August 22

Is Abortion the Answer?

PERHAPS you have heard that question before, or have even asked it yourself. It arises often, in connection with a variety of problems. So, you may wonder: Is legalized abortion the best way to curb earth’s population explosion? Might it end abuses that claim the lives of many women seeking abortions outside the law? And is legal abortion the way to solve personal problems associated with unwanted pregnancy?

Attitudes and laws on abortion differ greatly from place to place. Abortion is illegal in chiefly Moslem Arab lands. It is banned in Nigeria, unless a doctor certifies that the woman’s life is imperiled. The West German Constitutional Court ruled against abortion on February 25, 1975. Conversely, on January 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court affirmed the legal right of a woman to have an abortion during early pregnancy. And women of Japan can have legal abortions nearly upon demand through the seventh month of their pregnancy. Of course, in nations allowing abortion, regulations governing it vary considerably.

An Answer to Population Problems?

As you probably know, millions of women are having abortions within the law or outside of it. The United Nations Population Division has reported that “abortion may be the single most widely used method of birth control in the world today.” But does this mean that abortion is a desirable answer to man’s population problems?

A very liberal abortion law was passed by Japan’s Diet in 1948. What has resulted? A population curb, of course. Nevertheless, after a quarter of a century of easy abortion, Professor T. S. Ueno of Nihon University in Tokyo observed: “Abortion has become a way of life. Moral life has become disorderly. It is an age of free sex, and the life of the unborn is not respected.”

Yes, abortion has helped to curb population growth. But at the same time it has proved to be corrosive morally. It certainly has not engendered deep regard for human life. So, is abortion really a desirable answer to population problems? Do not reason and logic say, No?

An Answer to Abuses?

Especially if you know a woman who was injured through illegal abortion you may wonder if the legalizing of abortions in some places has ended dangerous abuses. For instance, by replacing illegal abortions with those that were legal, what effect did the 1973 United States Supreme Court decision have? According to Dr. Christopher Tietze, Population Council senior consultant, the decision reduced abortion deaths of women from over 300 annually in the 1960’s to 47 in 1973. But that court decision did not put an end to abortion deaths. Dr. Tietze said that a number of illegal abortions continued to be performed that year, and they resulted in 25 of those 47 deaths.

Consider India as another example. An estimated 5,000,000 women have abortions there each year, either legally or illegally. In 1971, Indian women were given the legal right to have an abortion in a hospital upon demand. However, since some 80 percent of them live outside the cities where such facilities exist, their abortions often are perilous operations that are not performed by physicians.

So, has the legalizing of abortions put an end to abuses? No; great danger still exists in millions of cases.

Safe Answer to Personal Problems?

World population problems and the perils of illegal abortion, though, may be relatively unimportant to a woman who has an unwanted pregnancy. Perhaps she is unmarried and feels emotionally incapable of bearing and rearing a child conceived out of wedlock. Is abortion the answer?

She obviously needs to consider various factors. For instance, even under the supposedly safe conditions of legalized abortion, she might be imperiling her health and life. Professional views vary, of course, but, according to Professor T. S. Ueno, legal abortions are not in every way “remarkably safer” than those that are illegal. He feels that the quick change from a pregnant state results in imbalance of the woman’s sympathetic nervous system. Among further bad effects, he includes exhaustion, sleeplessness, headache, vertigo, cramps, neuralgia, psychosomatic illness, extrauterine pregnancies, habitual spontaneous abortions and sterility.

Even if a woman were to go to an abortion clinic, she would likely be informed that there are dangers. Infection and hemorrhaging can occur. It may be admitted to her that some women die as a result of having an abortion. So a legal abortion is not a safe answer to personal problems.

Distressing Reactions

Not to be overlooked are the distressing emotional reactions often experienced by women who have abortions. You may find quite thought provoking the case of a twenty-two-year-old unmarried university student. Evidently, she never expected an unfavorable emotional reaction as a result of undergoing an operation at an abortion clinic. Nevertheless, anxiety developed as she waited. Then came the actual abortion. “In stormed the doctor​—faceless, voiceless, devoid of emotion,” she said later. “He didn’t say hello or even glance at my face.” The operation proceeded​—and it was painful too. Finally, it was over.

“Then I erupted into tears,” admitted the young woman. “Here I thought I had been utterly composed.” Of her homeward trip, she said, in part: “As if to purge myself at last of subjugation and three hours of a knowledge that shouldn’t have had to be known, I leaned out the bus window and vomited.”

Yet, a woman’s reaction can be more serious than that. Deep, long-lasting emotional scars may result from an abortion. In fact, it can have profound effects upon individuals in the nursing profession too. Consider: One doctor performed an abortion for a twenty-one-year-old woman during about the eighteenth week of pregnancy, using injections of fluid that generally suffocates the fetus in the mother’s womb. Eight hours thereafter, she expelled a fetus that made muscular movements and had an active heart. After twenty-seven minutes, the fetus expired. “The nursing staff was very upset about this incident,” remarked the doctor.

As abortions increased in number at Southampton, England, some young nurses left their jobs. Particularly were they troubled when life signs existed in the fetuses. “They come into the profession full of idealism, anxious to preserve life,” commented one nursing officer. “It can be a shattering experience when they find themselves in a situation where, to all intents and purposes, they are helping to destroy life.”

When Does Life Start?

Is destruction of life really involved? A troubled, even desperate, unwed mother may not think of abortion in that way. Nonetheless, a former strong advocate of abortion, Dr. B. N. Nathanson, remarked on what he termed “the infinitely agonizing truth.” What is that? “We are taking life.”

The critical question is, When does life start? Dr. Nathanson commented: “We know there is human life in there from the very onset of pregnancy.” Another physician, Frank P. Bolles, M.D., in a letter to the Denver Post, said: “It is far easier to send a man to the welfare office than to share from our own table; or to offer an abortion for the problem pregnancy rather than to care for the woman through her time of need . . . Abortion is not a legal, biologic or economic issue. It is not the State vs. the individual, but rather the individual(s) vs. God. I would urge you to consider Him and His thoughts as you decide the value of the life of your neighbor, (both born and unborn, wanted and unwanted, intact or deformed) and your own life.”

Well, then, what does God’s Word, the Bible, indicate? It shows that Jehovah God has high regard for human life right from its very start. His law to ancient Israel stated: “In case men should struggle with each other and they really hurt a pregnant woman and her children do come out but no fatal accident occurs, he is to have damages imposed upon him without fail according to what the owner of the woman may lay upon him; and he must give it through the justices. But if a fatal accident should occur, then you must give soul for soul.”​—Ex. 21:22-25.

Significantly, nothing said here or elsewhere in Scripture indicates that the age of the embryo or fetus should be a factor in determining whether to have an abortion. Since Jehovah God sets forth no such qualifications, it would be inappropriate for anyone else to try doing so.

It is important to realize that life is passed on, not at birth, but, rather, when conception occurs. It is then, says the Encyclopædia Britannica, that “the life-history of the individual, as a distinct and biological entity, begins.” Jehovah certainly has regard for human life prior to birth, for the divinely inspired psalmist David said of him: “Your eyes saw even the embryo of me, and in your book all its parts were down in writing, as regards the days when they were formed and there was not yet one among them.”​—Ps. 139:16.

Interestingly, David continues: “So, to me how precious your thoughts are! O God, how much does the grand sum of them amount to!” (Ps. 139:17) Yes, David had an obvious desire to comply with the will of God, who was so concerned about human life. Do you feel the same way?

If so, then you probably have concluded correctly that induced abortion is a sin against Almighty God, a criminal act in his eyes. Therefore, it is not the godly answer to problems linked with conception out of wedlock. The answer is that one ought to avoid conduct that may lead to such pregnancy. Among the “works of the flesh” disapproved by God are “fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct.” On the other hand, the fruitage of God’s holy spirit includes “self-control.” It is not impossible to shun or desist from “works of the flesh.” The Christian apostle Paul states: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus impaled the flesh together with its passions and desires.”​—Gal. 5:19-24.

But what if an unmarried woman already has pursued a course that has resulted in pregnancy? Induced abortion is not the answer, not if she now wishes to act in harmony with the Holy Scriptures. Some girls might move to another community because of social stigma, but are they really better off away from everyone they have known and who might be of help in various ways? What about letting others adopt the child? This might later be regretted deeply, for it goes against motherly instincts. True, in these “last days” many persons have “no natural affection.” (2 Tim. 3:1-3) Yet an unwed mother does well not to stifle her maternal affection. She may, in fact, feel lasting guilt if she does not care for a child that she shared in bringing into existence. Naturally, it would require courage to have and keep her baby. Nevertheless, this is desirable if she wants to bring her life into accord with God’s Word and to teach its truths to her child.

And what about unplanned pregnancy within marriage? Rather than considering abortion, how much better it is to take the view expressed by the inspired psalmist! “Look!” declared King Solomon of ancient Israel, “Sons are an inheritance from Jehovah; the fruitage of the belly is a reward.” (Ps. 127:3) Yes, childbirth and parenthood have their anxieties, but not the psychological pain and guilt that so often follow abortion. Fittingly, Jesus Christ said: “A woman, when she is giving birth, has grief, because her hour has arrived; but when she has brought forth the young child, she remembers the tribulation no more because of the joy that a man has been born into the world.”​—John 16:21.

