February 8

Page Two

What are phobias?

Why do some people suffer from them?

Why are some afraid of confined spaces, such as a telephone booth, while others fear open spaces and heights?

What can phobics do to help themselves?

Can others help?

Phobias​—The Fears of Millions

“I stepped into the telephone booth. Suddenly a terrifying fear swept over me. I had to get out. I pushed the door, but mistakenly the wrong way, so it didn’t budge. I went berserk. I clawed, I kicked, and I screamed. I lost all control. I was shaking. My legs felt weak. I was trapped in there. It seemed like an eternity​—yet in reality it was barely five minutes.

“As soon as a passerby released me, I went to my doctor. After tests, he eventually diagnosed claustrophobia, fear of confined spaces. He called my experience a typical panic attack. Four years later I am still learning how to cope with my phobia. It is a fear that lives with me now.”

Phobia: An excessive fear of a specific object or situation. Phobias “are divided into common phobias, or exaggerated fears of things most people are afraid of, such as death; and specific phobias, or fears of things that aren’t in themselves frightening, such as open fields or elevators. Phobias are usually rooted in anxiety, in the fear that, having been ‘bad,’ something is bound to ‘get you.’ The phobic person projects anxiety onto some external situation which he or she then feels has to be avoided.”​—The Complete Medical Guide, by B. F. Miller.

THE fear and panic generated by a phobia can be terrifying, as Helen, the woman who had the experience related above, testifies. In the United States, where this took place, nearly one in 10​—about 22 million people—​suffer from phobias. In Britain the figure given is about four million. But not all cases​—even severe ones—​are reported or are under medical scrutiny. Many people just live with their phobias and keep them to themselves. Maybe you are one of these.

How many different phobias are there? About 300 are classified, but the list may be endless. Some cause mild distress or are just a nuisance. Others can completely change the lives of those plagued by them, calling for much understanding and loving care from family members, friends, and associates.

What is the cause of phobias? Can anything be done to prevent them? For those gripped by a phobia, what hope is there of a cure?

Fenced In by Phobias

THREE QUARTERS of those with the worst phobic symptoms are women, but the statistics do not tell us why. The age bracket for most men and women sufferers is 25 to 45, but the reason remains unknown.

“We are truly in a state of disagreement about the origin of phobias,” confessed psychiatrist Dr. Thurlow Oppenheimer in an address to a group of therapists in New York, adding: “We are in a dark forest of human conflicts.” Phobias are a mystery.

What Can Cause Phobias?

Research indicates that phobias may develop for a number of reasons. A panic attack, for example, can follow a traumatic experience or loss of a loved one. Helen, quoted earlier, had nearly died in a vacation-trailer fire some months earlier. Did the shock trigger the panic situation in the telephone booth? According to this theory, it could have done so.

On the other hand, many scientists believe that phobias are learned from others. By observing their parents, children can, as they grow up, learn to react to parental phobias in a similar way. In some instances, however, as the child matures, the fear can be transferred from its original source and manifest itself in a different situation. Helen admits: “I have had a tendency toward mild phobias for as long as I can remember.” Was the experience something learned, or perhaps transferred, in her case? There is really no sure way of telling.

A phobia that originates in a specific experience is more easily identified. If, for example, a child is badly frightened by a dog or bitten by one, such an event can develop into cynophobia, a fear of dogs, in later life. Similarly, aquaphobia (or, hydrophobia), a fear of water, may stem from an experience of nearly drowning.

According to modern analysis, all phobias fall into three well-known basic types. It is helpful to be able to identify them. So first of all, let us look at

Social and Simple Phobias

Do you know people who are afraid to sign their name in public because they are terrified their hand will tremble? Or some who are afraid to speak up in public or to attend a party? Such problems are examples of social phobias. They are induced by the presence of other people.

Simple phobias relate to specific objects or situations, such as the fear of dogs or of water. An excessive fear of cats, mice, or spiders is also commonplace, as is a fear of heights. In this same category doctors will include claustrophobia, fear of confined spaces, as it fits into the pattern of being triggered by a specific cause.

Irrational as it must appear to most of us for anybody to be completely terrified by such basic fears, it is not difficult to imagine how extremely frustrating life can be for those who cannot escape their grip.

Why ‘the Fear of Fear’?

The third type of phobia, agoraphobia, is the most complex of all phobias. Literally, the word means “fear of the marketplace.” Some authorities maintain that this fear is really of what the marketplace represents: crowds and a loss of safety or control that one can enjoy in a more confined area. Sufferers therefore describe agoraphobia in different ways, perhaps as a fear of crowds or even as a fear of leaving home.

As it is so all-embracing, agoraphobia is also described as ‘the fear of fear itself.’ Many victims are immobilized to the extent that they will go to extremes to avoid any situation that they feel could bring on a panic attack. As a result, their lives become more and more closely fenced in by this gripping phobia until they eventually become too cramped to make any movement at all.

Is it all in the mind? Some research indicates that agoraphobia may be a physical illness, a disorder of the nervous system. Psychiatrist Dr. David V. Sheehan, author of The Anxiety Disease, asserts: “What is becoming increasingly clear is that we are dealing with a medical illness.” Some feel that there is validity to this medical-illness idea, indicated by the fact that injections of sodium lactate can bring on panic attacks in people suffering from this phobia, as Dr. Ferris Pitts, professor of psychiatry at the University of Southern California, discovered. This, however, is only one theory.

Research into the cause of phobias is systematically being pursued in many directions. Some seek a genetic connection. Others believe that hormonal imbalances may be at the root of the trouble. Has what we eat anything to do with it? According to Dennis Charney and his team of researchers at Yale University School of Medicine, caffeine can produce “anxiety, nervousness, fear, nausea, palpitations, restlessness and tremors” in some agoraphobics.

Yet the fact remains that nobody can pinpoint a common cause of phobias. They are still a mystery.

What Aid for Phobics?

Can phobias be cured by medication and the vast array of modern drugs? In some cases, it would seem so. But here again, the response of individuals can vary as much as their phobias. “In spite of promising successes in treating some anxiety disorders with medications,” comments psychiatrist David Burns, “there is a complete lack of evidence that drugs alone will do the job.” In fact, for many victims some drugs have no effect at all, or if they do, it lasts only for a short time​—a few months or as little as a week or so.

Side effects from drugs also have to be taken into consideration, and they can be quite unpleasant. For this reason it has been estimated that only 70 percent of phobics can take them. Aside from insomnia, blurred vision, and other problems, some drugs in certain cases can produce symptoms of a panic attack, much to the distress of the sufferer.

It is therefore not uncommon for phobics to pursue more than one therapy in their quest for relief. “The method which has worked wonders for one may do little for another,” observes Muriel Frampton in her book Agoraphobia​—Coping With the Outside World. In addition to the orthodox medical treatments, homeopathy, osteopathy, acupuncture, and various nature remedies are all on record as helping some individuals.a Personal preference plays its part in the selection of medications. Even so, it is good to be alert to some problems in this regard.

ECT and Hypnosis

In Britain, one therapy for anxiety is ECT (electroconvulsive therapy), or shock treatment as it is commonly called. A weak electric current is passed through the brain to induce a mild fit. It can bring relief, but as far as removing phobias is concerned, its effects may not be long lasting. There are also possible side effects, such as a loss of memory. This treatment has now been banned or restricted in parts of the United States and in some European countries.

Hypnosis, or hypnotherapy, has also been recommended by some doctors. But as Frampton states: “Experience has suggested that therapy is more soundly based when it involves the conscious will of the patient.” (Agoraphobia​—Coping With the Outside World) Christians, however, are aware of the dangers involved in passing control of the mind to another and they avoid hypnosis.

