December 22

Page Two

More than ever, the lives of each of us overlap. Whether we like it or not, all of us are subject to common dangers​—nuclear annihilation, for one. A just and righteous world government is desperately needed. But can a world government work? Who could be trusted as its ruler? The feature articles in this issue will address these and other questions

World Government​—Why We Need It 3

World Government​—What Are the Obstacles? 5

World Government​—How It Will Be Realized 7

World Government​—Why We Need It

THE idea of one government for the world often inspires either hope or horror. Hope because world government in the hands of the right person would unite humanity in peace. Horror because world government in the wrong hands would enslave all mankind. Since the stakes are so high, is the thought of world government worth serious consideration? Yes! We need world government. The following illustrates why.

● Her frail, stooped body shuffles along the darkened street. For the past 70 years she has often walked alone at night, but tonight is her last stroll. A teenage heroin addict, in desperate need of money to buy more imported drugs, robs her not only of her meager belongings but of her life as well. But the right kind of world government could halt the international smuggling of drugs and thereby curb crime.

● Fritz, although standing by the window, does not see the snow falling outside. He is deep in thought. Christmas used to be such a happy time for him and his sister. No more. A swath of death 835 miles long (1,344 km) runs as the border severing the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany. Anyone who tries to sneak across that booby-trapped strip, with its barbed-wire fence and machine-gun-armed watchtowers, faces sure doom. But the right kind of world government could erase national boundaries and unite all peoples of the world.

● Near where the children play, raw sewage daily pours into a river. The children break out in foreboding, pus-filled pimples. In another part of the world, sulfur dioxide belches into the air from factories in one country and falls in the form of forest-destroying acid rain in another. But the right kind of world government could set up and enforce a world standard against harmful pollution.

● His pitiful eyes peer out at you from a face gaunt with hunger and set on a body languid and wasted. Just a few jet-hours away, granaries bulge with food. But the right kind of world government could pool food supplies and eliminate hunger.

● A 40-year-old father reads of the escalating nuclear arms race, thinks about his family’s future and shudders. His 12-year-old son reads about the effect of nuclear war and wonders if he will have a future. But the right kind of world government could eliminate the escalating stockpile of weapons and educate people in peace.

● She was only a baby. Ten cents’ worth of medicine would have cured her diarrhea, but it was unavailable. Why did she and 15,000,000 other children have to die last year when this and other afflictions could have been prevented by simple, low-cost methods? But the right kind of world government could summon a health program effective enough to blot out death from infection, disease and ignorance.

The list of grave problems in each country, including those that affect the lives of people in another country, could go on and on. Yet, they could all disappear if mankind worked unitedly under one government. But which political system has successfully risen to face these interlocking dilemmas that go begging for an equitable solution?

World Government​—What Are the Obstacles?

WOVEN through history are a thousand ideas of what a good government should be, from the Li (the rationalized social order) of Confucius to concepts promoted at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference in Washington, D.C., whence the United Nations sprang. But whose ideas about government can work on a global scale?

The world is made up of more than 150 nations, each with its own way of governing. Many of those governments are aligned with one or the other of the two major political ideologies competing for world supremacy. A large number of people, though, have lost confidence in both of them. Neither has solved the major problems of the world. Rather, because of their rivalry, the world has become more unstable and frightening. Space-age technology has greatly added to the concern.

An Interdependent Society

If space-age technology has taught us only one thing about our planet Earth, it is this: Life is interconnected, from the tiniest one-celled creature to the most complex; practically everything is related to everything else. Alexander Pope, the famous English poet, in An Essay on Man (1733-34), described this relationship between all things as a “Vast chain of Being! which from God began.”

The principle is true of nations as well. They are interdependent. There is perhaps no country, not even an island, that can operate independently in today’s shrinking world. One country’s demand for petroleum, for example, is dependent on another country’s ability to produce petroleum for export. And, like a chain reaction, a country’s access or lack of access to petroleum often moves many seemingly unrelated industries​—cosmetics, plastics, pharmaceuticals—​to hire or lay off workers.

Or compare the industrialized nations of the “north” with the less developed nations of the “south.” This “north” has one fourth of the world’s population but owns nine tenths of its manufacturing industries and is paid four fifths of its income. Yet, the economies of the world are linked. For example, in just one country, the United States, one job in 20 is connected to supplying goods to countries of the “south.” The “north” is dependent upon the “south” for raw materials used in computers, radios, televisions and military equipment. But the basic needs of food, water, shelter, jobs, health care, education and sanitation are much more available in the “north” than in most countries in the “south.”

For a world government to work, it must understand that such things as poverty, unemployment, pollution and the nuclear dilemma are like interlocking pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. They cannot be solved separately. They must all be solved together or not at all. Historian William McNeill observed: “When and whether a transition will be made from a system of states to an empire of the earth is the gravest question humanity confronts.”

Yet most nations act as if they were tribes ruled by chieftains, with no truly workable concept of global responsibility for economic and social development. Willy Brandt, former chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, recently stated in World Press Review: “In our modern world, mass hunger, economic stagnation, environmental catastrophe, political instability, and terrorism cannot be quarantined within national borders.” One nation’s problems, in fact, can affect the stability of the whole world.

What Is Needed

For a world government to work, it must be able to mobilize the world’s physical and human resources to meet the needs of the world’s poorest. In a number of countries, a person’s overwhelming concern is the hunt for food, water and shelter for just that day. Without a person’s basic needs being satisfied, the body and the mind are straitjacketed and the spirit is stripped of self-respect.

If a world government is to work, it must be capable of diminishing the gap in the living standards between rich and poor countries. “There is enough wealth for everyone,” says noted French editor André Fontaine, “if only we would use it for the benefit of mankind.” The wealth of the prosperous nations has not trickled down to the poor. The poor have become poorer. Note from the accompanying chart how many of earth’s population lack basic needs.

For a world government to work, it must be just and not favor people living in one part of the world over those living in another part. To whom can we turn for a world rule that can and will serve for all mankind’s benefit? To humans?

[Chart on page 6]

People Who Lack Basic Needs

​—Undernourished 510 million

​—Adults Illiterate 800 million

​—Children Not in School 250 million

​—No Access to Health Care 1,500 million

​—Life Expectancy Below 60 Year 1,700 million

​—Inadequate Housing 1,030 million

​—Less Than $90 (U.S.) per Year Income 1,300 million

Source: Annals of American Academy of Political and Social Sciences

World Government​—How It Will Be Realized

SINCE 1945 three major international organizations have been formed to keep world peace: the UN (United Nations) in 1945, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in 1949 and the Warsaw Pact (Warsaw Treaty Organization) in 1955. Not one has made major progress toward global peace. As a matter of fact, since 1945 the world has been rocked by more than 100 armed conflicts, including 40 major wars, which have slaughtered more than 30 million people, and it is now tottering on the brink of a nuclear fire storm.

Despite the sincerity of its supporters, the UN has proved to be toothless. The other two organizations have experienced wrangling among their member nations. While countries of NATO and the Warsaw Pact point their sinister nuclear missiles at one another, and their citizens nervously pray that these will never be launched, the UN sits embroiled in debates as to who is to blame for the arms race. If your trust is in these human institutions to unite the earth in peace, it is misplaced. All of them have dangerous flaws, some of which are more visible than others.

But suppose there was a ruler who was just and compassionate, who understood the principle of biological interdependence and had the means to unite the world in peace. Would he not be able to bring about a successful world government? Of course! But where can we find such a ruler?

The Incoming World Government

The Creator of the heavens and the earth, Jehovah God, intimately knows the interconnections of all things, animate and inanimate. It was, in fact, because of his will that “they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11) He, obviously, is above petty nationalism; “in the heavens is his throne.”​—Psalm 11:4.

Moreover, Jehovah God has declared himself concerned about the problem of world government and has selected a tested, proven and perfect administrator as King. This One is superhuman, yet related to all mankind​—his Son, Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 5:7-10) Some may laugh at the idea of Christ as Ruler, as a real King. Why?

Well, many people imagine Jesus either as a cuddly baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger or as a pitiful creature nailed to a cross. In both cases he is seen as helpless. But is either of these a true picture of Jesus today?

