January 8

Page Two

Do You Suffer From Burnout? 3-10

Job stress is driving many people to burnout. Mothers caring for children suffer burnout. But what is burnout? Are you a likely victim? Is there a way to avoid it or to cope with it?

My Hate Turned to Love 11

Ludwig Wurm, an Austrian, became an ardent Nazi and joined the SS. What changed his outlook and his life?

Philately​—Absorbing Hobby and Big Business 16

Millions of people collect postage stamps, but for different reasons. What is the attraction?

Burnout​—Are You Next?

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN JAPAN

“Waitresses in Sweden, teachers in Japan, postal workers in America, bus drivers in Europe and assembly line workers everywhere are all showing increasing signs of job stress.”​—MAINICHI DAILY NEWS.

NOBUAKI was exhausted. Working day and night, he had recruited 130 employees within four months. He was the sales manager for a new branch of a major supermarket chain in Japan, and in his efforts under pressure, he had employed people who failed to meet the standards he expected. They fought each other and complained about their lot. On top of that, a male employee ran away with a female employee. Nobuaki was having headaches every day. Soon he could not go to work, and on the days he forced himself to go, he would come home immediately. He was burned-​out, like a match that has finally gone out.

Full-​time housewives also experience burnout. After two years of being at home with her three children, Sarah became very impatient with them. “I felt as if I was doing and doing and doing, but it was just a bottomless pit,” she declared. When a mother works secularly and rears children, the possibility of burnout increases. Betty, in her 40’s, found herself in the situation of balancing motherhood and a career, trying to fulfill both roles to perfection. She tried to please everybody​—her husband, her children, her employer, and her colleagues. Her blood pressure was up, and minor incidents irritated her. She suffered burnout.

Burnout hits unlikely victims as well. Shinzo, a capable Christian minister, was full of vigor and ideals. He went to help in an area where there was a great need for Christian teachers. Within a few months, however, he felt exhausted, and he shut himself in his bedroom all day long. He felt as though he were in a tunnel with no way out. He had difficulty making decisions, even about what to eat for lunch. He did not feel like doing anything. He was completely burned-​out.

What Is Burnout?

What then is burnout? Herbert Freudenberger and other researchers took up this term in the mid-1970’s, and it came to describe “a state of exhaustion resulting from involvement with people in emotionally demanding situations.” Also, “physical or emotional exhaustion, especially as a result of long-​term stress or dissipation.” (American Heritage Dictionary) There are, however, depending on the researcher, shades of difference in the definition of this term.

Although burnout has no precise medical definition, victims are identified by symptoms such as fatigue, lack of enthusiasm, helplessness, hopelessness, and malaise. The victim feels extremely tired and gets irritated over minor incidents. Nothing will ignite him to action. Everything seems overwhelming, and he may desperately seek help from whoever comes his way. All efforts in the workplace and at home may seem pointless. A sense of hopelessness prevails. If you have these symptoms coupled with malaise, a lack of enjoyment in anything, then you could well be experiencing burnout.

Burnout can affect work and family life. You want to avoid it. But how? To find out, let us first see who are prone to burn out and why.

[Box on page 4]

Symptoms of Burnout

“Job burnout refers to a debilitating psychological condition brought about by unrelieved work stress, which results in:

1. Depleted energy reserves

2. Lowered resistance to illness

3. Increased dissatisfaction and pessimism

4. Increased absenteeism and inefficiency at work.

“This condition is debilitating because it has the power to weaken, even devastate, otherwise healthy, energetic, and competent individuals. Its primary cause is unrelieved stress, the kind that goes on day after day, month after month, year after year.”​—The Work/​Stress Connection: How to Cope With Job Burnout, by Robert L. Veninga and James P. Spradley.

Burnout​—Who Is at Risk and Why?

IMAGINE yourself as an office worker with a family​—or maybe you are one. Work is piled up on your desk. The phone rings incessantly with customers’ demands that are next to impossible to meet. Your supervisor is displeased that you are not meeting the quota. Your son is in trouble at school. The teacher wants to see you immediately. Your pleas for help to your spouse are met with indifference. When the situation seems out of hand, stress becomes distress, paving the way for burnout.