No, abortion is not the right answer. For individuals desiring sexual intimacy, marriage is. Then true happiness can be achieved as those united in matrimony plan their lives with a view to pleasing Jehovah God, who originated human life, love and wedlock.

[Diagram on page 5]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

ABORTIONS

U.S.A. ONE MILLION IN ONE YEAR

JAPAN ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND IN ONE YEAR

Catching Animals in East Africa

By “Awake!” correspondent in Kenya

ARE you a person who enjoys visiting the zoo or an animal park? And do you delight to see animals from faraway places and perhaps dream of the day when you will be able to see them in their natural habitat? If so, we invite you to come along on a safari in East Africa and to share the wild and dangerous experience of catching some of the animals that now live in the many parks and zoos around the world.

We are fortunate to be able to go along with a government-authorized catcher who, on this occasion, has a comparatively “small” order to fill: 12 elephants, 5 rhinos, 30 zebras, 15 wildebeests, 27 giraffes and several other plains animals. The trip into this region will consume about three months, and so, obviously, a great deal of preparation is made to ensure its success.

During this time we shall be “living in the rough,” so to speak, and, hence, adequate camping equipment is needed, plus sufficient food supplies, cooking equipment, first-aid kits and, of course, spare parts for our Land Rovers and trucks. These include springs, axles and many tires. Also, we must be sure to have the proper clothing: The usual lightweight safari suits (khaki, to blend in with the surroundings), a sweater for the evenings (which can be cool even in Africa), and boots to protect our feet from snakes, soldier ants and various other dudus (insects) that seem to take great delight in biting us. Too, a suitable hat to protect one from the blazing African sun is necessary.

Having made all this necessary preparation for ourselves and the crew, we must not forget the animals that we hope to catch. Suitable pens must be on hand to receive the animals as they are caught, and, of course, once caught, food and water must be provided for them.

Prior to the start of our safari, our host will have been “spotting” the game from his light aircraft, so we have a good chance of finding the animals we want.

Traveling to the Catching Area

Our party of twenty consists of mechanics, those who will feed and care for the animals, a catching crew of eight, and ourselves. We are quite a sight as we rattle and bump over the varied terrain. Some of the roads we travel on are quite satisfactory, but at other times the trail appears more like a dried-up riverbed than a road.

It is the dry season, and, as a result, our caravan raises a huge dust cloud stretching far out behind us. How grateful we are at the end of each day to wash away the dust that collects in eyes, ears and nose! How pleasant, too, to stroll around our campfire in the evening or just to sit quietly after being jostled and rolled around all day in our vehicles!

One of the most common noises in the plains of East Africa is a weird whistling. For a stranger it is an eerie sound, but our host explains that it is caused by the wind blowing through seed pods of the thorn tree that have been hollowed out by insects. This, along with the chirping of the crickets and locusts, plus the cough of the leopard and the growling of the lion, gives us memories of our trip that are unforgettable.

Eventually we reach the place where we will make a semipermanent camp and where the animals, as they are caught, will be penned. They must be gradually weaned onto domestic food in preparation for new homes in the many zoos far from their native Africa.

The Catch

Daily the sight and sound of animals around the camp increase as the pens are gradually filled with prize catches. Since the actual catching of the animals can be very dangerous, no inexperienced persons may go along. But they will enjoy hearing the many experiences and hazards as we relate them around the camp.

Can you imagine yourself chasing after a rhino, or a fleet-footed wildebeest, racing over unknown ground, twisting, turning, dodging the many bushes and anthills (which, if we hit them, could mean disaster), trying to throw the loop or lasso around the neck of the quarry? Once it has been caught by the neck, the catchers must quickly rope the feet of the animal and loosen the neck rope. Otherwise it may cause damage and even blindness in some animals. Or how would you like to try your hand at catching a zebra or a giraffe by the tail as he speeds along?

Careful selection of the animals that are to be caught is made, to see that they are neither too old nor too young. Young ones require too much care, and an old animal never adapts to the new life and diet. So half-grown animals are the ones we are after. Opinions differ as to the most dangerous “catch.” Some consider the rhino to be the worst; others, the elephant, and most will agree that the buffalo is a formidable adversary​—treacherous and unpredictable. In the opinion of our host the elephant is the most hazardous, as making the catch entails separating our choice from the herd​—not an easy assignment when the youngsters are watched over very carefully by many “aunties,” as well as their mothers.

The day arrives when our order is complete and we can begin our return journey. To most inexperienced people this would appear to be the end of the story. But for the animals it is just the beginning.

Adapting to a New Way of Life

For the next thirteen weeks our animals will need special attention as we slowly wean them to domestic foods such as lucerne, oats and barley. During this time they must get used to the small cages that will be used to ship them to their varied destinations. This is achieved by coaxing them nearer and nearer to the cages with their food until eventually the animals move in and out of them quite freely and unafraid. By the end of the quarantine and acclimatization period the animals seem to be content with their new way of life and are ready to be transported to their new home, where they will bring happiness and delight to young and old, perhaps including you!

Persons who participate in a safari like this can all the more appreciate what a great deal is involved in bringing these wonderful animals alive to their home countries. While we are grateful to those who enabled us to see such wonders, our main gratitude goes to the One who “created all things,” the One who provided man with such an interesting and delightful home, this wonderful planet earth with its seemingly endless variety of animal life.​—Rev. 4:11.

We look forward, too, to the time when it will no longer be necessary to keep such animals in cages in order to see them at close range. God’s Word the Bible tells us that the time will come when it will be possible to walk unafraid among them and to take even greater pleasure in these creatures, the works of a loving Creator.

Making a Job for Yourself

OUT of work? There certainly is nothing pleasant about being unemployed, is there? Especially is this so if you must feed, clothe and house a family. For these and many other reasons, you need an income​—and most likely a good job.

If you are now unemployed, do not despair. Others have been in similar circumstances and have solved their problems.

Take an optimistic view. Think searchingly, be observant and use your imagination. Perhaps you cannot find regular employment in your former field of endeavor. But have you considered making a job for yourself? Instead of looking for a job in an office or a factory or a store, might you be able to line up your own work?

What Can I Do?

That is a good question, and only you can answer it. You know what you have done in the past. Things learned in school may be useful. Perhaps you can make use of knowledge or skills acquired years ago. You might even do well at work that you have never tried before.

Work that you might do could range from picking up garbage to grooming poodles. You may need to readjust your thinking somewhat to collect garbage. But, then, someone has to do this work. And nobody wants to live​—or can survive in good health—​amid mounds of refuse. Maybe you and an associate have the means to provide this service, possibly in the suburbs or in rural villages. Others have done such work with profit.

Now, take the job of poodle grooming just mentioned. Most people who have pets want them to have a good appearance. Possibly someone doing such grooming in your locality has more than enough business and would be happy to teach you and then use your assistance. A Christian woman in the southern United States found this very work helpful in maintaining herself as a full-time preacher of the good news of God’s kingdom.

Would a Small Business Be Right for You?

You must answer that, but there are possibilities aplenty. For example, as long as there are factories, restaurants, schools, places of public assembly and the like, there is a great need for fire protection. So, what about selling and servicing fire extinguishers? An elderly Christian minister in New York State finds this very satisfactory on a part-time basis. This essential service also has provided work for other men of his acquaintance.

For that matter, there are ventures that can provide work and a livelihood for the whole family. After moving from a large city to a smaller town, one family opened a Chinese “restaurant” in the same building that they occupy as a home. But theirs is a somewhat novel arrangement. Why? Because their establishment has no dining room with tables, waiter service, and so forth. Instead, theirs is a “take-out” Chinese food service. They do the cooking, but their customers (and there are an ample number) do the eating at home. The arrangement really is advantageous, for this family thus makes a living and yet has considerable time for the work that is nearest to their hearts​—preaching the good news of the Kingdom.

Plying Old Skills and Acquiring New Ones

When unemployed, you may need to think about your old skills in trying to make a job for yourself. Thus, one young man did well in giving piano lessons on a part-time basis while serving as a full-time preacher of the good news. Personal friends helped him to contact students. Also, referrals and a good reputation as a teacher led to more work than he needed. He went to individual homes to teach, and he emphasizes that to succeed one must be a good teacher and should know the instrument well.

For some twelve years, a certain young man worked as an auto mechanic. Upon moving to another community, he found that jobs of this kind did not produce much of an income. Yet, he still is an excellent mechanic and uses this skill at times to supplement his other income.

Gardening and lawn maintenance may be new to you. Nevertheless, you may be able to acquire the knowledge and ability to do this work. Perhaps you can join someone so employed who has more work than he can handle. In time, you may be able to launch out on your own and even extend your service to actual landscaping. Even if you stuck to such things as cutting grass and trimming hedges, you might find quite a demand for your services.

Related to gardening is sod work. One young man shared with others in growing Kentucky bluegrass, then removing the grass roots and earth to a thickness of one-half inch. They sold this sod by the yard in rolled sections six feet long by one and a half feet wide. One drawback: Only by the third year did they develop really good sod. But some planning and foresight can pay off in sod-growing.