No! Jesus Christ is a very much alive Prince, being the Son of the Almighty King, Jehovah God. Jehovah gave him rulership and authority. The ancient Bible prophecy foretold: “The princely rule will come to be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called . . . Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) This prophecy was fulfilled when, after his death on a stake at Calvary, Jesus was raised to heavenly life. Eventually, in heaven, he was enthroned as God’s King.​—Acts 2:22-36; Revelation 19:16; 20:6.

So Jesus no longer resembles a helpless babe or a vulnerable victim. He is God’s reigning King! Already more than two and a half million people, living in the four corners of the earth, willingly submit to his rulership. They are living testimony that it really does work. Soon Christ will be used by God to bring peace to all the earth and unite mankind under his righteous rulership.​—Isaiah 11:1-9.

What One Rule Will Do for Earth

World rule by Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ, will successfully overcome all obstacles. Righteous-hearted mankind will experience a global change based on genuine caring for one another.

‘Can people really change?’ some may ask. Yes, people can and do change their beliefs, if there is a powerful enough motivation.

Imagine a world where knowledge of technology will be used to advance human society in a good way because that knowledge is tempered with genuine concern for others and for the rest of creation!

Imagine a world where there will be no fear of war, ever again. Instead, all earth’s resources will be put exclusively to peaceful use.

‘Stop there!’ some may shout. ‘That’s just old religious twaddle.’ To those who raise this objection, we ask: Has man’s rule worked? Can you point to sound reasons for believing that it ever will? If not, then why not at least seriously examine the Bible to see what one government by God would do for earth and if it could work?

The following are some more changes God’s rule promises to bring to the earth.

[Box/​Pictures on page 8, 9]

Food for All:

“There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow.”​—Psalm 72:16.

Housing and Work for All:

“They will certainly build houses and have occupancy . . . and the work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full.”​—Isaiah 65:21, 22.

Good Health for All:

“And no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’”​—Isaiah 33:24.

Full Disarmament:

“He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons he burns in the fire.”​—Psalm 46:9.

Peace Earth Wide:

“In his days the righteous one will sprout, and the abundance of peace until the moon is no more.”​—Psalm 72:7.

[Box on page 9]

Some may feel that these are simplistic answers to multidimensional problems​—a Utopian dream. Again, we ask: Realistically, do you believe man will solve these problems? Or would not man’s Creator be the only one with the ability to do this? We invite you to examine the Bible carefully to learn what more than two million people already have proved for themselves​—that God’s rule works!

“Censorship: 500 Years of Conflict”

DURING this past summer and fall the New York Public Library presented an educational exhibition on the above theme, “Censorship: 500 Years of Conflict.” At designated times a guide conducted a tour and provided interesting commentary. I visited New York’s world-famous library at 5th Avenue and 42nd Street last July and took one of these tours.

The tour began in a large, stately room. Nestled under the exhibition hall’s Renaissance-style carved oak ceilings were rare books and prints dating from the 15th century to the present. The publications all had one thing in common​—the disgrace of having been censored at one time or another.

Early in the tour, our guide invited: ‘Imagine yourselves sitting comfortably in the quiet of your living room and reading a favorite book when suddenly the police burst into the house, snatch the book out of your hands and rip it to shreds. Why? Simply because the ruling powers deem the book unfit for the public good. You have just experienced the terror of censorship.’

Yet censorship existed long before the books on display were ever published. The title page of one of the books that we saw illustrated this fact. The book is Alle Propheten Teutsch (All the Prophets in German), which was translated into German by Martin Luther in 1534. Its title page is divided into nine panels, each illustrated with a Biblical scene. One of the scenes is that of the book burning by the Israelite king Jehoiakim some 2,500 years ago. Jehoiakim was furious with the written prophecy of doom by Jeremiah, so he tried to censor the message with fire.​—Jeremiah 36:9-27.

That book-burning scene got Alle Propheten Teutsch on the Catholic Church’s list of prohibited books. Why? Well, Protestant reformers frequently illustrated Scriptural texts describing the downfall of proud and wealthy rulers. And as our guide noted, ‘Protestant artists saw in such Biblical passages a warning to the papacy.’

Censorship’s Nemesis

The late 15th and 16th centuries saw the Catholic Church being attacked by reformers. And the printing press, introduced by Johann Gutenberg about 1440, became a great weapon of the reformers. The exhibit’s focus was on the struggle for freedom of the printed word and image since printing with movable type was introduced.

Our guide explained: ‘Martin Luther succeeded largely because of his brilliant use of the printing press to spread his message rapidly, while reformers such as John Wycliffe and John Huss, who lived before the printing press, were defeated by the Catholic Church.’

Printed sheets, or broadsides, against the religious doctrines of the church spread throughout Europe within a few months of Luther’s break with the church. For example, from our examination of Luther’s Gnade unde Frede in Christo (Grace and Peace in Christ), 1523, we could easily see why it raised the ire of the church. Luther urged people to live according to Christian moral standards as revealed in the Bible rather than try to conform to the codes of conduct established by the church. ‘It was difficult for the censors to stop the circulation of such broadsides,’ our guide noted.

The New Testament in English by Luther’s zealous contemporary Tyndale next caught our eye. It was condemned by the church about 1525 and had to be printed in Germany and smuggled into England. Why was it condemned? For one thing, Tyndale’s translation of Colossians 1:24 differed with Catholic dogma. He correctly translated the Greek word ekklesia, found in that verse, as “congregation” instead of “church.” In this way Tyndale avoided equating the body of Christian believers with the Catholic Church. The result? Censorship!

Other exhibits showed that it was not just the Catholic authorities who were guilty of censorship. When Protestants came to power, they, too, used their police authority to ban the publications of Catholics and other Protestants.

One modern example of censorship was omitted that would have been of special interest to Bible students​—the banning in the United States and Canada in 1918 of the religious book The Finished Mystery, published by the International Bible Students. The book exposed the false teachings of the major religions. The message stung the clergy; they retaliated. Hiding under the cloak of nationalism during the middle of World War I, the clergy pressured the governments to outlaw the book. They succeeded, but only temporarily. The ban was lifted in 1920.

However hard man has tried to suppress other people’s ideas, the fact is that the truth, especially Bible truth, has never been successfully censored. When religious leaders tried to shut the mouths of Jesus’ disciples, he said: “If these remained silent, the stones would cry out.” (Luke 19:40)​—Contributed.

[Picture on page 10]

The printing press, introduced by Johann Gutenberg, proved to be a great weapon of reformers

[Picture on page 11]

The strangling and burning of Tyndale, whose writings were censored by the church

Wado-Kai Karate​—The True “Way of Harmony”?

TENSION filled the air. The Dutch karate team championship was under way. At the referee’s “hajime!” (Japanese for “start!”), my opponent and I squared off for action.

He was burly​—bigger and heavier than I was. But I sensed his lack of experience. I feinted a movement. He attacked furiously, punching and kicking. I lured him into another attack, and when he exposed his lower ribs, I delivered an explosive punch.

Spectators winced as he smashed to the mat and painfully gasped for air. His body shook violently, then suddenly froze. An eerie silence fell. A doctor rushed to the scene and sent him to the hospital. I really got scared. ‘Could it be . . . could it be that he is dead?’

After this incident in October 1971, I was determined to stop participation in such competitions. I stuck to that decision, although it was another seven years before I quit karate completely.

But how did I get interested in karate in the first place? Why would I give it up? And what happened to that injured fighter?

Love at First Sight

To pursue further schooling in electronic engineering, I left my native Suriname for the Netherlands in September 1965 and settled in the city of Hilversum. Shortly thereafter, a friend invited me to see the introduction of a new sport, wado-kai karate. To please him and to satisfy my curiosity, off I went.

I found myself spellbound as Mr. Kono and Mr. Fuji, two Japanese teachers, demonstrated the basic movements. It was different from what I expected​—no brawling, street-fight scenes, but beautiful, balletlike movements. They were in perfect command of their lightning-fast bodies. For me it was love at first sight. Already I could feel the karate jacket around my shoulders.

Though 24 years old​—too old by karate standards—​I signed up for lessons. ‘Just to have something to do for the winter months,’ I promised myself. But that winter turned out to last over ten years.