The Value of Self-Help

In view of the limitations of medication, can phobics do anything to help themselves? Yes, and many doctors and therapists teach that self-help is the best way to treat phobias. Results can be rewarding and often long lasting.

First of all, the victim has to learn the art of relaxation. Thorough physical relaxation is essential for the all-important easing of mental tension. Along these lines, psychologist Alan Goldstein reports: “We teach agoraphobic patients to relax, to use breath control and to stop their panicking thoughts and focus on the ‘here and now’ to help them deal with panic attacks.”

Once this far (and it is not easy, as it can take weeks of patient effort to learn to relax adequately), the next step is to identify the source of the fear and face up to it. A skilled therapist can help a patient to understand the stages that lead to a panic attack. Then, step by step, he encourages the patient, in his imagination, to overcome them. As Alan Goldstein puts it: “We help them to identify their feelings and get in touch with them.”

Not all sufferers can master this desensitization technique, as it is called. But it can eventually lead those who do master it to face the actual experience and overcome it. Even if a complete cure is not effected, the cause, or causes, of the phobia may at least be tolerated thereafter. Therapists using the technique claim that eight out of every ten phobics who try this approach gain substantial relief.

Fighting the Fear

An extension of this desensitization idea is to have the patient deliberately face the source of his fear for as long as possible. This takes a lot of courage and can be exhausting and emotionally upsetting in some cases. For these reasons it is often best pursued under some type of professional direction rather than on an individual basis. Either way, it often brings good results.

A pioneer of this approach, Tony Elliott, himself a former agoraphobic, formed a phobic association in Nottingham, England. To help sufferers beat the phobia of traveling by train, he arranges for those involved to visit a train station and sit in a railway carriage in a siding. Later on, a short ride in the station is the first step, progressing eventually to a journey of a few miles to the next station. Doctors monitor the trip and stand by with a supply of tranquilizers.

Results have been encouraging. “I can get some of them 90 percent cured,” is Elliott’s claim. The same therapy is now being applied to bus and airplane travel and is being used by numerous associations.b

Empathy and Religious Faith

How easy it is to laugh at other people’s phobias! Such fears, however, are very real and call for deep understanding and compassion. Those who suffer are rarely exaggerating or pretending. The ironlike grip of fear can be intense and the handicaps experienced completely genuine.

Yet it is not unknown for well-intentioned friends to make light of the problem, encouraging the phobic to ‘snap out of it.’ ‘You give in too easily!’ ‘Don’t be silly, it can’t hurt you!’ are commonly heard expressions. But they are, in fact, counterproductive​—and unkind. The phobic person requires patient help and empathy.

Another strong factor in helping the phobic person can be a strong religious conviction. As one writer expressed it: “I am firmly of the opinion that religious faith is relevant to every part of life, and those who profess such a faith should ‘mobilize’ it in their fight against fear.”

Certainly it is good counsel for a Christian to turn to God in prayer when a phobic panic situation seems to be developing. Trust in God and in his love and power can be a strong spiritual aid.​—Philippians 4:6, 7, 13.

The aforementioned writer warns: “I must add, however, that religious faith does not necessarily work a ‘miracle’ and provide instant cure.” No one claims that it is easy to overcome a phobia. It is a battle that takes place in the mind, and perseverance is vital. The same expert writes: “If you give up as soon as you panic, you will be back in your prison again. It is only by facing the fear, and living through it, realizing that the fear itself cannot harm you, that you will gradually lose your anxiety and find freedom.”

[Footnotes]

[Blurb on page 6]

Nobody can pinpoint a common cause of phobias

[Blurb on page 6]

Thorough physical relaxation is essential to the easing of mental tension

[Blurb on page 8]

Facing up to the phobia takes courage

[Box on page 7]

By adding either Greek or Latin prefixes to phobia, Greek for “fear,” hundreds of words have been coined to identify specific fears. Here are examples of some better-known phobias.

acrophobia: fear of height

agoraphobia: fear of open spaces

ailurophobia: fear of cats

aquaphobia (or, hydrophobia): fear of water

astraphobia: fear of thunder storms

claustrophobia: fear of confined spaces

cynophobia: fear of dogs

demonophobia: fear of devil/​demons

gephyrophobia: fear of crossing bridges

hematophobia: fear of blood

hodophobia: fear of travel

lalophobia: fear of speaking

mikrophobia: fear of germs

mysophobia: fear of dirt, or contamination

nyctophobia: fear of the dark

ophidiophobia: fear of snakes

pyrophobia: fear of fire

thanatophobia: fear of death

xenophobia: fear of strangers, or foreigners

zoophobia: fear of animals

As a Lawyer, I Put God to the Test

MY PARENTS valued education. So, despite the financial burden, they sent all eight of us children to Catholic schools.

Each evening during the month of May, our family recited the Rosary. Occasionally during this month of special Catholic devotion to Jesus’ mother, my brother and I would set up at home a little altar for flowers and a statue of Mary.

Daily during Lent we would all get up at six to attend Mass. One summer while I was serving as an altar boy, I assisted at two and three Masses a day. I even considered becoming a priest.

Doubts Arise

Things changed, though. In high school I was quite involved in athletics, leading to a football scholarship that helped to pay my way at university. High school was also where I began to have doubts about my religion. I remember one class taught by a priest. We started with the premise that there is no God, and the goal was to conclude that there definitely is an almighty God. The problem was that by halfway through the discussion, the priest was unable to deal with our questions about evolution. It was embarrassing also to see him squirm over such questions as: “Why do we call you father when Jesus said we should call no man father?”​—Matthew 23:9.

At the time, I tried to overcome my doubts and continued praying and attending Mass. But when my scholarship took me to the University of Washington, things got worse. As with many student athletes, my worship was soon totally selfish. Before every game I would go to Mass and pray for victory. After the game I forgot God while partying with my teammates. The Vietnam War was raging, too, causing me to question how things were done. By my last year in college, I was using marijuana daily.

Feeling We Did Not Belong

Next, in 1968, came law school at the Catholic University of San Diego. Here I tried to bargain with God. I felt that if I went to Mass, I could be assured that he would see that I got good grades. During my first semester I met Melinda; the following summer we got married. The day after our wedding, we got up to attend Mass but arrived a bit late. After standing in the back of the church for a while, we looked around and then at each other. We felt we simply did not belong. We left, never to attend Mass again.

By the time our first son, Joshua, was born a couple of years later, I was practicing law with a group of attorneys who defended poor persons accused of committing federal crimes. To me this seemed to be a perfect job, for I had become somewhat of a radical because of the unrest over the Vietnam War. I felt that I could frustrate a corrupt government by forcing it to use money in the courts. At the same time I might be helping people.

A Baby-Sitter Has the Answers

I once was assigned to represent a man being prosecuted for refusing to be in the military. It turned out that he was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and was determined not to kill others but rather to pursue the way of peace. (Isaiah 2:4) His explanations and the literature he gave me made no impression. From a different source, though, the matter came up again. Melinda used a baby-sitter who was a Witness. This became significant when Melinda was stumped by our son Joshua’s simple questions about God.

Melinda was raised as a Catholic and attended a Jesuit-run university. Still she lost faith in God. In fact, during a vacation in Rome, she prayed that if she could see the pope, this certainly would restore her faith. She did see him being carried on the shoulders of other men. Rather than building faith, this convinced her that this was not the simple way of Jesus.

It is easy to see, then, why Melinda might be stumped by Joshua’s questions. She was pleased, however, to find satisfying answers in the book Listening to the Great Teacher, obtained from the baby-sitter. Later, she met a former high school acquaintance who was now a Witness. Melinda asked her: “How could you possibly be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and how can you believe the Bible? It is so contradictory.” Wisely the Witness asked Melinda if she had ever read the entire Bible. Melinda’s answer, “No,” paved the way for a visit and a regular Bible study.

