May 22

Page Two

Drug addiction on the rise worldwide. The new addicts: housewives, businessmen, juveniles, adults​—they come from all categories. Why are people turning to drugs to cope? Is there a better way?

3 DRUG ADDICTION ON THE RISE WORLDWIDE

4 THE NEW DURG ADDICTS​—ANYBODY YOU KNOW?

5 DO YOU NEED TRANQUILIZERS TO COPE?

6 ANOTHER GLOBAL ADDICTION​—ALCOHOL

7 COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR DOCTOR!

8 POPULAR MYHS ABOUT MARIJUANA

10 WHY ARE PEOPLE TURNING TO DRUGS?

11 FINDING A BETTER WAY

Part 1

Drug Addiction On The Rise Worldwide

ALL over the world drug abuse has “now reached pandemic proportions and continues to increase,” according to a United Nations report. Take heroin, for example—

□ In Britain the number of known heroin addicts increased by nearly one fifth from 1978 to 1979, and the proportion of woman addicts continues to increase. Seizures of heroin nearly doubled in a year.

□ In Mexico there are some 630,000 drug addicts, according to rehabilitation experts. “Seven percent of all drug users in Mexico depend on heroin, an alarming sign,” notes one authority.

□ In Burma, where heroin was often grown but rarely used at home in the past, things have changed. There are now an estimated 30,000 Burmese heroin addicts, and the government is concerned.

□ In the Federal Republic of Germany drug-overdose deaths have been increasing very rapidly during the last decade. In fact, the country now has a per capita drug death toll six times as high as the United States. “There has not been a day since March of 1974 when heroin has not been in ample supply in the city,” says a West Berlin antidrug official.

□ In the United States heroin addiction is rising rapidly after declining during the 1970’s (due to diminished supplies of heroin at the time). In New York city heroin prices are lower and drug-related deaths are higher than they were a few years ago. “The habit I was supporting at $200 a day four years ago cost me only $100 a day the second time around,” admits one addict who was “cured” of his addiction in 1977 but started up again in 1980. Drug-related deaths in New York city rose 77 percent from 1978 to 1979.

But heroin is only the tip of the addiction iceberg. Plastic surgeons in New York and Los Angeles are doing a brisk business, repairing the noses of people who develop dime-size holes between their nostrils from snorting cocaine. “The dangerous thing is that the deterioration of the area usually goes unnoticed until it’s too late,” warns one surgeon, adding, “the largest hole I’ve seen was an oval of about three-quarters of an inch in length.”

New drugs like PCP (called “angel dust”), much cheaper than cocaine, are tuning up all over the United States. PCP, a very unpredictable drug, can cause symptoms “indistinguishable from catatonic schizophrenia,” according to doctors. Los Angeles police report three cases of PCP users who have snapped handcuffs while on the drug. The effects of PCP do not seem to wear off completely for long periods of time, if at all, because the body stores PCP instead of excreting it.

Yet there is more, much more, to modern drug addiction than heroin, PCP, cocaine, or other “street drugs.” A new generation of outwardly respectable drug addicts is emerging in many developed countries. Do you know any of them?

Part 2

The New Drug Addicts​—Anybody You Know?

MARY (not her real name) became increasingly tense after her husband divorced her and her daughter dropped out of college. “I was so upset I began drinking martinis at lunch,” she confessed. “When I caught myself drinking during the morning coffee break as well, I went to see Jack, my doctor and friend, who prescribed Valium. He said it would help me control the stress.”

Mary did not become an alcoholic, but, instead, she became addicted to tranquilizers, “a fact neither Jack nor I realized,” she said. She passed out one afternoon after accidentally combining too many tranquilizers and sleeping pills. “In my drug-induced stupor I’d left food cooking on the stove,” she recalls, adding, “I was minutes away from a serious fire when my son came home.”

An unusual case? Not at all. The National Institute of Drug Abuse estimates that some two million women are addicted to prescription drugs in the United States alone. In the 12-month period ending in April 1977, there were an estimated 880 Valium-connected deaths in the U.S. In most of these cases the victims had combined Valium with alcohol or another drug.

Consider Darvon. This popular painkiller can also be a person killer. In the U.S., in 1978 alone, an estimated 1,200 persons died from misuse of this drug.

While women have the highest incidence of prescription-drug abuse, men are by no means immune. A growing number of American business executives are overusing pills as well, often in combination with alcohol.

In some cases doctors have prescribed tranquilizers to help hard-drinking businessmen to get off the bottle. But, as one doctor reports, “at least 95 percent of them fell back onto alcohol within a year. But that’s not the bad thing. Fully one-third were then hooked on Valium as well.”

There are a number of legitimate medical uses for tranquilizers such as Valium, for instance in treating muscle disorders and epilepsy. But why are so many people getting hooked on tranquilizers?

In some cases the drugs are being misprescribed for ordinary stress. Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of the Public Citizens Research Group of Washington, D.C., puts it this way: “At the moment there are ten times more prescriptions written for minor tranquilizers than are justified.” Studies indicate that many doctors feel there is simply not enough time to deal with the root causes of anxiety during office visits, so they reach for the prescription pad instead.

Tranquilizer manufacturers have recently agreed to begin carrying a straightforward warning on their labels that the pills should not be used to combat “the stress of everyday life.” Patients will lie to doctors, borrow pills from friends, or visit several doctors to get the medication they crave. The ultimate responsibility to avoid drug abuse lies with the user.

How can you avoid trouble with tranquilizers? Here are some suggestions—

Part 3

Do You Need Tranquilizers to Cope?

DO THEY REALLY HELP?

A British study by Oxford researchers found that people taking tranquilizers such as Valium were five times as likely to have a serious road accident as other people.

“Over-prescribing has become a tradition of the medical profession.”​—Health expert quoted in “World Health Magazine.”

TROUBLE SLEEPING?

Are pills the answer? “In most cases it is highly inappropriate to give pills. Many people who can’t sleep are suffering from depression and should be treated in other ways.”​—Dr. Harvey Moldofsky, Toronto Western Hospital.

“There is clearly a recognizable lack in medical school education and postmedical school education about the proper prescription of hypnotics [sleeping pills] and their use and treatment.”​—Dr. Charles Krauthammer, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration, U.S.

“BUT THEY SAID IT WAS NONADDICTIVE!”

“There is good evidence of physical addiction with Valium . . . A lot of people don’t know that Valium, Darvon, and codeine are addictive, and these are the [drugs] now being far too widely prescribed.”​—Dr. Sidney Wolfe, Public Citizens Health Group.

‘Valium withdrawal is more intense than heroin withdrawal.’​—Testimony by a doctor before U.S. Senate.

WHO IS PRESCRIBING YOUR PILLS?

British researchers found that 35 percent of prescriptions for tranquilizers are not written by doctors, but by their staff, usually the receptionist! Only 17 percent of the doctors surveyed insisted on writing all prescriptions themselves.

Wouldn’t it be a good idea to go to a doctor who is interested in really helping you, not just giving you pills? Don’t pressure him for medication if he doesn’t think you need any.

Part 4

Another Global Addiction​—Alcohol

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION reports that alcohol abuse is an “occasion for alarm” all over the planet. Here are some trends reported:

Between 1950 and 1976 the annual per capita consumption of alcohol increased in 25 countries from 30 percent in Portugal to a staggering 500 percent in the Federal Republic of Germany.

In England and Wales admissions to hospitals for alcoholism have risen 20-fold during the last 25 years.

In Brazil first admissions [to hospitals] with a diagnosis of alcoholism trebled between 1960 and 1970.

One third of all road fatalities in Zambia and up to two thirds in Venezuela are caused by excessive drinking.

“So rapidly have . . . alcohol-related problems increased, that they now rank among the world’s major public health concerns, threatening to slow down economic development in the Third World, and to overburden the health services of most countries.”​—WHO report.

Alcohol is involved in crime all over the globe. The report says that studies “implicate alcohol in 13 to 50 percent of rapes, 24 to 72 percent of assaults and 28 to 86 percent of homicides.”

“We are very worried by what appears to be an increasing problem​—this connection between drink and violent crime. It is very clear that around half the murders in this country were committed by people after they had been drinking.”​—Lord Harris, chairman of the Parole Board of Britain.

IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, DON’T DRINK!

A California study of 32,000 women indicated that women taking two drinks a day ran twice as much risk of miscarriage as did women who abstained.