“The Way of Harmony”

The word “karate” is Japanese for “empty hand.” Different styles originated in places like Korea, Okinawa and Japan. Wado-kai (Japanese for “way of harmony”) centers around two practice styles: ma (the proper distance from one’s opponent) and kiai (timing, or finding the best chance to attack). Also flexibility is stressed. As with all karate, wado-kai is influenced by Zen Buddhism, emphasizing the conditioning of the mind in harmony with the body.

During the two-minute karate tournament matches, one scores with kicks and punches directed at vital parts of the body. Although blows to the body are legal, rules forbid actually touching the opponent’s face with one’s fists. However, mistakes are sometimes made, which is illustrated by what happened when my wife, Hannie, tried her hand at karate. I explained how to aim a punch to the face but to freeze at the tip of the nose. Hannie zeroed in a punch​—and a good one at that—​but forgot to stop at the critical moment, slamming right into my face, splitting my lips and causing the only injury in my karate career. The next day my swollen face elicited a barrage of embarrassing inquiries!

“The Dutch Stringbean”

I began with three hours of training a week. There is no such thing as ten easy lessons, or instant karate. As one teacher said: “A master of [martial arts] develops slowly, like a ginger root. Mild in taste when young, it becomes hotter and spicier with the passage of time.”

“Could you assist in teaching karate?” asked my sensei (teacher) when I won most of the training matches.

“Teaching? Of course!” The result? More time in the dojo (training hall).

In the spring of 1968 my sensei said: “Try tournament karate-fighting.” I didn’t need much prodding. Unexpectedly I was made captain of our karate school team and was to make a notable debut during the May 1968 championship for teams from the Netherlands and Belgium.

Since I look fragile with my 66 kilograms (146 lb) on a 1.78-meter (5-ft 10-in.) frame, one sports magazine dubbed me the Dutch Stringbean. But what I lacked in weight and power I made up for with technique, speed and calculation.

I became the national champion of the Netherlands in 1971. The authoritative Black Belt magazine listed me twice (1971 and 1972) among the “Top 10 European Karatemen.” In April 1972 I graduated as a karate instructor.

Despite these successes, however, something occurred in the autumn of 1971 that made a dent in my idealistic view of the “way of harmony.”

Facing “the Big Cat”

At that time I was among the candidates vying for the European Karate Championships in the Pierre de Coubertin Hall in Paris. I was pitted against the perennial champion of France, Dominique Valera. Valera, packing 90 kilograms (200 lbs) on a 1.8-meter (6-ft) frame, was known as the Big Cat. He had a reputation for going all out to get his man with ankle sweeps, fast, powerful front kicks and a murderous roundhouse. Now it was my turn to face him. With a national TV audience looking on and a crowd of 7,000 cheering him, he looked poised to shatter my championship dreams and some ribs as well. Black Belt magazine described the fight:

“Dominique . . . figured to walk all over the Dutch stringbean . . . but the rapidly improving Dutchman grabbed Dominique’s early front kick and pumped in a punch to the astonished champ’s head for a clean half-point. . . . Again some shuffling by Valera, and again the big maegeri (front kick) shot out. Proving that the first time was no fluke, La Rose grabbed the leg and zinged in another picture punch to Valera’s head.”

Here I was scoring the only points against the champion during the whole tournament, causing the biggest news at the championship! It was a clear-cut victory. Or so I thought. Black Belt continued:

“The referee, realizing that it was a French audience and that another half-point would put an end to Valera, ignored the punch. As if guilty by association, the crowd remained quiet throughout the remainder of the match.”

The fight was over. I walked up to the line expecting to be proclaimed the winner, but the referee awarded my opponent! The surprised Valera hurried away. We filed a protest. After deliberating for half an hour, the president of the European Karate Union ignored the complaint and signaled the fights to continue. The tournament went on with Valera as champion at the end.

This brazen dishonesty in a sport that has the fist and the dove (symbols of power and harmony) as its emblem shattered an illusion. The fist was still there, but, to me, the dove had gone. Little did I realize that I was only two years away from finding a surpassing way of harmony that proved to be real in both word and deed.

Hearing Bible Truth

I always had a deep respect for God and I valued prayer. My wife and I had been raised as Roman Catholics. Ever since our marriage in December 1971, we have prayed together when faced with problems. I had a Bible but had many questions about it. So when two of Jehovah’s Witnesses visited me in Amsterdam one Friday morning in January 1973, I didn’t hesitate to invite them in and hear their answers. That initial contact was very pleasant. After that, every Friday, for seven months, they came and studied with us the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life.

By that time I had finished my schooling, and we decided to move back to Suriname. Before our departure the Witnesses invited us to their home and gave us a surprise farewell party and some Bible publications as a present. Their loving patience and faithfulness in conducting that Bible study with us left a warm, lasting impression on our minds and hearts. We would not forget the truth we had tasted, although it took another year and a half before the ‘watering of the seeds’ resumed.

Starting My Own Dojo

My new job for the Surinamese government required moving to a small settlement close to the airport, about 50 kilometers (30 mi) from the capital, Paramaribo. We did not know any Witnesses there and so did not continue our Bible studies.

I did get some visitors though. They were karate fans asking me to start teaching wado-kai. Although I had stopped sharing in competitions, I still loved karate as a sport and agreed to open my own dojo in the capital.

Before long I spent four days a week teaching karate. I would leave my regular job with the government right after work at two o’clock in the afternoon and would not get home until ten o’clock at night. I also arranged sightseeing trips for my students on Sundays and during their school vacations. ‘Just to keep them off the streets,’ I told myself. After karate lessons, I talked with them about their school and family problems.

Through all of that, I failed to realize that I was badly neglecting my own family. The more time I spent in teaching the “way of harmony” to others, the more it disrupted the harmony in my own family. Whenever my wife asked me to look after our children, I reacted irritably, being too busy with other people’s children. Hannie was hoping for a change.

“Are You Witnesses?”

That change came in May 1975. Hannie spotted two persons visiting all the houses in the village. She waited anxiously till they came to our house. “Are you Witnesses?” she asked, before they could say a word.

“Well, yes, we are.”

“Come in, please. Can you continue studying the Bible with us?”

The startled Witnesses were very willing. But again the Bible study was interrupted when I went to the United States for further training in electronics, and later my wife and children went to the Netherlands for some months. Only at the beginning of 1978 did we settle back to a regular life, and as soon as we were ready, the Witnesses were back again.

Facing the Decision

This time the study continued without letup. In time I realized that what I was learning from God’s Word did not agree with my love for karate. For one thing, Paul’s words that “bodily training is beneficial for a little” conflicted with all the time I was devoting to sports.​—1 Timothy 4:8.

Further, as the Witnesses emphasized to me, karate has as its objective hurting an opponent, which can kill or seriously injure a person, even unintentionally. Although this was true, still it was hard for me to accept. How could I forgo all that I had pursued so zealously for 12 years?

I agreed with the Scriptural counsel not to trust in weapons for self-defense because they have often caused the death of innocent people. (Ecclesiastes 9:18) ‘But was practicing karate really comparable to possessing weapons?’ I reflected reluctantly, recalling what Isao Obata, co-founder of the Japan Karate Association, once remarked about karate: “The mind is the gun and the body the bullet.” ‘Could Jesus’ words, “Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword,” refer to practicers of karate?’ I pondered uneasily. I knew I had to make up my mind.​—Matthew 26:52.

One day at school I gathered all my pupils, mostly high school students. Instead of another bout of karate, the perplexed students heard their sensei speak about Jehovah God, explaining that martial arts are not in harmony with the Bible. They listened quietly as I told them that I had decided to close the school for good.

Since I was obligated to finish the semester and supervise examinations, I couldn’t quit right then and there. Of course, this posed a danger and could weaken my decision. But the 1978 “Victorious Faith” International Conventions came right on time to fortify me.

I had never attended an entire convention. Other years I had turned up just for an evening or so. But this time I took a leave from my job. When the convention started, my entire family was on hand.