Some industrious workers have used their abilities to make jobs for themselves in the home-improvement field. For example, one group of young men worked together at carpentry, skirting house trailers, installing cabinets, coating roofs and doing general home-improvement work. Another young man recalls simply going to doors and asking people if they had any work around the home (painting, roofing, yard work, etc.). Estimating the cost and giving the householder a price led to jobs of various kinds.

Janitorial work provides yet another possible source of income. Sometimes this can involve the cleaning of offices at night, when they are closed for business. This kind of work gives individuals considerable free time, and some full-time preachers of the Kingdom message find it desirable for that reason.

Something for the Ladies

What about doing domestic work, whether you are a man or a woman? Perhaps someone already so employed can pass on information about households desiring dependable workers to do the weekly cleaning. One woman who has done this kind of work for years in a wealthy suburban area arranges for her own jobs. She does not work a full eight-hour day when cleaning a house. Rather, she works at her own pace​—quite fast—​for an agreed sum. ‘Why stay all day, if unnecessary?’ she reasons. Consequently, this Christian woman has time left for spiritual interests, which are of particular importance and meaning to her.

Women may be able to do various types of work at home. For example, they might take in washing and ironing, do mending or make clothing alterations. Especially in a rural area might a woman​—or family members in general, for that matter—​raise rabbits, chinchillas or chickens. The production and sale of eggs may be worth while. Baby-sitting and child tutoring are other avenues of self-employment you may want to think about. Then, too, there may be somewhat novel opportunities to make a little money. For instance, one resourceful Christian woman has been making plant terrariums. She may buy some of the glassware needed for these, but large bottles that might otherwise be discarded can serve her purposes well.

A woman might consider typing writers’ manuscripts and addressing envelopes at home. But remember that when doing such work you are responsible for the material given to you to type. So, be sure to exercise care. In one disaster, a dog chewed up the only existing copy of a manuscript from page 100 to the very end of a new book. Who would want to be in the shoes of that author, or that typist?

Be Resourceful, but Cautious

You need to be both resourceful and cautious when trying to make a job for yourself. First, a word about resourcefulness. An unemployed person needs to think about what he or she can do. Be assured that the field is broad. Besides some jobs already mentioned, full-time preachers of the good news have done such work as this: Cleaning rugs, barbering, distributing cosmetics, tuning pianos, removing unwanted trees, nursing and welding.

But there is a need for caution too. For one thing, you could find that work done at home takes more time and effort than you expected.

While it may be profitable, or even essential, to make a job for yourself, do not rush into any enterprise. You might ask yourself: What service can I provide that others will desire? If I will be working at home, is my house a suitable place for what I have in mind? Are there zoning ordinances that would prohibit this business enterprise? If I plan to make something, is there likely to be a demand for the article? How might this work affect my family life and the tranquillity of the home?

Whatever you decide to do, it is good to realize that it takes initiative to get work for yourself. Of course, you do not have to become the inventor of a new gadget that everyone will want to have. Making the most of employment opportunities may be the principal requisite. But if you can think of something that most people need but few have in your locality, so much the better. Then you may be well on the road to making a job for yourself.

“The plans of the diligent one surely make for advantage, but everyone that is hasty surely heads for want.”​—Prov. 21:5.

Fascinating Planets​—for Our Enjoyment

“HELLO. I’m glad you called me over this evening. I’ve been looking forward to seeing some of the planets through your telescope.”a

“And I’m glad you could come. It’s a beautiful clear evening.”

“Is that your telescope? It looks so small. I was expecting to see a long tube, balanced on a tall tripod.”

“Yes, this is known as a catadioptric telescope. Though this instrument is only nine inches long, the optical path is folded back and forth inside the tube so that it has a focal length of more than four feet.”

“So that’s the way it works. . . . Is it dark enough to begin yet?”

The Phases of Venus

“Yes, this is the best time to see Venus, before the sky is really dark. Do you see that bright star over there in the west?”

“Say, that really is bright.”

“Yes, next to the sun and the moon, Venus is the brightest object in the sky. You can see it even in broad daylight if you know where to look. There, I have it in view. Would you like to sit down and look?”

“So this is Venus. Why, it looks like the moon when it is not quite half full. Why is that?”

“Venus goes around the sun in an orbit inside the earth’s orbit. So it is often between us and the sun. Of course, only half of Venus is lighted by the sun, and right now we can see less than half of its daylight side. So what we see is a crescent.”

“Then as Venus moves in its orbit, does its appearance change shape as the moon does when going through its phases?”

“Correct. In its present position, Venus is moving closer to the line between the earth and the sun. If we look at it, say, a month from now, the crescent of light will be thinner. But, at the same time, it is coming closer to the earth, so it will appear larger in the telescope. Just before it crosses in front of the sun, it will look perhaps twice as large as it does now, but only the thinnest crescent will be visible.”

“Well, that certainly is interesting. What is it like on Venus?”

“Venus is very nearly the same size as the earth. But no one has ever seen its surface, for it is always covered with dense clouds. However, men have sent space probes to Venus with instruments that returned signals as they parachuted to the surface. It is very hot there, over 900 degrees Fahrenheit. So there can’t be any rivers or lakes or oceans on Venus. Its atmosphere is almost a hundred times as dense as ours, and it is composed mostly of carbon dioxide.”

“That doesn’t sound like a very pleasant climate.”

“No, you wouldn’t want to spend a vacation there. Years ago, some scientists thought there might be life on Venus, but we know now that that is impossible.”

Elusive Mercury

“It’s getting quite dark now. What are we going to view next? Can we see Mercury?”

“Not tonight. Mercury is even closer to the sun than Venus. So it is almost never far enough away from the sun in the sky to be above the horizon after dark. Only once or twice a year, on the average, is it easy to get a glimpse of it. But there are two special occasions when Mercury can be seen clearly. One is when a total eclipse of the sun blots out its light for a few minutes. The other is when Mercury crosses the sun’s disk. But that is not due to happen again until the year 2003.”

“That’s a long time to wait. Is there anything else that we can see tonight?”

Jupiter and Its Moons

“Let’s turn the telescope to the planets outside the earth’s orbit, first to Jupiter. Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, and even though it is almost half a billion miles from us, it is very prominent in the sky.”

“How big is Jupiter?”

“Its diameter is about 87,000 miles, some eleven times as great as the earth’s, and just about one tenth the diameter of the sun. There, I have it in view. Look and tell me what you see.”

“It is a large, bright disk, like a full moon. And there are several bright stars beside it.”

“Those are some of Jupiter’s moons. Four of them are bright enough to be seen with a small telescope. Jupiter has a big family of much smaller moons. The thirteenth was discovered just last year. But the four that you see have been known ever since Galileo first turned his telescope on Jupiter, They are all sizable bodies; one is even larger than Mercury.”

“I notice that they are in a nearly straight line. One is on the left side and three are on the right.”

“If you look again tomorrow night, you will see them all in different positions. They are located at different distances from Jupiter, and, therefore, circle the planet at different speeds. Because we see the orbits on edge, they always stay pretty much in a line. As for Jupiter itself, let me change the magnification from 80 to 160 power. You said it looks like the full moon, but do you notice any difference now?”

“Yes, it doesn’t look blotchy like the moon. But I can see some fine lines running across it, or should I say bands of darker color, in line with the moons. What causes these?”

“They are probably bands of clouds, driven around Jupiter by prevailing winds, like the trade winds we have on earth. Jupiter’s atmosphere is evidently very thick and dense. Astronomers have identified methane and ammonia gases, as well as hydrogen, in it. The clouds may be crystals of solid ammonia. Since the average density of Jupiter is only one fourth that of the earth, the bulk of the planet must consist of gases. . . . Do you notice anything else on the surface?”

“Do you mean a spot? Down in the lower hemisphere?”

“Yes. That is the famous ‘Great Red Spot’ of Jupiter.”

“What is that spot​—smoke or something?”

“There have been a lot of theories, including one that supposes that there is a volcano under the clouds. But that is not likely, since, at times, the spot shifts considerably, east and west. It does not seem to be anchored to anything solid underneath. Probably the ‘Great Red Spot’ is a giant storm in Jupiter’s atmosphere. It was first noticed nearly a hundred years ago. It changes quite a bit in size, shape and color, but it stays there. If the spot is really a storm, it is immense, big enough to engulf the whole earth.”

“I can see why you find Jupiter so interesting. . . . What is that reddish star over in the southeast? Could it be Mars?”

Mars’ Forbidding Climate

“You are right. Mars is our best-known neighbor in space. Although Venus comes closer, Mars has gotten the lion’s share of study and publicity. The reason is that when Mars is closest to us, it is fully lighted by the sun and is easy to observe and study. I should warn you, though, when you look at Mars, it may disappoint you, for it is not as spectacular in a small telescope as the larger planets. Still, there’s one feature visible now that is well worth seeing. There, look.”

“It does look small. But its red color surely stands out. And there is a distinct white spot on one side. Is that the ice cap?”

