October 22

Page Two

“I Feel Like I’m Alive Again!”

Sarah lost interest in everything as a ‘dark cloud’ filled her mind. “I felt dead inside,” she said. “Now I feel like I’m alive again!”

She was one of the millions worldwide who fight a ruthless foe that has attacked people of all kinds​—young and old, rich and poor, single and married, men and women. It is a killer, for up to 70 percent of all suicides are traceable to depression. This foe also destroys careers and shatters families.

Read how Sarah and others won their fight.

Fighting a Relentless Foe

“THIS was the biggest trial of my life,” said Elizabeth. “To be on my feet again is wonderful. I feel as if I have a new lease on life. I can now smell the roses!” This 42-year-old woman had conquered a foe said to cause more suffering than any other mental disorder​—depression.

Alexander was not as fortunate. This 33-year-old became very depressed, lost his appetite, and wanted to be by himself. “He felt like the whole world had come down and that nothing was worth living for anymore,” explained his wife, Esther. “He believed he wasn’t worth anything.” Convinced that he would never get better, Alexander plunged to his death in suicide.

Both Elizabeth and Alexander were among the reported 100,000,000 people worldwide who each year develop clinically recognizable depression. One out of every four Americans and one out of every five Canadians experience a major depressive episode during their lifetime. Depression is also reported to be a common ailment in Africa, and it is increasing in the Federal Republic of Germany. So chances are you may have a friend or a relative who is or has been a victim.

Alexander’s wife, who did all she could to help her husband, warns: “When someone talks about being depressed and feeling worthless, take it seriously.” Severe depression is thus more than a passing mood or just a case of the blues. It can be a killer, a relentless foe that can cripple and maim. Being able to recognize it could mean the difference between life and death.

“A Plague in My Brain”

All of us are subject to painful losses, frustrations, and disappointments. Sadness is a natural response. You close down emotionally, lick your wounds, and eventually begin to cope with the reality of the changed situation. You hope for a better day tomorrow and soon begin to enjoy life again. But in cases of major depression it is different.

“For eight months no shopping trip, nothing, made me feel better,” said Elizabeth. Another sufferer, Carol, added: “It was like a plague in my brain, like a terrible cloud hanging over me. You could give me a million dollars, and it wouldn’t stop the awful feelings.” One man said that ‘you feel as though you’ve put on smoke-colored glasses​—everything looks unattractive. Also, the glasses have magnifying lenses, so that every problem seems overwhelming.’

Depression is a spectrum of emotions ranging from feeling sad to becoming hopeless and suicidal. (See box on page 4.) The number of symptoms, their intensity, and their duration are all factors in pinpointing when the blues become major depression.

Not Always Easy to Identify

Depression is often difficult to identify because the sufferer may also have physical symptoms. “My legs stung, and at times I had pain all over. I went to many doctors,” said Elizabeth. “I was convinced that they were overlooking some physical illness and that I was going to die.” Like Elizabeth, about 50 percent of depressed patients who seek medical help complain of physical rather than emotional symptoms.

“Usually, they will complain of headache, insomnia, anorexia, constipation, or chronic fatigue,” writes Dr. Samuel Guze, head of the Department of Psychiatry of Washington University in St. Louis, “but will say nothing about feeling sad, hopeless, or discouraged. . . . Some depressed patients seem unaware of their depression.” Chronic pain, weight loss or gain, and a diminished sexual desire are also classic symptoms.

Dr. E. B. L. Ovuga of Umzimkulu Hospital, Transkei, South Africa, reports that while depressed Africans rarely report feelings of guilt or worthlessness, they do complain of overactivity, withdrawal, and body pains. A 1983 report by the World Health Organization found that the vast majority of depressed persons studied in Switzerland, Iran, Canada, and Japan all had the same basic symptoms of joylessness, anxiety, lack of energy, and ideas of insufficiency.

Alcohol and drug abuse, as well as sexual promiscuity, are just some of the ways in which some try to cover depressed feelings. Yes, “even in laughter the heart may be in pain.” (Proverbs 14:13) This is especially true of youths. “Adults look depressed, but if a depressed child walks into a room, you would not notice a thing,” explained Dr. Donald McKnew of NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) in an interview with Awake! “That’s why childhood depression went unrecognized for so long. But as soon as you talk to them about it, they will pour out their depression.”

Yet, the 1980’s have seen significant advances in understanding and treating depression. The mysteries of brain chemistry are being unraveled. Tests have been developed to identify certain types of depression. The fight has been augmented by the use of antidepressant medications and nutrients such as certain amino acids. Additionally, short-term talk therapies have been effectively used. According to NIMH scientists, between 80 and 90 percent of all victims can be helped substantially with appropriate treatment.

But what causes this disabling emotional disorder?

[Chart on page 4]

The Spectrum of Depression

Simple Blues Major Depression

Mood

Sadness, normal grief Overwhelming hopelessness

Self-pity, discouragement Feeling of worthlessness

Self-blame and guilt Destructive guilt and self-blame

Able to find some pleasure Find no pleasure, no longer care

Thinking

Remorse or regret Thoughts of suicide

Hard to concentrate

Duration

Brief duration (few days) Prolonged duration (two weeks or more)

Physical Symptoms

Normal functioning Constant fatigue; unexplained aches

Slight physical problems Changes in eating and sleeping habits

Slowed speech or body motions

Depression: All in One’s Head?

THE MAN became depressed as soon as he began to restore his 200-year-old home. He slept badly and found sustained mental effort unusually difficult. His family wondered whether the house was haunted! He noticed that his worst symptoms, which included abdominal pain, followed periods spent removing old paint from interior woodwork. A doctor discovered that poisoning from the lead in the layers of old paint he was scraping caused his depression.

Yes, at times, even toxic materials are to blame for depression. In fact, you may be surprised to learn that depression can be triggered by a number of physical causes.

Several years ago researchers carefully examined 100 persons who were admitted to a city hospital with psychiatric problems, including depression. In 46 of these cases, the emotional symptoms were found to be directly related to physical illnesses. According to the report in the American Journal of Psychiatry, when these physical ills were treated, 28 “evidenced dramatic and rapid clearing of their psychiatric symptoms,” and 18 were “substantially improved.”

The role of physical illness in depression, however, is complex. The experience of many doctors is that a depressed patient may also have a physical illness that is not responsible for his depression but that becomes the focal point in his mind. Yet, the underlying depression often must be addressed and treated.

Though some physical illnesses can cause or intensify emotional disorders, psychiatric symptoms can also develop as a reaction to a previously existing illness. For instance, after major surgery, especially of the heart, recovering patients almost always get depressed. When they recover, the depression usually lifts. The strain on the body from a serious illness may also cause the disorder. In addition, an allergic reaction to certain foods or other substances can cause severe depression in some persons.

Heredity may also be a factor in whether one develops certain types of depression. Earlier this year, researchers announced the discovery of an inherited genetic defect that is believed to predispose some persons to manic depression.

Additionally, some medical experts say that from 10 to 20 percent of new mothers experience a full-blown clinical depression. Researchers do not agree, however, whether the hormonal changes associated with childbirth or the emotional strains of motherhood bring on the disorder. Recent findings also indicate that premenstrual syndrome and the taking of birth-control pills tend to cause depression in some women.

Current research has also revealed that some people appear to have seasonal mood cycles, referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder. Such ones feel very depressed during the fall and winter. They slow down and generally oversleep, withdraw from friends and family, and experience changes in appetite and food preference. But come spring and summer, they are elated, active, and energetic, and they generally function well. Some have been successfully treated with the regulated use of artificial lighting.

So depression is not always ‘in the head.’ Therefore, if a depressed mood lingers, having a complete medical examination is vital. But what if no physical reason can be found?