A New York study indicated that alcohol seems to act as “a fetal poison, most likely acute,” and that as little as one ounce of alcohol per week could be dangerous to the fetus.

A few drinks a day during pregnancy can greatly increase the risk of the child’s being born with fetal alcohol syndrome, which can result in physical deformities and mental retardation.

“Any woman contemplating pregnancy should abstain from drinking all alcoholic beverages both before and during the entire term of her pregnancy.”​—Dr. Patrick MacLeod, medical geneticist, and Dr. David F. Smith, pediatrician.

Part 5

Communicate With Your Doctor!

“BEFORE you take the first dose of any medication your doctor prescribes, you should make it your business to learn more about the drug than the doctor himself knows.”​—Robert Mendelsohn, M.D., author of “Confessions of a Medical Heretic.”

Another doctor advises, “Choose a physician as if your life depends on it, because one day, it might.” He adds, “If your doctor is competent, he will not place you on a medication without telling you

□ the name of the drug,

□ what he is using it for,

□ what risks may be involved,

□ and what early warning signs you should look for so that you can intelligently watch for serious side reactions.

The principle is simple: never take a drug unless its name, nature, risks and side effects are clearly spelled out by your physician.”​—George D. Lemaitre, M.D., author of “How to Choose a Good Doctor.”

You need not become belligerent or argue with your doctor in order to communicate with him. Most doctors are glad to answer your questions. If your doctor is too busy to explain why he is prescribing a certain drug for you, then the information is readily available in publications such as “The Physician’s Desk Reference.” If you find it difficult to communicate with your physician, then find another one. A good relationship with your doctor will enable him to treat you more effectively.

Part 6

Popular Myths About Marijuana

MYTH #1 “Marijuana is not as popular with young people as it was back in the 60’s.”

FACT Marijuana use has been steadily increasing since the 60’s. Kids today may not talk as much about it, but that is because they take it for granted.

In 1962 only 4 percent of Americans 18 to 25 years old had tried “pot.” Today the figure is 68 percent! One out of every six high school students in Maine and Maryland gets “high” on a daily basis.​—National Institute of Drug Abuse.

MYTH #2 “Marijuana smoke is not worse for you than tobacco smoke.”

FACT Tobacco smoke is very bad for you, but marijuana smoke is worse in many ways. The University of California found that marijuana smokers developed a 25-percent increase in airway resistance after only two months of heavy smoking. “Among tobacco smokers, evidence of chronic bronchitis with significant increase in airway resistance rarely occurs until after 15-20 years of smoking.”​—“Patient Care” magazine.

“One study among marijuana smokers showed that five marijuana cigarettes a week were more damaging to the lungs than six packs of cigarettes smoked over the same period.”​—New York “Times.”

“From accumulated clinical observation and research, there appears to be a growing probability that the respiratory damage from chronic marijuana use is greater than that from tobacco smoking.”​—“Patient Care” magazine.

MYTH #3 “Marijuana doesn’t give you a hangover, so that indicates it doesn’t have any long-term effects.”

FACT “Unlike alcohol, which is soluble in water and rapidly washed out of the body, THC and related cannabinoids in marijuana are fat-soluble and can remain and accumulate in the body for a week or longer after marijuana is smoked.”​—NY “Times.”

“A recent controlled study with rhesus monkeys has demonstrated lasting structural changes in the brain” waves (EEG) after marijuana use.​—“Patient Care” magazine.

MYTH #4 “Marijuana makes a person more alert, better able to drive a car.”

“I would never drive while I was drunk, but I always drive while I’m high . . . In fact, I sometimes think I even drive better after I’ve smoked.”​—17-year-old marijuana user.

FACT Marijuana smokers are especially dangerous on the road because they often don’t believe that their driving ability is impaired. They don’t realize how dangerous they are, and sometimes they think their driving ability is actually improved.

“Harry Klonoff of the University of British Columbia tested 64 men and women and found that in most cases marijuana interfered with their ability to drive.”​—“Newsweek.”

“A study of drivers involved in fatal accidents, conducted for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, indicated that marijuana use was a significant factor.”​—“Medical Tribune.”

MYTH #5 “Marijuana is a simple, relatively mild drug, comparable to alcohol.”

FACT Alcohol is a “simple” drug in the sense that it contains a single active substance, ethyl alcohol. Marijuana contains, at latest count, over 400 different chemicals. Scientists have no idea what some of them do, but others are known to be dangerous.

Benzanthracene and Benzopyrene are two known carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) present in marijuana smoke in amounts 50 to 70 percent greater than in cigarette smoke.

MYTH #6 “The marijuana that kids are smoking is the same stuff they smoked when I was a kid.”

FACT Today’s marijuana is much stronger than it was only a few years ago. “In 1975 the average sample of confiscated marijuana contained only 0.4 percent of the mind-altering chemical THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). By last year, because of improved cultivation practices, the average was 4 percent . . . a tenfold increase in potency.”​—NY “Times.”

“How can I tell if my child is using drugs?” Here are clues given by the Health Insurance Institute of New York—

□ Laughing excessively at things no one else thinks are funny.

□ Apparent intoxication with no alcohol smell.

□ A tendency to sit looking off into space.

□ Appetite loss with rapid weight loss.

□ The reverse​—wild forays on the icebox.

□ Staying out later than usual and giving evasive answers when questioned about it.

□ Avid reading of books and articles dealing with the drug culture.

[Graphs on page 8]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

Marijuana use among U.S. high school seniors

60%

50-

40-

30-

20-

10-

0-

1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

Used within past month

Ever used

[Graph]

Abnormal EEG readings

Normal

Four months after six-month exposure

[Picture on page 9]

“. . . a tenfold increase in potency”

1975

1979

Mind-altering chemical THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)

Part 7

Why Are People Turning To Drugs?

“SURPRISINGLY, various U.S. studies indicate that white, middle class housewives are prime candidates for tranquilizer abuse.”​—“Maclean’s.”

WHAT STARTS PEOPLE ON DRUGS?

Interestingly, animal studies indicate that “drug addiction is less a weakness of the flesh than a reaction to stress, isolation, and social deprivation . . . The loner, the misfit, the person who feels himself at the bottom of the social pile is much more likely to become a regular drug user and most likely to become addicted.”​—Editorial, Toronto “Star.”

Supporting this view, Dr. Stanton Peele, author of “Love and Addiction,” says that ‘the only alternative to addiction is to take responsibility for yourself; the only cure is a sense of self-worth.’

“Everybody is taking drugs, whether it’s Pop coming home after drinking a few beers, or Mom getting the doctor to give her a few Valiums ‘just to make it through the day’ . . . We don’t care as much as we used to 10 years ago. Parental apathy is really quite incredible right now.”​—Social worker.

PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN WITH A GOOD EXAMPLE

A Canadian survey of 14,000 Ontario students found a strong relationship between family life and drug abuse.

“If mother uses legal, prescribed tranquilizers every day, her children are: Three and a half times more likely to use marijuana; Five times more likely to use LSD or amphetamines; Seven times more likely to use illegal tranquilizers; and Ten times more likely to use opiates.”

On the other hand​—“The low-risk families [where few children had drug problems] . . . were not permissive, but enjoyed each other and laughed together. Father was strong and mother was affectionate but both were warm. The parents had a religion, knew what they believed and weren’t shy about letting the children know their values. The kids had chores, curfews, discipline, and parents who were interested in all their activities. Fathers were not alcoholics and mothers tended not to use tranquilizers. The parents were seen as good listeners who consulted their children but were clearly in charge.”​—Toronto “Star.”

Part 8

Finding A Better Way

WOULD you like help to break free of a drug problem? Meet some who have succeeded:

Leona, now in her mid-20’s, used marijuana, “speed,” mescaline and cocaine. What helped her to turn around?

“I was amazed to learn that God has a purpose for the earth and the people on it. One of his promises is that the earth will be restored to a beautiful paradise.” Learning of these promises gave her hope for the future.

“I also learned the value of caring for our bodies and our lives. Since life came from God, he rightly owns everything we have, including ourselves.” This appreciation gave Leona an incentive to quit abusing her body with drugs. Something else helped, too.

“Psalm 83:18 pointed to Jehovah as God’s personal name. By using his name in earnest prayer, I felt I could really draw close to him. Here was someone powerful, mighty, who cared about me, and who was good, always sticking to what is right. Truly I had found someone whose authority was deserved.”

A Bible study with Jehovah’s Witnesses gave Leona the hope she needed to fight drug abuse. Her relationship with Jehovah gave her the strength to win the fight.

