July 22

Page Two

News reports and vivid pictures have flashed into the homes of millions, proclaiming: crisis in South Africa! Television viewers are horrified to see the violence erupting: white against black and even black against black. Is there a solution? There is, and among thousands of people of different races and colors, it is already working in a most spectacular way

Crisis in South Africa 3

A Disunited Country​—What Is the Solution? 4

Peace, Unity, and Love Amid Unrest 6

Crisis in South Africa

In the following three articles, “Awake!” correspondent in South Africa considers the crisis and its solution

“TOWNSHIP rioting leaves 26 dead.” “Mixed emotions as 15 unrest victims are buried.” “Widespread violence continues.” “Death toll reaches 13 in 10-day SA bomb blitz.” The daily headlines and press reports tell the grim, sad story. As one commentator put it: “South Africa is facing the worst crisis in its history, both internally and externally.”

Vivid pictures and news items are flashed into the homes of millions world-wide. As a result, many think that the whole of South Africa is in chaos. But this is not true. In most white areas and in black rurals, life goes on normally.

Nevertheless, in some black townships, dreadful things are happening. Many TV viewers were horrified to see a young black woman, accused of being a police informer, kicked, trampled on, and burnt alive. Often the venom of the crowd is directed against those in government service or those who collaborate with the government. Black policemen have been killed, and hundreds have had their homes burnt or damaged.

The majority of the rioters are teenagers or even younger. For them violence is becoming a way of life. Furthermore, thugs exploit the unrest to attack and rob innocent people.

The unrest has affected South Africa’s economic condition. The local currency has suffered a serious devaluation. Many commercial firms have had to close down, with unemployment resulting. South Africa’s international reputation has declined. The threats of disinvestment and sanctions loom larger than ever.

This affects neighbouring countries also​—Swaziland, Botswana, Lesotho, and South West Africa/​Namibia—​whose economies depend heavily on South Africa. For many years, two larger neighbours, Mozambique and Angola, have been suffering a crisis more serious than that of South Africa with severe civil strife, their economies severely damaged.

South Africa is a beautiful country, richly endowed with many natural resources​—fine farming land, gold, diamonds, coal, copper, and many other valuable minerals. And among its varied population groups​—blacks, whites, Coloureds (mixed race), and Indians—​there are many fine, kindly people.

Moreover, South Africa is a very religious country. Most people, white or black, believe in God. Yet the country is terribly disunited. Is religion partly to blame? What has brought about this distressing situation? And, far more important, is there a solution?

A Disunited Country​—What Is the Solution?

IN 1955 a visitor to Angola, then a Portuguese colony, was surprised to realize that, as a white, he had suddenly become an “aristocrat”! In shops, offices, and other public places, he was given preferential treatment ahead of waiting blacks.

This was a common experience in many African countries only two decades ago.

Then, in the 1960’s, in country after country where whites were a small minority, blacks assumed power. In South Africa, however, there were millions of whites with a firm grip on the reins of government and economy who, for many decades, had believed that it was God’s will for them to rule. How did this situation arise?

In 1652 the first white settlers, Dutchmen, landed at the Cape. When they met the Hottentots and the Bushmen, local inhabitants wearing skins, the whites felt superior because of their advanced culture. Soon friction arose.

When white farmers settled on native hunting grounds, the Bushmen became angry and reacted by stealing cattle. The little men were hunted down like animals, leading to their shameful near extermination in the 19th century. The Hottentots were subjugated, their numbers were drastically reduced by smallpox, and the few that remained were absorbed into other races.

It was in the 18th century that white farmers (Boers) met up with the Xhosa nation​—part of a black wave of immigrants from the north. Again there was friction. Bitter wars were fought. Meanwhile, the British had taken possession of the Cape. But many Boers chafed under British rule and in the 1830’s trekked north. After many hardships and conflicts, they carved out new states beyond the Orange and Vaal rivers. Both British and Boer practiced racial segregation.

The Boers were Calvinists of the Dutch Reformed Church. They read the Bible frequently, yet they believed they were superior to the blacks​—many believed that blacks were under a curse from God.

The Church Endorses Apartheid

The increase in non-white converts during the 19th century made many whites feel uneasy. As a result, the Church Synod made a historic decision in 1857: “Because of the weakness of some [whites] . . . the congregation from among the heathens [non-whites] . . . would enjoy its Christian privileges in a separate building or institution.” So the church endorsed separation.

The process of division continued. Today there are separate Dutch Reformed Churches for whites, blacks, Coloureds, and Indians.

The late 19th century saw a further separatist trend. By then many religious missions, mainly of British origin and firmly in white control, had been established. According to James Kiernan, Professor of Social Anthropology of the University of Natal, “the African clergy in these white-dominated churches took this exclusion [of African clergy from leadership] to be based on discrimination and reacted against it by setting up churches of their own.” The first was formed in Johannesburg in 1892. Today, there are some 4,000 religious groups in South Africa, mostly black.

The 20th century began with “Christian” whites, British imperialists and Boer nationalists, fighting for supremacy. By sheer weight of numbers, Britain took over the Boer Republics, and together they later formed the Union of South Africa.

But the Boers, now called Afrikaners, gained a political victory when, as the National Party, they won an election in 1948 and came to power on the strength of their apartheid (separateness) policy. A comment in Die Transvaler, an Afrikaner daily, said: “We have the policy of apartheid . . . based on Christian principles of justice and fairness.” A stream of laws and regulations followed to consolidate the segregation of races.

As a result of living apart and having no social contact, many whites are not aware of the poor living conditions in black townships, nor can they fully appreciate the humiliation caused by apartheid. Almost all blacks resent the policy of apartheid. Such resentment has been used to fuel the flames of unrest.

Is There a Solution?

Pressure from within and without South Africa to end apartheid has intensified. Recently the government decided to make far-reaching changes. It made some reforms and repealed certain apartheid laws. But it appears impossible to solve the problems of South Africa in a way satisfactory to all. Many, both blacks and whites, want peaceful change, but some white hard-liners are determined to maintain the status quo. Both sides are torn between extremists and moderates. The blacks are also seriously divided by tribal loyalties.

What solutions do the churches offer? Spiritual ones? The Kingdom of God? No, they have entered the political arena. Some clergymen even advocate civil disobedience and negotiate with leaders of liberation movements known for their violence. As a result, many church-goers complain that they hear ‘too much about politics and too little about God.’

Compounding the confusion is the dissension in the churches. Among the different branches of the Dutch Reformed Church, there is now much criticism of apartheid. Many ministers both black and white have condemned it. The Western Cape Synod decreed in October 1983 that racial discrimination is “sinful” and that henceforth the church should be open to people of all races.

On August 29, 1985, the Presbytery of Stellenbosch, another Dutch Reformed Church regional body, officially recognized that racial discrimination “is contrary to the Biblical principles of love of one’s neighbour and justice” and that “apartheid” has “led to human misery.” Dissension on racial matters also plagues some of the English Churches. For sincere people who grew up believing that apartheid is “God’s will,” this is puzzling and confusing.

The Only Solution

World spotlights have been focused on South Africa for a long time. It has become the in thing to point the finger of criticism. But many countries doing that are as bad or worse themselves. This points to a deeply significant fact: The real, lasting solution not only to South Africa’s agonizing problems but to the world’s is beyond the scope of human power and wisdom.

World history is one long record of mistakes, injustice, strife, and bloodshed. And in this 20th century, the situation worsens as the world staggers from one crisis to another, all the while haunted by the fear of nuclear war.

Early in this century, mankind realized the need of a world-wide, supreme authority to control the nations. Yet experiments with the League of Nations and the United Nations have failed. Is there a supreme executive body that can and will clean up the mess and establish peace and unity? Yes​—the Kingdom of God.

It will “crush and put an end to all these [man-made] kingdoms,” clear the earth of violence, injustice, and evil in all its forms, and usher in Christ’s Millennial Reign of peace. It will be just and fair to all peoples, regardless of race, colour, or background.​—Daniel 2:44; Psalm 37:10; Acts 10:34, 35.

