December 8

Page Two

Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima​—Will Old Wounds Ever Heal? 3-11

Fifty years ago a Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor sparked war in the Pacific. The war ended with atom-bomb blasts over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For many, recollecting the war reopens old wounds. Will those wounds ever heal?

Why Christmas Is Not for Christians 12

Where did Christmas come from? Why Jesus would not approve of it.

The Bill of Rights​—Why Was It Needed? 20

What is this important document? What liberties has it helped to preserve in the United States?

[Picture Credit Lines on page 2]

Cover Picture: Left, USAF photo. Right, U.S. Navy photo.

Left, USAF photo. Right, U.S. Navy photo.

“Remember Pearl Harbor!”

IT WAS a beautiful Sunday morning on Oahu Island. Adeline, a sixth-grade Japanese-Hawaiian girl, was out in her yard in downtown Honolulu. She saw planes flying and smoke coming up from the direction of Pearl Harbor. Was it another drill?

People on Oahu were used to military maneuvers and mock gunfire, so much so that even Vice Admiral William S. Pye of the U.S. Pacific Fleet looked out of his apartment window and said to his wife: “It seems funny that the Army would be having target practice on Sunday morning.” That Sunday morning was December 7, 1941.

Hearing approaching planes, a 13-year-old boy peered out of the window. “Dad,” he reported to his father, who was the commander of Kaneohe Naval Air Station, “those planes have red circles on them.” A glimpse of the red disk, the rising sun, on the planes of the Japanese Imperial Navy, was enough to tell the whole story​—a surprise attack!

Admiral H. E. Kimmel, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, received a report of the attack over the telephone. His face was “white as the uniform he wore” as he stood stunned, watching enemy planes buzzing like wasps as they bombarded his fleet. “I knew right away,” he recounted, “that something terrible was going on, that this was not a casual raid by just a few stray planes. The sky was full of the enemy.”

“Tora, Tora, Tora”

A few minutes before torpedo explosions and bomb blasts shattered the serenity of Pearl Harbor, an officer aboard a Japanese dive-bomber saw the island of Oahu come into view. “This island is too peaceful to attack,” he thought.

The break in the clouds, however, struck Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, the flight leader of the attack force, in a completely different way. “God must be with us,” he thought. “It must be God’s hand which pulled aside the clouds directly over Pearl Harbor.”

At 7:49 a.m., Fuchida gave the attack signal, “To, To, To,” standing for “Charge!” in Japanese. Confident that the American forces were caught totally unawares, he gave the order to click out the message to indicate that the surprise attack had been made​—the famous code words “Tora, Tora, Tora” (“Tiger, Tiger, Tiger”).

Surprise Attack Accomplished

How could a large task force that included six aircraft carriers have sneaked as close as 230 miles [370 km] from Oahu and launched in the first-wave attack 183 aircraft, which dodged radar networks and dealt the U.S. Pacific Fleet such a terrible blow? For one thing, the Japanese task force took a northern route despite turbulent winter seas. The U.S. patrols were weakest north of Pearl Harbor. And the Japanese flattops maintained strict radio silence.

However, radar was watchdogging the strategic island to detect any approaching aircraft. About seven o’clock on that decisive morning, two army privates on duty at Opana Mobile Radar Station on the island of Oahu noted unusually large blips on the oscilloscope, representing “probably more than 50” planes. But when they alerted the Information Center, they were told not to worry about it. The officer at the Information Center took it for a flight of American B-17 bombers that was scheduled to come in from the mainland.

Still, did not the U.S. government smell gunpowder in the air, so to speak? The Japanese government had sent a 14-part message to its envoys in Washington, D.C., to deliver to Cordell Hull, the secretary of state, at exactly 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on December 7, 1941. That would have been the morning of December 7 at Pearl Harbor. The message contained the statement that Japan would break off negotiations with the United States over crucial political matters. Having intercepted the message, the U.S. government became aware of the gravity of the situation. The night before the momentous day, Franklin D. Roosevelt, then president of the United States, had received the first 13 parts of the intercepted document. After reading it, he said, in substance, “This means war.”

Although the U.S. officials felt that hostile Japanese action was imminent, The New Encyclopædia Britannica says: “They had no knowledge of the time or place at which it would occur.” Most felt it would be somewhere in the Far East, perhaps Thailand.

The 1:00 p.m. appointment had to be delayed because the Japanese embassy secretaries were slow in typing the message in English. When the Japanese ambassador handed the document to Hull, it was 2:20 p.m. in Washington. At that time, Pearl Harbor was under fire and threatened by the second-wave attack. News of the raid had already reached Hull. He did not even offer the envoys chairs; he read the document and coldly nodded them to the door.

The delay in the delivery of the intended ultimatum intensified the American rage against Japan. Even some Japanese felt that this circumstance turned the Pearl Harbor attack from a strategic surprise attack into a sneak attack. “The words ‘REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR’ became an oath that stirred up the fighting spirit of the American people,” wrote Mitsuo Fuchida, the flight commander of the first-wave attack. He acknowledged: “The attack brought upon Japan a disgrace which did not vanish even after her defeat in the war.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt called December 7 “a date which will live in infamy.” On that day at Pearl Harbor, eight U.S. battleships and ten other vessels were either sunk or severely damaged, and more than 140 aircraft were destroyed. The Japanese lost 29 aircraft out of some 360 fighters and bombers attacking in two waves, in addition to five midget submarines. More than 2,330 American lives were lost, and 1,140 were left wounded.

To the cry of “Remember Pearl Harbor!” American public opinion was unified against Japan. “With only a single dissenting vote in the House,” says the book Pearl Harbor as History​—Japanese-American Relations 1931-1941, “Congress (like the American people in general) united behind President Roosevelt in the determination to defeat the enemy.” Seeking vengeance for the raid was more than enough reason for them to open hostilities against the Land of the Rising Sun.

A Surprise Attack for World Peace?

How did the Japanese rulers justify their hostile actions? Incredible as it may seem, they claimed that it was to establish world peace by uniting the ‘whole world into a big family,’ or hakkō ichiu. This became the slogan goading the Japanese into bloodshed. “The basic aim of Japan’s national policy,” declared the Japanese cabinet in 1940, “lies in the firm establishment of world peace in accordance with the lofty spirit of hakkō ichiu in which the country was founded, and in the construction, as the first step, of a new order in Greater East Asia.”

In addition to the slogan hakkō ichiu, liberation of Asia from the Western powers became the other great goal of the Japanese war effort. Both causes were considered to be the will of the emperor. In order to accomplish this world conquest, militarists led the nation into a war with China and then with the Western powers, including the United States.

Isoroku Yamamoto, commander in chief of Japan’s Combined Fleet, though, realistically concluded that there was no way that Japanese forces could overpower the United States. He saw only one chance to maintain Japanese dominance in Asia. The Imperial Navy should “fiercely attack and destroy the U.S. main fleet at the outset of the war, so that the morale of the U.S. Navy and her people” would “sink to the extent that it could not be recovered,” he reasoned. Thus the idea of a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was born.

[Picture on page 4]

Pearl Harbor under attack

[Credit Line]

U.S. Navy/​U.S. National Archives photo

“No More Hiroshimas!”

ALTHOUGH the Japanese were elated over the Pearl Harbor victory and remembered it while they were winning, the date was consigned to oblivion after they lost the war. When the Japanese government was asked recently about not having apologized for the attack, the chief cabinet secretary answered: “Strategically and generally speaking, I have the feeling that the Pearl Harbor attack was anything but commendable. However, matters regarding the war between the United States and Japan were settled by the San Francisco Peace Treaty.”

His words represent the feelings of some Japanese toward the surprise attack that ignited the Pacific war. Although over a million Japanese visit Hawaii every year, reports the newspaper Mainichi Shimbun, only a relatively small number visit the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, which was built to commemorate the Pearl Harbor attack.

While the slogan “Remember Pearl Harbor!” brings back bitter memories to some Americans, the Japanese recall their sufferings with the outcry “No More Hiroshimas.” Atom bombs that exploded over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 had a traumatic effect not only on the direct victims but on the nation as a whole.

