January 22

Page Two

Reviving the Doctor’s “House Call” 3

A Paramedic Tells His Story 5

They Love It That Way! 12

Reviving the Doctor’s “House Call”

And saving thousands of lives doing it

BY 1967 the term “paramedics” was generally used in the United States to describe nonphysicians, usually fire fighters, trained to give advanced medical aid outside the hospital. Since then, more than 10 million people in the United States have called them for help. The paramedics​—it’s a story of people helping people.

Previous to the paramedics, emergency medical care was presumed to start when the patient arrived at the hospital. Ambulances careened through city streets, running red lights with sirens wailing, to get that care started as soon as possible. Many times it was not soon enough. Years ago many ambulance drivers and attendants were untrained even in elementary first aid. Various reports stressed the sorry picture of emergency care at that time in the U.S.

Europe moved more quickly to remedy inadequate prehospital emergency care. Prior to 1960 Russia dispatched ambulance crews having a doctor, a nurse and a special physician’s assistant. West Germany and France placed doctors in ambulances by 1961. The early mobile care units specialized in coronary emergencies.

The first such unit in the United States began in 1966, in New York City. It was staffed by medical personnel, not paramedics. In Miami, Florida, fire fighters were trained for use as “physician extenders”​—substitutes, or surrogates, guided by radio-transmitted orders from a physician located in a hospital. By 1967 Miami had developed equipment whereby their emerging paramedics could routinely transmit EKG’s (electrocardiograms) to hospital physicians and then be advised on what drugs to use or what other treatment to administer. The equipment was crude then compared to that used by paramedics today.

Keeping pace with the rapid developments, Ohio came out with a “rolling emergency room,” called the Heartmobile. It was put in service in April of 1969. In the same year Los Angeles introduced a similar mobile unit.

The activities of the Los Angeles paramedics were dramatized in the television series Emergency, which began in 1971 and lasted for six years. Its impact upon millions has been immeasurable in establishing paramedics as fast responders to calls for help in life-threatening emergencies. Millions of children who were emotionally stirred by the exciting adventures declared that they were going to be paramedics when they grew up.

Seattle’s program became widely known for a different reason: in addition to their use of paramedics, in 1971 they launched a program whose goal was to train 100,000 citizens in the CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) technique. By 1973, 20 percent of resuscitations performed by paramedics were started by bystanders before the paramedics arrived at the scene of the emergency. By 1978 Seattle had trained 200,000 of its residents in CPR​—36 percent of its total population. Seattle became world famous as the “safest place to have a heart attack.”

During the 1970’s paramedics expanded their services until now, in addition to helping heart-attack victims, they respond to almost any life-threatening situation. Their equipment is sophisticated, their training is intensive, and doctors’ confidence in them has increased tremendously. Throughout the United States there are base-station hospitals that maintain physicians in the emergency rooms. Paramedics in the field talk to these doctors through portable radios, reporting on the condition of the sick or injured, even transmitting EKG’s to a screen in the hospital for the doctor to see. The doctor then tells the paramedic the treatment to use. The paramedic must do what the doctor orders. He is not the doctor; he is the doctor’s surrogate. It is the doctor who decides on the treatment.

It’s almost like the physician some 50 years ago who made house calls, only now the doctor does it through the use of radio frequency to the paramedic who is out in the field giving running reports on the patient’s condition. When the doctor says it’s time to bring the patient to the hospital, the paramedic brings him in.

In this way the paramedic has revived the doctor’s long-deceased house call, and has saved thousands of lives doing it. For interesting details, read in the following article the story of one paramedic’s experiences.

[Blurb on page 4]

Seattle became world famous as the “safest place to have a heart attack”

A Paramedic Tells His Story

ONE Sunday morning a call came in to the paramedics stationed at the Huntington Beach Fire Department in California. A frantic voice on the other end of the telephone line screamed: “Come quick! My husband’s dying!” When my partner and I arrived blood was spattered over every room in the apartment, and a man was lying on the floor gripping his neck. With every heartbeat arterial blood spurted out. What had happened was: He had been out drinking, came in and beat his wife, and she ran a nine-inch butcher-knife blade through his neck. It had severed one of the carotid arteries that supplies blood to the brain. In panic he had run throughout the apartment.

Now he lay writhing on the floor. He was sure he was dying. I clamped off the neck, got two IV’s (intravenous feeding) started, one in each arm, replacing the blood volume with a substitute blood-volume expander called Ringer’s lactate. We then rushed him to the hospital. It being Sunday, few were there to assist the surgeon in the operating room, so I did. A vein removed from his leg was spliced onto the carotid artery. He lived.

During my years as a paramedic, such rescues of persons from imminent death were very rewarding to me. Far more rewarding, however, it was that these dramatic events brought me to my senses concerning another lifesaving work. A far more important work, involving millions of lives, mine included.

The story began when I was five years old. My father had become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He set about training me and my two brothers as Witnesses. At age 16, however, I became quite rebellious. The life of a Witness was too confining for me. So just prior to my 17th birthday I told my father that I didn’t want to go to meetings anymore or go out preaching from door to door.

Well, he set me down and explained to me from the Scriptures that the love for Jehovah was the most important thing in his life. He said that if I was to live under his roof I would attend meetings and continue the preaching activity. I couldn’t understand how someone could love this God Jehovah above the family. So I moved out from under his roof and moved in with a high school friend of mine.

After graduation from high school I concentrated on acquiring some of the things I thought were really important. Also, I continued dating a young lady that I had met in high school. At age 19, I thought that not only did I know everything but also I was fully equipped to get married. So I married Pam, my high school sweetheart. We’ve stayed married these past 15 years and have two young daughters. As I matured I saw that there was more to life than the present. What would it be like in 5 or 10 years for these two young ladies I had fathered? What was this system of things going to offer them? And what could I offer them?

I quit the job I had in a machine shop that required long hours with little opportunity for advancement, and I entered the profession of a fire fighter. Working 24-hour shifts, I had many full days at home. Now I had more time on my hands than I wanted!

I thought, ‘I’ll just use those extra days for making more money and acquiring more things.’ So I took on a second job, in construction. I would work a 24-hour shift as a fireman, then from there go and work a full day in construction. I’d come home after being away some 34 hours. Understandably, family relations became strained.

It was at this time that the Huntington Beach Fire Department started a new program, the paramedic program. I joined up and spent the next eight months in intensive schooling at the University of California at Irvine Medical Center. Everything we were taught in these 16-hour days was geared to emergency medicine. Specially trained physicians, called traumatologists, instructed us on how to handle life-threatening situations not in sterile hospital operating rooms but out in burned-out houses, wrecked automobiles, dirty alleys, smoke-filled bars, vacant lots or wherever. I stood for countless hours with surgeons in emergency operating rooms, watching them perform open-heart surgery or open-lung surgery, or putting smashed bodies back into shape.

During this training I realized how fragile life is. I reflected upon things my father had taught me about God, the Creator. I also thought many times of the psalmist David’s words, spoken in awe: “In a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14) I began to sense the divine wisdom and design of his creations, and not just in the human body but in the animals, the plants, the earth, and the billions of galaxies with their trillions of stars.

And now, as I became aware of these things, many of my father’s words came back to me. I remembered times, years after I had left home, when I needed him. He was always there, with love and kindness. He never gave up on me. He saw to it that I always received the Watchtower and Awake! magazines wherever I went. And above all I remember this lesson learned: Never, ever, give up on your children​—never! You never know​—something might just click inside them, as it did with the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable, as it did with me, and they might come back to you, serving Jehovah.​—Luke 15:11-24.

After completing the eight-month-long paramedic course, I took a two-month vacation trip with my family. Those two months healed some of the family strains that had developed. I literally fell in love with my wife all over again. I realized I had neglected her, that no finer reward could a man have than a loving, supportive wife. I also realized that there is nothing finer that you can give to your children than yourself.

After our return I told my wife that I thought we needed a family Bible study. I’d like for it to be conducted by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Now, Pam had been reared with a hatred for Jehovah’s Witnesses. So I was both surprised and delighted when she readily agreed. The study began and a year later, in 1974, we were baptized.