Millions around the world, including thousands in South Africa, have put their hope in the Kingdom, the government of God. On the basis of fulfilled Bible prophecy, they believe it will soon take over control of the whole earth. It will unite people of all races.​—Luke 21:28-31.

A heartwarming demonstration of this was given at two special conventions held in South Africa in December 1985. Read about them in the next article.

[Blurb on page 4]

The church endorsed apartheid “because of the weakness of some”

[Blurb on page 5]

Apartheid was presented as the will of God

[Blurb on page 5]

Many ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church have condemned apartheid

Peace, Unity, and Love Amid Unrest

BLACKS, whites, Indians, Coloureds, and visitors from other countries enjoying Christian fellowship together in South Africa, the land of apartheid! For a few hours? No, for four days. How many​—a few hundred? No, over 77,000! Where? At two special conventions in Johannesburg and Durban, December 26-29, 1985. It was a thrilling, never-to-be-forgotten experience.

This was part of a world-wide series of special conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses with the theme “Integrity Keepers.” By the tens of thousands they streamed to these two centres by train, bus, automobile, and plane from all parts of South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and even from strife-torn Mozambique.

Hundreds also came from Europe, the United States, Japan, and St. Helena, the little island of the Atlantic, making a total of 24 countries. On arrival they were warmly welcomed by local Witnesses​—black, white, and brown—​and escorted to their accommodations.

The place for the convention in Johannesburg was the National Exhibition Centre. Situated to the southwest of the city, it is a large, modern complex of exhibition halls, with pleasant lawns, trees, and promenade areas​—ideal for a large convention attended by a multilingual crowd. Groups of delegates speaking Zulu, Sotho, Tswana, English, and Afrikaans each had a large hall, while the Portuguese and Greeks used smaller halls. All enjoyed the same programme. During the sessions the majority naturally assembled with their own language group, but before, between, and after the programme, all races and nationalities found joy in warm association.

Many of the foreign visitors, staying as they did in white areas, to their surprise saw no unrest. Said a German delegate: “It was just the opposite of what we expected.” All were especially delighted to find such peace and unity at the conventions. “Just look at all the races mingling together,” said a U.S. delegate attending the Johannesburg convention. “I wish,” he added, “that a film could be taken of this and shown on American TV.”

The other convention was held in the famous port and seaside resort of Durban, a predominantly English city that is also home to many Indians. The place of assembly was the King’s Park sports complex situated near Durban beach. Two adjacent stadiums were used, one for Witnesses speaking Zulu and the other for those speaking Xhosa (including Pondos) and those speaking English (including hundreds of Indians and Coloureds).

Did peace and unity reign there too? Said a Xhosa woman, not a Witness, who travelled 600 kilometres (370 mi) to attend the convention: “It’s amazing that here in South Africa people of all races can be so united. It’s so different from what I am used to in the churches.” “This is beautiful,” commented a young Indian woman. “To see Coloureds, Indians, whites, and blacks all mixing together has changed my whole outlook on life.”

Overcoming Problems

Accommodating white visitors in hotels and white areas was fairly easy. Arranging accommodations for many thousands of blacks in Soweto, the huge black complex west of Johannesburg, where the situation is explosive, was not. The Witnesses of Soweto responded generously. Some homes had up to 20 visitors staying for the convention. However, at the end of the first day of the convention, bus drivers from distant places refused to take their passengers into Soweto. (Many buses have been burned there during the unrest). So that night many had to sleep in their buses. They accepted the situation uncomplainingly. By the next night, other arrangements had been made, and all were suitably accommodated.

The Johannesburg Witnesses were also very glad to see so many from Cape Town. A round trip by bus between these two cities is 2,864 kilometres (1,780 mi). Some blacks and Coloureds earn very little. How could they afford such a trip? A mixed-race bus committee was able to arrange a fleet of 26 buses at less than half the usual rate. Even so, the sacrifices made by some, such as widows with families, to attend the convention were amazing. Regarding unity, the committee chairman said: “In the last few weeks the Cape peninsula was racked by unrest. But we had black, Coloured, and white Witnesses riding in the same bus in complete harmony.”

This contrast of peace and conflict was also manifest in Durban. The day before the convention began, there was fierce fighting between Zulus and Pondos only a few miles from the Durban area. Press reports said: “At least 58 people died in a Christmas Day battle between 2000 Zulus and 3000 Pondos.” Not far from the convention site, there was another incident during the convention itself. A mob of blacks, armed with knobkerries (clubs), attacked Indians relaxing on a beach, causing panic.

Convention Joys and Thrills

In Johannesburg the attendances from the start far exceeded expectations. In the English hall 6,000 seats were set out but 8,942 attended. Many brought their own folding-chairs. For the first day the combined attendance for the two conventions was 59,996; for the final session an amazing 77,830! The food service, too, was overwhelmed at first and ran short of supplies.

But there was no shortage of spiritual food. The fine Scriptural talks, the serious and heart-searching admonition to keep integrity in these evil times, the special counsel for the young folks, the thrilling dramas that brought tears to the eyes of many, were all deeply appreciated.

It was thrilling for all racial groups to meet and hear the delegates from other countries. Their messages of love and unity from their brothers at home were applauded with great enthusiasm. Members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who attended both conventions, gave spirited talks that were a joy to all. Then there was the release of new publications. It was thrill after thrill!

The baptism was a real highlight. In Johannesburg, judging from previous results, it was expected that some 400 would be immersed. But, instead, 921 new Witnesses symbolized their dedication to Jehovah by baptism. For them and for the large crowd that witnessed this multiracial baptism, it was an experience they will never forget. A large group of black Witnesses spontaneously singing Kingdom songs in harmony added further radiance to the occasion. The total baptized at the two conventions was 1,363.

Appreciation and Gratitude

The conventions gave the Witnesses the rare opportunity of mingling freely regardless of race. For example, in Johannesburg, because of the huge crowds, children were sometimes separated from parents. One night a few black children were left behind. They were handed over to white Witnesses staying in trailers nearby. Lovingly, the children were bathed, fed, and put to bed. Next morning they were handed back to their grateful parents!

White Witnesses helped five black congregations of East London by arranging for a special train to take them to Durban and back. On arrival the train was shunted into a siding near the convention site. It was allowed to remain there, and its several carriages became their accommodations for the whole period​—very convenient and much appreciated!

A bomb scare at the Durban convention site brought a state security officer to investigate. It was a false alarm. Later he said to a white Witness: “I’m so impressed with the way you people promote peace. I heard you say ‘brother’ to that black man there. You people know how to do it.” After the convention, the ground manager of King’s Park said to the convention overseer: “I’m impressed with the thoroughness of your organization. No other organization leaves the stadium as clean as you do. I never have any doubt that it will be returned spick and span.”

In Johannesburg black security guards were also very happy with the peaceful atmosphere. One said: “We’ve never had such an easy job during such a large gathering.”

For many blacks at the Johannesburg convention it was their first time ever to associate with white Witnesses. Commented a black elder: “It was an absolute thrill.” “I’m very, very happy,” remarked a black Witness from Zambia. “I’ve never attended such a convention in my life.” It was a living example of Jesus’ words: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”​—John 13:35.

The contrast between local unrest and Christian peace and unity was striking. To express publicly their appreciation and determination to do even better in the future, the following declaration was read and enthusiastically accepted at both conventions.

“We, Jehovah’s Witnesses attending the ‘Integrity Keepers’ conventions at Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa, on December 26-29, 1985, wish to express our deep gratitude to Jehovah, our heavenly Father, for such a rich spiritual feast of enlightenment and encouragement. We warmly appreciate the presence of the delegates from 24 other countries, who demonstrate the love and unity of the worldwide brotherhood of Jehovah’s people. We are grateful that in spite of serious problems and unrest in this country, as in other countries also, our conventions have proceeded peacefully, and we delight to have fellowship with our brothers and sisters of all the major racial and language groups of South Africa. We are determined to strengthen the bonds of love and association, irrespective of race or colour, to press on with increased zeal with the preaching of the good news of the Kingdom in this troubled land, and to maintain our integrity to the honour of Jehovah’s name.”

