September 8

Why Is the Quality of Life Declining?

WHAT does a better “quality of life” mean to you? Does it bring to your mind a nice home, a fine car, a well-paying job and plenty of leisure? Most people think of it that way, in contrast to poor living conditions, poverty and hunger.

Many have worked hard to get those things, and more people have them than at any time in history. But does this bring them a genuinely superior “quality of life”?

One answer comes from prosperous West Germany. There, reportedly, the people “are making more money than they have ever made.” But a news correspondent in Bonn reports: “They are profoundly anxious and irritated and are concerned about the future. . . . they yearn for stability and security in an age when there is little of either.”

And across the Atlantic, Pulitzer prize winner Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., observes that America “is suddenly conscious that the quality of life has actually been in decay for some time; the streets have grown more dangerous; the mails and telegraph are worse; . . . household service has become a fading memory; electricians and plumbers a vanishing occupation. It is almost as if the American dream were caught in a downward spiral from which there seems at the moment no very obvious means of escape.”

Why the Paradox?

Why does this seeming paradox exist? Why is the quality of life declining at the same time that what is called “the good life” is spreading?

Because a good “quality of life” and what has popularly come to be viewed as “the good life” are not the same thing. Ironically, some of the forces that have brought abundance to the industrial nations are the very ones that are ruining the quality of life. The British historian Arnold J. Toynbee recently explained that industrial society has pursued a philosophy that holds that “the selfish pursuit of private interests would create the maximum benefits for society.” There have been material benefits for many. But even though a person may have plenty of material things and leisure time, how enjoyable is life if the people with whom one associates are selfish, lacking in concern for others?

In their pursuit of material possessions and pleasure, people are trampling “human values” underfoot and replacing them with “money values.” Now they are learning that, even with an abundance, life can be of very poor quality when one is surrounded by undesirable people, a polluted environment, crime and disease. As Jesus Christ observed nineteen centuries ago: “Real life and real living are not related to how rich we are.”​—Luke 12:15, The Living Bible.

Real Indicators of Life’s Quality

We work, play, eat and live with people. Take your family, for example. Are they a rewarding part of your life? Do you look forward to being with them? Or do you prefer the television set? Is the atmosphere of your home tranquil and appealing? Or loud and contentious? Or perhaps just silent and bitter? Divorce that ends about two out of five U.S. marriages answers those questions for many families.

Do you really enjoy contacts with other people? Or do you feel defensive, generally expecting crude and impolite treatment from strangers and often superficial warmth from friends? Lamenting that mankind has “managed at last to achieve a graceless society,” Marya Mannes, in a guest editorial for Newsweek magazine, says: “In more and more adults, whatever manners they once possessed have been eroded by the sheer pressures of daily living: crowds, noise, brutality on a massive scale in life, on screen, in print . . . have murdered [manners]: the social lubricant.”

How about your work? Is it a wholesome way to spend nearly a third of your life? Or are you surrounded by foul language, complaints, pornography, alcoholism, dishonesty and the “I don’t care” spirit? Statistics show that the productivity of American workers suffered its worst decline on record during the first quarter of 1974. Employee dishonesty grows at the rate of 15 percent a year. Workers now steal seventy times as much on the job as criminals do on their “jobs”!

Meanwhile management sets the example. “Never have kickbacks, bribes and conflicts of interest been such a dominant factor in . . . business,” reports the head of a prominent international management consultant firm. To raise profits, greedy businesses often reduce quality. Seldom can one get the “small services” that characterized craftsmanship and integrity of bygone years. They are not “profitable.”

Fear of crime creeps into more and more of life’s activities: the kind and amount of insurance we buy, when and where we walk, whether we go alone, and so on. In New Zealand, Auckland’s police commissioner reports that drastic crime growth alone is “capable of destroying the quality of life we lead.” And projections of the spiraling U.S. murder rate indicate that babies born in 1974 are more likely to be murdered than an American soldier was to die in combat during World War II!

As crime and violence become more common, “the individual’s capacity to be shocked by corruption or wrongdoing is progressively shrinking,” writes Norman Cousins. Many try to insulate themselves from reality and live out their own lives with some degree of normality. Others hope that somehow the problems will go away. But will they?

Decline Reversed?

The facts are that the youths of today are actually being prepared to further the decline! Note what a Texas high school teacher writes, as published in The National Observer: “Guardians [the teachers] of the minds and personalities of our young are products of the same system that produces the businessman who cheats, the housewife who shoplifts, the worker who free-loads, and the public official who with impunity rakes in a little on the side.” How can it be expected that, with such guidance, the youths of today will produce a better world tomorrow? True, many of them are revolting against the present arrangement of things. But is the record of these youths one that reflects genuine concern for the person and property of others?

People used to believe that political or technological solutions would bail them out of any dilemma. But now confidence in governments and other institutions is also plummeting. A New York Times news analysis comments:

“It is obvious that leaders everywhere have lost authority and credibility. . . . governments of all kinds, in all kinds of countries, are in trouble because they do not evoke trust in their ability to solve the problems that are most worrying their people.”​—May 15, 1974.

No, they do not have the answers. Well, then, do the churches? If you are a church member, what does your own experience reveal? Is genuine concern shown for the well-being of fellow church members? Is the standard of sexual morality among those in the church really higher than among those outside? When you do business with someone who belongs to the church, can you really feel confident that you are going to be treated honestly? After his eighteen years of Senate crime investigating experience, U.S. Senator John L. McClellan observes: “In my judgment, some churches no longer demand a truly high standard of integrity and morality today.” Religion is actually part of the decline. It is noteworthy that the Bible foretold that in the “last days” of this system of things people would be “preferring their own pleasure to God.” They would “keep up the outward appearance of religion but will have rejected the inner power of it.” That is the condition that prevails today.​—2 Tim. 3:1, 4, 5, Jerusalem Bible.

But it is not only the situation in the churches that fits the Bible’s description of the “last days.” Open your Bible to 2 Timothy chapter 3, verses 1 through 5, and read for yourself its description of the decline in the quality of life that you yourself have seen. These things, it foretold, would mark the “last days.” Not the “last days” of mankind or of this earth, but the “last days” of the present unrighteous system of things and of all who prefer the kind of life that it offers. God himself will bring this about, and his Word foretells that the extent of the destruction will be global. But is that going to improve the quality of life?

It is an unavoidable necessity if real improvement is to come. It is obvious that not everyone now alive is concerned about the quality of life of other people. Not everyone is willing to give up selfish pursuits. Thus it is only when God takes action to cut off the wicked, those who lack love for God and for their fellowman, those who selfishly think only of themselves​—only then will persons who long for what is right be free of those who spoil the quality of life for others. (Prov. 2:21, 22; Ps. 37:32-34) When that is done, God also promises that he will richly contribute to the quality of man’s life by liberating the human family from bondage to sickness and death and by blessing the work of man.​—Rev. 21:3, 4; Ps. 67:6, 7.

Improving the Quality of Life Now

Even now there is much that can be done to improve the quality of one’s life. Millions of people are reversing the declining quality of their own lives in matters that they can control: family and social relations, manners, morality, language, cleanliness and other things in life that matter most. Though they appreciate the value of material things, these are kept in their place. (Eccl. 7:12; 1 Tim. 6:7-10) Who are those making such changes in their lives? From Quebec’s Journal de Montréal of July 27, 1973, consider this newswriter’s description:

“Jehovah’s Witnesses are very, very civilized people. Courtesy is their way of life. Neatness, cleanliness, and decency also. And this was easily noticeable at their assembly. . . .

“You almost feel as though you were in paradise, as the atmosphere is relaxed, peaceful, and serene. . . .

“And especially, no discrimination. People of all races enjoy fellowship together. There is no one with hidden motives or reservations.

“Decidedly, there is a great lesson to be learned from the conduct of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In observing them, one would think that America has been transformed.”

It is not America, but these Christians who have “been transformed.” What transformed them can transform anyone who wants to improve his quality of life now. The Bible explains how: “Do not conform outwardly to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind.”​—Rom. 12:2, Today’s English Version.

Personal study and application of the Bible’s principles can ‘transform a person inwardly,’ motivating a complete change of personality. It can reverse one’s self-indulgent attitudes that now destroy the quality of one’s life. As the Bible advises, you can clothe yourself with “the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new.”​—Col. 3:5-10.

Accurate knowledge of the Bible also helps people to view realistically those things that are beyond their control: pollution, crime and violence, the behavior of others, and so on. Rather than being disheartened, they rejoice in the knowledge that these things are evidence that “destruction of the ungodly men” and their ways is very close. Then God’s kingdom will bring in the righteous conditions that are so much desired.​—2 Pet. 3:1-7, 13; Isa. 65:17, 20-22; Luke 21:28-31.

This knowledge gives these Christians a truly positive outlook. The Trenton, New Jersey, Sunday Times Advertiser marvels: “In an age of doubt and uncertainty, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are very certain. Through the apathy of the 50’s, the chaos of the 60’s and the disillusion that has already accompanied the burgeoning 70’s, they have continued to be very certain and to spread . . . a way of life governed by a word-for-word adherence to the Bible.”​—April 7, 1974.