Charles, who started taking drugs such as LSD and hashish in college, acknowledges that his study of the Bible helped to make his mind over. “After only three weeks of study I flushed about $100 worth of hashish down the toilet and resolved never to use these drugs again,” he says. Bible study has helped his marriage as well.

Phillip started taking drugs when he was 11 or 12 years old. His life became “a living nightmare with no seeming escape except through death by suicide, which was a constant desire.” Phillip became a thief, a street fighter, an alcoholic and a drug pusher. He developed allergies, headaches and epilepsy from drug abuse, and hepatitis from unsanitary needles used to inject the drugs. Finally, Phillip asked Jehovah’s Witnesses for help.

“The person they sent convinced me that there was a God who cared,” he explains. “I learned that this Creator also had a purpose for man and held out everlasting life to those in his favor. You can’t imagine how good and happy I felt about this. Today I enjoy good health, peace of mind, a close relationship with God.”

Perhaps you don’t believe that there really could be anything in the Bible that would change your whole outlook on life​—but there is! If you haven’t found it in church, it’s because the churches are not telling people about Jehovah God’s wonderful purpose for this earth. Just knowing that God truly wants people to enjoy life on earth can begin to change the way you look at your life. Knowing that God will soon step in to eliminate the wars, pollution, crime and disease that make life miserable for millions is encouraging, is it not? Does the Bible really promise these things? See for yourself! Look up in your Bible and read Psalm 37:1-11, Isaiah 65:17-25 and Revelation 21:3-5.

“Somebody Ought to Do Something About It!”

THE man was obviously well educated, articulate and widely respected. He was a business executive and a family man. But he was on trial for organizing an antigovernment group dedicated to arson and assassination. Why? In essence, his answer was: “We had to do something. We had to act!”

Many are becoming frustrated at the problems they see around them and feel that “somebody ought to do something.” They worry about widespread poverty and hunger; about governmental corruption; about the poisoning by industrial pollution of the air they breathe and the water they drink; about the crime explosion; about falling living standards and rising inflation; about the vast sums of money spent on armaments.

Yes, this is an imperfect world, and many things should be changed. Yet nobody seems able to make the changes. This causes some to become cynical or apathetic. Others “drop out,” becoming hippies or turning to drugs. Some try to “get involved,” busying themselves with politics or charitable works. All too often, frustrations explode in demonstrations, riots, revolutions or in terrorist acts like the ones mentioned above.

Sadly, it has to be admitted that none of these reactions seem to make much difference in the long run. Revolutions and reforms have made temporary changes in some countries; but, overall, things seem to move relentlessly in the same direction. Corruption and dishonesty are still with us, as are inflation, armament spending, industrial pollution, poverty and a host of other ills.

There is, however, another way to react to this situation, a way that is realistic and practical, that in the long run will make a difference. It was the approach of a man possessed of a quality that is increasingly rare in the world today. The man was Jesus Christ, and the quality, an absolute trust in God.

Jesus’ Approach

Many of today’s problems already existed in Jesus’ day, and he was evidently well aware of them. In his parables he showed that he knew how difficult it was for a poor person to get justice and how degraded the situation of a beggar could become. (Luke 18:2-5; 16:20, 21) He was often “moved with pity” at the situation of the common people, while time and again he experienced the oppressiveness and bigotry of the rulers of his day.

How did he react? He certainly did not become cynical or “drop out,” turning his back on the whole sorry situation. Neither did he become violent or revolutionary. Once a large crowd tried to make him their king, but Jesus would not go along with them.​—John 6:14, 15.

No, Jesus’ trust was in God. He knew that political changes, however well intentioned, could not effectively solve all the problems of the people, since the underlying cause of those problems was beyond the scope of political action. Even when threatened with death, he did not call on his followers to rise up and rescue him. Rather, he left himself trustingly in his Father’s hands, saying: “Let, not my will, but yours take place.”​—Luke 22:42.

Jesus told people about God’s kingdom and proclaimed this as the solution to their problems. Not that he refused physical help to those in need. Many times he healed people of sicknesses that had forced them into poverty. On two occasions he showed human kindness by feeding large crowds. (Mark 10:46-52; 6:35-44; 8:1-9) But the main thrust of his work was preaching about God’s kingdom. The record tells us: “Then he went around throughout the whole of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news of the kingdom.”​—Matt. 4:23.

What He Accomplished

What good did this do? It contributed to a permanent solution to mankind’s ills. Jesus was aware of obstacles that limit the extent to which mankind can improve its own situation in this system of things. His whole life course demonstrated a complete trust that God, in his own time and way, would remove those obstacles. What are the obstacles?

One is human imperfection and sinfulness. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) As long as this is true, men will always experience sin, death, friction among themselves and alienation from God. Another obstacle is the activity of Satan and his demons. Most underestimate the effect of Satan on human affairs, and some question his very existence. But Jesus called him “the ruler of the world.” (John 14:30) As long as man remains imperfect and under the influence of Satan, human society will continue to be riddled with selfishness and other bad attitudes. Wrong practices have become so entrenched that, however sincere a world leader might be, there is little he can do to change things at this late date.

Hence, Jesus preached about God’s kingdom, because only under that kingdom can truly beneficial changes be made. God promised that “he is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth.” (Ps. 46:9) In this present world, such a hope is unthinkable, but under God’s kingdom it will happen. This kingdom will be sustained “by means of justice and by means of righteousness.” (Isa. 9:7) Only under such a system could governmental corruption be rooted out. And only by this kingdom will God “wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”​—Rev. 21:4.

Preaching such a message meant that Jesus had absolute faith in God. Why? Well, “faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for.” (Heb. 11:1) Jesus was talking about something that would happen in the future. He had to show implicit trust in God, that he would fulfill his promises. It meant that Jesus had to sacrifice the possible benefits of the world he lived in and endure hatred and ridicule from nonbelievers. It also meant that he had to be prepared to die a sacrificial death, since it was by his death that God would bring the power of Satan the Devil to nothing and also redeem mankind from its sinful state.​—John 1:29; Heb. 2:14.

Jesus had that trust. He knew that God was “the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” (Heb. 11:6) And his trust was vindicated, because, as hundreds of witnesses testified, after his death he was raised again to life. Now he is the ruling king of the Kingdom about which he preached.​—Rev. 11:15.

A Practical Approach

Jesus’ approach was practical because it was based on trust in God to provide a successful and permanent solution to the host of problems besetting mankind. Does such an approach work today?

Yes, it does. Many who have tried other ways have come to this as the only practical course of action. For example, one young man was very active as a leader of student demonstrations. Disillusioned by the corruption he saw in that activity, he resorted to drugs. Finally, he heard the “good news of the kingdom” and realized that here was the answer. Now he devotes his life to telling people about the same kingdom that Jesus proclaimed.​—Matt. 24:14.

Like Jesus, true Christians do good to their neighbors whenever they can. They demonstrate their trust in God by striving to apply Bible principles in their day-to-day lives. When they meet with problems, they look to the Bible for God-given guidance. They trust that, in this uncertain world, their heavenly Father watches over them. Time and again Christians have experienced the truth of Jesus’ promise: “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.”​—Matt. 6:33.

They honestly believe that soon now God will bring an end to the confusion and suffering in this world, doing so by means of his kingdom. Confidently, they pray, “Let your kingdom come,” and this trust gives them “the peace of God that excels all thought.” Like Jesus, they even sacrifice some of the temporary benefits of this world rather than compromise their hope of an inheritance under that kingdom.​—Matt. 6:10; Phil. 4:7.

No, genuine Christians do not react violently to the injustices they see in the world. They do not say in frustration: “Somebody ought to do something about it.” They know that Somebody already is doing something about it. And they know that, according to all the evidence, that One’s purposes will soon be triumphantly accomplished.

Safe, by a Hair!

If you have trouble with cockroaches, pity the toad. That sticky-tongued creature feeds on roaches, snagging them with a lightning quick flick of the tongue. The problem is that, more often than not, the cockroaches get away. How do they do it?

According to an article in the December 1980 issue of “Scientific American,” the roach does not need to see or hear the toad in order to escape his ambush. Instead, the insect has very sensitive hairs at its rear end that detect air movement. As the toad lunges for the roach, a puff of air, disturbed by the movement, reaches the roach first. The air moves these little hairs and, somewhere inside the cockroach, an alarm sounds. Less than a 20th of a second later, the roach is off and running.