To most people today, the future looks grim and hopeless. But not to Jehovah’s Witnesses. With the light of Bible prophecy shining ever brighter, they can see the end of this wicked system of things fast approaching. To survive that cataclysm into the new system under God’s Kingdom will be a privilege even greater than that of Noah and his family who survived the Flood. (Zephaniah 2:3) Would you like to be among the survivors? Then join the happy international brotherhood now worshipping the only true God, Jehovah.

“And it must occur in the final part of the days that the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, and it will certainly be lifted up above the hills; and to it all the nations must stream. And many peoples will certainly go and say: ‘Come, you people, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths.’”​—Isaiah 2:2, 3.

[Pictures on page 7]

Top: Two full-time ministers​—the black witness is 101 years of age

Bottom: African delegates in colourful garb

[Picture on page 8]

Delegates enjoying a session at the Durban convention

[Pictures on page 9]

Top: New arrivals carrying their luggage, African style

Bottom left: Carrying her baby, African style

Bottom right: One lends support as the other checks his case

[Picture on page 10]

Total baptized, 1,363

[Picture on page 11]

Two Japanese conventioners rejoice with their fellow Witnesses

Why People Smoke, Why They Shouldn’t

The African famine grabbed the headlines in 1985, but it was cigarette smoking that killed over two million people. The famine made a big splash and roused the world to action, but smoking made hardly a ripple on the pond. To end the use of tobacco would be the biggest “drug bust” of all time, but do not hold your breath waiting for it to happen. Powerful forces are working against it.

SMOKING has become a global epidemic. Over a billion people smoke five trillion cigarettes a year. In 1964 the United States surgeon general, C. Everett Koop, warned of the dangers of smoking. Since then, the percentage of American smokers has decreased, but the use of tobacco has increased by 20 percent. Tobacco use worldwide has grown 75 percent. It is at epidemic levels in developed countries and growing explosively in developing nations. Diseases linked to smoking claim millions of lives each year. Five percent of the deaths in the world are tobacco related. Tobacco’s yearly death toll in Europe and the United States is 20 percent of total deaths. In Canada it is 17 percent of adult deaths.

The crowning irony and tragedy of all of this is the truth concerning smoking stated by WHO (World Health Organization): “The most important preventable health problem in the world.” So why do people continue to smoke and reap tobacco’s deadly harvest? Why they shouldn’t is obvious. Why they do goes a little deeper.

A heavily documented report on smoking released in January of this year by the Worldwatch Institute in Washington, D.C., supplies the above information, and much more. “Tobacco kills 13 times as many Americans as hard drugs do,” it said, “and eight times as many as automobile accidents.” It takes more American lives every year than were lost in World War II. The Worldwatch report also observed: “Governments conduct paramilitary operations against marijuana or opium production or transport, but not tobacco, a far deadlier crop.”

The more science learns, the more tobacco’s deadliness is revealed. Every year over two million smokers die of heart disease, lung cancer, and emphysema. A smoker’s heart works harder than a nonsmoker’s. It averages eight to ten more beats per minute during the day and three to five more during sleep. Research published in the magazine Science stated: “Cigarette smoking is the major single known cause of cancer mortality in the United States, and tobacco’s contribution to all cancer deaths is estimated to be 30 percent.” Most of this 30 percent is from lung cancer. In South Africa a smoker’s 90-cigarette-a-day addiction damaged his optic nerve and left him blind​—a victim of tobacco amblyopia.

Liberated to Enslavement?

The modern woman, now liberated, is smoking more and reaping more of the harvest. Breast cancer used to be the biggest killer of American women​—now it is lung cancer. It has skyrocketed 500 percent since 1950; it killed over 38,000 women last year. Heart disease is also catching up with women. Smoking taxes the heart and the circulatory system, and every year 800,000 women have either heart attacks or strokes. Women with chronic bronchitis who smoke have the dubious distinction of now outnumbering men by one million cases. Chemicals in cigarette smoke cause genetic damage that could initiate cancer in pregnant women and in their fetuses. Modern woman liberated? Liberated to enslavement by tobacco, perhaps, along with her male peers?

To minimize the dangers, some smokers switch from cigarettes to pipe or cigars. Last December the Journal of the American Medical Association sent that dream up in smoke. The tobacco used in pipes and cigars contains more nicotine, more cancerous tars, and produces more dangerous carbon monoxide gas than that used in cigarettes. Surveys show that many, especially teenagers, believe that smokeless tobacco is a safe alternative to cigarettes. Not so. Last year in the United States a 19-year-old man died from oral cancer. Before a congressional subcommittee, his mother said he started using snuff at age 12, but he refused to quit because smokeless tobacco carried no warning label and athletes advertised it.

Whether you chew or suck on moist snuff held between cheek and gum (called dipping), you are asking for oral cancer, gum disease, and nicotine addiction. Cancer develops where the tobacco touches cheek and gum, and the malignancy often spreads to other parts of the body. Smokeless tobacco contains 20 or more cancer-causing nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The Worldwatch report said that over the last 20 years the use of chewing tobacco and snuff increased 40 percent, with a corresponding increase in oral cancer.

Victims of Others’ Smoke

Tobacco users endanger not only their own health but also that of others. More than ten studies last year showed that passive smoking​—inhaling the smoke from the cigarettes of others—​caused lung cancer in the nonsmoking spouses of smokers. Research in Japan, West Germany, Greece, and the United States indicates that “spouses of smokers are two or three times more likely to get lung cancer than those of nonsmokers.” One study “estimated that passive smoking in the United States causes more cancer deaths than all regulated industrial air pollutants combined.” Canadian scientists have reported that there is no safe level for secondhand smoke. It contains “over 50 known carcinogens and 3,800 chemical compounds.” One medical journal said: “The more smokers one has lived with, the higher one’s risk of cancer.”

And it is more than the puffing of smoke that pollutes the air of others. Between puffs the unfiltered smoke curls upward from cigarettes held in hands or sitting in ashtrays. This sidestream smoke accounts for 85 percent of the smoke in a room with smokers. It contains such irritants as formaldehyde, ammonia, acrolein, nitrous oxide, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter. It increases the carcinogens inhaled by nearby nonsmokers by 50 times.

Children with parents who smoke have more colds, influenza, bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia. Learning ability is damaged in children of mothers who smoke. Studies have shown that they read more slowly and in school may lag several months behind the children of nonsmokers. Mothers who smoke give birth to underweight babies twice as often as nonsmoking mothers do. In India, 39 percent of the women chew tobacco. Underweight babies are the result. The Harvard Medical School Health Letter of July last year ended its article on the dangers of passive smoking, titled “The Last Gasp?,” with this statement: “And smoking adults should realize that when they light up in the presence of infants they are engaging in a not-so-mild form of child abuse.” And the abuse of everyone else around them!

Why Do People Start?

In view of all of this, why do people ever start smoking? Most of the recruits now come from among teenagers. They are special targets of tobacco advertising, in spite of company denials. These companies don’t go after youth in so many words, but their approach is subtle and successful. As one cartoonist mimicked about their ads: “We tobacco companies don’t want you kids to smoke unless you want to seem like adults.” Their ads are packed with the favorite lures of youth: sports cars, hang gliders, surfers, cowboys, athletes, macho men and seductive women​—all young and beautiful fun-people frolicking in the great outdoors. A more honest setting would be hospitals and funeral parlors​—but that wouldn’t sell cigarettes.

Mariel Hemingway, an idol to many young people, is disturbed at seeing teenagers smoke. She said: “I guess it’s a rebellion sort of thing, but it’s so stupid. Whenever I see young people smoking I can’t help myself from saying, ‘How in the world do you smoke? You grew up in a society where you knew it was a killer!’” To smoke, however, is to be with the in crowd​—cool, grown-up, sophisticated. By smoking, teenagers feel independent, whereas in fact they are capitulating to peer pressure. They are also being manipulated by the tobacco companies. The companies know that their future is with the youth. If youths can be made addicts in their teens, they will likely be good customers for life.