Cross-Examining the Bible

I told Melinda that she could go ahead with her Bible study as long as no one bothered me. Several months later I met the couple who were conducting the study, but I treated them very rudely. In reply to Melinda’s, “Why?” I said: “Those weren’t people. They were Jehovah’s Witnesses!” That led to quite an upset in our family. Finally, in desperation, I said: “Invite the Witnesses over. I will be nice to them, and I will show you what a fool you are for studying the Bible.”

The Witness couple, Dan and Sharon, arrived and, using just the Bible, withstood my intense cross-examination. I was frustrated that Dan seemed to have a Biblical answer for every problem I raised. There were three of those courtroomlike sessions. Finally Dan leaned back in his chair and said: “You know, I really like you.” That cut through the air of hostility. In the resulting relaxed atmosphere Dan showed me a marvelous prophecy found in Daniel chapter 9 about the coming Messiah. I was so impressed that I became angry​—not at him but at the religious training I had received that had been so shallow.

With a study of this and other Bible prophecies, my attitude toward the Scriptures quickly changed. I began to think that my own rebellion against human government, and my use of drugs, might not reflect a bad heart but a reaction to a system that needed to be replaced by God’s Kingdom government.

My Drug Problem

I was thoroughly enjoying my Bible study with the help of the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life. Yet I was still using marijuana, reasoning, ‘If I got through law school under its influence, surely I can learn the Bible in the same way.’ I attended some meetings at the Kingdom Hall, but I did not want to continue as I had had enough of classes after 19 years of schooling.

I did agree to go to the smaller and more informal mid-week study with my wife. For the first three weeks, each time I was getting ready to leave the office a client would stop by and offer some powerful marijuana. After smoking it I certainly was not in any shape to attend a Christian meeting. So I would telephone Melinda and tell her to go without me. Finally she asked: “Don’t you know who is doing this to you?” That brought me face to face with something I had not thought about. I did not like being used, and especially being used by the Devil. The next week the same sort of temptation occurred in the office, but I refused the marijuana.

‘Could it be,’ I wondered, ‘that my smoking marijuana is more of a hindrance than I realize?’ When our family took a ten-day vacation, I determined to put Jehovah to the test, as it were. With his help I would not use marijuana for that period at all. It was amazing how good I felt by the time I returned. Also, our study of the Bible each day of the trip convinced me more than ever of the truth of God’s Word. What a blessing that trip produced!

I remember the first meeting after that. Instead of my being the moping man in the corner, I was an eager participant. What a thrill it was for Melinda to see the difference in my personality! Soon our old friends and drug associates were replaced with warm, clean friendships among the Witnesses.

My Legal Career​—A Trial

In 1975 Melinda and I symbolized our dedication to Jehovah God by water baptism. Later that year our second son, Jesse, was born. It certainly seemed that I was enjoying Jehovah’s blessing. My practice in criminal law, though, required many trips to distant cities, meaning absences from my family and the congregation. I began to resent this schedule as my love for the Christian ministry grew.

On one trip, I met a number of fellow Witnesses who were lawyers and doctors. Two of them particularly impressed me, for they were devoted men who, while lawyers, had spent years in the full-time service of Jehovah God. It sparked in me a desire to use my legal skills in defending God’s people and serving him in a greater way. A major step in that direction was when I began to devote 60 hours each month to the Christian ministry. For several years I did this, missing only a month when our third son, Ryan, was born.

One day an elder in our congregation brought up the possibility of my becoming a full-time minister. “There is no way I can do more than I am doing right now,” I responded, “with my business to run and my family to care for.” But for the next few days, I was plagued with the question, ‘Really, why can’t I be in the full-time ministry?’ I took the matter in prayer to Jehovah, having in mind his words at Malachi 3:10, where he invites humans to put him to the test and see if he will not bless them.

Three Obstacles to Overcome

Analyzing my situation, it seemed that I had three obstacles to my being in the full-time ministry. I certainly would need financial security to cushion the loss of income if I decreased my legal practice. So barrier number one was that I owned a house that I would have to sell. Connected with this was barrier number two. A fellow Witness lived in the house, and I did not want to force him to move. The third barrier was that I was in a law partnership.

I prayed to God: “If you want me to be in the full-time ministry, help me to sell this house without causing problems for my fellow Witness and help me to end my law partnership. If these three things can be done, I will enter the full-time ranks.” About a week later, that Witness came with a startling message. He said that he hoped I would not be upset, but he was going to have to move because he was taking a job in another city!

The day of his move I drove over to help him finish his packing. On the way, I stopped by a hardware store and purchased a small “For Sale” sign. After we loaded his truck, I put the sign in the front window and locked the door. When I reached home, Melinda told me that a woman had called and left her phone number. Telephoning her, I was shocked when she said that she ‘just had to have that house.’ What house was she talking about? She said that before she got married, she told her future husband that she would marry him upon his promise that if ever her dream house came on the market, he would buy it for her. She meant the house that I now wanted to sell. Of course, I said that she could buy it!

Soon thereafter one of my law partners told me of his decision to take another job and thus to dissolve our partnership. I could hardly wait to get home to tell Melinda and my sons what Jehovah had done. All agreed that it would be fine for me to begin the full-time ministry, which I did in June 1979.

Has He Blessed Our Family?

In September 1979, I was appointed to be an overseer in our congregation. Melinda shared in increased service for many months and now is my partner in the full-time ministry. Our three sons, too, are active in the Christian preaching work and bring us great joy. Through the help of God’s Word and the congregation, Melinda and I have learned to be better parents, and this has brought a blessing to the children.

Over a year ago another blessing developed when I was accepted to go to the headquarters of the Watchtower Society in New York to do temporary work in the construction going on there. The first couple of days of manual labor were a different experience for me. Then a special opportunity opened up because of a temporary need for additional legal assistance at headquarters, and I enjoyed being useful.

Now I am back in San Diego, and I must say that for me the greatest blessings and joys come in the day-to-day preaching work. For instance, one day I knocked on a man’s door, but he brusquely turned me away. I went on to occupants in other apartments in the complex. As I left the building the same man came out and asked me to step inside. There he told me that actually he had been praying to God for some help with his life, which was all messed up. When I knocked, it upset him because I disturbed his prayer. After he had rebuffed me, he realized that perhaps my call was in answer to his prayer. “So,” he said, “whatever it is you have come to tell me, I know that I am supposed to listen.” He did and after a year of Bible study has become a baptized minister.

Responding to inquiries from those in the local jails has brought me a special blessing. Conducting Bible studies with men in the San Diego County Jail, as well as with many others I find in the ministry, can make for a very busy life. Sometimes I have to adjust my law practice and my career as a full-time minister. Usually, however, I can schedule my court appearances for the early morning and still have most of the morning left for the field ministry. My office hours are in the afternoon. In the late afternoon and early evening I can get back to the ministry and my Bible study activity.

When I think about where my life might have gone with my use of drugs and my rebellious attitude, I can really appreciate how Jehovah has blessed me by drawing me into a relationship with him and with the Christian congregation. Without his blessing, I know I would not have the happy family life that I enjoy, in addition to being part of a united worldwide Christian association. Let me assure you wholeheartedly that if you put Jehovah to the test, he will pour out upon you a blessing until there is no more want.​—As told by Jim McCabe.

[Blurb on page 12]

‘Could it be,’ I wondered, ‘that my smoking marijuana is more of a hindrance than I realize?’