Is burnout caused by overwork? Ann McGee-​Cooper, a brain researcher, said that burnout is “the result of living out of balance, typically in an all-​work/​no-​play spiral.” Overwork, however, is not the only factor; under the same pressure and circumstances, some burn out while others do not.

Likely Victims of Burnout

Just as there are people who are more likely to be infected with a certain disease, there are types of people who are more likely to burn out. “In order to suffer from burnout,” says Elliot Aronson, professor of social psychology at the University of California, “you must first be on fire.” So those prone to burn out are afire with high goals and ideals. It is said that those who suffer burnout are often a company’s best people.

Summing up the personality traits of likely victims of burnout, Professor Fumiaki Inaoka of the Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing, wrote in the book, Moetsukishokogun (Burnout Syndrome): “Those who are inclined to burn out have strong tendencies to be sympathetic, human, delicate, dedicated, and idealistic. They are not machine oriented but ‘human oriented,’ so to speak.”

Asked to develop a test to screen out those who are likely to burn out, a specialist said that the test should instead be used as a hiring standard. “What companies need to do,” he said, “is find the people who care enough to burn out . . . and then develop programs to combat burnout.”

Especially vulnerable are those involved in human-​oriented services, such as social workers, doctors, nurses, and teachers. They eagerly try to help people, giving of themselves to improve the lives of others, and may burn out when they realize they are not achieving the sometimes unattainable goals they have set for themselves. Caring mothers can also burn out for the same reason.

Why People Burn Out

A survey taken among nurses revealed three factors leading to burnout. First noted was the amount of daily hassles causing frustration. For example, the majority of the nurses had to carry weighty responsibilities, handle difficulties in dealing with patients, adjust to new equipment, face mounting expenses, and put up with an irregular life-​style. “These daily hassles constitute the greatest influence toward their burnout,” says the book Moetsukishokogun. When problems remain unsolved, frustration simply builds up and leads to burnout.

The second factor noted was lack of support, not having someone to confide in. Thus, a mother who isolates herself from other mothers is more likely to burn out. The above-​mentioned survey found that single nurses are more prone to burn out than those who are married. Nonetheless, being married can increase daily hassles if there is no open communication between husband and wife. Even when everyone is home, a person may find himself alone because his family is absorbed in watching television.

The third factor was feelings of helplessness. For instance, nurses are more likely to experience feelings of helplessness than doctors because nurses may lack the authority to change things. Those in middle management may burn out when they feel their greatest efforts are not taking them anywhere. As a human-​resources manager said, burnout comes from being “frustrated by trying to make an impact and not being listened to.”

Feelings of helplessness in humans germinate in a soil of unappreciative attitudes and bear the fruit of burnout. Wives burn out when their husbands fail to acknowledge the amount of work involved in homemaking and taking care of the children. The middle managers burn out when a boss ignores a job well done and picks on them for minor mistakes. “The bottom line is that we all need to have our efforts appreciated and acknowledged,” says Parents magazine, “and if we work in a place that does not reward our efforts​—be it our home or our office—​then we’re more likely to suffer from burnout.”

Interestingly, while nurses experience high percentages of burnout, obstetricians suffer considerably less. Generally speaking, an obstetrician’s work involves helping new lives come into the world. Mothers and fathers thank them for their work. When appreciated, people feel that they are useful and are motivated.

As soon as one knows who tends to burn out and why, it becomes easier to deal with the problem. The following article can help burnout victims to have a balanced approach to life.

[Blurb on page 6]

Burnout is a result of an all-​work/​no-​play spiral

Burnout​—How Can You Cope?

BURDENED with stress from anxieties and daily hassles, many try to drink away their frustrations. Alcohol, the most widely abused drug today, is used by many in an attempt to escape hard realities. Others have relied on popular prescription drugs to deal with anxieties. Yet others resort to mind-​altering drugs, such as marijuana, methamphetamines, and cocaine. Even young children have been known to use drugs to escape the realities of life. It is said that 95 percent of American youths will have used one or more illegal substances before they graduate from high school.

