June 8

Page Two

Thanks to our intricate brain, complex body, and delicate senses, we can enjoy the magnificent views of awe-inspiring mountains and lakes, and many other satisfying things in life.

The Body​—Wonderfully Made to Enjoy Life!

SCIENTISTS acknowledge that the human body is wonderfully made, truly a marvel of design and engineering. When all our body parts are working normally, we can do and enjoy things that are absolutely amazing.

For example, look at your hands. They are exquisitely designed to accomplish so many things in work or play. Right now, are your hands holding this magazine you are reading? If so, then your arms are bent at just the correct angle to keep the magazine the right distance from your eyes. Your fingers are exerting the needed pressure to prevent it from slipping out of your hands. And those fingers are controlled by the brain to do exactly what you want them to when you turn the page. What a disadvantage it would be not to have hands!

Your eyes are also involved in reading these pages. An amazing network of nerves and other body parts come into play to get the images of the words and pictures from the page into your eye and then into your brain. The electrical impulses produced by the eye are carried to the brain, where they are used to form visual impressions corresponding to the images on the page. How important our eyesight is, and how tragic when it is lost!

The human brain weighs only about three pounds and is small enough to fit in your hand. But it is a marvel, one of the most complex creations in the universe. It enables us to think, to see, to feel, to talk, to coordinate our movements. Thanks to this intricate brain, we can enjoy beautiful sunsets, delicious food, a summer breeze on our face, the magnificent views of awe-inspiring mountains, the laughter of a baby, the fragrance of a flower, the touch of someone we love​—and much of this without any conscious effort on our part. Without this awesome brain, we could enjoy absolutely nothing.

How appropriate are the psalmist’s words: “In a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made”!​—Psalm 139:14.

Yet, with all this fine equipment, the time comes when the body eventually breaks down. We get sick and old, and then we die. There is so much bad in the world around us that even when we are in good health, our enjoyment of life is diminished. Will these disagreeable conditions always exist? Or were our bodies really designed to last forever​—free from the ravages of sickness, old age, and death—​to enjoy life indefinitely on earth in a far fuller sense than anything we now experience?

Awake! will examine these matters in three issues over the coming months. In this first part, we will discuss just a few of our amazing body parts: the hand, the eye, and the brain.

The Hand​—‘The Most Elegantly Skillful Organ’

IT WAS an emergency. A young girl lay in the hospital entranceway, the main artery in her right leg having been severed in a motorcycle accident. No surgical instruments were on hand to stop the blood pumping out of the wound. What could the doctor do?

“I used my hand as a clamp,” recalls Professor Napier in his book Hands, “pinching off the artery with thumb and fore-finger as well as I could. Finally I got a bit of string, all that was available, round the artery and tied it off. The blood stopped pumping. . . . Nothing but the hands could have dealt with that emergency so quickly and effectively. Few patients . . . ever realise how, during an operation, an appropriately placed finger has saved their lives.”

Actions like these would be impossible were it not for the saddle joint of the thumb. (See illustration.) Its design allows almost as much movement as the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder, but unlike the latter, the saddle joint does not need support from a surrounding mass of muscles. The thumb, therefore, can perform delicate movements as it meets the fingertips.

Try picking up a small object or even turning the pages of this magazine without using your thumb. Said a South African doctor: “I have put plenty of injured thumbs in splints, and when the patients come back, they usually tell me they didn’t realize how much they needed their thumb.”

The human hand with its opposable thumb is a remarkably versatile tool. Without the hand, how would you write a letter, take a photograph, hammer a nail, use a telephone, or thread a needle? Thanks to the hand, pianists play exquisite pieces, artists paint beautiful pictures, and surgeons perform delicate operations. “The apes, having short thumbs and long fingers, are handicapped in relation to delicate manual dexterity,” states The New Encyclopædia Britannica.

There is another important difference between the hand of a man and that of an ape. About a quarter of the motor cortex in the human brain is devoted to the muscles of your hands. The human motor cortex, explains Professor Guyton’s Textbook of Medical Physiology, “is quite different from that of lower animals” and makes possible “an exceptional capability to use the hand, the fingers, and the thumb to perform highly dexterous manual tasks.”

In addition, neurosurgeons have discovered another region of the human brain that they call “an area for hand skills.” Skillful hands require sense receptors. These tiny nerve endings are abundant in the human hand, especially in the thumb. A doctor interviewed by Awake! said: “When people lose even a bit of sensation from the tip of their thumb, they find it difficult to position small objects like screws.” Your arms have other types of sense receptors that enable you to move your hands to the right place even in pitch-darkness. Thus, while lying in bed at night, you can scratch your nose without punching your face.

Even a simple act like reaching out for a glass of water is something to wonder at. If your grip is too weak, you may drop the glass. If your grip is too strong, you may break it, cutting your fingers. How do you manage to hold it with just the right pressure? Pressure receptors in your hand send messages to your brain, which sends back appropriate instructions to muscles in your outstretched arm and hand.

Soon, without your having to look, the glass comes to rest gently against your lips. Meanwhile, your attention may be fixed on a television program or a conversation with friends. “The fact that the glass is raised to the lips without being smashed into the face,” states Dr. Miller in his book The Body in Question, “is a tribute to the subtle weighing abilities of the outstretched limb. And the fact that the glass remains at the mouth while losing weight as it is emptied shows how punctually the news is updated.”

No wonder the human hand has caused thinking people to marvel! “In the absence of any other proof,” wrote the famous scientist Sir Isaac Newton, “the thumb alone would convince me of God’s existence.” “We can land men on the moon,” says Professor Napier, “but, for all our mechanical and electronic wizardry, we cannot reproduce an artificial fore-finger that can feel as well as beckon.” Man’s hand, states The New Encyclopædia Britannica, is probably “the most elegantly skillful biological organ” and one that “distinguishes him from all other living primates.”

[Pictures on page 5]

The saddle joint of the thumb is unique when compared with the corresponding joints of the fingers

[Pictures on page 6]

The human hand with its opposable thumb is a remarkably versatile tool

[Picture on page 6]

Sense receptors in your hand and arm enable your brain to orchestrate complex actions

The Eye​—“The Envy of the Computer Scientist”

THE retina is a small membrane that fits over the back of the eye. As thin as paper, it contains over a hundred million neurons arranged in different layers. “The retina,” states the book The Living Body, “is one of the most remarkable pieces of tissue in the human body.” It is “the envy of the computer scientist, performing approximately 10 billion calculations every second,” states Sandra Sinclair in her book How Animals See.

As a camera focuses an image on photographic film, our eye focuses on the retina an image of what we see. Yet, as Dr. Miller explains, camera film “does not even begin to compare with the versatile sensitivity of the retina.” With the same “film” we can see by moonlight or in sunlight 30,000 times more intense. Furthermore, the retina can discern fine details of an object part of which is bathed in light and the rest of which is in shadow. “The camera,” explains Professor Guyton in his Textbook of Medical Physiology, “cannot do this because of the narrow critical range of light intensity required for proper exposure of film.” Hence, photographers need flash equipment.

The “versatile sensitivity of the retina” is due, in part, to 125 million rods. These are sensitive to small amounts of light, making vision possible at night. Then there are about 5.5 million cones that respond to brighter light and make possible detailed color vision. Some cones are most sensitive to red light, others to green and others to blue. Their combined response enables you to see all the colors in this magazine. When all three types of cones are excited equally, the color you see is pure white.

Most animals are limited in their ability to see in color, and many do not see color at all. “Colour vision adds immensely to the joys of life,” says surgeon Rendle Short, adding: “Of all the organs of the body not absolutely essential for life, the eye may be considered the most wonderful.”

“Miraculous Teamwork”

Images fall upside down on the retina just as they do on a camera’s film. “Why is the world not upside down to us?” asks Dr. Short. “Because,” he explains, “the brain has developed the habit of reversing the impressions.”

Special glasses have been designed to turn the image around. In scientific experiments, people who wore such glasses saw everything upside down. Then, after a few days, something amazing happened. They began to see normally! “The miraculous teamwork of your eye and your brain is exhibited in a number of ways,” comments The Body Book.

As your eye moves across this line, the cones distinguish the black ink from the white paper. Your retina, however, cannot respond to characters of a man-made alphabet. We learn to give meaning to a string of characters in another part of the brain. A transfer of information is needed.

The retina sends a coded message via a million nerve fibers to a part of your brain situated near the back of your head. “The projections from the retina to the cerebral cortex,” explains the book The Brain, “are highly organized and orderly. . . . If a small light is shined on each different part of the retina, a corresponding part of the visual area [in the brain] will respond.”