Hearing the firsthand experiences of survivors helps us understand their feelings. Take, for example, Itoko, who was just out of school and had become a secretary at the Naval institution in Hiroshima. Even though she was inside the building where she worked, she felt the flash of the atom bomb, as though she were swayed by the light itself. “I worked with soldiers to clean the city of dead bodies,” explains Itoko. “In a river, the soldiers trawled a fishing net from a boat and recovered more than 50 bodies every time they pulled up the net. We took the bodies ashore and stacked them in fives and burned them. Most of them were naked. I couldn’t tell men from women, and their lips were swollen like ducks’ bills.” The Japanese cannot forget the horrors wrought by two atom bombs.

Why the Weapon of Mass Destruction Was Used

Professor Shigetoshi Iwamatsu of Nagasaki University, who is an A-bomb victim himself, wrote to Western newspapers more than 20 years ago to inform them of the plight of the victims. “He was stunned by the responses,” reports Asahi Evening News. “Half of the answers were that it was the atomic bombs that had stopped the Japanese aggression and it was odd for the bomb victims to appeal for peace.”

Explaining the reason for using the weapon of mass destruction, The Encyclopedia Americana says: “He [Harry S. Truman] made the decision to use atomic bombs against Japan, believing that they would end the war quickly and save lives.” Although not insensitive to the feelings of A-bomb victims, Kenkichi Tomioka, a Japanese journalist who reported the chaotic postwar conditions, admits: “Looking back at the period between March/​April and August 1945, when operations to conclude the war reached a climax putting the fate of the nation at stake, we cannot ignore the role played by the two doses of corrective medicine [atom bombs], specific for cooling hot heads, that were administered to militarists clamoring for a showdown to defend the homeland. A showdown would have meant the gyokusai (charging into death rather than surrendering) of the 100 million population.”

Nevertheless, those who lost loved ones in the atom bombings and those who suffer illnesses caused by radiation find that their pain cannot be salved by words that justify the dropping of the pikadon, or “flash-and-blast,” as the survivors called the A-bombs. Although they have long seen themselves as innocent victims, some A-bomb survivors now realize that as Japanese, they must acknowledge, as Professor Iwamatsu went on to say, the “crimes they committed in their aggression against other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.” In 1990 a bomb victim apologized for Japan’s war crimes in front of foreign delegates at the annual antibomb demonstrations in Hiroshima.

Did They Really Have Reasons to Kill?

A strong loathing for war dwells in the hearts of many survivors and eyewitnesses of Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki. Looking back, some question whether their countries had valid reasons to demand the sacrifice of their loved ones.

In order to whip up fervor for the war and justify the killing, both sides launched verbal attacks as well. The Americans called the Japanese “sneaky Japs” and found it easy to fan the flames of hatred and revenge with the words “Remember Pearl Harbor!” In Japan people were taught that the Anglo-Americans were kichiku, meaning “demonic beasts.” Many in Okinawa were even led to commit suicide rather than fall into the hands of “beasts.” Similarly, after the Japanese surrendered, when American invasion forces landed at a nearby port, young Itoko, mentioned earlier, was handed two doses of poisonous potassium cyanide by her commander. “Don’t you be a plaything for the foreign soldiers,” he ordered.

However, through her Japanese-Hawaiian friends, Itoko gradually widened her views and came to realize that both the Americans and the British can be friendly, genteel, and kind. She met George, an Irishman born in Singapore, whose father was killed by the Japanese. They came to know each other and married. They are only one example of many who found their ex-enemies to be amicable persons. If all had seen the “enemies,” not through glasses tinted by war, but through their own unbiased eyes, they could have showered them with love instead of with bombshells.

Yes, peace between individuals based on mutual understanding is essential for world peace. But in view of the scores of wars fought since 1945, it is evident that men have not learned this basic lesson from Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima. However, even peace between individuals is not enough to bring world peace. Just what will it take? The next article will explain.

[Blurb on page 7]

While the slogan “Remember Pearl Harbor!” brings back bitter memories to some Americans, the Japanese recall their sufferings with the outcry “No More Hiroshimas!”

[Blurb on page 8]

Peace between individuals based on mutual understanding is essential for world peace

[Picture on page 7]

Lloyd Barry and Adrian Thompson, missionaries of the Watch Tower Society, in front of Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial in 1950

[Picture on page 8]

Hiroshima in ruins after the atom-bomb blast

[Credit Line]

U.S. Army/​Courtesy of The Japan Peace Museum

When Old Wounds Are Healed

YOUNG Adeline Nako, mentioned at the outset of this series, developed a strong animosity toward her ancestors’ homeland, Japan. When other children called Japanese-Hawaiians “Japs,” she would retort, “We’re Americans.” She painted posters saying, “Wipe Out Those Axis Powers” and was at the forefront of the campaign to buy war stamps. Adeline said: “I was so proud of the 100th and 442nd battalions made up of nisei, or second-generation Japanese-Americans, who courageously fought for America.”

However, as she grew older, she started to wonder: ‘Why do people have to kill one another?’ It all seemed wrong. ‘Buddhists went to war. Christians went to war. They are all hypocrites,’ she thought. As she had started to study the Bible with the help of Jehovah’s Witnesses, she challenged her Witness teacher with the question, “Do you Jehovah’s Witnesses go to war?”

She was told that they do not take up arms to kill any man. At that time war was still raging in Europe as well as in Asia. Adeline found out that the Witnesses in Germany were being sent to concentration camps and those in the United States were imprisoned for not taking up arms in the war. ‘This must be the true religion,’ she thought.

Peaceful Mission

As her Bible knowledge increased, she was moved to dedicate her life to Jehovah, the God of the Bible. Her devotion to “the God of peace” moved her to widen out in her love by following in the steps of the five Japanese-Hawaiians who volunteered to go to Japan soon after World War II. (Philippians 4:9) They were eager to help the people in the land of their forefathers, former enemies at that, by preaching as missionaries the comforting good news of the Kingdom from the Bible.​—Matthew 24:14.

One who volunteered to help in the war-torn land of Japan, Shinichi Tohara, recalls how he felt about his mission. “I contemplated the faithfulness of the Japanese people when it came to serving human lords and the emperor,” he says. “I thought of the kamikaze pilots, who gave their lives for the emperor by deliberately flying their aircraft into enemy warships. If the Japanese are that faithful toward humans, I thought, what will they do if they find the true Lord, Jehovah?”

With such positive views, in 1949 these volunteers set foot in Tokyo, which had not long before been reduced to rubble by B-29 air raids. What did they find in the huts amid the ruins? A rather timid people who were conscientious workers. Of course, there were people who still harbored resentment and prejudice. Many, however, responded favorably to the Bible’s message of peace.

In 1953, Adeline joined those first missionaries. She eagerly helped the ones who were hungering and thirsting for the comforting message found in the Bible. She did meet antagonistic people in her preaching activities. They would tell her: “You people dropped atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki!”

“Well,” she would respond, “you know I am from Hawaii. And it was Japan that first attacked Pearl Harbor and killed many people there. But that did not hinder me from coming to Japan to tell this good news to people here.” That would usually calm them down, and they would accept literature explaining the Bible.

Thanks to the fine foundation laid by those early missionaries from Hawaii and other countries, now more than 150,000 Japanese are part of a brotherhood of those who do not “learn war anymore.”​—Isaiah 2:4; 1 Peter 2:17.

How All Wars End

Indeed, knowing one another and cultivating unselfish love toward one another is indispensable to world peace. However, that is not enough. People who loved peace and had friends on the other side were also mobilized into the Pacific war under the compulsion of “justifiable” causes. Nationalistic propaganda got the better of their natural inclinations. Although some refused to go to war even at the risk of being sent to concentration camps or prisons, their actions, though commendable, had little, if any, effect in curbing the fervor for war.

When a whole nation is led into war, more than human hands are doing the leading. Usually all involved insist that they wish to avert war. Yet, some very powerful force influences them against their wishes. The Bible identifies that powerful force as “the god of this system of things.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) Indeed, “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one,” Satan the Devil.​—1 John 5:19; see also John 12:31; 14:30.