[Picture on page 9]

I study the Bible with prisoners

[Picture on page 10]

Our boys enjoy sharing in worship with us

Crossword Puzzle

Clues Across

1. Discovered in 1947, they confirm the accuracy of our modern Bible text [3 words]

7. Where Israel suffered defeat due to Achan’s sin (Joshua 7:4-15, 20)

8. A source of water (1 Samuel 29:1)

10. By spoken word (Luke 1:4)

11. Required by Mosaic law to be added to every offering on the altar (Leviticus 2:13)

13. He released the Jews from captivity (Ezra 1:1-4)

16. Where the Israelites defeated the forces of Sihon (Numbers 21:23, 24)

18. Skilled artisan who made many of the furnishings for Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 7:13-45)

20. Rampart (Habakkuk 2:1)

21. One of Tyre’s trading places (Ezekiel 27:3, 19)

22. The utmost extent (Job 34:36)

23. Warning signal (Amos 2:2)

25. Injury (Acts 28:5)

28. A sheared sheep’s wool (Judges 6:37)

30. Chieftain of Asher who assisted in dividing the Promised Land (Numbers 34:18, 27)

32. Sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet

33. Oily substance noted for its special medicinal properties [3 words] (Jeremiah 46:11)

Clues Down

1. Time period when God acts against his enemies and delivers his people [3 words] (Joel 1:15)

2. Son of Shem born two years after the Flood (Genesis 11:10)

3. Land (Numbers 11:12)

4. A measure equal to one homer, or ten baths (Ezekiel 45:14)

5. Cut timber (Ezekiel 24:5)

6. Travel on water (Acts 27:1, 2)

9. To discharge an obligation (Jonah 2:9)

12. The conclusion of a certain period [4 words] (Daniel 12:4)

13. The territory of Babylonia (Jeremiah 50:10)

14. One of Javan’s four sons (1 Chronicles 1:7)

15. The basic Hebrew unit of weight and money (Amos 8:5)

17. One of the seven sons of Nebo who dismissed their foreign wives at Ezra’s command (Ezra 10:43, 44)

19. Payment in return (Hebrews 10:30)

24. This son of Peleg was an ancestor of both Abraham and Jesus (Luke 3:35)

26. This Jewish month was later called Nisan (Exodus 13:4)

27. Type of armor (Nehemiah 4:16)

29. He and Simeon avenged their sister Dinah (Genesis 34:25)

31. To --- in (Jeremiah 19:9)

CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS PAGE 18

Answers Across

1. DEAD SEA SCROLLS

7. AI

8. SPRING

10. ORALLY

11. SALT

13.CYRUS

16. JAHAZ

18. HIRAM

20. BULWARK

21. VEDAN

22. LIMIT

23. ALARM

25. HARM

28. FLEECE

30. AHIHUD

32. PI

33. BALSAM OF GILEAD

Answers Down

1. DAY OF JEHOVAH

2. ARPACHSHAD

3. SOIL

4. COR

5. LOGS

6. SAIL

9. PAY

12. TIME OF THE END

13. CHALDEA

14. RODANIM

15.SHEKEL

17. ZEBINA

19. RECOMPENSE

24. REU

26. ABIB

27. MAIL

29. HEM

31. LEVI

What Do Clothes Mean to You?

“TO ME, clothes mean warmth, covering, and comfort,” replied one woman.

“Decoration!” responded another.

“They mean everything,” said one man. “Why, without them I couldn’t go outside or do my work.”

Indeed, views about clothes are varied, since no two persons are exactly alike. So how do you view clothes? Do you give thought to what you wear and how you wear it? And what do your clothes say about you?

More Than Covering

Of course, the basic function of clothes is to cover the body. But within this framework, the variety is endless. For example, the Indian sari, the Japanese kimono, the Hawaiian muumuu, and the Middle Eastern aba all cover the body but in completely different ways. The German homburg, the French beret, and the Arabic kaffiyeh all cover the man’s head, yet they are very different from one another. Sabots, sandals, and boots all cover the feet but in different ways. And who is to say which is more comfortable​—the Scottish kilt or the American slacks?

Regardless of how we feel about our clothes, they reveal much about us and about our feelings toward others. Before we even say a word, our clothes have said something about us. People judge and categorize us based on what we wear and how we wear it. For instance, a beggar in his rags and a man in a tuxedo both have clothes on, but there is a vast difference in the impression they make and in the way they are treated.

More and more, clothes are being used as a means of expressing one’s choice of life-style, political views, nationalistic identity, and so on. For example, in Shanghai, China, many women are favoring more makeup, leg-revealing dresses, and Western wedding garb​—a definite departure from the past. On the other hand, in some Middle Eastern and other Muslim countries, women are going back to the traditional Islamic dress.

Even on a more personal level, decisions must be made as to what to wear, and when and where to wear it. Dungarees, or blue jeans, may be ideal for farming or working around the house or on casual occasions, but they are hardly appropriate for formal occasions, for business, or at meetings for worship. What we usually put on when going shopping for food may not be right for an evening out with friends. Care must also be exercised in choosing certain types of clothing, since trends and fashions are heavily influenced by the “new morality” and the life-styles that it reflects.

The vast array of clothing possibilities presents everyone, male or female, young or old, an interesting challenge that calls for personal discretion and scrutiny. Do you give proper thought to what you wear and how you wear it? On what basis do you make your choices? And what do your clothes reflect about you?

The Challenge of Choice

“What once was a concern for quality had become an obsession with the designer label,” says Barbaralee Diamonstein in Vogue magazine. Indeed, for most people, clothing choices are no longer simply a matter of quality, function, and need. Rather, we are constantly bombarded by advertisements that promise beauty, status, fame, and popularity if we wear clothes endorsed with the signatures or emblems of one designer or another.

Resisting such advertising gimmicks, or controlling one’s own impulse to buy, takes willpower and discipline. Rare are the individuals who can resist the suggestion: “Oh! Go ahead and buy it. It looks great on you.” While such words may be music to our ears, they can also spell disaster to our budget. Do you easily give in to the persuasive words of an aggressive salesperson? Or can you resist the pressure to buy an item that you really neither need nor can afford? If you can, you are to be commended.

This is not to say that one cannot choose something that is new and fashionable. But caution is the key. It is always a good policy to dress according to age, personality, and life-style rather than be controlled by what is the latest or give in to peer pressure and adopt a certain style. The fact that a certain look is “in style” does not mean it is right for you. For example, the androgynous look, recently popularized by certain rock singers, blurs the line between the masculine and the feminine by using makeup, hairstyle, and mannerisms borrowed from the opposite sex. It is not sensible to adopt such a style just because it is popular with certain groups. And note in the Bible what Deuteronomy 22:5 states on this matter.

Basically, style, as the dictionary defines it, is the way in which something is done rather than the thing itself. In clothing, it is the overall presentation of oneself rather than the kind of clothes one wears. It is far more valuable to cultivate a personal style that reflects good taste and moderation than to be endlessly pursuing the latest in fashion and design.

Shrewd Shopping

A good wardrobe is not a matter of having a lot of clothes or being up to the latest in fashion but is usually the result of careful shopping and selection. So before you go shopping, take a good look at the clothes you already have. Perhaps you can alter or eliminate things you have not used for some time. Experiment with the clothes you have and discover how you can interchange your items of apparel to create new looks. Doing this will put you in a better position to determine what you really need.

When you shop, give thought to how a new item will blend with outfits you already have. Select those items that will harmonize with both the color and the style of your clothes. Classic simple lines are good investments because they are flexible and wear well for a long time. Also, learn to make the most of your existing wardrobe by the effective and varied use of accessories. Such practices will enable you to wear your clothes longer and enjoy them more.

Shopping at the right time and the right place can make a big difference. This takes a little planning, but the rewards are worth it. “I make it a point to shop for clothes only during the seasons when they are on sale,” says one woman. However, the fact that something is on sale does not make it a good buy. So try to develop an eye for garments of good quality. “I seek out discount shops or wait for drastic reductions in others,” she adds. “That way I can get good quality and still stay within my budget.”