[Pictures on page 7]

Unlike a camera, because the retina has such a wide range of sensitivity to light, the eye is not dependent on flash equipment

[Picture on page 8]

Your retina has millions of neurons, called cones, which are sensitive to green, red, or blue

The Brain​—“More Than a Computer”

ANOTHER superb organ is the human brain. It, together with the rest of the nervous system, is often compared to man-made computers. Of course, computers are constructed by humans and operate according to step-by-step instructions predetermined by human programmers. Yet, many people believe that no intelligence was responsible for “wiring” and “programming” the human brain.

Although extremely fast, computers handle only one piece of information at a time, whereas the human nervous system processes millions of pieces of information simultaneously. For example, during a stroll in the springtime, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery, listen to the song of birds, and smell the flowers. All these pleasant sensations are transmitted simultaneously to your brain. At the same time, streams of information flow from the sense receptors in your limbs, informing your brain of the moment-to-moment position of each leg and the state of each muscle. Obstacles in the footpath ahead are noticed by your eyes. On the basis of all this information, your brain ensures that each step is taken smoothly.

Meanwhile, the lower regions of your brain govern your heartbeat, breathing, and other vital functions. But your brain handles much more. As you walk, you can sing, talk, compare present scenes with past scenes, or make plans for the future.

“The brain,” concludes The Body Book, “is much more than a computer. No computer can decide that it is bored or wasting its talents and should embark on a new way of life. The computer cannot drastically alter its own program; before it sets out in a new direction, a person with a brain must reprogram it. . . . A computer cannot relax, or daydream, or laugh. It cannot become inspired or creative. It cannot experience consciousness or perceive meaning. It cannot fall in love.”

The Most Wonderful Brain of All

Animals such as elephants and some large sea creatures have brains larger than that of a human, but in proportion to body size, the human brain is the largest of all. “The gorilla,” explains Richard Thompson in his book The Brain, “is physically larger than a human yet has a brain only one-fourth the size of the human one.”

The number of different pathways between neurons (nerve cells) in the human brain is astronomical. This is because neurons have so many interconnections; one neuron may connect up with over one hundred thousand others. “The figure of possible connections within our modern brain is as good as infinite,” states Anthony Smith in his book The Mind. It is larger “than the total number of atomic particles that make up the known universe,” says neuroscientist Thompson.

But there is something even more remarkable. It is the way this vast network of neurons has been connected that enables humans to think, speak, listen, read, and write. And these things can be done in two or more languages. “Language is the crucial difference between humans and animals,” states Karl Sabbagh in his book The Living Body. Animal communication is simple by comparison. The difference, admits evolutionist Sabbagh, “is not just a trivial improvement on other animals’ abilities to make noises​—it is the fundamental property that makes humans human, and it is reflected in major differences in brain structure.”

The marvelous structure of the human brain has motivated many to make better use of its potential by becoming skilled at some trade, learning to play a musical instrument, mastering another language, or developing whatever talents add joy to life. “When you learn a new skill,” write Drs. R. and B. Bruun in their book The Human Body, “you are training your neurons to connect in a new way. . . . The more you use your brain, the more efficient it will become.”

Made by Whom?

Could something so highly organized and orderly like the hand, the eye, and the brain have come about by chance? If man is credited with inventing tools, computers, and photographic film, surely someone should be honored for making the more versatile hand, eye, and brain. “O Jehovah,” the Bible psalmist said, “I shall laud you because in a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, as my soul is very well aware.”​—Psalm 139:1, 14.

Many wonderful functions of the human body take place without our conscious effort. Future issues of this magazine will discuss some of these amazing mechanisms, and also whether aging, sickness, and death can be conquered, so that we can enjoy life forever!

[Box on page 10]

Your Wonderful Neurons

A NEURON is a nerve cell with all its processes. Your nervous system contains many types of neurons, which total about 500 billion. Some are sense receptors that send information from different parts of the body to your brain. Neurons in the higher region of your brain function like a video recorder. They can permanently store information that comes from your eyes and ears. Years later you can “play back” these sights and sounds, along with thoughts and other sensations that no man-made machine can record.

Human memory is still a mystery. It has something to do with the way neurons connect. “The average brain cell,” explains Karl Sabbagh in his book The Living Body, “links up with about 60,000 others; indeed some cells have links with up to a quarter of a million others. . . . The human brain could hold at least 1000 times as much information in the pathways connecting its nerve cells as is contained in the largest encyclopedia​—say 20 or 30 big volumes.”

But how does one neuron pass information to another? Creatures with a simple nervous system have many nerve cells that are joined together. In such a case, an electrical impulse crosses the bridge from one neuron to the next. The crossing is called an electrical synapse. It is fast and simple.

Strange as it may seem, most neurons in the human body pass messages via a chemical synapse. This slower, more complex method can be illustrated by a train that reaches a river without a bridge and has to be ferried across. When an electrical impulse reaches a chemical synapse, it has to stop because a gap separates the two neurons. Here the signal is “ferried” across by the transfer of chemicals. Why this complex electro-chemical method of passing nerve impulses?

Scientists see many advantages in the chemical synapse. It ensures that messages pass one way. Also, it is described as plastic because its function or structure can easily change. Here signals can be modified. Through use, some chemical synapses get stronger while others disappear because of disuse. “Learning and memory could not develop in a nervous system that had only electrical synapses,” states Richard Thompson in his book The Brain.

Science writer Smith explains in his book The Mind: “Neurons do not just fire and not fire . . . they must be capable of passing on much more subtle information than yes or no. They are not just hammers hitting the next nail, either more frequently or less so. They are, to complete this analogy, a carpenter’s kit, with screwdrivers, pliers, pincers, mallets​—and hammers. . . . Each neural impulse is transformed along the way, and nowhere else than at the synapses.”

The chemical synapse has a further advantage. It takes less space than an electrical synapse, which explains why the human brain has so many synapses. The journal Science gives a figure of 100,000,000,000,000​—equivalent to the number of stars in hundreds of Milky Way galaxies. “We are what we are,” adds neuroscientist Thompson, “because our brains are basically chemical machines rather than electrical ones.”

[Box on page 12]

Why Your Brain Needs So Much Blood

BEFORE diving into a swimming pool, perhaps you dip your toes into the water. If the water is cold, tiny cold receptors in your skin quickly respond. In less than a second, your brain registers the temperature. Pain receptors can transmit information even more quickly. Some nerve impulses reach speeds of 225 miles [360 km] per hour​—comparable to running the length of a football field in one second.

How, though, does the brain work out the intensity of a sensation? One way is by the frequency with which a neuron fires; some fire a thousand or more times a second. The intense activity that takes place among neurons in the brain would be impossible were it not for the work of pumps and powerhouses.

Each time a neuron fires, atoms with an electrical charge pour into the cell. If these sodium ions, as they are called, are allowed to accumulate, the neuron will gradually lose its ability to fire. How is the problem solved? “Every neuron,” explains science writer Anthony Smith in his book The Mind, “contains about a million pumps​—each one is a slight bump on the cell membrane—​and every pump can swap about 200 sodium ions for 130 potassium ions every second.” Even when neurons rest, the pumps keep working. Why? To counteract the effect of sodium ions that leak into the cell and potassium ions that leak out.

The activity of the pumps requires a constant supply of energy. The energy comes from tiny mitochondria, or “powerhouses,” scattered inside each cell. To produce energy, each powerhouse needs oxygen and glucose supplied by the blood. No wonder your brain needs so much blood. “Although it constitutes only about 2 percent of total body weight,” explains Richard Thompson in his book The Brain, it “receives 16 percent of the blood supply . . . Brain tissue receives 10 times as much blood as muscle tissue.”

The next time you feel the temperature of water, be thankful for the trillions of pumps and powerhouses in your brain. And remember that all this activity is possible because of oxygen and glucose transported by your blood.