Thus, God has already set in motion the reversal of man’s declining quality of life. Right now He is raising the quality of life of the people who will enjoy life in His “new earth.” As if noting this, the London Sunday Telegraph says of more than 50,000 of them assembled at Twickenham Stadium:

“Undoubtedly there is none of the gloom traditionally associated with those who declare that ‘The End Is Nigh.’ Nigh it may be. In the meantime everyone seems to be enjoying himself in a sober, upright, Godly but cheerful manner. . . .

“If the present world order really is about to break down, the Witnesses at Twickenham seem well prepared to organise the new one.”​—August 5, 1973.

You can improve the quality of your life too. Prove for yourself that the Bible’s principles really work in an age when everything else seems to have failed. Accept Jehovah’s witnesses’ free offer to help you to learn from the Bible how to enjoy things in life that really matter.

People Who Enjoy Lives of Real Quality

THERE are people in over two hundred lands who have turned away from ways of life that were built on unsatisfying human philosophies. They have learned the value of the guidance found in God’s Word, the Bible. As a result, they are living rewarding, high-quality lives. Noting this about Jehovah’s Christian witnesses, the Trenton, New Jersey, Sunday Times Advertiser of April 7, 1974, reported: “In essence then their entire lives, the morality, the day-to-day interaction with their families, friends and coworkers, the goals and philosophy, are built on a literal interpretation of Biblical text.”

They simply believe what the Bible says about good-quality life, its counsel on morals, family life, human relations and work. And it works! They do not employ philosophies that pay lip service to the Bible while actually sidestepping its wise counsel. A joyful, harmonious life is the result.

Noting this, the article continues: “The claim to joy and harmony seems substantiated by a visit to a Kingdom Hall for a typical Sunday meeting. The first impression is of a family reunion. Families, many with infants or young children on their laps, greeting other families with warm handshakes, kisses and hearty hellos. Black and white couples intermingle, exchanging news, introducing guests. There is no formality. At one time or another in the meeting, it seems as if everyone is smiling.”

How does the application of Bible principles affect the day-to-day quality of life among these families? A staff writer from the paper visited the home of one young couple with a seven-year-old son to find out. She writes that she found an “immaculate home, much of which [the wife] has refurbished and decorated herself.” Her interview with this young mother revealed how Bible principles have improved the quality of their lives.

“‘We found out what real friends are. And we’ve become so happy together. . . . I go out of my way to fix myself up for [my husband] more. The Bible says, “Seek the advantage of the other person above your own,” and that is now how we live.’”​—1 Cor. 10:24.

“In return, [the wife] has seen a change in her husband she says she could never have dreamed.

“‘He used to spend every Saturday out in the woods hunting and every Sunday watching football. Business was very important to him. That’s all changed now. He sold all his guns and bought cameras and now we go out into the woods together and take slides of all the beautiful things Jehovah has given us. . . . we take our vacation by attending Bible conferences all over the world. We never used to travel. We were worried so much about money and furniture. But the Bible says, “Let your manner of life be free from the love of money.”’”​—Heb. 13:5.

They are anxious to share what they have with others so that they can improve the quality of their lives too. Says the reporter: “Today [the couple] lead a life built around their commitment to Jehovah. Both of them spend time in door-to-door service and [she] says she has had ‘many wonderful experiences bringing people Jehovah’s word​—I have literally seen it work miracles for people.’”

Another young husband in Massachusetts tells how he “lived the life-style that is generally associated with that of a musician” in a successful rock band. “Drugs and immorality were two things that were commonplace.”

“My home and family life were breaking down. About this time one of Jehovah’s witnesses came to the door.”

He, his wife and later his two friends accepted the free Bible study assistance offered by Jehovah’s witnesses. Within a year the quality of all their lives had changed drastically. “My friends and I all dropped out of the entertainment world, we stopped using drugs, and my two friends married their girl friends, whom they had previously been living with, and within a year all six of us were baptized, and are still faithfully serving Jehovah.”

Hundreds of thousands of people each year, responding to the counsel of God’s Word, are making the changes that bring true quality to their lives now. At the same time, they are filled with the grand hope of eternal life in God’s new order, where the quality of life will far surpass anything man has ever experienced.

The Impact of TV

TELEVISION has revolutionized the field of communications. Through it, people can observe in detail things taking place in their own neighborhoods, or in lands thousands of miles away. The television camera has even penetrated the depths of outer space.

In America, from 95 to 98 percent of the people have a television set, putting TV ahead of the telephone as a means of communication. A published report shows that the average American spends about seventeen hours a week in front of a TV set.

Educator Dr. S. I. Hayakawa remarked: “The messages of television, with words reinforced by music and pictures and action, received in a darkened room and reiterated over and over, are the most effective communications ever let loose on the world.”

Television Can Be Beneficial

There is little doubt that such an effective and easily accessible means of communication holds vast potential for benefiting mankind. It can acquaint the viewer with the thinking, way of life and circumstances affecting his fellowman in distant places.

Television has made available some wholesome entertainment programs too. In the privacy of his home a person can enjoy a Shakespeare drama, the Metropolitan Opera, ballet and concerts. There is a television series produced in England that may be enjoyed with or without sound. When the actors talk to one another (which is very seldom) they also employ sign language. This makes available an entertaining and instructive program both for people who can hear and for those who cannot.

The field of education has greatly benefited from television. It makes available a variety of instructive material with a full view of the teacher and of any experiments or visual illustrations that he may provide. One can learn about mathematics, various other sciences, basic household skills, languages and many other things on educational television. Many enjoy “visual essays” that couple a fine view of live performances in arts such as music or dancing with commentary by an expert in the field. Some countries employ TV to cut down their illiteracy rate. Developing countries have found it an effective tool to train people for jobs where there are not enough qualified teachers. And television presentations can be stored on videotape for repeated use.

Young viewers can often talk intelligently on matters that the pre-television generations never dreamed of; and in the case of very young children, TV may contribute to a larger vocabulary, though it often has the opposite effect on older youths.

But television is merely a means of communication. Whether it benefits you personally depends upon the type of programs that you watch. Many voices have been raised in protest at the poor quality of much TV programming. In the United States television has been criticized for “pandering to the lowest common denominator in public taste.”

Materialism and Sexual Immorality

Many things that appear on television create in the viewer a desire for material things that may have little practical value. In this connection L. E. Sissman, writing in The Atlantic of February 1974, refers to “gruesome game shows . . . which dangle material carrots” before the participants “and make us [the listeners] shake with vicarious longing for the prize.”

Many commercials are designed to make people want things that they do not need, cannot afford, or that are really no different from products that they already have. And think of the effect of commercials that make children crave a steady diet of cakes, cookies, soft drinks and sugary cereals.

The trend of television toward the “new morality” is also a disheartening one. Startled viewers have seen shows that deal with homosexuality and lesbianism. Full frontal nudity has appeared on stations of the Public Broadcasting System. Comedy shows often feature off-color humor. And what about the “soap operas”? The pamphlet TV and the New Morality observes: “Daytime soap operas deal frankly with adultery and casually show unmarried couples in bed together.”

These programs may portray sexual immorality as a way of escape to avoid the frustrations of a wilted marital relationship. An unwary viewer could easily develop a feeling of identity with the characters portrayed and might seek similar solutions to his own problems. How unwise to expose oneself to such dangers in view of God’s stated position on sexual immorality as found, for example, at 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10: “Make no mistake: no fornicator, . . . none who are guilty either of adultery or of homosexual perversion, . . . will possess the kingdom of God”!​—The New English Bible.

Of course, not all television programs are of this undesirable type. And when something offensive does appear on the screen, you have the freedom to switch to another channel, or to turn your set off. The kind of TV shows that you watch is largely up to you. If you are selective, television can benefit you.

Effect of TV on Human Relations

We have seen that television can bring far-distant events and people right into one’s home. It can also draw families together to sit down to watch a favorite program. Does TV, therefore, exert a unifying force over people? Does it make for more closely knit family life? It can, but often TV has the opposite effect. How so?

In bygone days when a person wished to learn of events or matters of local or world importance, he would have to get that information by direct communication with other people. Friends would gather at the village well or at the general store for an exchange of news and views. But with television, people may get the same information without bothering with their neighbors. If they are not careful, they can allow television to quash their incentive to communicate with others. One writer spoke of TV watchers as being “anonymous island-audiences, newly separated from one another.”

Can the same thing happen within the family circle? Well, do family members usually profit from associating with one another while watching television? Does the mere fact that they are sitting close to one another build a feeling of togetherness? An article entitled “Family Life in America” observes:

“Family members do not entertain each other when the family watches television; quite often, in fact, any person watching a TV program ignores all other family members present. TV amusement is a one-way road, involving no effort on the part of the family.”

But family television watching does not have to turn out that way. Steps can be taken to assure that television will not drive a wedge between family members. At mealtimes, for instance, it is unwise for families to let the TV set rob them of the opportunity to enjoy one another’s conversation. Says television writer-producer Norman S. Morris:

“Whether the adults choose to eat separately from the child or not, the television set should not be turned on. Mealtime should be a pleasant time; it provides the perfect opportunity for members of the family to communicate with one another. The togetherness provided by mealtimes is very important to the mental health of the family unit.”

Being selective in what you watch will further help to keep lines of communication open. If families include programs of educational interest, television can serve as a springboard to expanded communication. Programs that demonstrate how to prepare a tasty meal or how to make or repair things can lead to animated discussion and wholesome family activity. Norman Morris writes: “Television’s greatest power is sometimes released after the set is switched off.”