Maintaining Balance

A sloppy appearance may convey indifference and a lack of self-esteem, even selfish disregard for the effect one has on others. On the other hand, an extremely style-conscious appearance may reveal a self-centered, narcissistic outlook. Thus, it would be good to check out motives. Ask yourself: Am I trying to outshine everyone else by a showy display of clothes? Am I using clothes to compete with others or keep up with them? Are my clothes appropriate for the time, place, and occasion?

Without a doubt, clothes do tell a lot about us. They can tell if we are modest or conceited, respectful or haughty. They can testify to our good taste and self-respect, or they can betray us as being egotistical and uncaring. Yes, they can whisper, talk, or shout about us. So maintaining balance in our choice of clothes is essential.

Keeping in mind that clothes are merely an extension of the person we are within, our clothes should be pleasing and attractive, avoiding fashions that are immodest or extreme. If we give proper attention to what we wear and how we wear it, our clothes will speak well of us.

[Box on page 18]

Tips for a Quality Wardrobe

“Quality in a garment guarantees that it will feel good, fit well and regain its shape after cleaning for many years,” says a senior officer of Hart Schaffner & Marx Clothes. Here are some tips on assembling a quality wardrobe.

◻ Spend as much as you can afford for quality

◻ Avoid fads and extremes in color, fabric, and style

◻ Insist on good fit and workmanship

◻ Select fabric and color to suit purpose of garment

◻ Hang garment up, air it out, and allow 24 hours’ rest between uses

◻ Clean garment only when needed; follow instructions carefully

[Pictures on page 16, 17]

Discreet and attractive styles of dress vary from country to country

Money​—Its Origin and Use

IT ONLY cost them $24, but it wasn’t paid with coins or bills​—money as we know it today. The purchase was of Manhattan Island, New York, now worth countless millions of dollars. In 1626 those Dutch settlers purchased it from the native Indians with beads, trinkets, and cloth.

Money throughout history has come in various forms. Just about every useful commodity has been used as money​—hides, grain, seashells, tobacco, salt, cattle, stones, feathers, and cacao beans. Our word “salary” comes from salarium, the Latin word for salt. Similarly, “pecuniary” comes from the Latin word for cattle, pecus. At different times, both salt and cattle were used as money in ancient Rome.

But for trade and industry to flourish, money had to have a convenient and widely acceptable form and be equally valued everywhere. For example, cowrie shells were accepted as currency on the west coast of Africa. They were rare there and highly valued. They were also light in weight and impossible to counterfeit​—important factors for money. But they could not be used for trade with India, where the seashores teemed with them!

Gradually, precious metals such as gold and silver began to replace other forms of currency. They were durable, widely accepted, relatively scarce (giving them a high and stable price per unit of weight), and could more easily be carried and divided into smaller amounts. Merchants, though, had to carry a set of sensitive scales with them to ensure that all transactions were exact and neither party was cheated. Later, marked coinage was introduced, which eliminated the need for scales.

Have you ever wondered why our coins today have milled (ridged) edges and are carefully decorated? That is because early coins were not perfectly round and could easily be clipped or shaved before they were passed on. An enterprising person could thus salvage a small bit of precious metal from each and accumulate a tidy sum. To prevent this type of cheating, milled edges were added, which made such practices easier to detect.

Paper money, in the form of letters of credit and treasury notes, was known in China in the ninth century B.C.E. and also in Roman times. Modern bank notes, though, came into usage in Europe. London goldsmiths began using their secure vaults to store gold and valuables for others. A receipt was issued for each item deposited. As confidence in the integrity of the goldsmith grew, the receipts themselves would be exchanged and used as money, rather than moving the items. Also, signed orders to the goldsmiths to hand certain sums of gold to a named person became the forerunners of our modern checks.

As long as it was securely backed up and trusted, paper money was much more convenient to use and less risky to handle​—especially for large sums. Pictorial notes were even made to help the illiterate. Today, paper money, bookkeeping, and electronic transfers predominate in business transactions worldwide.

Now, which would you rather use and carry with you daily: animals, stones, shells, grain, metals, or paper money?

Young People Ask . . .

Why Should I Be Thankful?

“THE world owes me a living”​—so sang a character in Walt Disney’s version of Pinocchio. And such appears to be the philosophy of life adopted by many young people living today. They feel no particular debt of gratitude toward anyone​—parents, society, or even God.

A poll carried out in France among young people from 16 to 22 years of age showed that the majority of them put freedom to live their lives as they please far ahead of “more respect for family, country, or religion.” How do you feel about such things?

Your background and your future prospects may give you no obvious grounds for feeling thankful for your lot in life. You may be one of the millions of youngsters who were brought up in a one-parent home or even in a no-parent home. Perhaps at school you were taught by indifferent teachers. Upon leaving school, you may have started your work career by being out of work. Little wonder that in today’s callous world, some young people feel unwanted, unloved, untaught, and unemployed. Understandably, they may ask: What do I have to be thankful for?

Unthankful to Parents

Ingratitude to parents is nothing new. In the 17th century Shakespeare had King Lear exclaim: “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!”

In all fairness, it must be admitted that while many youngsters today are “thankless” children, the fault often lies with their parents. A wise man of long ago wrote: “If one is pampering one’s servant from youth on, in his later life he will even become a thankless one.”​—Proverbs 29:21.

This has been the case with many pampered children. They have grown up to be adolescents and young adults who feel that ‘the world owes them a living’ but that they owe nothing to anybody.

Why Be Thankful to Your Parents?

Fortunately, not all parents pamper their children, and not all children grow up to be “thankless” ones. If you have been raised in a two-parent home, you should be thankful. Of course, no parents are perfect. But that is no reason to be ungrateful for what they have done for you. What you since your birth have cost them in time and money is incalculable. You may reply that you did not ask to be born. True, but you do exist, and someone has had to take care of you for many years. Thousands of children are abandoned by their parents and not all get adopted. Your parents lovingly kept you and did the best they could to bring you up. Don’t you owe them gratitude?

Even if you were raised by foster parents, you should be thankful to them, especially since they were not responsible for your coming into existence. They may have paid a large sum of money to have the right to rear you. Or, depending on where you live, the State may have paid them to bring you up. Either way, you owe them gratitude, for money can’t buy love and attention.

Or perhaps you were raised in a one-parent home. One young woman, now living in Italy, reflects on her youthful attitude toward her mother, who brought her up alone. She writes: “Young ones seem to think their parents should be perfect. I must admit that this was true in my case when I was younger. Only later did I realize that I was in no way justified in not showing her due respect. I was greatly helped when I asked myself: Is Mum a bad person? No, I was convinced that she was really a good person. She always did her best according to her understanding. But she is imperfect, as I am imperfect. So I felt very sorry about the thoughtless way I acted before I grasped that point.”

Others Deserve Your Gratitude

How many youngsters, at a crucial point in their lives, have received help and guidance from someone who owed them nothing? It might have been a friend of the family, a schoolteacher, or a person, of either sex, within a Christian congregation.

As an ancient proverb says: “A word at its right time is O how good!” (Proverbs 15:23) Good advice, given at the right time, can prevent catastrophic consequences. (1 Samuel 25:33) The Bible shows that sensible, experienced women can give valuable guidance to young women. (Titus 2:3-5) In particular, elders within a Christian congregation can help young people to avoid pitfalls and pursue fine goals in life. (See 2 Timothy 2:20-22.) Yes, a word of guidance can mark a turning point in a young person’s life. Do you remember benefiting from such timely counsel? If so, have you remembered to be thankful?