Federal law in the United States already bans cigarette advertising on television and radio, but last December the American Medical Association pushed to “extend the ban to all other tobacco products and all other media.” Immediately, protesting cries rose up from the tobacco, advertising, and publishing industries. Their rights of free commercial speech under the First Amendment would be violated! Having failed to refute the health, youth, and addiction issues, some companies now create a new one: their civil rights and those of the smoker. For example, Philip Morris argues: “Today, tolerance for my smoking may be under attack. Tomorrow, it may be tolerance for someone else’s right to pray or choose a place to live.” The right they are really concerned about is their “right” to make money pushing dope.

Why So Hard to Stop?

Tobacco contains nicotine. Nicotine is a drug. It gives a high. It is also addictive. Cigarette companies deny this, but the U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Koop, points to Dr. William Pollin, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, who said that “nicotine is the most addictive drug in our society.”

A billion smokers are hooked on nicotine. Few will acknowledge it. ‘I can quit any time I want to,’ are the cheap words used as a psychological salve. Once hooked, it is traumatic to get unhooked. Millions try, many succeed, even more fail. Last December, in a study on tobacco and health, the U.S. surgeon general reported on a 1980 study that found that 60 percent of U.S. smokers made a determined effort to stop smoking. More than 80 percent of them, however, relapsed within a year.

Quitting is no picnic, but it is worth the struggle. So do it. Do it for yourself, for your self-esteem, for your health, for your children’s health. Do it also for the comfort and health of those around you. This latter reason is important if you consider yourself a Christian. You are to love your neighbor. It is hardly loving to pollute his air with your poisonous smoke. (Matthew 7:12; 22:39) That is why users of tobacco who become Jehovah’s Witnesses quit the habit, and Witnesses who once sold tobacco products no longer dispense them.

There is no easy way to quit. If you smoke, you are a drug user trying to maintain a nicotine high. Those who have quit know nicotine withdrawal is no easy matter. Yet the millions of tobacco-related cases of illness and death every year are powerful incentives to quit. But for the majority of smokers these incentives are not as powerful as the addiction impelling them to continue. The habitual intake of nicotine, recent scientific research shows, is comparable to the use of amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin. Nicotine “meets the technical criteria of an addictive drug in laboratory studies by affecting brain wave function, altering mood and serving as a biological reward [the nicotine high] that elicits certain behavior from both laboratory animals and human volunteers.”

When smokers were given ammonium chloride, kidney excretion of nicotine increased sixfold. They compensated by smoking 20 percent more cigarettes and thus replenished the nicotine their system craved. An article in Science News showed that concerned smokers who switch to low-tar cigarettes “compensate by inhaling deeper and taking bigger puffs.” The article said that “this self-regulation of nicotine levels may be more evidence that nicotine leads to physical dependence.” Interestingly, laboratory studies have shown that getting nicotine intravenously also gives the high and thereby removes the need to smoke.

What is the best way to break the tobacco habit? These quotes from the February 1986 issue of the magazine Health reflect the general opinion: “Self-motivation is the only thing that will save a smoker.” “There’s no magic pill to make you quit or keep you off cigarettes.” “People quit smoking every day​—even those most addicted to nicotine and the habit.” “Going ‘cold turkey’ [quitting abruptly] never killed anybody, and it appears to be the best way to kick smoking.” “In the final analysis, most cessation experts advise trying to give the habit one swift kick: Go cold turkey, and throw out the ashtrays. When the urge for a cigarette rises, walk the dog, take a run, take a warm bath, go shopping. In other words, ‘do anything but smoke!’”

If you smoke and want to quit, listen to these voices of experience. If that isn’t enough, give heed to the more important voice of Christ Jesus, who said: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) Quit because you love yourself, and quit because you love your neighbor as yourself.

[Box on page 16]

An editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association said the following about what it called Tobaccoism:

“As a society, we have not awakened to the seriousness of the tobacco health hazard. We must realize that tobaccoism is the most deadly drug addiction in the United States today and that it is exacting a heavier toll in lives and dollars than cocaine, heroin, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, traffic accidents, murder, and terrorist attacks combined.”

After calling attention to the expenditure of a billion dollars a year on the war on cancer, it states: “What is missing is a parallel war on the causes of cancer. . . . It is currently estimated that the citizens of this country are losing their lives to tobaccoism at the rate of 1,000 per day.”

To fight the war on tobaccoism and its blight of “cancer, emphysema, and cardiovascular disease,” the editorial recommended: “The goal is to eventually derive tax income from tobacco sales that equals the cost to society of tobacco use. If it is costing our society and our economy (all of us) more than $2.60 for each package of cigarettes, then those who wish to smoke should be required to pay their way. . . . A significant reduction of the federal subsidization of the growing of tobacco should be sought. . . . Warning labels must be placed on all tobacco products. . . . All tobacco advertising must be removed from the public media. . . . Celebrities and moviemakers should be discouraged from glamorizing tobacco use.”

The editorial concludes: “I believe that it is time for clear vision and courage. The lines are drawn. The bugle call is sounding.”​—JAMA, April 11, 1986.

[Picture on page 13]

EUROPEAN/​U.S. DEATHS 20% DUE TO SMOKING

CANADIAN DEATHS 17% DUE TO SMOKING

WORLD DEATHS 5% DUE TO SMOKING

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Smokers, imprisoned by nicotine addiction, make innocent victims suffer too

I Heard God’s Name and Forgot About My Own

I WAS working hard to make a name for myself. I went to college. I majored in dramatics and radiobroadcasting. I was determined to become an actor. The war came along, and I was put in special services. I wrote, directed, and was master of ceremonies of army shows. In 1946 I was honorably discharged, and I moved to Hollywood where I had a contract with RKO studios. But I found acting too quiet for me, too dull.

So I tried working as a comedian. In front of live audiences, making people laugh​—this was more like it! Good things started happening to me. Just five years out of the army and I’d toured the country with Harry James as his comedian. I’d worked every leading supper club on the West Coast and the Flamingo and Sahara hotels in Las Vegas. I was pleased with myself. I’d come far in five years and was really making a name for myself!

Then came October 1951. It changed everything. I heard another name and forgot about making a name for myself. I was booked as comedian on the number one television show on the West Coast. On that show was a minister. I asked what religion he was. “I’m one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

“Would you repeat that?” I asked.

“Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

“Would you say it more slowly?”

“J-e-h-o-v-a-h-’s W-i-t-n-e-s-s-e-s.”

I’d never heard the name Jehovah before. I invited this man and his wife to my house. That night my wife and I found out something very startling: God has a name! And that name is Jehovah! We learned that it was a name to be honored, sanctified, and made known. (Isaiah 43:10-12) We started going around asking everyone if they knew what God’s name was.

I witnessed to customers in the clubs where I worked. One man showed interest, was always asking questions. Once he said to me:

“You know, I like most religious people, but there’s one group I can’t stand.”

“Who’s that?” I asked.

“Jehovah’s Witnesses!”

“Oh? Any particular reason?”

“Well, just different things I’ve heard.”

“Tell you what. The Bible says we have to be fair. Next time one of the Witnesses comes to your door, invite him in. Tell him what you’ve heard. See what he says. That’s the logical thing to do. Would you do that as a personal favor to me?”

He agreed, and soon after, I left to work in Las Vegas. Three years later I was at an assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and a big man wearing a chef’s hat came out of the kitchen and grabbed me in a bear hug.

“Remember me?” he said.

“You look familiar.”

“Remember at the club here in the valley you would tell me about the Bible, and you said the next time a Witness came to my door to invite him in? Well, I did, I studied with him, and now I’m a baptized Witness!”

Three years earlier when I’d first talked to him, informal witnessing was all I had ever done. But since then both my wife and I had been baptized and were pioneering (preaching full-time in the field ministry). This experience impressed upon me the importance of informal witnessing.​—2 Timothy 4:2.