I’ve told how during training I came to realize how fragile life is, but as a practicing paramedic I became impressed with how tenaciously the body clings to life and fights to heal some of the most appalling injuries.

One was the stabbing reported at the beginning of this story. As stated there, the stab victim lived, but he did lose part of his speech and the use of his right arm and leg. This because of the diminished blood supply to his brain. When he was recuperating, I went to see him. I frequently did this with those I had helped. It gave me an opportunity to witness to them about the hope we have in God’s Kingdom. I explained to him that his present recovery was only temporary, that a permanent one was possible here on earth under that Kingdom rule. My wife and I studied the Bible with this couple for four months. They eventually separated, but the last we heard about him was that he was still studying with the Witnesses.

On another occasion I responded to a drowning. When my partner and I arrived, a neighbor had just brought a seven-year-old girl up from the bottom of a swimming pool. She had no heartbeat and was not breathing. This is what they refer to in the medical profession as being clinically dead. She wasn’t biologically dead yet. She still had the spark of life within her. We started an IV and administered cardiac drugs and also electrocounter shock to stimulate the heart into beating again.

By this time her parents had arrived. Both became hysterical and had to be restrained. We worked on her alongside that pool for 22 minutes, without her having a heartbeat or doing any breathing on her own. On all our cases we keep in touch by phone with a physician at a base hospital, and this one told us to give up and bring her in. But we thought we were close to reviving her and got an OK from the doctor to try a little longer.

We continued the CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). I went right through the chest cavity and into her heart with an injection. We got a faint heartbeat! We kept breathing for her, but as the heartbeat got stronger she started breathing on her own. She survived. She did have some brain damage that left her legs weak, but because of her youth she responded well to rehabilitation and now, seven years later, she’s fine.

One day I was going from door to door with the Kingdom message, and one woman was very angry with me. She told me to leave and even followed me to the street, scolding me all the way. There I turned and asked her, “Isn’t this the home where six months ago a small baby had stopped breathing and was thought dead?” A look of complete surprise came over her face. In a hushed voice she asked, “How did you know that?”

“I’m the paramedic that saved its life.”

I didn’t do this to make her feel bad but to let her know that Jehovah’s Witnesses were useful people in the community, and not, as she had charged, just pests that bothered people on weekends. She invited me into her home. We talked for about 20 minutes about the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses and why we call at people’s doors. I left a Watchtower and an Awake! with her.

A similar situation occurred when my wife was going from door to door with the Kingdom message. She approached an old man who snapped at her, “I don’t want it! Get out of here!” At the time I was talking at another home, but when Pam and I met and were walking back together she told me about the incident. We passed by his house. He was outside. I recognized him. His wife had suffered a severe stroke and had almost died. I was the paramedic who responded to his call. So I went up to him, my wife at my side, and asked him: “Your wife, how’s she doing?” I also introduced my wife to him. I wanted him to know it was my wife he had been rude to, and that I also engaged in this Bible educational work. It made him think. And he apologized to Pam.

Another time I went to a door and a woman answered. I introduced myself by name and started talking. “Wait a minute!” she interrupted. “You are Larry Marshburn! I remember you! You pulled my husband out of a burning airplane!” She continued: “You were so nice to me, assuring me that my husband was going to live, that he was going to be all right.” He did live, but he was badly burned. She had remembered my name, and we had a nice visit and Bible literature was left with her.

Similar occurrences happened repeatedly, and not just at doors. In a market, on the street, people would say to me, “You worked on my little girl,” or “You saved my mother,” or whatever the situation had been. That’s rewarding.

Not all calls are rewarding, however. On one call the woman clasped my arm and said, “I’m going to die.” She did, clinically. My partner and I started giving her CPR. We kept getting her heartbeat back, then losing it. Three hours we worked on her, finally revived her. Her first words to me were: “You should have let me die.” “Oh, no!” I groaned. She was old and sick and tired of living. We got her to the hospital. Her heart was so damaged that they put in a pacemaker. The last I heard, she was still living.

On another call I found three fire fighters from a nearby station who had beat me there. They were sitting in the living room, misty-eyed. One of them motioned me toward the kitchen. An elderly couple lay on the floor, both dead. The man had been a cripple, had no legs. It was a deliberate murder-suicide. The woman, his wife, had lain down on the floor, head on a pillow, face turned away from the man, and he had shot her in the back of the head. Then he had lain down beside her, put his arm around her, then put the gun to his head and shot himself. The notes left to their children indicated their love for each other, but economic and health problems were too much, and they were tired of living. They made the decision that they were going to die together. A deeply touching tragedy. No wonder the firemen’s eyes were moist.

In the five years that I was in the paramedic service (I now lecture throughout the United States on fire prevention but still go out as a paramedic a few times each month), I saw 70 or 80 persons die. The great majority cling to life, hanging on desperately. I saw it so much.

I can close my eyes now and still see this young man trapped in an automobile that had overturned and was on fire. I crawled through the window and just held onto him, his face panic stricken, pleading with me to save him. I knew he was going to die. I knew what he didn’t​—the lower half of his body was mashed beyond repair. We couldn’t get him out. I just held his head and kept talking to him until he died.

In my work I see tremendous drug abuse. I can remember responding to call after call after call of ones who had used Phencyclidine hydrochloride​—PCP for short, and commonly called angel dust. It alters the mind and in very short, sporadic outbursts gives unbelievable strength.

On one occasion, at one o’clock in the morning, we were summoned by a young man’s mother. She could not get him to respond to anything. When we got there he was sitting on the couch in the living room. He was about 5 feet 9 inches tall, very thin, weighing about 135 pounds. A couple of police officers were there taking information from the mother.

My partner and I tried to communicate with him, but he was “gone,” hallucinating. He wouldn’t roll his eyes nor would he blink, and his arms and legs were spread out stiff. And he’d been holding them outstretched like that for 30 minutes. Sit in a chair and try holding your arms and legs out for three minutes, then remember​—he did this 10 times as long! We began to take his vital signs​—blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, things of that nature. He seemed to be in a stabilized condition and in no real danger. So we decided to transport him to the hospital. At this time we still didn’t know what drug he had taken, but one of the police officers suspected that it was PCP.

By now the ambulance had arrived and we had six emergency personnel present. When we started to pick him up to put him on the gurney, he exploded into action. He literally threw the six of us off of him. I remember being on his back with my arm around his neck, and he simply reached behind himself and took me by my shirt and literally threw me over his head and onto the ground! I’m 6 feet tall and weigh 190 pounds, but he tossed me around like a five-pound bag of sugar! Finally the six of us did get him pinned down, handcuffed and strapped to the gurney. He lived. PCP doesn’t ordinarily take life, but continued use of it, according to a pharmacologist who has made a special study of the drug, can cause the brain to be “fried”​—his word for it. When a person reaches this stage he is unable to speak or think for himself.

At another time my partner and I were summoned to a wild beach party by police who had already arrived on the scene. They were trying to subdue a man who was on PCP. With our help the police finally got handcuffs on him. Police handcuffs are well built, a strong steel chain linking the two cuffs together. Well, this young man flew into such a rage that he snapped the chain that linked these two cuffs together! It was all the two police officers, myself and the other paramedic could do to get him on the ground. In fact, one of the officers finally had to use his billy club to subdue the man. Then they handcuffed him with two sets of handcuffs, and we took him to the hospital.

These two instances graphically show that PCP gives a strength so phenomenal that it’s impossible to believe it until you see it. Even when you see it, it’s still unbelievable.

Heroin is another drug we repeatedly encountered. It is a central-nervous system depressant and causes breathing to stop. I went on one call where a man had collapsed from heroin use. He was surrounded by others who were high on it. The needle was still sticking in his arm. He’d stopped breathing and turned blue. I started an IV on him and my partner put a tube down his throat so we could breathe for him. He began to get pink and we gave him some Narcan, which stands for “narcotic antagonist.” It reverses almost immediately the effect of heroin. (No such drug is available, however, to counteract PCP.) The man revived in seconds. When the other addicts saw this they became threatening, wanting to take our Narcan away from us. They wanted it to make their use of heroin safer.