We thoroughly enjoyed it. For me it was nothing less than a revelation. All the virtues I had tried to pursue during my life​—respect for God, value of prayer, love for fellowman—​I saw all around me. ‘This is the true wado-kai [way of harmony],’ I thought and was moved to thank Jehovah for this strengthening experience.

Several months later, on December 24, 1978, my wife and I were baptized and looked forward to a new episode in our lives.

Something Better

That decision has led to many blessings. The family tension has gone. We are united as never before and have the deep joy of seeing our three daughters growing up as worshipers of Jehovah.

Since my baptism I have not used karate again. But several years ago something happened that could have triggered it. One night I woke up and discovered a thief in the house. Instead of resorting to karate, I figured the best defense would be to scream. And scream I did! After many years of silence, an old-fashioned, bloodcurdling karate yell exploded from my mouth. It worked! The thief sped away, and at the same time I was happy I did not resort to karate but used a safer means of defense.

Oh, yes, I still want to tell you what happened to that injured fighter that was rushed to the hospital. He did not die. My punch had broken three of his ribs. I am sorry for that, but I am relieved that I did not load bloodguilt on my shoulders.

In thinking back, I have only one regret: I should have stopped karate sooner. It took me almost six years after my first Bible studies to take my final stand for Jehovah. I am very grateful to these faithful Witnesses who did not give up on me and patiently kept encouraging me to make the right decision. How glad I am that I found the surpassing way of harmony!​—Contributed by Harold La Rose.

[Blurb on page 13]

My wife zeroed in a punch but forgot to stop at the critical moment, slamming right into my face, splitting my lips

[Blurb on page 14]

The fist was still there, but, to me, the dove had gone

[Blurb on page 14]

I walked up to the line expecting to be proclaimed the winner, but the referee awarded my opponent!

[Blurb on page 15]

In time I realized that what I was learning from God’s Word did not agree with my love for karate

Is the Customer Always Right?

IRATE shoppers often complain about inefficient, unhelpful and, at times, rude salesclerks. But since the adage ‘the customer is always right’ prevails, few of these shoppers are aware that salespeople also have reasons to complain.

In an article in the Easton, Pennsylvania, newspaper The Express, Gay Pauley aired a few of them. One, for example, was about the folks who saunter into a store declaring that they are “just looking.” Such will try on clothing or have the working features of a product explained in detail, knowing full well that they have no intention of buying it. While such nonbuying browsers tie up a clerk’s time, the next customer who actually desires to make a purchase must wait. To add insult to injury, salespeople often need to reorganize their merchandise because of thoughtless customers “who seem to enjoy mussing up shelves and racks.” Observed one clerk about this problem, “Sometimes I wonder how they keep their homes. Neat as a pin? Or looking like a disaster area?”

Another complaint registered by salespersons is about the patron who asks to try on items that are clearly too small or too large for him or her. And there are some who insist on trying on nearly everything they see.

The various reactions to a clerk’s polite question, “May I help you?” are another bone of contention. Salespersons report that they are assaulted by replies that are rude and unkind or that they are withered by an icy stare of disdain. Perfectly qualified saleswomen are not amused to hear, “I’d rather have a man help me.” Is it any wonder if clerks avoid shoppers who are overbearing, demanding, discourteous or downright nagging?

Perhaps the most exasperating of all are those who are already late for work or an appointment when they rush into a store. They will quickly find something, then ask the clerk to get them a dozen or more of the item. And while the clerk goes off to fill their order, these people often rush out of the store before the clerk returns. Equally unnerving are people who hurry in just before the store is due to close and start trying on clothing. Result? Clerks miss their regular transportation and arrive home late, leaving them less time with their families.

And what do salespeople think about the Christmas season when customers are supposed to have the Yuletide spirit? “As for the Christmas spirit,” lamented one clerk, “it is practically non-existent in the majority of shoppers towards the clerks.” Bemoaned another, “Shoppers are worse at Christmas than at any other time of the year!”

Whether you are a customer or a clerk, courtesy, kindness and sincere appreciation will usually produce favorable reactions in people and make for good relations. As for people who are seeking to please God, they will always endeavor to conduct themselves in such a way that both customer and salesperson can always be right!

A Long-Awaited Family Reunion

​—As told by In-Bok Kim in Korea

‘THIS is like welcoming someone back from the dead!’ That thought kept running through my mind when I embraced my younger sister, In-Soon, whom I thought had been dead for over 30 years. Choked with emotion, we both cried like the little children we were when we last saw each other.

Our reunion was the outcome of a program sponsored by the Korean Broadcasting System that dramatically brought together over 11,000 family members long lost to one another. But before I tell you how my sister and I became reunited, let me take you back to the tragic events that separated us as well as millions of other Koreans.

Early Memories

I was born in the port city of Inch’ŏn, Korea, in 1936. As the second of three children in the family, I had a happy childhood. Then, suddenly, tragedy struck. The year I was nine, our mother died. The very next year our father also passed away. All of a sudden, it seemed, we had become orphans. Our older sister had married by this time. So it was decided that In-Soon and I would go to live with our older sister and her husband. We moved in and began adjusting to our new life as best we could.

One day, when I came home from school, I was told that In-Soon had been sent away to live with relatives of my brother-in-law in a town in central Korea. For me, a boy of 13, this came as a crushing blow. My parents had been taken away from me, and now In-Soon was gone. My older sister comforted me by promising that as soon as things became more settled we would be able to visit each other. From that day on, I longed for the moment when I would be with my little sister again. But that moment was not to come for a long time​—33 years, to be exact. For in just a few months, in June 1950, the Korean War broke out.

Devastation of the War

The war took a terrible toll on everyone. The seesaw warfare between the north and the south devastated the whole country. About one million civilians were killed in South Korea, a substantial loss in a country of some 20 million people at that time. Cities and villages were destroyed. Families were uprooted. Husbands, wives, parents, children, brothers and sisters were scattered. Our whole society was torn apart.

The ravages of the war did not pass us by. Word came from relatives that In-Soon and the whole family she had been living with were killed. Ironically, as I learned later, she was told by one of our neighbors, who had fled the area, that I, too, had been killed when our refugee boat was blown up. So for 33 years each of us believed that the other was dead.

Changes After the War

By July 1953 the war came to an inconclusive end. The country tried to pick itself up from the ashes. I spent about a year and a half in an orphanage, and finally a wealthy businessman took me in. He wanted to raise and train me to run his business. I did well in school, and my future looked promising. Nevertheless, my thoughts were always troubled. “Why is there so much suffering in the world?” I often thought. “If there is a God, why does he allow wars and such things? What is the meaning of all of this?”

Soon, while still in school, I was contacted by Jehovah’s Witnesses and started to study the Bible. It was as if a light began to shine on my mind and heart. Now, at last, I found the answers to my questions. I learned from the Bible the reason that wars and suffering exist, as well as the solution, which is near at hand. This put an end to my plans for a business career. I was now determined to serve this God of comfort, Jehovah. I soon progressed to the point of dedication and baptism. By the time I was 20, I was appointed by the Watch Tower Society as a special pioneer, a full-time minister.

My first assignment was to the area where my sister had been living when the war broke out. I tried very hard to find her, but no one knew anything about the family. I became more convinced that she must be dead. So many others had lost their loved ones in the war. I, too, must accept the reality.

Literally millions of people in Korea have gone through the same experience that I did. Over the years, they have tried various ways to locate their lost family members but with little success. Ads in the newspapers or announcements on the radio proved ineffective. One reason is that the war literally crippled the nation’s communications and transportation systems. Only recently have these been rebuilt. Another reason is that in South Korea, which now has a population of over 40 million, there are only 258 family names. More than half of the people have one of the five major family names​—Kim, Lee, Park, Choi and Chung—​and many of them also have the same first, or given, name.

A Unique TV Program

Recently, however, something new was started​—a program utilizing television and computer technology. Sponsored by the Korean Broadcasting System, it began as a TV documentary on the Korean War. A two-hour segment on separated families unexpectedly drew such a flood of inquiries from viewers that it had to run for 20 hours that first day. Then it continued for 14 hours a day through the next week and eventually became a weekly feature for about five months.