Later, in 1957, we were assigned to Lakeview, a town of 3,000 in Oregon. The first day I arrived in town I went to see the city attorney.

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Yes. I understand that our ministers aren’t allowed to preach in this town.”

“Are you one of Jehovah’s Witnesses?”

“Yes, I am. In fact, I have some court decisions sent to me by Hayden Covington, the Watchtower Society’s attorney. I’d like for you to look them over.”

He did so, picked up the telephone in my presence, dialed a number. “Father? Jehovah’s Witnesses will be going from house to house. There’s no way we can stop them.”

We started working from door to door, and I also had one of the Society’s films, The New World Society in Action, which I showed in the churches in Lakeview. The minister of one of these churches came to our trailer one evening. “You’re upsetting my town!” he complained. He started following me from house to house. One evening I was at the home of a man, reading to him from his own King James Bible. Well, this preacher comes barging in.

“I see the Devil’s here ahead of me!” he said to the man. Spotting the Bible in my hand, he quickly added: “Hey! That book, it’s from the Devil too!”

“Are you talking about this Bible I have in my hand?” I asked.

He turned on me. “Yes! That’s what I’m talking about!” He assumed that I was using the New World Translation.

I looked at the man of the house. “You see how he feels about the Bible?”

“Please leave,” the man said to him. The preacher left.

We served in Lakeview for a year and a half. There were 7 Witnesses in the congregation when we arrived, 47 when we moved on to our next assignment. In 1958 we arrived in Mt. Shasta, California, and had the privilege of starting a new congregation there.

In 1960 we moved on to Redding, California, where there was a congregation of about a hundred Witnesses. The very first Sunday I was there, a sister challenged me during the meeting, saying I had misapplied a scripture. I was not tactful, I’m sorry to say. I referred to the Bible text that said a woman was not to teach in the congregation. (1 Timothy 2:12) This sister and two others walked out, slamming the door behind them.

After the meeting was over, I had a brother contact them to see if they would meet with me that evening. When they arrived I said:

“The congregation records show that you sisters are very active. Now, I’m new here, and I need all the help I can get. I have a list of about 50 Witnesses who are inactive. You sisters know these people. I’d like to assign you to call on them, tell them we are trying to make a new start here, and see if you can’t reactivate them. The three of you work hard and do well in teaching. I think you can help these families. Would you be willing to try?”

Nothing was said about the incident during the meeting that morning. They went to work, and soon the congregation was growing. Within a year we had 100 publishers in our congregation, plus over 50 in a new congregation in Anderson.

During the years that followed, I was sent to many different congregations to serve. Experience taught me one thing: Be kind and considerate to people. Be tactful. (Proverbs 15:1; Galatians 6:1; Titus 3:2) Especially in going from door to door, make friends, not enemies. So I listen to what people say and respond accordingly.

For example, one time the woman who answered my knock said:

“I have my own church.”

“You know what I appreciate about that?” I said. “It means you believe the Bible. You doubtless pray the Lord’s Prayer, and in it you ask for God’s will to be done on earth. We’ve had enough of man’s will, haven’t we? We want God’s will done. Now, what is his will for us? That’s the important question for us, isn’t it?” We talked about that for 20 minutes.

At another door a man said: “I’m Catholic.”

“You know what I really appreciate about Catholics?” I asked.

“What?”

“They pray the ‘Our Father’ Prayer. It’s a wonderful prayer: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.’ Let me show you something interesting about that name.” I was able to do so.

Many times people say: “I’m busy.”

“I’m glad you’re busy. You know why? God loves busy people. I’m busy myself. I have two journals here made especially for busy people. The articles are short and to the point. I leave the two of them on a contribution of 40 cents. I know you’ll enjoy reading them.”

In other words, whatever a person brings up, I respond to it. I don’t ignore it, I use it. It helps me to ‘know how I ought to answer each one.’​—Colossians 4:6.

In 1964 I had a very unusual experience in Montgomery, Alabama. Jehovah’s Witnesses were to have a convention in the Coliseum. Before it was to take place, protesters carrying derogatory signs paraded in front of the Kingdom Hall. The story had circulated that Jehovah’s Witnesses were going to break the law by trying to force integration at their convention. The Society instructed us to contact the city officials. Two of us got an appointment with Governor Wallace. When ushered into his office, we introduced ourselves and said:

“We are Jehovah’s Witnesses and feel that trouble might be brewing for us at our convention at the Coliseum. Stories are being circulated that we are going to try to break the law by trying to force integration . . . ” That’s as far as we got.

“Wait a minute,” Governor Wallace interrupted us. He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out the Society’s New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures and copies of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines.

“My grandaunt is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses,” he said. “She’s one of the anointed.” He called into his office a colonel in charge of public safety and instructed him to see to it that there would be no trouble at the Coliseum. We had one of the quietest assemblies ever.​—Romans 13:4.

In our more than 30 years of full-time service, we have had many blessings. Our two boys pioneered while in high school, then served at the Brooklyn world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Upon leaving there, they worked full-time in the field ministry. Later one of our sons, Jim, died in an accident. We take comfort in the hope that, through the resurrection, we will see him again right here on earth. Our other son, Gary, is still pioneering.

My wife Marilyn and I are now living in Panama City Beach, Florida. Both of us are still full-time preachers of the good news, and from time to time I have the privilege of being used as a traveling representative of the Watchtower Society. Our joy has been in seeing Jehovah’s family of worshipers on earth grow to become millions, and we rejoice that we have been used to bring Kingdom truth to over 200 families. Surely, there is no work like Jehovah’s work!

How happy I am that back in October 1951 someone told us about the name of Jehovah and that we have had such a fine share in making it known to others!​—As told by James Kennedy.

“That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.”​—Psalm 83:18, King James Version

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That night we found out something very startling: God has a name!

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“I see the Devil’s here ahead of me!”

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Experience taught me one thing: Be kind and considerate to people. Be tactful

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Whatever a person brings up, I respond to it. I don’t ignore it, I use it

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I thoroughly enjoy presenting the Awake! in my preaching work

Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Help Grown-Ups Understand Me?

“THE familiar old enemy of so many parents​—the ‘generation gap’—​is not the real barrier between parents and teenagers.” So claim the authors of the book The Private Life of the American Teenager. But if not the “generation gap,” what is the barrier as they see it? “The real problem is one that occurs in every human relationship​—failure to talk, listen, and try to understand another’s point of view.”

This was the problem Inge, a young German girl, and her parents had. “From the very outset, I rejected my parents and built up a barrier between us,” she admits. Today she would proceed differently. “I would try to put myself in their position,” she says, “to find out what they think.” Why this change in attitude? Because Inge now realizes that the best way for young people to help grown-ups understand them is for them to try to understand grown-ups. But you may wonder how this can be done.

Talk!

Communication is the key to understanding because without it you cannot know what others are thinking. What is even more important, you cannot know why they think as they do. But communication is a two-way street. A German magazine article entitled “Sometimes the Only Thing Lacking Is Just a Little Understanding” says that “young people must confide in their parents more.” At the same time, it advises parents “to get to know their children better.”

Confiding in your parents means conveying your thoughts to them in a frank and open way. You should be specific about what you think or feel, without being blunt or tactless. By asking questions, not in a challenging way, but with genuine interest, you will be able to draw them out. Have you ever thought, for example, of asking them​—or other grown-ups—​what they would suggest in helping you to choose worthwhile friends or beneficial goals in life? “Counsel in the heart of a man is as deep waters,” says Proverbs 20:5, “but the man of discernment is one that will draw it up.” You might be amazed at what you can learn from other people​—yes, even from grown-ups. But first of all, you must talk.

Let Amy’s experience illustrate. She relates: “I’ll never forget when I was around fifteen, I told my mother I didn’t believe in God. That must have hurt her deeply because she’s a very religious person. But instead of condemning me, she asked me why and we talked about it for an hour.” Although still not a Christian, Amy today admits: “Since that time I’ve changed my views slightly, but I really admired her for not getting excited and blowing up. Maybe she knew I’d come around.”