The Problem of TV Violence

What some people consider to be the most detrimental effect of much television programming is its emphasis on violence. Some programs feature acts of violence every few minutes; and this may go on hour after hour throughout the day. In a ten-year period a regular viewer can see some 10,000 lives snuffed out. This is bound to have adverse effects.

Last year, for example, a movie appeared on TV in which teen-agers were shown setting fire to derelicts for “kicks.” Shortly thereafter a group of youths forced a Boston woman to douse herself with gasoline and then burned her to death. During the same month three Miami boys were charged with first-degree murder for the same crime committed against a derelict there.

Earlier the same year a television movie opened with the stabbing to death of two young women. “Two weeks later,” says an article appearing in TV Guide of February 2, 1974, “a 17-year-old Atlanta boy admitted killing a young woman in a planned re-enactment.” A similar case happened last spring when a sixteen-year-old English boy kicked an old man to death in imitation of a television movie. The author of the aforementioned article, Jean Davison, explains:

“In confessing to murder, these two killers showed little emotion. Most behavioral scientists believe that watching violence not only makes both normal and abnormal people more aggressive, but research indicates it also tends to make people insensitive to violence committed by others.”

Television and Children

Youths, though they may profit from some programs, are the special prey of bad TV shows. One reason for this is the amount of time that they spend in front of the set. From age six to sixteen some children will devote 12,000 or more hours to television (about three hours a day). That is as much time as many youths will spend in school. Some will nearly double that amount of television time.

Another problem is that very young children believe what they see on TV; they do not distinguish between reality and a make-believe world. Youngsters also have difficulty relating events to context. How are they affected, for instance, when they see a “good guy” doing something bad? A code adopted in Great Britain to curb the amount of violence on television specified: “Good men doing evil things to secure a good purpose provide a bad message to young children.”

A child who watches television several hours a day sees a considerable amount of violence. As children are natural imitators, this can amount to a heavy incentive for even “normal” children to duplicate what they see. Dr. Robert M. Liebert, a child psychologist, pointed out: “Even perfectly normal children will imitate antisocial behavior they see on television, not out of malice but out of curiosity.”

Certain people object that only a small percentage of children will react to TV violence in this way. Should that make a difference? In 1972, Dr. Jesse L. Steinfeld, then U.S. surgeon general, stated:

“Most important here, is that there has been shown to be a causative relationship between viewing violence on TV and subsequent behavior. And I think it is not important to argue whether the number is 10 per cent or 20 per cent or 30 per cent. We have a large population, and if 10 per cent of 20 million children become aggressive and engage in antisocial acts, that is far too many.”

It is true that violence has been a part of human experience throughout the millenniums of man’s existence; this cannot be hidden from children. But alert parents realize that no good purpose is served by allowing youngsters to soak up hours of savagery each day. Bible believers can explain to their children that belligerence and violence are closely connected to selfish sensual cravings when these are allowed to go unchecked. (Jas. 4:1-3) They can point out, too, that man will never solve his problems by violent means, for “man’s wrath does not work out God’s righteousness.” (Jas. 1:20) God himself will act to rid the earth of violence and those who cause it.​—Dan. 2:44; 2 Thess. 1:6-8.

Some Other Pitfalls

It is clear that television, though it has great potential for doing good, can be a menace where there is a lack of self-restraint. A major pitfall is that its ready availability at the flick of a switch can cause many to squander huge amounts of time in front of the TV set. While some diversion or entertainment is beneficial, too much frequently has a detrimental effect.

In a special article analyzing the impact of television, Life magazine of September 10, 1971, stated: “One out of every four viewers ‘feels guilty’ about the time he spends watching.” Doubtless contributing to this guilt feeling is the fact that many pilfer for television time that should go for household duties, homework, or other necessary activities.

Some, when deprived of TV, have experienced “psychological withdrawal symptoms.” Psychologist Henner Ertel stated: “With people who watch regularly, many behavior patterns become so closely related to TV that they are negatively influenced if one takes the set away. The problem is that of addiction.” Certainly you do not want this to be your experience with TV.

Television, as a medium of information, education and entertainment, can benefit you and your family. Be careful, though, not to let it dominate you. Be selective in what you watch; make sure that it helps, not hinders, family togetherness. And carefully regulate the amount of time devoted to TV. In this way the impact of TV in your life can bring benefits.

Solving the Problem of Home Storage

DO YOU have difficulty finding a place for all the items you wish to have in your home or apartment? You are not alone. Home storage is a growing problem. Why is this so?

One reason is that, in many countries, families now own more clothing and furnishings. Also, more and more families are living in cities or communities instead of on roomy farms. And many of such city dwellers live in small apartments where space is extremely limited.

Of course, the advantages of proper storage are obvious. It allows for the best use of space and also makes a home look better​—less cluttered, less crowded. The ideal, as one home economics authority states, is to “store everything so that it is easy to see, easy to reach, and easy to grasp.”

But how can a person work toward this ideal? How can you save space and at the same time store things so that they will stay in good condition?

“Making” Space

First, you will probably have to “make” space. That is, not just utilize present empty space in your home, but ask yourself, ‘What items can I dispense with to leave me more room?’ One expert urges those who have had a home or apartment for many years: ‘Start out by going through all your drawers, shelves and closets and throw away all the things you no longer use.’

‘I can’t afford to throw all those things away!’ some might object. But actually there may be some things that you cannot afford to keep. Why? Simply because, even if you own your home, the space in it is not free. If you heat that space, light it, insure it, or simply pay taxes on it, it costs you money. If seldom-used items fill the space, other things that might be more beneficial cannot be put there.

For example, in his garage a man may have a lawn mower and a canoe. It is true that he may use his lawn mower only during the summer, but he uses it a great deal then. However, what about that canoe? It may not have been used for years. If he really needs storage space, it could prove to be more practical and economical to sell the canoe. This will give him needed space, and on that rare occasion when he might use a canoe he can rent one. Owning things is not always the cheapest way of benefiting from them.

You might also take a fresh look at your clothing. If you never wear a certain garment, then why keep it in your closet? Why not make some changes in it so you will want to wear it, or give it to someone who will use it? Unused clothing simply takes up closet space and delays you in finding clothes you really want to wear. One housewife put it this way: “If during the past year I have not worn the garment at least once, then out it goes.” She also mentioned another factor to consider, adding: “I have found that clothes hang better if they can ‘breathe’​—if there is a little air space around them.”

However, while it may please you to see what a difference “cleaning house” makes, discarding or selling unused articles may not solve all your home storage problems. You may need to consider making better use of existing storage areas or even building new ones.

Your Closets, Drawers, Shelves

Rearranging your closets (or, wardrobe cabinets) can make a big difference, both in gaining space and in easing the frustration of finding items.

For example, you can move the horizontal rod for clothes hangers high enough to allow for use of the floor space underneath. You might hang all your long garments at one end of the rod. Shorter garments, such as shirts, suits and blouses, could go at the other end. Underneath the short garments you now have considerable free space. One young married couple found this an excellent place to put a chest of drawers.

As for closet shelves, shallow ones hung on the back of a closet door (or, cupboard door) may prove to be practical. They allow for things to be out where you can easily find them. Similarly, a shoe rack on the back of the closet door can help to eliminate the crawl-around-the-closet-floor search for them. And you may find that narrow shelves around the walls of closets are more useful than deep shelves, as you can see things and get to them more easily.

Special consideration may be needed for your small child’s closet. If you put the clothes bar down low, he can hang up his own clothes. You may also find it practical to give him a colorful wooden box on wheels or casters, perhaps painted as a house or a garage​—a “home” for his toys. Your little one can then be encouraged to pull it out, fill it and push it back into the closet.

It is good to make full use of any drawers you have or can add. They are usually better than shelves. In drawers, things are kept cleaner and usually you can more easily see and grasp the item you want. Sometimes deep shelves can be given “drawer convenience” by storing items in racks or trays that you can pull out. Also, if your shelves are deep, strive to put similar items behind one another. They will be easier to find. That is, try to place cans of beans behind cans of beans or the same kind of drinking glasses or cups behind one another.

Finding New Storage Areas

Now we would like to suggest a “space hunt.” The results may be surprising. Keep in mind, though, that you cannot count just any empty area as storage space. Space is useless for storage if you cannot get to it or if things cannot be safely stored there.

Does your home have an attic, or space above a lowered ceiling? It may be usable, but, on the other hand, it is not good storage space unless family members can safely get to it. One solution is to install what are called “disappearing” or folding stairs. These are usually metal stairs that fold up into the ceiling and are pulled down when needed, thus making the attic safely accessible.

What about the basement? If it is cool and damp you can count it as premium storage space for wine and such vegetables as potatoes. But if books or clothes are placed in cardboard cartons and then put on a wet basement floor, they often are ruined by mildew. You may want to attempt to seal the walls and floor against moisture with special paint. And you could air it out, possibly using fans and dehumidifiers. If you do use the basement for storage of things that need to be kept dry, consider keeping them off the floor by hanging them on hooks inserted in pegboard or on racks mounted along the wall. If some items are placed on the floor, it might be wise to put them on sheets of plywood or plastic.

You do not have an attic or a basement? Do not give up the hunt. Even in small apartments, new storage areas can be found. Consider these suggestions: Sometimes there is space for shelves under a stairway. Is there space under your bed for flat metal boxes in which you could store blankets? Do you have room for a trunk or a chest in your living room? You could pad the top, making it an attractive bench, and store seldom-used items inside.