“Yes. In its present position, Mars’ south pole is tipped toward us, and that is where you see the polar ice cap. Mars, though much smaller than the earth​—its diameter is only about 4,000 miles—​is similar in some respects. For one thing, its axis is tipped about 24 degrees from the plane of its orbit, almost the same as the earth. Therefore, Mars goes through seasons as it travels around the sun, just as the earth does. Another similarity is that Mars rotates on its axis in just over twenty-four hours.”

“Is that why some people think there might be life on Mars?”

“Perhaps so, but in other ways Mars is very different from the earth. It has an atmosphere less than one percent as dense as ours, and that is mostly carbon dioxide. There is little or no water on Mars, so the ice cap you see is not ordinary ice, but is solid carbon dioxide, what we call dry ice. It is now summer in Mars’ southern hemisphere, and the ice cap is shrinking. Under twenty-four hours of sunshine a day, it will be all gone in a few weeks.”

“It must be really cold there to form dry ice. But isn’t it warmer in the temperate zones of Mars?”

“Yes, the highest temperature reported by space probes for Mars’ equator was about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but overnight it plunges to 100 degrees below zero, even in midsummer.”

“What a forbidding climate! The planets are truly fascinating. What are we going to see next?”

Eros, a Little Island in Space

“There are so many fascinating things in our solar system. Do you see those two bright stars, one above the other? Those are the Twins, Castor and Pollux. Diagonally down to the right of the lower one is another star, not so bright. Astronomers call it Kappa Geminorum. Through the telescope last night, I saw it with two other fainter stars, one to the left and the other below it, forming a right triangle with Kappa at the right angle. Now look at it and tell me what you see.”

“I see the bright star and the other two where you say, but there is a fourth star, on the line between the two dimmer ones.”

“Right. That wasn’t there last night, so it must be a planet. Remember that a fundamental difference between a star and a planet is that a star stays in a fixed position in the sky, year after year, but a planet moves.”

“What planet is it?”

“It is one of the minor planets, or asteroids, called Eros. It is quite exceptional in that it comes close to the earth, and moves rapidly in the sky. As you say, right now it appears on a straight line between the two stars. But it is moving so fast that an hour from now it will be quite out of line with the others.”

“It doesn’t show a disk, like the other planets. If it weren’t moving, you couldn’t tell it from a star.”

“It is very small, and it isn’t even round. Eros is estimated to be 22 miles long and 10 miles wide. Consequently, as it rotates on its axis, once in five hours, it goes through a regular bright-and-dim cycle every two and a half hours. Eros is really just an island in space, about the size of one of the Caribbean islands.”

“Does Eros come close very often?”

“No, it is really a rare thing to be able to see such a tiny planet. If Eros were confined to the region out between Mars and Jupiter, where most of the asteroids are, we would never see it. But it is on an orbit that brings it, at perihelion, that is, at the point nearest the sun, quite close to Earth’s orbit. This month, it happens, we are here to meet it, only 14 million miles away. But it will be eighty-one years before it comes as close again.”

“I can see that an astronomer has to be very patient. But how time has flown this evening! Do we have time to look at anything else?”

Saturn’s Marvelous Rings

“There’s one thing more, which I have saved till the last. Let me show you what I feel is the most beautiful sight in the heavens. It is Saturn. I’ll focus on it at 80 power. There it is, with its rings spread out for you to admire.”

“Oh! What an amazing sight! That is truly impressive. But I can see only one ring. Did you say rings?”

“Yes. Let’s double the magnification. There, look again, and see if you can see an inner and an outer ring, with a narrow black space between them.”

“Yes, now I see the two rings. The inner one is the brighter. They must be of tremendous size.”

“They are, indeed larger than anything else in the sun’s family of planets. Although Saturn itself is a little smaller than Jupiter, its rings reach out to a diameter of 170,000 miles. And in a larger telescope, one can see a third ring, much fainter, inside the ones we see here.”

“What a magnificent spectacle!”

“Saturn’s rings are unique in all the visible universe. As the planet revolves around the sun every thirty years, the angle at which we see the rings goes through phases. For fifteen years, we see them from the south, as now, and then, for a like period, from the north. And twice in a revolution, we look at them right on edge. When that happens, a person would not suspect their existence. The rings are exceedingly thin, not more than ten miles thick. And they are perfectly circular and absolutely flat and uniform, as seen in even the largest telescopes.”

“What are the rings composed of?”

“They can’t be anything solid, for if they were, the outer edge would be moving more rapidly than the inner. The fact is, however, that the inner parts of the rings are moving faster. That is just what would be expected of satellites at corresponding distances from Saturn. Therefore, Saturn’s rings must consist of billions or trillions of small particles, each revolving in its own orbit around Saturn. Judging from the mass and reflecting power of the rings, the particles must be tiny, perhaps as fine as dust.”

“But how did so many billions of particles get out there in such an amazing formation? How do they remain in stable orbits, without suffering collisions that would disrupt the rings?”

“No one has the least idea. It seems to me that this is another example of what we see so often in Earth’s plant and animal creation. It is as if the Creator, Jehovah, took delight in demonstrating not only his tremendous power and intelligence, but also his infinitely diversified imagination in designing both animate and inanimate creation in such overwhelming variety. Think of God’s loving consideration in putting man on the earth, a planet with such a clear atmosphere, and granting him the intelligence and curiosity to invent telescopes and to turn them heavenward.”

“Do you mean that Saturn’s rings and all these other wonderful things that I have been viewing tonight were put there just for men to study and enjoy?”

“Only God knows why he made all these things. But from man’s standpoint, could there have been a better reason? Does not what you have seen of the physical universe make you stand in awe of its grand Creator? Are we not moved with appreciation for his love toward us in providing such things to enjoy, along with other blessings of life?”

“By all means. But what I have learned this evening leaves me with a couple of questions. Have not many generations of astronomers only scratched the surface of what there is to learn about the universe? And since many of the phenomena that you have spoken about happen so rarely, maybe only once or twice in a lifetime, does it not make you feel shortchanged, so to speak, that you cannot live long enough to see all the wonders of creation?”

“That is just one more reason why it does not make sense that God made man to live only a few score years. Why, in a thousand lifetimes we would not run out of things to enjoy watching and learning about in the marvelous heavens of Jehovah’s handiwork. How reasonable, then, is the Bible’s viewpoint that God put man on the earth to live forever.”​—Rev. 21:4.

“Surely you have given me much to think about. Thank you for an unforgettable evening.”

[Footnotes]

Energy from the Sun

● Living things on earth depend on the sun in one way or another. Light, heat and energy from this mighty source are vital to the continued existence of earthly life. But how much solar energy is received by the earth? In his book 1001 Questions Answered About Astronomy, James S. Pickering wrote: “The Earth receives only about one part in 2 billion of the energy that is produced by the Sun. This tiny fraction amounts to 4,690,000 horse power per square mile of the Earth’s surface.” It is just what is required for life on earth.

Is the Industrial Way of Life a Failure?

HAS the industrial way of life failed? Some find it easy to answer Yes to that question. The evidence of recent years is plain that the industrial nations have come into deep trouble.

Yet, ask older persons who used to get drinking water from a well or spring in all kinds of weather if they prefer that, or do they prefer modern indoor plumbing with its “instant” water supply? Do you know many people who would continue to use an outhouse if they had an indoor toilet available?

Would many people prefer kerosene lamps if they had electric lights? Would they want to wash clothes by beating them on rocks or by scrubbing them against a washboard by hand if they could use a washing machine instead? Would they choose to walk miles to talk briefly to someone rather than pick up a telephone and communicate instantly?

To get hot water for a bath, many people used to haul buckets of water from outside, heat it over a wood fire and fill a tub. (Many still do.) Ask an old-timer if this is his preference, if he would rather do this than turn on a hot-water faucet in a modern bathroom.

In today’s world few people would choose to go back to the old ways in such matters. Without a doubt, then, the industrial way of life has brought changes that many people prefer. That is why hopes were so high that a wonderful way of life would result from the “Industrial Revolution” that began about the year 1600.

It was thought that the labor-saving devices, the comforts, the quicker transportation and communication would constantly improve life. Hence, technology was greeted with enthusiasm by many. And when such things as automobiles, airplanes, telephones, electric lights and radios were invented, more and more people were convinced that a bright new era had indeed dawned.

In the past few decades the process picked up speed. Television came into existence, as did computers, automation, space satellites, jet planes and sophisticated machines of many types.

While the benefits of machines became apparent, the deeper problems did not, at first. The problems seemed relatively minor. But then they began to grow.

Problems Grow

Until the coming of the Industrial Revolution, farming was the usual way of life for people. There were small towns, but very few large cities. Even the few cities that existed had a rural flavor, without large, multistoried buildings.

However, the coming of the industrial age changed that. For machines to be produced, there had to be factories. For factories to be manned, workers had to move close to their place of work, as no means of rapid traveling to work existed then. Thus more and more people left the farms and moved into cities. Eventually, hundreds of millions of people crowded into cities all over the world.

For instance, in Japan there were about 15 million workers in agriculture before World War II; now that number has dropped to about 6-¹⁄₂ million. Where once about 400,000 new school graduates each year remained on the farm to carry on the family work, now only about 20,000 a year do. Yet the population of Japan has passed 100,000,000.