‘Fine,’ you may say, ‘if my parents would show that kind of understanding, there would be no problem.’ Remember, however, that grown-ups have their limitations too. Larry, a concerned father, candidly admitted: “I find it extremely difficult to show my children the love and understanding I know I should, because I never experienced it while I was growing up. I simply don’t know how to go about it.”

So if this should be true in your family, try to make it easier for your parents. Take the initiative. Show love and understanding to them, and in most cases they will sooner or later show more love and understanding to you. This is because love is contagious. The Bible says about God: “We love, because he first loved us.”​—1 John 4:19.

Karen, 17, learned that this is true. She says: “I don’t think most kids give parents a fair break. It’s tough to be a parent and sometimes we have to help.” This means making an effort to communicate, something not always easy to do. “It took patience on my part,” she admits. But for her it paid off; it can for you too.

Listen and Learn!

Talking is important, listening is even more so. The Christian disciple James admonishes each one to “be swift about hearing, slow about speaking.” (James 1:19) “Hearing,” of course, means more than just hearing words; it means understanding thoughts.

So if you care to share your feelings and opinions with grown-ups, do so, not for the purpose of argumentation but for the purpose of listening and learning. When opinions differ, ask yourself why. ‘Has the person I’m speaking to had experiences I have not? Does he know things I do not? If so, what? Has his environment, education, or background been different from mine? In what respects?’ This may help you to be more receptive to learning from others.

After all, that’s what life should be​—a continual process of learning. It involves constantly adjusting ones views, opinions, and ideas, as well as keeping an open mind. If you are already in your 20’s, you know this to be true, and you will most likely agree that some of your views as a teenager have changed considerably now that you are older. It has been observed that the person who never changes is probably already “dead” and just hasn’t noticed it. So do not “die” before your time.

Improve!

“Become an example,” an older man counseled a young friend almost 2,000 years ago, “in speaking, in conduct, in love, in faith, in chasteness.” This grown-up, the Christian apostle Paul, was interested in Timothy’s welfare. By becoming a fine example and by fleeing “the desires incidental to youth,” Timothy would become a person others could easily understand and accept.​—1 Timothy 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:22.

All of us​—young and old—​can learn from this. If we yearn for acceptance and understanding, we should not demand it on the basis of “you’ll have to take me just as I am.” We should be willing to make positive changes in personality and behavior so that people will want to accept us.

So if there are certain areas in your life that are a constant source of misunderstanding with grown-ups​—your dress or grooming, your choice of friends or recreation—​at least be willing honestly to consider suggestions for change from persons older and more experienced than you. This will help you to “file off the rough edges” and will make out of you a person that grown-ups will find it difficult not to love and admire.

Finding Real Understanding

Be assured that there really are grown-ups who care. Just ask Robert, a young man from the Federal Republic of Germany. In a letter to the Watchtower Society, written while he was still a teenager, he said: “I grew up having difficulties in everything I did. It took forever to finish my homework. I could not concentrate. I had no friends and no confidence in my parents. I was disobedient and disorderly. Once I tried to commit suicide. Then I became acquainted with Jehovah’s Witnesses. What a blessing! I have learned to take an honest look at myself and at others. I have discovered the most beautiful thing there is​—love.”

In your search for love and understanding, you may experience disappointments. But do not give up. Keep at it, and you will find genuine friends, yes, even among grown-ups, particularly within the Christian congregation. You will find them to be like hidden treasures that, although at first unseen, shine all the brighter once they have been uncovered.

And as Robert discovered, learning about Jehovah God and striving to maintain an intimate relationship with him will be to your real advantage. When misunderstood by humans, you will feel free to “throw your burden upon Jehovah” in prayer. He is a friend who always understands. Unlike some people you may know, he will never be too busy to listen to your problems, however trivial they may appear to be. He will never give you only divided attention. He will never interrupt you with a long sermon. Best of all, he will respond. His comforting promise is that “he himself will sustain you.”​—Psalm 55:22.

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Be willing to talk . . . and quick to listen

A Letter From the Mother of an Unborn Child

I AM 37 years old, married, with three beautiful children. Sixteen years ago I was positioned on a kitchen table while life was taken away from a person no one will ever know.

That person had only existed three and a half months. I guess the only friend that person had was Jehovah God. (Psalm 139:13-16) It seemed no one else wanted it.

At that time, 16 years ago, I was a college student, working part-time and living on my own in a large city on the West Coast. I had the dream of “being somebody” among all the “beautiful people.”

I had great plans for my future. A child just did not fit into my life-style. The father of the child suggested an abortion, and neither of us talked about any alternative. I refused to think about what we were actually taking​—the life of a living soul. Not once did I consider what God thought of it.​—Exodus 21:22, 23; Romans 14:12.

Of course, abortion at that time was not “legalized.” The father of the child heard about some doctor that was moonlighting doing abortions.

So there I was in my boyfriend’s apartment letting this man take away the “inconvenience” that had entered my life. I refused to deal with the reality of the situation and was, therefore, able to cope quite well mentally. Physically, all did not go so well. I ended up with an internal infection that in three days left me delirious with fever. After seeking real medical attention, I recovered unscathed.

Or so I thought. Who knows what hardening my heart enough to commit that terrible crime did to my personality?

I haven’t shared this morbid part of my past with my husband. (It was many years afterward that we met.) I don’t know if it would serve any purpose to tell him. At the time of my learning the truth (over ten years ago) I sought Jehovah’s forgiveness for all the sins I had practiced, including taking the life of my unborn child. I trust that He has extended His mercy through Jesus’ sacrifice to cover over my sins. Since my life has been cleaned up by applying what I’ve learned from His Word the Bible, I do not make a practice of flagrant sin. But I may never be able to forgive myself.​—1 John 1:7.

If I had killed my own child when he or she was a few months old, 6 years old, 20 years old, he or she would at least have the hope of a resurrection in God’s new system. (Luke 23:43; Revelation 20:12, 13) But this baby was never born, never breathed a first breath. I stole that life and any possibility of that life existing again. There is no undoing what has been done.

The older I get, the more often this memory haunts me. All these years I never let myself think about it. Whenever the memory came to mind I just didn’t let myself continue thinking about it. I mentally “changed the subject” immediately. I can’t do that anymore. It is truly a torturous heartache living with this ever-present guilt. That baby never had a chance to be loved by anyone. Maybe there is even one baby out there that will.

That is why I am writing all these things that have been kept inside for years. If someone who is contemplating abortion happens to read this letter, perhaps she will change her mind and let that life continue living. Let that child have the chance to live and be loved. There are thousands of people who would love to adopt a child. Besides that, later, when it finally hits your heart and conscience, you won’t have to be facing the fact that you murdered your own child. You may not feel the guilt now; but you will some day. And it never goes away!​—Isaiah 1:18; 55:6, 7.

With deep regret,

The Mother of the Unborn Child

Can You Close the Generation Gap?

PARENTS around the world are disturbed by a trend they see in their children. As they grow up they often grow away from the parents. A generation gap forms that is hard​—and in some cases impossible—​to bridge. Perhaps you have seen this problem and have become concerned about it.

Why the Gap?

No doubt you will agree that parents and children just do not talk to one another as much as they could. Why? One observation made by the Japanese government is that while children spend two hours watching television each day, they spend only 25 minutes talking with their fathers and 40 minutes with their mothers.

Another reason is that in many families, because of economic pressures, both parents have to work at a secular job to make ends meet. This means less time to spend with their children. As a result, parents and children can become strangers even though living in the same house. Sometimes, even when an effort to communicate is made, it seems to take the wrong direction because of a lack of understanding. As one newspaper editorial pointed out, parents frequently just bark orders, such as, “Study hard” or, “Keep your desk-top in order.” But, in itself, this neither builds up a person nor bridges the generation gap.