Sometimes there is a hallway that dead-ends, going beyond the last door. Might this vacant space be turned into a helpful closet? Also, take a look upward. Is there space above the door of a closet? Some people use this space for a shelf, with a curtain over the front of it for the sake of appearance.

If your need for space is urgent, another good way to create a new storage area is to build a “storage wall.” This can be used to divide a large room or can serve as a partial partition in a smaller room. It can be a permanent wall, or a more versatile mobile unit on wheels or casters. Storage walls can be composed of many variations of drawers, and open or closed shelves. The cabinets in it can even be designed to open from both sides so that the same items can be reached from either side.

Storage Enemies

Careful use of space or good design, however, will not solve all storage problems. In many countries, moisture, mildew and moths are enemies of successful storage.

We have already discussed some dangers of basement moisture, but in many climates it is a problem throughout the house. What can be done? Operating an airconditioner or a dehumidifier is one answer. Airing out the house​—opening drawers, emptying closets—​on breezy, sunny days is also helpful.

Why be concerned? Consider just one of moisture’s “children”​—mildew. Mildew is fungi that appear as a gray or white fuzzy mold. It can be found on anything, but is particularly destructive to books. A small-wattage light left burning in closets will deter it. Airing out possessions and letting air circulate in the closet will also help.

Moths also can do much damage. They prefer the dark. Here they will lay their eggs on any available wool, fur or feathers. Within a week the wormlike larvae hatch and begin to “lunch” on these costly materials. Sunlight, air and the vacuum cleaner can help to keep the problem in check. Clean regularly in dark areas under furniture and in coat closets. You may find certain chemical crystals and sprays useful. It is also recommended that you dry-clean all woolens at least once a year. If you keep things, it certainly pays to care for them.

Of course, if your family must always have what is “new” while keeping all that is “old,” the problem of home storage will persist. On the other hand, if you combine education (learning what you really need) with invention (finding good ways to store it), you can solve the problem. And with proper storage you will have a much better chance of finding things and so attain the real benefit of ownership​—having something when you need it.

Courts Say Watchtower Society ‘Exclusively Religious’

FOUR New York court decisions have again clearly established that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is ‘exclusively religious’ and thereby not subject to real-estate tax on its property which is used for its religious purposes.

On July 11, 1974, the New York State Court of Appeals, by a unanimous (5-0) decision affirmed the decisions of the lower courts that the Society’s Brooklyn and Queens properties be removed from the real-estate tax rolls of New York city. In its opinion, written by Associate Judge Hugh Jones, the Court of Appeals declared that the Society “is organized and conducted exclusively for religious purposes.”

One week later, on July 18, Justice D. C. Pitt of the State of New York Supreme Court, Ulster County, made a similar ruling. He declared that the Wallkill Central School District could not levy real-property taxes against the Society’s farms and printing facilities located about 100 miles north of New York city. “It is clear,” said the Justice, echoing the State’s higher court, “that the activities of the petitioner [the Watchtower Society] must be termed religious in nature.”

In past decades similar decisions have been made by the courts. Why then was it necessary for the matter to come up again? And, why in the New York city case, was it necessary to go all the way to the State’s highest tribunal, the State Court of Appeals?

Cause of the Court Action

Essentially because of the enabling legislation of New York State in 1971. The State’s Real Property Tax Law was amended to grant authority to local municipalities to terminate the tax exemption previously enjoyed by the properties of certain not-for-profit organizations. It provided that property owned by a corporation or association which is exclusively religious should be continued exempt. Property of corporations or associations engaging exclusively in “bible, tract, benevolent, missionary” and similar endeavors could be taxed if the local government so chose.

Accordingly, in June of the same year, the New York City Council amended the tax law of the City to limit real-estate tax exemptions. On November 1 the City Tax Commission informed the Watchtower Society that its properties would be restored to the tax rolls January 1, 1972. The Tax Commission of the City of New York thereby contended that the Society is not exclusively religious and that its New York city properties are not used for religious purposes.

The Society challenged this action as arbitrary and undertook the time-consuming efforts to correct the wrong on the administrative level. A thorough memorandum setting out the nature of the Society as exclusively religious was issued by the Society. Proceedings were had before the Tax Commission. But administrative relief was not granted, and so the Society took the City to court.

First, the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, ruled that the City was wrong; the Society’s property did not belong on the tax rolls. The City appealed the case to the Appellate Division; the City lost again. However, the Tax Commission was allowed to appeal to the New York State Court of Appeals. And there, for the third time, the City was defeated. Judge Jones correctly noted: “The particular words used in its corporate name [that is, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society] do not foreclose inquiry beyond them as to the purposes for which the Society was organized and is conducted. It was organized as a membership corporation for religious purposes.”

The City could appeal no farther. They were ordered to repay all the tax money taken from the Society along with interest and costs.

Upstate, Justice Pitt’s decision regarding Watchtower Farms was in agreement with the action of the Court of Appeals. This case, too, had been in litigation for some time. The Wallkill Central School District did not immediately appeal to the higher court and as of this writing has not done so.

Wisdom of the Decisions

Of course, to those familiar with the work of Jehovah’s witnesses, these decisions came as no surprise. They knew that the work of the Witnesses is religious.

Almost two million of them meet regularly in their Kingdom Halls all over the earth. There they carefully study the Bible and the latest in Biblical scholarship and learn how the Bible’s principles can be put to work in their lives. Emphasis is put on ‘the form of religion that is clean and undefiled’ and pleasing to God.​—Jas. 1:27.

Observant people know, too, that the Witnesses in more than 200 lands enjoy visiting others and explaining to them the good things they have learned from the Bible. But since today many people are very busy, the Witnesses leave millions of pieces of literature, books and magazines for householders to read at their convenience. The printed message, really no more than an extension of oral preaching, similarly encourages good morality, honesty as well as optimism toward the future. All this work is religious.

That it is religious has been recognized by the Supreme Court of the United States. One of its decisions, Murdock vs. Pennsylvania, was cited by the New York Court of Appeals in its recent rendering:

“The hand distribution of religious tracts is an age-old form of missionary evangelism​—as old as the history of printing presses . . . This form of religious activity occupies the same high estate under the First Amendment as do worship in the churches and preaching from the pulpits. It has the same claim to protection as the more orthodox and conventional exercises of religion.”

But where do the Witnesses get the “religious tracts” with which they carry on their activity and which are used at their Kingdom Hall meetings? In the United States most of these have been provided by the Brooklyn and Wallkill establishments. There, ministers who are scholars, writers, printers, engineers and those with dozens of other specialized abilities work as volunteers to produce religious literature. They receive room and board provided by the Society which maintains facilities to produce and serve the food economically. There is a laundry and housekeeping staff to care for living quarters. All this work is of one nature only​—religious.

The studying of Bible literature at Kingdom Halls, as we have seen, constitutes religious activity. Leaving it in the homes of others is religious service. Then, would not the production of it by volunteers also be a religious activity? The courts again have answered, Yes!

These wise decisions, however, only legally confirm what is readily discerned by honest people everywhere: The Watchtower Society is ‘exclusively religious.’

Cancer​—What Hope for a Permanent Cure?

OF ALL the diseases that afflict mankind, cancer is one of the most dreaded. And for good reason. It takes a staggering toll in bodily injury, heartache and death. Especially has this been the case in our twentieth century.

Because of the nature of the disease, the person who finds out he has some form of it usually undergoes severe emotional stress. So do his loved ones. To some, having cancer is regarded as an automatic death sentence.

But is this really so? No; for while the cancer toll is tragically high, and growing in total numbers, the proportion of individuals being successfully treated has also grown.

Yet, while there has been improvement in treating cancer, is there any real hope of permanently conquering it soon? Many medical authorities feel that the unprecedented attack now under way against cancer will someday produce a cure. The Canadian Cancer Society reports: “The research attack on cancer is the greatest and costliest single undertaking in medical history. The problem is so broad and so profound that virtually every branch of modern science is engaged in cancer research.”

But with all this effort, from the medical standpoint a total cure for all types of cancer is not now in view. There have been no scientific “breakthroughs” that can give this hope. Yet, in spite of this, we can say that for a certainty this dreaded disease will be totally erased from the human family.

Before considering how that will come about, let us take a closer look at the problem. How widespread is cancer? Just what is it? What causes the disease? How is it being treated now?

A Fearful Toll

While cancer can be found in nearly every type of society, it is especially prevalent in the “advanced” industrial nations. For instance, in the United States, Medical World News estimated that in 1973 there were about 665,000 new cases of cancer. That does not include superficial skin cancer. It also estimated that during 1973 about 350,000 persons died from cancer. And statistics suggest that, at the present rate, one out of every four Americans will eventually get some type of malignant disease.

Except for diseases of the heart, cancer is the leading cause of death in the United States. For men, the type of cancer that results in the most fatalities is lung cancer. It has become epidemic in recent years. One report shows that the death rate from this form of cancer has gone up 1,400 percent in the past forty years. For women, the highest mortality rate comes from breast cancer. And among both males and females, the second-highest cancer death toll is from cancers of the colon and rectum.

At one time, the survival rate for cancer was pitifully low. The National Advisory Cancer Council in the United States says that in 1938 only one out of five who had cancer survived​—that is, had a chance of being alive five years after diagnosis. But by 1969 the survival rate had gone up to one out of three. In 1973, one report showed that 47 percent of those who had cancer survived.