How does it know which way to run? The tiny hairs are not all sensitive to wind coming from the same direction. If the attacking tongue comes from behind rather than from the side, different hairs are stimulated. The nervous system of the cockroach, like a microcomputer, analyzes data from the stimulated hairs and decides which way the wind is blowing. Then the insect runs away from the source of the wind​—all in a flash.

Scientists marvel at the computing skills of the humble cockroach. We, too, marvel​—at the engineering ability of the Creator.

Costly Rodent Antics

China’s newspaper “The People’s Daily” recently reported that a rat in Shanghai caused a petrochemical complex to suffer a loss in production of almost $12 million (U.S.)! The rodent short-circuited a main switch on a power line, paralyzing the entire plant. Even Peking’s subway has come to a complete standstill three times because of rats fouling electrical equipment. On one occasion, power was off for 40 minutes, while passengers waited in the dark. “The People’s Daily” urged people to keep more cats.

‘After the Flowers, the Stones’​—On the Soccer Field

LIKE most Brazilian boys, I grew up playing soccer on any vacant lot or street. Soccer stars of the day were our idols. To become a professional player was our ultimate desire. So at the age of 13, when we moved to Rio de Janeiro to live in a house near the São Cristóvão Stadium, I was ‘deliriously happy.’

Within a few years I began to show some promise on the front line of our team. But then in 1958, just before an important game, we lost our goalkeeper. “Heitor Amorim, you are the tallest,” said our trainer. “You are going to be our goalie.” So began my career as the one player under the crossbar, the player who should never fail.

Time flew as I divided my waking hours between school and training on the soccer field. In 1963 I was thrilled to be chosen to play on the Brazilian Olympic team. We won the Pan-American tournament in São Paulo that year. This paved the way for an invitation to play on the famous São Paulo Corinthians team and I did not think twice before accepting the offer. So, leaving my job and the engineering school, I moved to São Paulo to give my undivided attention to professional soccer.

Aiming High

My new career soon began to pay dividends. Within months I was nominated the goalie “find” of the year and, soon thereafter, trophies began to come my way, one as the best goalkeeper and the other as the least vulnerable goalie for 1964. Besides gifts, I received invitations to appear on TV sports programs. My home was filled with fans and reporters, my evenings with social life, and money was flowing into my bank account.

A New Idol Appears

I will never forget a game we played against the Santos team in the Pacaembu Stadium of São Paulo. We were well into the second half and the score was tied. Our placing in the finals of the tournament depended on the outcome of this game. Then, horrors! We were penalized, giving our opponents a direct kick in front of my goal. This kick would practically decide the game, and who was chosen to make the kick? Pelé, the world-famous “king of soccer”! The 60,000 spectators and millions of radio listeners held their breath as we faced each other.

As I watched Pelé I recalled how he would make an almost imperceptible pause just before kicking the ball in an attempt to trick the goalie to jump to the side of the net opposite from where he planned to kick it. So I remained motionless and jumped only after he kicked the ball​—and I caught it! Pandemonium broke loose. All over the city thousands of radio fans rushed into the streets to shoot off fireworks and “bombs.” The game ended in a tie and I was carried off the field on the shoulders of the fans. A new star was born!

Amid all the euphoria that followed I remembered the wise words of the experienced Gilmar, goalkeeper for the all-star team, who said to me on a radio program: “Heitor, do not be deceived. The flowers of today can be the stones of tomorrow!”

Time for Reflection

Amid all this fame it was hard to imagine that there could be any “stones of tomorrow.” However, my marriage to Dilma in 1965 helped me to keep my balance and think more clearly about our future. My career was indeed important to us​—not the glory and fame, but, rather, the economic security that it could give. With this we could enjoy peace and quiet in which to raise our children and in which we could work on behalf of others.

I often thought of my honest, hardworking father who really outdid himself giving me gifts as a child. But at the same time he taught us to have a deep concern for others. Was I doing what he would have done? Then, too, the world situation was worsening. “Will there never be real peace?” Dilma would ask. With my Roman Catholic background, I realized that I should be doing more about my religion.

An international tour in 1965-66 did not help matters. England, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, the United States​—games with some of the best teams in the world. In London we received from Prince Philip a silver disk as a souvenir of the game played against Arsenal in Wembley Stadium. And in the newspapers there was my name alongside that of other stars​—Rivelino, Garrinha—​as attractions for the games. It was all very heady​—and also very disturbing.

Mysticism in Soccer

Especially disturbing to me was a feature of soccer that is almost unknown and perhaps hard to believe. Behind the scenes in Brazil soccer is saturated with superstitions, and even spiritistic practices. For example, during the last World Cup, in Argentina in 1978, candles and other voodoo objects were placed in some soccer fields in Brazil as an aid to their team to win. But the team lost. Jokingly, it has been said, “If Macumba [voodoo rites] really had power, the soccer tournaments in the State of Bahia would always end in a tie,” because of the large number of rites performed on behalf of each team.

I remember that the Corinthians had a pai-de-santo (voodoo priest) hired for that purpose. Sometimes all of us players would be called to the club at midnight for a special herb bath prescribed by him.

On one occasion our club was doing badly in a tournament and the pai-de-santo decided that someone had performed witchcraft against us and he would have to undo it. So one Friday at midnight all players and some newsmen went with him to the stadium. He began to dig and, to our surprise, he dug up seven daggers that had been buried there, one on each corner of the field, one behind each goal and one in the middle of the field. All the daggers were alike and each had seven undulations in the handle. Here, apparently, was the reason for our losses! Some players were deeply impressed, others doubtful.

Nevertheless, we lost the tournament and the pai-de-santo was fired! Later on he was hired by another team and I remember how on one occasion he put a curse on us as we entered the stadium. But we won! And the daggers? I found out later that the club caretaker had told the pai-de-santo that the daggers had been planted there by a previous pai-de-santo to “help” our team win. So he knew where to dig them up!

Deceptions and Even “Stones”

Further deceptions followed after our return from the international tour. A tournament between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo was arranged, and from the teams in this contest were generally chosen the all-star team. Although described in the newspapers as the best goalie, I was not chosen, apparently because of problems involving our team. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

Then, too, I became involved in a battle for labor rights for soccer players and this led to differences with the club ownership. Finally, matters came to a climax. My wife was taken to a hospital for medical attention while I had to play a game. Mentally upset, I played badly and we lost to a technically inferior team. I was blamed for the loss, even accused of having accepted a bribe. Although one newspaper declared that I was a “victim of human malice,” I was not even allowed to enter some of the club buildings. My friends and neighbors looked at me suspiciously.

What a change! Sunday an idol and Monday unwanted! Gilmar was right: ‘Flowers today, stones tomorrow.’

I became so depressed that for several days I did not even want to go outside. Shortly thereafter I was transferred for a year to a team in Paraná.

A Timely Visit

One Sunday morning while I was away at the club an elderly man called at our home and, after a few introductory remarks, asked my wife: “Did you know that the Bible says that soon there will be no more war? Wouldn’t you enjoy living forever in peace on this earth?”

Then, to prove his point, he asked her to read in the Bible the text at Psalm 46:8, 9, which says: “Come, you people, behold the activities of Jehovah, how he has set astonishing events on the earth. He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces.” Well, this was good news to my wife! So began a series of weekly visits to our home by one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Although I personally was not particularly interested in a Bible study, I did not object to the visits. Occasionally I would ask a question and invariably would receive a satisfactory answer from the Bible itself. Then something sparked my interest. My wife, knowing that I had been taught since childhood to have deep concern and respect for the elderly, artfully suggested that I read an article entitled “The Pleasure of Listening to Grandparents,” in Awake! of July 8, 1968. The fine article encouraged me to read more and soon I joined my wife in Bible study.

A New Outlook on Life

A few months later we were invited to attend a convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Pacaembu Stadium, the very place where I had been carried out of the stadium on the shoulders of soccer fans. Vivid scenes flashed through my mind as I tried to concentrate on the fine Bible counsel being presented.

As the days passed at the assembly I could not help but see contrasts. No jostling or jeering, no flag waving or hero worship. The quiet orderliness of the crowd, the loving consideration shown to one another and especially to us newer ones, the warm hugs and the happy greetings of “Brother” or “Sister,” all made a deep impression on my wife and me.

A natural follow-up to the assembly was an invitation for us to accompany the Witnesses in their door-to-door preaching work. On many occasions I would be recognized by the householder, and it was interesting to observe their frank amazement. They were not used to having a soccer star call on them to talk about the Bible!