There is no amount of words that will drive home to young people the damage drugs do to mind and body, even 5 or 10 years after they stop using drugs. They refuse to believe because they don’t want to believe. If I could take them with me for just one day to the mental-health ward in UCI Medical Center in California and let them see people who have been involved in drug abuse for many years ​—paranoid and catatonic patients—​they might open their eyes. I have seen individuals who have had over 1,000 trips on LSD, and for all practical purposes they are no longer human. Their minds are gone. They’re almost vegetables.

Being a paramedic and also one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is a unique blend. As a paramedic I’m helping injured persons get well, even bringing some back from clinical death. It’s gratifying work. Teaching people the truths about Jehovah’s Kingdom under Christ and healing them spiritually, even helping them come to life spiritually, is far more gratifying. The good done as a paramedic is temporary; that done spiritually can become everlasting in a Paradise earth. In my work as a paramedic I see much suffering; in my work as a Witness I can show how this suffering will be replaced by permanent health, happiness and everlasting life. My heart aches when I see so much mourning and pain and death, but it fills with joy when I remember this promise of Jehovah:

“The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”​—Revelation 21:3, 4.

How glad I am that I came to my senses, like the prodigal son, and returned to my heavenly Father, Jehovah God!​—As told by Larry Marshburn.

[Blurb on page 6]

During this training I realized how fragile life is

[Blurb on page 7]

I went right through the chest cavity and into her heart with an injection. We got a faint heartbeat!

[Blurb on page 8]

“Isn’t this the home where six months ago a small baby had stopped breathing and was thought dead?”

[Blurb on page 8]

I just held his head and kept talking to him until he died

[Blurb on page 9]

He took me by my shirt and literally threw me over his head and onto the ground

[Blurb on page 10]

He snapped the chain that linked these two cuffs together!

[Picture on page 11]

As a paramedic I see much suffering; as a Witness I can show how this suffering will end

They Love It That Way!

Convicted felon reelected

Sex scandals

Indicted official reelected

OH, THEY may not admit it. And if asked they might vehemently deny it. But their actions betray them.

Consider, for example, a recent U.S. election. With the infamous “Watergate” scandal still fresh on the minds of voters, one would have expected a demand for moral integrity on the part of elected officials. But a scant four years after “Watergate,” lurid scandals again erupted in Washington. Voters now could strike a blow for clean government! But did they?

Charles Diggs, convicted on “29 counts of mail fraud and misappropriation of Government funds,” was reelected to Congress with 80 percent of the vote!

Daniel Flood, a Pennsylvania congressman, indicted for taking more than $60,000 in bribes, was reelected with 54 percent of the vote.

Frederick Richmond, a Brooklyn congressman, confessed to offering money to a 16-year-old male to have sex with him. He was also reelected, in spite of his running against three other candidates.

The election of such men seems to confirm the old adage that ‘people usually get the kind of government they deserve.’ Decrying the evils of government corruption and lamenting the prevalence of dishonesty and loose morals, the people perpetuate vice by their choice of leaders.

They love it that way!

And such moral malaise is not confined either to the United States or to the 20th century. One need only read about the Genghis Khans, the Adolf Hitlers and the Napoleons of history to realize that men have often willingly submitted to exploitation. Tyrants rule and can rule only with the support of people. As King Solomon said: “In the multitude of people there is an adornment of a king, but in the lack of population is the ruin of a high official.” (Proverbs 14:28) Yes, it takes support​—both active and passive—​for any ruler to have authority.

The Bible’s account of the appointment of King Saul illustrates just how willingly people submit. Israel had enjoyed considerable freedom under the rule of God-appointed judges. (Judges 21:25) But in time the nation clamored for a king. Judge Samuel warned what having a king would mean for the nation: servitude, exploitation and taxation. Yet the nation cried, “A king is what will come to be over us!” thus plunging the nation into a tragic and disastrous course.​—1 Samuel 8:19.

Of course, not all today actively support crooked politicians. Some are angered, even outraged, at the behavior of such men. Still, they continue to support the very systems that place such men in authority. And there are those that passively support political establishments by paying lip service to them.

The Bible, however, implores us: “O you lovers of Jehovah, hate what is bad.” (Psalm 97:10) What, then, is your view of wickedness? To help us sort out how we really feel in this regard, let us look at another area in which tolerance of wrongdoing runs high.

‘Dig Deep Into Your Pocketbook’

Corruption is not the private property of politics. The news media are filled with reports of religious corruption. Take, for example, the issue of homosexuality. The Bible’s position is quite clear: “Make no mistake: . . . none who are guilty either of adultery or of homosexual perversion . . . will possess the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10, The New English Bible) But what are some clergymen saying these days?

A Methodist bishop, Melvin E. Wheatley, Jr., favors the appointment of “an avowed homosexual minister.”

An embarrassed Vatican had to move “to silence” an outspoken Roman Catholic priest (himself an avowed homosexual) who “allegedly condones homosexual activity by priests.”

The UCC (United Church of Christ) announced its plans to ordain a lesbian to the ministry. Said one newspaper article: “More than a score of UCC clergy will cluster around her as she kneels . . . and, laying their hands on her head, proclaim her a minister of Jesus Christ.”

Blatant violations of the Bible standards? Obviously. Yet people are hardly stampeding from their churches or demanding reform. How do you feel, though, about such moral degradation?

The news also tells of embarrassing financial scandals:

“Scandal at the Pope’s Bank” was the title of an article appearing in the July 26, 1982, issue of Time magazine. “A billion-dollar Italian bank fraud has reached into the heart of one of the world’s most respected institutions, the Vatican,” said the article. “So far, two people involved in the affair have died . . . At the very center of the scandal is Archbishop Paul C. Marcinkus, the American-born president of the Institute for Religious Works.”

What of Protestant churches? Reportedly they are feeling a financial bite. Evangelist Oral Roberts resorts to intimidation to fill the drained coffers of his church. He had a “personalized” letter sent to over 1,000,000 people, which starts off: “Something terrible is about to happen and I must talk to you personally about it.” After bemoaning the dire financial straits of his church, he says: “God is about to use you to be a part of a miracle. If you and some more of my special partners will sacrifice $100 as a seed, this miracle can happen.”

This is difficult to reconcile, however, with the report in the Denver Post. Oral Roberts, who “has claimed for years he owns no personal property and earns very little income,” reportedly “owns a home worth between $500,000 and $1 million . . . owns an interest in an inactive gold mine . . . and has reported annual income during each of the last five years ranging from $70,000 to $178,000.”

TV Evangelist Rex Humbard also plays on the emotions of his followers in a four-page plea for money. He says, “I believe God is ready to pour out on you a hundredfold or even a thousandfold blessing.” That is, of course, if they send him money.

Religion editor for the Toronto Star sums matters up nicely: “Anyone familiar with the appeals of T.V. religious personalities . . . soon learns to know that when the evangelist starts talking about ‘deep down inside’ or ‘deep in my heart’ he is about to try to put his hand even deeper into your pocketbook or purse.”

True, the ire of some is aroused. But such criticism seems a pale whimper compared with the shout of support such religious leaders continue to receive. Their coffers continue to be filled, their churches continue to be packed, their questionable conduct is shrugged away by their adherents.

Their people love it that way.

But is this too harsh a judgment? Can we really say that active and passive supporters love the vice-ridden religion and politics?

Willing Victims

The Bible tells us about God’s prophesied destruction of the wicked society of Sodom and Gomorrah. After Abraham’s intercession, God was willing to spare the city if just 10 righteous ones could be found. (Genesis 18:32) But conditions had degenerated to the point where not one truth-loving soul could be found outside Lot’s immediate family.

The people loved it that way.

Then, there was the prophet Jeremiah who lived in times similar to ours. Morals had sunk so low that it was said: “Go roving about in the streets of Jerusalem and see . . . whether you can find a man, whether there exists anyone doing justice, anyone seeking faithfulness, and I shall forgive her.”​—Jeremiah 5:1.