However, the Bible promises that “the God who gives peace will crush Satan.” (Romans 16:20) A prelude to this crushing took place in heaven some 77 years ago. Listen to the description of what the apostle John saw in a thrilling vision 18 centuries in advance of its fulfillment in 1914: “War broke out in heaven . . . So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.”​—Revelation 12:7-9.

Since then Satan the Devil has been confined to the vicinity of the earth. By maneuvering politicians and militarists like puppets, he has unleashed untold sufferings in the wars of this century. However, his impatience only reflects his having great anger, “knowing he has a short period of time.” (Revelation 12:12) Through the mighty hands of the “Prince of Peace,” Jesus Christ, God will deactivate Satan after “the war of the great day of God the Almighty” at “Har–Magedon.”​—Isaiah 9:6; Revelation 16:14, 16.

Unlike all the wars that have been waged by humans, the standard of justice that will prevail in that coming war of God is absolute. It is the standard of the Creator of mankind, who has the best interests of humanity at heart. Unlike political leaders who pressure their people into war, Jehovah, our Creator, will tell his people just as he told his nation of Israel in the days of Jehoshaphat of Judah in the tenth century B.C.E.: “You will not need to fight in this instance. Take your position, stand still and see the salvation of Jehovah in your behalf.”​—2 Chronicles 20:17.

With the dark clouds of influence by Satan blown away, individuals from all nations will enjoy true peace and security earth wide. Then the following conditions foretold by Isaiah will have become a reality. “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. Former things shall no more be remembered nor shall they be called to mind.”​—Isaiah 65:17, The New English Bible.

Thus, what took place at Pearl Harbor will no more be remembered in a painful way, nor will the victims of the atom bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki cry out “No More Hiroshimas!” Why? Because the following words of Isaiah’s prophecy will also be true of every person on earth: “He [God] will certainly render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.”​—Isaiah 2:4.

Fulfillment of these prophecies is already being realized among Jehovah’s Witnesses, who now form a worldwide brotherhood millions strong. This becomes especially evident at international conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses held in various parts of the world. You too can be a part of that international unity and peace. Come and learn how to be one of the people who have already ‘beaten their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears,’ who do not “learn war anymore,” and who look forward to a paradise soon to come on earth, where wars will never again take place.​—Psalm 46:8, 9.

[Picture on page 9]

Jerry and Yoshi Toma, Shinichi and Masako Tohara, and Elsie Tanigawa volunteered to help their former enemies

[Picture on page 10]

Today an international brotherhood worships God in unity and peace

The Bible’s Viewpoint

Why Christmas Is Not for Christians

‘CHRISTMAS is outlawed! Anyone celebrating it or even staying home from work on Christmas Day will be subjected to penalties!’

Strange as it may seem, this actually became law back in the 17th century. The Puritans had the celebration banned in England. What caused such a firm stand against Christmas? And why are there millions today who feel that Christmas is not for Christians?

Where Did Christmas Really Come From?

You might be surprised to learn that Christmas was not instituted by Jesus Christ nor was it celebrated by him or his first-century disciples. In fact, there is no record of a Christmas celebration until 300 years after Christ died.

Many people living in those days worshiped the sun, as they felt a strong dependence on its yearly cycle. Elaborate ceremonies accompanied sun worship in Europe, Egypt, and Persia. The central theme in these festivals was the return of light. The sun, because of its seeming weakness during winter, was implored to return from ‘distant wanderings.’ Festivals included merrymaking, feasting, dancing, decorating homes with lights and ornaments, and gift-giving. Do these activities sound familiar?

Sun worshipers believed that the unburned wood of a yule log had magic powers, that bonfires could give the sun-god strength and bring him back to life, that houses decorated with evergreens would scare away demons, that holly was to be worshiped as a promise of the sun’s return, and that sprigs of mistletoe could bring good luck if worn as charms. What celebration are these items associated with today?

December was a major festival month in pagan Rome long before Christmas was introduced there. The week-long Saturnalia (dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture) and the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti (Birthday of the Unconquered Sun) took place at this time. Also, December 25 was regarded as the birthday of Mithras, the Persian god of light.

Christianizing the Pagans?

In an effort to convert these pagans, there was an unscriptural blending of Christian beliefs with pagan ones, and so the church chose a date for Christmas that coincided with the most important pagan festival. And what of Christmas customs? The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics admits that most Christmas customs “are not genuine Christian customs, but heathen customs which have been absorbed or tolerated by the Church.” It was apparently felt that simply giving these customs a Christian facade would Christianize those who took part in them.

However, instead of Christianizing paganism, these customs paganized Christianity. During the 1600’s, the Puritans became so disturbed over the obviously pagan nature of Christmas that the holiday was outlawed in England and in some of the American colonies. Penalties were exacted for celebrating Christmas or just staying home from work on Christmas Day. In New England (U.S.), it was not until 1856 that Christmas was legalized.

But there is one factor about Christmas that is more important than how the church, the pagans, or the Puritans viewed it in the past. Of primary concern to true Christians is . . .

How Does Jesus Christ View Christmas?

If a celebration was to be held in your honor, would not your approval of its nature be of importance? Therefore, we do well to ask: Does the Bible indicate how Jesus views traditions steeped in paganism?

Jesus condemned religious leaders who compromised pure worship to gain converts. He said to such leaders: “You [travel] sea and land to make a single convert, and then you make him twice as ripe for destruction as you are yourselves.”​—Matthew 23:15, Phillips.

Conversion was not to be accomplished by blending pagan and Christian beliefs. Paul, an apostle of Jesus, wrote to Christians living in Corinth: “You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons.” (1 Corinthians 10:21) And in his next letter to them, Paul added: “Don’t link up with unbelievers and try to work with them. . . . How can there be harmony between Christ and the devil?”​—2 Corinthians 6:14, 15, Phillips.

If a conscientious mother saw her child pick up candy from a sewage-filled gutter, she would insist that he get rid of it immediately. The thought of his eating it​—even touching it—​repels her. Christmas, though sweet to many, has been picked up from unsavory places. Jesus’ sentiments match those of the prophet Isaiah, who urged true worshipers of his day: “Turn away, turn away, get out of there, touch nothing unclean.”​—Isaiah 52:11.

Therefore, true Christians today do not celebrate Christmas. While their position may seem strange to others, they view traditions as did Jesus. When asked: “Why is it your disciples overstep the tradition of the men of former times?” he replied: “Why is it you also overstep the commandment of God because of your tradition?” And he added: “You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition.”​—Matthew 15:2, 3, 6.

True Christians today manifest unity with Jesus by practicing “the form of worship that is clean and undefiled,” untarnished by the pagan traditions of men.​—James 1:27.

[Blurb on page 13]

“Why is it you also overstep the commandment of God because of your tradition?”​—Matthew 15:3

Captivated by the Cuddly Koala

By Awake! correspondent in Australia

ONE OF the most fascinating surprises in strange, unexplored lands in times past must have been the discovery of exciting and unusual animals. This was surely the case in Australia after the year 1788.

Back then, penal colonies around Port Jackson (now Sydney) were settled by convicts brought as prisoners from England to Australia. Ten years later, a freed convict who turned explorer set out for the southern highlands, 80 miles [130 km] inland. He had a pleasant surprise when he first saw the Australian koala. It was, he wrote, “another animal which the natives [Aborigines] call ‘cullawine,’ which much resembles the sloths in America.”

Would you like to examine this fascinating furry bundle that, two hundred years later, has become such a drawing card for tourists to the sunburned land down under? No doubt you would, for next to asking to see a kangaroo, one of the most frequent requests made by visitors to Australia is: “I must see and touch your cuddly teddy bear.”

Not Really a Bear

Without question, the koala is a cuddly little animal. It grows to be only some 30 inches [80 cm] long and does look like a teddy bear, with a button nose and soft, pretty fur. But you may be surprised to know that it is not of the bear family at all.