[Box on page 6]

Some Physical Causes of Depression

Medical research has associated the following things with the development of depression in some people:

Toxic metals and chemicals: lead, mercury, aluminum, carbon monoxide, and some insecticides

Nutrient deficiencies: certain vitamins and some essential minerals

Infectious diseases: tuberculosis, mononucleosis, viral pneumonia, hepatitis, and influenza

Endocrine-system diseases: thyroid disease, Cushing’s disease, hypoglycemia, and diabetes mellitus

Central-nervous-system diseases: multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease

“Recreational” drugs: PCP, marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, and methadone

Prescription drugs: barbiturates, anticonvulsants, corticosteroids, and hormones. Some medications that treat high blood pressure, arthritis, cardiovascular problems, and some mental disorders

(Certainly, not all such medicines will cause depression, and even when there is a danger, it usually involves a small percentage of those who use the drug under the proper medical supervision.)

The Psychological Roots

“I’VE done every test, and nothing shows up,” the kindly doctor told Elizabeth. “I believe you are severely depressed and for good reason.”

Elizabeth, who felt that her problem was a physical illness, began to wonder if the doctor was correct. She reflected on her daily struggle for the past few years with her unruly, and often uncontrollable, six-year-old son, who was later diagnosed as having an attention-deficit disorder. “The day-in, day-out stress and anxiety that never let up took an enormous toll on my emotions,” confided Elizabeth. “I had reached the point where I felt hopeless and suicidal.”

Many depressed persons, like Elizabeth, have faced an exceptional amount of emotional strain. In fact, a landmark study by British researchers George Brown and Tirril Harris found that depressed women had a rate of “major difficulties,” such as bad housing or a strained family relationship, that was over three times greater than that of nondepressed women. These difficulties had caused “considerable and often unremitting distress” for at least two years. Severe life experiences, such as the death of a close relative or friend, a severe illness or accident, shockingly bad news, or the loss of a job, also were four times more common among the depressed women!

Yet, Brown and Harris found that adversity alone does not cause the depression. Much depended on the mental response and emotional vulnerability of the individual.

“Everything Seemed Hopeless”

For instance, Sarah, a hardworking wife and the mother of three young children, wrenched her back in a job-related accident. Her doctor said that she would have to curtail much of her physical activity because of a ruptured disk. “I thought my whole world had come to an end. I had always been an active, athletic person who played sports with my kids. I pondered this loss and felt things would never get better. Soon I lost all joy of living. Everything seemed hopeless,” confessed Sarah.

Her reaction to the accident led to thoughts of hopelessness concerning her life as a whole, and this bred the depression. As Brown and Harris, in their book Social Origins of Depression, state: “It [the provoking incident, such as Sarah’s accident] may lead to thoughts about the hopelessness of one’s life in general. It is such generalization of hopelessness that we believe forms the central core of a depressive disorder.”

But what makes many people feel unable to repair the damage of a painful loss, causing them to fall into major depression? Why was Sarah, for example, vulnerable to such a negative train of thought?

‘I’m Unworthy’

“I’ve always lacked confidence in myself,” explained Sarah. “My self-esteem was very low, and I felt unworthy of any attention.” The painful feelings associated with one’s lacking self-worth are often the critical factor. “Because of the pain of the heart there is a stricken spirit,” states Proverbs 15:13. The Bible recognizes that a depressed spirit can be the result, not of external pressures alone, but of inward misgivings. What can cause low self-esteem?

Some of our thought patterns are shaped by our upbringing. “As a child, I was never praised by my parents,” confided Sarah. “I cannot ever remember receiving a compliment until after I was married. Consequently, I sought approval from others. I have this terrible fear of people’s disapproval.”

Sarah’s intense need of approval is a common element with many who become seriously depressed. Research has revealed that such persons tend to build their self-esteem on the love and approval received from others, rather than on their own achievements. They may estimate their own worth by the extent that they are likable or significant to someone else. “Loss of such support,” reports one team of researchers, “will lead to a fall in self-esteem and this contributes significantly to the onset of depression.”

Perfectionism

An exaggerated concern about gaining the approval of others often expresses itself in an unusual way. Sarah explains: “I strove to do everything just right so that I could get the approval that I didn’t get as a child. On my secular job, I did everything just so. I had to have the ‘perfect’ family. I had this image that I had to live up to.” When she had her accident, however, all seemed hopeless. She adds: “I believed I was keeping the family going and feared that if I couldn’t function, they would fail and then people would say, ‘She is a bad mother and wife.’”

Sarah’s thinking led to major depression. Research about the personalities of depressed persons reveals that her case is not unique. Margaret, who also suffered from severe depression, admitted: “I worried about what others thought of me. I was a perfectionistic, clock-watching, organized worrier.” Setting unrealistically high goals or being overly conscientious, and yet failing to live up to expectations, is at the root of many depressions. Ecclesiastes 7:16 warns: “Do not become righteous overmuch, nor show yourself excessively wise. Why should you cause desolation to yourself?” Trying to show yourself nearly “perfect” to others can lead to emotional and physical desolation. The frustrations can also lead to a destructive type of self-blame.

“I Can’t Do Anything Right”

Self-blame can be a positive reaction. For instance, a person may be robbed because of walking alone in a dangerous neighborhood. He may blame himself for putting himself into such a situation, resolving to change and thereby avoid a similar problem later. But a person could go further and blame himself for the type of person he is by saying: ‘I’m just a careless person who is unable to stay out of trouble.’ This type of self-blame faults one’s character and undermines self-esteem.

An example of such destructive self-blame occurred with 32-year-old Maria. For six months she harbored resentment toward her older sister because of a misunderstanding. One evening she lambasted her sister over the phone. Their mother, upon finding out what Maria had done, called and strongly reprimanded her.

“I got mad at my mother, but I was even more upset with myself, for I learned how much I had hurt my sister,” explained Maria. Shortly afterward she yelled at her nine-year-old son, who was misbehaving. The boy, who became very upset, later said to her: “Mommy, you sounded like you wanted to kill me!”

Maria was crushed. She reported: “I felt that I was a terrible person. I thought, ‘I can’t do anything right!’ That’s all I could think about. Then the deep depression really began.” Her self-blame proved destructive.

Does all of this mean that everyone with major depression has low self-esteem? Of course not. The causes are complex and varied. Even when the result is what the Bible calls ‘pain of heart,’ there are many emotions that cause this, including unresolved anger, resentment, guilt​—real or exaggerated—​and unsettled conflicts with others. (Proverbs 15:13) All of these can lead to a stricken spirit, or depression.

When Sarah realized that her thinking was at the root of much of her depression, at first she was crushed. “But then I felt a measure of relief,” she confided, “because I realized that if my thinking caused it, then my thinking could also fix it.” Sarah said this thought was exciting to her, explaining: “I realized that when I changed the way I was thinking about certain things, this could affect my life from here on for good.”

Sarah made the necessary changes, and her depression lifted. Maria, Margaret, and Elizabeth likewise won their fight. What changes did they make?

[Blurb on page 10]

‘When I realized that my thinking caused my depression, this gave me some relief and comfort because I believed then I could also fix it.’

[Box on page 8, 9]

Childhood Depression: “I Wish I Weren’t Alive”

An interview with Dr. Donald McKnew of the National Institute of Mental Health, who has researched this subject for 20 years.

Awake!: How prevalent do you consider this problem to be?

McKnew: A recent New Zealand study of a thousand children found that by the age of nine, some 10 percent of the children had already experienced a depressive episode. And we get the impression that 10 to 15 percent of schoolchildren have mood disorders. A smaller number suffer from severe depression.

Awake!: How can you tell if children are severely depressed?

McKnew: One of the key symptoms is that they find no pleasure in anything. They don’t want to go out and play or be with their friends. They’re not interested in the family. You see loss of concentration; they can’t keep their mind even on television programs, much less their homework. You see a feeling of worthlessness, a personal sense of guilt. They’ll go around saying they think they’re no good or nobody likes them. Either they can’t sleep or they oversleep; they lose their appetite or they overeat. Plus you hear suicidal ideas such as, “I wish I weren’t alive.” If you see a conglomeration of these symptoms, and it’s lasted for a week or two, then you’re talking about a seriously depressed child.

