February 22

Page Two

Are you one of the millions who want to know if there is any hope of having a true world peace? If so, here is the answer as to how and when it will be achieved. Read these two articles and rejoice.

Will There Ever Be True Peace? 3

Is Man Incapable of Peace? 4

Will There Ever Be True Peace?

By “Awake!” correspondent in Japan

MICHIKO was just a young widow when startling news came over the radio. It was the voice of the emperor saying that the fighting was over; Japan had unconditionally surrendered.

Her initial shock quickly turned to anger. “But why?” she asked herself. “Why quit now? Why not fight to the bitter end, until everyone including myself is dead?”

Her bitter thoughts were understandable. Her husband had been killed in the war. He had been taken into the army when she was still in the hospital with their one-week-old baby boy. The picture hanging on the wall was all her son, Yasuo, would ever see of his father. Vividly, she remembered, too, the night the American B-29 bombers raided Tokyo, destroying their home and all their possessions.

“The Japanese had been asked to give everything for the war,” Michiko recalled, “and now they say it’s all over, lost. Where is ‘Kamikaze’?a What happened to the Japanese armies that had never lost a war up to this time? Where is their proud tradition of ‘No surrender’?” These and similar thoughts raced through her mind.

But now 36 years have flown by. Japan has enjoyed relative peace and prosperity. Michiko is able to look back on the war years with a philosophical attitude and with greater understanding of what went wrong. She can see how war has wasted lives, slowed progress and ruined the earth. Following the war it was reported that 668,000 civilians alone had died in the aerial bombardments. Most of the major cities were in ruins. The Japanese had been encouraged to fight for their country and their emperor, but the issues were vague in their minds. She sees how politicians were able to use religion to get the people to support the war with blind faith and stubborn determination. She talks of what a fearful thing nationalism is when impressed on the minds of schoolchildren at an early age.

Even now there are terrible wars in the world, and such fearsome weapons! Many of these are affecting Japan and her economy too. Much pressure is on Japan to increase her “defense spending.” Will the article in the new constitution renouncing war be scrapped? Will we have war again, perhaps a nuclear war? Many people feel that this is a real possibility, since the nations have stockpiled tens of thousands of nuclear weapons. Why can’t we have real peace, worldwide? Michiko asks: “Is man incapable of peace?”

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 3]

Epicenter of atomic blast, Hiroshima, Japan

Is Man Incapable of Peace?

$500,000,000,000 is spent each year on armaments. Is war a basic part of human makeup?

IT MAY certainly appear that way. Man presently spends $500 billion (U.S.) a year on armaments. It has been said that the world has known only 26 days of peace since the end of World War II. When people are not fighting neighboring countries, they are often fighting among themselves​—one religion against another, children against their parents, husbands against their wives. Japan, a country long noted for its diligence, harmony and parental respect, is experiencing a 42-percent increase in juvenile crime. Called the “Japanese youthquake” in a recent issue of Newsweek, much of the crime seems to be “senseless rage” against teachers, parents and the police.

Some say man is basically a warring animal and incapable of peace. As Dr. Polykarp Kusch, a 1955 Nobel laureate and professor of nuclear physics at the University of Dallas, said: “Ultimately, as major resources disappear, we will go at each other with bows and arrows and poleaxes.”

But is war a basic part of man’s makeup? No. The many examples of people who do live at peace with one another is proof of that. Take, for example, the Tasaday people, living in the Philippine rain forest. A scientist who lived with them for some time said: “They don’t know about killing, murder, war! Never heard of them.” Then, too, how about the more than 2,000,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses, who live virtually in every land in the world and yet are not involved in any nation’s conflicts? A Roman Catholic nun, writing in the Portuguese Catholic missionary periodical about Jehovah’s Witnesses in Mozambique, said: “How different the world would be if we all woke up one morning firmly decided not to take up arms again, whatever the cost or the reason, just like Jehovah’s Witnesses!” So man is capable of peace. But if that is so, just why are there wars?

Why Is There War?

On the surface there appear to be several reasons. At the time, they seem plausible to the nations involved. Wars have been fought over mutual boundaries. Real or imagined fears of economic discrimination often lie at the core of others. This appears to be one reason why Japan began its expansion into Manchuria prior to World War II. The United States was in the middle of its great depression of 1929. The resultant nationalistic protectionist policies of the United States and other trading partners were a factor in Japan’s decision to try to reach out to nearby countries to increase her influence and expand her economic potential.

Nationalism, prejudices, injustices and communication difficulties have been at the root of other conflicts. In all too many cases, armies have carried out the orders of leaders, such as Hitler, Napoleon and Alexander the Great, who have shown an excessive desire for personal glory and honor.

However, in addition to these obvious surface reasons, what do the Scriptures say are the basic causes of war? The Bible shows that at the core of the problem of war lies man himself. Well has the statement often been made that wars are not caused by guns, tanks and bombs, but by humans who, it might be added, are selfish. Replace such selfish attitudes as prejudice, hatred and jealousy in man with love, compassion and forgiveness and we would see the end of wars as well as all other forms of strife. Jesus said: “Out of the heart come wicked reasonings, murders.”​—Matthew 15:19.

But why are these flaws in man? Are these things part of his basic makeup​—the way he is made? No. The Bible shows that God made man good, perfect. As Ecclesiastes 7:29 explains: “See! This only I have found, that the true God made mankind upright, but they themselves have sought out many plans.” It was only after men sought independence from God and his rule, and thereby sinned, that selfish thoughts and desires began to form in their mind and heart. These then led to anger, strife and war.​—Genesis 4:5.

The Bible gives another contributing cause for war when it says at 1 John 5:19: “The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” This wicked one, Satan the Devil, has had a profound effect on mankind’s history and its wars. His desire has been to turn all men and women away from God’s rule. And war has served that purpose well. By working through those who form and mold public opinion and thinking, Satan has been successful in fomenting wars with their God-dishonoring results.

The Bible also points to the lack of a strong universally recognized government as another contributing factor to conflict. Scientist Isaac Asimov said: “The international cooperation must take the form of a world government sufficiently effective to make and enforce the necessary decisions, and against which the individual nations would have neither the right nor the power to take up arms.”

But don’t we have an attempt at just such a world government right now in the United Nations organization? No, because all the member nations have held onto their own national sovereignties and have refused to turn over full power to the United Nations. It appears that the U.N. is merely a forum for discussing policy differences rather than a central government to which all submit. In times of conflict between its member nations, it has been able only to shake a disapproving finger, but has shown little power to stop the war. The United Nations is not the needed world government.

What About Wars Mentioned in the Bible?

Of the wars mentioned in the Bible, many appear to have had God’s approval. Why is that? A close look at those wars that had God’s backing will reveal them to be examples of Jehovah’s exercising his rights as the Universal Sovereign. As the “Judge of all the earth,” he certainly has the right to remove wickedness and immorality from the earth. (Genesis 18:25) At times Jehovah used phenomena such as flood and earthquake to do this, while at other times he used certain nations as his executioners.​—Genesis 6:5-8; Numbers 31:3.

We see this particularly in the case of the nation of Israel. They were commanded by God to clear out certain descendants of Canaan from the Promised Land. Moses sets out clearly the reason for this at Deuteronomy 9:4 when he says: “It is for the wickedness of these nations that Jehovah is driving them away from before you.” Halley’s Bible Handbook states, on page 161, about these people: “Canaanites worshipped, by immoral indulgence, as a religious rite, in the presence of their gods; and then, by murdering their first-born children, as a sacrifice to these same gods. It seems that, in large measure, the land of Canaan had become a sort of Sodom and Gomorrah on a national scale. . . . Did a civilization of such abominable filth and brutality have any right longer to exist? . . . Archaeologists who dig in the ruins of Canaanite cities wonder that God did not destroy them sooner than he did.”