What Is Cancer?

Cancer is not a single disease. It is actually more than one hundred distinct illnesses. Since body cells differ, the type of cancer depends on the type of cell in which it originates. However, what all cancers have in common is the abnormal growth of cells. This is referred to as malignancy, that is, the tendency to become progressively worse and to result possibly in death.

One broad category of cancers is called carcinoma. These are the most common. They originate in the cells of covering or lining tissues like skin and the mucous membranes of organs such as the lungs, stomach, and in the gastrointestinal tract and mouth. Sarcoma is another broad category, highly malignant but not as common. These originate in connective tissue such as cartilage, muscle and bone. A number of other types, such as leukemia, do not fit into either of these general categories,

Normally, cells in the body die off, but others divide in two and replace those that are lost. But with cancerous cells the regulating of cell divisions breaks down. Thus some cells become cancerous. At first there may be only a few of them amid millions of normal ones. But once the cancer starts, these cells begin to grow in an abnormal and uncontrolled way. They divide much faster than they should, in time forming a mass or tumor.

As the cancer cells multiply, they tend to push normal cells aside, at times denying them the nourishment they need. Some cancers tend to outgrow their own blood supply, and so parts of the tumor may degenerate from lack of nourishment and become foul sores though still malignant and growing. In the end, the cancer destroys whatever stands in its way. When cancerous tumors invade vital organs, the function of these organs becomes impaired. Death is often hastened by the malfunction of that organ.

One of the main characteristics of cancer cells is their ability to metastasize, that is, to break off from the original tumor and travel to other parts of the body. This may be done through the arteries and veins in the bloodstream, or through the lymph canals, those passageways through which the watery fluid, lymph, flows. The traveling cancer cells then settle in other parts of the body and begin growing additional, or secondary, tumors that are called metastases.

However, not all tumors are cancerous or malignant. Some are benign, or noncancerous. While these are also overgrowths, they remain localized and usually encapsulated. They are only dangerous if they keep growing and obstruct vital organs or functions by virtue of size or location. For instance, a relatively small benign tumor in the brain could cause death by pressure on the brain, since the rigid skull does not permit expansion. Yet a much larger benign tumor elsewhere may not be fatal when there is more room for it to expand.

Any Warning Signals?

Does cancer give any warning signals that it is beginning? At its very earliest stage, it gives no clear, specific warning. It may be located where it cannot be seen or felt.

Also, in the early stages of cancer it is usually painless. Ordinarily, it is when cancer has progressed to a dangerous stage that it may become painful. This happens when the tumor presses on some sensitive area or when a vital internal pathway such as the intestines or urinary system is obstructed.

While the early stages are difficult, if not impossible, to detect, there are things for which a person can look. These may suggest that a precancerous or actual cancerous condition exists. The American Cancer Society lists seven warning signals.

Of course, other illnesses can be responsible for these conditions. And those may not have anything to do with cancer. But since these conditions may be warning signals of cancer, they merit immediate attention. And the earlier cancer is treated, the more successful that treatment is likely to be.

Does any particular age-group seem to be more affected by cancer? While it appears in both young and old, it definitely takes a far greater toll of the more advanced age-groups, although a few types tend to strike the very young more often. So it can be said that, in general, cancer is principally a disease of older age.

What Causes Cancer?

Why do cells begin to grow out of control? And why do some people get cancer when others whose circumstances are the same do not?

Apparently some persons are more susceptible to cancer than others. When a certain factor, or combination of factors, develops, those who are more susceptible can get the cancer.

Of course, there are degrees of susceptibility. For instance, in the case of cigarette smoking. If nobody smoked, nobody would get lung cancer from smoking. But among heavy smokers, the risk of getting lung cancer is ten to twenty times as high as among nonsmokers. This is not to say that everyone is affected the same by smoking. Even among heavy smokers there are those who do not get lung cancer. Their resistance to it is evidently greater.

Thus it can be seen that there are a number of variable factors that can increase the likelihood of some people getting cancer. Over the years, some of the factors singled out that “cause” or increase the possibility of getting the disease, are: cigarette smoke, radiant energy from sunlight and X rays, certain chemicals or combinations of them, various inherited and congenital abnormalities, chronic tissue irritation, hormonal imbalance and perhaps even emotional factors. In recent years viruses have been found to “cause” cancer in animals, but their part in human cancer has not been definitely determined.

However, in order for cancer to occur where any such “cause” is present, there has to be a basic failure of the body’s immunological system. That means that the body’s defenses against the disease are in some way broken down. As Dr. Robert Alan Good of the Sloan-Kettering cancer center in New York says: ‘We’ve never found a cancer patient in whom something wasn’t abnormal immunologically.’

Industrial Societies

Perhaps the most significant “cause” for cancer is the industrial way of life. While cancer is found in practically all societies, it is more heavily concentrated in the industrial nations. It is not as pronounced in rural societies.

With industrialization has come a host of abnormal conditions. There is pollution with its wide range of chemical irritants going into the air we breathe, into the water we drink and the food we eat. It has been reported that lung cancer is twice as common among city dwellers as among those who live in the country. The Atlanta Journal says: “The National Research Council . . . concluded that city air is 15 times more polluted than country air. And, as the report said, lung cancer is most common in those city areas where general industrial pollution is worse.”

In addition, the industrial way of life brings about unusual pressures, a faster pace, more congestion. In short, it results in a more severe demand on the body and mind. All of this plays its part in tearing down the body’s immunity system.

The New York Times reports: “Estimates are that 75 to 85 per cent of all cancers are directly or indirectly caused by factors in the environment​—most of them potentially avoidable.” And Dr. Frank J. Rauscher, Jr., of the National Cancer Institute also says:

“Eighty to eighty-five per cent of our cancers are extrinsic in nature​—that is, they originate from sources outside the human body.

“In other words, cancer develops because of something a person does, because of the way he lives, or because of something he’s exposed to.”

As an example of external causes is the lung cancer developed because of smoking cigarettes. About 90 percent of those who get this cancer would not get it if they did not smoke.

Another example of an external cause is asbestos. For some time it has been noted that asbestos workers were more prone to lung cancer and an otherwise rare chest tumor called mesothelioma. The disease develops after years of exposure to asbestos fibers.

Is the industrial way of life related to breast cancer in women? In a way, yes. Women in industrial societies tend to have fewer children or no children, compared to women in agricultural societies. Also, with the abundance of “formulas” and baby foods available in industrial societies, many women living there choose not to nurse their children. It has been found that breast cancer is most frequent in women who have not borne children, or in mothers who have not nursed their babies. And it most often strikes after a woman has passed the menopause.

Also of interest is the following observation by Dr. Rauscher. He says: “Having sexual relations at an early age may increase the risk of breast cancer, and definitely makes cervical cancer more likely. If a woman has multiple partners, her risk of cervical cancer is much higher than among women who do not have multiple partners and who did not engage in sexual relations at an early age. . . . a high risk and incidence occurs among prostitutes.”

Overexposure to sunlight is thought to be a “cause” in skin cancers, especially among lighter-skinned peoples. Medical authorities warn against the habit some lighter-skinned people have of lying in the sun for hours trying to get a tan.

Hence, while no single “cause” has been isolated as the culprit for cancer, many factors are known to come into play. And it does appear that the industrial way of life hastens the breakdown of the body’s resistance to cancer.

How Cancer Is Treated

In the treatment of solid tumors, surgery continues to dominate. Most doctors feel that it is best to get the tumor out of the body, and the sooner it can be diagnosed and removed, the greater the likelihood of stopping the cancer and preventing metastasis.

Recently, there has been disagreement among doctors as to how extensive such surgery should be in some types of tumors. This confronts the patient with a problem: which authority’s advice to follow.

Of course, some people condemn surgery altogether. Yet there are those who have had surgery for cancer and who have found that the cancer did not recur. It is apparent, then, that for some persons this type of treatment is successful.

Another method in cancer treatment is radiation. In certain types of cancer it is preferred over surgery; in others, it is used in conjunction with surgery. In this method, it is hoped that powerful beams of radiation will kill the cancer cells. Since cancer cells are abnormal, usually the amount of radiation needed to kill them is less than that needed to kill normal cells. But since radiation can adversely affect healthy cells while killing cancer cells, the radiation therapist has to be expert in its use.

Lately chemotherapy has come into wider use. This is the application of drugs in the fight against cancer. At one time it was hoped that drugs would be the “breakthrough” against cancer. But that hope has not been realized. Of the tens of thousands of drugs tested, very few have been found to have any effect against cancer. Too, a problem with drugs is that, while a few may have beneficial results, they can also have harmful side effects.

Immunotherapy is a recent field of study. Here scientists hope to harness the body’s immunity system to help it fight cancer. If an agent can be isolated that would help, it is hoped that a vaccine can be developed from it. As of now, however, there has been only some limited success in treating cancers of the skin with this method.

Other Treatments

While the above-mentioned methods of treatment are the common ones, there have been, and are, others. A few have risen to some prominence in times past, only to disappear as their effectiveness was not proved.

To be condemned, however, are the “cures” promoted by unscrupulous persons whose only interest is to make money from cancer patients. Usually these are quickly exposed by authorities and action is taken against them. Any claim of a “sure cure” for cancer today must be suspect. There is no such cure at present. Cancer specialist Dr. Salvador E. Luria, a Nobel prize winner, stated: “Any vision of a crash program promising a ‘cancer cure’ in three or five or ten years would be a self-delusion and a dangerous misleading of the public.”