“Surely they are of low class,” concluded Jeremiah. He thought it was only the “low class”​—the uneducated, the ignorant—​that were drowning in moral filth. But the wanton behavior of the populace merely mirrored the debased thinking of governmental and religious leaders! (Jeremiah 5:4, 6; see also 6:13, 14; 23:14.) Sexual immorality, freedom from moral restraints, became a way of life among the Israelites! “To the house of a prostitute woman they go in troops,” declared Jeremiah. Like “horses seized with sexual heat,” they gave no thought to the consequences of their actions.​—Jeremiah 5:7, 8.

It was therefore no surprise that the corrupt nation of Israel tolerated​—even supported—​corrupt leaders. “Do not listen to the words of the prophets,” warned Jeremiah! (Jeremiah 23:16; see also 5:26-28, 31.) And what was their response to this warning? A hue and cry? A demand for reform? Sadly, Jeremiah confessed: “And my own people have loved it that way.”​—Jeremiah 5:31.

Oh, they may have chafed a bit as oppressive rulers caused them some personal hardships. But by and large the people wanted no real change. They were willing victims. For the moral squalor of their rulers allowed them to enjoy a little squalor of their own.

They loved it that way.

Do You ‘Love It This Way’?

Most people today likewise do not really want change. And the few that sincerely push for reform are merely ‘putting new wine in old wine skins,’ that is, making superficial changes so as to perpetuate the system a little longer.​—Matthew 9:17.

However, we hope that you are different. That you are “sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done” in this wicked system of things. (Ezekiel 9:4) That your love of righteousness is not a thin veneer. That you want real change​—not the kind that comes through political reform, but the kind only God can bring. If such is your desire, Jehovah’s Witnesses will be pleased to help you learn how God intends to rid the earth of wickedness and establish a pure and clean government!​—Daniel 2:44; Isaiah 11:1-9.

Most people, however, ignore such glorious prospects. In a hypocritical dirge they decry police corruption but want to break driving laws with impunity. They raise their eyebrows in shock at the profligacy of politicians but hungrily devour TV shows and movies that reek of immorality. They talk of good government but vote for scoundrels. They condemn extortion but help fill the coffers of greedy clergymen. They talk of truth but really prefer “to have their ears tickled.” (2 Timothy 4:3) And as for moral reform, who needs it? They’re happy to put up with and, in their subtle way, support oppression, dishonesty and greed as long as they can live their lives the way they want to live them.

They love it that way.

[Picture on page 13]

“ . . . when the evangelist starts talking about ‘deep down inside’ or ‘deep in my heart’ he is about to try to put his hand even deeper into your pocketbook or purse.”​—Religion Editor of the Toronto Star

Africa’s Most Endangered Species

When you hear about Africa’s endangered species, you probably think of the big game, rhino and elephants. But from Nairobi, Kenya, the magazine Executive stated editorially that “mankind is busy converting himself into the most endangered of all endangered species.” What are the facts? Consider just the bare essentials for survival: Food, water and shelter.

FOOD In the past 10 years, food production in Africa has dropped 10 percent, while its population has grown 20 percent. The result is that about one third of its population, or 150 million people, are facing serious food shortages. Even if enough food can be found, getting it to the needy before it is too late is in itself a monumental task. This grim prospect caused Maurice Williams, executive director of World Food Council, to remark: “No matter what we do now, millions will die. I wish I could say I had hope for the future, but I fear that we are headed for a period of permanent food crisis in Africa.”

WATER United Nations figures show that about 60 percent of the people in developing countries do not have safe drinking water, and about 75 percent have no sanitary provisions. Each year 10 to 25 million people, or 30,000 to 70,000 a day, die from diseases related to unclean or inadequate water supply. “This threat alone,” says Executive magazine, “should well qualify mankind for the title of ‘the most endangered species.’”

SHELTER Wars, tribal and racial conflicts, droughts, floods and famines have turned millions of men, women and children into homeless refugees. Worldwide, there are some 13 million homeless wanderers, and 5 million of them are in Africa. Former UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim called the situation “the most urgent human crisis,” and their condition is described as “one of extreme poverty and destitution.” Stripped of their homes, fields and herds, these millions of displaced persons have little or no hope of ever returning to their former way of life.

Although people living in the more developed and industrialized nations may not be suffering from shortage of these essentials, they are threatened nonetheless. Pollution of water and air, erosion of farmland, high cost of energy, depletion of natural resources, and so forth, are all posing serious problems. Looming large, too, is the threat of nuclear annihilation.

In reality, the threat man is bringing upon himself is part of his irresponsible action in ‘fouling his own nest,’ the earth. For all of this, the Maker of heaven and earth and all that is in them, Jehovah God, will hold man accountable. For God’s will is that “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 reside forever upon it.”​—Psalm 37:10, 11, 29.

Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Get a Job?

Youth Unemployment​—Worldwide Problem

● BELGIUM: “Half the 425,000 people out of work are under age 30.”​—The New York Times, 1982.

● CHINA: “Each year, 12 million to 15 million young people enter the job market . . . Their most serious preoccupation is finding jobs.”​—Business Week, 1981.

● FRANCE: “Jobless rolls keep growing . . . Forty percent of the job seekers are younger than 25.”​—U.S. News & World Report, 1981.

● GREAT BRITAIN: “Young workers are joining the ranks of the unemployed in droves.”​—U.S. News & World Report, 1981.

● ITALY: “Unemployment among those aged fourteen to twenty-four is nearly 30 per cent.”​—World Press Review, 1982.

● PORTUGAL: “65 percent of the jobless are under 25.”​—U.S. News & World Report, 1981.

● UNITED STATES: In December of 1981 “the [unemployment] rate for teenagers was 21.7%.”​—Time, 1982.

“DEPRESSED and guilty.” “Nervous, unsure.” “I really felt bad, rejected and frustrated.” “I felt useless, lost weight and got physically sick.” Those are four cries from jobless youths.

“Sad to say, young people are in a bad situation,” says Cleveland J. Jones, account executive for a New York City employment agency. “Today’s job market is very tight.”

But you know that. Trying to find a job is tough work. Worldwide inflation and limited demand for unskilled workers have made jobs harder to come by, especially if you are a youth. And if you cannot find a job right away, it can affect you emotionally, make you wonder about your self-worth. Others have felt that way, too, when they could not find a job. Why do we feel this way when we are out of work?

Why Work?

It is only natural to work. We are created that way. Experiencing good results from hard work is called “the gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13) And who does not like receiving gifts? Gifts can make us happy; they show that others care about us. Meaningful work can bring happiness, as well as make us feel wanted and needed. Without work, we feel bored and restless.

People like to work because they can earn money to buy things they want. So they can “eat food they themselves earn” and ‘provide members of their household’ with the necessities of life. But even more important than that, people like to work because it helps them to know who they are. It is a way of identifying themselves. They are no longer just Sal; but Sal the baker, Jeanette the secretary, or Juan the mechanic.​—2 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Timothy 5:8.

Finding a job is a major topic among youths. According to a recent survey published in Senior Scholastic magazine, American high school seniors were asked to rate which life goals they considered “very important.” Eighty-four percent responded: “Being able to find steady work.” And another survey found that 5 out of 10 current concerns of young people related to jobs.

Job Training

School is a good place for you to prepare for a job​—if you are willing to learn. Learning does not stop at graduation. The world is in constant change; so to keep up you have to be constantly learning.

“The shrewd one considers his steps,” a famous wise man advised the inexperienced. On a hot summer day wouldn’t a dip in cool waters be refreshing? But would it make sense to jump into a deep lake before you knew how to swim? Likewise, ‘consider your steps’ by testing out the “waters” of the work world before submerging yourself in a job. While in school, prepare and train as much as you can for the outside working world before plunging into the work force.​—Proverbs 14:15.