[Picture on page 9]

The human brain processes millions of bits of information simultaneously. As you move, sense receptors in your limbs inform your brain of the moment-to-moment position of each arm and the state of each muscle

[Picture on page 11]

The brain is far more complex and versatile than a computer

Crossword Puzzle

Clues Across

1. Jehovah interfered with its construction [3 words] (See Genesis 11:4-9.)

10. Belonging to oneself (Luke 6:41)

11. A descendant of Ephraim (1 Chronicles 7:20)

13. The slave whose master ruined this for him was to be set free (Exodus 21:26)

14. A city in southern Judah (Joshua 15:21, 29)

15. “---- I am! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8)

16. A son of David (2 Samuel 5:13-15)

18. His son, Pashhur, opposed Jeremiah and put him in stocks (Jeremiah 20:1, 2)

20. Employ (Matthew 24:15)

21. Untightens (Job 12:18)

22. A southern border town of Judah (Joshua 15:3)

24. Daughter-in-law of Naomi who returned to “her gods” (Ruth 1:14, 15)

26. Two ancestors of Jesus through Mary shared this name (Luke 3:23, 24, 29)

27. Resting place for travelers (Luke 10:34)

28. Circular (The Song of Solomon 1:12)

29. Wading bird noted for its long neck, legs, and pointed bill (Leviticus 11:19)

30. Close (Luke 21:28)

31. Female sheep (Isaiah 53:7)

32. Will not be learned anymore (Micah 4:3)

33. The distant past [2 words] (Psalm 44:1)

36. It never becomes full (Ecclesiastes 1:7)

37. Bible book that tells of the rise and fall of world powers [3 words]

Clues Down

2. To be indebted (Matthew 18:28)

3. Completion of the preaching work must precede this (Matthew 24:14)

4. Place renowned for its gold (Job 22:24)

5. Serious imperfection (Philippians 2:15)

6. An insect, and also the meaning of the name Deborah (Compare Psalm 118:12.)

7. An overseer must not be a “----- of money” (1 Timothy 3:3)

8. Explanation (Daniel 2:45)

9. Insubordination (1 Samuel 15:23)

12. An authorized representative (Ephesians 6:20)

15. Obstinate (2 Timothy 3:4)

17. Prophetess who, though old, “was never missing from the temple” (Luke 2:36, 37)

19. “As for -- and my household, we shall serve Jehovah” (Joshua 24:15)

23. One of the precious stones that decorated the “covering” of the king of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:13)

25. Experience (Luke 17:25)

27. First word of Bible text (Genesis 1:1)

28. Former prostitute who was “declared righteous by works” (James 2:25)

29. One of the mighty men in David’s army (1 Chronicles 11:26, 30)

32. Which person? (Matthew 24:45)

34. Joshua’s father (Joshua 1:1)

35. Reverence (Hebrews 12:28)

CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS PAGE 25

Answers Across

1. TOWER OF BABEL

10. OWN

11. ELEADAH

13. EYE

14. IIM

15. HERE

16. IBHAR

18. IMMER

20. USE

21. LOOSENS

22. ADDAR

24. ORPAH

26. MATTHAT

27. INN

28. ROUND

29. HERON

30. NEAR

31. EWE

32. WAR

33. LONG AGO

36. SEA

37. BOOK OF DANIEL

Answers Down

2. OWE

3. END

4. OPHIR

5. BLEMISH

6. BEE

7. LOVER

8. INTERPRETATION

9. REBELLIOUSNESS

12. AMBASSADOR

15. HEADSTRONG

17. ANNA

19. ME

23. JADE

25. UNDERGO

27. IN

28. RAHAB

29. HELED

32. WHO

34. NUN

35. AWE

It Started in Kathmandu

As told by Bishnu and Tara Chitrakar

“TARA, I want you to come and meet a man who we think will make a good husband for you!” That was how my father broke the news to me in a hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal. I was 28 years old and working there as a doctor. With the approval of our respective parents, four weeks later we were married!

The man’s name was Bishnu Chitrakar. He was 34 years old and had majored in agricultural engineering technology. Over the years, I had occasionally seen him on the streets of Kathmandu, but I had never personally met him before. This may sound strange to Western ears, but marriages arranged by parents have been the custom for centuries in my native Nepal​—and the divorce rate is very low. Maybe I should explain a little more.

When a woman in Nepal marries, she moves in with her husband’s parents. If the son moves out, this is looked down upon. He is expected to stay at home and continue to support the family arrangements. Thus, a future daughter-in-law is scrutinized carefully as to how she will harmonize with their son and with them. In this way years of experience are brought to bear in the choosing of a wife and a husband.

Anyway, there I was, a qualified doctor, trained at the Moscow Medical Institute in the Soviet Union, and married to a man who was going to take me to the United States. But I will explain that later. First, let Bishnu fill in his side of the story.

From Engineering to Psychology

Bishnu: Back in the early 1960’s, when I was working with the United States Agency for International Development in my native Nepal, I was not in the least concerned about whether there was a God or which could be the true religion. I had a mixed Hindu-Buddhist background where regular visits to the temples were all that mattered. As a result of working with Americans, I dreamed of getting to the United States to further my education. That dream was realized when an agricultural engineer friend from Kansas sponsored me to come to the United States in 1965.

From 1965 to 1969, I studied agricultural engineering at the University of Hawaii and then at Oregon State University. While there, I was selected to be a student counselor for a dormitory. This gave me the opportunity to work with people and their problems. Then it was that I came to realize that I was more interested in people than in canals and agricultural machinery. So after having studied for about five years, I quit engineering and changed to psychology. In time I received my master’s degree in clinical psychology at Wichita State University.

In 1971 I went home to Nepal for a brief visit. Imagine my surprise when my mother told me that she knew of a nice girl from a good family. Would I be interested in marrying her? I thought, ‘Well, yes, when I have finished my studies in the United States in about a year’s time.’ As it turned out, we were married within four weeks. We had a traditional Nepalese wedding that lasted two days. Since we are both from the Chitrakar caste, many of our relatives were present.

Now you may wonder how we could expect to have a successful marriage built on our parents’ choice and with such a flimsy knowledge of each other? The answer is that we trusted their judgment​—and time has proved them right. So rather than follow the Western approach of dating and courting, we followed our traditional method of having our parents match our qualities, values, and character.

After our marriage Tara continued to work as a doctor at a local Nepal hospital. However, she was not happy spiritually. She was raised a Hindu and had an active religious conscience. She had many questions about religion. But she can tell us about that.

Studying in the Soviet Union

Tara: First, let me explain how I got to the Soviet Union. I was granted a Soviet government scholarship to study medicine in Moscow. Then came the first problem. I had to learn Russian. Normally, students were sent to Russia for a year of language study. However, because of an administrative delay, I arrived in Moscow six months late. That left me only six months in which to learn Russian! Then I went straight into medical school for six years of training.

I am often asked what I thought of the Soviet Union. Of course, everything in life is relative, and my point of reference then was Nepal, still a developing country. Therefore, I was very impressed by the clean cities and the excellent transport system, especially in Moscow. As for the people, I found that they had the same basic needs as people everywhere​—adequate food, clothing, and work so that they could care for their children. They had suffered so much in World War II that they were conscious of the need for peace.

As a medical student, I found that the doctors and professors loved their work, even though they were not highly paid. In fact, as a scholarship student, I received far more money (90 rubles a month) than my Russian fellow students. Many of the doctors and surgeons, as well as some of the departmental chiefs at the hospital, were women.

Hindu and Methodist Worship

After completing my studies in Moscow, I returned to Nepal and, as you now know, got married. A few months later, I joined Bishnu in the United States. I began to miss some aspects of my life in Nepal. As a Hindu, I had been used to visiting the temples in Kathmandu. Although my religion paid little or no attention to doctrine, I missed the outward manifestations of spirituality. I needed a “temple.”

Just across the road from the post office in Winfield, Kansas, where we picked up our mail each day, there was a Methodist church. So one day Bishnu struck up a conversation with the pastor, and from then on we started to attend that church.

The pastor and his substitute knew that I was a Hindu and that I had my idols in the house; yet, they had no objection to that. I must say that my four years there failed to satisfy me spiritually. We were very ignorant regarding the Bible.

Plagued by Questions

As a doctor, I had seen a lot of suffering. For example, on one occasion in Kathmandu, I saw a woman go into shock because of being given a mismatched blood transfusion. The laboratory work was not always conscientious, and fatal accidents did occur.

I was plagued by questions that neither Hinduism nor Methodism could answer. For example, Why do we have to die? Why is there so much suffering in the world? Who is responsible for human suffering? ‘How am I going to get an answer,’ I wondered.

One day Jehovah’s Witnesses called on us. I told them that we attended the Methodist church. But when the Witness asked if we would like to understand the Bible, Bishnu liked the idea, and I went along with it. Soon my questions were being answered Biblically and in a logical manner. Now the Bible was the book I wanted to understand more than any other. I came to realize that a God of love could not be responsible for all the suffering in the world. From the Bible, I saw that it is really a combination of satanic influence and man’s own waywardness that leads to suffering and death.​—Deuteronomy 32:4, 5; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:9-12.

