articles similar to the controversial page.

“I’m no Billy Graham or anything,” he said. “I’ll answer any questions and talk about whatever they want.”

Although Lem is not affiliated with the Seventh Day Adventist group, Graeme Quick, adviser for the group, said they are interested in what he has to say “because of our vital interest in the Ten Commandments.”

Lincoln also said the group feels Lem has an important message.

“We want to attract attention to the Ten Commandments,” he said.