How to Close the Gap

In Canada a man who has counseled many troubled teenagers advised: “The best treatment for [shy teenagers] is a parent who is available to listen, listen, listen.” Even the Bible counsels to be “swift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrath.” (James 1:19) Often a parent makes the mistake of cutting his child off with an irritated, “Quiet down!” or, “You’re bothering me!” If a child feels he is going to be put down every time he tries to speak, he will gradually stop coming to his parents. A communication gap is bound to develop.

On the other hand, perhaps some project could be planned and done together as a family, such as taking care of home repairs, redecorating a room, painting a neglected area, or cultivating plants in the yard. There is no need to wait till there is a huge project to tackle. Often it could be something as simple as cooking with mother or repairing a broken appliance with father. What is important is that what is done gets parents and children involved together. This, in turn, creates an atmosphere for conversation. But be careful not to be overly critical of your children’s work or expect too much of them.

Of course, a child may prefer to play with his friends who are his own age, but here is where the child must sacrifice for the sake of closing or preventing a generation gap. Parents also will have to give up some of their time. This may mean a sacrifice, yet such is far more important than any material thing a parent could give his or her child.

Where Can Help Come From?

Since the early part of a child’s life is spent almost exclusively with his parents, you certainly do not want to waste these precious formative years.

However, you may feel somewhat at a loss as to how and what to teach your children. Many parents have found that the Bible is the source of the finest instruction known to man. Using the Bible, you can help your child to develop high moral principles, industriousness, self-control, respect for authority, and many other fine qualities. Today, millions of parents earth wide who follow the Bible in training their children have realized the truth of Proverbs 22:6, which says: “Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.”

But how can parents acquaint their youngsters with the Bible? While children are young, it is quite easy to read things together, such as the Bible. Time spent this way will be most rewarding, as children often begin to talk freely, thereby building mutual trust and confidence.

Children enjoy stories. The Bible is full of these. An excellent publication that can help parents and children to become acquainted with the Bible is My Book of Bible Stories, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. With many large, colorful illustrations, this book covers in chronological order the main events recorded in the Bible.

Another fine educational aid distributed by Jehovah’s Witnesses is the book entitled Listening to the Great Teacher. It has 46 short chapters designed to be read with young children, teaching youngsters vital principles to assist them in life. Here are just a few of the chapters: “Obedience Protects You,” “Two Persons Who Did Not Tell the Truth,” and “More Happiness in Giving.” Discussing this material with your children will help you, as well as your children, to understand the teachings of the Bible better.

Perhaps your children are in their teens. If so, the book Your Youth​—Getting the Best out of It can be a wonderful aid to you as a parent to have something to talk about with your teenagers. This book deals realistically with adolescent problems. Consider these chapters: “Growing Into Manhood,” “Moving Into Womanhood,” “What Kind of Friends Do You Want?” and “What Do You Want out of Life?”

We are not trying to say that merely reading such books is the total answer. But it is a start in the right direction. Parents can be assured that they are making a good effort. (Ephesians 6:4) The end result will be a more united family with a bright future prospect for both parents and children. Jehovah’s Witnesses will be glad to assist you in starting such a program in your home.​—John 17:3.

Armaments​—What Are They Costing?

TODAY’S military budgets of the nations boggle the mind. They also defy good sense, when you see that such expenditures for arms are given priority over the crying needs of humanity. The Bible foretold for this “time of the end” that a certain “king” (or ruling power) would devote its “gold” and “precious stone” (its resources or wealth) to glorifying “the god of fortresses” (militarism). Other powers follow suit. This blind commitment to armaments often deprives citizens of even the normal supply of consumer goods. Shortages and an ever-present lineup at stores become typical.​—Daniel 11:35-38.

Consider the costs of this frantic expenditure for armaments, as reported in the French journal Plus, March 30, 1985, published in Montreal, Canada.

◻ For every second that goes by, the nations of the world spend more than $37,000 (U.S.) on armaments.

◻ More than 50 million people are employed directly or indirectly in production of arms.

◻ In the United States of America, 62 cents of every research dollar spent is for military-related research, and 27 percent of all government expenditures is for defense purposes; even in Switzerland, more than 25 percent of all government spending is for defense.

◻ Of the 12 great arms-exporting nations, the Soviet Union and the United States account for 73 percent of all arms sales, France accounts for about 9 percent, and Canada in 1984 exported some $1.3 billion in military equipment.

Countries deeply in debt and having a difficult time paying back loans from other lands are among the big spenders for armaments.

◻ Out of more than $350 billion that Latin American nations owe to Western banks, almost $90 billion is devoted to military expenses.

◻ Peru, with a debt of some $13 billion, spent $4 billion for arms in 1983.

◻ Central American countries at war have seen their military expenditures grow by 50 percent between 1979 and 1983.

◻ Considering the economic situation with runaway inflation in some lands, the annual burden of cost per person for sustaining the military is staggering: Argentina, $210; Chile, $120; Venezuela, $67; Mexico, $19; Brazil, $17.

Imagine what a blessing and great relief it would be if this crushing burden of military spending would stop! However, the nations will not stop of their own volition. Only Jehovah the Almighty God can stop them, and he will. Here is his sure promise: “He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth,” yes, “He puts an end to war throughout the world,” even “burning vehicles of war with fire.”​—Psalm 46:9; The Psalms for Today, by R. K. Harrison.

These words are trustworthy and true because “the God who gives peace” cannot lie!​—Romans 16:20; Hebrews 6:18; Revelation 21:1-5.

From Our Readers

The Homosexual Life-Style

I wish to express much thanks for your publishing the article “The Homosexual Life-Style​—Just How Gay Is It?” (March 22, 1986) As one who was once a part of that life-style, I can honestly say that not only was it not gay but it was very painful. It was a struggle for me to change my thinking and my way of living, but following the admonition in Isaiah 48:17, 18 and the encouragement at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, coupled with the desire to please Jehovah God and to hate what is bad (and not myself), helped me to free myself. Anyone involved in a similar life-style can be “cured” only if he relies on Jehovah and wants to do what is right in his eyes.

C. G., California

I have homosexual feelings that are contrary to what Jehovah approves. I’ve been to my share of specialists, so-called Christian and non-Christian alike. They cannot understand why I do not simply give in to my desires. It’s simple​—I love Jehovah. Coping with these desires is very difficult​—sometimes it seems almost impossible—​but it can be done. The question I had to ask myself was: “Whom do I love more, Jehovah or myself?” I chose Jehovah. (Matthew 22:37) I am happier now, having kept my love and loyalty for Jehovah, than when I loved myself more. My message to those who fight those feelings is this: If you love God as you keep saying you do, you’ll learn to rely on his love and strength and not on your own love for pleasure.

C. J., Montana

Thank you for your article “The Homosexual Life-Style​—Just How Gay Is It?” Serving Jehovah, I now have a clean conscience, and I don’t worry anymore about the harmful effects and insecurities that I feared a few years ago. Your article reassured me that the gay life-style isn’t so gay and that true happiness is found by serving Jehovah God.

A. G., California

When Someone Dies

I have just finished reading “From Our Readers” on the subject “When Someone You Love Dies.” (December 22, 1985) My own son took his life a year ago, and I can tell you that the article itself (April 22, 1985) and also the responses from your readers has helped to do a major repair job in my heart. When I read the article of April 22, 1985, how the dam burst! I had been trying to keep a stiff upper lip, as it were, to show that my faith in our God was strong! What a mistake! In His great love and mercy, He showed me that, through your articles. I’m sure He was telling me to have a good cry. Thank you!

H. T., England

Cooking Spaghetti

I would like to express my appreciation for your article “Cooking Spaghetti Giulia’s Way.” (January 8, 1986) I have been living alone for the past seven years, and men are by tradition not very good cooks. Giulia’s special recipes of spaghetti and sauce have added two recipes to my menu. So, instead of spending time going through a cookbook, I can devote my time to more worthwhile things. It is always a pleasure to read your magazines.