Then there are those who try to escape daily stress by going on sprees with their friends or putting on a masquerade of cheerfulness while feeling depressed inside. Or for the wrong reasons, they seek the affection and tenderness of the opposite sex. But using escapist measures to deal with stress only increases frustration. When people try to dilute stress with alcohol or other mind-​altering substances rather than rekindling themselves, they speed up the process of burnout. What, then, can you do when you feel the fire inside you slowly burning out?

Way to Recovery

Awake! does not recommend specific therapies or medications. Nevertheless, it presents a few helpful suggestions based on Bible principles that may aid you in rekindling the dying embers within you. Dr. Yutaka Ono, a director at Keio University School of Medicine, recommends “three C’s” for coping with burnout. He explains: “The ‘three C’s’ stand for control, communication, and cognition.”

In order to overcome feelings of helplessness, you must be able to feel you are in control of your feelings and behavior. When frustration daily dominates your emotions and crushes your capacity to solve problems, it is easy to believe things are out of your hands. However, do not just sit back and dwell on troublesome thoughts. Try to solve your problem step-​by-​step. (See box, page 8.) Do not procrastinate. Just by initiating positive actions, you will begin to feel better and in control.

Try to reduce irritations that result in defeatist feelings. For instance, some tend to get annoyed by every trifle in life. They insist on a certain way of doing things and get irritated when others do not comply, or they may become frustrated by their own failures. “Do not become righteous overmuch,” an ancient wise man said, “nor show yourself excessively wise. Why should you cause desolation to yourself?” (Ecclesiastes 7:16) Clinging to standards that are too high and constantly feeling you are not measuring up to them is a sure way to burn out.

Further helpful counsel from the Bible is “to be modest in walking with your God.” (Micah 6:8) To be modest means to be aware of one’s limitations or to place “a moderate estimate on one’s abilities.” This may mean saying no to unreasonable demands at the workplace.

Those who know their limitations welcome help. One female manager who had experienced burnout said that the key to avoiding it is to ask for help. Still, as she says, “a lot of people are afraid to ask for help because they may be looked upon as failing in their job.” Be it housework, schoolwork, or secular work​—whatever is threatening you with burnout—​delegate work where you can. You will be surprised to see how things get accomplished without your directly managing everything.​—Compare Exodus 18:13-27.

You may need some rest. A leave of absence can work miracles for a potential victim of burnout. However, if your circumstances do not allow for that, “if you know how to have fun, it makes a difference,” says researcher Ann McGee-​Cooper. Taking a break for a change of pace may even increase productivity, stimulating your mind toward creative thinking. What King Solomon advised years ago still holds true: “Better is a handful of rest than a double handful of hard work and striving after the wind.”​—Ecclesiastes 4:6.

A Supportive Circle for Communication

The second “C” that Dr. Ono mentioned involves communication. It is interesting that fire fighters rarely experience burnout. This may be because, in addition to being considered heroes, they are tied together by a strong bond of camaraderie. Having a supportive group to lean on, one can draw help from them. Where can you find comforting support today? Describing ways for physicians to cope with burnout, the book Moetsukishokogun (Burnout Syndrome) states: “For doctors, their family, especially their spouse, is the most effective and realistic emotional supporter.” Everyone needs someone in whom to confide personal feelings. In this matter of communication, the Bible offers practical advice. It encourages married couples to maintain romantic attachments to each other and tells all to have friends who can make solid workable suggestions.​—Proverbs 5:18, 19; 11:14.

“We must build our own support system of close friends and family,” says USA Today. It then adds: “We also must feel free to utilize the resources of our religious centers and mental health services.” Concerning how to tap religious resources for help, Jesus’ half brother James wrote: “Is there anyone sick among you? Let him call the older men of the congregation to him, and let them pray over him, greasing him with oil in the name of Jehovah.” (James 5:14) Christians who have problems can find refreshment by talking with the elders of the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Although the elders are not specialists in dealing with burnout, the spiritual support they offer is invaluable.