Among the “unorthodox” treatments now in use, and one of the most controversial, is a substance called Laetrile, made from apricot pits. Its use as a cancer treatment is forbidden in the United States. But it is permitted in Mexico. Its proponents sincerely believe that it can successfully fight cancer. Its opposers are equally sincere in condemning it.

One of its best-known users, Dr. Ernesto Contreras of Mexico, maintains that it is not a “cure” but a “control,” and compares it to the use of insulin for diabetes. However, he states: “Primary malignant tumors of the bone, muscle, joint, etc., primary brain tumors, and acute leukemias generally do not respond well to the Laetrile therapy.” In advanced cancer cases, he says, “the palliative action is in about 60% of the cases,” and that “it produces a striking analgesic effect and well-being sensation.” In a small percentage of these cases, some 15 percent, he claims, there is an “arrest of the disease or even regression.”

The above claims, while more modest than what some of Laetrile’s promoters say, are still challenged by nearly all the medical profession. Recently, the substance was tested on experimental animals at the Sloan-Kettering cancer center in New York. Dr. Robert Good, director of the institute, stated: “At this moment, there is no evidence Laetrile has any effect on cancer.” He added: “Laetrile appears to have no beneficial effect on tumors. . . . there is a lot of emotion surrounding it but little scientific evidence.” Of course, proponents of the treatment dispute such conclusions.

Preventing Cancer

Another way recommended by some in dealing with cancer has to do with better nutrition. It is felt that a healthy body will be better equipped to maintain its guard against the inroads of cancer. And more authorities are recognizing the benefits that might come from such “preventive medicine.” The National Observer reported: “When Dr. Roger J. Williams told the National Academy of Sciences last week that the best preventative against cancer might be a more nutritious diet, nobody laughed.”

In the area of prevention, one thing that many people can do is to stop smoking. This would slash the lung cancer death rate by about 90 percent. Also, sound is the advice given by Dr. Marvin Schneiderman of the National Cancer Institute: “I would recommend . . . moderation in all things. Don’t smoke. Cut down your high fat intakes. Cut down the high caloric intake. For men, certainly, and perhaps for women also, a good deal more activity, a good deal more exercise.” This view is quite similar to the one taken by cancer researcher Dr. Boris Sokoloff, who points out that, on the average, cancer patients weigh more than noncancer patients and that “overnutrition is unusually common in histories of cancerous patients.”

Also recommended is having regular medical checkups. The key to successful control in cancer cases often lies in detecting it early. The sooner it is diagnosed, the more successfully it can be treated. In this regard, become familiar with the seven warning signals. If you have one or more of those signs, it can be beneficial to get professional help.

Permanent Cure

Yet, regardless of how much a person does to prevent cancer, and how well it is treated, from the human standpoint no cure is in view. But without a doubt a permanent cure is in sight!

Man’s Creator, Jehovah God, knows why the human body breaks down and what must be done to counteract all sickness permanently. And soon, God’s heavenly kingdom will undertake work on behalf of mankind that will result in permanent cures for all diseases, including cancer.

God’s Word promises that he “will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” (Rev. 21:4) The king of God’s heavenly kingdom, Christ Jesus, gave assurances of these cures to come. When he was on earth, he healed the sick and raised the dead as an evidence of what he would do as the one appointed by God to be king.​—Matt. 15:30, 31; John 11:38-44.

All the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that the time for God’s kingdom to administer earth’s affairs without any rival form of rulership is very near. That will mean the time is also near for the beginning of God’s great healing program in his new order. It is a great encouragement to know that then the total and permanent eradication of this great plague, cancer, will take place. The horrible toll in death, suffering and tears because of cancer will then be gone forever!

[Box on page 19]

Cancer’s Warning Signalsa

1. Unusual bleeding or discharge.

2. A lump or thickening in the breast or elsewhere.

3. A sore that does not heal.

4. Change in bowel or bladder habits.

5. Persistent hoarseness or cough.

6. Constant indigestion or difficulty in swallowing.

7. Change in size or color of a wart or mole.

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 18]

Among heavy smokers, the risk of getting lung cancer is 10 to 20 times as high as among nonsmokers

[Picture on page 21]

Overexposure to sunlight is thought to be a “cause” in skin cancer

Warm Up Before Strenuous Exercise

● A medical-school study urges people who exercise to avoid starting strenuous physical activity suddenly. Being in good physical condition has no bearing on the danger. Electrocardiograms on forty-four healthy firemen showed that thirty-one of them developed abnormalities after starting a running exercise abruptly. Dr. R. James Barnard said that this sudden start could cause a blood shortage in the heart’s coronary arteries and bring on a heart attack. This could happen even if the arteries are not abnormally clogged. The study advised first doing some warm-up activity before strenuous exercise.

Mr. Oyster Talks About His Masterpiece

HELLO! I am an oyster. I live in the warm waters off Mie Prefecture in Japan. My family’s name is Akoya. We are in the pearl-making business. Years ago life was easygoing, but now, with so much pressure for production, our entire family is very busy making the popular Akoya pearls. We have relatives laboring around the world, from Thursday Island, North Australia, to the Red Sea and on to the Gulf of California.

When you enter a shop to admire or buy our elegant masterpieces, do you ever consider what we have been through to produce them? We have been shifted from home to home. We have undergone a major operation. We have been manhandled. We have toiled twenty-four hours a day all year around.

Childhood Memories

When I was very young, I lived in seawater that was about twenty-five degrees Centigrade (77 degrees Fahrenheit). From rafts, cedar branches were lowered into the water, and I clung to one of them. True, I was only a baby, but from then on I began to feel like a real oyster. After ten days, when I was almost half an inch long, I was taken off the branch, put into a fine-mesh net and suspended from a raft, along with many relatives. We continued growing and were constantly moved to larger nets. At year’s end, when I was almost two inches long, the oyster breeder sold me to a pearl culturist. I had no choice.

I Have an Operation

At first the grown-up world was enjoyable. We were well looked after and had all that we needed. Then came a shock. A number of us were crowded into bamboo baskets and dropped to the cold sea bottom. Did we ever get sick! But that was nothing compared with the way we felt when we were suddenly hauled up to the warm surface waters. We were terribly weak, and the severe shock caused males to eject their sperm and females their eggs.

I cannot speak for the others, but I surely felt in no condition for what was coming. However, the nucleus-insertion technician gave me a checkup. And, do you know what? He declared that I was in tip-top shape. He then opened me up and inserted a sphere cut from the shell of a pigtoe mussel, a foreigner from the Mississippi River in the United States. Besides this nucleus material, a piece of another healthy living oyster’s mantle (an organ lining the inside of our shells) was transplanted into me. This enveloped the nucleus and began to form nacre. The nacre gives that familiar pearly look. The inserted sphere was only a few millimeters in diameter​—not very big by your standards. But to me it felt as a football would feel in your stomach!

The pearl culturist must have sensed how we were feeling because he treated us kindly after the operation. We were gently laid in metal baskets and slowly put into the water to hang from rafts. We rested quietly. Some of my relatives found the shock of the operation too great and ejected their nuclei. Upon developing certain symptoms, these oysters were taken away. I began to feel better and was ready to work. Making nacre was a protection against the foreign body put inside me; but I also enjoyed this work, knowing that you would find pleasure in my pearl.

During spring and summer, I was kept in water at a depth of about eight feet and I made a lot of yellow nacre. In autumn and winter, I was lowered to eighteen feet. Although less in quantity, the pinkish nacre I then made was of higher quality.

The Women of the Sea

Throughout my three working years, I have had daily attention. The baskets and ropes are checked constantly for damage caused by typhoons, strong tides and pests. Do you know who does this? The women of the sea, renowned pearl divers. Because we oysters now live in baskets, these women do not have to spend their time searching for us, as they once did. Their work now consists of hauling us up for a good old scrub-down four times a year. We like that! Off go the parasites that want to live on our shells, as well as the seaweed that clings to us.

Do you know why mainly women do this work? Now, ladies, please do not be offended. It seems that you are blessed with more fat than men. This means you can stand the cold seawaters for longer periods. Of course, this chilling work brings in a little extra pocket money, and the women of the sea do not mind that.

My grandfather told me that these women swim from youth until old age, doing best when in their thirties. Granddad used to worry about them, though, because they could not breathe underwater as we can. He felt three minutes was long enough for any human, but some pearl divers remained submerged longer than that. Poor old Granddad was always a worrier. Yet he never saw any women of the sea die from staying below the surface too long.

‘Pearls of Wisdom’

Now I will give you some tips on buying our masterpieces. You might call my remarks ‘pearls of wisdom.’ First of all, remember that pearls come in many colors, shapes and sizes. Some are plump and round; others, small and uneven. Unusually shaped pearls, called baroque, often are used for earrings and pendants. The blue baroque, although popular, actually is made by sick oysters. Did you know that?

In the past, older women often desired the elegant black and blue pearls, whereas younger ladies chose pink; white and silver pearls were favored by those of ages in between. Now the color most desired is pink, followed by white. In single items of jewelry, pearl rings rank first in sales, although by weight more pearls are sold as necklaces. Manufacturers are endeavoring to develop a wide variety of settings to show off pearls of all colors. Say, how about a striking green one? We make those too.