Learn the basics well​—reading, writing and mathematics. Mr. Jones, with 15 years of experience in finding jobs for others, offers this advice for future job seekers: “Get a good high school education. I cannot stress enough the importance of learning to read and write and speak properly. Learn proper decorum as well, so you can handle people in the working world.” Labor statistics show that the unemployment rate for high school dropouts is almost double that of graduates.

Some may wonder: ‘What good is it to learn the basics if all I want to do is drive a bus, work in a factory or be in sales?’ A lot of good. Here is why: A bus driver must be able to read timetables for arrivals and departures. Factory workers need to know how to fill out job-completion tickets or similar reports. Sales clerks are expected to do computations. In almost every type of job, communication skills are needed. Not only that, but you must communicate in order to get the job in the first place. And communication means writing, reading and speaking well enough to be understood and to understand.

According to Jones, three other important ingredients looked for in job applicants are: being on time, following directions and showing respect for superiors (teachers and the principal). School can be your training ground for developing these traits.

Never Give Up

“Never give up if you are out of school and looking for a job,” says Jones. “Do not go out on two or three interviews, then go home and sit and wait. You will never get called for a job that way.” Follow the example of the ant and “see its ways and become wise,” the Bible advises. Ants are persistent and determined. Have you ever put your foot in the pathway of an ant? The ant will not turn back but will try one way and then another, or will even try to climb over your foot. The ant will not easily give up. Neither should you if you really want a job.​—Proverbs 6:6.

Sal was looking for a job for seven months before he was hired. How did he do it? “I would tell myself: ‘My job is to find a job,’” explains Sal. “I would spend eight hours a day each weekday for seven months looking for a job. I would start early each morning and ‘work’ till four o’clock in the afternoon. Many nights my feet would be sore. The next morning I would have to ‘psych myself up’ to start looking again.”

What kept Sal from quitting? “Every time I was in a personnel office,” he answers, “I would remember what Jesus said: ‘Exert yourselves vigorously.’ I would keep thinking that one day I will be working and that this bad time would pass.” For Sal it did pass when he got a job. It can for you, too, if you do not give up.​—Luke 13:24.

Where to Find Jobs

If you live in a rural area, your job search could start with local farms and orchards, or you can look for some type of yard work. If you live in a large town or city, try looking in the newspaper help-wanted ads. Why the help-wanted ads? Mr. Jones answers: “You will always find clues to what the employer is looking for in the want ads.” These clues can tell you what qualifications are needed for a certain job and can help you to explain to the employer why you can fill those needs. Teachers, employment agencies, personnel offices and friends or neighbors who already have a job are other sources you can tap. And do not forget your parents. Of 160,000 teenagers surveyed, 45 percent said they would like parental advice on getting a job.

But you may wonder: ‘How can I prepare for a job interview? Is a résumé necessary and, if it is, how do I write one? How can I apply for a job when I have no work experience?’ The next issue of Awake! will help answer these questions.

[Blurb on page 18]

School is a good place for you to prepare for a job​—if you are willing to learn

[Blurb on page 18]

“I would spend eight hours a day each weekday for seven months looking for a job”

[Picture on page 19]

Ants are not stopped by obstacles. Neither should you be

Appreciating Jehovah’s Creations

I HAD never really been impressed, as David was, with the stars​—I hadn’t seen all that many because the lights of the city didn’t allow it. But now to stand in total darkness and, as far as the eye could see, be engulfed by a black velvet expanse jam-packed with sparkling, diamondlike stars was overwhelming. Then to turn and see a halo of light radiating over the mountain and soon see the silver edge of the moon appear, and then watch it rise so quickly into full view that it seemed as if someone had reached down and pulled it up, and so close that it seemed as if I could reach out and touch it​—all this added to my awe. And only then was I so emotionally moved that I could understand how David could write: “The heavens are declaring the glory of God; and the work of his hands the expanse is telling . . . one night after another night shows forth knowledge.”​—Psalm 19:1, 2.

And what city dweller has ever even seen a hummingbird? But have you ever seen him sit on a perch just above your head and extend his long, strawlike tongue and drink sugar water from a feeder? And have you ever seen a male hummingbird fly backward up so high he’s almost out of sight, then swoop down at an unbelievable speed and give a squeaky “Pop” above the head of the female he’s courting to attract her attention, and then shoot upward once more to start the ritual all over again? And have you ever seen a dozen baby hummingbirds surrounding a feeder, hovering in midair, so eager to eat that one will sit on the back of another that’s occupying the perch, and both then feed together from the same opening? Can you imagine how heart stirring it is to have a hummingbird actually sit on your finger?

And in the morning at breakfast have you ever observed on the deck outside your window a papa quail check out the situation, then give his special call to his mate, who answers with her own special reply and then walks into view, followed by 15 or 16 babies, in single file?

And in the evening, have you ever had a raccoon peer in your window until you get up to hand-feed him? Or had another one bang your sliding screen door in the middle of the night to awaken you because he wanted to be fed? Or had a darling baby raccoon climb into your lap out of curiosity and then be able to cuddle him?

Very few people can answer these questions in the affirmative, but I have had the privilege of experiencing all these things, and many, many more. And what they taught me was crystallized one rainy day. It had been raining for days, but on this particular afternoon the clouds suddenly began to break up and the rain lessened to an occasional drop here and there. So I opened the sliding glass door and began to walk down a little path into the canyon. And all of a sudden my senses were bombarded with evidences of Jehovah’s love.

My eyes saw the black clouds moving away across the mountain, a delicate double rainbow breaking across the whole canyon, and shafts of light coming from the sun beyond. My ears heard no grating man-made sounds, but instead the gentle whispering of the wind through the pines and the symphony of all kinds of birds singing, chirping and calling. My nose smelled the lovely fresh air and the pungent fragrance of sage and damp ground. My skin felt the cool, moist breeze, with the warm sun on my back. And my heart, filled to bursting with gratitude, involuntarily made me cry out: “Oh, Jehovah, thank you for this wonderful earth! Please let me live on it forever!”​—Contributed.

Meet the Appealing Grape

A GRAPE. Yes, that is what I am, a grape. You have tasted me directly from the vine, dried me as a raisin, crushed me for your wines, turned me into jams and jellies, and placed me in your salads. I have pleased you in many ways, but have you given much thought to the importance of my existence?

I was here long before you and your ancestors came upon this earth. In fact, I was created for your enjoyment. My growth was deterred for a brief period of time because of the Flood in Noah’s day, but I regained prominence as well as notoriety when Noah imbibed a little too freely.​—Genesis 9:20, 21.

Wine is my specialty. When used in moderation I can make the heart rejoice and put the heart in a merry mood. (Psalm 104:15; Esther 1:10) I can be used for medicinal purposes, as the apostle Paul advised Timothy. Or be used as an antiseptic. (1 Timothy 5:23; Luke 10:34) In modern times I am used to build up the blood of anemic ones.

The land of Canaan gave evidence of my rich fruitage when the Israelite spies entered the land of “milk and honey” and returned with one cluster of grapes so large it had to be attached to a bar carried on the shoulders of two men. (Numbers 13:27, 23) This region was well known for its rich productivity of grapes. One cluster could weigh from 10 to 12 pounds, with one cluster recorded at 45 pounds (20.4 kg).

For centuries I was one species, Vitis vinifera, an Old World grape. But as civilization increased, interest in my culture also increased. Seeds and cuttings spread in the Old World to Asia Minor, then to Greece and Sicily. The Phoenicians on their travels brought my ancestors to France. The Romans introduced me to England. I also spread to India and the Orient. Today I am cultivated on all continents and islands where the climate is suitable.

My seeds have been entombed with mummies in Egypt and closely resemble my seeds of today. The details for grape and wine production figured in the mosaics of the Egyptian dynasties as far back as 3,500 years ago. During the time of Homer, wine was a regular commodity among the Greeks. Pliny, a part resident of Rome, described 91 varieties of my grape descendants and listed 50 different kinds of wine. There are many more today.

Just as you of the human race come in various sizes and colors, I too come in various sizes and colors. From the pale greens to the rich reds and deep purples​—grouping me as table grapes, raisin grapes, juice grapes or simply grapes for decoration purposes—​I can satisfy the most critical connoisseur.