Interestingly, the Bible shows that soon Jehovah will again exert his authority as the Supreme Sovereign of the Universe by bringing to an end all the present-day violators of his moral laws.​—1 Corinthians 10:11, 12; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9.

What Hope Is There for a War-Free World?

The Bible speaks of Jehovah as “the God who gives peace.” (Romans 15:33) Since man’s efforts for peace have all ended so dismally, let’s look at what Jehovah purposes for peace.

The peace that God offers is not based on fear of the other countries’ missile count or on mutual peace treaties. The Bible shows that his way to peace starts with education, the bringing about of a real change in people’s thinking and in attitudes that lie at the root of the problem. Leaders of countries have long used education to get their children to follow them into war. For example, Mitsui Sanshiro, who spent 12 years with the Japanese army in Manchuria, and who is now a Christian witness of Jehovah, recalls being taught Shūshin, or “ethics,” from his very first year in school until he graduated. In their “ethics” classes, they were taught that it was a great honor to give their life for their country and emperor. Jehovah, on the other hand, will educate his people in the ways of peace. As Isaiah 54:13 says: “All your sons will be persons taught by Jehovah, and the peace of your sons will be abundant.”

Through Bible study many Christians are learning to pursue the ways of peace. One Japanese man tells how he changed from a professional revolutionary to a peaceful Christian through just such a study. In college he read the best-selling book Toshi Ronri, or “City Logic,” which showed in detail the corrupt change of society in cities. He allowed himself to become heated up over speeches and books he read on existentialism, Communism and other radical philosophies.

He felt he must do something to bring about a change. He eventually joined and took a lead in activities of an ultraradical “Red Army.” Their goal was to bring about a change in the government by violent revolution and to replace it by a new proletarian (workers’) society. In time, however, he became disillusioned by the internal fighting and even murder of dissidents within the group, as well as the injuring of so many innocent citizens to achieve their aims. He left the group and later began a study of the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. He found in its message what he had been looking for, the basis for a true peace and hope of a better world. He also saw the effects that education in peace had already brought about among Jehovah’s Witnesses. Now he, together with his wife and three children, spend many hours each month telling others about God’s purpose for peace.

The need for a central world government that everyone will willingly subscribe to has long been recognized as a key element in the quest for world peace. The desire to establish that government has been behind many a would-be world conqueror’s efforts, as well as the setting up of the United Nations.

The Bible book of Daniel shows that Jehovah will set up just such a world government, destroying all present divisive forms of rule. It says at Daniel 2:44: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. . . . It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”

That world government of God will bring about some very necessary changes to accomplish peace. It will destroy all weapons. (Isaiah 2:4; Psalm 46:8, 9) It will remove all national boundaries, making it possible for an even and reasonable distribution of the world’s population and its resources. It will make possible one universal language for all​—a problem that has long been a contributing barrier to world peace. That government will bring about a climate wherein man can return to peace with his Creator and to perfection in mind and emotions, all of which are essential for a true, lasting peace.​—Zephaniah 3:9; Revelation 21:3, 4; 22:2.

But isn’t that all a little Utopian? Won’t there be those who simply will not go along and conform to this peace-keeping and peace-enforcing world government by God? That is a realistic possibility and one with which the Bible deals. Even today, many show a strong inclination to give in to inherited imperfections and resist the thought of recognizing God’s right to rule and obeying his laws. As was shown earlier in this article, Jehovah will again exert his rights as Creator and Sovereign and will remove those rebels, after giving them a sufficient opportunity to learn and respond. This will be a must to protect the interests of those who truly want a lasting peace. Psalm 37:10, 11 says: “Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more. . . . But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”

Happily, the Bible shows that we are living in the time when we will begin to see the fulfillment of these marvelous promises. God himself will soon remove all instigators and supporters of war. What unspeakable joy! The dream of the ages is about to be fulfilled. There will be true peace, a lasting one! God’s will is absolutely certain. Will we submit to it? This is an individual choice for each one of us to make. As God’s Word states: “I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the malediction; and you must choose life in order that you may keep alive, you and your offspring.”​—Deuteronomy 30:19; Joshua 24:15.

[Blurb on page 6]

Member nations have refused to turn over full power to the U.N. In times of conflict it has had little power to stop the war

[Blurb on page 8]

The need for a central world government has long been recognized as a key element for world peace. The world government of God will bring about the necessary changes

[Blurb on page 9]

God’s way to peace starts with education, bringing real change in people’s attitudes

[Picture on page 5]

A contrast to much of the war-torn world, peaceful Hiroshima Park, Japan, makes one think of the words of Psalm 37:10, 11: “Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more . . . But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”

[Picture on page 6]

Symbol of nations beating swords into plowshares​—U.N. building

[Picture on page 7]

Peace Park, Nagasaki, Japan, symbol of man’s prayerful desire for peace

Did You Ever Live Before?

Some people believe that after death a person’s soul is reborn into another body

SOME persons are convinced that if you are poor, crippled, blind or in some other way unfortunate, it is because of sins that you committed in a former life. On the other hand, if you are healthy and prosperous, it is believed that this is because, during a former existence, you were good. Such persons believe that after death a person’s soul goes into the spirit realm and is later reborn into another human or animal body.

Have You Ever Heard of This Belief?

It would be unusual if you haven’t. People in virtually all parts of the world, through centuries of time, have believed that they lived before. From the jungles of South America, the islands of the South Pacific, to the continents of Africa and Asia are found multitudes who feel that they benefit or suffer because of their previous “life” or “lives.”

In some countries, such as the United States, many psychologists are apostles of the “reincarnation therapy,” and, through hypnotism or other methods, attempt to induce a person to recall his former lives and thereby gain insight and experience to deal with his current problems.

Why Do They Believe It?

Have you ever visited a place for the first time and yet had the feeling that you had been there before? Or, on an initial meeting with someone, have you ever sensed that you have met earlier? Many believe that such experiences are evidence that during another life they either were at the spot or met the person.

One of the strongest reasons behind the belief is the claim that under hypnosis many individuals have described in amazing details their former existence. One case made headlines in the United States 25 years ago. A woman, after being hypnotized, described her life as an Irishwoman, Bridey Murphy, who lived from 1798 to 1864. Though she claimed never to have visited Ireland, this woman, while under hypnosis, spoke in an Irish brogue and gave a vivid description of Irish life over 100 years earlier. Similar cases to support reincarnation have been reported in different countries. However, . . .

Is the Evidence That Sound?

The fact that you feel that you already know someone whom you meet for the first time does not necessarily mean that you met that person in a former life. Think of how many living persons you have mistaken for someone else because of similar appearance and mannerisms. But what can explain the familiarity with a place a person has never visited before?

Our brain has a remarkable ability to store bits of information fed over the years through our eyes and ears. Our memory is like a library. Some of its “books” are in constant demand and circulating freely. “Other books, perhaps the vast majority,” states one authority,a “gather dust on obscure shelves and are referred to rarely or not at all. Masses of information are packed in compact quarters.” So when we sense a familiar scene, we may have visited a place like it, read about it, heard someone talk about it, seen pictures of it, perhaps in a movie or a book​—even as a youngster.

It appears that under hypnosis much of the information on “back shelves” of the brain is stimulated. Yet, despite the extraordinary details from what appears to be a former life, the evidence from some of the narration shows that the person really did not live at that time.

For instance, the American housewife who felt that she had lived as an Irishwoman during the 19th century described, while under a hypnotic trance, scratching “the paint off all my bed . . . It was a metal bed.” She supposedly was then four years old (1802). The fact is that iron bedsteads were not introduced into Ireland until at least 1850. She also reported of her former life: “I go to St. Theresa’s church.” Yet, though there is such a church in Ireland, it was not founded till 1911​—47 years after her “first death.” Investigators found that though there were some accuracies (such as her description of certain places), there were numerous discrepancies. A team of scientists agreed that her expressions ‘sprang from her subconscious memories’ and not from her former life. The fact that she was raised by persons of Irish descent may in some part account for the origin of such memories.