I also came to realize that if the names of Hindu gods were important to distinguish them from one another, how much more important is the name of the true God, Jehovah, to distinguish him from all the false gods that exist in the world. (Psalm 83:18) I was delighted with the prospect of a new world of peace and harmony. (Revelation 21:3, 4) But while I was getting spiritually satisfied, Bishnu was not accepting the answers easily.

Skepticism and Then Conviction

Bishnu: While Tara was accepting Bible truth, I was resisting the idea that there could be only one body of truth. So I studied the Bible with the Witnesses, but in order to find fault. Yet, the Witness patiently came up with all the answers for me from the Bible. Slowly I became convinced.

Eventually, we moved to Arlington, Virginia, and in December 1979 we were baptized as dedicated Witnesses. We now decided that we should use our lives more to Jehovah’s praise. So we determined that at any one time, only one of us would have a full-time job while the other would spend more time preaching and teaching the truth. For a while I worked full-time in a psychiatric treatment center for Vietnamese refugees.

From Psychologist to Bus Driver!

In November 1980 we moved to Winchester, Virginia, where Tara got a job as a clinician for the Public Health Department. Now I had to find a job. For about nine months, I was unable to find employment in my profession. Thus, Tara was working, but I was not. All I wanted was a part-time job, so that I could do more in the ministry.

That was a time of test for me. I was getting discouraged and began to think that I would have to settle for full-time work. But I was not tempted beyond what I could bear. I was eventually offered a part-time job in a drug rehabilitation center, counseling persons with drug and alcohol problems. It was ideal for me​—I could choose my own schedule. Then the situation changed. I was given the choice​—full-time work or no job at all. So once again I was out of work, and this time I was drawing unemployment benefits. That was a blow to my pride, but then a surprising challenge faced us.

The Awake! magazine of July 22, 1984, published an article on unemployment and offered suggestions. As we looked down the list of job possibilities outside the home, Tara pointed out one that appealed to me​—school-bus driver! This was a most suitable job as far as the schedule was concerned.

From psychologist to bus driver was quite a change. Yet, I liked driving. Even though it meant swallowing my pride, I presented myself to the school authorities. They offered me the post​—and then gave me one of the toughest routes with some of the most rebellious kids. That is where my knowledge of psychology was really useful.

In one bus load, there was a small group of rowdy kids who would not quiet down. I stopped the bus and explained to them that it was for their safety that there should be no distractions while I was driving. If there were, I would pull over and stop the bus until there was order. After stopping a couple of times, the majority soon made sure that the rebels kept quiet.

Yet, my most valuable experiences were in the ministry. I was preaching on a more regular basis and receiving training from Lansing Anderson, an excellent pioneer minister and elder in the Winchester West Congregation. Then in 1985 Tara had some experiences that changed our lives again.

A New Challenge in New York

Tara: In 1984 and 1985, I had the opportunity to serve on three occasions as a visiting physician at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Brooklyn, New York. It is a community of some 2,700 Witnesses from all over the world. They eat, sleep, and work there​—with no salary, just a small reimbursement for expenses! All of them are volunteer ministers, dedicated to getting the “good news” of God’s Kingdom government preached in all the world. (Mark 13:10) Many of them work at the extensive printing establishment to produce Bibles and Bible literature in many languages. Others are involved in office work, administration, and home operation. So this little “town” in Brooklyn Heights requires its own medical staff.

I was thrilled at these opportunities of working in such a Christian community. It was so satisfying to be working among people who are clean in body and mind and who share my beliefs. Then the big surprise came. The Watchtower Society invited us to come to serve full-time at the world headquarters. So now I am one of four doctors, two male and two female, who care for the needs of this community. Our patients range from small children (for example, one of our doctors has four children) all the way to elderly Witnesses who are over 90​—and still working! And what does Bishnu do?

Happier With Less

Bishnu: I am now serving as a home overseer in this community, supervising some of the domestic operations. Here, I do not deal with alcoholism or drug addiction. Everyone lives by and applies Bible principles, and it is interesting to see that such principles are often what today is called applied psychology.

True, we no longer have a house nor a good salary. But we have learned to be happier with less. We have found the knowledge of the true God and Sovereign Lord of the universe, Jehovah. And we came all the way from Kathmandu, Nepal, to find it!

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Kathmandu city and valley, Nepal, where we were born

[Map]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

NEPAL

Kathmandu

CHINA

INDIA

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Soon after our marriage in Nepal

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Tara studied medicine in the Soviet Union

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USSR Mission to the UN

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Tara (left) helping to prepare a meal in her mother-in-law’s kitchen

Young People Ask . . .

Christian Meetings​—Why Go to Them?

“My parents made me go to church,” says Christiaan, a young man in the country of Suriname. “I always wished for a soaker on Sunday mornings, so that I could stay home. But,” he adds with a smile, “it seemed to rain only from Monday to Saturday.”

“In no time I had my fill of church services. When I saw a chance to quit, I grabbed it.”

CHRISTIAAN is hardly an exception. Clergymen around the world bemoan the lack of interest youths have in religious services. Says Simote Vea, a cleric from the Pacific island of Tonga: “The number of young people attending churches . . . is decreasing.”

Why, though, are the mainline churches failing to attract young people? Lorine Tevi, staff member of the World Council of Churches, admits: “The most critical need is education . . . The churches have to learn that theological education must speak to all.”

“That’s right,” agrees Christiaan. “Many young people long for clear-cut Bible education. However, instead of filling that need, the church gets stuck on old rituals.” Annie, age 13, adds: “Church is lots of singing but little learning.” Eighteen-year-old Barbara similarly lamented the lack of education in church. “One day,” she recalls, “the pastor gave me line drawings of Jesus. He told me to color them. That was the service!”

Little wonder, then, that many youths are disillusioned with church services. Does this mean, though, that all religious meetings are a waste of time? To the contrary, the youths here quoted all began attending religious meetings again! The reason? They discovered what the magazine U.S. Catholic reported some years ago: “Any Kingdom Hall offers more . . . education in a month than most Catholic parishes do all year.”

Kingdom Halls​—Refreshingly Different

Kingdom Halls? Yes, these are the meeting places of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the distributors of this magazine. A survey conducted in the country of Suriname showed that about one out of every three persons attending meetings there is between the ages of 12 and 20! The same is true in many other lands​—large numbers of youths are attending meetings at Kingdom Halls.

Christiaan explains why the meetings there attracted him: “I was impressed to see how often the Bible was used. Everything said was well documented from it. The meetings were like school!” Indeed, the Kingdom Hall has a course of five weekly meetings that train Christians in reading, teaching, and applying the Bible. You will find that the meetings there are refreshingly different from church services.

Still, many youths may be turned off at the idea of any kind of school. Even some youths raised by Christian parents may lose appreciation for Christian meetings, complaining that they are ‘boring,’ ‘too long,’ or that doing something else​—like watching television—​would be more interesting. Why, then, should a young person take away time from recreation and schoolwork to attend Christian meetings?

Meetings​—A Tool to Remain “Healthy in Faith”

The apostle Paul once stated that “without faith it is impossible to please [God] well.” (Hebrews 11:6) He thus urged Christians to remain “healthy in faith.” (Titus 2:2) Is this counsel appropriate for young people today? Indeed it is! One 15-year-old girl puts it this way: “Sometimes I think young people have the hardest time in life. We are around people who commit fornication, do drugs, and drink.” Can you fight these potent influences by ‘isolating yourself’ from fellow Christians? (Proverbs 18:1) Hardly.

Christian meetings therefore fill a vital need. They help you to remain “healthy in faith”! Said Tertullian, a second-century believer: “We assemble to read our sacred writings . . . with the sacred words we nourish our faith.” Likewise today, meetings at the Kingdom Hall can ‘nourish your faith’ and fortify you. No wonder, then, that Christians are commanded: “Let us be firm and unswerving in the confession of our hope, . . . not staying away from our meetings, as some do.”​—Hebrews 10:23-25, The New English Bible.

Meetings​—Enjoyable and Appealing

In this hi-tech age, however, many youths demand not simply to be taught but to be entertained. And admittedly, meetings at the Kingdom Hall are not elaborate stage productions. This does not mean, though, that the program is dull and uninteresting. Consider: What makes a meal enjoyable? Is it not the nutritious and varied food, the pleasant company around the table, and the relaxed atmosphere? Well, Christian meetings certainly meet these criteria for enjoyment.