Lydie, a young Christian woman in France, recalls a crisis she went through when she was 16. After becoming a baptized Witness of Jehovah, she became absorbed in her school studies, and her interest in Christian activities and meetings cooled off. One day she calmly announced that she no longer wished to share in Witness meetings and preaching work. Her parents spoke to her kindly but firmly. Then three congregation elders asked to speak with her. She expected them to ‘drown her in Scriptures proving that she should go out and preach.’ Instead, they listened to her grievances, showed kind understanding, and offered her brotherly help. She writes: “What a surprise! I was overwhelmed by their kind attitude. Thanks to their loving help I came to my senses.” Lydie is now serving as a full-time Christian minister.

Thankful to God

Undoubtedly the worst form of ingratitude displayed these days by many young people is unthankfulness to God. Most of them put material things ahead of God.

Happily, many young people throughout the world realize how much they owe God. Young Michel lives with his Witness mother in a small, isolated town on the French island of Corsica. When an Awake! correspondent asked him to write down any reasons he could think of for being thankful to God, he listed 24. He began with the gift of life and the things needed to sustain it and enjoy it. Then, after reflection, he noted down spiritual blessings he enjoys​—a believing mother and spiritual brothers who are willing to travel long distances to help them both.

Like Michel, many thousands of youngsters feel gratitude to “the living God” who “gives to all persons life and breath and all things.” (Acts 14:15-17; 17:24-28) For these, the ingratitude of many of their peers is just one more proof that we are living in “the last days” of the present wicked system of things. The apostle Paul wrote: “Remember that there will be difficult times in the last days. People will be selfish, greedy, boastful, and conceited; they will be insulting, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful.”​—2 Timothy 3:1, 2, Today’s English Version.

Hundreds of thousands of young Jehovah’s Witnesses have a brilliant future ahead of them in the righteous “new earth,” now near. (2 Peter 3:9, 13) Meanwhile, many of them are showing their gratitude by spending as much time as possible telling others about this grand hope. And even if their fleshly family does not share their faith, they enjoy the warmth of a worldwide spiritual family of brothers.​—Mark 10:29, 30.

So whether you are thinking of your parents, your teachers, experienced friends who have counseled you, or, above all, Jehovah, “the God who gives hope,” reflect on the many reasons you have to ‘show yourself thankful.’​—Romans 15:13; Colossians 3:15.

[Blurb on page 20]

“I was greatly helped when I asked myself: Is Mum a bad person? No, I was convinced that she was really a good person”

[Picture on page 21]

Children, too, can show gratitude in simple ways

Mute Stones Speak Out

By Awake! correspondent in Mexico

ON February 21, 1978, some workers for the city electric company were digging a ditch in downtown Mexico City when they uncovered a piece of stone sculpture. That led to what was to be one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the history of Mexico.

The stone sculpture was found in an area where the main temple of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán used to stand. Today the ruined remains of the temple have been excavated and are open to visitors. Some of these visitors are merely curious. But others are interested in seeing what these ruins can tell us about the Aztecs, the founders of an ancient Mexican empire. For these mute stones have a fascinating story to tell.

The Main Temple

Close by the excavations is the Zocalo subway station. Here you can see a scale model of what the main temple is thought to have looked like. It was pyramid-shaped with two towerlike buildings on the top. As the main center of Aztec worship, it stood surrounded by other temples in the central square of Tenochtitlán. Here were the principal idols worshiped by the Aztecs, Huitzilopochtli, the war god, and Tláloc, the god of rain.

When the Spaniards arrived, Tenochtitlán was an island in a valley full of lakes. Parallel to its streets were canals where goods were transported in chalupas, little boats. Salvador Toscano, in his book entitled Cuauhtemoc, describes it for us: “The great square of the main temple took up the center of the island, and Cortés adds ‘that there is no human language that can describe the grandeur and uniqueness of it, so big that dwellings for 500 people could be built within its bounds. The square contained several pyramids for worship, an area for ball games, priests’ homes, skull platforms (tzompantlis), and temples made out of hewn stone and aromatic cedar wood. Besides all of these, there was the main temple pyramid for the sun god of war, Huitzilopochtli, 30 meters [100 ft] high​—116 steps up to the top—​which commanded the view of the island.’”

Visiting the Excavations

With this information in mind, let us now walk to the handrail that leads down into the excavations so that we can get a view of the whole area. What do you see? At first, just a collection of ruins! The site has been left exactly as it was found, with only a few minor restorations. But a closer look reveals some interesting facts.

For example, in the middle of the excavation, you see the places where Huitzilopochtli and Tláloc were worshiped. Interestingly, the structure that Cortés described was much bigger than this. The Spaniards wanted to extirpate the Aztecs’ culture and particularly what they regarded as a bloodthirsty religion. Hence, after conquering the city in 1521, they systematically destroyed the temple until nothing but rubble was left. Then they erected their own buildings on the site.

What the Spaniards did not know, however, was that the temple they destroyed was only the last of a series of constructions. The initial building had been enlarged seven times, each enlargement burying the previous one. Hence, parts of the earlier temples survived the Spaniards’ destruction. The two places of worship that we see here are part of the second enlargement.

A Bloodthirsty Religion

It was in these places of worship that human sacrifices were carried out, and these sacrifices brand the Aztec religion as a bloodthirsty one. Yet, in comparing that religion with present-day religion, the comment of Dominique Verut is worthy of note: “The Aztec civilization carries along the horror of institutionalized human sacrifices, a cultural phenomenon that has had many defenders, yet still causes repulsion in its enemies, who are forgetful of the Holy Inquisition [and] Nazism.”

However, one cannot help but feel chills when looking at the sacrificial stone in front of Huitzilopochtli’s oratory. It was on the flat surface of this stone that the victim was laid, face up, ready to have his heart torn out and offered to the gods.

Another stone, the statue of the goddess Coyolxauhqui, reveals another aspect of Aztec worship. Coyolxauhqui was said to be Huitzilopochtli’s sister whom he killed and divided into pieces. Hence, the flat sculpture represents her as dismembered, with the head detached from the thorax. Apparently, the Aztecs felt no qualms about worshiping a dismembered goddess.

Comparisons​—Ancient and Modern

Bible readers are aware that human sacrifices have often been a part of false worship. The Canaanites, and sometimes even apostate Israelites, sacrificed their children to demon gods. (2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 32:35) The Aztecs, too, practiced child sacrifice. We read about this in the book El Templo Mayor: “The remains of sacrificed children were found in one of these [pits] along with representations of the rain god. Would this be a special offering because of famine?”

On page 219 the same books adds: “Fray Juan de Torquemada tells us something about this in the book Monarquía Indiana (Indian Monarchy): ‘The children would be taken to the sacrificial place richly dressed, atop portable platforms or litters, abundantly decorated with flowers and feathers, and these would be carried along on the shoulders of priests and ministers. Others would go before them playing instruments and singing and dancing. This is the way they would be conducted to the place where they would be sacrificed and offered to the demon.’”

Pointing up further resemblances between the religion of the Aztecs and the religions of the Old World, it is reported that the god Tláloc was also the god of fertility. One of the main altars is dedicated to him. Also represented in the temple are two huge snakes, the snake being a fertility symbol. Similarly, many of the ancient pagan religions of the Old World had a god of fertility, and the serpent was a widespread religious symbol. Interestingly, too, Huitzilopochtli was said to be born to Coatlicue, and this mother goddess was later called the “mother of all the gods.”

Aztecs Adapted to New Religion

The Spaniards tried hard, and often violently, to uproot the Aztec religion from Mexico. In many cases, they built their own churches on top of Aztec temples, using the stones of the older building in their construction work. Even pieces of Aztec idols became building material.