Despite such exposés, many cling to the belief in reincarnation because they feel it is based on the Bible.

What Is the Bible’s Verdict?

One Bible account used to support the belief is at John 9:1-3, where some of Jesus’ disciples, upon passing a man blind from birth, asked Jesus: “Who sinned, this man or his parents, so that he was born blind?” Jesus replied: “Neither this man sinned nor his parents.” Jesus’ reply showed that the man was not paying for sins committed during a former life. His disciples may have believed, as did some rabbis, that a child could sin in his mother’s womb before birth. Jesus explained that such infirmities would make manifest the works of God. This was so when Jesus healed the man, and onlookers beheld God’s power overcome the miseries of sickness and disease.

Rather than its supporting reincarnation of the human soul, the Bible shows that a soul is the person himself. (Genesis 2:7) It speaks of individuals “striking every soul that was in [the city of Hazor] with the edge of the sword, devoting them to destruction.” So souls die.​—Joshua 11:11; Ezekiel 18:4, 20.

The soul is given life, or spirit, from God. At death this life-force, or spirit, dissipates, and a person’s thoughts perish. So the dead person is unconscious, as if in a deep sleep. The dead ‘go down into silence.’​—Psalm 104:29, 30; 115:17; 146:3, 4; Ecclesiastes 9:5.

The Bible holds forth the hope of the resurrection. God will bring to life again all those that are unconsciously asleep in death. These will then be given the opportunity of enjoying everlasting life under conditions totally free of all the misery and heartache that we see today. Why not learn more about this precious hope by contacting Jehovah’s Witnesses locally, or by writing to the publishers of this magazine.​—John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15.

[Footnotes]

[Blurb on page 11]

Our memory is like a library. Apparently under hypnosis much of the information on the “back shelves” is stimulated

A Clean Home Despite Ill Health

Some homemakers share their secrets

THE three-room apartment is surprisingly neat. The fresh scent of a newly mopped kitchen floor hangs in the air. The woman of the house is busily preparing dinner on a stove clean enough to be used as a dinner table. The furniture, including her refrigerator, is spotless.

In a nearby apartment, dinner preparations are also under way. But the smell of dirty linen overpowers the food aromas. Fuzzy balls of dust peep out from under pieces of torn and stained furniture. The stack of dirty dishes next to the sink is at avalanche level.

Yet, what do these two women have in common? They suffer from chronic asthma​—at times so severe that they can hardly breathe and must be confined to bed. But what a contrast in their homes!

You, or someone close to you, may be among the millions worldwide who daily face the struggle of keeping a house clean while being shackled with a disabling chronic illness, such as asthma, arthritis, heart disorder, or some other malady.

Why Worry About a Little Dirt?

“I live alone. Nobody but I and a few of my close friends see the dirt, so why worry?” asked a white-haired widow. “Only the family sees it and they know my condition,” adds a homemaker whose joints pain from arthritis.

Yet there are definite benefits from a clean home. Actually, some respiratory diseases are made even worse because of dust. We feel a natural attraction to the beauty of orderliness and the cleanliness associated with it, and at the same time we have a tendency to flee, even if only mentally, from that which is untidy. When the home is orderly, the frustrations of trying to find some needed item are usually avoided. Also, a clean home gives a person a sense of pride and self-respect.

Most chronic sufferers agree that there are definite benefits from a tidy home, yet deep-seated feelings seem to hinder the efforts of some.

Half the Battle Is Attitude

Very easily a chronic sufferer could develop a “poor me, poor me” attitude and feel, “What’s the use in trying.” Certainly when one is sorely handicapped and often in pain, it is difficult to keep a cheerful outlook. It is easy for others to say, “Cheer up, it can’t be that bad.” But you know how bad it is and you have to live with your disability every day.

Still, you have to agree that things could be worse. You do have life, and your own attitude can contribute to whether that life seems empty and frustrating or rich and meaningful. A wise Bible proverb (Pr 15:15) says: “For the miserable man [afflicted one] every day is unhappy; but the cheerful [good at heart] man enjoys a perpetual feast.”​—An American Translation.

“Every day is unhappy” or bad to some who are afflicted with disabilities. They are miserable. However, if one considers the blessings even to have a home to clean and at least some resources of energy with which to do it, things can appear different. To that one, life can be as delightful as enjoying a “perpetual feast.” Though some days are not the best, still not every day is unhappy.

“Sometimes I really don’t feel like cleaning,” said one housewife with chronic asthma, “but I’ve always cared. I can’t stand a dirty place. So I go ahead and try to clean. Afterward I’m really tired, but I look back over my work​—everything looks nice and shiny—​and I feel good inside.” Her attitude made the difference.

Be Realistic

“Try to do everything you possibly can within the limitations of your handicap, but don’t waste your energy in doing something that really isn’t important just to prove you can do it!” recommends the book Homemaking for the Handicapped. You have to be realistic.

Just as you accept the fact that you have blue eyes and brown hair or have to wear glasses, so learn to accept your illness or other limitations. Consider what abilities you do have and go from there. Recognize that your home will not be as spotless as that of some others in better health. Still, in many instances, if you care, your home will be cleaner than that of persons who allow laziness or a lack of pride to hinder them from cleaning up.

However, the best intentions can go unfulfilled because cleaning work can be overwhelming. Yet several practical hints can lighten the work.

Make It Easier for Yourself

“If an iron tool [ax] has become blunt and someone has not whetted its edge, then he will exert his own vital energies,” observes the Bible. “So the using of wisdom to success means advantage.” (Ecclesiastes 10:10) Though you could cut down a tree with a blunt ax, what a chore! However, if you wisely “whetted” or sharpened the ax, how much less ‘vital energy’ you would spend! Following this principle is essential for one who is sickly, for energy is like money​—the less we have of it, the farther we have to make it go.

So think: How can I simplify my housework? What steps can I take to use less of my ‘vital energy’ and yet get the task done?

● REMOVE CLUTTER.

“I try not to keep the house clogged up with things here and there. I don’t believe it’s good,” said an 80-year-old widower convalescing after major surgery. Looking at his simple, yet strikingly neat home, one cannot help but see the value of his viewpoint.

Analyze your home to see what you could eliminate. Perhaps you could remove the easy chair in that dark corner where nobody sits anyway or that little cabinet that contains only junk. How many ornaments are standing or hanging in the room? It takes less effort to dust 10 of these than it does 20. With better health, perhaps you could have more furniture and ornaments. Yet a room need not seem bare if there are only a few ornaments. If these few are carefully selected, it may give more evidence of your good taste.

If your home is large, you may even wish to close off a section, perhaps covering the furniture with old sheets, and open it only when company comes or when it is otherwise needed. This will save much extra cleaning.

● CONSIDER EASE OF CLEANING WHEN PURCHASING.

Dark upholstery shows up the dust; light colors are easily soiled. In-between colors, perhaps with a pattern rather than solids, will look cleaner with a minimum of effort. You will find that a smooth linoleum or wood floor will be easier to clean than a carpet. Even when buying dishes, some have found that unbreakable plastic pieces make washing simpler with less worry about breakage.

● CONVENIENT TOOLS AND SUPPLIES.

Keep cleaning supplies that are frequently used handy. By placing a sponge and cleanser next to the bathtub, you or your family will be more inclined to wash out the tub when finished with using it.

“I keep a small flat basket at hand to carry items back and forth, so, instead of making half a dozen trips, I make two,” reported one woman crippled with arthritis. Others have conserved strength by using tongs to grab items or when cleaning in hard-to-reach places.

“I will go out on a limb and say that I think a feather duster is an absolute necessity,” states writer Carol Eisen. Though she admits the dust is scattered on the floor (which can be cleaned up with a dust mop), she adds, “it’s four times as fast as cleaning with a dustcloth, especially on nonflat areas like telephones and candles and potted palms.” Of course, the flying dust may irritate some asthma sufferers. Others have found that a toy dust mop works better and collects the dust rather than scattering it.