As time went on, we found that we were gradually adopting a new outlook on life, with a new sense of values and, above all, a new hope for the future. True security, we learned, would not come from a good salary or a fine home but only from putting first the interests of God’s kingdom. “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you,” Jesus had declared in the Sermon on the Mount. (Matt. 6:33) My conscience began to tell me that the fierce competition manifest in the soccer games, the strong rivalries, yes, even hatreds, and the spiritistic practices, all were contrary to Bible teachings.

Finally, much as I loved to play soccer, I decided to end my career as a professional and to accept a job in Rio de Janeiro at a much lower income level. Then on December 18, 1970, my wife and I were baptized, by immersion in water, in symbol of our dedication to serve Jehovah.

Since then, what fine privileges we have enjoyed! We have been able to help several of our relatives to a knowledge of the Bible promise of living forever in a future earthly paradise. We enjoy a sense of security that only this knowledge can bring.

I still enjoy a friendly game of soccer, but gone are the “flowers” and the “stones.” Now our days are fuller and more meaningful because of the knowledge of the “good news” that has enriched our lives.​—Contributed.

[Blurb on page 17]

“I was carried off the field on the shoulders of the fans”

[Blurb on page 18]

“What a change! Sunday an idol and Monday unwanted!”

[Blurb on page 19]

“Wouldn’t you enjoy living forever in peace on this earth?”

When Disaster Struck Athens

By “Awake!” correspondent in Greece

“Greece Ruined by Terrible Earthquake!” “Athens Shaken from the Foundations!” “The Most Heart-Breaking Night in the Capital’s History!”

“50 Atomic Bombs like Hiroshima’s!”

With these headlines, the daily newspapers in Greece reported on the earthquake that struck Athens in February.

The city was considered to be safe from earthquakes, according to the head of the Athens Seismological Institute. But what happened in February indicates that no one, no matter where he lives, should be overly confident that an earthquake cannot strike his home.

Have you ever personally experienced what a strong earthquake means? Reading in your home about earthquakes or looking at TV reports about such catastrophes in some remote country is very different from personally being with your family in the earthquake zone and feeling that everything around you is breaking to pieces!

The first quake on the night of February 24, 1981, was graded at 6.6 on the Richter scale, and it was followed by hundreds of aftershocks. Over 16,000 buildings in the Athens area were damaged to such an extent that they became dangerous for habitation. But that was only a small part of the picture.

In panic, Athenians fled from their homes. The atmosphere created was reminiscent of wartime. Over 200,000 motorcars clogged the roads trying to get out to open country. Besides, 50,000 persons spent a sleepless night in the “Field of Mars,” a large city park.

Reportedly, when a television announcer, cautioning the people against crumbling buildings, said “Get out to the streets!” this became an alarm signal for the Athenians. Disruption of electric current for lighting and of telephone service contributed to a sense of panic. In their haste, many people fled to the streets in pajamas or any rough clothing they could find at the moment. Some were trapped in elevators and rescued only after strenuous efforts by the police. Others jumped from balconies, resulting in their suffering broken bones or even being killed. Due to extreme fright, not a few people experienced heart failure and died.

Medical doctors in some maternity homes ordered mothers to leave the buildings, taking their babies along for safety’s sake. During the panic, some took babies other than their own. Happily, around an arm of each babe was a distinctive bracelet, bearing the mother’s name. So, the next day, on discovering their mistake, they went back to the maternity homes to return the infants and claim their own.

The theaters, too, abruptly discontinued their performances. Not only did the spectators rush out to the streets, but so did the actors, many wearing their stage clothes. In one theater the actors were dressed up as prison convicts in striped clothes, and it was in that apparel that they fled.

Particularly hard hit by the earthquake were certain areas of the Attica basin, such as Peristeri, Anthupolis and Kipupolis, southwest of the city of Athens. Hundreds of houses and many-storied residence buildings suffered serious damage. The occupants were temporarily sheltered in tents pitched in nearly all available space in public squares and gardens in those areas.

Center of Devastation

Most of the damage was caused in the area of Corinth, the earthquake epicenter. In the village of Perachora (Corinth district), almost all the houses were destroyed. The village church also fell in ruins.

Said one young man in that village: “We were in the coffee shop at that time. I was getting ready to go home. We suddenly heard terrific thunder, and right afterward, before getting to find out what it was about, the soil began to caper as a horse. The roof tiles of the houses were skipping about with a very loud noise.”

In Lutraki, a famous resort city visited by thousands of tourists every year, practically all the buildings were damaged. Two large hotels there went down in ruins. The eight-story luxury hotel “Apollo,” which had served thousands of European tourists every year, fell like a cardboard tower. Fortunately, because of the season, the hotel had no guests. The watchman, who was in the building with his little child, got out by smashing a glass door just seconds before the huge structure collapsed.

Expressing a personal reaction, one person said to a news reporter: “I was 13 years old at the time of the 1928 earthquake, which then destroyed the town of Corinth. This year’s event is beyond description. I thought the end of the world had come.”

But it did not prove to be the end for that individual. Nor was it the end for a 70-year-old witness of Jehovah who, because he was bedridden, could not get out of the house. The house itself completely collapsed; yet, later his relatives found him, still in his bed, but with bricks, dirt and pieces of wood strewn around him. He was uninjured! The newspaper Ta Nea published a picture of him, with the caption: “The most lucky man!” But he thanked Jehovah God for being spared.

Was there no advance indication at all that disaster might strike? Interestingly, the newspaper Acropolis reports: “A fisherman at the town of Corinth said that during the last five years he used to throw his nets close to the Alkyonides islands in the Gulf of Corinth. On returning to Corinth, he said to the other fisherman that his nets smelled of sulfur. Despite the fact that he was illiterate, this fisherman supposed that under those islands there was, if not a volcano, at least a volcanic seat.”

Whether that was a definite factor in what happened on February 24 may not be known. However, it is known that, when describing the time period that would mark the conclusion of this system of things, Jesus Christ foretold that, among other things, “there will be great earthquakes.” (Luke 21:10, 11, 31, 32) Athens has now become one of the places that has experienced firsthand the fulfillment of what Jesus foretold.

Providing Help

Although neither scientists nor government officials anticipated the disaster of February 24, once it happened the government took immediate steps to relieve the earthquake victims. There were also outstanding examples of personal concern for one’s fellowman.

Many of Jehovah’s Witnesses live in the earthquake area, and they are grateful that, although they experienced material loss, none of them suffered personal injury. When disasters strike, Jehovah’s Witnesses in surrounding areas, even in other lands, quickly seek news about their Christian brothers, in order to determine what they can do to be of help. When reports come through that none of their members have been personally injured, they greatly rejoice, because they have a warm feeling toward one another, just as do members of a close-knit family. They do not take the view that their faith is a guarantee of divine preservation through all such calamities. But they thank God when they are spared and seek to make good use of the added days of life that they enjoy. However, in the event that loved ones have died, they have confidence in God’s promise of a restoration to life in his due time by means of resurrection. (John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15) As for the shock that results from loss of one’s possessions, this is softened by the loving aid that spontaneously comes from Christian brothers who learn of their plight.

Focus on the Philippine Church

By “Awake!” correspondent in the Philippines

ANTICIPATION had run high among the 40 million Catholic Filipinos for the past several months as the second visit by the head of their church drew near. Literally millions came out to see Pope John Paul II. The government declared two holidays, schools were closed and the streets were clogged with people trying to get a glimpse of the pope during the six-day visit, from February 17 to 22, 1981.

But was this outward show of religious zeal a sign that the Catholic Church is in a healthy state? It is quite revealing to note the comments of Filipinos themselves, most of whom are Catholics.

Minority Active in Faith

Neal H. Cruz, editor of Weekend magazine, pinpointed one problem when commenting on why the magazine was devoting so much space to the visit. “The answer is, although the Philippines is 85 percent Catholic after 460 years of Christianization, all is not well in the state of the Philippine Catholic Church. It has been estimated that only 10 percent of Filipino Catholics hear Mass.”

Pointing at this same loss of active members, J. T. Gatbonton, columnist for Asiaweek, notes an underlying cause, stating: “In the Philippines, as in Latin America, both the new urban middle class and the migrant poor are deserting the established church in droves because it seems less and less relevant to their lives. This desertion is reflected in the loss of vocations [or divine summonses to individuals] and the decline in churchgoing.” That loss of religious vocations has reached the point where, as recently stated by Marciano Guzman, a priest, “there are only roughly 2,000 diocesan priests attending to the spiritual needs of 40 million Catholics.”