Awake!: What are the key triggers of childhood depression?

McKnew: When you get down to the specific factors in any given child’s life, the major thing is probably a loss. While this usually means a parental loss, it could include friends, close relatives, or even a pet. Second to losses I would put depreciation and rejection. We see an awful lot of children who are maligned and made to feel they’re small or insignificant by their parents. At times a child is made a scapegoat. He is blamed for anything that goes wrong in the family whether he is at fault or not. Hence, he feels unworthy. Another factor is a mood disorder in a parent.

Awake!: The book Why Isn’t Johnny Crying?, which you coauthored, states that some children who are depressed engage in drug and alcohol abuse or even delinquent behavior. Why is this?

McKnew: We believe they’re trying to hide the depression, even from themselves. Their way of dealing with it often is to stay busy with other things, like stealing cars, taking dope, or drinking. These are ways of disguising how badly they feel. In fact, trying to hide their depression is one of the clearest ways that children differ from adults.

Awake!: How can you tell when it is depression and not a child just misbehaving?

McKnew: By talking with these children, getting them to open up, you will often find the depression. And if the depression is properly treated, their behavior improves. Though something else was showing up on the surface, the depression was still there underneath all the time.

Awake!: How can you get a depressed child to open up?

McKnew: First of all, choose a quiet time and place. Then ask specific questions like, ‘Is something bothering you?’ ‘Have you been feeling sad or blue?’ ‘Are you upset?’ If there has been a loss, you could ask, depending on the circumstances, ‘Do you miss Grandma as much as I do?’ Give the child a chance to ventilate his feelings.

Awake!: What would you tell severely depressed children to do?

McKnew: Tell their parents about it. This business of detection is a serious one because generally only the children know they’re depressed. Parents and teachers usually don’t see it. I have seen adolescents who have gone to their parents and said, “I am depressed, I need help,” and they’ve gotten it.

Awake!: How can a parent help a depressed child?

McKnew: If the depression seems to be debilitating, then it’s not something to be handled at home, any more than is pneumonia. A debilitating depression must be taken to a professional because there may be a need for medication. We use medication in well over half of our cases, even with children down to five years of age. We also try to readjust the child’s thinking. And by these means the depression is eminently treatable.

Awake!: If it’s not a debilitating illness, what can a parent do?

McKnew: Take an honest look at yourself and your family. Has there been some serious loss that needs to be talked about and dealt with? When losses occur, don’t belittle a child’s sadness. Allow him the freedom to work through his grief. Give a depressed child special amounts of attention, praise, and emotional support. Spend extra time with him alone. Your warm involvement is the best form of treatment.

Winning the Fight Against Depression

“BY SKILLFUL direction you will carry on your war,” states Proverbs 24:6. Skill, not just good intentions, is needed to win a battle. Certainly, if depressed, you do not want inadvertently to cause yourself to feel worse. For instance, a 1984 study of depressed persons found that some tried to cope with their depression by ‘taking anger out on other people, reducing tension by drinking more, eating more, and taking more tranquilizing drugs.’ The result: “more depression and physical symptoms.”

Some depressed persons fail to seek skillful direction because of their fear of being viewed as mentally weak. Yet, major depression is a sign neither of mental weakness nor of spiritual failure. Research indicates that this severe disorder may exist when there is a certain chemical malfunction in the brain. Since a physical illness may cause this, if you have been severely depressed for longer than two weeks, a medical examination may be advisable. If no physical illness is found to be contributing to the problem, often the disorder can be improved by adjusting the thinking pattern along with some help from appropriate medication or nutrients.a Winning the fight against depression does not mean that you will never have a depressed mood again. Sadness is a part of life. Yet, skillfully directing your blows will help you deal with depression better.

A doctor will often prescribe antidepressants. These are drugs designed to clear up the chemical imbalance. Elizabeth, mentioned earlier, used these, and within weeks her mood began to improve. “Still, I had to cultivate a positive attitude to work along with the drugs,” she said. “With the ‘push’ from the medicine, I was determined to get well. I also maintained a daily exercise program.”

However, the use of antidepressants is not always successful. There are also troublesome side effects for some. And even if the chemical malfunction is corrected, unless one’s thinking is corrected, the depression may return. Much relief, however, can come by being willing to . . .

Open Up Your Feelings

Sarah deeply resented the one-sided load of family responsibilities that she carried, as well as the pressures of a secular job. (See page 7.) “But I just stuffed my feelings inside me,” explained Sarah. “Then one night when I felt so hopeless, I phoned my younger sister, and for the first time in my life, I began to pour out my feelings. This was a turning point, as that call brought such relief.”

So, if depressed, seek out an empathetic person in whom you can confide. This one may be a marriage mate, close friend, relative, minister, doctor, or trained counselor. One of the essentials in defeating depression, according to a study reported in the Journal of Marriage and the Family, is “having a support helper available with whom to share the tribulations of life.”

Putting your feelings into words is a healing process that prevents your mind from trying to deny the reality of the problem or loss and, hence, leaving this unresolved. But open up your real feelings. Don’t allow a sense of false pride, wanting to have an undaunted-by-adversity appearance, to inhibit you. “Anxious care in the heart of a man is what will cause it to bow down, but the good word is what makes it rejoice,” states Proverbs 12:25. Yet, only by opening up can others begin to understand your “anxious care” and thus give that “good word” of encouragement.

“I just wanted sympathy when I called my sister, but I got a lot more,” recalled Sarah. “She helped me to see where my thinking was wrong. She told me that I was putting too much responsibility on myself. Though at first I didn’t want to hear this, when I began to apply her counsel, I could sense that a huge load began to be lifted.” How true are the words of Proverbs 27:9: “Oil and incense are what make the heart rejoice, also the sweetness of one’s companion due to the counsel of the soul.”

There is sweetness in having a friend or a mate who talks frankly and helps you to put things in proper perspective. This may help you to focus on just one problem at a time. So rather than becoming defensive, cherish such “skillful direction.” You may need someone who, after several conversations, can offer some short-term goals that will indicate steps you can take to change or modify your situation so as to reduce or eliminate the source of the emotional strain.b

Fighting depression often requires contending with feelings of low self-esteem. How can these be skillfully resisted?

Fighting Low Self-Esteem

For instance, Maria, as the preceding article shows, became depressed after conflicts within her family. She concluded: ‘I am a terrible person and can’t do anything right.’ This was wrong. If she had just analyzed her conclusions, she could have challenged these by reasoning: ‘I do some things right and some wrong, just like other people. I made a couple of mistakes, and I need to work on being more thoughtful, but let’s not blow this all out of proportion.’ Such reasoning would have left her self-esteem intact.

So often that overly critical inner voice that condemns us is wrong! Some typical distorted thoughts that breed depression are listed in the accompanying box. Learn to recognize such erroneous thoughts and mentally challenge their validity.

Another victim of low self-esteem was Jean, a 37-year-old single parent. “I was under strain trying to rear two boys. But when I saw other single parents get married, I thought, ‘Something must be wrong with me,’” she explained. “By dwelling on just negatives, these snowballed, and I ended up hospitalized for depression.”

“After leaving the hospital,” Jean continued, “I read in the Awake! of September 8, 1981, a list of ‘Thoughts That Can Incline One to Depression.’ Each night I read that list. Some of the wrong thoughts were, ‘My value as a person depends on what others think of me,’ ‘I should never feel hurt; I should always be happy and serene,’ ‘I should be the perfect parent.’ I tended to be a perfectionist, so as soon as I would think that way, I’d pray to Jehovah to help me stop. I learned that negative thinking leads to low self-esteem, for all you see is the trouble in your life and not the good that God has given you. By forcing myself to avoid certain incorrect thoughts, I got over my depression.” Do some of your thoughts need to be challenged or rejected?