Yet, despite all your efforts, problems will arise for which there is no easy solution. These can give you some bad days, as one woman whose joints are terribly disfigured by arthritis admitted: “For spilled milk there is nothing to do but turn the radio up so I hear music instead of my complaining joints as I mop up.”

Do a Little at a Time

Many with limited health clean one room at a time to avoid becoming overtired. You may even have to do less at times. “One day I was cleaning the bedroom. Moving the furniture became too much for me,” confessed one with ill health, “so I told my daughter, ‘Today I did half a room and tomorrow I’ll do the rest!’ We both had a good laugh, and the next day I finished it.”

Cleaning up after yourself can save time later on. The five minutes wiping up spills on the stove or in the oven when they occur can save several hours of hard cleaning when the spills become “baked on.”

A general routine can prevent panic when you see housework piling up, because you know it will be cared for eventually. But your schedule must be flexible. Tuesday morning you may not feel up to tackling the scheduled kitchen floor, so you may have to substitute some easier task.

“If you keep things in good shape,” said one experienced homemaker, “then when you’re not feeling well, you can just touch up things so no one knows the difference.” Still there are times when you are too sick even to “touch up.” What then?

Help from Others​—Gratefully Accept It

Others may be sensitive to your needs and respond with help. Never be too proud to accept such, nor so picky about how things are to be done that your helper regrets the day he or she volunteered.

Not only is such help deeply appreciated but it is a mark of genuine Christianity. (James 1:27; John 13:35) One elderly witness of Jehovah who lives alone had just undergone major surgery. “When I came out of the hospital,” he said, “two of the women in the congregation came to my home and cleaned it from top to bottom. They made it shine! In fact, they cleaned areas I had neglected. Even after this they periodically returned to keep everything shining.” Words failed to express how much he appreciated such Christian work.

Cleanliness Does Make a Difference

Pleasant surroundings have a cheering effect. The favorable comments of others about our tidy home can likewise be stimulating.

When a person can cope with the challenge of the grease and grime, despite ill health, his or her own enjoyment of life is enhanced. One is no longer burdened with guilt and depression over what should be done.

The difference that a clean home makes was well summed up by a homemaker who is almost totally blind and yet keeps a spotless home. She says: “There is an inner feeling of well-being knowing that something is clean.” You can have that feeling too, despite the limitations of ill health!

[Box on page 14]

HOW TO SIMPLIFY WORK

1. Have a special place for each article.

2. Select the right tools for the job.

3. Use the body efficiently.

Diplomas for Dunces

“The quality of education that graduates get today is substantially inferior to that of students 50 or even 20 years ago,” said John R. Silber, president of Boston University in an interview published in U.S. News & World Report. He went on to explain: “Quite simply, today’s high-school diploma is a fraudulent credential. It doesn’t guarantee a level of literacy for the graduate. It doesn’t imply anything about a person’s ability to do ordinary arithmetic​—much less algebra, solid geometry or trigonometry. It doesn’t certify competence in science, world or American history, or anything else. What the high-school diploma tells you is that a student was institutionalized for about 12 years. That’s all.”

Of course, some properly motivated students do apply themselves and graduate with a good level of competency, but the trend in the U.S. has been away from rigorous academic standards. Silber points out that in Japan schools deliver reasonably well-educated young people to the work force at age 18. This is because the students “work much, much harder in the first 12 years of school.”​—September 7, 1981, p. 53.

Young People Ask . . .

Getting Ahead​—Is That All There Is to Life?

“WE’VE got to look out for ourselves,” says a 16-year-old youth who works part time as a short-order cook in Boston, Massachusetts. “Nobody else will​—the politicians or whatever. The main thing is taking care of your business, having a job and knowing what to do with the check at the end of the week.”

Across the country, in California, Johanna, who recently graduated from high school, puts it this way: “It seems like everybody I know has a part-time job to support a car. Of course, a car makes it much easier to get around in California, but all those hours of work! And for what? Not for any long-term goal like tuition for school. Just to support a car.”

Starting the “Rat Race” Early

More and more young people in affluent countries seem to be working today. There’s nothing wrong with work, but, as Johanna asked, What are the long-term goals? As a young person, are you willing to work to help support your family? That’s fine and unselfish. Are you working to gain valuable experience in your chosen vocation? That may be wise. On the other hand, if you are working just to support your own car or record collection or expensive social commitments, how wise or unselfish is that?

A high-school teacher recently surveyed 148 middle-class American students regarding their work habits. Seventy-seven percent of the students had part-time jobs, with the jobs taking an average of 20 hours of the students’ time each week. Most of the students admitted that because of their part-time jobs their school work suffered. But why all the jobs?

“Only 24% of the students I surveyed indicated they were working to save money for a college education or for future needs; furthermore, only one student indicated that money from a part-time job was contributed to the family budget,” observes the teacher. Where is the money spent? “Most of it goes to gratify the sophisticated materialistic tastes of high school students.”

The result is that teenagers are getting an early start in what their elders have long referred to as “the rat race.” “They’re like middle-aged men,” says a Michigan school guidance counselor, “trying to pay off their cars and keep up with the Joneses. They never seem to catch up.” Is that happening to you?

Practical Advice

A noted authority on human nature once looked into the question of work. He did not get his information on the subject secondhand, but, as he puts it, “I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself. I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them fruit trees of all sorts. I made pools of water for myself, to irrigate with them the forest, springing up with trees.”​—Ecclesiastes 2:4-6.

After learning about work firsthand, this wise man then made a number of balanced observations:

No. 1​—People were made to work, we need to work. “Look! The best thing that I myself have seen . . . is that one should eat and drink and see good for all his hard work . . . for that is his portion.”​—Ecclesiastes 5:18.

No. 2​—Work motivated by materialistic desires will not bring happiness. “A mere lover of silver will not be satisfied with silver, neither any lover of wealth with income.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10) If you cultivate a craving for material things at a young age, you may well prepare yourself for a lifetime of unhappiness and dissatisfaction with what you have.

Nancy can testify to the truth of this Bible principle. “I grew up in a broken home,” she says. “We didn’t have much, and I always felt that if I could only get a lot of money when I grew up, then I would be happy. My goal in life was to make big money.

“I attained that goal. Before long I found work that, although unethical, enabled me to make $50,000 a year with added vacations and business trips. Materially, I had everything I could possibly wish for​—a fancy car, clothes, but with all that I was not happy.

“I was unhappy with my personal life, and all my possessions were no comfort to me. I felt trapped. The more money I made, the more I would spend, until finally I was $80,000 in debt!

“I had family members who were Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I saw that they were happier than I was, although they owned much less. I wanted that happiness, but it seemed hopeless. I knew that I would have to find another line of work if I became a Witness, and then how would I pay my debts? Even if I paid off the debts, could I really be happy without money?

“After years of Bible study I finally broke free of the smoking habit, and that convinced me that I really could change my life with Jehovah’s help. So I quit my line of work, sold my car and other valuables, and was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I live on a lot less now, but I’m a lot happier! The things I owned never brought me happiness. Having true friends and knowing Jehovah God as a real person who cares for me had made all the difference.”

No. 3​—Finally, work should not be motivated by a competitive desire to outshine others. “I myself have seen all the hard work and all the proficiency in work, that it means the rivalry of one toward another; this also is vanity and a striving after the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 4:4) Perhaps you know young people who feel worthless because they failed to get into a prestigious college or failed to qualify for an athletic team at school. Competition in these areas can be intense. For the few who win, there are many losers. Is it a good idea to fix your hopes on such goals?

The Bible​—A Practical Book

As you may have guessed, the authority who made these down-to-earth and balanced comments on work was Solomon. The book of Ecclesiastes, which he wrote under divine inspiration, is found in the Bible. Did you know that the Bible is such a practical book?