Nutritious and Varied: Five meetings serve to provide a balanced spiritual diet​—ranging from counsel about family life to a study of prophecies. Variety? Well, talks and group discussions are often alternated with interviews and lively sketches. Fifteen-year-old Janet recalls her first meeting: “Halfway through the meeting I told my mother, ‘Let’s go home.’ I was tired of sitting. But then old ones and young ones began taking turns speaking from the platform. I liked it and stayed till the end.”

Pleasant Company: After attending her first meeting, a young girl named Carolina, from Nicaragua, said: ‘The young members impressed me. They were friendly and respectful.’ Yes, at the Kingdom Hall you can find ‘good and pleasant’ fellowship. (Psalm 133:1) Sixteen-year-old Anita thus says: “In the Kingdom Hall, I found real friends.”

Relaxed Atmosphere: “Sometimes I worry about a problem all day,” says Simeon, age 14. “But in the Kingdom Hall, I forget about it. I feel peace inside.” Christian meetings reflect God’s spirit of joy and peace. (Philippians 4:4-7) And contrary to the ornate design and hushed, artificial aura of many churches, Kingdom Halls are simple in design and promote a relaxed atmosphere. Says young Barbara: “In the Kingdom Hall, I feel at home.”

A Place of Learning

Far more important than atmosphere, however, is what you learn by attending a meeting at the Kingdom Hall. To illustrate, consider just one of the five meetings, the Theocratic Ministry School. It was established in 1943 to train Christians in the art of public speaking. It is an international school, established in all congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses the world over, and it offers equal-opportunity education. Students receive the same training whether they are boys or girls, black or white, rich or poor​—for free!

The main textbook is the Bible. Qualified instructors teach students how to gather and develop Biblical information and then present it in a conversational manner. The book entitled Theocratic Ministry School Guidebooka is also used in connection with the school. Its 38 studies cover such topics as “Working Up an Outline,” “Sense Stress and Modulation,” and they teach proper diction, pronunciation, and composition. When a youth named Terri presented this book to her Speech Class instructor, he told the other students: “After five weeks of class, she finally gives me a book on how to conduct a speech class properly!”

Imagine being able to get up in front of a group and teach the Bible​—skillfully, competently! This is just one of the benefits that can come to you if you attend meetings at the Kingdom Hall. Add to that the fine association you’ll enjoy there, and you can easily see why regular meeting attendance is so vital to the feeding of your faith in God and his Son. “He that exercises faith,” Jesus reminds us, “has everlasting life.”​—John 3:36.

We hope, then, that this brief discussion has whetted your appetite to begin attending meetings if you have not yet begun doing so. What, though, if you are already attending? Then the question is, Are you getting as much out of these meetings as you should? A future issue will discuss this.

[Footnotes]

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Meetings at the Kingdom Hall provide opportunities for young people to participate actively

“The Principal Victims of Religious Persecution”

RELIGIOUS persecution has existed throughout history. Cain’s murder of Abel was motivated by religious differences. Cain didn’t like the fact that God approved Abel’s sacrifice but did not look favorably on his. He grew angry and finally murdered his brother.​—Genesis 4:3-8.

Jesus Christ prophesied that his followers would be persecuted, especially in the time of the end. He warned: “You will . . . be handed over for punishment and execution; and men of all nations will hate you for your allegiance to me.”​—Matthew 24:9, The New English Bible.

Over the millenniums, the major religions have persecuted one another as each religion has seen its monopoly control over the people threatened. Catholics, Protestants, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, and others have indulged in mutual bloodletting. In the name of orthodoxy, infallible truth, and the salvation of the soul, persecution has been justified. The Jews have been persecuted for both their religion and their race. In some countries in this 20th century, atheistic communism has turned against religion as ‘the opium of the people.’

Yet, in this same century, there is one group that has been persecuted from every quarter​—whether religious or political. Who are they, and what have been the motives?

“The Principal Victims”

In his recent book The Court and the Constitution (1987), former Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox, writes: “The principal victims of religious persecution in the United States in the twentieth century were the Jehovah’s Witnesses.” What provoked this situation? He continues: “They began to attract attention and provoke repression in the 1930s, when their proselytizing and numbers rapidly increased. Drawing on Divine revelation from the Bible, they stood on street corners and canvassed from house to house, offering the tracts of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and preaching that the evil triumvirate of organized churches, business, and the State are the instruments of Satan.”

As the nations became embroiled in World War II, the Witnesses became victims and martyrs of the rampant spirit of nationalism that was encouraged by the warring governments. In some nations obligatory flag salute was imposed in the schools. Compulsory military service became the rule. While Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in paying to Caesar what is Caesar’s​—and perhaps few groups pay their taxes and obey the laws of the land more conscientiously—​they also pay to God what they believe he requires, namely, worship and supreme loyalty. They respect the fine principles that the flag of a nation often stands for, but to them the flag salute is divisive image worship. That stand landed them in trouble in the United States in the 1930’s and ’40’s.

Hundreds of children were expelled from school for refusing to salute the flag. As Professor Mason stated in his book Harlan Fiske Stone: Pillar of the Law: “Their refusal did not mean that they were unpatriotic or that they did not love their country. It simply meant that, as they read the Scriptures, the flag salute violated the Biblical injunction against bowing down to a graven image.”

The issue was taken to the U.S. Supreme Court, and in 1940, by a vote of 8 to 1, the Witnesses’ appeal was rejected. The lone and courageous dissenter was Justice Harlan Fiske Stone. Professor Mason explained how some reacted: “John Haynes Holmes, chairman of the American Civil Liberties Union, said Stone’s dissent would ‘rank as one of the great dissenting opinions in American history.’ Press comment was highly favorable. One hundred and seventy-one leading newspapers promptly condemned the decision; only a handful approved it.” But what happened then?

Professor Cox continues his account: “Persecution of the Witnesses increased. In some quarters, notably Texas, Witnesses were attacked by mobs for their refusal to salute the flag, and they were sometimes held as ‘Nazi agents.’” In Maine, one Kingdom Hall was burned. In one town in Illinois, the whole population “turned out to attack some sixty Witnesses.” And what did the authorities do? “For the most part, the police stood idly by or actively participated.” As Professor Mason comments: “The Department of Justice traced this wave of violence directly to the Court’s decision in the first Flag Salute case. The Court itself thus became a weapon in the struggle for men’s minds.”

A Dramatic Reversal

In spite of this atrocious persecution, Witness children, similar to the three faithful Hebrews, refused to salute a national emblem, in this case the flag. (Daniel, chapter 3) The Legal Department of the Watchtower Society continued to push flag-salute cases through the appeal courts. In fact, “Jehovah’s Witnesses continued to press their claims so furiously that [Justice] Stone suggested they ‘ought to have an endowment in view of the aid which they give in solving the legal problems of civil liberties.’”​—Harlan Fiske Stone: Pillar of the Law, page 598.

Then on June 14, 1943 (Flag Day), the U.S. Supreme Court took an unusual step. It reversed itself in a different flag-salute case (West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette) and exonerated the Witnesses. On the same day, in another case involving Jehovah’s Witnesses, the justices stated: “As applied to the appellants [Witnesses] it [the statute] punishes them although what they communicated is not claimed or shown to have been done with an evil or sinister purpose, to have advocated or incited subversive action against the nation or state. . . . Under our decisions criminal sanction cannot be imposed for such communication.”

Justice Jackson, as the Court’s spokesman, included an opinion of Gamaliel-like wisdom: “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.” This decision has been called “one of the most dramatic reversals in the Court’s history.”​—Compare Acts 5:34, 38, 39.

Why was it only reasonable that the Witnesses should not be obligated by law to venerate the flag? Professor Cox explains: “The offense to the Gobitis and Barnette children [Witnesses] was State compulsion to proclaim a political orthodoxy that they did not believe.” All the Witnesses had done was follow the Biblical principle: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.”​—Acts 5:29.

Why Protect the Minority?

In his analysis of these cases, Cox raises a significant question: “Why should we worry about the spiritual liberty of that tiny minority which refuses to salute the flag? Or about protecting the opportunities of troublemakers like the evangelical Jehovah’s Witnesses?” He responds: “Part of the answer lies in the premise of individual dignity on which our society rests, a dignity belonging to both orthodox and nonconformist. Part lies in the awareness that if the State may silence the speech of Jehovah’s Witnesses . . . , our own may be next.”