However, it was not difficult for the Aztecs to get used to the new religion. Idols of wood and ceramic were substituted for their stone idols. These new idols were more human-looking, but they were idols nonetheless. And many of the old religious ideas remained a part of Mexican culture. For example, there was still a cult of the dead, observed each year at the beginning of November. And followers of the new religion believed in the immortality of the soul, as had the ancient inhabitants of Mexico. So there were really many similarities between the religion Cortés introduced and the one he was trying to destroy.

These mute ruins of the main temple, now open to visitors, strongly evoke an empire and a culture that is gone forever. They remind us of cruel religious customs, of gods that are no longer worshiped, and of practices that are still preserved, albeit under a different name and in a different religion. And they remind us of the remarkable similarities that existed between the false religions of the Old World and those of the New World.

[Picture on page 23]

The goddess Coatlicue

[Credit Line]

Nat’l Institute of Anthropology and History, Mexico

[Picture on page 24]

The goddess Coyolxauhqui

[Credit Line]

Nat’l Institute of Anthropology and History, Mexico

The Bible’s Viewpoint

Jehovah’s Witnesses​—Different From Other Religions

“LOOK, I’m busy, and besides, I never talk with Jehovah’s Witnesses.” That was the householder’s response to a knock on the door by one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The visitor kindly replied: “I heard you say you’re busy, but may I at least ask you why you say you don’t talk with us?” The reasons turned out to be only misunderstandings of what Witnesses believe and practice. Once these were cleared up, an excellent conversation resulted.

Do you know what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe? Do you know what makes them different from other religions and the importance of this to you?

Their Beliefs

Their beliefs​—not mixed with traditions, pagan ideas, or nationalistic ideals—​are based entirely on the Bible, which they believe to be the unerring, inspired Word of God. This makes for some significant differences in basic beliefs.

Use of the divine name: The name JEHOVAH, Yahweh to some, may sound strange to many people, yet the use of it more than 7,000 times in the Bible argues that God’s worshipers are expected both to know and to use his personal name. (Psalm 83:18) Since Christians are “a people for his name,” Jesus used it in teaching his disciples. (Acts 15:14; John 17:26) In view of this, rather than thinking Jehovah’s Witnesses strange for using the name, would it not be more appropriate to ask why other religions do not consistently use it?​—Malachi 3:16.

God’s Kingdom: A real government​—though heavenly—​with Christ Jesus as king, with dominion over the earth. It is not just ‘something in the heart.’ “The government will be upon his [Christ’s] shoulder.” (Isaiah 9:6, 7, Revised Standard Version) It will vindicate the rightful sovereignty of God. He “will set up a kingdom that will . . . put an end to all these [human] kingdoms,” restoring unity and world peace forever.​—Daniel 2:44.

The human soul: Not something immaterial and immortal that somehow survives the death of the body but, rather, the person himself or the life he enjoys. When created “the man came to be a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:45) “Immortality of the soul is a Greek notion formed in ancient mystery cults and elaborated by the philosopher Plato.” (Presbyterian Life, May 1, 1970) So the dead are not really suffering anywhere. They are asleep. (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10) The hope for a future life for the dead hinges on the role of Christ Jesus as a ransom sacrifice and depends on having the favor of God for a resurrection.​—John 5:28, 29; Acts 17:31; 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:13, 14.

The earth’s future: Earth will not become a lifeless cinder, either by God’s hand or by a nuclear holocaust. God “did not create it simply for nothing.” He “formed it even to be inhabited.” (Isaiah 45:18; Ecclesiastes 1:4) God’s Kingdom will see to it that his will shall “take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” (Matthew 6:10) Then, “the righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”​—Psalm 37:29.

Those who embrace such beliefs experience a change of attitude toward God, life, and fellowman. Life has purpose and meaning.​—Romans 8:19-21.

Their Practices

These are also based on the Bible. Even though some of them may be viewed as odd, these very practices constitute significant identifying marks of true worship.

Public ministry: Many bring this up as a major difference in activity and organization. Yet, in this work Jehovah’s Witnesses obey Jesus’ command to “go . . . and make disciples.” Imitating the apostolic example, all who qualify as ministers can teach “publicly and from house to house.” (Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 20:20) Some churches have the traditional clergy-laity division, but “there is not the slightest justification . . . for that ‘split-level’ distinction,” says Theology Today. Rather, as the Encyclopedia Canadiana observes: “The work of Jehovah’s Witnesses is the revival and re-establishment of the primitive Christianity practised by Jesus and his disciples during the first and second centuries. . . . All are brothers.”

Christian neutrality: Though little understood on this matter, Jehovah’s Witnesses remain neutral as to politics and to all forms of conflict that require one to hate one’s fellowman. (John 18:36; Isaiah 2:2-4) About early Christians, historian Edward Gibbon says: “They refused to take any active part in the civil administration or the military defence of the empire.” So, what at first might appear to be radical is really the peaceful role of those who must be “no part of the world.”​—John 17:16.

Racism: “Racial discrimination​—still an issue in some churches—​is not a problem for Witnesses,” said a newspaper in the southern United States. A genuine love for their Christian brothers unites them in a worldwide brotherhood. Though imperfect like anyone else, they strive to apply among themselves the teaching of Jesus: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”​—John 13:35.

Get to Know Them Better

Of course, not all the things that make Jehovah’s Witnesses beneficially different have been discussed here. So why not get to know these Christians better? Your prospects for a happy present and future life are bound up in accurately identifying the religion that must be different if it is to meet God’s standards.​—Matthew 7:21.

From Our Readers

Our Greatest Need, Love

I have just read the article “From the Cradle to the Grave, Our Greatest Need Is Love.” (September 22, 1986) Not only was the article encouraging and helpful in ways to show love but it exuded love from you as well. Being raised without love, I have been well acquainted with the difficulty of loving myself, as well as loving others. Through the congregation I was in several years ago, I was encouraged to apply the scripture to “practice giving” in Luke 6:38. It has taken about 14 years, but I am finally beginning to reap the benefits of applying this counsel.

L. R., United States

Scientific Dates

I wish to thank you for the article “Scientific Dates for Prehistoric Times.” (September 22, 1986) It has greatly helped me to progress spiritually. I must confess that the dating of historical finds caused me to doubt some of the Bible’s dates. I am grateful for your help.

M. M., Italy

Beating Cancer

I would like to thank you for the articles on “Cancer​—Can You Beat It?” (October 8, 1986) My husband was diagnosed as having kidney cancer in 1978. At that time we were encouraged to alter our diet, and the very foods you recommended are what we have eaten for the most part. Since his surgery about five years ago, we have continued eating this way. At his checkup last year, he was still found to be cancer free, so far. Our observation is that most people have very little knowledge of nutrition and have no idea of what foods are best, so many needlessly have health problems because of their poor eating habits. Articles like this will educate people, and many of them will feel better as a result of heeding your practical advice. Keep supplying us with this timely information.

R. I., United States

I just want to thank you for your excellent articles on cancer. Your articles helped me to see that by eating right and taking care of our bodies, we can reduce the risk of cancer.

H. E., United States

I just had to take a few minutes to express my appreciation for your series on cancer. I recently underwent surgery for cervical cancer and am currently on the Hoxsey treatment. You are to be praised for publishing such fine information on this subject. I am looking forward to sharing these articles with others. Most of all, I am anxiously looking to the “new earth” under God’s Kingdom when cancer and like diseases will be things of the past. I am also excited about receiving the October 22, 1986, issue, with the article “Cancer​—How Can You Be Supportive?”

J. P., United States

None of the information published was intended as advice for a sure cure for cancer or a sure defense against it. The only sure defense or sure cure will come by the healing efforts of Christ Jesus during God’s coming new system of things. But proper eating habits and other good care of our bodies may well provide at least a better defense or a help toward extending our life a little longer at present.​—ED.