People looking for lost relatives contacted the TV station. They were then assigned a number and given a date to appear on TV. Meanwhile, their names and other details were fed into a computer to see if they matched up with others searching for a missing relative. If this proved unsuccessful, then they went on the air. Each person appeared on television holding a large card showing the assigned number and his name, the name or names of the missing person or persons, their hometown, their parents’ names and any other details they could remember.

The broadcasts were nationwide. Anyone watching the program and recognizing the person or circumstances could contact the station and be reunited right there at the studio, with the whole nation looking on​—tears, cries, hugs and all. People living in different parts of the country were reunited by two-way TV monitors. According to the Korean newspaper Choong Ang Ilbo, the program brought together 11,089 people out of the 53,535 who sought help.

The Korea Times of August 16, 1983, reported: “Never before in their history have the Korean people shed so many tears of joy spontaneously and simultaneously. Never before in the 5,000 years of the Korean history has the entire population had the emotional experience of unity and oneness as from the thousands of their brethren having tearful reunions with their separated kin.”

An Unbelievable Reunion

Seeing the emotional but happy reunions on TV, including those of relatives long thought dead, old memories began to stir in me. Could it be possible that In-Soon was still alive? I had to try just once more to find her. I went to the station and had our names and other details entered into the computer. I was given a date to go on the air a month later. Then I went home​—and waited.

Five days before I was to appear on TV, a phone call came from the station. They told me that my sister had been located and that I should come to the studio to meet her. Unbelievable as it seemed, she had gone to the station to have her name fed into the computer the very same day that I was there.

On the way to the station, old memories flooded my mind. I began to feel confused. I only remembered a young girl of 11. Would I recognize her now? How could I know for sure that it was my sister? If it was not, then I would have relived all the old sorrows and painful memories for nothing.

When they brought us together, In-Soon recognized me right away. But I was apprehensive and nervous. Meeting someone you loved but for 33 years had been sure was dead was no easy thing, to say the least. Was she really In-Soon? How could I be sure? After talking for a while, we decided to visit our hometown Inch’ŏn, about 25 miles (40 km) away, where my older sister lives.

On our way there, we began reminiscing about our childhood days. We talked about our house in Hwapyung Dong, a section of Inch’ŏn. We remembered that it had a black galvanized tin roof. When it rained at night, we would be so frightened by the sound of the raindrops hitting the roof that we would jump in the bed and hide under the covers together. We recalled how our neighbor, whose house also had a galvanized roof, but painted red, lost all his hair because of typhoid fever, and how shortly thereafter our mother was stricken with the same disease and died.

Such recollections convinced me beyond all doubt that this was indeed my younger sister whom I had been looking for. Tears of joy came to our eyes. We could no longer contain ourselves. Together we cried over our joyful reunion.

Greater Joy Ahead

My joy has been increased since our meeting that day. Now In-Soon has begun studying the Bible. She, too, will come to know the reason for all the suffering in the world and what she must do to be included in the grand purpose that Jehovah God has for all those who love and obey him.

While thousands have experienced the unspeakable joy of being reunited with long-lost family members, there are still millions who have yet to do so. Some say that about ten million people are separated from their families by the boundary between North and South Korea. With no communication across the border allowed, many do not even know if their relatives on the other side are dead or alive.

For these and others like them, however, there is a hope. The Bible tells us that soon God’s Kingdom in the hands of Jesus Christ will do away with political and all other boundaries that keep the human family divided. (Daniel 2:44) Then also will be seen the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise at John 5:28, 29: “Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.” What a time of rejoicing that will be! For then, at last, the long-awaited family reunion of all mankind will be realized.

[Blurb on page 19]

For 33 years each of us believed that the other was dead

[Picture on page 20]

People searching for lost relatives appeared this way on TV

Young People Ask . . .

Am I Watching Too Much TV?

“I thought I would die!” a youth exclaimed. And what grueling ordeal had he endured? A week without television.

FOR many youths, TV watching may be a serious addiction. Addiction? Perhaps. In her book The Plug-In Drug, Marie Winn explains: “An addict does not merely pursue a pleasurable experience . . . He needs to repeat it again and again.”

Marie Winn further notes: “A serious addiction is distinguished from a harmless pursuit of pleasure by its distinctly destructive elements. A heroin addict, for instance, leads a damaged life: his increasing need for heroin in increasing doses prevents him from working, from maintaining relationships, from developing in human ways. Similarly an alcoholic’s life is narrowed and dehumanized by his dependence on alcohol.”

But what about a “TV addict”? Could he likewise suffer a “damaged life”? Before answering that, let us address ourselves to the question . . .

‘Am I a TV Addict?’

Recall that first sign of addiction: The need to enjoy something repeatedly. Take a few minutes and try to figure out on paper just how many hours a week you spend watching TV. Or try keeping a log of the hours you spend in front of the TV for a week. Do you turn it on the very minute you get home? When do you turn it off? How many shows are “must-sees” every week? You might be shocked at the results.

Surveys indicate that by age 18 the average American youth will have watched some 15,000 hours of TV! That would mean that school-age youths watch well over three hours of TV every day. Such addiction apparently starts early in life, for preschool children often watch over four hours of TV a day!

But when do youths find the time for all this TV viewing? Notes writer Vance Packard: “Most of America’s children, including preschoolers, are watching TV during the prime-time hour eight to nine at night, which probably accounts for the networks’ catering to juvenile or childish tastes then. . . . About a million children are watching the tube between midnight and one A.M. when the vast majority of U.S. adults have long been asleep.”

Many youths would thus have to confess to being “TV junkies.” But what about the ‘damage’ such an addiction inevitably brings? Here are just a few of the problems excessive TV viewing can bring:

● SLIPPING GRADES: The National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.) reported that there does appear to be a connection between lower IQs, imagination and creativity, and heavy TV viewing. The report further said: “Almost all the research has found that older children beyond the fourth grade who watch television a great deal tend to have lower school achievement, especially in reading.” There may be several reasons for this.

A youth named Richard says: “I think television has done me more harm than good because instead of using time for studying, I’ve spent it watching TV.” However, others feel the medium itself interferes with learning. Claims Paul Copperman in The Literacy Hoax: “Television’s effect on children is to create an expectation that learning should be easy, passive, and entertaining.” The TV addict may thus find studying an ordeal.

● POOR READING HABITS: When was the last time you picked up a book and read it from cover to cover? A spokesman for the West German Association of Book Dealers lamented: “We have become a nation of people who go home after work and fall asleep in front of the television. We are reading less and less.” Why? “It is easier to watch a screen and learn passively than it is to read, and that’s what students become used to.” A report from Australia was equally disturbing. “For every hour spent reading,” claimed one writer, “the average Australian child will have seen seven hours of television.”

‘But can’t you learn just as much from watching TV?’ you may ask. No doubt about it, it’s hard to beat TV for its ability to bring information to your eyes and ears rapidly. Nevertheless, watching TV is passive. Reading, however, requires complex mental manipulations as your eye and brain work together to transform written symbols into words and words into thoughts. Reading is therefore mind stretching, whereas excessive TV viewing is mind dulling.

For Christian youths, though, failing to read has even more serious consequences. The Bible commands them to read God’s Word ‘in an undertone day and night.’ (Joshua 1:8) Anything that interferes with this routine is a danger to their relationship with God!

● DIMINISHED FAMILY LIFE: Wrote one Christian woman: “Because of excessive TV viewing . . . I was very lonely and felt isolated. It was as if [my] family were all strangers.” Do you likewise find yourself spending less time with your family because of TV?

● LAZINESS: Some feel that the very passiveness of TV “may lead to [a youth’s] expectation that [his] needs will be met without effort and to a passive approach to life.”

No doubt about it, too much TV can indeed ‘damage your life.’ But as with most addictions, people are often reluctant to admit they have a problem. Consider, then, the experience of a young man named Wyant who openly admits . . .

‘I Was a TV Addict’

Awake!: How old were you when you got hooked on TV?

Awake!: Didn’t you have chores to do around the home?

Awake!: But when did you have time for your friends?

Wyant: The TV was my friend.

Awake!: Then you never had time for play or sports?

Awake!: What about your grades?

Awake!: Has watching all that TV affected you?

Awake!: Well, you’ve done just fine in this conversation. Obviously you’ve overcome your addiction.