A high-quality pearl has a thick nacre layer, and that gives it luster that will last for hundreds of years. Our gems, having a deep pearly luster, often give the impression of glowing pink in the center. Women think these pearls are beautiful, but many men see them as a threat to their checkbooks. A word of caution: Do not buy pearls having faint brown or gray patches. These will become discolored in a few years. Also, the nacre of white pearls is often very thin and the initial luster soon fades.

Since weight governs the price of a pearl, you may want to purchase a smaller size. For instance, rather than a necklace of standard seven-millimeter pearls, what about buying one that has our six-and-three-quarter-millimeter gems? It is far less expensive, and few people will notice the difference.

Oh, did you know that the Bible contains an illustration reflecting the value of pearls? Yes, Jesus Christ likened the kingdom of heaven to a “pearl of high value.” (Matt. 13:45, 46) To us, of course, all our pearls are valuable. We spend much time and energy producing every one of them! Even so, we recognize that in human hands our products vary immensely in value and price. A top-quality pearl is a large, unbored, perfect sphere. Any slight flaw can be treated so as to become almost invisible. True black pearls are the most valuable.

Genuine or Imitation?

We are flattered that humans try so hard to imitate our pearls. Your man-made pearls once were nothing more than powdered scabbard fish scales applied to glass balls! Now you make beads of ground “bad” pearls and oyster shells mixed with plastic. We reluctantly admit that some of them are very good. At first glance, even your experts have trouble telling the difference. But, then, we oysters expect that. After all, they’re only human!

Do you know the difference between genuine and imitation pearls? If the pearl has been bored for threading, the imitation will have telltale marks. Because of mass production, there will be a slight protrusion on each side of the hole. That is where the beads have been cut from one another. Moreover, the pearls of a necklace or a brooch will not be identical in color if they are genuine high-quality pearls, but the imitations always match.

Now, please take another look at our genuine oyster-made brand. Two never have the same face. You may notice flaws in them. These very markings prove that they were made, not by machines, but by us​—pearl masters of the deep. Naturally, an expensive pearl will have few flaws.

Suppose you still cannot tell the difference between imitation and genuine pearls. What can you do? Well, the Japanese test them with their teeth. The true pearl will catch on the front of your teeth because its surface is uneven. On the other hand, the imitation pearl will slip. If uncertainty persists, why not take the pearl to a jeweler? He will weigh it. Because of the nacre layer, the true pearl is heavier. But perhaps the most positive test consists of subjecting the pearl to an ultraviolet beam in a dark room. Only the imitation pearl will shine white. Even without expert help, you can consider luster. The genuine pearl will have a warmth about it that makes the imitator look cold.

Care of Pearls

May I ask you to look after our masterpieces. Acid damages them, and after a few hours, human perspiration begins to work on the pearl. So it is good to use a chamois or a soft cloth to wipe pearls after wearing them. Detergent, perfume and makeup harm pearls too, causing them to lose their luster. So please be careful.

Well, I have reached the age of six. That means I am getting old. Soon I will hand over to you my lifetime’s masterpiece. I do hope you will enjoy and treasure it.

What Is the Bible’s View?

Is Hypnotism for Christians?

FOR centuries hypnosis has been shrouded in mystery. Once a ready tool of pagan priests and charlatans, today it is gaining “respectability.” Psychiatrists, dentists, clergymen and many others employ hypnotism at times. It has been lauded as an aid in such endeavors as curing psychosomatic disorders, easing childbirth and breaking the habit of using hallucinogenic drugs. A cleric wrote: “As a clergyman, pastoral counselor and a practicing hypnotist of several years’ experience, I do not know of any person who has been harmed in any way through the use of hypnosis. . . . Among the various phenomena utilized by man for his good, hypnosis is certainly the safest.”

But others consider hypnotism dangerous. In fact, some of its practitioners have been driven insane. And Andrew Salter, a leading authority in this field, has said: “As a result of hypnotic suggestion subjects have stolen money, rushed to pick up rattlesnakes, and thrown sulphuric acid into a man’s face, which, unknown to the subject, was protected by invisible glass. . . . Put bluntly, through hypnosis it is possible to force persons to commit crimes.” Hence, there is good reason to ask: Is hypnotism for Christians?

The very possibility of danger merits serious consideration. Would it not be wrong for a Christian to imperil his mentality? Does he have the right to endanger his own life, or that of another, by carrying out what could prove to be dangerous commands, should the hypnotist be unscrupulous? No indeed! A dedicated Christian belongs to Jehovah and should use his mind and body in ways that please and honor God.​—Rom. 12:1; 14:7, 8; 1 Cor. 10:31.

Even seemingly entertaining exhibitions of hypnosis on stage should give the Christian cause for reflection. Suppose a hypnotized person is told that he is a dog and then he senselessly tries to bark and jump about canine-fashion on his hands and knees. Is that not degrading? Surely it would not please or entertain a thoughtful Christian, who has deep regard for the Creator and knows that man was made “in God’s image.”​—Gen. 1:26, 27.

While under hypnotic influence, persons have engaged in grossly immoral acts, such as committing adultery with the hypnotist. Obviously, to please Jehovah, Christians must avoid such wrongdoing. They should uphold the honorableness of marriage, “for God will judge fornicators and adulterers.” (Heb. 13:4) Christians must shun circumstances that could jeopardize their standing with God and their prospects of eternal life.

No human knows exactly how hypnotism works. Yet, in this regard, its background should not be ignored. “Its history is inextricably interwoven with occultism, and even to-day much hypnotic phenomena is classed as ‘spiritualistic,’” states An Encyclopædia of Occultism. Some would associate hypnosis with what the Bible refers to as “wicked spirit forces.” (Eph. 6:12) Thus J. Garnier, in his book The Worship of the Dead, declared that such things as mesmerism (hypnosis) and powers of spiritistic mediums “are merely the reproduction of the phenomena of ancient magic, produced by exactly the same arts as those by which the Pagan magicians, sorcerers, wizards, necromancers, etc., sought the assistance of the demons who they regarded as their gods.”​—Compare Acts 16:16-18.

Magic-practicing priests flourished in Egypt as early as the lifetime of Joseph, son of Jacob or Israel. (Gen. 41:8, 24) Later, Moses was opposed by such practicers of occult arts. (Ex. 7:11, 22; 8:7) Whether hypnotism was used by those priests or not, in later centuries sick and disabled Egyptians sought restoration of health by their deities during a state known as “temple sleep.” Actually, it was a hypnotic trance, induced either by certain actions of the magic-practicing priests or by fumes arising from the particular kind of incense they burned. Babylonian sorcerers and others of ancient times also endeavored to effect cures by hypnotism or related phenomena.

How have God’s servants of the past viewed practices associated with occultism? Faithful persons in ancient Israel would have nothing to do with such things, for Jehovah had declared through Moses: “There should not be found in you . . . anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah.”​—Deut. 18:9-12.

Though Christians are not under the Mosaic law, they appreciate its lofty principles. (Rom. 6:14; Col. 2:13-17) Realizing that God’s inspired Word condemns occultism and those employing it, true Christians view the occult and associated practices as disapproved by Jehovah. (Mal. 3:5; Rev. 21:8) Former practicers of magical arts who became Christians in ancient Ephesus not only abandoned occult pursuits, but destroyed their costly books on magic.​—Acts 19:18, 19.

But even if hypnosis had no occult associations, true Christians would shun it. Why? Because hypnotism requires the complete surrender of one’s will to another human. Says The Encyclopedia Americana: “After a time, he [the subject] is beyond the power to recover independent decision and the hypnotist may then direct him to carry out any act within his capacities and he will respond unthinkingly. Then he is ‘hypnotized.’” In contrast, Jesus Christ recognized that it was his responsibility always to do the will of his heavenly Father, and he could not do that by giving himself over in an unreasoning submission to the will of another man. (John 6:38; Heb. 10:9, 10) Christ taught his disciples to pray for the accomplishment of God’s will. (Matt. 6:9, 10) Having made a dedication to God, a Christian must not surrender his will to some hypnotist, but needs to exercise it in harmony with the will of Jehovah.​—Rom. 12:2.

Some clergymen resort to hypnotism when counseling their parishioners, but in doing this they are not imitating Jesus Christ. The Bible is the God-approved source of needed counsel on life’s problems. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) God’s holy spirit, not hypnotherapy, is the divine provision to help persons to replace moral uncleanness, idolatry and other ungodly traits with love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness and self-control. (Col. 3:5-11; Gal. 5:22, 23) Furthermore, Jehovah, not some hypnotist, provides the strength that Christians need to cope with hardships.​—Phil. 4:6, 7, 13.

Whether a Christian will consult a doctor who at times uses hypnosis in treating others must be decided personally. (Gal. 6:5) But a true Christian would not permit it to be employed in his own case. Why? Because hypnotism is not for Christians.

Watching the World

1974 in Vision and Reality

◆ Men of this world are weak at predicting the future. Consider: On July 6, 1949, the Milwaukee Sentinel gave a “preview” of twenty-five years in the future. What was foreseen? “The year 1974 will have prices so low that the buyer [will] be able to select things that appeal to him at the moment and then discard them as easily as last year’s dress.” Compare that vision with reality. The July 6, 1974, New York Times reports: “Soaring food costs are making it increasingly difficult for the poorer countries​—and poorer people everywhere—​to get a share of limited food supplies and still find money for almost equally vital needs.”