Is It My Fault?

Although Alexander was very depressed, he managed to teach a school class. (See page 3.) When some of his pupils failed a very important reading test, he became suicidal. “He felt that he had failed,” reported Esther, his wife. “I told him it was not his fault. You can’t have 100-percent success.” Yet, his overwhelming guilt closed his mind and led him to suicide. Often, exaggerated guilt is caused by assuming an unrealistic responsibility for the behavior of other people.

Even in the case of a child, a parent can strongly influence his life but not absolutely control it. If something does not go as well as you had planned, ask yourself: Did I face unforeseen occurrences beyond my control? (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Did I do all I reasonably could within the limits of my physical, mental, and emotional resources? Were my expectations just too high? Do I need to learn to be more reasonable and modest?​—Philippians 4:5.

But what if you do make a serious mistake, and it is your fault? Will continuing to beat yourself mentally change the mistake? Is not God willing to forgive you, even “in a large way,” if you are genuinely repentant? (Isaiah 55:7) If God will “not for all time keep finding fault,” should you sentence yourself to a lifetime of mental suffering over such wrongdoing? (Psalm 103:8-14) Not constant sadness but taking positive steps to ‘right the wrong’ is what will please Jehovah God and also ease your depression.​—2 Corinthians 7:8-11.

‘Forget the Things Behind’

Some of our emotional problems may be rooted in the past, especially if we were victims of unjust treatment. Be willing to forgive and forget. ‘Forgetting is not easy!’ you may be thinking. True, but it is better than destroying the rest of your life by dwelling on what cannot be undone.

“Forgetting the things behind and stretching forward to the things ahead,” wrote the apostle Paul, “I am pursuing down toward the goal for the prize.” (Philippians 3:13, 14) Paul did not dwell on the wrong course he had pursued in Judaism, including even approving of murder. (Acts 8:1) No, he concentrated his energies on qualifying for the future prize of eternal life. Maria also learned not to dwell on the past. At one time she blamed her mother for the way she had reared her. Her mother had stressed excellence and physical beauty; hence, Maria was a perfectionist and tended to be jealous of her attractive sister.

“This underlying jealousy was the root of the conflicts, but I blamed my family for the way I acted. Then I came to the point where I thought, ‘Really, what difference does it make whose fault it was?’ Maybe I have some bad traits because of the way Mother raised me, but the point is to do something about it! Don’t continue to act that way.” This realization helped Maria make the needed mental adjustments to win her fight against depression.​—Proverbs 14:30.

Your Real Value

All factors considered, successfully fighting depression requires having a balanced view of your own worth. “I would say to every one of you,” wrote the apostle Paul, “not to estimate himself above his real value, but to make a sober rating of himself.” (Romans 12:3, Charles B. Williams) False pride, ignoring our limitations, and perfectionism are all an overestimate of ourselves. These tendencies must be resisted. Yet, avoid going to the other extreme.

Jesus Christ stressed the individual worth of each of his disciples by saying: “Five sparrows sell for two coins of small value, do they not? Yet not one of them goes forgotten before God. But even the hairs of your heads are all numbered. Have no fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6, 7) We are of such worth to God that he takes note of even the minutest detail about us. He knows things about us that we do not know ourselves because he deeply cares about each of us.​—1 Peter 5:7.

Recognizing the personal interest God had in her helped Sarah to improve her feelings of self-worth. “I always felt awe for the Creator, but then I came to realize that he cared about me as a person. No matter what my children do, no matter what my husband does, regardless of how my mom and dad raised me, I realized I had a personal friendship with Jehovah. Then my self-esteem really began to grow.”

Since God considers his servants precious, our worth does not rest on approval by another human. Of course, rejection is unpleasant. But when we use another’s approval or disapproval as the yardstick by which to measure our own worth, we are making ourselves vulnerable to depression. King David, a man after God’s own heart, was on one occasion called a “good-for-nothing man,” literally, a “man of worthlessness.” Yet, David realized that the name-caller had a problem, and he did not view the remark as a final judgment of his own worth. In fact, as people often do, Shimei later apologized. Even if someone justly criticizes you, recognize it as directed against a specific thing you did, not your worth as a person.​—2 Samuel 16:7; 19:18, 19.

Sarah’s personal study of the Bible and Bible-based literature and attending the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses helped her lay the foundation for a relationship with God. “But my changed attitude about prayer was the biggest help,” recalled Sarah. “I used to think that we only prayed to God about big things and should not bother him with insignificant problems. Now I feel I can talk to him about anything. If I’m nervous about making a decision, I ask him to help me be calm and reasonable. I draw even closer as I see him responding to my prayers and helping me get through each day and each trying circumstance.”​—1 John 5:14; Philippians 4:7.

Indeed, the assurance that God has a personal interest in you, understands your limitations, and will give you the strength to tackle each day is the key in the fight against depression. Yet, at times, regardless of what you do, the depression lingers.

‘Hour-by-Hour’ Endurance

“I have tried everything, including nutritional supplements and antidepressants,” bemoans Eileen, a 47-year-old mother who has struggled with major depression for years. “I have learned to adjust wrong thinking, and this has helped me to be a more reasonable person. But the depression remains.”

The fact that depression persists does not mean that you are not fighting it skillfully. Doctors do not know all the answers to treating the disorder. In some situations the depression is a side effect of some medicines taken to treat a serious illness. Thus, the use of such medicines is a trade-off because of the benefit they may be in treating some other medical problem.

Of course, pouring out your feelings to another understanding person helps. Yet, no other human can really know the depth of your agony. However, God knows and will help. “Jehovah has provided strength to keep trying,” revealed Eileen. “He has not let me give up, and he has given me hope.”

With God’s help, emotional support from others, and your own efforts, you will not be overwhelmed so that you give up. In time you can adjust to the depression, just as you would to any chronic illness. Endurance is not easy, but it is possible! Jean, whose severe depression persisted, said: “We didn’t even take it day by day. It was more like hour by hour.” With both Eileen and Jean, the hope promised in the Bible kept them going. What is that hope?

A Precious Hope

The Bible speaks of a time in the near future when God “will wipe out every tear from [mankind’s] eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3, 4) God’s Kingdom will then bring about the complete physical and mental healing of all its earthly subjects.​—Psalm 37:10, 11, 29.

Not only will physical pain be removed but painful distress and affliction of the heart will disappear too. Jehovah promises: “The former things will not be called to mind, neither will they come up into the heart. But exult, you people, and be joyful forever in what I am creating.” (Isaiah 65:17, 18) What a relief it will be to mankind to be relieved of the burdens of the past and to awaken each day with crystal-clear minds, eager to tackle the day’s activity! No longer will humans be hampered by the haze of a depressed mood.

With ‘no more death, mourning, or outcry,’ gone will be the sense of tragic losses and daily emotional strains that now lead to depression. Since loving-kindness, trueness, and peace will permeate dealings that people have with one another, bitter conflicts will cease. (Psalm 85:10, 11) As the effects of sin are removed, what great joy to be able finally to measure up perfectly to God’s standard of righteousness and have full peace within!

This exciting prospect is a great incentive to keep fighting, no matter how intense depression becomes. For in God’s new world, perfected humans will have gained an absolute victory over depression. What good news that is!

[Footnotes]

[Box on page 13]

Distorted Thinking Patterns

All-or-nothing thinking: You see things in black-and-white categories. If your performance falls short of perfection, you see yourself as a total failure.

Overgeneralization: You see a single negative event as a never-ending pattern of defeat. For instance, after an argument with a friend, you may conclude: ‘I’m losing all my friends. Nothing turns out right for me.’

Disqualifying the positive: You reject positive experiences by insisting that they “don’t count” or, “I’m not worthy of such.” By dwelling on a single negative detail, your whole view darkens.