Oh, yes, it is frequently called a koala bear or Australia’s native bear. But these are all misnomers. Rather than being of the bear family, the koala most closely resembles a wombat, another Australian marsupial, which is much like a beaver.

The Australian Encyclopaedia paints a fascinating picture of this captivating and cuddly creature: “The koala has a stout body, thick woolly fur that is grey to brownish above and yellowish-white below, large rounded furry ears, and a leathery, expanded, almost trunk-like nose . . . The animal climbs very surely but is clumsy on the ground.”

When full-grown, koalas weigh about 30 pounds [14 kg]. They may live for some 20 years in the wild. Some have lived as long as 12 years in captivity.

Like the Australian kangaroo, the koala is a marsupial (from the Latin word marsupium, meaning “pocket” or “pouch”) and has the birth process unique to marsupials. Tiny when born, baby koalas are not yet fully developed and make their way unaided to the mother’s pouch, where they fix themselves to one of her two teats.

Six months later, the little fellow is a fully developed infant and is able to leave the pouch for short periods. But after another two months or so, he is just too big to get back in. Now what to do? No real problem! He rides on his mother’s back, hanging on for dear life as she climbs up and down trees.

However, these free rides cannot last forever, so after another five or six months, junior has to fend for himself. But for this short time, it is an appealing sight to see mother koala happily carrying her baby, which hangs on to her furry back. After leaving his mother, young koala now lives quite a solitary life and only contacts others during mating.

A Leafy Diet

The name koala is derived from an Aboriginal word that implies that the animal does very little drinking. But how can they exist without water? By taking in the dew and from moisture in their diet of gum leaves.

Gum leaves? Yes, koalas browse on some 50 different kinds of eucalyptus trees, but less than a dozen of these are their special favorites. Eucalyptus trees are more commonly known by the name gum, such as forest red gum, gray gum, and Tasmanian blue gum.

A full-grown koala eats a daily quota of about two or three pounds [1 kg] of leaves, chewing them leisurely but thoroughly. They spend most of their time high up in gum trees, coming down only to move to another tree. On the ground they have an awkward, ungainly walk.

Since they are nocturnal animals, most of their day is spent sleeping, perched precariously in the fork of a tree well above the ground. Uncomfortable? They don’t seem to think so, and the location affords excellent protection from any would-be predators.

Can They Be Tamed?

If obtained very young, koalas have been tamed, becoming affectionate pets. A couple in North Queensland raised such a pet from the time she was three months old. This tiny female “cub” cried every night until finally comforted by a piece of koala fur tied around a pillow and placed alongside her in a basket as a substitute for her mother. They named her Teddy, and until she was old enough to begin a solid diet of gum leaves, she thrived on cow’s milk, which she lapped up like a kitten.

The trouble was that Teddy got so used to humans that she hated being left alone and loved to be carried around like a child. She really became quite a nuisance. Her contented life stretched into 12 years. So, yes, koalas can be tamed, but it is now illegal in Australia to keep them as pets.

Decimated but Now Protected

At the turn of the century, koalas were so plentiful that millions of them were reported to be on the continent. But they were such easy targets, sleeping during the daytime in forks of eucalyptus trees, that thousands were shot just for sport.

Then, when demand arose for their soft, silver-gray fur, slaughter began in earnest. For example, in 1908 nearly 60,000 koala pelts were sold in Sydney alone. And in 1924 over two million furs were exported from the eastern states of Australia.

Happily, the Australian federal government realized the threat of extinction for this cuddly creature and in 1933 passed laws to prohibit export of koalas and koala products. The koala is now a protected animal.

Other countries have tried to keep koalas in their zoos but with poor success. The specialized diet of fresh eucalyptus leaves is difficult to maintain. However, success has been achieved in the American state of California, largely because the climate is suitable for growing eucalyptus trees. Now, zoos at San Diego and Los Angeles have healthy, thriving koala populations. More recently, koalas have been sent to Japan, where carefully studied methods are being used to ensure that they are kept healthy.​—See Awake!, August 22, 1986.

Will the Cuddly Koala Survive?

It seems that a common-sense approach to prevent wanton slaughter may increase its prospects for survival. Author Ellis Troughton concluded his book Furred Animals of Australia with this hopeful wish: “The fascinating koala is utterly harmless everywhere. What a keen delight for all if they were plentiful enough to haunt the homesteads and suburbs as possums often do! May their numbers miraculously increase to browse peacefully in sheltered forest reserves.”

Animal lovers everywhere echo this noble hope, not just for the cuddly koala but for all the beautiful creatures living with us on planet Earth that have been put here for our pleasure and enjoyment.

[Picture on page 16]

A full-grown koala eats about two or three pounds [1 kg] of eucalyptus leaves a day, chewing them leisurely but thoroughly

Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Avoid the Hurt of Flirting?

“WHAT are you? Are you made of stone?” Hurt and confused, Michelle demands to know how Eduard could have led her on the way he did. After having lavished romantic attention on her, how could he now say he doesn’t want to get serious with her? Eduard claims that he didn’t really mean to hurt her, but Michelle won’t excuse him. To her, Eduard is nothing more than a cruel flirt.

To flirt means to behave amorously without serious intent. Doing so is potentially damaging, even when engaged in by school-age youths who simply want to attract attention to themselves or inflate their egos. And when young adults of marriageable age trifle with the feelings of others, excruciating pain and heartache may result.

Some flirts break hearts deliberately, even maliciously, resulting in emotional turmoil for one innocent victim after another. Interestingly, though, many offenders act more out of a lack of experience than out of malice. Oftentimes young men and women simply do not understand how their actions affect the feelings of others. Or they may be led astray by their ‘treacherous hearts’ and rationalize flirtatious behavior.​—Jeremiah 17:9.

Consider the case of Eduard and Michelle. Early in their relationship, Eduard carefully explained to Michelle that while he liked her as a friend, he did not intend to get serious. Still, he would go places and do things with her, talk with her on the telephone, exchange gifts. He even held her hand. Eduard reasoned, though, that as long as he did not commit himself, he was free of any responsibility. He was thus at a loss for words when Michelle revealed the depth of her feelings for him.

Nevertheless, it is clear that Eduard allowed his heart to mislead him. How can you avoid making the same mistake yourself? And is there any way to avoid being hurt by a flirt?

Flirting Also Hurts the Flirt

First, you must realize that treating someone as if you are interested in marriage when you really are not is lying, plain and simple. A flirt lives by a cruel double standard. He expects others to be sincere about their intentions toward him, but he plays by different rules. He is like the merchant in Bible times who would have “two sorts of weights” for his balance scales​—one honest, the other designed to shortchange his customers. Such double-dealing was and is “detestable” to Jehovah. (Proverbs 12:22; 20:23) It may also destroy your reputation with others.

Author Kathy McCoy further warns in an article in Seventeen magazine that flirting can “take a toll on your ability to share, and can quite effectively block intimacy. After a time, flirting without emotional connection can become a numbing experience.”

How to Avoid Being a Flirt

You must therefore examine your motives when you are tempted to show interest in someone of the opposite sex. Are you really interested in marriage? If not, what would be the point of being overly attentive to that person? And if marriage is on your mind, you still need to discipline yourself to be fair, truthful, and forthright in your dealings. The Bible describes the healthy relationship between a shepherd boy and a young maiden. There was no ambiguity or violation of trust there; they were honest and open about their feelings toward each other.​—Song of Solomon 2:16.

Living by such principles bears good fruit today as well. Juan and Anaeli have been married now for over two years. Says Juan: “One thing more than anything else has helped us to be genuinely happy. In a word, HONESTY.” Mutual honesty helped them to lay a solid foundation on which genuine love could grow. Says Leo Buscaglia in his book Loving Each Other​—The Challenge of Human Relationships: “We cannot risk having a relationship built upon lies, even benevolent ones. . . . Only truth can bring us the necessary trust needed for long-lasting relationships.” The Bible long ago linked honesty to love by saying: “Speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things.”​—Ephesians 4:15; compare Proverbs 3:3.