I can adapt myself to a wide variety of soils, but I prefer the deep fertile soils. Cool weather? Yes, I can take it. But during my ripening period I have a tendency to become more acid and sour to the taste, setting your teeth on edge. It was even so in Bible days. (Jeremiah 31:29; Ezekiel 18:2) Hot weather? Ah, yes, now that is my personal choice. My acid content becomes lower and my sweetness becomes prominent.

Today, when I have reached a sugar content of from 20-23.5 percent sugar, I am picked, crushed, stems are removed, I am pumped into stainless steel tanks, cultured yeast is added for fermentation and eventually my grape sugar is converted to alcohol and CO₂ gas. Then the use of centrifuge or filters removes yeast cells and other solids, and I stand as a newly fermented wine. I am analyzed and checked with constant care until I reach maturity, when I am bottled and ready for release.

But it was not always so. In the early history of man, especially in the regions recorded in the Bible, I reached my maturity and sweetness during August and September. I was then gathered and placed in limestone vats where men, barefoot and singing as they worked, crushed me gently so that my stems and seeds would not be broken down and very little of the tannic acid in my skins would be released.​—Isaiah 16:10; Jeremiah 25:30; 48:33.

Whereas you humans have a tendency to deteriorate with age, I improve. In Bible days, for the aging period I was placed in jars or skin bottles made from the hides of sheep, goats or oxen. Left undisturbed while fermentation took place and the dregs fell to the bottom, I reached my zenith in flavor.

Jesus mentioned this process as an example that the truth of Christianity was too powerful and energetic to be retained by the old system of Judaism, when he stated: “Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins; but if they do, then the wineskins burst and the wine spills out and the wineskins are ruined. But people put new wine into new wineskins, and both things are preserved.” (Matthew 9:17) You see, as my new wine ferments, it generates carbon dioxide gas that can cause the new skin bottles to expand. Old, dry skin bottles would burst under the pressure.

I have long graced the tables not only of common man but especially of kings. Melchizedek, king of Salem, set before Abraham “bread and wine.” (Genesis 14:18) The Pharaohs, served wine by their official cupbearers, enjoyed the fruitage of their many vineyards. (Genesis 40:21) King Ahasuerus, in the days of Mordecai and Esther, had royal wine at his disposal in great quantity. (Esther 1:7) And King Belshazzar enjoyed his wine at the feast of his 1,000 grandees.​—Daniel 5:1.

I was included as a commodity in trade between nations, even as I am today. (Nehemiah 13:15; Ezekiel 27:18; Hosea 14:7) King Solomon provided 20,000 baths​—approximately 116,200 gallons, or 440,000 liters—​of wine, in part payment to Hiram the king of Tyre for building materials and craftsmen in preparation of the temple building. I was used as a tithing contribution for the support of the priests and the Levites. (Deuteronomy 18:3, 4; 2 Chronicles 31:4, 5) I was offered up to Jehovah in sacrificial worship.​—Exodus 29:38, 40; Numbers 15:5, 7, 10.

Are you impressed? But there is more. I became involved in the first miracle performed by Christ Jesus when he turned water into wine at a wedding feast. (John 2:2-10) And I gained further prominence when Christ Jesus on the last night spent with his apostles used wine in symbol of the blood he was about to shed.

In symbol and in a figurative sense, I am mentioned in fulfillment of prophecy in the last days when Christ Jesus gathers the grape vines (picturing his enemies) and hurls them “into the great winepress of the anger of God.” (Revelation 14:19, 20; 19:11-16) Removal of all wickedness from the earth would then usher in the conditions mentioned at Isaiah 25:6: “And Jehovah of armies will certainly make for all the peoples, in this mountain, a banquet of well-oiled dishes, a banquet of wine kept on the dregs, of well-oiled dishes filled with marrow, of wine kept on the dregs, filtered.” And again at Isaiah 65:21: “They will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage.”

Has your estimation of me improved? Well, now, that was my purpose. I want our association to be a joyous one now and for all eternity.​—Contributed.

“The Best Toy Yet Devised”

“Stimulating a baby doesn’t call for elaborate paraphernalia,” states the book Readiness for School​—Readiness for Life, published by the University of South Africa. “Essentially a parent is the best toy yet devised.” The author then proceeds to discuss how parents play the role of “toy”: “When a mother holds her infant for feeding, with his face about 20 cm (8 in.) away from hers, he can study her facial outlines, the contrast between eyes and hair, the movement of lips and eyes. He can listen to the changes in her voice, smell her body, touch her skin and clothing. . . . If he looks, smiles, gestures, his mother should reward him with a smile, hug, a change in facial expression or tone of voice.”

As to the value of such “play” the writer, Dr. Magdalena Grey, observes: “In these early years the growth of good attitudes and sympathy are more important than acquiring mathematical skills or scientific expertise. This is saying a great deal because all these skills are indeed very important later on. Yet kindliness is still one of the most important attributes of all human beings, and kindliness is learned in the early years.” Certainly these observations emphasize the value of the Biblical advice for mothers “to love their children, to be . . . workers at home.”​—Titus 2:4, 5.

The Mind Thrives on Love

Two little girls in an orphanage, age 13 months and 16 months, showed such overwhelming evidence of retardation that they were sent to a mental hospital. About six months later a psychologist found them to be alert, normal children. Not believing that the improvement could be lasting, he tested them twice more, at intervals of about 12 months, and each time their intelligence was normal. The only difference in their lives was that women inmates in the mental hospital cuddled the babies, played with them and provided a personal relationship for them.

The American Medical Association’s book Quality of Life​—The Early Years says: “Had they not received this love from the women inmates, they could have spent their lives needlessly institutionalized. The case illustrates the fact that even though a child’s genetic inheritance may be excellent, he must have loving care and encouragement if he is to realize his potential.”

There Are Ways to Avoid Robbery

WIDOWED Clara turned to invite the young couple in for a cup of tea. Generally, when they drove her home after their evening meeting she went straight in. Tonight, however, for some reason she invited her friends to join her. Everything looked peaceful as they approached the small, white house.

Clara entered the living room and switched on the lights. To the couple all still looked well, but Clara became distraught. Her television set was gone! As she looked into the next room, it was evident that thieves had invaded her bedroom and rifled through her personal items. Fear, anger and apprehension filled all of them. Was the thief still there? No.

For Clara the incident was traumatic. She was nearly 80 years old and had a lifetime of memories in that house. Now she felt violated; her security was gone. She could not sleep in the house that evening and eventually felt compelled to move.

Another woman, with a Middle Eastern background, had her home robbed of valuable oriental jewelry. The stolen items were particularly of sentimental value, since her father, a jeweler, had made them for her. She now keeps the remainder of her jewelry hardly accessible in a safe-deposit box​—afraid to wear the ornaments, unable to enjoy their beauty at home.

It has been said that a man’s home is his castle. Well, as such the castle is under attack. Invaders are determined to make your valuable things theirs.

According to FBI Director William H. Webster, the decade of the 1970’s “saw a 50% increase in crimes reported to law enforcement” officials in the United States. Burglary and robbery continue to triumph, seemingly unchecked by modern crime-fighting techniques. So how can we guard against becoming victims?

Having a good relationship with our neighbors is perhaps one of the most effective forms of protection. Invaluable as security are neighbors who know us and our families and have a feeling of concern over our protection. Carol Bellamy, president of New York’s City Council, says: “Crime prevention is not having a police officer in front of everyone’s door. It’s having an alert, informed citizen in each house and apartment.”

Of course, in our transient society, families have homes away from other family members, and neighbors are, at times, more concerned with their privacy than with community security. As a result, neighbors remain silent rather than becoming involved when they witness questionable happenings. Electronic devices have to supply an able but unequal substitute for the watchful eyes and the telling tongues of concerned neighbors.

One change a family may have to make involves its attitude toward living in a certain area, prestigious perhaps but isolated. One isolated family had their home completely ransacked and emptied when they were away one evening. The incident was repeated, and finally the father bought an expensive guard dog to protect their interests. Sadly, thieves struck again, this time stealing the dog and brashly demanding a ransom for the animal!