While a human support system may recharge us for another day, it may not always be enough. In the introduction to his book, Helplessness, Martin E. P. Seligman pointed to the unbridled individualism seen in the West as a cause for the increase in depression today, and he expressed the need for finding a meaning in life. He then showed that “one necessary condition for meaning is the attachment to something larger than you are.” Although many people today do not take their relationship with God seriously, communication with the Creator​—who is certainly “larger than you are”—​can help you to cope with feelings of helplessness.

King David, who faced many crises, encouraged his subjects: “Trust in [God] at all times, O people. Before him pour out your heart. God is a refuge for us.” (Psalm 62:8) God is ready to give his ear, even to our “groanings unuttered.” (Romans 8:26) Earnestly petitioning him results in the peace that can “guard your hearts and your mental powers” against burnout.​—Philippians 4:6, 7.

Changing Your Viewpoint

Finally, a change may be needed in how you view your situation. Cognition, or perception, is the last “C” that Dr. Ono suggests as a way to cope with burnout. When under excessive stress, we tend to make negative estimates of everything and entrap ourselves in pessimistic viewpoints. However, we have to be realistic. Analyze whether or not there really is a basis for such negative thinking. Will the result be as bad as you fear? Try to look at things from another point of view.

“You can begin by assuming that if you’re burned out, it’s probably because you’re ‘good,’ not because you’re ‘bad,’” says Parents magazine. Remember: Types who are prone to burnout have high standards and care about others. What is most helpful for a burnout victim is a word of appreciation. It will make a big difference to a mother if her husband and children express and show appreciation for all the work involved in running a household. If a middle manager suffers burnout at work, an appreciative comment and a pat on the back can change his outlook for the good.

The Bible shows how a capable wife merits commendation: “Her sons have risen up and proceeded to pronounce her happy; her owner rises up, and he praises her. There are many daughters that have shown capableness, but you​—you have ascended above them all.” (Proverbs 31:10, 28, 29) Indeed, “pleasant sayings are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and a healing to the bones.”​—Proverbs 16:24.

Shinzo, the Christian elder mentioned in the first article, recovered considerably from his burnout. Although he received professional assistance, what helped Shinzo most was his prayers to Jehovah. Following his earnest prayers for help, he happened to meet the elder who had first studied the Word of God with him. That elder, as well as other fellow elders, supported him by listening to his anxieties. From an earlier issue of the journal you are now reading, articles on overcoming negative emotions were read to him by his wife. (October 8, 1992) Gradually he realized he was trying to do everything by himself. His way of looking at what was happening around him started to change. Although he felt at first that he was in an endless tunnel of despair, he saw a light at the other end that slowly became bigger until he finally came out of his tunnel.

Just like Shinzo, you too can cope with burnout and face life again.

[Box on page 8]

Twelve Ways to Prevent Burnout

THE following are based on just a few of the suggestions offered by a clinical specialist in mental-​health nursing.

1. Be in control of your thoughts, feelings, and behavior​—prayer is a great help.

2. When you start to worry, deliberately change over to useful, decisive thinking.

3. When agitated, take a deep breath and consciously relax.

4. Try to see situations from the other person’s viewpoint to understand how the stress has developed.

5. Focus on what you appreciate in others and compliment them. Express not flattery but earned praise.

6. Identify and stifle negative, destructive thinking.

7. Know how to say no when your energy and schedule call for it.

8. Engage in some physical exercise every day​—brisk walking is good.

9. Treat others with respect, seeking to bring out their best.

10. Keep a sense of humor and a twinkle in your eye.

11. Leave your work problems at the workplace.

12. Do today what must be done​—don’t procrastinate.

(Adapted from “Dealing With Feelings, Beating Burnout,” by Ruth Dailey Grainger, American Journal of Nursing, January 1992.)