Jumping to conclusions: You arbitrarily conclude that someone doesn’t like you, and you don’t bother to check this out. Or you are absolutely convinced that things will always turn out badly.

Magnification or minimization: You exaggerate the importance of things (such as your own mistake or someone else’s achievement) or play down things until they appear tiny (your own desirable qualities or the other fellow’s imperfections). You make nightmarish disasters out of commonplace negative events.

Personalization: You see yourself as the cause of some negative external event that, in fact, you were not primarily responsible for.

Based on Feeling Good​—The New Mood Therapy, by David D. Burns, M.D.

[Picture on page 12]

Pouring out your feelings to an empathetic confidant can be a healing process and provide great relief

[Picture on page 15]

God considers even little sparrows of worth, so of what greater worth God considers us

Wisdom Beyond Her Years

IT WAS midnight. Twelve-year-old Lisa, acutely ill and weak, was startled when a nurse entered her hospital room to give her a blood transfusion.

Lisa pleaded: “How can you force this on me? My dad and my mom aren’t even here!” The nurse gave it to her anyway.

The Question of Treatment

Lisa, a bright, active, talented “A” student, had enjoyed life with her parents and five-year-old brother in Winnipeg, Canada. In the spring of 1985 she was given an antibiotic for a case of tonsillitis and suffered a severe reaction. Her health waned, and soon afterward she was diagnosed as having acute myeloid leukemia, a condition that is usually fatal.

Winnipeg physicians prescribed intensive chemotherapy and multiple blood transfusions. Chemotherapy is a treatment by toxic chemicals. The theory is that these poisons kill the disease. However, Lisa and her parents wanted alternative treatment. They objected to blood transfusions for Scriptural reasons. (Acts 15:28, 29) They also found repugnant the agony and debilitating side effects of intensive chemotherapy.

Finally, Lisa’s parents took her to Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, hoping to find cooperative doctors. But instead of cooperation, that midnight blood transfusion was administered. The next morning, October 25, a court order was sought to authorize the hospital to use force in imposing this treatment. Judge David R. Main expressed reservations. He appointed Sarah Mott-Trille as Lisa’s lawyer. The case was adjourned to Monday, October 28, 1985.

The Trial

The trial lasted five days and was held in a room at the hospital. Each day, at her own request, Lisa was wheeled into the room on her hospital bed. Although very ill, she was determined to be personally involved in decisions that involved her faith.

The hearing began with the physician’s proposal for treatment. In his written judgment, Judge Main explained: “The treatment as described by the physicians who have testified before this court is both intensive and aggressive and could go on for a considerable period of time. It is anticipated that repeated blood transfusions would be required to maintain the patient.” It was also noted that the side effects of the chemotherapy are many and extreme.

The drama escalated sharply on the fourth day. Lisa was propped up so she could directly address the judge. Everyone in the courtroom, including Lisa, knew she was facing death whether she received blood transfusions or not. There is no cure for the leukemia from which she was suffering.

Lisa’s lawyer questioned her with care and sensitivity. There were few dry eyes as Lisa courageously discussed her impending death, her faith in Jehovah, and her determination to remain obedient to his law on the sanctity of blood. She said she would strenuously and physically resist any effort to give her a blood transfusion. Her simple and bold statement touched everyone’s heart.

“Now you told us you believe in God,” her lawyer said. “Can you tell us if he’s real to you?”

“Well, he’s like a friend,” Lisa responded. “Sometimes when I’m by myself, I can talk to him . . . as a friend; if I’m scared and I’m home by myself, I ask him for help and I just talk to him like he’s in the room beside me.”

“Lisa, if someone was to say to you, what are the most important things in your life, what would you say?”

“My obedience to Jehovah God and my family,” Lisa answered.

Her lawyer asked: “Lisa, would it make any difference to you to know that a Court orders you to take blood transfusions?”

“No, because I am still going to remain faithful to my God and listen to his commands because God is a lot more superior than any court or any man.”

Lisa explained her feelings about the one blood transfusion already forced on her, saying: “It made me feel like a dog being used for an experiment, because I couldn’t control anything. Just because I’m a minor, people feel they can do anything to me, but I feel that I have a right to know what’s going to happen to me and why they’re doing these treatments and why they’re doing them without my parents’ consent.”

“Did you sleep that night?” her lawyer asked.

“No, I didn’t.”

“What were your concerns?”

“Well, my concerns were what was Jehovah God going to think of me because I know that if I go against his wishes, I don’t have his promise of everlasting life, and I was very sickened to my stomach that I was getting somebody else’s blood into me, because there’s always the possibility of getting AIDS or hepatitis or some other infection, and all I did that night was just stare at that blood and look at it.”

“Lisa, can you think of a comparison to explain to the judge what getting a blood transfusion is like against your will?”

“Well, the one I can think of is rape because . . . a rape is getting something done without your will, and it’s just like that.”

The Decision

Day five was climactic. From the beginning Judge Main had been fair and balanced. Would his kindness be reflected in his decision? He concluded: “The child Lisa Dorothy K. is to be returned to the custody, care and control of her parents.”

Judge Main explained the reasons for his judgment in much detail. Among other things, he said: “Lisa’s position is now and has been from the day she saw a documentary on this disease, that she does not want any part of chemotherapy and blood transfusions. She takes this position not only because it offends her religious beliefs, and I am satisfied that it does, but also because she does not want to experience the pain and anguish associated with the treatment process. . . . I refuse to make any order which would put this child through that ordeal. I find the proposal that she undergo this treatment totally unacceptable.”

Concerning the surreptitious midnight transfusion forced on Lisa, Judge Main said: “I must find that [Lisa] has been discriminated against on the basis of her religion and her age pursuant to subsection 15(1) [of The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]. In these circumstances, upon being given a blood transfusion, her right to the security of her person pursuant to Section 7 was infringed. As a result, even if she could be said to be a child in need of protection, the application must be dismissed pursuant to subsection 24(1) of the Charter.”

Finally, Judge Main reaffirmed his personal admiration for Lisa, noting: “Lisa is a beautiful, extremely intelligent, articulate, courteous, sensitive and most importantly, a courageous person. She has wisdom and maturity well beyond her years and I think it would be safe to say that she has all of the positive attributes that any parent would want in a child. She has a well thought out, firm and clear religious belief. In my view, no amount of counselling from whatever source or pressure from her parents or anyone else, including an order of this court, would shake or alter her religious beliefs.

“I believe that Lisa K. should be given the opportunity to fight this disease with dignity and peace of mind. That can only be achieved by acceptance of the plan put forward by her and her parents.”

Integrity to the End

Lisa and her family left the hospital that day. Lisa did, indeed, fight her disease with dignity and peace of mind. On November 17, 1985, she died peacefully at home, in the loving arms of her mother and father.

During the trial, Lisa described a conversation with her mother at the time her leukemia was first diagnosed, explaining: “I discussed with my Mom all the possibilities I have, and we read the Bible together, and we read other books from our religion together, and I told her, . . . ‘If I do die, I will see you in the new order, and I will have a guaranteed hope of seeing you and living forever on a paradise on earth.’”

A Lesson for Hospitals and Doctors

Canadian medical-legal writers L. E. and F. A. Rozovsky noted in Canadian Health Facilities Law Guide: “Hospitals and physicians alike can draw certain lessons from this decision. In particular, they should proceed carefully with treatment over the known objection of pediatric patients or their parents. Care should be taken to avoid forced treatment to areas mapped out as ‘discriminatory’ in Section 15(1) of the Charter, including age, sex, religion or ethnic origin.”

Yet, how should physicians “proceed carefully” and avoid such religious discrimination? The Rozovskys point out a balanced solution: “It must be remembered, however, that the basic duty of the health facility is not to be the patient’s adversary. The real task is to do what is in the best interests of the patient. In this case the court found that the best interests favoured an alternate form of care.”