If you are in school and are tempted to take on part-time work that you don’t really need, remember this bit of advice from Solomon: “For everything there is an appointed time, even a time for every affair under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) Ask yourself: At this time in my life, what should I be doing? Is youth the time to start accumulating cars, stereos, clothing and concert tickets, or is it the time to accumulate knowledge? Which is going to do you more good in the long run​—a record collection or the ability to read well and write clearly? Even more important, why not take some time to broaden your education in the Bible? The advice on life’s problems found there, if applied, will prove to be more valuable to you than all the possessions you could ever own.​—Proverbs 8:12-21.

[Pictures on page 16]

“Most students interviewed admitted that their schoolwork suffered because of their part-time jobs. Is it worth it?”

[Picture on page 17]

“They’re like middle-aged men, trying to pay off their cars and keep up with the Joneses. They never seem to catch up”

[Picture on page 18]

“I was unhappy with my personal life, and all my possessions were no comfort to me”

The Hardest Word

“I FELT sorry for my wife,” said the sympathetic husband. “She had worked so hard cooking lunch for some young friends of hers. But when the time for their arrival came, no one showed up. At first she was slightly irritated. Then indignant. Then downright angry to the point of tears as time ticked by. Her ‘gourmet’ lunch began to overcook. Yet no one even called to explain the delay.” He continued: “In situations like this you start fearing the worst. (What’s happened to them? Did they have an accident?) Well, as it turned out, two of them finally showed up. The others never did call.”

While this might be the stage setting for the end of some friendships, Christian conduct fortunately prevailed. Said the husband: “The next day my wife expected tearful apologies when she saw her three forgetful friends. Instead, she got nervous smiles and quick hellos. Several days then passed. I was proud that my wife decided to take the initiative to approach her friends. A few tears, some hugging and the matter was straightened out. Yet a question stuck in my mind: ‘Couldn’t they simply have said, “We’re sorry”?’”

There is truth in the refrain of the popular song that says, “Sorry seems to be the hardest word.” Why is this? Probably because “sorry” is an admission of guilt. True, we seem to have no problem admitting our faults in a general way. Tell a man “You’re imperfect!” and he’ll likely reply, “Aren’t we all?” But tell him that he’s egotistical, proud, haughty, insensitive, childish or irritating and you touch a raw nerve. No wonder the Bible counsels us to overlook, to put up with and to forgive the faults of others.​—Proverbs 17:9; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13.

While being late for lunch may seem trivial, it is just such minor mishaps that often build seemingly insurmountable barriers between people. Yet the barricade of contention can often be torn down with a simple, “I’m sorry.”

Yes, but who will be the first to say it? “Not me!” you say. You’ve analyzed the situation and judged yourself “innocent.” “Someone has to be right,” you insist. But such reasoning fails to recognize that your “adversary” likely views matters from a different viewpoint. (Proverbs 18:17) Hence, a stalemate. Viewing apology as defeat, both sides dig their trenches and prepare for a long battle.

The Bible shows, however, that even long-standing hostilities can be settled when people are willing to sacrifice their pride. Consider, for example, the patriarch Jacob. He was willing to sacrifice more than pride to end a dispute. Rivalry with his twin brother, Esau, can be traced back to their birth. It erupted into intense hatred when Jacob maneuvered events so as to receive the birthright, something Esau had sold to him for a pot of stew. (Genesis 25:22-34; 27:1-41) Jacob fled for his life! The passing of many years did not lessen Esau’s hatred of Jacob.

Eventually there came a day of confrontation. Jacob humbly sends messengers, requesting a meeting with Esau. In reading the account in Genesis chapters 32 and 33 you can feel the tension build as these feuding brothers prepare to meet; Jacob with his flocks and children, Esau with his band of 400 men! Murder is doubtless in Esau’s mind. Yet Jacob is determined to make peace. He humbly makes a gesture of friendship, and what a gesture! Hundreds of valuable goats and sheep and many cows, camels and bulls, delivered by Jacob’s servants make up the peace offering. Imagine Esau’s surprise upon seeing this display of generosity!

Yet peace would cost even more. Face to face with Esau, what does Jacob now do? “And he himself passed on ahead of them and proceeded to bow down to the earth seven times until he got near to his brother,” doing this as if he were acknowledging someone superior. The effect? “And Esau went running to meet him, and he began to embrace him and fall upon his neck and kiss him, and they burst into tears.”​—Genesis 32:13-15; 33:1-4.

The lesson? In a personal dispute, there is something more important than who is “right” or “wrong.” It is important that peace be restored. So, when you’ve had a disagreement, ask yourself, “Am I seeing matters from his point of view? Have I handled matters in a Christian way? Am I willing to be humble? Can I be the first to say, ‘I’m sorry’ because of having caused someone else some embarrassment?”

There’s a saying, “Sorry’s just a word.” But it is a powerful word. Try being the first to say it.​—Matthew 5:9, 23, 24.

Ballet​—Is It All Grace and Beauty?

MELODIOUS refrains fill the theater, and, as I watch with keen anticipation, the curtain opens on a medieval village of eastern Europe. The corps de ballet of the Guaira Theater, Curitiba, Brazil, presents what many view as the greatest of the romantic classical ballets​—Giselle.

The flowing melody soon becomes a lively waltz as Giselle and other peasants dance during their grape-harvest festival. The story is that of a young girl’s ardent desire to dance and of her tender courtship with Duke Albrecht. As they dance a graceful pas de deux, the nostalgic beauty of the music prepares the audience for tragedy. Her joy turns to madness, leading to her death. Then she is reunited with Albrecht as a spirit, to continue dancing from midnight till dawn.

What has made this and other ballets so appealing to many people? Just what is ballet?

Ballet and Its History

Ballet is a combination of several arts. Musicians compose the music. Artists paint or design the scenery and clothes. The writer thinks up the plot. Often the writer is also the choreographer. With his knowledge of body movements and dance technique, he produces the ballet (from the Italian ballare, to dance). Finally, the well-trained dancers interpret the story.

In 1581 Catherine de Médicis, queen of France, together with her court nobles, performed the first reported ballet. Thereafter it continued to be entertainment for the European nobility by the nobility.

King Louis XIV, himself fond of dancing, established the Académie Royale de Danse in 1661. But it was the Italian choreographer Carlo Blasis who founded the Code of Terpsichore and coded the five basic positions of the feet. Finally, during the 19th century, women began to dance on their toes or points. All technical skills were in harmony with the body’s natural lines. The dancer was to express beauty of line and fluidity through movement.

European monarchs invited French and Italian choreographers and dancers to establish ballet at their courts. Filippo Baccari offered his services, not to nobility, but to the Moscow Orphanage as an experiment. It surpassed all expectations. Of 62 pupils, 24 became soloists. The orphanage became the cradle of the Bolshoi, and the foundation of ballet in Russia.

Soon choreographers were no longer content to please the eye. Dauberval, a well-known choreographer of the 18th century, said: “I want to win the hearts.” Ballets that accomplish this are still popular today. Giselle touches the deepest of all human emotions​—since “love is as strong as death is.”​—Song of Solomon 8:6.

The Disciplined Technique of Ballet

The first lesson begins at the bar with the five basic positions. The muscles are then strengthened and kept supple with daily exercise. The ligaments are stretched to their full capacity to obtain greater flexibility. The body becomes able to move with the greatest possible speed, control, agility, grace and lightness. As I well know from my own experience, it is only with daily practice that perfection of balance, precision and beauty of movement are achieved.

It takes 10 years to become a skillful classical ballet dancer. This requires hard work, discipline and dedication to the art. Still, each generation has just a few really gifted dancers. Said choreographer George Balanchine in The Dance Has Many Faces: “One is born to be a great dancer. No teacher can work miracles, nor will years of training make a good dancer of an untalented pupil. One may be able to acquire a certain technical facility, but no one can ever ‘acquire an exceptional talent.’ I have never prided myself on having an unusually gifted pupil. A Pavlova is no one’s pupil but God’s.”