[Picture on page 8, 9]

Burnout often strikes the unrelenting, driven person

My Hate Turned to Love

As told by Ludwig Wurm

It was the coldest night I had ever experienced​—minus 62 degrees Fahrenheit [-52° C.]. The date: February 1942​—midwinter and wartime. The place: the Russian front near Leningrad. I was a soldier in the German Waffen-​SS (Waffen Schutzstaffel), an elite armed force. A sergeant and I had been given the grisly task of burying more than 300 comrades, most of whom had died in their foxholes​—frozen to death. The ground was so frozen, however, that it was impossible to bury them. Instead, we stacked the rigid corpses behind empty houses, just like logs. They would have to wait until springtime to be buried.

TO SAY that this gruesome assignment made me sick would be an understatement. In my wretchedness I blurted out, amid tears: “Unterscharführer (sergeant), can you tell me what all this senseless killing is for? Why is there so much hatred in the world? Why must we have wars?” He answered me in a low voice: “Ludwig, I really don’t know. Believe me, I also can’t understand why there is so much suffering and hatred in the world.”

Two days later I was hit in the neck by an exploding bullet that left me paralyzed, unconscious, and near death.

But my persistent questions enabled me eventually to experience firsthand how hate and despair can turn to love and hope. Let me explain.

My Meeting With Hitler

I was born in Austria in 1920. My father was Lutheran, and my mother was Catholic. I attended a private Lutheran school, where I received regular religious instruction from a clergyman. But I was not taught about Jesus Christ as Savior. Emphasis was constantly directed to a “God-​sent führer,” Adolf Hitler, and a proposed Pan-​German Empire. My textbook seemed to be Hitler’s book Mein Kampf (My Struggle) rather than the Bible. I also studied Rosenberg’s book Der Mythos des 20. Jahrhunderts (The Myth of the 20th Century), in which he tried to prove that Jesus Christ was not a Jew but a blond Aryan!

I became convinced that Adolf Hitler was actually God-​sent, and in 1933, I was proud to join the Hitler Youth movement. You might imagine the thrill it was when I was given the opportunity to meet him personally. To this day, I clearly remember the way he looked at me with his unusually piercing eyes. It had such a profound effect on me that when I got home, I said to Mother: “From now on my life does not belong to you. My life belongs to my führer, Adolf Hitler. If I see anyone try to kill him, I will throw myself in front of him to save his life.” It wasn’t until years later that I understood why Mother just cried and held me very close to her.

Early Influence of the Nazi Party

In 1934 the National Socialists revolted against the Austrian government. During this conflict Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, who opposed the unification of Austria and Germany, was assassinated by Nazis. The ringleaders of the revolt were arrested, tried, and sentenced to death. The Austrian government then introduced martial law, and I became active in the underground movement of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party​—the Nazi party.

Then came the Anschluss, annexation, of Austria to Germany in 1938, and the Nazi party became legal. Shortly I was among the loyal party members invited by Hitler that same year to attend the Reich party annual rally in Nuremberg on the Zeppelin Meadow. There I saw Hitler display his growing power. His bombastic speeches, which held audiences spellbound, were full of hatred against all opposers of the Nazi Party, including international Jewry and the International Bible Students, now known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. I clearly remember his boast: “This enemy of Great Germany, this brood of International Bible Students, will be exterminated in Germany.” I had never met any of Jehovah’s Witnesses, so I wondered who these dangerous people were that he was talking about with such venom.

My Service at Buchenwald Concentration Camp

With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, I immediately volunteered to join the elite armed forces of Germany, the Waffen-​SS. I was convinced that any sacrifices I was called upon to make in this war would be justified, for our führer was sent by God, was he not? But I was troubled in 1940, as our troops moved through Luxembourg and Belgium into France, when I saw for the first time at close range a dead soldier​—a handsome young Frenchman. I could not understand why young Frenchmen would want to sacrifice their lives in a war that Germany, with God on our side, obviously would win.

I was wounded in France and brought back to be hospitalized in Germany. After my recovery I was transferred to duty in the outer perimeter of the Buchenwald concentration camp, near Weimar. We received strict instructions from our officers not to mix with the Totenkopfverbände (Death’s Head) SS camp guards or the prisoners. We were especially forbidden to enter the prisoners’ accommodations section, which was surrounded by a high wall with a large gate. Above the gate was a sign: “Arbeit Macht Frei” (Work Makes Free). Only the SS guards had special passes to enter this area.