Another reason cited as to why quite a number have stopped going to church was mentioned by Teodoro Valencia, who wrote in his daily column: “The reason many Roman Catholics don’t even go to church on Sundays and holidays of obligation is that many priests do not inspire religious worship by their open activism and political aggressiveness.”

Highlighting this inactive faith, the late priest Horacio de la Costa stated that religion is “something Filipinos learn in their childhood or in the school as an abstract thing or as a doctrine or academic exercise but it does not really become part of themselves, of their daily life.” It is something “to which believers give a notional assent but not a real, practical assent.” President Marcos, too, drew attention to a lack when he said: “We who watch from outside look to our church as the source of spirituality, and yet in our society we see the erosion of the moral base of our country and of our people. Here lies the failure of government but perhaps, too, the failure of our church.”

Were Their Hopes Realized?

The visit of Pope John Paul II was a whirlwind of activity on a 3,000-km (1,860-mile) tour through seven Philippine cities. The highlight of this tour was the first beatification held outside the Vatican, this for 16 Catholics who died in 17th-century Japan, including one Filipino, Lorenzo Ruiz.

In addition to saying Masses in a number of locations, the pope addressed problems that have been facing the church, just as he has done on his visits to other countries. He commented on human rights and support for the family, and reiterated the church stand on artificial contraception and on abortion. He expressed support for the poor and depressed, and he admonished the clergy to stick to their traditional role.

What was the reaction of the people to his statements? Many were full of praise, but others expected more. For instance, in Panorama magazine, Joan Orendain commented on some of the quotations from Pope John Paul II, saying: “To many who had hoped for so much, the pope’s 25 speeches seemed too simplistic . . . lacking in focus and specifics . . . There were just too many platitudes, not enough let’s-do-it here’s-how speeches.” Or as Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc expressed it: “The pope did not go down to brass tacks.”

In the Footsteps of Christ?

As Pope John Paul II toured the country, millions of Catholics and others were watching. Did they see in the pope an example of a man who was truly walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, and one who would help them to do that?

Interestingly, during his visit the pope declared: “The Church shows a special solidarity with those that are suffering and are in need . . . Injustice reigns when within the same society some groups hold most of the wealth and power while a large strata of the population cannot decently provide for the livelihoods of their families.” But the irony of it was noted by many and commented on by Jose Guevara, who said in his column: “Some of the rich, affluent and powerful were able to kiss the ring of the Pope several times while millions of the exploited impoverished only managed to catch a glimpse of his fingertips from afar.”

In contrast, Jesus Christ admonished: “When you spread a feast, invite poor people, crippled, lame, blind; and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you.” (Luke 14:13, 14) The example of the apostle Peter likewise was in contrast with that of the pope. The Bible, at Acts 10:25, 26, tells us: “As Peter reached the house Cornelius went out to meet him, knelt at his feet and prostrated himself. But Peter helped him up. ‘Stand up,’ he said ‘I am only a man after all!”’​—Catholic Jerusalem Bible.

Sincere Catholics are taking a serious look at their church. They know that it has a long history. They realize that it has colorful ritual. But they are becoming aware that there are serious conflicts between their church and God’s own Word, the Bible. The question that confronts them individually is: ‘Which will I follow?’

Christian Missionary Work​—Is It Outdated?

MANY think so. They think people’s needs are more material than spiritual. That is why many who claim to be Christian missionaries concentrate on improving medical care and housing or bettering the agricultural and technical skills of the people they serve.

Yet there are those who are convinced that the greatest need is to help people spiritually. This will equip them to improve their quality of life now and give them a hope for the future.

This was made clear to the audience of 2,124 present at Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall in Long Island City, New York, on Sunday, March 8. The occasion was the graduation of the 70th missionary class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead.

Since 1943 this school has been training men and women to carry out more thoroughly the missionary command Jesus gave to his followers: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, . . . teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) This requires a strong faith and a living hope, plus a desire to share such good things with others. Men and women of this type made up the class of 49 graduating students who had come from 9 countries and were being sent to 18 countries.

One 25-year-old student from Missouri, with a strong desire to see justice in the world, had the goal of studying law so as to help. But her goal changed when she learned from God’s Word of the marvelous hope for the future, and she began to experience the rich and meaningful life resulting from the guidance of the Scriptures.

A 30-year-old student from Oregon described her previous life as student, campus radical and society dropout. It had been her desire to help people, and to help improve the world. But on getting acquainted with Jehovah’s Witnesses and Bible teachings, she thought: “You mean there actually exists a people who live by Christ’s teachings? They really do not fight in war? This was my cause, the purpose to which I could subordinate everything else.”

One student after another gave the motivation for applying for missionary service as ‘the Bible’s hope for the future and its sound counsel on improving the quality of life now.’ They said: ‘This can really help solve the problems facing people.’ Many had already spent more than 10 years in the full-time ministry, visiting people and endeavoring to impart this hope to them.

For five months the students had enjoyed a thorough study of the Bible, and had received practical instruction in carrying out their missionary activity. Now they were to get some parting words of counsel from their instructors and others, who themselves were experienced in preaching the good news of God’s kingdom as mankind’s only hope.

W. K. Jackson urged the missionaries to stick to their assignments and not to think: “I’ll try it and if I don’t like it I can come home.” He gave fine counsel on human relations and reminded them of the words at Romans 15:2: “Let each one of us please his neighbor in what is good for his upbuilding.”

M. G. Henschel spoke of things we should treasure highly. We should seek for understanding as for hidden treasure. God’s kingdom is a treasure that we should seek first in our lives. And the apostle Paul wrote of the ministry as being a treasure. (2 Cor. 4:7) The missionaries were urged to keep holding on to these treasures.

A. D. Schroeder referred to Jesus’ words “Come be my follower.” (Matt. 19:21) This means to display Christlike qualities and to help others do the same. He said they had not “graduated” as followers of Jesus Christ. They were only starting a new chapter in their lives of following him.

J. Redford encouraged the missionaries to keep moving ahead in spiritual ways. He quoted George Bernard Shaw, who stated: “I dread success. To have succeeded is to have finished one’s business on earth . . . I like a state of continual becoming, with a goal in front and not behind.”

U. V. Glass commended the missionaries for having a strong desire to know what they were doing and why. Many had asked: “How can we stay in our assignments?” Glass answered: “Learn to know people and to love them.” He mentioned the need of forgiving freely, keeping the right mental outlook and maintaining humility. To underscore this, he read a letter from a missionary graduate who recently went to Kenya:

“I guess the training that I received in Brooklyn was just the beginning of my learning. These brothers here have much to teach me. I’ve tried to think of what quality a missionary needs most to be successful in his assignment. And I think that above all he may need ‘humility.’ Humility to walk instead of driving a car. Humility to sit on hard wooden boards or large rocks instead of cushioned seats. Humility to give comments like a baby during the meetings because of the new language. Above all, lowliness of mind, to make the needed effort, not giving up, relying on Jehovah and not self, until we become ‘useful’ again, and do what we came to do.”

G. M. Couch encouraged the graduates never to turn their backs on their missionary assignment. They should keep in mind the words at Ecclesiastes 7:8: “Better is the end afterward of a matter than its beginning.” They were urged to remember that the finish is what really counts.

Finally, F. W. Franz, president of the School, spoke of the “faithful steward” of God discussed in Luke 12:40-53. He recalled the time of King Hezekiah, in the eighth century B.C.E., when the kingdom of Judah was threatened. The account at Isaiah 22:15-25 shows there was an issue involving stewardship. The unfaithful steward Shebna was replaced by the faithful steward Eliakim. In modern fulfillment, this shows the need of identifying God’s faithful servants on earth today. Franz encouraged the students to be sure that the identity of God’s faithful steward class was completely settled in their minds.

Then the chairman for the meeting, C. W. Barber, gave out the diplomas. In the afternoon the students put on two instructive dramas. A Biblical drama entitled “Search for Jehovah and Keep Living” dealt with the ministry of the prophet Amos in Israel. The modern-day drama was entitled “How Will They Hear Without Someone to Preach?” In a heartwarming manner, this dealt with aspects of the house-to-house ministry as carried on by Jehovah’s Witnesses today.