Obviously, where the patient is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, his best interests will be met where family and physician cooperate in providing an alternative to blood transfusions. Doctors who have followed this course have not sacrificed good medical care. As the pediatric specialists at M. D. Anderson Hospital in Texas reported:

“Transfusion therapy is not necessary as often as it is used. In this series of patients with cancer and related diseases, good medical care did not suffer as a result of withholding transfusions.”

The implications of the case of Lisa are far-reaching. Already, following the lead of the Canadian court, a California judge has refused to force treatment on a 14-year-old girl. Additionally, on February 11, 1986, the British Columbia Health Association issued a directive to all hospital administrators based directly on Lisa’s case, stating: “This case constitutes a new precedent.”

In an area of legal and medical confusion, this decision has lit a beacon. It is just and right. The future will tell us how many doctors, hospitals, and judges will follow the humane and sensitive lead given us by Judge David R. Main and by Lisa.

[Blurb on page 19]

There were few dry eyes as Lisa courageously discussed her impending death

[Blurb on page 20]

“This case constitutes a new precedent.”​—British Columbia Health Association

[Picture on page 18]

Lisa, age 12, maintained her integrity under great adversity and opposition

Young People Ask . . .

Why Did Mom and Dad Split Up?

“Dad had left us before,” says Denny. “But he always came back.” This time, however, was different. Recalls Maurice, Denny’s younger brother: “One day I was at my baby-sitter’s house, from which I could see our backyard. I saw Dad trying to break into our house. I realized then that he wasn’t living with us anymore. It turned out that Mom had changed the locks.”

For Annette, the breakup of her parents had no such note of finality. “My folks were always splitting up​—ever since I was eight,” she recalls. “But they never stayed apart for long. After a couple of months, Mom would call Dad and say, ‘OK, I forgive you,’ and they’d get back together. But Dad is an alcoholic. He would just totally wreck Mom’s world and then come back, and she’d forgive him. I resented her doing that.”

DIVORCE. Separation. Breakups. Over a million youths a year in the United States alone witness the tragic breakup of their parents’ marriage.

Divorce hurts. It often triggers an onslaught of shame, anger, anxieties, fears of abandonment, guilt, depression, feelings of profound loss​—even a desire for revenge. The above youths expressed it this way:

“I was angry. I was glad that it was finally peaceful at home, but I was never glad Dad was gone. I didn’t think it was right for Dad to leave!”​—Maurice.

“I was sort of hurt and embarrassed. We had come into the neighborhood as a family, and now we were broken up. When people would ask, ‘Where’s your Dad?’ I would give some excuse, but I would never say my folks were separated.”​—Denny.

“I felt rejected and guilty. Mom and I always had a close relationship, which Dad resented. I wondered if they might have got along better if it weren’t for me.”​—Annette.

How Divorce Affects You

If your parents have recently obtained a divorce or a separation, you too might feel confused and angry. After all, our loving Creator meant for you to be raised by both a mother and a father who love you. (Ephesians 6:1-3) Yet, now you have been deprived of the daily presence of a parent you love. “I really looked up to my father and wanted to be with him,” laments Paul, whose folks split up when he was seven. “But Mom got custody of us.”

Being raised by just one parent​—usually the mother—​often means that you are also suffering economic deprivations. This was true of “fatherless” children even in Bible times. (Deuteronomy 10:17-19) Keith, for example, recalls the hardships following the breakups of his mother’s two marriages:

“Dad took off when I was five years old. It was a nightmare. Life was so unstable; we moved every six months. Mom had no education, no job, nothing. We moved from apartment to apartment, often getting thrown out because she couldn’t pay the rent.

“Then Mom married a super nice guy. I really liked him. For once in my life, we had some stability and weren’t moving around all the time. We lived in a house, not an apartment, with a yard and a dog! But soon they started fighting, and Mom finally said she wanted to leave. I jumped into the fight, screaming that I wanted to stay! It was to no avail, however. We moved in with an aunt.”

Considering such hardships​—not to mention being forced to choose between two people you love or being torn away from friends—​you may bitterly resent your parents’ divorce. The fact that you know of other families that have been through the same thing is of little comfort. ‘Why did this happen to my folks?’ you wonder.

Why Parents Break Up

True, your parents may occasionally have squabbled in front of you. They might have become violent. Even at that, you may never have dreamed they would split up! Some parents manage to keep their problems well hidden. “I don’t remember my folks fighting,” says Lynn, whose parents divorced when she was a child. “I thought they got along.” Indeed, divorce researchers Judith S. Wallerstein and Joan Kelly found “that fully one-third of the children [of divorced parents] had only a brief awareness of their parent’s unhappiness.”

Although you beg your parents for an explanation, you may receive only vague or evasive generalities. Wallerstein and Kelly discovered that “four-fifths of the youngest children [of divorced parents] studied were not provided with either an adequate explanation or assurance of continued care. In effect, they awoke one morning to find one parent gone.”

Understandably, then, a divorce under any circumstances can be a terrible blow. Even though the Bible counsels that “a wife should not depart from her husband” and “a husband should not leave his wife,” marital breakups have become a painful fact of modern life. (1 Corinthians 7:10, 11) The reasons?

Sad to say, sometimes a parent is guilty of sexual misconduct. And when this occurs, God permits the innocent parent to obtain a divorce. (Matthew 19:9) In other cases, the “wrath and screaming and abusive speech” erupt into violence, causing a parent to fear for his or her physical well-being and that of the children.​—Ephesians 4:31.

Some divorces, admittedly, are obtained on flimsy grounds, especially when couples are not willing to follow Bible principles. For example, rather than working out their problems, some selfishly divorce because they claim they are ‘unhappy,’ ‘unfulfilled,’ or ‘no longer in love.’ Needless to say, this is displeasing to the God who “has hated a divorcing.” (Malachi 2:16) Jesus further indicated that some would break up their marriages because their mates became Christians.​—Matthew 10:34-36.

Why Telling You Is Hard

Why your parents have broken up, though, may be a mystery to you. Nevertheless, their silence or vague answers do not mean they do not love you. Divorce stuns parents. Researcher Wallerstein says it takes the average woman from “3 to 3 1/2 years” to regain her balance after a divorce. And while men seem to recover more quickly, writer Frank Ferrara (himself divorced) confesses: ‘It’s a rare man who doesn’t feel guilt, loneliness, anger, depression, sense of failure, abandonment.’ Wrapped up in their own hurt, your parents may find it hard to talk about the divorce. As the Bible says: “Have you shown yourself discouraged in the day of distress? Your power will be scanty.”​—Proverbs 24:10.

Furthermore, it usually takes two to ‘tear down’ a household, and your parents may find it awkward and embarrassing to admit to their failures. (Compare Proverbs 14:1.) At times even a parent whose mate has committed adultery is reluctant to reveal the indiscretion of his or her mate.

What You Can Do

Though being in the dark is frustrating, it does you little good to respond with anger and rage. Instead, use thinking ability and discernment to safeguard yourself from lasting emotional harm. (Proverbs 2:11) Try to discern the right time to discuss calmly your concerns with your parents. (Proverbs 25:11) Let them know how saddened and confused you are over the divorce.

Perhaps your parents will give you a satisfactory explanation. If not, do not despair. Ask yourself, Is it really wrong for my parents to withhold information from me? Did not Jesus withhold information that he felt his disciples were not ready to handle? (John 16:12) And do not your parents have a right to privacy? Besides, if a parent has obtained a divorce on the grounds of sexual immorality, is not he or she exercising a Scriptural right?

Discern, too, the emotional state of your parents. As distressing​—even catastrophic—​as the divorce may seem to you, can you not see that it is equally distressing to your parents? Would it be realistic to expect lengthy explanations from them at this time?