Each day in the camp, we saw the prisoners as they were marched to their work assignments led by an SS guard and another prisoner in charge called a Kapo. There were Jews with the star of David insignia on their prison jackets, political prisoners with their red triangle, criminals with their black spot, and Jehovah’s Witnesses with their purple triangle.

I could not help noticing the unusually beaming faces of the Witnesses. I knew they were living in depraved conditions; yet they presented themselves with a dignity that belied their skin-​and-​bone appearance. Since I knew virtually nothing about them, I inquired of our superior officers as to why the Witnesses had been sent to concentration camps. The answer was that they were a Jewish-​American sect closely linked to the Communists. But I was intrigued with their faultless conduct, their uncompromising principles, and their moral cleanliness.

My “Messiah’s” End

In 1945 the world that I had believed in collapsed. My “god,” Adolf Hitler, hailed by the clergy as the God-​sent führer, proved to be a false messiah. His proposed Tausendjährige Reich (Thousand Year Rule) was completely in ruins after just 12 years. He was also a coward who escaped his responsibility for the slaughter of millions of men, women, and children by committing suicide. The subsequent news of the explosion of the first atom bombs on Japan almost caused me to have a mental breakdown.

Dramatic Changes in My Life

Shortly after the hostilities of World War II ended, I was denounced to the U.S. Army CIC (Counterintelligence Corps), a part of the United States’ occupying forces. I was arrested as a Nazi and a member of the Waffen-​SS. My loving fiancée, Trudy, eventually located a doctor who, because of the aftereffects I was experiencing from a spinal injury, convinced the CIC to release me from prison because of my health. I was then put under house arrest until I was cleared of all charges of being a war criminal.

As a war invalid, I was sent to the repatriation hospital in the Austrian Alps for a medical examination. Then one particularly beautiful spring morning as I was enjoying the breathtaking scenery and warm sunshine and listening to the melodious songs of the birds, I uttered a short prayer from deep within my heart: “God, if you really exist, you must be able to answer my many disturbing questions.”

A few weeks later, after I had returned home, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses called at my door. I accepted Bible literature from her. Although she called back regularly every Sunday morning, I did not give any serious thought to or read the literature she left at that time. One day, however, I came home from work more depressed than usual. My wife suggested that I read something to try to relax my mind​—a booklet left by the Witnesses entitled Peace—​Can It Last?

I began to read the booklet and found that I could not put it down until I had read it all. I said to my wife: “This booklet was printed in 1942. If someone on the street had then said that Hitler and Mussolini would lose the war and that the League of Nations would reappear in the form of the United Nations, people would have thought he was mentally disturbed. But what is now history is precisely what this booklet said would happen. Do we have a Bible somewhere so that I can check these Scripture references?”

My wife went to the attic and found an old Luther translation of the Bible. I checked the Bible verses listed in the booklet. Soon I began to learn things that I had never heard of before. I learned of the Bible’s promise of a new world right here on earth under God’s Messianic Kingdom. This real hope for a happy and secure future is reflected in the words of Jesus’ model prayer that I often repeated as a boy: “Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” And to my great surprise, I learned that Almighty God, the Creator of heaven and earth, has a personal name, Jehovah.​—Matthew 6:9, 10; Psalm 83:18.

It was not long before I began attending the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses. At my first meeting, I met an elderly woman whose daughter and son-​in-​law had been executed in a German concentration camp because of their faith. I felt terribly ashamed. I explained to her that because of my past connections, I knew firsthand what she and her family had experienced, and in view of my association with those responsible, she had the right to spit in my face in disgust.

To my surprise, instead of hate, tears of joy welled up in her eyes. She embraced me warmly and said: “Oh, how wonderful it is that Almighty God, Jehovah, permits individuals from such opposing groups to come into his holy organization!”

Instead of the hatred that I had seen all around me, these people were truly reflecting God’s unselfish love​—true Christian love. I remembered reading what Jesus said: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) This was exactly what I had been looking for. Now it was my turn for tears. I too began to cry like a child, in appreciation for such a wonderful God, Jehovah.