Another unsettling relocation took place. Before the Industrial Revolution, many craftsmen could get some satisfaction out of their work, since, to a degree, it involved their own initiative and creativity. But in factories the machines ruled and set the pace. Many workers came to view this as a kind of slavery to machines.

Too, machines often replaced workers whose skills were no longer needed. These dislocated workers were not always able to acquire new trades.

A Disastrous Turn

While such problems grew, it was thought that science and technology would find solutions. So, around the turn of the twentieth century, mankind was still viewed as entering a “golden age.”

Then came a crushing blow. The very machines that were supposed to help man were turned against him during World War I, from 1914-1918. Nearly ten million men were killed. New devices such as the machine gun, the submarine, tank, airplane and others took a fearful toll.

Weapons of mass slaughter had thus become available for the first time in history​—a direct result of the Industrial Revolution. In another way the industrial age also contributed to the war: one of the reasons for the conflict was that European powers were challenging each other to carve up the world for raw materials and markets for their growing industries.

In the book Promise of Greatness, The War of 1914-1918, in a chapter by British author Richard Rees, it is noted: “The 1914-1918 war brought two facts to light: first, that technological development had reached a point where it could continue without disaster only in a unified world and, second, that the existing political and social organizations in the world made its unification impossible.”

This was so, for, shortly after World War I, the industrial nations engaged in another armaments race, culminating in World War II, from 1939 to 1945. Even more hideous weapons of mass destruction were developed, including atomic bombs. As a result, the slaughter was far greater. An estimated 55,000,000 people were killed! And to this day, industry pours out more highly destructive weapons than ever before. The nations now spend about $240 billion a year on armaments.

The industrial age had created a ‘Frankenstein monster’ that has turned on its inventors. This was acknowledged, during World War II, in an interesting letter written by Orville Wright, who, with his brother Wilbur, had pioneered the development of the airplane. This letter was written to Henry Ford, Sr., pioneer of the mass-produced automobile. Wright observed:

“Wilbur and I thought the plane would hasten world peace. So far it seems to have done the reverse.

“I suspect when you introduced mass production​—one of the great inventions of the ages—​you little thought it would be used thirty-five years later in building tanks world destruction.

“It seems that no beneficial thing can be introduced without some one finding a vicious use for it.”

More Problems

Little did these men realize that such inventions and others would provide even more trouble in the years that followed. For example, in the heavily industrialized nations of Europe and the Americas transportation systems are becoming more and more unwieldy and undependable.

During rush hours in large metropolitan areas, traffic is extremely congested. Millions of people who drive to and from work experience slowed traffic, pollution, aggravation and wasted time. Even the air space around the larger cities becomes more congested with heavy plane traffic.

In the United States, as elsewhere, the automobile has turned out to be one of the most lethal weapons ever devised. Since the invention of the automobile, more Americans have been killed by it than have perished in the nation’s wars!

In the book Ark II, authors Dennis Pirages and Paul Ehrlich state:

“The historical movement in long-distance transport from train to bus and from auto to airplane is similarly defined as progress. From an ecological point of view, however, each step has represented regression in that each is less efficient in using energy. . . .

“Indeed, it is doubtful that the transportation revolution has substantially increased the quality of life as measured by personal happiness. When all the social, resource, and environmental costs of autos and airplanes are accounted for, the world may realize that progress should have stopped with bicycles, trains, trams, and sailing ships.”

A Vain Hope

It was hoped that with increasing industrialization, bad living conditions would be eliminated. But that hope has proved to be a vain one. There have always been millions of poor, and very poor, people in the industrial lands.

Professor of government Herbert Muller of Indiana University observes: “An increasing abundance of material goods made more glaring an elementary failure of industrialism: all along it failed to provide a great many workers with the minimum necessities of a decent life​—an adequate diet, adequate medical care, decent homes, pleasant surroundings. Living conditions were most appalling in the new industrial towns. . . . the slums would remain, above all in wealthy America, and with them other root evils that would grow worse.”

Other “root evils” such as crime, pollution, congestion, drug addiction, poverty and hunger have indeed grown worse. So have sicknesses associated with the pressures of industrial living, such as heart disease, mental disorders, and cancer.

Professor Muller cites a reason for these woes: “Why all such neglect or even contempt of elementary human values? The immediate answer seems to me as obvious: it was due to the vaunted free private enterprise that created industrialism, for the sake of private profit.” He states that the “heroes” of the Industrial Revolution “distinguished themselves by exploitation, plunder, and fraud, on a colossal scale.”

The selfish grasping for profits and power has plagued the industrial way of life. It is often the reason why new inventions are pushed regardless of the consequences. So, while a new machine or process seems to help in one area, it can create problems in another. As a contributing editor of Harper’s magazine, John Fischer, states:

“I am persuaded that technology is a servant of only limited usefulness, and highly unreliable. When it does solve a problem, it often creates two new ones​—and their side effects are usually hard to foresee. . . .

“Every time you look at one of the marvels of modern technology, you find a by-product​—unintended, unpredictable, and often lethal. . . .

“Moreover, technology works best on things nobody really needs, such as collecting moon rocks or building supersonic transport planes. Whenever we try to apply it to something serious, it usually falls on its face.”

Even worse, the problems created by technology now endanger the very existence of the human family. The New York Times reported this conclusion by a group of scientists: “The stresses and strains produced by its own speed of technological advance are not only overtaking man’s powers of adaptability​—both physical and mental—​but are endangering his very survival.”

Drastic Change Required

What needs to be done to solve all staggering problems that grow with every passing year? In the book An Inquiry into the Human Prospect, Robert Heilbroner says: “I believe the long-term solution requires nothing less than the gradual abandonment of the lethal techniques, the uncongenial lifeways, and the dangerous mentality of industrial civilization itself.”

What would this entail? Heilbroner adds: “This implies a sweeping reorganization of the mode of production in ways that cannot be foretold, but that would seem to imply the end of the giant factory, the huge office, perhaps of the urban complex.”

Psychoanalyst Erich Fromm declares that the current sicknesses of industrial society can be dealt with “only if the whole system as it has existed during the last 6000 years of history can be replaced by a fundamentally different one.” [Italics ours]

Do you think that humans themselves are likely to accomplish such a change, replacing “the whole system”? Surely no one can say they have not had the time to do so before now. Instead, their concentration on selfish interest at the expense of others tells us that such drastic changes as are desperately needed will not come by the will of man.

Does this mean they will not come at all? On the contrary. The drastic changes needed, the entirely new way of life required to provide peace, security and happiness for humankind is inevitable!

Who will accomplish such a drastic change? Mankind’s Creator, Jehovah God. He has given his guarantee that he will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth,” and that he will “crush and put an end” to the existing system of things.​—Rev. 11:18; Dan. 2:44.

The present unsatisfactory system of things will be replaced by one government for all the earth, the kingdom of God ruling from heaven. (Matt. 6:10) On earth, in a completely new order, machines will not be permitted to determine the quality of life. Whatever use they will be put to will be for the good of man. Too, since man was originally placed in a gardenlike park, a paradise, he finds greater happiness in being surrounded by the natural creation, not concrete, steel, pollution noise. And Jesus Christ promised The restoring of paradise.​—Luke 23:43.

Hence, those who really accept God’s Word look to the early end of man’s greedy industrial civilization and its replacement by a godly system that will work for man’s eternal happiness.

A Girl from a Matriarchal Society Chooses to Serve the True God

I WAS raised in the last village along the Tapanahoni River far in the interior of Surinam. Reaching the village involves traveling for several days, and sometimes weeks, by outboard motorboat through dangerous rocky rapids and past roaring waterfalls. More than twenty villages belong to our Mis Djan tribe.

Ours is a matriarchal society. This means that the line of descent is traced from the mother’s side of the family instead of the father’s. Hence, the mother’s side has much more authority than does the father’s. As a result, my mother’s brothers had more to say about my upbringing than did my own father. In fact, I am considered a possession or piece of property belonging to my mother’s family.

Worship in Our Villages

Every village has many gods. Many of these are believed to be dead ancestors. In the village where I was born, the worship of idols has an especially strong influence on every aspect of life. The chief god resides there.

The villagers believe that sickness, and even death, is caused by the gods, and that these gods can heal sickness and ward off death. When the less powerful gods cannot help, the villagers finally come to the chief god to seek relief. This is what my mother, who had an infirmity, did before I was born.

After she was healed she could not return to her own village; otherwise, it was said, she would die. This was the stern warning of the chief god called Gran Gado, who was represented by the priest. This god really holds a powerful influence over the people. Every morning it is worshiped. I grew up amid such worship of idol gods.

Worshiping the True God

When I was ten years old, I first heard about the true God who made the heavens and the earth. One of Jehovah’s witnesses came to our village to tell us about God’s purpose to establish a new system of things for the blessing of humankind. The Witness was a young man from my family’s tribe. He had learned these Bible truths when he lived in the city of Paramaribo.

The majority mocked and ridiculed him. However, the message strongly appealed to me. I obtained some books from him. But since there are no schools, no one in our village could read. Nevertheless, the illustrations in the books helped me to remember things the Witness taught.