Finally, appreciate that the divorce, whatever the reason for it, is a dispute between them​—not with you! In their study of 60 divorced families, Wallerstein and Kelly found that couples blamed each other, their employers, family members, and friends for the divorce. But, say the researchers: “No one, interestingly enough, blamed the children.” So if you must live for a while without knowing why, take comfort in knowing that the divorce is not your fault. And that despite their problems with each other, your parents’ feelings toward you are unchanged.

No, this will not erase the pain of your parents’ divorce. But endeavoring to have some understanding of what has taken place between them can be the first step in putting your own life back on track.

[Picture on page 23]

Watching the breakup of your parents’ marriage is one of the most painful experiences imaginable

The United States Constitution and Jehovah’s Witnesses

The year 1987 marks the 200th anniversary of the United States Constitution. With attention being devoted to this bicentennial, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the United States and around the world are reminded of their struggle in that country to defend and legally establish their right to spread their religious views.

WHAT does the Constitution mean to you? To illustrate, suppose that in your community you wanted to distribute on the streets and from house to house printed information that you felt was of concern to the people. But what if you learned that to distribute such material was a violation of laws designed to ensure public peace and good order? Or what if you had to get a permit to do so, and officials would not issue one? Or you had to buy a license and doing so would be an economic burden for you?

This was the position in which Jehovah’s Witnesses found themselves back in the 1930’s and 1940’s. They wanted to distribute printed matter containing their religious views. However, in many communities local laws and ordinances were used to hinder them. Thus, appeals were made on the basis of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and of the press. But in order to secure these constitutional rights, they had to take such matters to the courts. Let’s take a look at how the Constitution guarantees individual rights.

Securing Individual Rights

Like any blueprint, a constitution sets forth a design for the accomplishment of an objective​—in this case the government of a people. As stated in the United States Declaration of Independence, governments are instituted among men to secure for the governed certain “unalienable Rights.”

The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution picks up this theme and states that the Constitution was ordained and established to secure “the Blessings of Liberty” for the people. The final draft of the Constitution was completed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 17, 1787. This Constitution is unusual because it is the oldest written constitution still in effect.

The U.S. Constitution is noted for its distrust of overly powerful government and its elevation of individual liberties above the reach of governmental interference. Among the best-known features of the Constitution are its guarantees of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press. These freedoms were not stated in the Constitution as first drafted and ratified. They were added in 1791 as the first of ten initial amendments, commonly known as the Bill of Rights.

The freedoms expressly stated in the Bill of Rights belong to individuals and are neither dependent upon governmental permission nor subject to government curtailment. Why, then, should people have to fight for their rights through the courts? Because at times legislative bodies, acting in what they considered to be the interests of the majority, have passed laws that restricted those rights.

As one federal court in the United States observed: “The tyranny of majorities over the rights of individuals or helpless minorities has always been recognized as one of the great dangers of popular government.” It was just such tyranny that confronted Jehovah’s Witnesses in the United States during the 1930’s and 1940’s.

Preachers or Peddlers?

As the second world war approached, the public preaching work of Jehovah’s Witnesses was the focus of much opposition. Municipal ordinances requiring solicitors and peddlers to obtain permits were wrongfully applied to the Witnesses’ preaching work. Realizing that this application of such laws violated their constitutional rights, the Witnesses challenged these ordinances by going about their preaching work without first obtaining permits. (Mark 13:10; Acts 4:19, 20) As a result, many Witnesses were arrested.

If the lower courts ruled against them, the Witnesses paid no fines but went to jail instead. They kept appealing the cases as high up in the court system as possible so as to build up a bulwark of favorable decisions that would stem this unconstitutional interference with their work. As time went on, the U.S. Supreme Court repeatedly struck down these ordinances as being either unconstitutional in themselves or as applied, and the convictions of Jehovah’s Witnesses were reversed.

In addition to permit ordinances, license-tax laws were used to restrict the preaching work of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Viewing such a tax as a temporal restriction on the divinely commissioned preaching activity, Jehovah’s Witnesses refused to pay it. Again, many Witnesses were arrested, and again, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the freedoms of speech and worship.

The Court stated that the privilege of freely disseminating religious teachings by the printed page “exists apart from state authority. It is guaranteed the people by the federal constitution.” Simply put, the State could not take away what the Constitution had already given.

The Flag Salute

Jehovah’s Witnesses have always been law-abiding citizens who intend no disrespect by their refusal to salute the flag of any country. The Witnesses believe that their paramount duty and allegiance belong to their God and Maker, Jehovah. (Luke 4:8) To pledge total allegiance to any earthly authority would be to put worldly interests before spiritual interests. (Acts 5:29) Despite this sincere motive, the Witnesses’ refusal to salute the flag has often been misunderstood and used as a basis for persecution.

As the second world war was approaching, local school boards and state legislatures in the United States promulgated mandatory flag-salute exercises to promote national unity and security. Despite the tide of popular opinion in support of these flag-salute requirements, Jehovah’s Witnesses steadfastly refused to compromise their Bible-based principles.

In reviewing this state of affairs, the U.S. Supreme Court acknowledged that while school boards unquestionably had important and highly discretionary functions, those functions had to be performed within the bounds of the Constitution. A school board was not free to interfere with the fundamental constitutional rights guaranteed to the individual. The Supreme Court thus held that a school board’s notions about methods of instilling appreciation for the flag and national heritage did not override a student’s constitutional right of freedom of conscience in matters of religion.

The Supreme Court was not unaware of the gravity of its decision in view of the national war effort then in progress. But the Court did not shirk its duty and explained that under the U.S. Constitution, “freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order.”

The Supreme Court concluded its flag-salute opinion with the following statement: “If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.”

The Witnesses’ Contribution

In all, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been successful in 23 appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court. They have made a tremendous contribution to the constitutional jurisprudence of the United States, as has been noted by many legal scholars. And it would have been impossible if Jehovah’s Witnesses had not been willing to suffer indignities, beatings, and jailings in their efforts to be obedient to their God.

That the constitutional rights of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press have been advanced and more clearly defined because of the Witnesses’ endurance is really only a by-product of the Witnesses’ higher objective of serving Jehovah in harmony with his Holy Word.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are grateful for the privilege of serving the Sovereign of the Universe, Jehovah God, and they have used many means, including the protections afforded by the 200-year-old U.S. Constitution, to accomplish that end.

[Box on page 27]

Constitution Backs Witnesses Again

On June 10, 1987, the courts once again ruled in favor of religious freedom for Jehovah’s Witnesses on constitutional grounds. As reported in The New York Times, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that freedom to act in harmony with their religious beliefs “must be tolerated by society, under the Constitution, ‘as a price well worth paying to safeguard the right of religious difference that all citizens enjoy.’” The case involved the Witnesses’ right to obey the Bible’s command ‘never to receive into your homes or say a greeting’ to those who do “not remain in the teaching of the Christ.”​—2 John 9-11.

[Picture on page 25]

Independence Hall, Philadelphia, where the Constitution was formulated

[Credit Line]

Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau

[Picture on page 26]

The original Constitution is kept in the National Archives

[Credit Line]

U.S. National Archives

[Picture Credit Line on page 24]

Architect of the Capitol, Washington, D.C.

From Our Readers

My Life With Hemophilia

I must express how touching I found John A. Wortendyke’s account “My Life With Hemophilia.” (June 22, 1987) The amount of faith that he showed in Jehovah God is truly amazing. I am at present studying the Bible with the Witnesses, and reading about John has made my own problems seem small in comparison and has made me determined not to falter in my service to God.

A. C., England

Of all the wonderful experiences in your magazine, this has got to be the most touching, faith-strengthening article I’ve ever read. I would somehow like to tell John Wortendyke that my prayers are with him and his courageous family! As I read the article, I could feel my stomach muscles tighten every time he would have another bleeding episode. This is an experience I will keep in mind whenever I suffer sinus headaches, migraines, or attacks of arthritis!