“Divine Purpose” Assemblies

◆ In a five-week period (June 20 to July 28) “Divine Purpose” District Assemblies of Jehovah’s Witnesses were conducted in over 40 U.S. cities. Over 803,000 persons were in attendance at the public lecture, a highlight of the four-day meetings. At the public talk, the speaker pointed out that men’s plans continue to fail, in spite of being constantly revised. As a result there is no unity, not even in Christendom. “Promises of politicians to lay the foundation for a ‘generation of peace’ sound hollow!” he noted. The cause? “An overlooking of the Creator . . . and his counsel.” True harmony, the speaker said, will come in the manner set out in the Bible. There were over 20,800 persons baptized at these 59 English and Spanish assemblies. The concluding three assemblies are not included in this report.

World Council of . . . ?

◆ If a layman goes to a religious conference he expects to hear talk about religious matters. Does he? Well, Magnus Pyke, secretary of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, attended the recent meeting of the World Council of Churches in Bucharest, Romania. New Scientist says this is what he found: “To a scientific stranger from a non-religious life, the proceedings in Bucharest came as a considerable surprise. Much of the discussion​—some of it heated—​was about politics, by what brand of ‘socialism’ social justice should be achieved (no one had a good word to say about capitalism), and how rich nations should be made to atone for their riches and become poor so that this would be followed . . . by the poor countries becoming richer.”

Canning Costs

◆ To know why canned goods cost you more at the market, consider what is happening in California. About 40 percent of all U.S. canned items come from that state. Raw fruits and vegetables now cost the canning processors between 60 and 150 percent more than last year. Sugar has tripled in cost; wood pallets used to stack cans now cost twice as much. Machinery is up 25 percent. And labor will be getting 30 to 40 percent more money over the next three years.

A Farmer’s View

◆ Farmers across the U.S. planned to hold their wheat until they could get top prices; some city people may not understand this action. Melvin Winger, a farmer in Johnson, Kansas, explains their predicament: “Last year most farmers around here sold early and then watched the price double. This year, we‘ve learned, and we’re going to wait.” However, he calls his wait “a real gamble.” Why? Well, in less than one hour in late July, when the price of wheat dropped 30 cents per bushel, farmer Winger’s 95,000 bushels of wheat was worth $28,500 less!

Latin-American Churches

◆ The journal Theology Today recently summarized the condition of Christendom’s Latin-American churches. The picture is bleak: “Enrollments in seminaries have dropped considerably; priests have left the ministry in such numbers that it is called a ‘vanishing profession.’ Conflicts and tensions grow in the churches as conservatives, progressives, revolutionaries, denominationalists, revivalists, and charismatics divide the Christian community . . . Both Catholic and Protestant communities are involved in this crisis.”

Australia’s Empty Churches

◆ Australian churches are “experiencing a slump,” L. Grope, president of the Lutheran Church of Australia, recently told The Seattle Times. He says, “I suppose 95 per cent of Australians would call themselves Christians of one shade or another. But those who like dabbling in statistics would suggest that in recent years there have never been more than 10 per cent of those who have attended (church) at all regularly. If there are a few less now than this​—well, it’s hardly noticeable; the churches are empty anyhow.”

Getting Away with Murder

◆ Recently published figures show that there were 644 homicides in Manhattan in 1973. Of this number only 46 were convicted of homicide. Some cases were yet to be settled at the end of the year; but many killers pleaded guilty to lesser crimes, thus gaining lighter sentences. Says former Deputy Police Commissioner Robert Daley: “As a direct result of the plea-bargaining process, many cold-blooded killers now go to jail for less than four years.”

Walrus Weathermen

◆ Walrus are being used to forecast ice conditions in the Arctic. In 1965 a group of walrus was spotted a full 100 miles in from the edge of an ice field; within two weeks the area was virtually free of ice. Similar happenings have occurred since. Experts guess that walrus go far back onto the ice field as they follow warm sea currents. Their choicest food is found where warm and cold water meet; the warm current eventually breaks up the ice. Says the Soviet magazine Znaniye-Sila: “All walrus ‘prognostications’ have proved correct.”

A Faster Recovery

◆ Can religion aid a sick person to get well quicker? In a current issue of the American Medical News, Dr. R. J. McFerran of Orange, California, says: “It has been my experience that patients with an active, positive religious faith do get better faster and are not ill as often. Believers do have hang-ups, neuroticisms, and organic illness, but as a psychiatrist once quoted to me when I asked him his feelings on religion and psychiatry, ‘I feel that the battle for return to good mental health is 50% accomplished at the beginning of therapy if the patient has a faith on which to structure treatment.’”

The Elderly

◆ A World Health Organization (WHO) study says that the elderly in so-called poorer nations are better off than those in advanced nations. Why? Developing countries generally accord status to the old people; they are cared for by their families. Advanced nations, on the other hand, often force old people to retire and become reliant on the state for support. The study suggests that the aged be allowed to work as long as they are physically and mentally able.

New Archbishop and His Bible

◆ In November the Church of England will have a new Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Donald Coggan. What are his views about the Bible? The Guardian reports that during an interview Dr. Coggan “replied that he did not take all parts of the Bible as equally valid.”

Cause of Africa’s Famine

◆ What is a main cause of the famine in Africa’s Sahelian region? Science magazine may step on some “experts’” toes when it claims that the famine was caused primarily by man himself, noting that “Western science and technology, and the best intentioned efforts of donor agencies and governments over the last several decades, have in fact made a principal contribution to the destruction . . . Few Western interventions in the Sahel, when considered over the long term, have worked in the inhabitants’ favor.”

Deflating Inflation

◆ International economic policy has brought on many inflationary problems. But the chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, A. F. Burns, does not overlook another major cause: “Ironically, the roots of that bias [toward inflation] lie chiefly in the rising aspirations of people everywhere. . . . In some of our businesses, price competition has atrophied as a mode of economic behavior, in part because many of our families no longer exercise much discipline in their spending . . . Careful spending habits are not only in the best interest of every family; they could contribute powerfully to a new emphasis on price competition in consumer markets.”

Who Is the Prostitute?

◆ A convention of 700 prostitutes recently met in San Francisco. Today, that raises few eyebrows. But at least some persons were surprised to learn that the prostitutes gathered in a Methodist church. Says one letter published in The Cleveland Press: ‘That’s like the Mafia convening in the hall of the Fraternal Order of Police.’

Religious ‘Sensationalism’

◆ To appeal to the world, religious writers often use public relations gimmicks. Why? A writer in the Christian Century magazine explains: “How do you compete with a television film showing the slaughter of villagers? You proclaim the death of God. How do you avoid being shoved into the background, or indeed off-camera, by black-power? You write black theology.”

Consumerism ‘Fizzle’

◆ Inflation has caused people to make some adjustments in unusual areas. One matter affected has been the so-called consumer revolution. Says Business Week: “Inflation has drastically changed the picture in the past 18 months. The consumer, rather than wondering whether he is buying the best product, is now wondering whether he can buy any product at all. The much-vaunted power of the ‘new consumer’ in America fizzled completely.”

More Dog Bites

◆ “Attention has been focused on the wrong end of the dog,” says Dr. David Harris, a former New York City deputy health commissioner. The nuisance of dog droppings has taken attention off of dog bites​—now called a problem of epidemic proportions. For about twenty years after World War II there were about 28,000 dog bites each year reported in the City. With the great increase in the number of dogs in the City, in 1973 the number rose to 40,000. Since only half are reported he feels the actual number of dog bites was really 80,000. Interestingly, 80 percent of the time the dogs bit people that they know, not strangers.

Dutch Catholicism

◆ Much of the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands has been saturated with liberal views. With what result? Holland Herald answers: “The right-wing Roman Catholic group Confrontatie (Confrontation) has made a plea for orthodox priests from abroad to come to Holland and help combat the onslaught of liberalism within the Church. They have also asked Holland’s right-wing priests to serve more parishes, and for pensioned priests to come out of retirement ‘before it’s too late.’”

Disappearing Savers

◆ More and more people have given up hope in the world’s economic system. Notes Richard Neff reporting from Strasbourg, France, for Saturday Review/​World: “Modest savers, people on fixed incomes, and creditors have always suffered most from inflation. Today, however, even these groups do not resist inflation as they once did. Savers are in any case a quaint, disappearing race. In traditionally conservative France, savings were 16 times greater than credit buying in 1959; they are only five times greater now!”

Enjoy A Bible In Living English

The vigorous, expressive language of The Bible in Living English has delighted many. “I can forget I’m reading and just live alongside the characters, and so absorb more of the background,” one reader writes.

Order this new Bible translated by Steven T. Byington. It has large print, marginal notes and a dark-blue cover with gold-embossed title; 1,598 pages. Only $6, postpaid.

Please send The Bible in Living English, also, as a gift, the booklet “Look! I Am Making All Things New.” I enclose $6.

Did Man Get Here By Evolution Or By Creation?

Are you a descendant of an apelike beast that lived millions of years ago?

Sooner or later this question confronts almost everyone, especially students in school. What are the facts?

Either God directly created man, as the Bible says, or man evolved. Do you know the evidence put forth to support each view? Read it in the 192-page book Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation? Only 25 cents, postpaid.

Please send the hardbound book Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation?; I enclose 25c.