Sad to say, the Witness could stay only a week. But I was determined to apply in my life things that I had learned from the Bible. For example, I could see clearly that it was displeasing to the true God for humans to eat blood. (Gen. 9:4; Lev. 17:12; Acts 15:28, 29) So I refused to eat wild animals that were not bled properly. My mother opposed me in this.

Three years later, in 1962, I met a Witness couple who were assigned to this river to preach. At the time I was staying with one of my uncles at a village down the river. I obtained from the Witnesses the book From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained. When my uncle discovered that this couple was studying the Bible with me, he quickly returned me to my mother.

I continued studying by myself the meaningful illustrations in the Paradise book, and thus kept my faith alive. My mother brought me to our village chief for him to warn me about this belief. But this did not deter me. So she took me to the head chief of our tribe. However, he could not stop me from worshiping our Creator either, despite threats and physical mistreatment. Finally they brought me to their god and told me to worship it. I knew it was a powerless god, and so I was not frightened.

Thereafter everyone in the village began to put pressure on me. I prayed with all my heart that Jehovah would help me withstand this, and he did.

Marriage

By now I was fifteen years old, but not old enough, according to the customs of our tribe, to live with a man. However, a man came to ask my mother’s consent to give me in marriage to his son. My mother agreed.

I met my future husband, who was then working in the city of Paramaribo, and told him that I was learning about the true God Jehovah, and that I would not quit serving Him even if I should become his wife. How happy I was when he said that he was also studying the Bible with Jehovah’s witnesses in the city, and was even attending their meetings!

After two years I was given to this man as his wife. My husband and I were brought before the gods and were bathed with beer and a variety of leaves. We were prayed over, those praying asking our forefathers for protection and support, and that we might have a happy life together. I did not feel good about submitting to these religious ceremonies. But, at the time, I felt that this was the only way my family would allow me to leave for the city.

Obstacles in the City

What a disappointment awaited me there! My husband had deceived me! He had only said that he was studying the Bible with Jehovah’s witnesses so I would become his wife. My father-in-law, who lived in the same yard, came by our home to warn me that I must not allow any of Jehovah’s witnesses in our home, otherwise I would be taken back to our village.

However, the threats did not break my determination to serve the true God. After a time I came in contact with my sister-in-law, who had become one of Jehovah’s witnesses. She gave my address to the Witness who originally had given me the Paradise book, and she came to study with me, but strategically. She entered my house by way of the backyard so that my in-laws would not notice. My husband worked two or three months at a time in the bush, so she could study with me regularly.

When my husband came back to the city he visited other women. A good deal of his money went to them. Also, he infected me with a venereal disease. I knew nothing about such a sickness, so it reached an advanced stage. In time I had an operation, and then went to the home of my sister-in-law to recuperate.

While with my sister-in-law I was able to attend a three-day circuit assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses. Here I could see what I had only heard of all these years​—a people who truly do love one another and who zealously serve Jehovah God. How my heart overflowed with happiness to be with them!

Three weeks later my father-in-law returned from the bush, and forbade me to associate with Jehovah’s witnesses. However, I resolved to obey God as ruler rather than men, and so continued my Bible study as well as meeting attendance. (Acts 5:29) But then my father-in-law told me that the following day he was going to take me by plane back to my home village. What would I do now?

Early the next morning, as I packed a items, my father-in-law followed my every move. I tried reasoning with him, suggesting that he postpone the trip because I was still under the doctor’s care. But he refused to listen.

He hired a taxi to take us to the airport. When out in the street, I tried to run away. However, he caught me, and in the wrestling we both fell into a muddy ditch of water. My brother-in-law was awakened by the commotion, and assisted in getting me into the taxi.

As we came to the airport, I began screaming. People came running, asking what was wrong. I told them that I was being forcibly taken into the interior where there was no doctor. And I showed them my doctor’s card, which disclosed I was still receiving treatment.

The bystanders telephoned the police. In the meantime, my father-in-law had gotten me to the aircraft, but the pilot refused to take me aboard because he realized something was wrong. My father-in-law then paid a taxi to take me away from the airport, and he left on the aircraft because he feared trouble with the police.

Rather than let the taxi driver take me home, I had him drive to the residence of one of Jehovah’s witnesses, where I was cared for. In the meantime my husband’s family began looking for me. My uncle rented a bus, and with men armed with sticks they besieged the house where I was staying. But while they went upstairs to get my belongings, I escaped.

Fortunately, almost as soon as I got outside, a policeman offered to take me to the nearest police station. My uncle came to the station to take me home. However, when the police heard what was happening, they ordered that my personal belongings be returned and that I be left alone, as I was old enough to decide where I wanted to live. The Witnesses then took me to a different address to prevent another kidnap attempt.

A Showdown

Soon afterward my husband returned to the city and learned where I was. What should I do now?

My decision was made. When he came, I let him know that our relationship was ended. Surinam does not recognize tribal marriages as legal, so we were not actually married according to government law. I told my husband that he and his family must leave me in peace because I desired to serve Almighty God. I knew that our tribal customs required that either he or his family return me to my family if our relationship was broken. But I told him that he should tell my family that I did not want to return, and that I did not want the things that my family had given him. He agreed to the dissolving of our relationship on such terms.

After a few months my health returned. I already had dedicated my life to serve Jehovah God, and so I was baptized. However, more problems presented themselves.

My family insisted that my former in-laws return me, otherwise a young woman from their family would be held as hostage. The pressure from my family was so great that a whole delegation from my former in-laws came to the city to take me back.

They contacted the presiding overseer of the congregation where I attended meetings, asking that he cooperate so that I could be returned to my village. An appointment was made to speak with me regarding the matter at the Kingdom Hall. However, my former in-laws did not hold to the agreement, for instead of just one person coming, as promised, six came.

The congregation meeting had just concluded. The purpose of the men was evident. They were going to take me by force! My former father-in-law rushed at me, and with the help of others dragged me away, although I was fighting with all my power against them. The overseer advised that none of the Witnesses join in the struggle, and this was wise since my former husband was armed with a revolver. In the meantime a Witness had run for the police, but before they arrived I was forced into a car and driven away.

I was taken to the house of my former husband, and a guard of some twenty-five people was posted. I screamed from inside for help, and it came! The police arrived and my former husband was taken to the police station. Police reinforcements were sent to the house, forcing my release, and I was taken to the police station also.

After listening to my account, the police allowed me to return to where I was living. Our village chief, who had also come to the city, went to the chief of police demanding that I be returned to my mother. He was warned, however, that neither he nor anyone else should cause me further trouble or he would be jailed immediately. This frightened him, and he told the other members of the tribe that if my family wanted me they should come after me.

The police inspector told our village chief: “If this woman is studying with Jehovah’s witnesses you have no reason for concern. I know Jehovah’s witnesses. They do not steal, commit immorality, nor are they drunkards. They’ll look after her well.”

Spiritual Progress

The Witnesses have helped and encouraged me tremendously, both spiritually and physically. Perhaps because of my terrible experiences, I still have health problems once in a while. At the moment I feel healthy again and, thanks to Jehovah, I can share in the preaching work.

I am especially happy that I have learned to read, as have many other bush Negroes, at the special school arranged for by the local congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses. What a pleasure it is now to read from the Bible at the homes of the people and thus direct their attention to the grand promises of our loving God, Jehovah! (Ps. 37:9-11; Rev. 21:3, 4) It is truly a privilege to know and serve him! My hope is that someday I will have the opportunity to help my mother and other relatives also to learn about the true God, Jehovah. (Jer. 10:10-12)​—Contributed.

Psychiatrists Replacing Clergymen​—Why?

AMONG the current trends in America, as well as in many other lands, is that of the clergy losing ground, both in numbers and in influence. A parallel trend is that of the gains that psychologists and psychiatrists are making.

Thus we are told that in the past twenty-five years the persons involved with the people’s mental and emotional health in the United States have increased more than sevenfold, whereas the number of clergymen has decreased 20 percent, and this in spite of a 40-percent increase in the population. Equally significant are the figures relating to college degrees. In 1961, American institutions of higher learning handed out as many degrees in psychology as in religion, 10,000 in each. But, in 1971, they handed out three times as many degrees in psychology as in religion.

Is there any relationship between these two figures? Indeed there is! Fewer and fewer people are going to clergymen to ask them “What shall I do?” Thus a psychoanalyst who is at the same time a Roman Catholic clergyman states that in 1963 about 70 percent of the people with problems first went to their clergyman for advice but that ten years later the number that do is quite likely less than 40 percent.

Indicative of these trends is the decrease in church attendance on the one hand and, on the other hand, the increased popularity of books, magazine articles, radio and TV programs by psychologists and psychiatrists telling people how to gain peace and happiness and how to treat their wives, husbands, parents, children, as well as what to do about such problems as abortion adultery and homosexuality.

Why these contrasting trends? For one thing, the clergy have lost their voice of authority by downgrading the Bible as the Word of God and as man’s infallible guide. (Ps. 119:105) This calls to mind the words of the prophet Jeremiah: “They have rejected the very word of Jehovah, and what wisdom do they have?” (Jer. 8:9) As one report puts it: “There are far fewer ministers who will say: ‘The Bible says so-and-so. Therefore you should do it.’” ‘When people came to their minister asking, “What am I here for?” they used to answer in clear and unequivocal terms: “You are here because it is God’s will. The meaning of your existence is to carry out that will, live a good life, and glorify your Creator.”’ But no more. Lacking in confidence, the ecclesiastics are unable to satisfy the people who come to them.