Yes, the suppression of freedom of worship for an unpopular minority can be the thin edge of the wedge that leads to the suppression of other freedoms for all citizens. But there is another interesting factor that Professor Cox includes:

“And part lies in the awareness that some far-out minority may hit upon the truth​—a truth postponed or forever lost by its suppression.” And among the truths that were being made an object of suppression is that preached by Jehovah’s Witnesses, namely, that mankind’s only hope for peace and salvation is God’s Kingdom government by Christ Jesus.​—Daniel 2:44; Matthew 6:9, 10.

Christian “Troublemakers”

When Cox refers to the Witnesses as “troublemakers,” let it be remembered how the early Christian disciples were described by their opposers: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here . . . They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” (Acts 17:6, 7, New International Version) How similar to the situation in which Jehovah’s Witnesses have found themselves in many countries! And why is that? For the same reasons that the early Christians suffered​—their allegiance to Christ Jesus, their King, and to his Kingdom.

The Witnesses’ successful preaching stirs the orthodox clergy to seek aid from the secular authorities. This is similar to what happened after Paul’s successful ministry. The account tells us: “But the Jews in their jealousy recruited some low fellows from the dregs of the populace, roused the rabble, and had the city in an uproar. . . . They dragged Jason himself and some members of the congregation before the magistrates.”​—Acts 17:5, 6, NEB.

Jehovah’s Witnesses have suffered unjust persecution in many countries, in times of war and of peace. On many occasions the promoters of such persecution have been the religious leaders who have used their influence with their contacts in the current ruling elite to curtail the activities of the Witnesses. One outstanding example was the persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Catholic Spain during the period from 1950 to 1970. Men, women, and children were hounded, fined, and imprisoned just for studying the Bible in the privacy of their own homes. Hundreds of young men each spent more than ten years in military prison for maintaining Christian neutrality.a

The case of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Spain is so outstanding that one prominent lawyer, Señor Martín-Retortillo, wrote: “As one studies ten years of Jurisprudence, and observes the governmental sanctions for reasons of public order that affect religious conduct, there is one fact that decidedly catches the attention: It is that in almost all cases considered, those who have [been involved] are members of only one religious group . . . ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses.’”

Persecution Fails to Halt Witnesses

Since 1970, Jehovah’s Witnesses have enjoyed legal recognition in Spain, and instead of the 10,000 that were active then, there are now some 70,000 associated with about a thousand congregations! A similar rate of progress is true for the United States. In the period to which Professor Cox refers (1930’s-1940’s), there were only some 40,000 to 60,000 Witnesses in the United States and a total of some 115,000 in the entire world. Today, there are more than 770,000 Witnesses in the United States, and 3,400,000 in the world in 55,000 congregations. Persecution has failed to stop the progress of their worldwide educational work.

When faced with persecution, there is only one answer that the Witnesses can give: “Whether it is righteous in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves. But as for us, we cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.”​—Acts 4:19, 20.

[Footnotes]

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Courts ruled that refusal to salute a flag is not disrespectful

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Only Justice Stone supported the stand of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the 1940 Supreme Court decision

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Office of the Curator, The Supreme Court of the United States

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By a majority vote, these justices ruled in favor of the Witnesses in the flag-salute issue

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Office of the Curator, The Supreme Court of the United States

The Bible’s Viewpoint

Is the Old Testament Out-of-Date?

◼ “The Old Testament preaches hate and vengeance, ‘eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ That has all been replaced by the New Testament, which teaches love and forgiveness.”

◼ “The Old Testament simply isn’t relevant to modern Christians, so it’s not necessary to read it anymore!”

HAVE you ever caught yourself repeating the above charges, or heard someone else do so? Is the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) actually dead, out-of-date, replaced by the New Testament (Christian Greek Scriptures)? What does the Bible itself say?

Interestingly, the New Testament does indicate that the Law covenant, a contract God made with ancient Israel, is obsolete and hence not binding on Christians. (Ephesians 2:15; Hebrews 8:13) This Law covenant is included in the Old Testament. But there is much more to the Old Testament than the Law covenant!

There are three components of the Old Testament that make it important to you. What are they? (1) Relevant history, (2) upbuilding poetry, and (3) faith-inspiring prophecy, all of immense value to modern-day Christians. Consider how this is so.

Bible History

The first 17 books of the Old Testament, Genesis to Esther, embody a historical record of God’s dealings with man from his creation until the fifth century B.C.E. But this is no mere dead history! As the Christian apostle Paul wrote: “Now these things [described in the Old Testament] went on befalling them as examples, and they were written for a warning to us [Christians] upon whom the ends of the systems of things have arrived.”​—1 Corinthians 10:11.

Why did Paul view this history as germane for Christians despite the passage of centuries? Quite simply because just as human nature has not changed over the years so God himself has not changed. (Malachi 3:6) The Christian disciple James said about Jehovah God: “With him there is not a variation of the turning of the shadow.” (James 1:17) The shadow cast by the sun varies from minimal at noon to stretched-out at sunset. But Jehovah is different; his personality is unchangeable.

Thus, we can learn much from the history of Jehovah’s dealings with the patriarchs, with Israel at the Red Sea and in the wilderness, and with many other people. For example, just as God was offended when the Israelites practiced idolatry or committed fornication so he is displeased when Christians engage in such conduct. (1 Corinthians 10:1-12) Even the Law covenant, though not binding on Christians, gives valuable insight into Jehovah’s personality through its underlying principles.

Bible Poetry and Prophecy

The next five books, from Job to The Song of Solomon, are the poetic books. But these books are more than just good literature, for their contents are spiritually uplifting and often based on historical events. Whose emotions have not been stirred by the Psalms? And who cannot see the practical counsel on honesty, jealousy, and other matters of human relations in the book of Proverbs? (Proverbs 11:1; 14:30) Without a doubt, these books are as beneficial today as when they were first written.

The last 17 books of the Old Testament, Isaiah to Malachi, are prophetic books. They contain the proclamations of the ancient Hebrew prophets and provide vivid descriptions of the earthly coming of the Messiah centuries in advance. The Gospel accounts in the New Testament show the fulfillment of dozens of these prophecies, even in minute detail. Surely, a consideration of the accuracy of these prophecies strengthens our faith in Jesus Christ as the one sent by God to deliver mankind!

Contradictory?

But can the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament be reconciled? Let us illustrate: A father may discipline his two sons differently because each child has a distinct personality. Similarly, the tone of Jehovah’s counsel in the Old Testament to Israel, a nation of people dedicated to him by birth, would differ from the tone of the counsel found in the New Testament to the Christian congregation, a group of people devoted to him by choice.

Thus, a close examination of the Bible shows that these two sections are not contradictory, but, rather, they complement each other. Both parts are needed for ‘the man of God to be fully competent.’​—2 Timothy 3:16, 17.

For example, does the Old Testament actually allow for the taking of personal vengeance whereas the New Testament condemns this? Not at all! Both recommend love of one’s enemies, pointing out that vengeance is reserved for God. (Compare Deuteronomy 32:35, 41 and Proverbs 25:21, 22 with Romans 12:17-21.) In fact, when the Old Testament speaks of ‘eye for eye and tooth for tooth,’ it is not discussing personal retaliation but, rather, fair compensation as imposed by a duly authorized court of law.​—Exodus 21:1, 22-25.

No, the Old Testament is not obsolete or contradictory. The Bible testifies that the Old Testament is just as alive and relevant for Christians today as the New Testament is. Remember the words of Jesus Christ: “Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah’s mouth.” And that includes not only the Christian Greek Scriptures but the Hebrew Scriptures as well.​—Matthew 4:4; compare Deuteronomy 8:3.

From Our Readers

Safe Driving

Please accept my compliments on your recent articles on “Safe Driving.” (January 8, 1988) I would have appreciated your mentioning other dangers, for instance, smoking when driving, the use of various drugs, and in particular those included in some prescribed medicines, all of which reduce the driver’s mastery of his car. Also, a warning should definitely be given concerning other factors, such as a lack of sleep, heavy meals with or without plenty of drink, family quarrels, films showing fast driving, bad eyesight, and lack of exercise.

R. G., France

While some of the things mentioned above were commented on in our articles, they bear repeating. Safe driving requires that the driver be completely alert to what is taking place on the road, enabling him to react quickly to any situation that may arise.​—ED.

While your article promoted good, safe driving, I was surprised that you did not recommend ‘buckling up.’ It too should be a safe driving habit. In your article “Why Fasten Your Seat Belt?” (June 8, 1978), you cited a Canadian report that concluded that ‘a belted driver’s survival chances in a collision are ten times higher than an unbelted driver’s,’ and a Swedish report that concluded “that belted people received about half as many injuries as unbelted persons at all speeds.”