Benefits and Possible Dangers

Physically, ballet expresses perfect functioning of limbs and joints. When applied to selected children, it can lead to physical improvement. A postural curve can be improved with the help of an expert. Infantile paralysis, where muscle weakness is involved, may be corrected with years of ballet exercises. One of Brazil’s leading ballerinas began her career this way, and Alicia Markova started ballet training to correct flat feet.

On the other hand, ballet is not healthful for those with certain deformities. A slight spinal curvature can become a permanent deformity after only three months of exercises. Nor is it recommended for children with enlarged big toe joints, highly arched feet, tightly knit feet with little or no arch, knock-knees and bowlegs due to rickets.

Problems can also arise when a young person practices at home. Why? Because most modern homes have tile, parquet, marble, cement or vinyl floors, and these lack resilience; but what is needed is a wooden floor with a springlike quality. Dancing on surfaces that are unyielding can deteriorate muscles, ligaments and joints, and can make the spine rigid, causing spasticity.

On the other hand, when done properly, rhythmic dancing and music have a beneficial effect on the mind. For reasons unknown to doctors, participating in them may help to dispel negative attitudes and produce optimistic traits. Ballet music is even used as a therapeutic treatment for the mentally ill.

Is All Ballet Enjoyable and Recommendable?

Ballet today has the benefit of a technique developed over 300 years. While some schools are faithful to the tradition, others abuse the dancer and the art. Some modern choreographers are overdemanding, requiring that the dancers force their bodies beyond what is natural. One choreographer who started his company with a vengeance said: “We broke all the rules.”

Also, the moral aspect of contemporary ballet is affected by today’s standards. Oleg Kerkinsky wrote in The World of Ballet: “In the past, ballet was widely regarded as a display of pretty girls for tired businessmen and rich aristocrats; those days are gone, but there are still many people who go to ballet primarily for similar motives. It is obvious that physically fit young people wearing brief costumes or close-fitting body tights must have a strong erotic appeal; this is often emphasized today by the deliberately suggestive and sensual movements devised by many modern choreographers.”

In the ballet The Miraculous Mandarin three ruffians use a young girl as a prostitute and there is no doubt left in the ballet goer’s mind that her movements suggest the having of sexual relations. This is not what people with good morals want to see. Rather, they follow the Christian standard recommended in the Bible at Philippians 4:8: “Whatever things are righteous, . . . chaste, . . . whatever virtue there is . . . continue considering these things.”

Other dramatic ballets can be entertaining as well as instructive. In The Prodigal Son the ballet goer sees quite clearly where the evil forces lie. The wickedness of Herod is contrasted with the moral pureness of John the Baptizer in the ballet Salome.

Ballet was intended to express beauty of movement, and many of the classics combine this with themes that appeal to the healthy emotions. Such ballets as The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and Coppélia are in the repertory of most companies.

Ballet or What?​—A Wise Decision

Most performances are not complete ballets but so-called divertissements. These are often parts from well-known ballets. Thus, from The Sleeping Beauty we have The Blue Bird. In a recent presentation of this, I watched the technical skill of the ballerina. Her precision and poise came naturally. Much hard work had gone into her efforts. She deserved more than the bouquet of roses presented to her.

Reflecting on my own first lessons, I thought about the possibility that lay before me of a ballet career. Yet at the age when I would have become a qualified classical ballet dancer, a change occurred in my life. My purpose in life came into clearer focus. By studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, I learned about the Creator’s thrilling purpose for humans to live forever in perfection on this earth, not in its present state but transformed into a paradise. (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-4) The Bible also alerted me to untruths presented in some popular ballets, such as life hereafter in Giselle. God’s Word taught me that the dead are not alive in another world but are asleep awaiting a resurrection.​—Ecclesiastes 9:5; John 5:28, 29.

Moreover, I was moved by the realization that we are fast approaching the point in the Creator’s timetable when great changes are to take place in life on this earth. How much more important it was to dedicate my life and time, not just to an art, but to the spreading of a message that will bring permanent joy and everlasting life to those who accept it! (John 17:3) So I decided to take up missionary service as a career, instead of ballet dancing.

Of course, that does not mean I forgot all previous interests. I still appreciate the wonderful God-given gifts expressed in ballet, and perhaps you do too.​—Contributed.

[Blurb on page 22]

It takes 10 years of hard work, discipline and dedication to become a skillful classical ballet dancer

[Blurb on page 23]

Moral aspects of contemporary ballet are affected by today’s standards

[Pictures on page 21]

Ballet can express beauty of movement and is enjoyed by many. However, there are other aspects of it that must be considered

Giselle

Swan Lake

The Sleeping Beauty

In Touch with the “Middle Kingdom”

FOR years I had dreamed of visiting the “Middle Kingdom.” ‘Where is that?’ you ask. “Middle Kingdom” is the Chinese name for China. It reflects the traditional Chinese view of China as the center of the world, with all other countries on the periphery.

More people than realize it have been touched by the “Middle Kingdom.” The Chinese were the first inventors of paper and printing. The kites that delight children on windy spring days were first flown in China. Spaghetti and ravioli first tickled the palates of Chinese diners, while fine ceramics and what came to be used as gunpowder are other contributions of the “Middle Kingdom” to the outside world.

For four years my wife and I had been missionaries in Taiwan, but I had always wondered about the mainland. Finally the opportunity came to satisfy that curiosity when, at the end of 1978, the Chinese government cabled a visa for me to make a business trip to their country. I took the long flight across the Pacific Ocean, and as the plane made its final approach to Peking, my heart beat a little fast at the thought that soon I would be eating Peking duck in Peking, strolling along the Great Wall, and​—to a small degree—​getting to know the country that makes up one fourth of the human race. At last, I was about to get in touch with the “Middle Kingdom.”

The One Billion People

A few years have passed since that first arrival. But my days spent at the Ming Tombs and the Forbidden City are unforgettable. Cruises on the Yangtze River and mountain climbing in the Himalayas are likewise outstanding events in my life. However, in this ancient land I discovered something far more noteworthy than Mount Everest in the south or the Great Wall in the north. It was something in between those two monuments: the one thousand million people of the “Middle Kingdom.”

For years, the Chinese would rarely speak to the few foreigners allowed to enter their country. Not that they did not want to. The Chinese are by nature gregarious and hospitable. However, the political situation made them apprehensive. Happily, that era is by and large over. A simple after-dinner stroll through the streets quickly turns into a big event. Within minutes throngs of people come out to see and talk to the foreigner. The visitor taking in the sights quickly becomes a sight himself.

Nothing fascinates this crowd of new friends more than a snapshot of themselves from a Polaroid camera. When you run out of film, be prepared to explain what happened to about 400 disappointed Chinese.

One night in Szechwan Province, my friends and I decided to go to the opera​—Chinese, of course. On arriving, I discovered I had seen the opera before. Knowing that everyone’s attention would be riveted on the stage, I decided to sit right at the back on a low, makeshift wall and just watch the local folk enjoying the show. As I looked out over their bright, smiling faces, I could not but reflect on their resilience. They have been through some very difficult times, and they are still very poor. Yet they are optimistic. They feel themselves well off compared with just a few years ago.

It was not long before a college student came up and said: “Sir, may I ask you, Where are you coming from?” I told him, and he went on to say how happy he was for us to be able to come to China and how much the Chinese enjoy seeing us in their country. He said they were honored by our interest in their customs and culture.

Of course, I am condensing a rather long and interesting conversation, but the sincerity of the young man was appealing. Our discussion ended far too soon, but not before he insisted on bringing me a cup of hot tea.