Still, as one expert thief and burglar admitted, “dogs, especially large ones, . . . are the best overall house protection one can have.” He mentioned that many professional burglars will avoid a house that has a dog guarding it. Of course, if a guard dog were to attack an innocent caller, the owner might have to face serious legal and moral questions.

If you own many things you may wish to mark such valuable items as televisions, stereos, and the like, with an engraving tool, perhaps scribing your driver’s license number on these items. Usually, such a tool can be purchased at a hardware store. However, in order to make this effective, notification of such identification could be posted on a door. (It may be possible to obtain such stickers at a police station.) The reasoning is that the potential thief may be deterred since he will have a harder time disposing of the identified stolen items.

Additionally, some have purchased timers or photoelectric light switches for lamps and radios to give the impression that someone is at home. However, here, too, there is a need for caution. The previously mentioned professional thief said: “The best invitation you can give a burglar is to leave a light burning just inside the entrance, and no other. To a burglar this means you left a light on when you went away so you could see your way inside when you return. . . . A porch light on with no other interior light burning means the same.” However, he did say that several lights on are a deterrent. The best ones are the porch light, bathroom light and an overhead bedroom light in a separate part of the house. A television set playing in the living room or den may also serve as a deterrent. And, of course, when vacationing, be sure to notify mailing or paper delivery services.

Motorists and Commuters Beware!

Motorists, too, are under fire. Automobiles have been a great source of attack by thieves, ranging from the entire vehicle’s being stolen to theft of parts and gas siphoning. In these cases the thieves often rely on the cover of night or of anonymity in the masses on crowded streets. Who knows whether the man working on that car is its owner, a mechanic or a thief?

While some cars have factory-supplied alarms, these can be installed in others. Additional deterrents available include theft-proof door locks, wheel locks, locking gas caps, hood locks and chains, bars and chains for brake pedals and steering wheels, as well as electronic ignition cutoff systems.

Traveling by public transportation daily or while on vacation may prove hazardous and may at times even beckon thieves. Of course, finding a job and keeping it may preclude our being selective about where and when we work. However, it is sobering to note what was done by one businessman in New York City. He cut out night shifts in his plant because he could not offer his 700 employees protection from muggers during their seven-block walk to public transportation.

The New York City Transportation Authority has supplied subway advertisements about avoiding theft. These and other sources advise against wearing any exposed jewelry, especially gold chains, and suggest keeping your wallet in your front pants pocket and carrying a purse (preferably having a strong shoulder strap) with a firm grip on the top of the bag and on one side of the strap. We should go about our business with determination and purpose in our step.

By way of a warning, a Los Angeles patrolman said: “Some of the tourists might as well wear a sign that says, ‘Please rob me,’ with all these cameras around their necks” while touring high-crime areas.

If faced by a burglar, remember that you are now a robbery victim and your actions may well determine if you will be alive after the thieves have left. A calm spirit is needed, and sentimentality or possessiveness over items should not move you to any aggressive action or provoke severe depression. At such times, your priority is life itself.

Christians should have no problem in understanding that “the scene of this world is changing” and that there would be an “increasing of lawlessness” with ‘wicked men advancing from bad to worse.’ (1 Corinthians 7:31; Matthew 24:12; 2 Timothy 3:13) Such knowledge encourages vigilance and soberness of mind concerning security. And we can feel a little more secure in this troubled world if we follow practical hints that can ward off thieves. Indeed, there are ways to avoid robbery.

[Blurb on page 26]

Crime can be reduced by having an alert, informed citizen in each house and apartment

[Blurb on page 26]

“Dogs, especially large ones, . . . are the best overall house protection one can have”

[Blurb on page 27]

“The best invitation you can give a burglar is to leave a light burning just inside the entrance, and no other”

[Picture on page 25]

It is said that a man’s home is his castle. That castle is under attack

From Our Readers

Shyness

I just read your article “Why Am I So Shy?” (October 22, 1982) You stated: ‘Shyness is merely acting out the thoughts or beliefs you have of being different, odd, or inferior to other persons.’ Truly, it is not my imagination that I am a man of short stature. I am shorter than most 12-year-old children who are not shy about telling me I am short. When I converse with a group of men, it is like standing in a grove of trees. Most women tower over me. It is true that there are short people who do not let these things bother them. That does not mean that it is a product of imagination. Not all of us share the same strength. Why do you not recognize that shyness can come from real situations as well as imagined ones?

M. W., Arizona

We did not intend to imply that shyness stemmed only from imaginary causes. The point being made was that by properly understanding the causes of shyness one could better overcome the problem. And further, that shyness primarily describes a behavior or reaction to a situation and not a state or condition. We truly sympathize with persons who are overly shy, regardless of the cause, and agree that if others would show proper understanding of the problem it would make it much easier for the shy ones. But admittedly, not all people have this understanding. So it is up to the shy person to do what he or she can to work to overcome the problem from within and benefit from the good counsel that can be had from God’s Word. The article “What Can I Do About My Shyness” appearing in our November 8, 1982, issue provides good counsel in this regard.​—ED.

I want to extend my sincere appreciation for the articles on shyness. (October 22, 1982, and November 8, 1982) I can’t express how much these articles have helped me with the steps I can take to overcome some of my shyness.

J. J., New York

Childbirth

I want to express my appreciation for the article “Childbirth​—Must It Be So Painful?” (September 22, 1980) Last year my second daughter was born with very little pain, and I am convinced it was partly because I read that article over and over again three or four months before the due date. I was determined to have complete control of myself in labor because I felt it was my last chance to have a child.

L. M., Canada

Crying Infants

The article “Johnny, Please Be Quiet!” (September 8, 1982) expresses so well what an exhausting and frustrating experience it can be for the parents of such babies. The suggestions made for comforting the baby work. Providing our baby with what seemed like an endless need for love and attention has paid off. We now enjoy our days with an adorable, responsive little person. Thank you for supplying us with so much helpful and encouraging information.

D. W., Canada

Watching the World

UN Secretary’s Lament

● “I believe we are at present embarked on an exceedingly dangerous course,” said Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, secretary-general of the United Nations, in his first annual report to the General Assembly. His first year as secretary-general was marked by “an alarming succession of international crises,” which included the wars in Lebanon, the Falklands, Iran and Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, and the inability of the UN to stop any of them. He pointed out that the UN is “powerless to generate the support and influence to insure that its decisions are respected, even when they are unanimous.” What is happening, according to the secretary-general, is that “debate without effective action erodes the credibility of the organization,” and the result is that “we are perilously near to a new international anarchy.”

No More Neutral Ground

● “During the Second World War it was possible for a country to be neutral simply by not aggravating its neighbours,” said Georgy Arbatov, an adviser to the late Soviet President Brezhnev, in a speech in Stockholm, Sweden. “This type of policy would not be possible in case of a nuclear war, which would probably destroy Europe entirely,” he asserted. He cautioned his audience: “It is not possible for Sweden to be neutral in a nuclear weapons era.” If that is true of Sweden, it is just as true of other countries. No wonder, as the Bible foretold, there is “on the earth anguish of nations, not knowing the way out.”​—Luke 21:25.

Bishop’s War Crimes

● Valerian Trifa, archbishop and leader of the 35,000-member Rumanian Orthodox Church in the U.S., was accused of pro-Nazi war crimes during World War II. Government agents claimed they have evidence to prove that Trifa incited a riot in Bucharest in 1941, resulting in the death of 236 Christians and Jews. Then, fleeing Rumania, Trifa sought and obtained Nazi protection. He was also charged with being a member of the Iron Guard, a “violent, Fascist and anti-Semitic” organization. In 1950 Trifa entered the U.S. by concealing his pro-Nazi activities from immigration officials. In bargaining with the authorities, Trifa agreed to be deported in exchange for the government’s dropping its charges of anti-Semitic activities.