C. S., United States

We wholeheartedly agree on the vital importance of using seat belts. This is required by law in many states and countries, and all of us, no matter where we are, should take this reasonable safety precaution out of respect for the gift of life.​—ED.

Liberation Theology

In your issue on “Liberation Theology” (November 8, 1987), you published an illustration that defames the Catholic Church, and it offends me to see a cross represented in the form of machine guns. This dishonors the cross on which our Savior, Jesus Christ, was crucified.

J. V., United States

The showing of guns in the form of a cross is a striking symbol of the ultimate consequence of liberation theology, which claims that it is Christian, as a last resort, to use violence to liberate the oppressed. It is not our printing of this symbol that dishonors Christ; rather, it is the action taken by those who advocate armed violence in the name of Christ that dishonors him. The methods of liberation theology are contrary to the teachings of Jesus. He stated: “My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews. But, as it is, my kingdom is not from this source.” (John 18:36) He taught his followers: “All those who take the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52) He advocated respect for existing governments, stating: “Pay back, therefore, Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.” (Matthew 22:21) And he taught his followers to look to God’s Kingdom, not human efforts, to bring relief from oppression. (Matthew 6:9, 10; Psalm 72:1, 2, 4, 11-14) It is by following these teachings that we honor Jesus Christ.​—ED.

Watching the World

“Best-Known Religious Magazine”

In an effort to determine the religious magazine best known by the Finnish people, a survey was sponsored by Kotimaa, the main newspaper of the Lutheran Church of Finland. The results of that survey were featured in the front-page article entitled “The Watchtower is the best-known religious magazine.” Commenting on the success of The Watchtower as compared with other religious magazines, an editorial in the same issue explained: “The reason [The Watchtower] is best known is the faithful and untiring work on the part of its distributors; everybody recognizes the magazine sellers on their street corners, staying at their post come rain or shine.”

Effects of Space

Yuri Romanenko, a Soviet cosmonaut, spent 326 days in the space station Mir. How did the record time spent in space and the prolonged exposure to weightlessness affect his body? According to the French magazine L’Express, Romanenko has become one or two inches taller, his muscles have weakened, his bones have become brittle, and his blood volume has decreased by 25 percent. His calf muscles shriveled even though he tried to keep in shape by use of an exercise bicycle and a treadmill. Romanenko jokingly suggested that future cosmonauts have “a bald head to avoid haircuts, big arms​—six would be better—​and slim legs or just one with grips, to keep steady.”

A Cold Victory

British authorities have decided to shut down their National Institute for Medical Research on the Common Cold, located in Wiltshire, southern England. The institute, founded about 40 years ago, had devoted its research to finding an efficient means of fighting the common cold. However, “in the absence of results,” notes the French newspaper Le Monde, “they [the authorities] considered that the institute’s annual grant of £500,000 would be better spent elsewhere.” According to the institute’s director, David Tyrell, a “hot bath” is still the best way to treat a cold or a chill.

Polite Police

The Japanese National Police Agency launched an “Improve the Public Image Campaign” following the release of a government survey of its agencies. According to the report, the police gave the worst impressions. Fearing that such impressions may hamper civil cooperation in criminal investigation, the agency’s vice-commissioner general told police to improve their public image. One chief of police enlisted help from an airline company. The airline sent two specialists in courteous behavior to teach the police “the ABCs of dealing with people.” The entire staff at the police station has now been trained to handle their “customers” politely.

Gum and Driving

Chewing gum may be more of a stimulant to sleepy drivers than coffee, cold towels, or singing, reports the Asahi Evening News, a Japanese newspaper. Researchers conducted tests on veteran drivers in their 30’s and 40’s and found that chewing gum raised the brain-wave count of sleepy drivers to 50 percent of normal, and ten minutes later, the waves were holding at 25 percent above the dozing-off rate. Coffee, on the other hand, raised their brain-wave pulses to just 40 percent above dozing-off status, and within ten minutes, all effects had worn off. Cold towels and singing usually produced only momentary effects. The report notes, however, that researchers say that “stopping the car, shutting off the engine and taking a short rest remains the best advice for drivers to avoid falling asleep on the road.”

Never Too Old

Learning a foreign language is always a challenge. But researchers working at different Max Planck Institutes in the Federal Republic of Germany contest the belief that learning ability declines with age. According to The Times of London, Professor Wolfgang Klein says that there is “no scientific evidence that adults who wanted to become proficient in a foreign language faced a greater difficulty than children.” Although adults generally find acquiring a good accent more of a problem, they outstrip youngsters in their ability to master a larger vocabulary. In fact, according to Professor Paul Baltes of the Education Research Institute, “many people of advanced years possess considerable memory reserves, which could be used to study and think.” Another researcher, says The Times, observed that presumed loss of intellectual capacity of people “in advanced years could be due to their lifestyle and not their potential: in many cases they simply did not use the brain power at their disposal.”

Expensive Waste

In the United States, stockbrokers, companies, and direct mailers each year spend more than $100 billion to produce and distribute some 30 billion documents. What happens to all of them? For every dollar needed to print the forms, “a further $20 to $80 is spent on processing, distributing, storing, and eventually, destroying them,” reports The Times of London.

Collar Squeeze

A recent study at Cornell University has revealed that white-collar workers may be better described as “tight-collar” workers. In a sampling of 94 white-collar workers, the investigators found that “67 percent of them were wearing shirt collars that were too tight,” reports Prevention magazine. “When the group was given a vision test, it was found that the ability of their retinas to make rapid adjustments to changes in light was being impaired.” Researchers suspect that the senses of smell, hearing, and taste, and even clear thinking ability may also be affected because the tight collars restrict blood flow to the head.

New Nuclear Fear

As trade in commercial nuclear materials between nations increases, a new fear has emerged that terrorists will hijack the materials as they are being transported. “Opportunities for terrorist acts, including attempts to steal plutonium, will increase substantially as a result of the increased commercial use of plutonium,” says a U.S. Defense Department report. Plutonium is the main material used in nuclear weapons. It is also a by-product of nuclear power plant operation and is shipped to fuel other reactors. The government fears that terrorists will steal the plutonium for “fabrication into an explosive device” or “to create a radiological hazard.”

Doublespeak

“In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes,” wrote U.S. statesman Benjamin Franklin in 1789. Today, says English professor William Lutz, he might have written: “Nothing is certain except negative patient care outcome and revenue enhancement.” The problem is doublespeak, “the academic word for double-talk and all forms of deceptive language, including goobledygook and officialese,” says Parade Magazine. Some government officials seem to have mastered it in an effort to conceal or obscure information. Rather than tell a lie, one “misleads” or “withholds information.” A pencil has been identified as a “portable hand-held communications inscriber” and a bullet hole as a “ballistically induced aperture in the subcutaneous environment.” The poor are “fiscal underachievers,” and someone who is scared is “philosophically disillusioned.” Doublespeak is also prevalent in the field of medicine, where death becomes a “terminal episode” and malpractice a “therapeutic misadventure.”

A Stone That Solved a Mystery

In the British Museum in London, you will often find people in the Egyptian Gallery, staring at a black basalt slab. Why does it intrigue so many? For centuries, experts were baffled by the complex picture writing (hieroglyphics) they had found in Egyptian tombs and on monuments. That slab became the key to understanding those writings and inscriptions. It came to be known as the Rosetta Stone (from Rashid in Egypt, translated Rosetta).

The stone has the same text in three different scripts. One of them is Greek and could be translated. Another is ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the third, a cursive form of the same. It took Frenchman Jean François Champollion 23 years to decipher the inscriptions. And what does the stone say?

Dated to the ninth year of Ptolemy V (about 196 B.C.E.), it is yet another inscription glorifying a ruler. Among other things, it proclaims the piety of Ptolemy V toward the gods, praises him for restoring “the temples of the Apis and Mnevis Bulls, and of the other sacred animals,” and describes him as “Ptolemy, the ever-living god.”​—The Rosetta Stone, Trustees of the British Museum.

The decipherment of the ancient hieroglyphs, “writing of the speech of the god,” helped to expose more fully the animal worship that was rampant in Egypt. As the British Museum catalogue states: “Almost all sculpture was produced for religious purposes, to promote the worship of deities, to glorify the power of specific kings,” as well as for funerary reasons. And most of the sculptures and monuments include hieroglyphs, which, thanks to the Rosetta Stone, can now be understood.