How Wyant and others did this will be the subject of a future article. In the meantime, though, give serious thought to how much TV you are watching. TV, when kept under control, may have its place. But one who wants to live by Bible principles realizes the danger of watching too much of it. So when it comes to TV, have the attitude of the apostle Paul who said: “I am not going to let anything make me its slave.” (Italics ours.)​—1 Corinthians 6:12, Today’s English Version.

[Pictures on page 23]

Just as an alcoholic loses control over his drinking, some lose control over how much TV they watch

The Corinth Canal and Its Story

By “Awake!” correspondent in Greece

THE Mediterranean country of Greece has an unusual canal. It does not claim to rival the great canals in northern European countries nor the famous Suez Canal in Egypt. Yet this canal of Greece is unique. It joins the Saronic Gulf in the Mediterranean Sea to the Gulf of Corinth, with an outlet to the Adriatic Sea and to ports of other European countries. Therefore it is of tremendous importance to the Greek economy.

In 1982 the Corinth Canal completed a hundred years since its modern-day construction was begun. On this occasion the Greek news media stressed in a most impressive way the benefits derived from it. However, we wanted to learn more about the canal than what could be gleaned from mere press stories. So we set off from Athens one sunlit morning to visit the Canal Administration headquarters at Isthmia of Corinth.

At our destination, the director of the canal earnestly answered our questions. He particularly stressed various improvements that could render the canal, as he said, “an imposing human achievement of even greater importance not only for Greece but also for Europe generally.” He also kindly reviewed with us the background of the making of this important canal.

Corinth’s Wealth and the Isthmus

In the ancient world Corinth was renowned. It owed its grandeur and wealth to the narrow strip of land that separates the Ionian Sea from the Aegean Sea. How so? Well, back then ships were hauled across the narrow strip of the isthmus. They were moved over a pathway called diolkos, which was paved with flagstone overlaid with pieces of wood that were smeared with fat. Thus the ships avoided the risks of circumnavigating the Peloponnese. Especially was there danger at the southernmost point of Peloponnese where bad weather and rough seas often are encountered at Cape Malea.

As you can imagine, though, for all its advantages, hauling ships overland across the narrow strip of the isthmus did not come cheap. Merchants had to pay very costly port tolls, which were the most important income of Corinth.

Additional income was received from merchants who, until they could get their ships across the isthmus, stayed in Corinth. There many of them indulged in luxurious and loose living, spending considerable amounts of money. They also made gifts to the temples and sacrifices to the pagan gods. All of this made Corinth one of the wealthiest cities of the ancient world, a renowned and voluptuous city, where the vices of the East and West met and mingled.

Early Proposals for a Canal

In the seventh century B.C.E. the tyrant of Corinth, Periander, one of the Seven Wise Men of ancient Greece, conceived a plan for constructing a canal at this narrow strip of land between the Peloponnese and continental Greece. If this increased the ship traffic, it would increase his revenue collected from tolls. Yet he abandoned his effort. Why?

Out of fear of arousing the anger of the gods, because an oracle by the Pythia at Delphi said: “Do not furnish Isthmus with a tower, nor dig it through (make a canal through).” It is reported that this oracle had been prompted by the priests of the Corinthian temples. They feared that opening a canal for quick passage of ships would cause them to lose their rich donations and gifts because merchants would no longer have any reason to stay in Corinth.

The possibility of a canal was revived in 307 B.C.E. by Demetrius the Besieger. But he, too, abandoned the idea when the Egyptian engineers whom he had brought to do the job assured him that there was a major problem. They said that there was a difference between the water level of the Corinthian Gulf and that of the Saronic Gulf. So they warned that upon cutting the piece of land through to make the canal, the waters of the Gulf of Corinth would pour into the Saronic Gulf, inundating the area and blotting out nearby islands.

Early Construction Attempts Fail

After Corinthia became a Roman province, Julius Caesar and, later, Caligula laid plans for cutting through the isthmus. Based on these plans, Nero started work on a canal in 67 C.E., using 6,000 slaves and convicts.

However, this attempt came to a halt when Nero had to return to Rome, where an insurrection broke out against him. Shortly afterward Nero died, and the canal work was abandoned. In subsequent years Herodes Atticus and later on the Byzantines made some efforts toward cutting through the isthmus. Their efforts, too, did not succeed. The same was true with the Venetians, who made a start at digging but soon gave up.

The Canal Finally Completed

As you can see, though, from the picture on page 25, the Corinth Canal now exists. How was construction finally completed? After the Greek revolution in 1821, Ioannes Kapodistrias, the first president of Greece, discerned the importance of a Corinth canal for the development of Greece. He assigned the project to a French engineer, but again​—this time for economic reasons—​the project had to be given up.

Finally, after the opening of the Suez Canal, the Greek government (in November 1869) enacted a law about “cutting through the Corinth Isthmus.” Various modifications and additions were made to this law and, after lengthy negotiations, work on the canal started on May 5, 1882. Interestingly, though proposals were made for three different cuts, the one finally chosen was the same as decided on by Nero’s engineers. Take another look, though, at the picture on page 25 showing the completed canal. Can you imagine what a task it was to accomplish this back before the turn of the century?

The Canal Administration kindly provided us with details concerning the actual work of cutting the isthmus. For example, we learned the following: Some 2,500 workers were engaged for about ten years, using the best machines available at the time. They dug out some 33 million cubic feet (930,000 cu m) of earth and rock. The canal is approximately 4 miles (6 km) long. Its slopes reach 248 feet (76 m) above sea level at certain points. The breadth of the canal is 81 feet (25 m) at the surface of the sea and 70 feet (21 m) at the sea bottom. The tremendous job of cutting through the Corinth Isthmus was completed, and opening ceremonies were held on August 7, 1893.

In recent times about 10,000 ships have used the canal every year. In general, crossing by the canal is preferable because it is economical as far as fuel consumption is concerned and it saves valuable time. Furthermore, it avoids circumnavigating the Peloponnese.

So this is the story of the Corinth Canal. Should you ever visit Greece, we would recommend that you not fail to visit it. Perhaps on your way to the remains of ancient Corinth, which is of great Biblical interest, you could stop and look over the canal. Especially when ships sail through the canal, you will see something that is amazingly impressive.

[Blurb on page 26]

A plan for constructing a canal at this narrow strip of land was conceived in the seventh century B.C.E.

From Our Readers

Down’s Syndrome

I have been an Awake! reader for over 25 years, but this was the first time I read an article dealing with a situation so near my own. I am the mother of a 22-year-old son who suffers from Down’s syndrome. I read the article about Valérie in your French edition over and over again. (English, January 8, 1984) It has helped me to overcome the feelings of guilt, shame and failure that have been assailing me for 22 years. Valérie’s parents expressed their feelings quite openly and their candor moved me to reconsider things to see what I can do in a positive way for my son who is in an institution. Thank you for this unexpected help! I am on the right path now!

Name withheld, France

Homosexuality

In my early youth I always wanted to be a woman and as a result became homosexual. The churches I attended encouraged me to assume the role I wanted. So I pierced my ears, began to take hormones to enlarge my breasts and began to wear women’s clothes. My sister, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, showed me Bible texts condemning homosexual practices, but I merely answered that I did not believe the Bible. She gave me some magazines to read, including an Awake! that carried the story of a man who was in a similar situation. (June 22, 1980) And he was able to desist from homosexual practices. I took this to heart, began to look into the Bible and learned the power of prayer. In time, I accepted a home Bible study and was able to stop my homosexual practices, and now I am a dedicated servant of Jehovah. Thanks to Awake! and all the other help I have received.

J. R., Brazil

Leaving Home

Thank you so much for the article “Young People Ask . . . How Can I Ever Grow Up if I Don’t Move Out?” (September 8, 1984) I pray that all young ones will read and apply that article. I moved away from home to grow up, and whenever I think about it I regret it. I can’t help but think how much easier it would have been to grow up with the help of people who really loved me and cared about my future. My advice for young people would be to stay home and learn as much as possible. Then when the time comes and they have reached true adulthood, they will have a much easier and happier time of living on their own.