The program of fine spiritual edification will long be remembered by the 49 graduating students and all others attending. Truly, spiritual matters are of vital importance. As the apostle Paul wrote at 1 Timothy 4:8: “Godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come.”

[Picture on page 24]

Watchtower Bible School of Gilead

In the list below, rows are numbered from front to back and names are listed from left to right in each row.

(1) Browne, P.; Hitz, J.; Floyd, B.; De Jesus, M.; Davison, E.; Hoover, M.; White, J.; Gunn, A.; Wyssen, P. (2) Goff, M.; Karwoski, J.; Paulk, L.; Pedersen, S.; Altmeyer, H.; Rendell, D.; Spatz, P.; Oger, P.; Mathon, T.; Johns, E. (3) Brederlow, S.; Kelppe, L.; Reilly, G.; James, S.; Dennison, L.; Kemppainen, C.; Klopson, C.; Reilly, C.; Bivins, A.; Winbush, E. (4) Hoover, D.; De Jesus, J.; Klopson, T.; Hitz, E.; Lovini, D.; Mathon, L.; Pedersen, F.; Knox, H.; Reyna, R.; Karwoski, M. (5) Browne, R.; Johns, K.; Floyd, M.; Paulk, J.; Bivins, M.; White, R.; Winbush, W.; James, D.; De Wolfe, R.; Wyssen, J.

How Safe Are Microwave Ovens?

“NO ONE knows whether or not they’re safe over a long period of use,” stated Consumers Union, a product-testing organization, about United States microwave ovens.

Some microwave scientists own microwave ovens and they feel they present no serious dangers. Others feel that they do. Dr. Milton M. Zaret explains:

“The microwave-oven-leakage standard set by the Bureau of Radiological Health is approximately one billion times higher than the total, entire microwave spectrum given off by the sun. It is appalling for these ovens to be permitted to leak at all, let alone for the oven advertisements to encourage our children to have fun by learning to cook with them.”

Certain questions about the safety of microwave ovens have yet to be answered. In the meantime, some things are known that indicate who are most likely to be sensitive to low-level microwave exposure.

Those at Greatest Risk

Pregnant women especially have reason for caution. According to a U.S. government agency, the human fetus is “probably the most sensitive segment of the population potentially exposed to microwave radiation.” In Czechoslovakia and Poland, pregnant women are singled out for special protection in the work place for fear of miscarriages and birth defects. In neither of these countries are pregnant women permitted to be exposed to the amounts of microwave radiation that are allowed to leak from ovens sold in Western countries.

Children represent another sensitive segment of the population. “The possibility that cumulative effects of microwave radiation can occur has been raised through research and cannot be ignored,” says a U.S. Bureau of Radiological Health report. “The potential exists for exposure of young and very young people repetitively as [microwave] ovens come into common usage and effects may result.”

In addition, some Soviet investigators recommend that people with cardiovascular problems avoid low-level microwave exposures because of the possibility of heart attacks. They also say that the chronically sick and those who have infectious diseases or have recently been weakened by them are more sensitive to the effects of microwave exposure.

Levels of Exposure

In the United States the allowable leakage of a microwave oven at the time of sale is 1,000 microwatts per square centimeter at a distance of five centimeters (two inches), and 5,000 microwatts per square centimeter thereafter. However, as one moves away from a microwave oven, the level of exposure drops dramatically. Dr. M. Shore, director of the division of biological effects at the Federal Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Radiological Health, explains:

“One characteristic of microwaves is that, as you move away from a source, such as an oven, the levels fall off very substantially. If you step back 2 inches (where the five milliwatts [5,000 microwatts] are measured) to 20 inches, or roughly an arm’s length, you’ve moved back by a factor of 10, but the microwave level drops by a factor of 100, or the square of the distance. The net effect is that the exposure level possible to consumers using microwave ovens in the home is probably less than is permissible under the Russian occupational standard.”

But this may not necessarily be the case. In the Soviet Union the on-the-job maximum allowable exposure to microwaves is 10 microwatts per square centimeter for an eight-hour day. Thus the 5,000 microwatts per square centimeter allowed to leak from ovens in the United States may well expose a person near a leaking oven to more radiation than Soviet standards allow.

A 1969 survey in the United States showed that a startling one third of the microwave ovens tested leaked in excess of 10,000 microwatts per square centimeter. More recent models evidently are not so prone to leak radiation. But how can a person know how much his oven is leaking? It must be checked with appropriate instruments. So if you have an older oven it would seem to be a good idea to arrange for a qualified serviceman to check it.

Matter of Concern

But are ovens that leak the allowable levels of radiation safe? Czech scientists have reported some effects of microwave exposure at power densities as low as 100 microwatts per square centimeter. That is about the level of radiation that an oven leaking 5,000 microwatts per square centimeter at two inches would expose one to at an arm’s length. Further, they are of the opinion, as are Russian scientists, that microwave effects are cumulative. Therefore, a low-level dose the first day, which in itself would not be enough to affect you, is added to a low-level dose the next day and the next, and so on, and eventually effects can be seen.

The director of the U.S. Bureau of Radiological Health has admitted that the advance of microwave technology in the West has “far exceeded” research into the potential risks. “Although the Bureau has promulgated a performance standard for microwave ovens,” he said, “a great deal of research is required to assess the differences of opinion related to low-level exposures to microwaves.”

Since no one can say with certainty what levels of exposure to microwaves are safe, it is the course of wisdom to use a microwave oven with great care. Following the accompanying safety tips can be a protection.

□ Do not attempt to operate a microwave oven with an object caught in the door, a door that does not close firmly, a door that is bent or damaged, or an oven with broken hinges or latches, or a cracked sealing surface.

□ Wash frequently with water and mild detergent. Never use scouring pads, steel wool or other abrasives.

□ Don’t insert any objects around the door seal. Even a tiny opening around the door, no more than that caused by a piece of paper towel in the door or a buildup of grease around a door seal, can result in sharply increased leakage.

□ Never inactivate or interfere with the oven safety interlocks, the devices that turn ovens off automatically as the door is opened (required on all ovens manufactured in the U.S. after 1971). Surveys have shown that maladjustment of oven-door safety interlocks has been a frequent cause of microwave leakage.

□ Never operate the oven when it is empty.

□ Stay at least an arm’s length away from the front of an operating oven. Never stand gazing into a working oven, and do not allow a child to do so either.

□ Do not use microwave ovens for canning.

Following these tips in no way guarantees safety, since at present it is not known if microwave ovens can be judged entirely free of radiation hazards. However, following these suggestions should help to minimize exposure levels and serious accidents.

When it comes to microwave ovens, you must use them at your own risk.

Watching the World

Quake Damages Parthenon

◆ The recent earthquake in Greece caused serious cracks in the marble columns of the Parthenon. The quake also shattered 50 of the 500 invaluable vases in the Erechtheum and 10 more in the Acropolis museum. Measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale, the quake on February 24 was followed by 652 aftershocks.

Lullabies Keep Babies Awake?

◆ Mothers who feel that lullabies do not help their babies to go to sleep may be correct, according to Russian researchers. Experiments at Teachers High School in Tallin disclosed that lullabies have an opposite effect​—they should be hummed to keep the baby lively and awake. In addition, experts at the Tallin center found that a month after listening to lullabies, the babies could hum them for themselves. “This is a most remarkable development,” said a Tass report, “because it means that babies can hum well before they can speak.”

Cola Linked to Child Problems

◆ Dr. Michael Jacobson, a Washington, D.C., microbiologist and consumer advocate, has launched a campaign to take the “kick” or caffeine out of cola drinks. Children are among the heaviest consumers of these drinks, and Dr. Jacobson believes caffeine can cause problems for them, such as restlessness and irritability. “It’s completely needless; the benefits of adding caffeine to soda pop are completely unnecessary,” says Dr. Jacobson, who is urging the Food and Drug Administration to drop a regulation requiring cola manufacturers to put caffeine in their beverages. Even now the FDA is considering the removal of caffeine from a list of food additives generally recognized as “safe.”

Suicide at the Steering Wheel

◆ According to the Austrian newspaper Die Presse, head-on collisions on Austrian highways, at from 50 to 65 miles (80 to 105 km) an hour, are fast becoming a “popular” form of committing suicide. The evidence is that during the first five months of last year over 20 persons took their own lives, using their car as their “weapon.” Failure to obtain a driver’s license, or the revoking of one’s license, was found, in a majority of cases, to be the motive for “suicide at the steering wheel.” An English investigation also reveals that 10 percent of the one-car accidents in recent years have in reality been suicides.