Memorable Discussions

Although it is often difficult for a visitor to the “Middle Kingdom” to talk really in depth with the people, it can be done. The best opportunities usually arise at mealtimes​—not at formal banquets but on those occasions when you are enjoying a simple meal with just a few people in an out-of-the-way place.

I remember a memorable conversation I enjoyed one winter high up in a mountain in central China. A small group of us had been climbing all day, and at nightfall we took shelter in a semiabandoned Buddhist temple. The temple was used only by an occasional Tibetan hiking in from some distant place to worship with the few relics left there by the government. After the caretaker greeted us, he eagerly whipped up a simple but delicious meal and our group began to talk.

We covered many subjects, but the most animated discussions revolved around the Bible. A young student in our group was full of political quotations, which he kept parroting whenever the conversation seemed to veer away from “orthodoxy.” When he had finally run out of quotations, everyone else had a chance to talk and ask questions.

It was thrilling to be able to speak about Jehovah to those people. The older ones knew Jehovah as the name of God from the days before the Communist revolution. Why? Because the Chinese Bible uses God’s name thousands of times in the Hebrew Scriptures. It was wonderful to see their faces light up as we openly talked about something they had not discussed for many years.

I found that similarly interesting conversations can be held with foreigners in China, particularly those who actually live there. Many of them are diplomats. Some are “foreign experts,” on hire to the government. The press has its assortment of reporters, and, of course, there is a mixed group of business people.

In Peking and Shanghai there are a few hotel coffee shops designed for foreigners, and since there is virtually no night life, many foreigners end up congregating in them each night. In the evenings the coffee shops look as though they are filled with characters from a movie! You will almost always find a Texas oil man there, complete with cowboy hat and boots. There will be Indian Sikhs with their turbans, and Africans wearing a large variety of national costumes. I had an interesting experience when I became part of such a scene one night in Shanghai’s famous Peace Hotel.

The Peace is an elegant hotel, old and filled with art decor that reminds one of an earlier age, when Shanghai ranked with Paris, Rome and New York in glamour. Two large Russian men entered the coffee shop, and since the only two chairs left were next to me, I invited them to sit down. It turned out that they were high-ranking Soviet diplomats stationed in China. The language we had in common was Chinese, so we began an interesting conversation.

When they had found out a little about me, they wondered what my religion was, that I could serve as a missionary in Taiwan at one point in my life and then do business with what they regarded as that country’s enemy later on. Their experience had shown them that most people with strong religious convictions also had strong political convictions and were unable to make such adjustments.

I told them that I was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and thus totally neutral when it came to political matters. I explained that my love was for the people of Taiwan and for those in the rest of China. They replied: “Tell us again the name of your religion, but this time in English.” I did so, and they went on: “Oh, yes, we have many of your people in our country. Now, tell us more. Explain the difference between you and the Baptists.”

After a two-hour conversation, including a long discussion about Christian love and neutrality, these diplomats said: “You don’t know how thankful we are for having this explained to us. This is the first time we have fully understood the position of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” It was now almost midnight. Following a warm invitation to come to dinner at the Soviet Union’s embassy, I said good-bye and went out to call a cab for the trip back to my hotel.

“More Impressive than the Great Wall”

It is difficult to say much about modern-day China without sounding like either an advocate or a critic of the government. Of course, I am neither. There are, however, at least two positive things that are noteworthy.

Although China has been an agricultural country for thousands of years, it is good to see the country’s increased ability to provide food for itself, thus avoiding the great famines that used to sweep through China. In addition, thousands of “country,” or “barefoot,” doctors have been trained to provide basic health-care services to the masses. These two achievements in food and health care are, in my opinion, China’s greatest accomplishments in modern times, far more impressive than the Great Wall, and certainly more important than the invention of paper or kites.

China is infectious. Since the days of Marco Polo, it has held an allure for Westerners. I finally had my opportunity to get in touch with the “Middle Kingdom,” but I found out that that sprawling, densely populated land had reached out and touched me in return. It had deepened my understanding of humanity. I doubt if my view of things will ever be quite the same again.​—Contributed.

[Pictures on page 24, 25]

More people than realize it have been touched by the “Middle Kingdom”

From Our Readers

“Awake!” and the Catholic Church

What you write about the Church, I feel, is highly impudent. The Catholic Church was educating people long before Jehovah’s Witnesses were ever heard of. I receive your magazine regularly, and am often irritated by the articles. Most of what you write is from America. Believe me, not everything that comes from America is the best.

S. B., Germany

For many centuries the Catholic Church has exercised control over a goodly portion of the earth’s population. It has a great number of church buildings, schools and other institutions and a large number of priests, nuns and others available for teaching. In view of all of this, we would have thought it only reasonable to expect that the Catholic population as a whole would have received a much deeper knowledge of God’s Word, the Bible, and would show far greater results in applying it in their lives.​—ED.

I am surprised and disgusted to read where you categorize the Pope with a Caesar, a Hitler and a Stalin. The Pope is known as the Vicar of Christ on earth. A divine commission was given to Peter by Jesus Christ, in virtue of which Peter was invested with the attributes making him king, priest and teacher of all the followers of his master. The powers conveyed to Peter by Jesus Christ are held to be passed on in full measure to his duly appointed successors in the Roman bishopric. Our beloved Father, the Pope, is one of these successors.

D. P., California

“Awake!” was not equating the present pope with Caesar, Hitler or Stalin, but merely referring to various persons whom some individuals might look up to as a “father” in their idea of a brotherhood. Peter never claimed any superiority over the other apostles nor did he exercise such. Had he been assigned such by Jesus, the apostles would never have disputed about who among them seemed to be the greatest. (Luke 22:24-26; Mark 9:33-35) Those claiming that Peter had a position of supremacy in the church seek support from Jesus’ words at Matthew 16:18: “Also, I say to you, You are Peter, and on this rock-mass I will build my congregation, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” However, the well-known Catholic authority Augustine wrote that Christ, not Peter, was the rock: “For the reason why the Lord says, ‘On this rock I will build my church,’ is that Peter had said: ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ On this rock, which thou hast confessed, says he, I will build my church. For Christ was the rock (petra enim erat Christus), upon which also Peter himself was built.” (Quoted from “Commentary on the Holy Scriptures” [Matthew, p. 296, ftn.], by J. P. Lange and translated by P. Schaff.)​—ED.

I must commend you on your calm answer to the irate reader who criticized your article on Catholicism. I was raised Catholic. It is a shame that not many are open-minded enough even to research what they have been taught, to see if it is actually correct or not. Especially after reading one of your enlightening articles that honestly exposes their “doctrines of men” as such, they should feel compelled to do some research on various subjects!

C. R., Delaware

Watching the World

Rio’s Living Transplants

● Some people donate their vital organs for transplanting after they die. But, recently, impoverished residents of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, have been advertising to sell corneas and kidneys at high prices for immediate transplant. “It’s very simple,” said a man who ran such an ad, “on one side you have the man who has money but no vision, and on the other side is me: vision, but no money. . . . three years ago I lived better than now on half my salary today.” The asking price for such organs may be $30,000 to $40,000 (U.S.).

The report in the Washington Post calls this practice in Brazil a “new wrinkle in a longstanding controversy” over the poor selling their blood to supplement meager incomes. As a result, “blood transfusions are the largest cause of hepatitis in Brazil,” reports the Post. “Former president Ernesto Geisel recently contracted the disease from tainted blood.”

Pygmy “Mystery” Solved

● Why are pygmies short? “Until now, the reason for their short stature has been a mystery,” says the New York Times. But scientists from the University of Florida recently compared the blood of pygmies with that of other people and noted a deficiency of the little-known hormone called insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I). The pygmy blood had normal amounts of the better-known human growth hormone, but only one third the usual amount of IGF-I. “The doctors theorize that IGF-I is the principal regulator of growth,” reports the Times. “However, its precise function is still not known.”