Of course, even one who tries to be honest and thoughtful may get involved in a relationship that is not working out. The honest thing to do is to talk matters out and, if necessary, end the relationship.a Erik, though, courted Ingrid for over a year before he came to realize that they should not get married. Rather than face his feelings head on, he tried to cool off their relationship gradually. When the truth finally came out, Ingrid lamented: “All this time I’ve been waiting for him to make up his mind, and then he hits me with this!” It is mistaken kindness to drag out a hopeless romance. And you can get branded a flirt in the process.

Often, though, romantic false starts and misunderstandings can be prevented in the first place by applying the Bible’s counsel: “Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person.” (1 Corinthians 10:24) As writer Kathy McCoy puts it: “Be aware of and take some responsibility for the responses you evoke in others.” Yes, apply the Golden Rule in your relationships and “always treat others as you would like them to treat you.” (Matthew 7:12, The New English Bible) Remind yourself that other people have feelings too. Avoid giving wrong impressions instead of blaming others for misunderstanding you.

Don’t Be Hurt by a Flirt!

How, though, can you avoid being victimized? First, avoid overreacting to attention from the opposite sex. Do not conclude that every warm smile implies a romantic interest.

Some young adults also make the mistake of getting too emotionally involved too soon. Jonathan got interested in Deborah even though she had a reputation for flirting. Soon they were engaged. Then, abruptly and without explanation, Deborah terminated their relationship. In a display of bravado, Jonathan tried to conceal his hurt, saying: “I don’t care about her. I intend to keep right on having fun just as before!” But then he put his head into his hands and burst into tears. Deborah? She went on to get engaged two more times, each time breaking it off in the same manner.

While Deborah obviously was more culpable, Jonathan was not entirely without blame. For one thing, Jonathan was a well-known flirt himself. He thus ran head-on into the principle: ‘You reap what you sow.’ (Galatians 6:7) Don’t make the same mistake. Since flirts tend to attract flirts, you are much more likely to avoid being victimized if you always treat the opposite sex with respect.

Jonathan had also failed to show wisdom and good judgment. Proverbs 14:15 notes that “the shrewd one considers his steps.” In other words, look before you leap. Before getting emotionally involved with someone, find out from mature, responsible adults whether that person is well reported on or not. (Compare Acts 16:2.) Had Jonathan done that, he might have learned that Deborah was known for being very self-centered in her dealings with friends.

Finally, know the difference between love and infatuation. Deborah was the fickle sort, easily distracted by other young men. This should have alerted Jonathan to the fact that her interest in him was only temporary. True love is not fickle.​—Compare Song of Solomon 8:6.

Healing the Pain

It may be that a few bruises and scratches on the way to true love are almost inevitable. But if you find yourself burned by a flirt, do not give up on life. Michelle (mentioned at the beginning) refused to become bitter or selfishly vindictive. Instead of carrying a torch for Eduard, she went on with her life and has since enjoyed a number of privileges in Christian service. Recently she became engaged to a fine young man.

Until you marry, maintain your self-respect. You need not flirt or court a flirt to learn about the opposite sex or to find real love. Steer clear of members of the opposite sex who are shallow or who are interested only in building their own egos. Be fair, honest, and unselfish in your speech and actions. Doing so, you can avoid the hurt of flirting.

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 18]

Flirting may lead to misunderstanding and heartache

The Bill of Rights​—Why Was It Needed?

THE United States Bill of Rights has generated so much interest that in 50 years, some 700 books have been written about it​—over 40 of them this year alone. Since 1991 is the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the Bill of Rights, people were even more interested in this subject. Yet, a poll revealed that 59 percent of the American public do not know what the Bill of Rights is.

When the Constitution of the United States was ratified in 1788, it allowed for amendments that would clarify positions not clearly defined in the Constitution. In 1791 the first ten amendments were added to the Constitution. These ten amendments had to do with liberty and became known as the Bill of Rights, for they guarantee to the people of the United States certain individual liberties.

Why Needed?

Why did the United States need a Bill of Rights? It already had a strong Constitution that was expressly designed to “secure the Blessings of Liberty” for its citizens. Amendments were needed because the Constitution itself contained a glaring omission: There were no explicitly stated guarantees of individual rights.

The danger that most Americans feared was the tyranny of an intrusive national government that would usurp individual liberties, especially religious liberty. Historian Charles Warren sheds some light on the reason for this fear. He states:

“Men on all sides contended that, while the first object of a Constitution was to establish a government, its second object, equally important, must be to protect the people against the government. That was something which all history and all human experience had taught. . . .

“They had lived through bitter years, when they had seen governments, both royal and state, trample on the human rights which they and their ancestors in the colonies and in England had fought so hard to secure. . . . They knew that what government had done in the past, government might attempt in the future, whether its ruling power should be royal, state, or national . . . And they determined that, in America, such ruling power should be definitely curbed at the outset.”

It is true that various state constitutions had a limited bill of rights. But in reality a gruesome record reveals that deprivation of liberties was common in some of the states.

The colonists had transplanted many Old World practices to their New World. They persecuted minority groups and favored one religious group over another. So as soon as the news spread that a constitution was in the making, freedom-loving people began a movement for a national bill of rights that would guarantee their liberties and would separate Church from State.

If the people were in such fear of a centralized national government, why would they create it? After the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, a new governmental system was needed. British rule in each colony came to an end. The states then adopted the Articles of Confederation, which joined them together into one nation​—but in name only. As one historian put it: ‘Each desired to function as a separate unit, and jealousy and rivalry dominated the states’ dealings with one another.’

Hence, a national government was designed, made up of a supreme legislative, executive, and judiciary. These three branches functioned within a system of checks and balances to protect against dictatorial rule. The judicial branch in particular would be the protector and interpreter of constitutional rights. The Supreme Court would be the highest court of the land, and it became the interpreter of the law.

The first Congress, which convened in 1789, worked diligently on the promised Bill of Rights. The end result: ten amendments, or modifications, to the Constitution. These amendments became part of the Constitution 200 years ago, on December 15, 1791​—a little more than three years after the Constitution itself was adopted.

Freedom of Religion

Of all the rights that the Bill of Rights guarantees, one of the most important is freedom of religion. The very first part of the First Amendment reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech.”

Note that this amendment is directed at Congress, not the state legislatures. But by the adoption of a Fourteenth Amendment in 1868, the First Amendment was made applicable to the states also. It provides national constitutional protection against state violations of individual liberty.

The First Amendment prevents Congress from limiting freedom of religion. It also forbids Congress from setting up a church or making laws respecting a church. The clause ‘against establishment of religion by law’ was intended to erect, as Thomas Jefferson said, “a wall of separation between Church and State.”

The First Amendment guarantees freedom of opinion and expression, both religious and secular, and this amendment would become a great constitutional issue in the future. The Founding Fathers knew that religious freedom profoundly affects civil liberties and vice versa.

Why Religion First?

It is noteworthy that the framers of the Bill of Rights chose to discuss the subject of religion first. Because of the centuries of religious strife in their homelands, an indelible imprint was left on their minds and hearts. They were determined to guard against repetition of those bitter struggles.

Freedom of religion was of primary importance because these men came from lands where there were statutes against apostasy, heresy, papacy, and profaneness and even against failure to support the Church financially. The penalties for failure to observe these statutes could be torture, prison, or death. Hence, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison passionately pleaded for separation of Church and State. No more government favor to priestly hierarchies or persecution for those who disagreed!

Some of Madison’s thoughts for keeping religion free of the State are recorded in a document entitled “A Memorial and Remonstrance.” He eloquently argues that a true religion did not need the support of law, that no one should be taxed to support any religion, and that persecution was the unavoidable result of government-established religion. Madison also warned that such establishment would retard Christian evangelizing.

Jefferson agreed with Madison and said that State support weakens the Christian religion: ‘Christianity flourished three hundred years without establishment. As soon as it was established under the emperor Constantine, it declined from its purity.’​—Under God, by Garry Wills.