Fastest Train Service

◆ When France’s new high-speed railroad line opens in October, it will be the world’s fastest train service​—and one expecting little competition from airplanes. The powerful electric trains on the 264-mile (425-km) line connecting Paris and Lyons will initially cruise at 160 miles an hour (260 km/​h) and eventually at almost 190 miles an hour (300 km/​h). The journey will take only two hours. To combat rising oil prices, the French are electrifying their train service. Even now 80 percent of passenger service moves in electric-powered trains. Thus the French are no longer ordering diesel locomotives. Unlike railroad passenger service in the U.S., the number of French rail passengers continues to soar to record levels each year, the latest figure being 688 million passengers.

“Spiritual Emptiness” and Alcoholism

◆ “Drunkenness is by far the greatest challenge now facing Soviet society,” says a report from Moscow to The Times of London. Alcohol abuse reportedly is so serious that it is frustrating Soviet efforts to increase industrial production. So many men are said to be dying of alcohol abuse that mortality statistics are not being published any longer. According to surveys, back in 1925 about 11 percent of Soviet workers were victims of alcoholism, while today some 37 percent of male workers abuse alcohol. “Perhaps the most terrible effect though is the high percentage of mentally-retarded children born to alcoholics,” commented a member of the Soviet Academy of Medicine.

“Spiritual emptiness” was cited in the Soviet atheist magazine Science and Religion as a major cause of the alcohol abuse in the younger generation. It added: “The lack of inner values, the narrow outlook, the inability to live life (in the highest sense of the term) are what have given us that unpleasant phenomenon, hard drinking.” Feeding the new generation on the husks of atheism can only result in “spiritual emptiness” and its injurious consequences.

Medical College Caste Clash

◆ India reported that recently at least five persons were killed in riots in the western state of Gujarat over the issue of admitting lower-caste students to postgraduate classes in medical schools. When upper-caste medical students protested the admission of a certain number of lower-caste students, the Indian army was called in to put down the riots.

“Subversive” Religious Groups

◆ The Chicago Police Department recently made public its list of organizations named in its “subversive unit” files. Among them were 19 religious groups, including the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches and a number of Catholic, Protestant and Jewish organizations.

‘Decadent Religion’

◆ Malachi Martin, a former Jesuit, adviser to three popes and a very influential Vatican figure during the reign of Pope John XXIII, recently said of the power he once had: “I can’t convey to you that kind of power. . . . I was afraid that all that power was corrupting me. I found I had very little pity for people, very little compassion. I didn’t like myself.” So he withdrew from that world and went to the United States.

What is his view of religion in the U.S.? “The present religious atmosphere in this country is one of complete decadence,” he declares. “There are 275 Roman Catholic Bishops. I would put my trust in three of them. The rest do not lead Christian lives. Every one of these Bishops is supposed to represent Christ, is supposed to live poorly and give his money to the glory of God. Their function is that of preachers and teachers. Find me one. The people are not fooled, they’re looking for something to lift them, to inspire them​—but there is no one. The people of the Moral Majority are certainly not the ones. They have simply fallen into the old temptation of seizing power. If they really want to influence people, let them practice their religion not their politics.”​—New York Daily News, February 22, 1981.

Appeal to Athenians

◆ The Greek Post Office (ELTA) recently appealed to absent-minded Athenians to avoid dropping items of clothing, identity cards, and so forth, in the mailbox. Said the Athens Daily Post: “Post Office employees almost daily find various useful items of absent-minded Athenians who throw them in the mailbox instead of their letters or cards. Found are such items as bags, keys, coins, shoes and even shirts. . . . There is a big hall filled with such personal items abandoned by the absentminded Athenians.” Most of these Athenians fail to ask the post office about their missing possessions.

Salvaging Timber at Mount St. Helens

◆ When Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, about 3.2 billion board feet of timber was knocked down and singed. The tremendous force of the explosion badly splintered many trees, but much timber is still usable. In fact, the U.S. Forest Service made an extensive study of the area and estimates that about one billion board feet of the trees leveled by the blast can be salvaged for commercial use.

Sauna Sweating Healthful?

◆ The Finns have long been advocates of the sauna for its health benefits. People feel rejuvenated after a sauna, and it brings about a sense of relaxation and well-being. It has caught on in North America and is felt to be an aid to losing weight. The Canadian medical column “The Doctor Game” reports that there “is an initial decrease in weight due to a loss of fluid. But it’s speedily regained when liquids are consumed.” The column adds: “The same is true of hypertension. Often there’s a slight fall in blood pressure. But there’s also a hidden danger. Sometimes the body reacts by releasing hypertensive agents in the blood stream. This rebound phenomenon raises the pressure.” It pays to exercise caution. Some have been severely burned from staying too long. The column’s closing advice about using a sauna is: “People with heart and chest conditions should avoid it. Don’t prolong a stay beyond 20 or 30 minutes. And, like swimming, don‘t go it alone.”

Letter to the Pope

◆ The Swiss newspaper Basler Zeitung reports that 140 Catholics from Basel and vicinity have written a letter to the pope. In it they asked that he “in the spirit of Christian brotherliness and justice grant the request of priests asking to be freed from their vows of celibacy.” They also asked the pope to reinstate all those who had been forced by celibacy regulations to relinquish their positions of Church service. “We can no longer get along without them,” they wrote. They claimed that a delay in the granting of dispensation would not only cause these clergymen economic distress, but also thrust them into a moral and religious crisis. The letter was signed by 27 priests, 10 theologians and 103 laymen, among them a number of politicians, industrialists and intellectuals.

Overloaded Train Balks

◆ Japan’s new Kobe Portliner, a computerized train system connecting the man-made Port Island with downtown Kobe, came to a standstill. The reason? A six-car train was overloaded; emergency bells rang, and the computerized system would not close the doors. Meantime, the trains in the other nine stations could not move until the stalled train got started. After six minutes some of the passengers got off, and the doors closed and the train moved. It took about an hour and a half, however, for the system to get back to normal. In Tokyo there are platform personnel who push passengers into the trains, but, in Kobe, they evidently need a system to keep too many from boarding.

Bankruptcies Up

◆ Personal bankruptcies in the U.S. last year soared 76 percent to 367,000, from 209,500 in 1979. As a result, banks report large losses on consumer loans. The Bank of America, the country’s largest, says its losses from consumer loans were up 40 percent. Citibank reported that its losses rose 56 percent. A major retailer, Sears, Roebuck & Company, said its losses from personal bankruptcies for the first 11 months of last year rose 124 percent, to $40 million (U.S.), from $18 million in the comparable 1979 period. A vice-president of one bank stated that “consumers might have to use credit more judiciously.” He said it might be necessary to return to the way of living of the 1950’s, when, in general, people “had a healthy attitude toward credit.”

Wood Makes a Comeback

◆ With home-heating oil skyrocketing in price, it was inevitable that wood would make a comeback. The extent of wood’s renaissance is surprising: “Wood has recently surpassed nuclear power as a source of energy in the United States,” reports Worldwatch Institute, “and could provide up to one-fifth of the country’s energy by the year 2000.” Moreover, said the study, use of wood is likely to increase by 50 percent. Wood is presently used to heat 7 percent of U.S. homes, but in New England about 50 percent of the homes burn some wood for heat. Ten years ago fewer than 200,000 wood stoves were sold each year in the U.S.; now the number is about one million.

It Goes Straight to the Mark

The book “Make Sure of All Things; Hold Fast to What Is Fine” goes straight to the best advice that can be found. It lets the Bible speak for itself. At your fingertips are provided important Scripture texts on hundreds of subjects that you are interested in, such as where the dead are.

This compact, pocket-size book has a hardbound cover. Its 512 pages are printed on fine Bible paper.

Please send “Make Sure of All Things; Hold Fast to What Is Fine” and the gift booklet There Is Much More to Life! I enclose $1 (U.S.).

100 Million Copies in 115 Languages​—The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life

◆ Why do we grow old and die?

◆ Is hell hot?

◆ What power is behind the occult?

◆ Why has God permitted wickedness?

◆ Will the earth be destroyed by fire?

These questions and many more are answered in this 192-page hardbound book. Next to the Bible, it is the most widely distributed book in the Western world.

I enclose 60 cents (U.S.). Please send, postpaid, the hardbound, 192-page book “The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life.”

(If other than English, specify the language desired) ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