I Still Had Much to Learn

In time I dedicated my life to Jehovah God and was baptized in 1948. But I soon discovered that I still had much to learn. For example, since I had been so thoroughly brainwashed by Nazism, I could not understand why Jehovah’s organization at times printed articles against the infamous SS. I argued that we as individuals had not been to blame. We were just soldiers, and most of us were completely ignorant of what was happening in the concentration camps.

Then one day a dear brother who understood my problem and who had himself suffered for many years in a concentration camp put his arm around my shoulder and said: “Brother Ludwig, listen to me carefully. If you have difficulty appreciating this point and you find that it bothers you, just put it aside in your mind. Then leave your problem with Jehovah in prayer. You can take my word that if you do this, the day will come when Jehovah will open up an understanding of this and any other matter that perplexes you.” I took his wise advice, and as the years went by, I found that this is exactly what happened. Eventually I came to understand that the whole system of National Socialism, with its SS, was just another diabolic part of Satan the Devil’s entire world system.​—2 Corinthians 4:4.

Back to Zeppelin Meadow, Nuremberg

Can you imagine what a highlight of my life it was to return to Nuremberg in 1955 and there attend the “Triumphierendes Koenigreich” (Triumphant Kingdom) Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses! Yes, this assembly was held in the very same place where I had heard Hitler boast that he would exterminate Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany. Here, for an entire week, more than 107,000 of Jehovah’s Witnesses and friends from all over the world came together for worship. There was no pushing; there were no voices raised in anger. A truly united, international family living peaceably together.

It is hard to describe the emotions I felt when at that assembly I met some of my former comrades from the Waffen-​SS who were now dedicated servants of Jehovah God. A joyful reunion indeed!

Looking to the Future With Hope

Since my dedication and baptism, I have had the privilege of conducting several home Bible studies with ex-​Nazis in Austria. Some of them are also now dedicated Witnesses of Jehovah. In 1956, I emigrated from Austria, and I now live in Australia. Here I have enjoyed the privilege of serving in the full-​time ministry. Lately, however, advancing years and failing health restrict my activity.

One of my most ardent hopes is that of welcoming back from the dead some of the faithful men and women who refused to compromise with the wicked Nazi system and who were executed in concentration camps for their integrity.

Meanwhile, in a most literal way, I have experienced seeing the destructive quality of hate turn to love and hope. My strong hope now is that of living forever on a paradise earth in human perfection, free from sickness and death​—a hope not only for me but also for all those who humbly subject themselves to Jehovah’s now-​reigning King, Christ Jesus. In my case I can truly repeat with conviction the words of the apostle Paul: “The hope does not lead to disappointment; because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy spirit, which was given us.”​—Romans 5:5.

[Picture on page 13]

In my SS uniform

[Pictures on page 14, 15]

The 1955 “Triumphant Kingdom” Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses held in Nuremberg at the place where Hitler formerly held his annual Nazi rallies

[Credit Line]

U.S. National Archives photo

[Picture on page 15]

With my briefcase, ready to preach in Australia

[Picture Credit Line on page 11]

UPI/​Bettmann

Philately​—Absorbing Hobby and Big Business

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN BRITAIN

PHILATELY, or the collecting of postage stamps, is said to be the “world’s greatest hobby.” The first stamps were simply ‘bits of paper covered at the back with a glutinous wash, which the user might, by applying a little moisture, attach to the back of a letter,’ according to British postal reformer Sir Rowland Hill (1795-1879). His ‘bits of paper’ became so popular that today postage stamps are hailed as an invention that changed the course of communications throughout the world.

For collectors and dealers, stamp values vary from virtually nil to astronomical sums of a million or more dollars. How can this be when postage stamps are so commonplace? And what gives them their appeal and their value?

The Unique Penny Black

The first handstruck stamps denoting prepayment of postage were the invention of merchant William Dockwra, who in 1680 started the London Penny Post. The mail deposited at the receiving house was stamped with a double-​lined triangular postmark inscribed with the words PENNY POST PAID, ready for transmission by Dockwra’s messengers. But other messengers and porters strenuously opposed this arrangement because they felt their livelihood threatened. The government post office, too, saw Dockwra’s post as an infringement of their monopoly.