Another reason why many more people are going to psychiatrists and psychologists is that they are more concerned with what appears to be rewarding than with what is right. Professional men in the mental health field, by and large, do not make moral judgments. For them, actions are not either right or wrong but are either wholesome or injurious to one’s mental and emotional well-being.

But is the turning of people from the clergy to the psychiatrists a healthy phenomenon? No, for it really is a case of jumping from the frying pan into the fire. They are worse off than they were before, for, as has well been noted by The National Observer, people need a “fundamental religious ground for their existence, the reason why you can still go on living in the face of tragedy.” The increase in crime, in sexual immorality, in gambling, in drug addiction, in alcoholism, and what not, all testifies to the folly of this trend away from belief in God and in the Bible as his inspired Word.

Psychiatrists and psychologists cannot answer such questions as “Why am I here?” “What is life for?” “What destiny awaits me?” “Why do wickedness and injustice abound?” Unless, of course, they give religious answers. That they are not the ones to go to for help when one is depressed and beset with all manner of problems is to be seen from the fact that suicides among them are twice as frequent as among the population in general.

The blind egotistical folly of many of these professional men is seen from the fact that, in 1970, 55 percent of American psychoanalysts interviewed agreed with Freud that belief in God is “so patently infantile, so incongruous with reality, that . . . it is painful to think that the great majority of mortals will never be able to rise above this view of life.”

Blind, egotistical folly? Yes, for it flies in the face of reason and fact. For example, we are told that “most historians of science would declare at once that Isaac Newton was the greatest scientific mind the world has ever seen.” (Dr. Isaac Asimov) And did he consider belief in God infantile? Far from it! In fact, he wrote a friend that in penning his Principia he had an eye on such principles as would cause men to believe in the existence of God. In that masterpiece he states: “From his true dominion it follows that the true God is a living, intelligent, and powerful Being; and, from his other perfections, that he is supreme, or most perfect. He is eternal and infinite, omnipotent and omniscient.”

That a ‘fundamental religious ground for one’s existence’ can support one in the face of tragedy, the Bible shows time and again. Particularly making this point is the account of ancient Job. Because of his faith in God, Job did not despair in the face of tragedy. And what losses he suffered! In one blow all his children and all his material possessions were taken from him. Then a loathsome and painful disease covered him from head to foot. His closest friends turned against him, and his own wife urged him to give up, saying to him, “Curse God and die!” that is, commit suicide. But because of his faith in God, Job was able to weather it all and come out a winner.​—Job, chaps. 1, 2, 42.

The Bible is filled with sound principles and good advice on how to get along with one’s family and with others. It spells out the duties of husbands, wives, parents, children, servants and masters (employees and employers). It warns against loose conduct: “Whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap; because he who is sowing with a view to his flesh will reap corruption from his flesh, but he who is sowing with a view to the spirit will reap everlasting life from the spirit.” Those who practice what is obscene will receive “in themselves the full recompense, which was due for their error.”​—Gal. 6:7, 8; Rom. 1:27.

It also warns against greed. “Those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and ruin. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things.”​—1 Tim. 6:9, 10.

Yes, indeed, when turning away from clergymen who are without faith in the Bible as God’s inspired Word, instead of turning to psychiatrists and psychologists who likewise, for the most part, are without such faith, let lovers of righteousness turn to the Bible for wisdom, comfort and hope. The Christian witnesses of Jehovah stand ready to help all such lovers of righteousness.

What Is the Bible’s View?

Will the Earth One Day Be Destroyed?

INJUSTICES, crime and war are increasingly making the earth a more dangerous place for human habitation. In spite of that, is not the earth itself a beautiful home, filled with a great variety of plant and creature life? Truly there is so much to delight the senses of smell, taste, touch, sight and hearing.

Are we to believe, then, that the Creator of the earth has decreed the end for towering snowcapped mountains, secluded green valleys, lush meadows, luxuriant jungles, dark forests, palm-lined beaches, cascading waterfalls, winding rivers, mighty seas and oceans, the chirping and singing of birds, and the antics of thousands of fascinating animal varieties? Will God destroy this earth or permit man to reduce it to a lifeless waste? To answer these questions, we need to consider how God views his creation.

The opening chapters of the Bible relate the progressive steps that God undertook to make the earth a suitable and pleasant home for man. Upon completion of each creative period, he pronounced the things made as “good.” Nothing in the Holy Scriptures indicates that God has come to look upon all the earthly creation as inherently bad, fit only for destruction.

To the contrary, the Scriptures reveal that Jehovah God deeply cares about all his creation. Even what befalls unreasoning birds does not escape his notice. Jesus Christ told his disciples: “Do not two sparrows sell for a coin of small value? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.” (Matt. 10:29) Also, the feelings of animals are of concern to him. The Law that God gave to the Israelites encouraged showing compassion for animals. They were not to take a vulnerable mother bird sitting on a nest, but were to let her escape so that she could raise more young. (Deut. 22:6, 7) God prohibited the yoking of a bull and an ass together, in order to prevent the weaker animal from experiencing hardship. (Deut. 22:10) While threshing grain, a bull was not to be muzzled. The animal was not to be tormented by being prevented from feeding on some of the grain it was threshing.​—Deut. 25:4.

All of this illustrates that Jehovah God is interested in his creation. He does not look with favor upon man’s ruining the earth and upon the wanton slaughter of animals. The Bible tells us that it is God’s purpose “to bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Rev. 11:18) Also, “this is what Jehovah has said, the Creator of the heavens, He the true God, the Former of the earth and the Maker of it, He the One who firmly established it, who did not create it simply for nothing, who formed it even to be inhabited.” (Isa. 45:18) So he will never allow humans to make a total wreck of his creation.

But might not the destruction of earth’s ruiners spell destruction for the earth itself? That can be answered with counterquestions: Why should earth’s ruiners, in effect, force God to wreck his own good works? Why should their action move him to act contrary to his declared purpose for the earth?

That the end of those ruining the earth does not mean the destruction of the earth is evident from what happened in the days of Noah. By means of a global deluge, God destroyed a violent world of people. But he saw to it that righteous Noah and seven members of his family, along with basic animal kinds, were preserved alive.

Using what happened back then as an example of what lay ahead, the apostle Peter wrote: “The world of that time suffered destruction when it was deluged with water. But by the same word the heavens and the earth that are now are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men.”​—2 Pet. 3:6, 7.

Note that the destruction to come, as in the case of the Flood, is directed​—not against all humans and earthly creatures—​but against “ungodly men.” As in Noah’s days, the literal earth will not be destroyed. But why, then, does 2 Peter 3:10 say: “The heavens will pass away with a hissing noise, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be discovered”?

In view of God’s purpose to have the earth inhabited, manifestly these words should be understood in a symbolic sense. They are not without parallel in other parts of the Bible. For example, regarding God’s judgment against Babylon, Isaiah 13:13 states: “The earth will rock out of its place at the fury of Jehovah of armies and at the day of his burning anger.”

When Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians in 539 B.C.E., the literal earth did not rock out of its place. However, this did happen to the earthly realm of Babylon. Defeated, Babylon lost control of a vast portion of the earth and became simply a province of the Persian Empire.

Similarly, the reference to the destruction of “the heavens and the earth that are now” is symbolic. In Biblical usage, the word “earth” at times simply means the people on the earth. For example, at Genesis 11:1 we read: “All, the earth continued to be of one language and of one set of words.” Now, to whom or to what have the people constituting the “earth” directed their confidence and appealed for aid? The history of mankind shows that they have looked to their lofty governments, “the superior authorities,” for help and protection. (Rom. 13:1) So the “heavens” that will pass away “with a hissing noise” are such governments. As for the “earth” composed of ungodly mankind, it, too, will perish. The “earth [wicked human society] and the works in it will be discovered.”

This does not mean that the symbolic earth and its works will merely be seared bare and left lying exposed. Rather, they will be found or “discovered” by the fire as being combustible. The idea conveyed by the expression “discovered” is similar to the point made by the apostle Paul at 1 Corinthians 3:13: “Each one’s work will become manifest, for the day will show it up, because it will be revealed by means of fire; and the fire itself will prove what sort of work each one’s is.”

The passing away of the symbolic heavens and the destruction of ungodly mankind will pave the way for making our earthly planet a most delightful home for those seeking to do God’s will. The earth will be transformed from a place where sorrow, pain, sickness and death prevail, into a paradise free from such things.​—Rev. 21:4.

So the earth, in harmony with God’s purpose, will continue to exist. If you desire to remain an abiding part of his creation, heed the inspired admonition: “Do your utmost to be found finally by him spotless and unblemished and in peace.” (2 Pet. 3:14) Yes, make sure of what God’s will is and determine to do it.