Video Games Banned

● Malaysia has followed Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines in banning importation of all arcade and pocket video games. Existing video parlors will have their licenses terminated once a grace period is up. Earlier, the Consumers Association of Penang reported to the government that “these games glorify violence, destruction, space war, killing and racing.” A researcher with the Association said that “video games are destroying our traditional games and children are no longer interested in, say, flying kites or top-spinning.” The ban came as a result of strong pressures from parents and education officials.

Condensed Bible

● Having tried its hands at condensing best-sellers and famous books for some 32 years, Reader’s Digest has finally turned to the most popular book of all, the Holy Bible. It took seven years of work to bring the 800,000-word Revised Standard Version down to 480,000 words on 767 pages. The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) were reduced by half, and about a quarter of the Greek Scriptures (New Testament) was cut. Besides eliminating entire sections, such as 68 of the 150 Psalms, 10 percent of Jesus’ words and many of the parallel accounts in the Gospels, which provided important details, were also deleted. The resulting text is set in the format of a novel, with no chapter and verse numbers or divided columns. “Now you can read the Bible cover to cover,” claims Reader’s Digest. But, is it bothered by the Bible’s own injunction against anyone’s tampering with God’s Word? Apparently not, for the verses at Deuteronomy 12:32 and Revelation 22:18, 19 were also cut.

Lure of Occultism

● Interest in the occult is reported to be on the rise in the German-speaking countries of Europe. “Already more people are attending séances on Sunday than are going to church services,” says a Swiss Protestant newsletter. The German newspaper Fellbacher Zeitung also reports that 51 percent of 2,000 people polled by a Hamburg institute say they are interested in their horoscope and read the newspaper and magazine columns regularly. Others say they consult astrologers regarding their future. And, according to a Swiss church official, “even masses for the Devil” are celebrated in two “Churches of Satan” in Munich and Düsseldorf, Germany.

“Pause Law” Cuts Weddings

● Yugoslavia’s province of Voivodina put a law through some years ago to prevent a high divorce rate. It was designed “to cool off momentary passions” and to enable couples to “reconsider their decisions.” The law requires couples intending to marry to wait one month before the wedding can take place. The effect? Officials in the northern town of Subotica report that every other couple changed their mind.

Needleless Acupuncture

● A German-trained physician, who is also the director of the Pain Control Center in New Bedford, Massachusetts, has combined the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture with the latest technological innovation, the laser. By beaming the traditional acupuncture points of the body with pulses of the laser, he claims 80- to 85-percent success rate in relieving pain due to arthritis, migraine headache and other ailments. The doctor, a licensed acupuncturist, says the laser is “safer and much easier to use than needles,” minimizes damages to blood vessels and nerves, leaves no bruises or scars and is completely painless.

Free Mink

● Hundreds of mink were freed from captivity in two counties in Great Britain by members of the Animal Liberation Front. According to the Daily Telegraph of England, after donning masks, the group raided two mink-breeding farms in Essex, England, and Perthshire, Scotland, and pledged more liberation raids for these soft-furred creatures. The Animal Liberation Front feel that fur-breeding centers are guilty of cruelty to animals. A spokesman says: “Millions of animals are imprisoned, tortured and killed in order to satisfy the whims of human vanity. Up to 90 mink have to die to make one mink coat.”

‘Virgin Saint’ Pregnant

● The 2,000 folks of Nueva Jerusalem, a town 140 miles (225 km) west of Mexico City, burst into an uproar when it was made known that the town’s ‘virgin saint’ became pregnant. According to Florida’s The Orlando Sentinel, 16-year-old Maria de Jesus, known as the hermit of Nueva Jerusalem, was venerated as a ‘virgin saint’ by the local priest for supposedly having had a vision of the Virgin of the Rosary, the town’s patron “saint.” When she was charged with the sin of fornication resulting in her pregnancy, the local folks rose in riot. State police had to be called in to quell the disturbance in which at least 10 people were seriously injured.

Nature’s Air Filter

● Scientists are learning that, in addition to removing carbon dioxide from the air and replenishing it with oxygen, trees are capable of clearing the air of other pollutants. Each leaf is equipped with hundreds of thousands of hairs and pores, which act as antipollution devices. Gases are absorbed through the pores. Soot and other particles in the air are trapped by the hairs to be washed away by the next rainstorm. Larger trees, like beech or elm, can remove over 20 tons of pollutants per acre per year. And they are far more pleasing to the eye than smokestacks. Environmentalists feel that a combination of ‘green belts’ and parks and industrial devices would be the most effective way to control urban air quality.

Missed the “Beep”

● In spite of its sophisticated equipment, the Royal Swedish Navy was frustrated in its hunt for a “spy” submarine that had been spotted in Horsfjärden Bay, Sweden’s most important military base. What went wrong? “The hearing of many of our young men has been damaged by loud disco music,” said Commander Sven Carlsson, chief naval spokesman. He explained that because of impaired hearing, those manning the sonars were probably unable to hear the beeps of the devices correctly. In fact, the commander admitted that it is increasingly difficult to find young recruits with keen enough hearing to operate the sonars.

Speedy Way to Age Wine?

● Chinese technicians are said to be able to transform new wine into a vintage of several years within a few minutes’ time. According to the English-language daily newspaper China Daily, the process was perfected in a Qiqihar radio factory in the northeastern province of Heilungkiang. It involves the use of high-frequency radio waves, ultrasound and ultraviolet rays. In 10 minutes these are said to impart to new wine the same bouquet it would have after a year’s aging. Twenty companies are reported to be using this method.

Weekend Crime Spree

● Five Brooklyn youths, ranging from age 18 to 22, were arrested for an unbelievable total of 822 counts of crime committed over two weekends on Long Island, New York. Armed with shotguns and pistols, they raided two restaurants and a home​—where a party was in progress—​robbed, raped, sodomized, assaulted and terrorized over 100 victims. Prison terms for all the counts would amount to 4,000 years, according to the prosecutor, but state limit on prison terms for such crimes would reduce it to no more than 30 years each, and the criminals could be paroled in 15 years. When first brought to court, “they were laughing and kidding around then and thought it was a big joke,” said the prosecutor.

Ocean’s Food Chain Expanded

● A new link in the ocean’s food chain, a small organism called picoplankton, was discovered by an Indian marine biologist in Nova Scotia, Canada. Less than a thousandth of a millimeter (0.00004 in.) in size, and only one fifth the size of the smallest known ocean organism, picoplanktons are so numerous that their discovery virtually doubles the total biomass in the ocean, according to the biologist. In the tropics, one liter (1.06 qt) of seawater may contain 2,200 million of them, but because they are so small they have escaped detection thus far. “The discovery of such a huge biomass​—which will serve as food for the fishes—​has revised several times upwards the biological productivity and hence the fish potential in the oceans,” says The Hindu of India, which reported on the discovery.

Money Problems​—What Help?

To enjoy happiness, solving problems is indeed vital. In the chapter with the above title, the book Happiness​—How to Find It presents helpful solutions to money problems.

In other chapters, such as “Sex​—Which Advice Really Works?” and “Family Life​—How You Can Have Success,” practical guidance is provided for getting the best out of life now, as well as laying the foundation for a truly happy life in the future.

Although you can’t buy happiness itself, you can obtain a guide that leads to happiness. Do so now. It’s only 75 cents.

Please send me, postpaid, the 192-page, hardcover book Happiness​—How to Find It, for which I enclose 75 cents (U.S.).

Did You Miss Them?

→ Religion​—A Force For Peace or For War?

→ Alcoholism​—the Facts, the Myths

→ Marriage Under Assault​—How It Can Survive

→ Did a Whole World Once Perish?

→ Can I Really Find Love at First Sight?

→ The Greatest Man of All Time

→ How Dangerous Is Atomic Radiation?

→ The First Lie​—How It Has Affected You

These are just a few of the subjects covered in the Watchtower and Awake! magazines this past year, and they represent the type of subjects planned for you in the coming year.

DON’T MISS THE NEXT 12 MONTHS

Please send a year’s subscription for The Watchtower and Awake!; I enclose $7 (U.S.).