M. S., Australia

Watching the World

Cancer-Cure Update

Is a cure for cancer closer than we think? South African Digest reports that a team of South African scientists has produced a unique antibody that is designed to “carry cancer-killing drugs directly to malignant tumours.” How? By programming these artificial antibodies to search through the body until they locate a specific cancer. Once the antibody has found its prey, it will destroy the tumor by “dumping” the lethal drug it is carrying. Like a “trained sniffer dog,” the antibody will not stop with the found tumor. It will continue its search to include any cancer that remains undiagnosed and penetrate it with more of the lifesaving drug.

Lifesaving Reflex

Is it possible to survive a prolonged drowning? Yes, thanks to a lifesaving reflex known as the “mammalian diving reflex,” reports the New York Daily News. Dr. Martin Nemiroff, a researcher with the University of Michigan, has discovered that humans have the same “mechanism” that enables seals to survive prolonged periods under water. Previously, it was believed that the brain died if without oxygen for more than four minutes. However, if a person is submerged under water that is less than 70 degrees Fahrenheit, this reflex is set off, slowing the flow of blood to all parts of the body except the brain. This explains why a three-year-old girl recently survived a 40-minute drowning. If resuscitation is administered immediately after a victim is pulled from the water, the brain and the body can be brought back to life. The reflex is said to work better on children than on adults.

Mexico’s Dog Dilemma

Traffic, smog, and overcrowding are not the only problems in Mexico City. According to Dr. Angellini de la Garza, an official with the Department of Public Health Administration, there are more than a million dogs in Mexico City, and the canine population is increasing at the rate of 20 percent each year! An additional 200,000 homeless dogs roam the city streets and are considered potential carriers of rabies and other diseases. An average of 12,000 dogs are eliminated from the city annually in an effort to decrease their population. But dogcatchers are often the target of attacks by those who oppose the animal’s removal, experiencing assaults that range from insults to being attacked with stones, sticks, or even firearms.

“Normal Reaction”?

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, “forcible rape” increased by 4 percent in the United States during 1985. New York City recorded the largest number of such rapes with 3,880 incidents reported, followed by Los Angeles with 2,318. Although authorities cite many factors as the cause, some experts maintain that “by their seductive behavior in dress, bodily movement and suggestive remarks, some women invite rape.” (The Globe and Mail, Toronto, Canada) One man charged with raping a 16-year-old girl was sentenced by a Wisconsin judge to probation. Why? The judge concluded that the rape occurred as a “normal reaction” to suggestive clothing.

Malpractice Hot Lines

With the fear of malpractice suits escalating among medical professionals, a new service is helping doctors in the United States determine whether a “prospective patient has ever filed a malpractice suit” or not. Changing Times reports on a telephone hot line, known as Physician’s Alert, that will screen prospective patients for a yearly fee of $150 plus $10 for each individual named. However, in response to this provision for doctors, a hot line has also been set up to assist patients who wish to know whether a doctor has ever been involved in a malpractice suit. The fee is $5. Neither service will reveal the outcome of a particular court case.

Smart Babies

Do babies have IQs? Independent studies reveal that they do. By testing their attention spans, researchers say they can measure the IQs of infants as young as six months, reports The Detroit News. These scores are said to match closely their scores on standardized IQ tests taken at four or five years of age. New York University researcher Marc Bornstein noted that infants whose parents consistently stimulate learning capacity score higher on IQ tests than do infants who are stimulated less often.

Teenage Abortions

The United States has the “highest pregnancy rate among unmarried teenagers of any industrialized nation,” notes an article in Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality. Approximately two thirds of these girls give birth. The remaining third terminate their pregnancy by abortion. Of the 450,000 abortions performed on teenagers, an estimated 15,000 are performed on girls under the age of 15. Repeated abortions are chosen by many of these young girls as a form of contraception, says the article. Statistics indicate that teenagers account for 28 percent of all abortions performed in the United States.

Books Are Better!

A study conducted by Dortmund University of Germany, involving 1,050 girls and boys aged 13 to 16, suggests that good pupils spend less time in front of a computer and the television. Why? Because they prefer “more contact with the western culture through the written word,” often holding a more reserved and skeptical view of modern technology and computers. In contrast, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports that “computer addicts” spend up to eight hours a day in front of a viewing screen. Some three to four hours of this time is spent with the computer while the rest is spent watching TV or video.

Pupil Violence Grows

Slashed car tires, smashed windscreens (windshields), arson, knifings, and shootings all figure in a survey taken among 4,000 of Britain’s schoolteachers reporting increased “pupil violence.” School authorities report that pupils are stabbing one another, youngsters have been thrown over balconies and even through plate-glass windows. The survey notes that one out of every 4 teachers has been the object of threats, one in 10 claims to have been the target of physical attack, and one out of every 25 has suffered assault. The violence has been aimed at both men and women with several female teachers reporting sexual harassment. School violence is “so serious,” reports The Times of London, “that in some areas there is almost open gang warfare.”

Troubled Translators

Each day, computers are becoming more capable of translating documents (technical material without literary adornment) from one language to another. Peter De Mauro, director of the translating section of the Xerox Corporation says they now produce “50,000 pages annually of English text translated to Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese with just a push of a button.” One such system, called Eurotra, costs 30 million dollars. However, “the intelligent machines are still having difficulty with seldom used words or words that carry a double meaning,” reports El Universal, a Mexican newspaper. For example, the term “anti-fire security” may mistakenly be translated to set the security on fire!

Sea Level Rising

Over the next century, coastline communities throughout the world may be facing a real threat, claim two geologists in a recent report published in the British journal Nature. According to their findings, carbon dioxide, released into the atmosphere through the increased burning of fuels, has caused a significant rise in the global sea level. Since this carbon dioxide prevents earth’s heat from escaping, the result is a “hothouse” condition or climatic warming that is believed to cause heat-induced swelling of the seas as well as the melting of mid-latitude glaciers. Although human intervention has, to some extent, slowed the annual rise in the global sea level, the geologists note: “Sea level rise joins ‘death and taxes’ as the inexorable fate of mankind.”

Still a Booming Business

During the past year, South Africa saw the collapse of more than 6,000 businesses, an average of 16 per day. While 1985 thus proved to be a bad year for many businesses, one form of business continues to thrive​—dealers in African medicine (muti). One such shop owner in Johannesburg, Dr. Naidoo, said: “My store is like a supermarket where I get people of all races and all ages coming here to purchase some remedy.” Customers are in hopes of finding a love potion, a remedy to solve domestic problems, something that will dispel evil spirits or foretell the future. He stocks animal skins and bones, baboon parts (which many believe are a protection against evil spirits), and herbs. He burns one herb known as Mpepo every four hours to protect the shop’s stock from evil spirits!

English Anyone?

Londoners have been shocked to learn that Bengali is now the second most common language spoken in their schools and is spoken by no less than 12,000 youngsters. At one school, 45 different tongues are spoken while 161 different languages are spoken by schoolchildren throughout the city. English, however, remains the common language, even at home, for the great majority.

In the United States, Japanese has become the fastest-growing language in colleges during the 1980’s​—increasing more than 40 percent at the university level. Similar interest in the language has also been shown at the precollege level. In comparison to the number enrolled five years ago, the Japan Society in New York City reports that students of Japanese have increased threefold! Why the rush to learn Japanese? National interest in the language appears to be centered on the “expanding economic and technological relationship between Japan and the United States.”

Did All Races Come From One Human Pair?

Or did the races of mankind have different origins? What does scientific evidence indicate?

Consider the evidence in the 192-page, hardbound book Is the Bible Really the Word of God? Only $1.

Please send, postpaid, the book Is the Bible Really the Word of God? I enclose $1 (U.S.).

Now​—Volume 1 of the “Old Testament” on 18 Cassettes in One Handy Album

The Hebrew Scriptures, from Genesis through Ruth, are now available on cassette recordings. Listen to them in your car on your way to work, while you are doing housework, or when you are sick and bedridden. The 18 cassettes, with an attractive brown vinyl album that holds them, are only $30.

Please send, postpaid, the brown vinyl album with the cassette recordings of Genesis through Ruth. I enclose $30 (U.S.). (Outside the U.S.A., write to local Watch Tower branch for information.)