A. H., Nevada

Keeping in Touch

We who are serving as missionaries far away from home especially appreciate the article “Will You Keep in Touch?” (October 8, 1984) Receiving letters from loved ones and friends is a real joy. It’s so encouraging to know that one is remembered by someone. If one could see the beaming face of a loved one living far away who has just received news from home, I’m sure more of us would be moved to take the time to write. Thank you very much for this well-written, thought-provoking article.

M. and C. S., Senegal

Watching the World

Complex Problem

● “One of these days,” states an article in The Wall Street Journal, “a baby could be born with five parents: the woman who donated the egg, the man who donated the sperm, the woman who received the embryo after the egg and sperm were brought together in a laboratory dish and who carried it to birth, and the infertile couple who commissioned the process and will raise the baby.” Although unlikely to occur this way, it is presently medically possible. Already, two live births have occurred by surrogate embryo transfer, where an embryo is conceived in one woman by impregnating her with sperm, and then it is transferred and carried to birth in the womb of an infertile woman. Although hailed as a boon for infertile married couples desiring children, disturbing social, moral and legal issues have been raised​—including the question of who are the legal parents of a child so conceived. Huge emotional problems have also been known to occur, and not unexpectedly so, for the procedure is contrary to God’s law in the Bible.

Hindu Priestesses

● Contrary to established Hindu custom, a group of 22 women have been organized and trained to chant prayers and perform purification rites. Some of these rishikas, or priestesses, are not even Brahmans​—the highest caste traditionally assigned to the priesthood. Instructed by Shankar Hari Thatte, a 76-year-old Brahman, the group is said to be the only one of its kind in India. Why was it formed, despite strong initial opposition? “The men priests were cheating people, their lives had degenerated, they were unable to honor the holy books,” said Mr. Thatte, adding that there was no specific ban in the religious texts against women performing the rites. “We found that the men priests were incapable of good religious work and they were doing it just for the money,” said one priestess.

Soviet Firsts

● The Soviets, first to orbit the earth in 1957, also have the first woman astronaut to walk in space. During her 3-hour-and-35-minute excursion in space, 36-year-old Svetlana Savitskaya performed welding and soldering operations. She was also the first woman to make two space flights. Although impressed by a view of the earth from space, her strongest impression was of her return to earth​—when the space module landed in a plowed field. “The hatch was opened and all the smells rushed in,” Miss Savitskaya said. “That moment was really nice.”

The Soviets have also been leading in the opposite direction​—down toward the center of the earth. After 14 years of effort, they have drilled over 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) down from the surface of the Kola Peninsula. As reported in Science magazine, the hole is already over two kilometers (1.2 mi) deeper than any hole ever drilled for gas or oil. The goal is to go on to 15 kilometers (9 mi). “The trip down has been full of surprises,” says Science.

Increased Hijacking

● “Hijacking of heavy goods vehicles is increasing at an alarming rate,” reports The German Tribune. “Virtually any cargo stands to be hijacked: bibles and schnapps, toilet seats and TV sets, cheese and computers. Organised highway robbery is growing steadily more violent, and hauliers are worried.” Hijackers have posed as policemen and revenue investigators, set up fake roadworks, and even faked a breakdown so as to rob two truckers who stopped to help. In Italy alone last year, stolen trucks and hijackings increased twofold over the previous year, and over 4,800 truckloads vanished without a trace. “A spokesman for Italy’s leading insurance company has admitted that his firm would sooner insure a tanker in the Persian Gulf than a truck with goods to deliver to Naples,” says the Tribune.

Shrinking Symbol

● The Empire State Building, long a New York symbol, has shrunk. When renovations to its mast are completed, the building will be 18 feet (5 m) shorter than the 1,472 feet (449 m) it has been since 1951 when the 222-foot (68-m) mast was added. However, excluding its mast, it still holds title to being the world’s fourth tallest building. The 1,454-foot (443-m) Sears Tower in Chicago is the world’s tallest building, and then come the two 1,350-foot (411-m) World Trade Center buildings in Manhattan, New York.

Happiest People

● Who are the happiest people in the world, according to this world’s standards? The Australians are, says Dutch sociologist Ruut Veenhoven, after researching the subject of happiness for seven years. Studying 245 papers written in 32 countries over the past 60 years, he also concluded that married persons are happier than those who are single, that women are as happy as men, and that those living in industrialized countries are happier than those residing in developing or underdeveloped countries.

Drink, But Don’t Swim

● Water that is considered safe to drink may not be safe to swim in. At least that’s what toxicologists at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality Engineering say after studying the body’s absorption of organic solvents that are used in homes and industry, and that are often found in public water supplies. “The toxicologists say that for an adult’s typical daily exposure​—drinking roughly one-half gallon of water and taking a 15-minute bath—​about two-thirds of the chemicals absorbed by the body can come through the skin,” reports Science magazine. So bathing, showering, or swimming in polluted water may be even more dangerous than swallowing it. The toxicologists say that the body’s absorption of organic solvents, which penetrate the skin more effectively in low concentrations, must be kept in mind when determining the safety of water supplies.

Alcohol and Driving

● Automobiles kill more people in the United States than any other consumer product sold, says the Consumer Federation of America. They kill almost 140 persons every day, with alcohol often being a contributing factor. However, measuring the percentage of alcohol in the bloodstream is not an accurate indicator of whether one’s driving ability is impaired or not, according to investigators at the University of Colorado. This is because the responses of individuals vary according to their genetic differences and their acquired tolerance for alcohol. The old approach, to ask the driver to walk a straight line, is a much more accurate indicator, the investigators said.

The belief that a drunk driver is more relaxed and therefore likely would escape serious injury in a crash is also said to be a fallacy. “It’s becoming better understood that alcohol not only increases the risk of motor vehicle crash but also reduces human tolerance to impact injury,” says Dr. David Viano, assistant director of General Motors Corp.’s Biomedical Science Department. And a Swedish study has shown that hangovers also impair driving ability. Volunteers who drank to the point of being legally intoxicated, then slept through the night and were measured the next morning after breakfast, showed a 20-percent decline in driving ability​—even though many said they felt fine. Impairment lasted three hours after their blood alcohol had dropped to zero.

Crime Drop

● Serious crime in the United States dropped 7 percent in 1983, according to an FBI report. It was the biggest decline in 23 years, and it was the second year in a row that crime decreased after an all-time high in 1981. Yet the prison population reached a record 454,136, almost twice as many as ten years ago. According to the Justice Department, this means that one out of every 520 persons in the United States is in a federal or a state prison. However, data collected by the Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics showed that the most serious offenders complete a smaller percentage of their prison sentences. “The auto thief serves up to twice as large a percentage of his sentence as the homicide offender,” the survey said. Also reported was a record number of convicts on parole (251,708), and adults on probation (1,502,247) in 1983.

‘The Biggest Problem’

● “The biggest general problem today is law enforcement,” says Ray Kendall, the head of Interpol’s police division and coordinator of police activity in 135 countries. “People are getting away with breaking the law. It is almost becoming acceptable in society to be a lawbreaker. There is a psychological climate of acceptance. What happens is that the law loses credibility and becomes unenforceable. It’s a nasty, slippery slope.” As reported in the Asahi Evening News of Japan, Kendall is also very concerned over drug-related crimes, which account for 60 percent of all criminal activities. If drug abuse “goes on at its present rate,” he says, “it will lead to a breakdown in public order.”

Index to Volume 65 of “Awake!”