[Pictures on page 31]

Above: Example of hieroglyphic writing

[Credit Line]

Courtesy of the Superintendence of the Museo Egizio, Turin

Right: Horus, Egyptian god of light

[Credit Line]

Courtesy of the British Museum

[Picture Credit Line on page 31]

Courtesy of the British Museum

We Invite You to Attend: The Divine Justice District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses

It begins this month. All sessions are free. Choose from the list below the location where you will attend.

United States

June 16-19: AMARILLO, TX, Civic Center Coliseum. BILOXI, MS, Mississippi Coast Coliseum. DAYTONA BEACH, FL, The Ocean Center. FT. WORTH, TX, Tarrant County Convention Center Arena. GREENVILLE, SC, Memorial Auditorium. HOUSTON, TX, Astrodome. MACON, GA, Coliseum. MADISON, WI, Dane County Memorial Coliseum. NEW HAVEN, CT, Veterans Memorial Coliseum. NEW YORK, NY, Yankee Stadium. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum. ST. LOUIS, MO, The Arena. SAN DIEGO, CA, Jack Murphy Stadium. SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Cow Palace. TUCSON, AZ, Community Center. WICHITA, KS, Kansas Coliseum.

June 23-26: AMARILLO, TX, Civic Center Coliseum. BILLINGS, MT, Yellowstone Metra. BILOXI, MS, Mississippi Coast Coliseum. CHARLESTON, WV, Civic Center Coliseum. CICERO, IL, Sportsman’s Park Race Track. COLUMBIA, SC, Carolina Coliseum. CORVALLIS, OR, Gill Coliseum. DAYTONA BEACH, FL (Sign language also), The Ocean Center. FT. WORTH, TX (Sign language also), Tarrant County Convention Center Arena. GREENVILLE, SC, Memorial Auditorium. HIALEAH, FL, Hialeah Park Race Track. JACKSONVILLE, FL, Memorial Coliseum, Gator Bowl Sports Complex. LAFAYETTE, LA (Sign language also), Cajundome. LANDOVER, MD, Capital Centre. LITTLE ROCK, AR, Barton Coliseum. LOS ANGELES, CA, Dodger Stadium. MACON, GA (Sign language also), Coliseum. MADISON, WI, Dane County Memorial Coliseum. NEW HAVEN, CT, Veterans Memorial Coliseum. OGDEN, UT, Dee Events Center. PITTSBURGH, PA, Three Rivers Stadium. ROCHESTER, MN, Mayo Civic Center Arena. ST. LOUIS, MO, The Arena. SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Sign language also), Cow Palace. SOUTH BEND, IN, N.D.U. Athletic Center.

June 30-July 3: CHARLESTON, WV, Civic Center Coliseum. CICERO, IL (Sign language also), Sportsman’s Park Race Track. COLUMBIA, SC, Carolina Coliseum. CORVALLIS, OR, Gill Coliseum. FRESNO, CA, Convention Center. GREENSBORO, NC, Coliseum. HIALEAH, FL, Hialeah Park Race Track. LANDOVER, MD (Sign language also), Capital Centre. LITTLE ROCK, AR, Barton Coliseum. LOUISVILLE, KY, Coliseum, Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center. MACON, GA, Coliseum. MADISON, WI, Dane County Memorial Coliseum. NASHVILLE, TN, Municipal Auditorium. NEW HAVEN, CT, Veterans Memorial Coliseum. NEW YORK, NY (Sign language also), Yankee Stadium. OGDEN, UT, Dee Events Center. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, Myriad. PITTSBURGH, PA (Sign language also), Three Rivers Stadium. PONTIAC, MI, Silverdome. PROVIDENCE, RI, Civic Center. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum. ST. PAUL, MN, Civic Center. ST. PETERSBURG, FL, Bayfront Center. SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Cow Palace. SOUTH BEND, IN, N.D.U. Athletic Center. TALLAHASSEE, FL, Civic Center.

July 7-10: BIRMINGHAM, AL, Civic Center Coliseum. BISMARCK, ND, Civic Center Arena. CICERO, IL, Sportsman’s Park Race Track. CORVALLIS, OR, Gill Coliseum. DENVER, CO, McNichols Sports Arena. FRESNO, CA, Convention Center. GREENSBORO, NC, Coliseum. HAMPTON, VA, Coliseum. HIALEAH, FL (Spanish only), Hialeah Park Race Track. KNOXVILLE, TN, Civic Center Coliseum. LANDOVER, MD, Capital Centre. LINCOLN, NE, Devaney Sports Center. LITTLE ROCK, AR, Barton Coliseum. LOUISVILLE, KY (Sign language also), Coliseum, Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center. NASHVILLE, TN, Municipal Auditorium. PHILADELPHIA, PA, Veterans Stadium. PROVIDENCE, RI (Sign language also), Civic Center. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum. ST. PETERSBURG, FL, Bayfront Center. SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Cow Palace. SOUTH BEND, IN (Spanish only), N.D.U. Athletic Center. TACOMA, WA (Sign language and Spanish also), Tacoma Dome. TUCSON, AZ (Sign language also), Community Center.

July 14-17: BILOXI, MS, Mississippi Coast Coliseum. CICERO, IL, Sportsman’s Park Race Track. CROWNSVILLE, MD (Korean only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall. DENVER, CO (Sign language also), McNichols Sports Arena. EL PASO, TX (Spanish only), Special Events Center. FT. LAUDERDALE, FL (French only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall. FRESNO, CA, Convention Center. HAMPTON, VA, Coliseum. HIALEAH, FL (Spanish only), Hialeah Park Race Track. HOUSTON, TX (Spanish only), Astrodome. JERSEY CITY, NJ (French only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall. LINCOLN, NE (Sign language also), Devaney Sports Center. LOS ANGELES, CA (Sign language also), Dodger Stadium. LOS ANGELES, CA (Japanese only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall. LOS ANGELES, CA (Korean only), Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall. PROVIDENCE, RI, Civic Center. RENO, NV, Centennial Coliseum. ROANOKE, VA, Civic Center. ST. PETERSBURG, FL, Bayfront Center. SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Chinese also), Cow Palace. TUCSON, AZ, Community Center.

July 21-24: EL PASO, TX (Spanish only), Special Events Center. FRESNO, CA (Spanish only), Convention Center. HIALEAH, FL (Spanish only), Hialeah Park Race Track. LOS ANGELES, CA (Spanish only), Dodger Stadium. NEW YORK, NY (Spanish only), Yankee Stadium. SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Spanish only), Cow Palace.

Britain

June 23-26: JERSEY, C.I., The Gloucester Hall. PLYMOUTH, Plymouth Argyle Football Club. SOUTHAMPTON, Southampton Football Club.

June 30-July 3: NOTTINGHAM, Nottingham Forest Football Club. STOKE, Stoke City Football Club.

July 7-10: EDINBURGH, Rugby Union Ground. MANCHESTER, Manchester City Football Club.

July 14-17: COVENTRY, Coventry City Football Club. LEEDS, Leeds United Football Club. NORWICH, Norwich City Football Club.

July 21-24: CARDIFF, Welsh National Rugby Ground. CRYSTAL PALACE, National Sports Centre. LONDON (Greek and Spanish sessions also), Rugby Union Ground.

Ireland

July 14-17: NAVAN, Navan Exhibition Centre.

July 21-24: NAVAN, Navan Exhibition Centre.

Canada

July 7-10: EDMONTON, ALTA. (Sign language also; Ukrainian, French, and Spanish sessions also), Edmonton Northlands Coliseum. HAMILTON, ONT. (Sign language also), Copps Coliseum. MONTREAL, QUE. (French and French and English sign language also; Arabic sessions also), Olympic Stadium. MONTREAL, QUE. (Italian only), Velodrome, Olympic Park. MONTREAL, QUE. (Spanish only), Arena Maurice-Richard. MONTREAL, QUE. (Greek and Portuguese only), Centre Pierre Charbonneau. SASKATOON, SASK. (Sign language also; Ukrainian and Polish sessions also), Saskatchewan Place. VANCOUVER, B.C. (Sign language also; Portuguese sessions also), B.C. Place Stadium.

July 14-17: HALIFAX, N.S. (Sign language also), Atlantic Winter Fair Exhibition Park. HAMILTON, ONT. (Sign language also; Hungarian sessions also), Copps Coliseum.

July 21-24: HAMILTON, ONT. (Sign language also; Korean and Ukrainian and Polish sessions also), Copps Coliseum. ST. JOHN’S, NFLD. (Sign language also), Memorial Stadium.