Watching the World

Ancient Law Works

◆ Several groups of elderly Californians have successfully launched what they believe is a novel way to cope with today’s costs. They request commercial food handlers to give them damaged and short-weight foods that would normally be wasted, and ask farmers for permission to pick what remains in their fields after the harvest. Something new? No, the idea is over 3,000 years old​—it is found in the Bible’s Mosaic law. The “gleaning” of the harvest had to be left in the fields for less fortunate persons. One farmer remarked: “They’re not asking for something for nothing. They’re out here cutting and picking themselves.” And a food-packaging company official declared: “If there were more people with this frame of mind, the whole world would be a better place to live in.”​—See Leviticus 23:22.

“Seeing” with Sound

◆ What humans have learned from the bat as to radar and sonar often is used for military purposes. But now the bat’s sound-echo guidance method is helping a blind California baby to “see.” When inaudible sounds beamed from a small device tied to the baby’s forehead are reflected by objects in front of him, the echo is transformed into pleasant little whistles in the tot’s ears. Changes in pitch, loudness and quality of the whistles enable the infant, after months of training sessions each day, to determine distance, direction, size and even hardness of objects. As to her baby’s first reaction to the device, the mother says: “His face lighted up. It was like a light going on in his head. He knew there was something out there.”

All About Women?

◆ Mexico City’s U.N.-sponsored International Women’s Conference reportedly differed little from the male-dominated parleys that women often complain about. The usual diatribes and fighting among political antagonists governed the discussion to such an extent that, near its end, Australia’s delegate objected: “The conference is treating women as irrelevant. We have not talked about women as such at all.”

“Divine Sovereignty” Assemblies

◆ This year Jehovah’s witnesses are holding 91 “Divine Sovereignty” District Assemblies across the United States. Reports from the first 64 of these four-day gatherings show a total peak attendance of 664,667 persons; the number baptized, 12,718. Highlighting the assembly theme of Divine Sovereignty, the keynote speaker in each city declared that “on the surface of things, it appears that two great political forces are bitterly contending with each other for domination.” But he pointed out: “There is a contest of far greater magnitude” on a spirit level that “involves the whole universe.” Christians were urged to show by their actions that they let God, not his opposer, Satan, be the sovereign of their lives.

“Saving” the British Pound

◆ The British pound’s recent sharp drops in value moved Donald Coggan, the archbishop of Canterbury, so much that he asked for God’s intervention. He urged his flock to “pray earnestly” for the embattled currency.

Computer Shopping

◆ Housewives in Kokubunji, a Tokyo suburb, can now shop in the world’s first automated supermarket. Vending machines display almost 2,500 kinds of goods behind windows. When the shopper pushes a button and inserts her plastic identification card in a slot, the desired item pops out and the price is recorded by a computer. The cashier later inserts the same plastic card into a computer that instantly produces the total charges. Two cashiers have replaced the twenty required previously. Prices, it is claimed, are lower because of decreased labor costs, and theft and cashier mistakes are almost eliminated. But some complain that they cannot examine the goods and that when they push the wrong button, it takes much effort to correct the error.

‘Mouths of Babes’

◆ Elementary School teachers in Marcianise, Italy, assigned their classes to write themes on the subject “If Jesus Returned.” The Italian newspaperPaese Sera published these edited excerpts: “When he went into the churches and saw marble altars, golden and silver candelabras, so many beautiful paintings and statues,” wrote the children, “Jesus thought: ‘My disciples and I were poor and here my new disciples are rich.’ Every time Jesus would come out of a church he was disappointed and unhappy.” And, in the opinion of the children, what was Jesus’ final judgment after his visit? “The Christians today are not Christians any more.”

America’s Changing South

◆ “Traditional Southern values,” writes an Alabama university instructor in the New York Times, include “patriotism, fundamentalism, and country-and-Western music.” He notes that “what is surprising, however, is the growing popularity of recent country songs whose lyrics describe explicit sexual activity. . . . Ironically, this music grows in popularity in an area where fundamentalist Christian churches thrive​—institutions that lobby for blue laws, shut down [pornographic] movies . . . and attempt to keep ‘obscene’ and ‘Communist’ material out of schoolbooks.”

Obsessed with Weapons

◆ Enough nuclear weapons now exist world wide to kill earth’s population 27 times over, according to figures recently released by a U.S. congressman. Yet the world continues spending nearly $20 billion a year on military research and development​—about five times what it spends on medical research. Furthermore, approximately half the world’s scientists and technicians are working on improved and new weapons, says a spokesman for the Stockholm Peace Research Institute. As for the manufacture of plutonium, a key element in atomic power, the Institute’s recent annual report says: “Even if safeguards are 99.9 per cent effective in 1980, enough plutonium could be diverted without detection to produce nuclear weapons at the rate of one per week.”

Brain and Language

◆ Scientists have believed for some time that only the left half of the brain has language ability. However, recent findings from two sources indicate that the two sides of the brain are not as specialized as previously thought. Studies with new equipment at the California Institute of Technology indicate that the brain’s right hemisphere may have the vocabulary of a 14-year-old and the ability to form sentences of a 5-year-old. Meanwhile, a study of Hopi Indian children in Arizona indicates that their very concrete language may actually require greater use of the right half of the brain than do more abstract languages such as English. These findings bolster hope that those who lose much of the left half of their brain in cancer surgery, stroke or injuries may be aided to regain the ability to speak.

Tragic Misunderstanding

◆ Suicides are occurring even among children under the age of 10, reports the World Health Organization. Why? Its study indicates that some youths probably get the wrong idea from adults who refer to dead people as “passing on.” The children also fail to realize the permanence of death because they see TV and film actors appearing again after supposedly dying. Bitter youngsters imagine that their suicide will punish people by causing grief, not realizing that they will not be around to see it.

World Television

◆ Fifty or more nations now produce television programs. From this vast material all the other countries can choose just what they want to present on their few channels. How much do they pay for these programs? ‘The rates bear little relationship to the apparent prosperity of the nation or the size of the audience,’ observes London’s Financial Times. ‘They are simply what a seller can squeeze from the buyer.’ Half-hour episodes are said to cost about $400 in Austria, $700 in Mexico, $25 in Uganda and $3,500 or more in Britain. Russians reportedly are willing to pay only half what East Germans do, and oil-endowed Kuwait no more than less wealthy Jamaica (about $60).

Prenatal Noise

◆ A recent Japanese study of babies whose mothers lived near airports, from at least the first half of pregnancy onward, found that many of the tots could sleep right through high-level recorded airplane noises. But babies subjected to airport noise only after mid-pregnancy, or not at all, were awakened by the recorded sounds. On the other hand, classical music roused the “airport babies.” Why? “To such babies airplane noises are just an ordinary sound and the music of Beethoven is an unusual sound,” says Yoichi Ando of Kobe University. “Their sensitivity to noises and sounds became abnormal while they were still in the womb.”

Soviet Sex Survey

◆ A surprisingly candid survey recently published in Russia revealed that Soviet citizens are rapidly embracing the sexual permissiveness that they used to condemn as Western decadence. More than half the male students at Leningrad University admitted to sexual encounters before the age of 18. Almost two thirds of the women engaged in premarital sex before they were 21. By age 24, almost all had succumbed. Reportedly, students and scientific workers overwhelmingly approve of premarital sex relations, and the married women, of having extramarital affairs. Nearly 10 percent, or 400,000, of the children born in a recent year were illegitimate.

Gamblers Undaunted

◆ Flashflooding recently turned the world-famed Las Vegas gambling strip into a sea of mud. Floodwaters killed two persons. Yet “shoeless gamblers, pant-legs rolled up, continued to plunk coins into slot machines in some casinos as calf-deep water swirled around them after the freakish storm,” reports the New York Times.

New Galactic Mystery

◆ A new observation system has enabled California astronomers to photograph what is said to be the most distant galaxy yet observed, an estimated eight billion light-years away. But a new space mystery has accompanied the discovery. Radio emissions from the galaxy are so intense that scientists say the nuclear energy in its stars should quickly be burned up, and the stars should not remain. Yet they exist. “Hence their energy source remains a major challenge of astrophysics,” notes the New York Times.

“Unbeatable” Disease

◆ While the World Health Organization is claiming victory over smallpox, it is admitting that, after a multimillion-dollar, 19-year fight, it has not gained a victory over malaria. Director general Halfdan Mahler says: “For many years we tried to keep up a bluff that global eradication was possible . . . now we have thrown in the towel. It is very difficult to admit failure and it took us a very long time to admit that this organization was not able to put forward a program for eradication.”

Unusual Survival

◆ A five-year-old Norwegian boy plunged into a partially frozen river. He was submerged for 40 minutes before police were able to rescue him. Emergency lifesaving procedures revived the lad, but there remained a question of possible brain damage due to prolonged lack of oxygen. However, after a rapid physical recovery, doctors found that his brain function has continued normal for more than a year since the incident. They concluded, as published in the British medical journal Lancet, that rapid cooling of the child’s body in the cold water greatly reduced the brain’s need for oxygen.

A Bible Mystery Solved

The Bible at Genesis 3:15 promises the crushing of the “serpent” by the “seed” of God’s “woman.” Who are God’s woman, her seed, and the serpent that is crushed? How does the fulfillment of this Bible mystery affect us?

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Can Earth Produce Enough Food for All?

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