ANIMAL AND PLANT LIFE

Animal Engineers, 1/22

Birds of Japan, 8/22

Can Our Forests Be Saved? 1/22

Great Ice Bear of The Arctic, 6/8

Insects​—Friends or Foes? 6/22

Marmot​—Nature’s Whistle Blower, 9/8

Survival Secrets, 1/22

“They Eat a Lot of Corn,” 8/22

When Nature Is in Balance, 5/8

ECONOMICS AND EMPLOYMENT

Big Business, 1/22

“Capitalizing on a Chore Everyone Hates,” 5/8

Coping With High Prices, 10/22

Educated, Employed​—And Blind! 4/8

Finding a Job, or Creating One? 7/22

Go to College or Learn a Trade? 10/22

Spend More Than You Earn? 4/8

Unemployment​—Still a World Problem, 7/22

HEALTH AND MEDICINE

Chocolate on Trial, 5/22

Herpes and AIDS in the Spotlight, 9/8

How Harmful Is Electric Smog? 4/22

“Is My Child Hyperactive?” 6/8

Medical Decisions​—Who Should Make Them? 7/8

Meditation​—Is It a Cure-All? 2/22

Meet Valérie, 1/8

Patient Rights Challenged! 3/8

Persistent Plague, 9/8

What You Hear May Hurt You, 7/22

HUMAN RELATIONS

“Don’t See the Wheelchair​—See Me!” 6/8

Do You ‘Feed Your Child a Scorpion’? 4/8

Do You Say “Thank You”? 2/8

Prejudice Can Be Conquered! 11/8

Rod of Love Led to Change of Heart, 9/22

Will You Keep in Touch? 10/8

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

Are These Parents Loving or Heartless? 7/8

A Taste of Paradise Building, 9/22

Eleven Years to Find True Treasure, 2/22

Feminine Modesty, 2/8

Gilead Graduations, 5/22, 11/22

High School Senior Reports on Biology Project, 7/22

I Kept on Seeking, and I Found It, 11/22

“I Started Out a Warbird but Ended Up a Dove,” 7/22

Long-Awaited Family Reunion, 12/22

My Fight to the Finish, 8/8

My Guitar, My Music and My God, 12/8

My Heart Was Filled With Hatred, 6/22

Now I’m Busy Making a Better Name, 9/22

100 Years Old and Stronger Than Ever! 12/8

“Surely I Must Die!” 10/8

Wado-Kai Karate​—The True “Way of Harmony”? 12/22

Why I Laid Down the Sculptor’s Tools, 9/8

Worldwide Impact of “Kingdom Unity,” 1/22

LANDS AND PEOPLES

African Way of Mourning, 5/8

“But the Falls Will All Disappear!” 3/8

Canada’s New Constitution, 11/8

Corinth Canal, 12/22

Fiery Tragedy Strikes Vila Socó, 9/22

Guests Are Here! 5/8

How About a Meal-in-One Pancake? 11/8

Innocent Victims of the Nuclear Age, 7/8

I Visit a Japanese Vineyard, 2/8

Problems in “Paradise,” 11/8

Quenching the Thirst of a Giant, 10/22

Spiritual Famine in Nigeria, 11/22

Totem Poles of British Columbia, 9/22

Tragic “Holy Week” in Popayán, 11/8

MISCELLANEOUS

Acrostic Puzzles, 5/8, 7/8, 9/8

Can Statistics Mislead You? 1/22

“Censorship: 500 Years of Conflict,” 12/22

Chinese Characters, 8/8

Crossword Puzzles, 2/8, 4/8, 6/8, 8/8, 10/8, 12/8

Customer Always Right? 12/22

Diary of an Unborn Child, 7/22

Did You ‘Put Your Face On’ Today? 3/22

Do You Have an Open Mind? 11/22

Do You Know What Your Children Read? 10/22

Fantasy​—A Way to Happiness? 2/8

Fig Leaves, Fashions and Figures, 11/22

Food Freezing, 5/22

“Going Up!” 6/22

“Help! There’s a Fire!” 5/8

Home Computers​—For You? 2/8

‘I Have Nothing to Wear!’ 12/8

Marvelous Gift​—Your Voice, 8/22

MEPS​—Exciting Leap Forward in Publishing, 4/22

My Child Is Missing! 4/22

Olympic Ideals​—On the Way Out? 8/8

Problems With Your Sewing Machine? 10/8

Sky-High​—And Confident! 5/22

Teaching Your Children Another Language, 6/22

They Resisted Rapists, 2/22

What Happens to What You Eat? 3/8

What to Do in Case of Fire, 5/8

Why They “Scrape” the Sky, 1/8

Word-Search Games, 1/8, 3/8, 11/8

You Can Be a Better Reader! 8/22

Your Friend the Dictionary, 7/22

RELIGION

Are You an Agnostic? 3/8

Bible​—An Invaluable Guide, 2/8

Bishops and the Bomb, 3/22

Churches Unite the World? 5/8

Conquest in the Name of the Church, 10/22

God​—Our Father and Mother? 3/22

How Reliable Are Bible Prophecies? 8/22

Is the Cross Really Christian? 6/22

Is There Life After Death? 10/8

It’s Time for a “New Earth,” 10/22

Jesus​—Who Really Was He? 7/22

Life and Peace​—By What Means? 11/8

Luther​—A New Force for Unity? 9/8

Miracles of Jesus, 2/22

Open Mind Wins God’s Approval, 11/22

Reformation​—Can They Repair the Breach? 4/22

Religious Zeal​—Helpful or Harmful? 5/22

Time Running Out for This World? 10/22

Tongues, Trances and Voices​—Should You Beware? 2/8

Traditions for Burning? 10/22

What Is Religion Doing for Mankind? 1/8

Why Should I Read the Bible? 3/22

World Council of Churches​—Which Road? 8/8

Your Worst Enemy​—Who Is He? 6/8

SCIENCE

Flying “Blind,” 3/22

Fraud in Science, 5/22

Looking Deeper Into the Heavens, 3/22

Mysteries of the Brain, 10/8

Telescopes and Microscopes, 9/22

WATCHING THE WORLD

(This section appears in each issue.)

WORLD AFFAIRS AND CONDITIONS

Fighting Symptoms, Ignoring Cures, 5/22

Growing Concern About Survival, 8/22

Hope for Victims of Hate! 6/22

Nonviolent World​—Did Gandhi Show the Way? 4/8

Sexual Revolution​—What Are Its Fruits? 9/8

Will History Always Repeat Itself? 3/8

World Government​—Why We Need It, 12/22

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .

Am I Watching Too Much TV? 12/22

Can Drinking Really Help Me Cope? 7/8

‘Can I Go to School Without Getting Beat Up?’ 7/22

Do I Have to Go to School? 1/8

Drinking​—Why Not? 6/22

“How Can I Ever Grow Up if I Don’t Move Out?” 9/8

How Can I Get Rid of My Jealous Feelings? 8/22

How Can I Improve My Grades? 12/8

How Can I Improve My Study Habits? 8/8

How Can I Make Kids Stop Picking on Me? 2/22

How Can I Win My Parents’ Respect? 10/22

How Important Are Grades? 3/8

Isn’t Dancing Just Innocent Pleasure? 4/22

Is There Anything I Can Watch on TV? 11/8

Is Winning Everything? 10/8

Should I Leave Home? 6/8

Should I Quit School? 1/22

What About Music Videos? 5/22

What’s Wrong With Getting Together and Having a Drink? 5/8

Why Are My Parents Overprotective? 11/22

Why Should I Have Good Manners? 9/22

Why Won’t the Kids Let Me Alone? 2/8

Why Worry About Grades? 3/22

Will I Die in a Fireball? 4/8

Used as a Textbook

A mother from Italy writes regarding My Book of Bible Stories:

“My eight-year-old son, Emanuele, took his copy of the book to school to show the teacher. She was very struck by its contents and said: ‘I am going to keep this book.’ That same morning she read the account of the Ten Plagues to the class and the children laughed about the frogs getting into the houses, and they liked the picture. Then, for homework, the class had to write a brief version of what had been read.

“Emanuele and I were quite surprised because this teacher is a fervent Catholic and is opposed to Jehovah’s Witnesses. A few days afterward she showed the book to the priest who comes to teach religion, asking him whether she should continue to read it to the children since it is published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. After leafing through the book, the priest said it was very nice and really suitable for children. He told the teacher she could continue to use it in her lessons. So, almost every day the teacher reads the children a story and then has them write about it or discuss it orally.”

My Book of Bible Stories contains 116 Bible accounts that give the reader an idea of what the Bible is all about. The book has big type and over 125 large pictures, most of them in multicolor. You can receive this valuable 256-page publication by filling in and mailing the accompanying coupon.

Please send me, postpaid, the hardbound book My Book of Bible Stories, for which I enclose $2.50 (U.S.). (For price in other countries, please contact local Watch Tower Society office.)