Watching the World

Breast-Cancer Survivors

“Women who get breast cancer in their late 40’s have the best chance of surviving the disease,” says The New York Times in a report on new studies done in Sweden and the United States. “The prospects are considerably dimmer for those in their 20’s or for the elderly,” the report claims. Research points to a lowering of natural hormonal production, which occurs after menopause, as an apparent influence in the slowing of tumor growth, although other biologic mechanisms also appear to be involved.

Ad Angers Some Catholics

“Eat free at Italian restaurants,” blares the bold-type headline over a photograph of an actor-comedian portraying a priest. The caricature of a Roman Catholic priest, who is wearing a wide-brimmed hat, clerical collar, and twirling a forkful of spaghetti, appears in a full-page advertisement in Newsweek’s college edition, Newsweek on Campus, and is part of a recruiting effort by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. The satiric figure promises prospective priests such “padre perks” as “sleeping late, getting first crack at parish rummage sales, and helping your fellow man.” The order is seeking college-age students to bolster the dwindling ranks of candidates and hopes that the ad featuring the comic will help, according to an Associated Press report. Not all sincere Catholics, though, found this humorous. “What depth are we reaching that we have to use a comedy approach?” asks a vocations director at a Chicago seminary.

Unusual Patient

A group of surgeons had their hands full when they recently operated on a patient weighing 1,775 pounds (805 kg). Who was the patient? A 15-year-old beluga whale named Big Mouth, a resident of the Minnesota Zoo. For the past year and a half, the mammal had been suffering from a lingering mouth infection, and zoo authorities felt that an operation was needed to stem the spread of the infection. American Medical News notes that the surgery required the removal of a portion of jawbone about the size of a clenched fist. Dr. Frank Wright, zoo veterinarian, noted that a major concern was anesthetizing the whale. The doctors learned, however, that using Demerol and Valium ‘made him a more mellow fellow.’ Altogether, 22 quarts (21 L) of fluids were pumped into the beluga during surgery, and a team of 35 people was required to carry out the operation. After an initial setback, the patient was reported to be improving.

Fighting Drugs in Hungary

Drug abuse among the youth in Hungary has sparked the government to start a national campaign of information against drugs. An estimated 30,000 young people between 15 and 18 years of age take drugs occasionally, and from 2 to 5 percent of these are said to be addicted. According to the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, the government wants to prevent drug abuse in the country from “becoming of Western proportions.”

Aboriginal TV Station

“Australia’s first Aboriginal television channel” has been established in Alice Springs​—the geographical heart of Australia. A chief aim of the station is “to save the surviving Aboriginal languages from extinction,” notes The Sydney Morning Herald. According to Eve Fesl, director of the Aboriginal Resource Centre, the endeavor is a small step in the right direction. “There are about 100 spoken Aboriginal languages, although only eight are spoken by 1,000 or more people.”

Crocodile Tower

The sight of lifeguard towers on Australian beaches is not rare. Many struggling swimmers have been saved from drowning because of quick detection from the tower and swift action from lifeguards. Countless shark warnings have also been sounded because of the sharp eyes of lifeguards on watch. But now a bathing beach in the Northern Territory boasts Australia’s first “croc tower.” Since crocodiles are protected animals in Australia, evidence of increased numbers roaming on local beaches is reported. The tower stands 34 feet (10 m) high and is manned each weekend during the swimming season.

Abortion Trend Up

The world will see more permissive abortion laws, predicts the Alan Guttmacher Institute of New York, a private organization that studies population issues. Their latest survey estimates that from 40 million to 60 million induced abortions are performed in the world each year, about 33 million of them legally. The United Nations estimated that 131 million babies were born in 1986.

Gold’s High Prices

A conference was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, to coincide with the centenary of the city’s gold-mining industry. W. Malan, vice president of the Chamber of Mines, told delegates that “the 40,000 tons of gold mined from the [Witwatersrand] basin accounts for 32 percent of all gold ever mined.” All this gold, however, was not obtained without price in terms of human life and suffering. According to the International Labour Organisation, 8,500 people were killed in South African mines during the 11-year period from 1973 to 1984. Many were gold miners. A grim reminder of the high price became evident when, during the conference, the worst disaster in South Africa’s gold-mining history struck Kinross mine. A fire released noxious fumes, causing the death of 117 miners that included migrant workers from the neighboring countries of Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, and Mozambique.

Earthquake Detectors

Soviet scientists believe that earthquakes can be predicted by studying the behavior of snakes, worms, and other animals, reports El Universal, a Mexican newspaper. Certain organisms are said to respond to the geomagnetic vibrations and to temperature and water-level changes that precede earth tremors. According to scientist Albert Skovitin, it may be possible to analyze animal behavior with the aid of a computer and thus accurately predict earthquakes long before they happen. For example, studies have disclosed that about one month prior to a strong earthquake, snakes will crawl out of their nests and abandon a dangerous zone. Scientists believe that the sensitivity of these animals greatly exceeds that of modern man-made earthquake detectors.

Hungry Eye

Researchers suspect a close biochemical relationship between the eye and the stomach. According to Dr. Volker Schusdziarra from the University of Munich, peptides (chemical compounds) that control digestion and arouse feelings of hunger and satiety and that are normally found in the stomach and intestine have recently been detected not only in the brain but also in the nerve cells of the retina. The German medical magazine Zeitschrift für Allgemeinmedizin reports that new variations of these substances are discovered continually. It appears that they carry messages between the sensory organs (eyes, nose, tongue, and so forth), the brain, and the digestive system.

Disappearing Storks

Storks, once a common sight in the Alsace region of northeastern France, are now disappearing from the French countryside. “The storks’ first enemy is the change in environment,” claims a member of the World Wildlife Fund. The French newspaper Le Figaro reports: “Chemical products scattered over the land make the eggshells more fragile. Also, with the draining of marshes in Europe and with fewer hedges, there has been a decrease in the wildlife that storks have always preyed upon, such as small rodents, snakes, grasshoppers, and frogs.” Moreover, as African deserts spread, these wading birds are obliged to extend their migratory flights as far as Sudan, where many of them fall victim to local hunters.

Why All That Dust?

Have you ever watched, fascinated, as particles of dust danced in a ray of sunlight? Yet that same dust is the bane of housewives and scientists. Just leave a room for a few days and there will be a powder-fine layer of dust awaiting you when you return. Dust can clog a sewing machine, stop a watch, and foul a computer system. Little wonder we tend to think of dust only as a nuisance. And yet, have you ever thought about what we would lose if there were no dust at all?

Dust can also be beneficial. Did you realize that without dust in the atmosphere we would have much less rain and snowfall? Water droplets and ice crystals are formed partly because of dust particles that act as nuclei for the formation of rain and snow.

Without dust, one of the most wonderful sights on earth​—the sunset—​would not be as beautiful. As the sun dips toward the horizon, its light must then travel through the greater thickness of air near the earth. That light strikes particles of dust and other substances in the thicker air and tends to scatter. However, the shorter bluish waves of sunlight tend to scatter or be absorbed by the particles more than the longer reddish waves. Hence, the bluish colors do not reach us as much as the reddish colors. This is what helps to produce the gorgeous orange, pink, and reddish glow of sunsets.

Thus, a little dust around the place is a small price to pay for such a beautiful reward: an awe-inspiring sunset!

Where Did Cain Get His Wife?

If all humans descended from Adam and Eve, where did their first son Cain get his wife?

The answer to this question is provided in the book Is the Bible Really the Word of God? See page 87. This intriguing publication also provides answers to many other questions often raised by Bible critics. Send only $1.

Please send, postpaid, the hardcover, 192-page book Is the Bible Really the Word of God? I enclose $1 (U.S.).