The Supreme Court and Religious Liberty

It has been 200 years since the ratification of the Bill of Rights. Its guarantees met 17th- and 18th-century social and political concerns. Did this same Bill of Rights meet the changing needs of citizens during the next 200 years? Yes, because it is said to have “enduring principles” that can be “adapted to various crises of human affairs.”

It is in the Supreme Court of the United States that the most important principles have been “adapted to various crises of human affairs,” especially in defining civil liberties. The Court has defined the freedoms on which the government must not encroach. As one historian indicated, the Court strikes the balance between organized society and individual right.

In the last 50 years, Jehovah’s Witnesses have taken scores of cases on questions of freedom of speech and freedom of worship to the Supreme Court. The majority of these cases involved the right to disseminate opinions.a

The Bill of Rights may define liberty, but the book The Supreme Court and Individual Rights, by Elder Witt, has a heading that reads “Jehovah’s Witnesses: Definers of Freedom.” It states: “According to constitutional historian Robert F. Cushman, members of the sect brought some thirty major cases testing the principles of religious freedom to the Supreme Court beginning in 1938. In most of those cases, the Court ruled in their favor.”

But in 1940 the famous Minersville School District v. Gobitis decision went against Jehovah’s Witnesses on the flag-salute issue.b It upheld the compulsory flag-salute ceremony. Mr. Justice Frankfurter delivered the majority opinion and said that while ‘liberty and toleration and good sense’ favored the Gobitas family, he believed that judges should defer to the actions of the people’s elected representatives. In other words, politicians should be allowed to make laws that limit religious freedom. But this is exactly what the Bill of Rights prohibits.

Over 170 newspapers condemned the decision. Only a few supported it. Legal commentary almost universally opposed it. No wonder this decision was overturned within three years. Then, in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, Mr. Justice Jackson said for the Court: “The very purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of political controversy, to place them beyond the reach of majorities and officials and to establish them as legal principles to be applied by the courts. One’s right to life, liberty, and property, to free speech, a free press, freedom of worship and assembly, and other fundamental rights may not be submitted to vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections.”c

Elections are determined by the majority. But the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority and the power of the State. Recently, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor wrote: “In my view, the First Amendment was enacted precisely to protect the rights of those whose religious practices are not shared by the majority and may be viewed with hostility.” This is apparently what the framers of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights also thought.

Will all nations adopt constitutions with a bill of rights? Most have not, and if history is any indicator, many will not. So to hope that all nations will get documents crafted to eliminate oppression and champion the rights of all will lead to disappointment.

A Government That Will Not Disappoint

Then, will the worldwide yearning for liberty, justice, and equality never be realized? On the contrary, we are closer to realizing the fulfillment of such ideals than ever before. Why so? Because we live in the time, about which Bible prophecy long ago spoke, when all oppressive governments will be removed and control of human affairs will be taken over by the government for which Jesus Christ taught his followers to pray​—the Kingdom of God.​—Matthew 6:9, 10.

The disastrous events that have taken place in our 20th century give proof that we are in the last days of this present system of things and that soon God’s heavenly Kingdom will take over rulership of the earth. (Matthew 24:3-13; 2 Timothy 3:1-5) As Bible prophecy foretold: “In the days of those kings [governments now existing] the God of heaven will set up a [heavenly] kingdom that . . . will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms [now existing], and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”​—Daniel 2:44.

What will that mean for righthearted individuals? God’s Word promises: “Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more . . . But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” (Psalm 37:10, 11) Under God’s heavenly Kingdom, true peace and security will permanently come to this earth. Then, and only then, will genuine liberty, justice, equality, and international brotherhood be realized throughout the earth.

[Footnotes]

Students Participate in National History Day

THE phone calls began to come in to the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in New York in April of 1991. They were from young people doing research projects about the Witnesses.

Each year in the United States, as part of the National History Day program, students from grades 6 through 12 enter school-sponsored contests related to an annual theme. This year’s theme, “Rights in History,” has to do with the 200th anniversary of the U.S. Bill of Rights. A list of related information was provided to assist students in selecting a topic to develop.

Some 500,000 students participated in seven contest categories. Of interest to Jehovah’s Witnesses were the entries of some eighth graders who were ultimately their states’ winners and who later made their presentations in Washington, D.C.

Two 14-year-old girls from Pennsylvania, Nicole DiSalvo and Gwen Naglak, who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses, chose two flag-salute cases that involved the Witnesses in the 1940’s. In their research, they spoke with those involved in the Minersville School District v. Gobitis and West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette cases, and they visited the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses to learn more about the Witnesses’ beliefs.a

An Oral Presentation

Nicole presented an oral performance entitled “The Courage to Sit Down.” She portrayed Lillian Gobitas and brought the feelings and courage of the school-age Lillian to life as she related Lillian’s personal decision not to salute the flag in the face of ostracism from her schoolmates. She conveyed Lillian’s joy at winning each step in the legal process that led to the Supreme Court in 1940. Putting on a black robe to portray a justice of the Supreme Court, she delivered the Court’s opinion against Miss Gobitas. Although the case was lost, Nicole conveyed Lillian’s conviction that her decision was the right one for her.

A Written Presentation

Gwen Naglak’s paper, “One Nation Under God,” analyzed the world situation as it was in 1935 and the fact that Jehovah’s Witnesses refused to salute the flag. The reader feels the effect of this when first William, 10, and then Lillian, 12, were expelled from school.

In the court cases that followed their expulsion in Pennsylvania, all the judges decided in favor of the Gobitas family. However, the school board took the case to the Supreme Court. There, on June 3, 1940, the Court ruled against the Gobitases. One result was that thousands of abuses were heaped upon Jehovah’s Witnesses. Gwen then traced events to the Supreme Court decision in 1943, when the Court reversed the 1940 decision.

In her conclusion, Gwen wrote: “I admire Lillian and William for having the courage to do what they felt was right and fight for their beliefs. In my eyes, they are the ones who truly love their country.”

A Group Performance

“A Divine Command, a Constitutional Right,” was the title of a group performance by two other eighth graders, Robert Young and Stacey Wright, from Virginia, both Jehovah’s Witnesses. Robert portrayed a newspaper reporter interviewing Lillian Gobitas, portrayed by Stacey.

Robert and Stacey, with parental supervision, traveled over 2,500 miles [4,000 km] seeking information for their project. Among other facts, their research revealed that the flag salute in the United States originated during the 19th century. And they were surprised to discover that George Washington opposed oaths of allegiance to one’s country.

All these young people came to appreciate more fully the words of Professor C. S. Braden, who, in his book These Also Believe, said about Jehovah’s Witnesses: “They have performed a signal service to democracy by their fight to preserve their civil rights, for in their struggle they have done much to secure those rights for every minority group in America.”

[Footnotes]

Peering Into the Universe

By Awake! correspondent in Hawaii

IF YOU wanted to look back in time, could you do it? The answer is yes!

In fact, every time we look up into a starry sky, we are peering into the past. But where could we go to experience such a fascinating view of time gone by? Well, like the ancient Polynesians who followed the stars to discover Hawaii, so today many who seek to follow or observe the stars come to this island state. However, they discover the highest form of astronomical technology​—a technology that enables humans to look much farther into the past.

Let us travel to the island of Hawaii, or the Big Island. There we will ascend to the top of an extinct volcano called Mauna Kea. At an elevation of 13,796 feet [4,205 m], we will visit some of the world’s finest space observatories, devoted to peering into the universe.

Climbing Mauna Kea

Beginning in early morning, our drive to the top of Mauna Kea is long and winding. We move out of the tropical climate of the lower elevation, where there is upwards of 200 inches [500 cm] of rain a year, and ascend toward the barren upper slopes of this extinct volcano, where snow may remain for several months of the year. As we move up past the tree line, we find ourselves on a steep and precarious dirt road. Now we understand why a four-wheel-drive vehicle is required.

Finally, we reach the summit and find that it is sprinkled with many observatories. The atmosphere here is crisp, clear, and virtually transparent. We park the vehicle and step outside. Brisk, freezing winds chill us instantly. Yet, as we look around, a heady exhilaration rushes through us. We are standing on a barren volcano, high above the surrounding cloud cover, seemingly cut off from all other land and ocean views!