D. S., United States

Africans Drinking Milk

Your article “Will Africa Ever Be Free From Hunger?” was particularly enlightening. (March 8, 1987) However, please be informed that your cover photo of the youngster with an apple and a glass of milk is not what we want to see in Africa. At least 70 percent of the world’s black population is lactose intolerant. We will not do service to the native Africans by encouraging them to drink milk.

G. H., M.D., Hawaii

Our correspondent in South Africa states: “We checked with several Africans, and they said they had all drunk milk as children. The use of cattle and their milk has been important in the lives of black people of southern Africa from before the days of European settlement. In fact, the Zulu language has a word, ‘ukukleza,’ that describes the practice African herders have of milking a cow straight into their mouth. Of course, the situation may be different in other parts of Africa.”​—ED.

Breaking Free From Drugs

I wish to thank you for the article “Young People Ask . . . How Can I Break Free From Drugs?” (September 22, 1985) Some time ago, I suffered illness due to anxiety and stress, and my doctor prescribed a minor tranquilizer for me. I soon felt much better and was grateful for the medication. Later, after learning of the dangers of these drugs and realizing that I no longer required it, I decided to stop taking it. After four and a half years of dependence on it, I knew there would be some withdrawal effects. But by constantly applying the appropriate guidance and counsel in the article, I finally succeeded.

G. O., England

What Is Happening to Our Forests?

Thank you for the issue on “What Is Happening to Our Forests?” (June 22, 1987) Having to get ready for an oral examination in geography on the ecological problem, I used these articles, which were of great help. And I obtained a good result in the test. I have used articles published in Awake! before for school research. Heartfelt thanks!

G. C., Italy

Watching the World

Hunger Amid Plenty

Because of technical and scientific advances in agriculture, more food is now actually being harvested than the world needs. Yet, the number of hungry people in the world increased to 512 million in 1985. “The increase in hunger is coming at a time when the world is awash with cheap surplus food,” reports The New York Times.

Children suffer the most. According to the United Nations World Food Council, an estimated 40,000 children die every day from hunger-related causes. Two thirds of those undernourished are found in Asian countries, some of which now export food that increasing numbers of their people cannot afford to buy. “Today hunger is less the result of absolute food shortages than of political situations and policy decisions,” says the Times.

Fear of War by Accident

Soviet and United States scientists have recently warned that the ever more sophisticated technology being used in nuclear defense systems actually heightens rather than lowers the risk of accidental nuclear war. According to the Sunday Times of London, the scientists concluded at a joint meeting in California “that there was a significant probability that a nuclear war could start by accident unless there was a change in the technology that governed the systems.” So far, all errors that might have led to launching some of the world’s 50,000 nuclear warheads have been spotted. But, say the scientists, this will not always be the case. “If we keep going along the present path, we’re going to blow ourselves up,” predicts Dr. Martin Hellman of Stanford University.

Unhealthy Fillings?

“Contrary to popular belief, so-called ‘silver’ amalgam fillings are really composed of nearly 50 percent mercury​—a known toxin,” states Your Health. Dr. Hal Huggins, a dental researcher in Colorado, claims that trace amounts of the element seep into the body and can cause symptoms such as chronic fatigue, severe depression and anxiety, numbing of extremities, and facial tics. He also points to epilepsy patients who improved when their mercury fillings were removed. Dr. Huggins estimates that some 10,000 of the 130,000 dentists in the United States have stopped using mercury and now use other compounds available.

An Added Benefit

Researchers have now added something new to the list of benefits from breast-feeding​—straighter teeth. According to a study at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, growth patterns in the mouth caused by breast-feeding differ from those caused by bottle-feeding. This is because the infants must use their tongues and mouths differently. In bottle-feeding, the tongue is moved forward to stop milk flow from the nipple during swallowing. In breast-feeding, that forward thrust is unnecessary, and infants must use their mouth muscles more vigorously. Children breast-fed for more than a year had the fewest problems with tooth alignment.

Topping Five Billion

Matej Gaspar, a baby boy born in Zagreb, Yugoslavia, in mid-July, has been named the world’s five billionth human, although, of course, no one knows for sure who the five billionth person was or where he was born. Zagreb was chosen as the place of birth, since UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar was in that city at the time specified by demographers. “In a speech marking the occasion,” says Time magazine, “Pérez de Cuéllar drew attention to the fact that 90% of this year’s 120 million births will occur in countries where food, health services and education are inadequate.” The earth’s population hit four billion in 1974.

Japanese “Threat”

Japan’s “defense agency is proposing for the first time to build its own jet fighters instead of buying American-made aircraft,” reports the New York newspaper Newsday. “[Defense] analysts see the proposed Japanese plane as a threat to U.S. domination of the aerospace market in Southeast Asia.” While Japanese companies have been working along with American firms in producing helicopters and trainer airplanes, a home-built fighter would be a first for them in the post-World War II world. Says David Smith, editor of the trade publication Journal of Defense and Diplomacy: “Knowing what the Japanese did with cars, the last thing the U.S. aerospace industry wants them to do is make airplanes.”

Eye Security

Eye prints have taken over from fingerprints as the method of foolproof security. “Fingerprints can be copied by someone using specially-designed plastic gloves,” says Chuck Fargo, representing the company marketing the new system. As reported in The Times of London, identification is made by a microprocessor that scans the pattern of blood vessels in the eye and compares it with the pattern on file in a data base. As with fingerprints, each individual’s eye pattern is said to be unique. The advantage of eye patterns is that they cannot be predicted, copied, or changed.

Another Cause for Divorce

“Failed marriages are not always the result of incompatibility or self-generated problems,” says The German Tribune. “Breakdown can be caused by one partner not keeping a distance from his or her parents.” The article, based on the findings of four years of research by Göttingen University, shows that the difficulties are due to an imbalance that develops “when a partner is too much the parents’ child and not enough the wife or husband.” It is mental dependence on parents, often deeply rooted and unconsciously adopted, that precipitates the divorce. Persons who are “married more with their parents than they are with their spouse” will also often accept parental criticism of their mate.

Airport Bird Patrol

Travelers landing at New York’s Kennedy Airport are usually unaware of a potential accident threat: birds. Hit by planes or sucked into jet engines, birds cause from $25 million to $40 million in damage to commercial aircraft each year. Because of its close proximity to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and the Edgemere garbage dump​—both of which attract hordes of birds—​Kennedy Airport has more problems with birds than other airports have. Gulls are the worst problem at Kennedy, accounting for up to 90 percent of all bird strikes. An eight-member bird patrol has the job of scaring the birds away from the runways, using exploding projectiles and tape-recorded gull distress calls. Birds are killed by the patrol only as a last resort.

Rock Addiction

Heavy rock music “has a very strong narcotic effect,” claims Dr. G. A. Aminev of Bashkiria University in the U.S.S.R. As reported in the Belfast News Letter, rock fans who do not get a regular fix of heavy rock music develop the characteristic withdrawal symptoms of drug addiction. “If you completely isolate them for a week from such music,” says the Soviet psychologist, “they feel worse, their irritability rises, their hands start to tremble and their pulse is unstable.” Some who were tested could not last even three days without their music before the symptoms appeared. Dr. Aminev also found that heavy-rock fans were only 50 percent as productive in work as those who did not listen to rock music.

Lamb Power

IN New Zealand, where sheep outnumber the three million inhabitants by 23 to 1, the animals are being used to produce some of the country’s horsepower. The surplus fat of an average lamb is processed to produce a half gallon of methyl ester of tallow, which is blended with regular diesel fuel.

The resulting diesel-fuel blend has been successfully tested in everything from electrical generators to fishing boats.

Trucks and buses are said to get about ten miles per lamb. According to Omni magazine, “sheep could provide more than 10 percent of the country’s diesel fuel and ensure that when world oil prices start to rise again, New Zealand drivers won’t get fleeced at the pumps.”

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 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.).