Comet Strikes Sun

● The first recorded case of a celestial body colliding with the sun occurred about two years ago when a comet traveling an estimated 640,000 miles per hour (1,000,000 km/​h) smashed into the blazing orb. The collision was observed only by a satellite experiment called Solwind, whose data for that period was recently analyzed. “We estimate that when the comet hit the Sun, the energy released was about 1,000 times the energy used in the United States during an entire year,” said Dr. Donald J. Michels, chief scientist of the Solwind research team.

Space Junk Hazards

● According to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the thousands of objects and pieces of debris now in orbit around the earth may become a real hazard for future spacecraft. Even in the vastness of space, only certain “operationally important orbits” are useful for satellites and other space projects, and that is where the junk is accumulating. The AIAA says that just a pea-sized piece, when traveling thousands of miles an hour, could badly damage a spacecraft. The organization is calling for an agreement on limiting litter.

Additionally, the so-called geostationary orbit (a ring 22,300 miles [35,900 km] above the equator where communications satellites can hover over one spot on the globe) is so crowded that it must be cleared of defunct craft. “There is beginning to be a real danger of collision between active satellites and old derelicts that can no longer keep in their assigned locations,” said the director of satellite operations for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Earth Satellite Service.

Floating Factory

● Argentina recently received the world’s first floating petrochemical plant, made in Japan. After an eight-week voyage from Nagoya, the huge barge with a factory on top docked at Bahía Blanca, where it reportedly will produce 120,000 metric tons of polyethylene plastic annually. The eight-month construction period was three months ahead of schedule, and was said to be about a year faster than on-site land construction. The same Japanese company had built a pulp plant in Brazil three years ago, followed by a power plant for Bangladesh and a hotel for Abu Dhabi. This type of construction is said to be quicker and cheaper because the shipyard environment has heavy equipment and expertise so readily available.

Religious Rioting

● A weekend of savage rioting recently was sparked in Karachi, Pakistan, when a religious procession of Shiite Moslems met another of Sunni Moslems and one reportedly tried to overtake the other. According to the Associated Press, over 100 of the religious paraders were injured in the fighting and rock-throwing that ensued. The government had to impose a dusk-to-dawn curfew with summary execution of violators.

Greek Antismoking Pays Off

● Nearly 19 percent of Greek smokers reportedly have overcome their addiction in the past two years. About 44 percent of those over 16 now smoke, compared to 54 percent two years ago​—the result of a concerted government antismoking campaign. Daily television announcements, literature sent to every household and stiff fines for smoking in public places are said to have contributed to the decline.

Suicide in Europe

● The third-ranking cause of death in Europe is now suicide, according to the International Association for the Prevention of Suicide. Information presented at a Paris meeting of the group indicated that only heart attacks and auto accidents take more European lives. Belgium is said to have suffered a 30-percent increase in suicides from 1977 to 1979.

“Snorkeling” Elephant

● When the Frank Buck Zoo of Gainesville, Texas, was inundated during a week-long rash of floods that battered the area, zookeeper Vince Reynolds feared for the life of his 13-year-old elephant. But then he “heard her trumpet lightly” and was surprised to see only her trunk, which she was using to snorkel for air and to hold onto a tree for safety. “She’s just utterly exhausted,” said Reynolds after some cowboy volunteers rescued the huge animal.

Occult “Game”

● “This so-called game should have across the box in bold letters: ‘Health warning​—this could seriously damage your mental and physical health,’” declared British psychiatrist Richard Winter concerning a game currently sold in leading stores. Called “Osiris,” the fortune-telling game is supposedly based on the power of a mythical Egyptian god. But Dr. Winter warned: “I have treated a number of people who have been deeply disturbed as a result of dabbling with such games.” And London’s Daily Mail reports that psychiatrist Kenneth McAll “said he was still treating patients who had been affected by a similar game launched more than ten years ago and later withdrawn after protests.”

Strange Bedfellows

● The pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Providence, Rhode Island, “is leading a fund-raising drive to help pay legal expenses for officials of the Laborers International Union who were indicted in Miami on racketeering charges,” reports United Press International (UPI). A fund-raising letter signed by the monsignor was sent to union members complaining of harassment by the government. The union officials and 19 others, including alleged underworld members, were indicted for “conspiracy to funnel millions of dollars to organized crime figures,” notes the UPI report. “I agree with the thoughts of the letter,” said the priest, but “I’m not going to be pinned down to any one person, one cause, one statement or any words.”

British Workers Wanting?

● When not on strike, British workers reportedly have a longer workweek than those in western Europe or the United States. However, according to the Times of London, this does not result in greater productivity and economic health in the land. The article notes a study showing that for every ton of steel made by a British steelworker, Japanese steelworkers made five and a half tons. And, though Britain’s manufacturing productivity did increase 9 percent between 1975 and 1981, America’s productivity grew 21 percent and Japan’s 45 percent in the same period.

Violent Aftermath

● The abundance of American-made weapons in Thailand is causing a wave of violence to sweep through the country. The weapons were brought in by the thousands of soldiers defeated by Communist armies in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, and eventually “fell into the hands of crime syndicates and individual gangsters,” says the New York Times. The result? Murders have risen to 50 a day. Armed robbery and rape occur every seven minutes. Gunmen, wielding M-16 infantry rifles and M-79 grenade launchers, offer their service for hire. And gangland-style killings have become daily occurrences.

‘Sixth Sense?’

● Scientists are finding out that certain bees, butterflies, pigeons and bacteria may have a ‘sixth sense’​—magnetism. Magnetite, a compound of iron and oxygen, is found in the brain or other parts of their body. Experiments with bees and homing pigeons have demonstrated conclusively that they are sensitive to the magnetic field around them. This led to the belief that these creatures can sense the earth’s magnetic field and use it as a navigational aid when other means are not available, such as on a cloudy day. Dolphins are the first mammals to be found with the magnetic material, but it is yet to be demonstrated that they do possess the magnetic ‘sixth sense.’

Fatalistic Lifestyle

● “Approximately 40 to 60 per cent of human cancers are related to lifestyle factors, especially smoking and nutrition,” says cancer researcher Dr. Gary Williams of American Health Foundation. He points out that “some people have a fatalistic attitude,” believing that it is of no use to quit smoking or change their eating habits since the damage already has been done. According to the doctor, these people are deluding themselves. “After 15 years of not smoking,” he says, “the risk (of getting lung cancer) returns to the level of someone who doesn’t smoke.” He recommends “cessation of cigarette smoking, moderation of fat in the diet, and more fibre in the diet.”

Laser Heals Ulcers

● Healing a bleeding ulcer often involves major surgery, the removal of part of the stomach, a two-week hospital stay, not to mention a sizable dent to the pocketbook. But now at a London hospital, doctors are using a 10-minute laser-beam treatment that “has so far been successful in nine out of 10 cases,” reports the Daily Telegraph. It involves applying “a controlled amount of energy which heats the tissues so that the blood vessels close up to stop the bleeding.” Dr. Stephen Bown, who developed the technique, says that “the treatment is particularly useful for the old and frail, or those with other diseases who cannot stand up to major abdominal surgery.”

What Happens to Us When We Die?

Is growing old and dying all that we have to look forward to?

The book “Good News​—to Make You Happy” now provides a welcome, and yet reliable, answer. It gives sure evidence from the Bible that this life is not all there is. This 192-page hardcover book is yours for only 75 cents, postpaid.

Please send the book Good News​—to Make You Happy; I enclose 75c (U.S.).

The Government Soon to Rule All the Earth

The next rulership for all the earth will be a world government. The new book “Let Your Kingdom Come” tells about the sudden change that will occur as this government overthrows all earth’s present rulerships. If you are to continue to live, you will have to submit to this incoming world government. Read about the persons who will shortly be taking over earth’s rulership.

Get your copy now. This hardbound, 192-page book is only 75 cents (U.S.), postpaid.

Please send the book “Let Your Kingdom Come.” I enclose 75 cents (U.S.).