Why Here?

Early in the 1960’s, astronomers began to construct their first Big Island observatory to peer into outer space and into the past. But why here, on top of an island volcano, far out in the Pacific Ocean?

There are four basic reasons why this special location is so useful for investigating the starry heavens: (1) the high percentage of clear nights yearly; (2) the clarity and stability of the air, allowing less-distorted viewing; (3) the extremely low light level at night, protected by city lighting ordinances on the Big Island; and (4) the very low humidity. Why is that last factor important? Because humidity hampers some types of instruments.

Even with the naked eye, we can easily see the unusual atmospheric qualities that make this an excellent location for peering into outer space. No wonder Mauna Kea is regarded as a near-perfect location for observing the stars.

Inside the Observatories

We meet our guide and with her proceed to the W. M. Keck Observatory. This contains the largest and by far the most powerful telescope being built to date.

As we enter, we quickly realize that astronomers no longer peer through these telescopes with the naked eye. No, gone are those days! Today, scientists interact with the telescope through powerful computers and other sophisticated equipment. This computer-aided equipment is capable of seeing billions of times more than what the naked eye can see.

Mind boggling, is it not? Through this technology the astronomers can gather enough information in just a few days of viewing to keep them busy for months afterward evaluating what they have gathered.

Our guide now draws our attention to what puts the W. M. Keck Observatory at the leading edge of astronomical technology​—the unique design of its telescope. We notice the 36 hexagonal mirror segments, each about six feet [1.8 m] across. These are the equivalent of one mirror 33 feet [10 m] in diameter.

Describing how this telescope operates, a press release by the California Association for Research in Astronomy states: “With their positions electronically controlled to an accuracy of one-millionth of an inch​—a thousand times less than the width of a human hair,” and with only a quarter of its mirrors in place, it “already equals the power of the 200-inch [5 m] Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory” in California.

That is not all. Our guide informs us that they have just received funding for a second telescope to sit adjacent to this one, which is still under construction. These twin telescopes will act as a pair of giant space binoculars, looking farther into outer space than had ever been thought possible. It is truly exciting to be here!

However, at the high altitude, we don’t want to get too excited because the potential for hypoxia, lack of oxygen to the tissues of the body, is apparent to us. We sense that our mental acuity is not at its best as we struggle to focus our thoughts and formulate speech. In fact, moving too fast or exerting too much energy at this elevation may cause headaches, nausea, and fainting. Certainly, this is no place for anyone in ill health.

Therefore, after spending five hours at the summit, it is time to head down the mountain to the 9,200-foot [2,800 m] level. It has been an eventful morning up to this point.

What Do the Stars Tell Us?

At the 9,200-foot [2,800 m] level, there are accommodations and facilities for some 50 astronomers and support personnel. Also located at this level is a visitor’s center, where you can hear lectures on the Mauna Kea observatories.

Additionally, as a treat for those who want to stay on, there will be nighttime viewing of the stars from an 11-inch [28 cm] telescope, with commentary by one of the University of Hawaii’s own qualified scientists. If you stay, as we did, you will not be disappointed. To say the least, it is an excellent way to learn what testimony the stars can give and to round out a most unusual day.

You may be wondering why we stated earlier that we can look back in time. An example might help you to understand this concept. Take, for instance, the Andromeda galaxy. On a clear night, its light may be visible to the naked eye. Now, knowing how far away that island universe of stars is from the earth and that light travels at 186,282 miles [299,792 km] a second, scientists have determined that the light you see coming from the Andromeda galaxy is 1.5 million years old! Yes, viewing starlight is actually looking back in time.

With these new advanced telescopes on Mauna Kea, man now has the ability to look even farther back in time and farther into outer space. This is because modern telescopes are so much more powerful than the naked eye. Indeed, it is estimated that with present technology, astronomers are seeing starlight that is eight billion years old! By gathering such information, they are hoping to understand better how stars began and how the universe developed.

Certainly this has been a day like no other day for us visitors. What we have seen will long be imprinted on our memory. What astronomers are seeing and will yet see makes us marvel at the wonders of creation. No more will we simply glance up at the starry sky at night and turn away. Henceforth, we will remember this occasion and the beauty of this mountain observation post.

May such experiences move all of us to appreciate the One who made the universe that is such a source of wonderment to us.​—Isaiah 40:26; 42:5.

[Picture Credit Line on page 25]

California Association for Research in Astronomy

Watching the World

Children of Misery

According to the Dutch magazine Internationale Samenwerking, a recent UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) report paints a grim global picture of millions of homeless, hurt, and hungry children abandoned by family and society. Internationale Samenwerking notes that despite a 1989 UN treaty outlining the rights of children, some 30 million homeless children are now roaming the world’s streets. Some seven million children are born and raised in the world’s refugee camps. And in recent years, 200,000 children younger than 15 years of age have been recruited as soldiers and in some cases have even served as living minesweepers to clear safe passages for the troops. In addition, every day some 80 million children, age 10 to 14, are forced to labor at heavy, unhealthy, and poorly paid jobs.

“Peace Declaration” From Hiroshima

“Remembering all too well the horror of this war, starting with the attack on Pearl Harbor and ending with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we are determined anew to work for world peace,” said Mayor Takashi Hiraoka of Hiroshima on August 6, 1991, during services marking the 46th anniversary of the atom-bombing. He said in his “Peace Declaration,” according to Mainichi Daily News: “Japan inflicted great suffering and despair on the peoples of Asia and the Pacific during its reign of colonial domination and war. There can be no excuse for these actions.”

Alcohol and Heart Disease

Moderate drinking of alcoholic beverages cuts the risk of heart disease, claim scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health, as reported in the journal Lancet. The researchers believe that alcohol increases the amount of two types of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) in the bloodstream, the so-called good cholesterol. HDL appears to clear clogged arteries of fatty deposits, thus reducing cardiac disease. Alcohol may also help prevent blood clotting by lowering the levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) in blood. High levels of LDL are a major factor in heart attacks. However, in the event a person does use alcoholic beverages, it is well that he use ‘only a little wine for the sake of his stomach.’​—1 Timothy 5:23.

Pediatricians to Treat TV Abuse

“It is imperative that pediatricians take a more active role on television matters,” recommends Pediatrics magazine, adding that “they should instruct parents on the deleterious effects of television violence and other content inappropriate for children.” A recent Canadian survey of the television viewing habits of 311 families revealed that all owned at least one television set. In 16 percent of the households, it was left on all day long. The researchers noted that “many children are watching television without any limits being set by their parents and are witnessing violent scenes at an impressionable and vulnerable age.” Pediatricians were encouraged to warn parents of the risks of television misuse.

Churchmen and Prostitution

Two prominent Australian clergymen recently recommended a more tolerant view of prostitution. One, an Anglican bishop, called for it to be legalized, though he added that he did not approve of prostitution itself. Nevertheless, he felt that legalization was the best way to prevent the spread of disease and to protect “sex workers.” The other clergyman, however, said that he believed that prostitutes fill “a very positive role” in society’s stability. The Canberra Times newspaper quoted him as saying: “I think they [prostitutes] provide a place of comfort, a place of some degree of counselling and therapy for a lot of men whose lives would be a lot harder without it. Somehow it makes sense to recognise that. I believe Christ recognised it.” When asked whether he believed that a Christian could be a prostitute, the same churchman replied: “Yes I do. I don’t have a problem with that. There would be some very mature people who may see their role as a prostitute as a very comforting, counselling outworking of their sense of mission in life.” However, the Bible describes the prostitute as “a deep pit” that “hunts even for a precious soul.”​—Proverbs 6:26; 23:27; see also Revelation 22:15.

Government Incompetence

In a recently published report, the UN Development Program denounced the incompetence of governments in the fight against poverty. Citing this report, the French daily Le Monde explains that in some developing countries, “armament expenditure is at least twice as high as that of health and education.” It noted that “military expenditures have risen three times as fast in developing countries as they have in industrialized countries.” The report states that “the money spent on ten days of the Gulf War would be sufficient to vaccinate every child in the world for the next ten years against diseases that respond well to vaccines.”

Beating the Traffic

The Ministry of Traffic in the Netherlands recently tried a different approach to the problem of rush-hour congestion, reports the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung. For a trial period of one year, 31 employees at the ministry were allowed to stay at home and work there, using computers and fax machines. The coordinator of the project claims that the experiment was successful. Participants spent 25 percent less time in their vehicles and were more productive. The method was also cost efficient. Now the Ministry of Traffic is encouraging other organizations to try this approach, known in some places as telecommuting.

Deer Overpopulation

In the last few years, the white-tailed deer population in the United States has reached an estimated 25 million. In some states the number has tripled. The New York Times Magazine reports that “every year deer-related highway accidents do result in thousands of serious injuries to people, as well as millions of dollars in damages to cars and trucks.” In the state of Pennsylvania, for example, more than 40,000 deer are killed every year in highway collisions. There have been several cases of airplanes colliding with white-tailed deer on the runways of Washington’s Dulles International Airport. “Of major concern is the possible link between growing deer populations and Lyme disease, the fastest-growing infectious disease in the country after AIDS,” adds The New York Times Magazine.

Eating to Music

Researchers are studying the effect of background music on eating habits. In one study, they counted the bites of food people took at meals while listening to various types of music. The Tufts University Diet & Nutrition Letter reports that when no background music was played, the participants “ate at an average rate of 3.9 bites per minute,” with a third of them asking for more food after cleaning their plates. When “spirited tunes” were played, the diners “sped up to an average of 5.1 bites per minute.” The report adds that “calming flute instrumentals, on the other hand, slowed the pace to 3.2 bites per minute​—and the bites became smaller.” In the latter instance, no one asked for second helpings. In fact, most left food on their plates, feeling full, and they claimed that the food tasted better. Reportedly, they also had “fewer digestive complaints.”

More Abortions

The number of women of childbearing age having legal abortions worldwide varies from 5 out of every 1,000 women in the Netherlands to 112 out of every 1,000 women in the Soviet Union. According to Demos, a bulletin published by the Dutch Demographic Institute, 40 percent of the world’s population now lives in countries without legal restrictions on abortions.

Bicycle Accidents

Canadian youths are involved in an estimated 2,000 bicycle accidents a year. Head injuries are the most serious and can include long-term problems with memory, concentration, and balance. “Sometimes the changes are temporary. Sometimes personality and potential are altered forever,” states The Toronto Star. For this reason the Canadian Medical Association and a pharmaceutical company “have launched a Canada-wide campaign to encourage young bicyclists to wear helmets,” reports the Star. The Medical Association claims that wearing protective headgear “reduces a child’s risk of a serious head injury by 85 per cent.” Yet, the Star notes that only 5 percent of children wear helmets while biking.

From Our Readers

TV Thank you for the series “Television​—The Box That Changed the World.” (May 22, 1991) I have always had a problem with TV; I don’t have the willpower to turn it off. Your suggestions helped. I’m going to keep track of how much television I watch. I have also put my TV in the closet so that when I want to watch it, I can first weigh the advantages and disadvantages of doing so. Thank you again.

W. H., United States

School Teams I just finished reading the article “Young People Ask . . . Should I Join the School Team?” (June 22, 1991) My peers pressure me to join the school team because they know I love sports. Thanks to you, I can now explain just why I am not going to do so.

D. K., United States

Changing What You Are I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the excellent suggestions given in the series “Should You Change What You Are?” (July 8, 1991) I realized I needed to make some changes in my personality, but I did not have the incentive to do so. I am currently making an effort to apply the counsel you gave, and I am already finding it greatly beneficial.

S. C., Italy

After getting out of a hospital psychiatric ward, I read the articles on ‘changing.’ Talk about hitting home! It took me some 30 years to see that I have a very serious behavior disorder. Now I see myself as I truly am, and now that I am aware of my problem, I can take positive steps to control myself.

J. D., United States

The Lungs I am 13 years old. I remember studying about the lungs in the fifth grade, but I had forgotten most of the information. Your article “The Lungs​—A Marvel of Design” (June 8, 1991) refreshed my memory. It was very well written, and the diagram was very accurate. Thank you so very much for articles like these that help deepen our appreciation for Jehovah’s wonderful creations.

A. M., United States

TMJ Syndrome The article “Out Of the Jaws​—The Great Impostor” (June 22, 1991) was of special interest to me, since I am an oral-maxillofacial surgeon and have been treating TMJ problems for over 14 years. You state that the most common cause of TMJ disorders is malocclusion, that is, a misalignment of the upper and lower teeth. Recent medical literature and my own experience show that while occlusion does play a role in some patients, it is not the major cause. Most patients have an actual internal derangement within the jaw joint itself. Other factors appear to be involved, such as spine problems. Nonsurgical procedures such as physical therapy and chiropractic treatments may thus be effective in relieving a patient’s complaints. Patients with TMJ syndrome should also consider restricting their diet to soft foods. Relieving the load on their muscles and jaw joints can result in an improvement in their symptoms. But for the vast majority of patients, there is no real cure​—the only real cure will come under God’s Kingdom.

C. A., D.M.D., United States

Thank you for this additional information, supported by your firsthand experience. We appreciate these further observations.​—ED.

Finishing What You Start When I read the article “Young People Ask . . . ‘Why Can’t I Finish What I Start?’” (September 8, 1991), I thought you were writing about me. With the help of your article and the help of Jehovah, I will be able to finish what I start. Thank you so much for your timely information.

A. P., United States

Is Eavesdropping Here to Stay?

They may stealthily be listening to your conversations.

They may know about some of your intimate secrets. Do you have plans for next weekend? They may already know about them. Who are they? They are people who make it their hobby to monitor cordless-telephone conversations. If they want to, they can keep a written record with such information as your credit-card number, where you work, and your salary. In fact, they often have a book in which they log the names of people who regularly use cordless phones.

You may or may not know them. They could live just a few houses from you or miles away. In most countries, there is nothing illegal about this hobby, and it is quite easy to pursue.a

For a few hundred dollars, one can purchase a scanner radio and hook it up to an outside antenna. The scanner can pick up signals from a wide range of wireless communication devices. Some hobbyists prefer to use portable scanners. Their light weight and small size make it convenient just to roam around a neighborhood and listen in.

Under favorable atmospheric conditions, an operator with a scanner could listen to the paging system of a nearby hospital, the police department’s radio conversations, and home-intercom systems. When wireless microphones are used, as in some theater performances, the signals can easily be picked up by a scanner. Some hobbyists are equipped to eavesdrop on conversations from up to 60 miles [100 km] away!

What can you do to prevent these hobbyists from invading your privacy with their scanners? Not much if you use your cordless phone freely. Of course, there are expensive devices that can scramble telephone calls. But it would require that both you and the people you call have such equipment.

However, there is one thing you can do. When your conversations are of a confidential nature, do not use wireless devices such as cordless telephones. And make sure the second party also takes this precaution. Otherwise, your secrets will be floating in the air, just waiting for someone to listen in.

One thing you cannot do is take their hobby away. Even if you make it hard for them to listen in on you, they can easily find someone else. As long as people keep buying wireless devices and talking to others on them, right or wrong, the hobby of eavesdropping is here to stay!

[Footnotes]

Help in Growing Up

Growing up in these troubled times is not easy. Youths face many new situations and must make weighty decisions. Should I smoke? Accept drugs? What conduct is proper with one of the opposite sex? What about masturbation and homosexuality? One youth wrote:

“I am now almost 13 years old, and I just wanted to thank you for the Youth book. This book has helped me so much through these hard times of growing up. I just wish all kids my age or older knew about this book.”

This book, which considers all the above questions and many more, is Your Youth​—Getting the Best Out Of It. If you wish to receive a copy, please fill in and mail the coupon.

I would like to receive the 192-page hardcover book Your Youth​—Getting the Best Out Of It. (Outside the U.S.A., write to local Watch Tower branch for information. See page 5.)