It was not until the early 19th century that postal reforms succeeded in making penny postage available throughout the country. In May 1840, the first adhesive postage stamp went on sale in Britain and soon became famous as the Penny Black. (See photo.) It was unperforated, and each stamp had to be cut from a sheet.

In 1843, Brazil became second only to Britain in issuing adhesive stamps valid for use throughout an entire country. Gradually other countries adopted their use for inland mail. Later, to facilitate overseas delivery, a worldwide postal union developed. Today the Universal Postal Union, with headquarters in Bern, Switzerland, is a specialized agency of the United Nations.

Collections Tell a Story

As international communications increased, each country designed and printed distinctive stamps. Some, called commemoratives, illustrate outstanding events and people; others, called definitives, are well-​defined for regular use in a series of values to meet varying postal needs. Over the years some 600 postal administrations have issued an estimated 10,000 new stamps annually. Both the serious student of stamps (the philatelist) and the person who simply enjoys collecting stamps as a pastime can find something to suit their tastes in the quarter-​of-a-million different stamps issued so far!

Obviously, with such a quantity and variety of stamps, no single collector can expect to own a copy of each type of stamp ever issued. Instead, many choose to collect stamps by themes. Agriculture, animals, Antarctica, bees, Bible, birds, bridges, caves, cinema, coal, country, energy, Esperanto, Europe, fire, flight, flowers, fungi, geology, industry, medicine, music, Olympic Games, photography, postal services, Red Cross, religion, space, sports, transport, UN, and even the weather are all collectible subjects. You name it, stamps have it.

Other collectors focus on stamp variations. What does this involve? Take a look again at the Penny Black. Do you notice the letters printed in the lower corners of the stamp? Originally, these stamps were printed in a sheet made up of 240 individual stamps arranged in 20 horizontal rows of 12. The first stamp in the top row had letters AA; the last in the row, AL, and so on alphabetically down the sheet to TA and TL at the beginning and end of row 20. The letters were hand punched in the corner squares of the design in the final stages of platemaking. A post office employee would suspect forgery if stamps on many letters he handled featured the same two characters.

Even though an estimated 68 million individual Penny Black stamps were issued, a collector who today owns an unused one has something rare and of value​—in the range of $4,200 to $6,800.

Apart from subtle variations in design, stamps that are printed from different plates, on paper with different watermarks (a faint design in the paper, visible when held against the light), and even those with a different number of perforations (the holes along the edges) all command the interest of specialized collectors. To succeed, such specialists need more than tweezers (Never use your fingers!) and magnifying glass. Gages detect differences in perforations; ultra-​violet lamps show up damage, hidden phosphorescence, and other minute details.

Certain collectors show special interest in mistakes in stamp design and printing. For them, owning something that other collectors have missed is the big thing. Consider the difference in value. By 1990 estimates, an 1841 Penny Red with the letter A missing, a mistake on the first stamp of the second row of the sheet, was worth some 1,300 times as much as one without this error!

Stamps Are a Big Business

Nowadays the stamp hobby attracts a variety of investors. The genuine investor purchases portfolios of rare classic stamps that dealers believe are most likely to appreciate in value over a fixed term. When the investment matures, the dealer undertakes to sell his client’s holdings at the highest prices obtainable. “Light, legible postmarks are a requisite for postally used stamps​—often the most common stamps are comparatively scarce with ideal or unusual postmarks and are worth a corresponding premium. Condition is crucial to the value of a stamp,” writes stamp authority James Watson.

In 1979 the London Daily Mail reported that “in the past five years, classic stamps (those dating from 1840 to 1870) have been appreciating far more than shares and other forms of investment, and in many cases, even more than house prices.” A portfolio of seven rare stamps that cost $84,700 in 1974 increased its value to $306,000.

In 1990 a Time International advertisement reported: “As an investment, stamps have had a varied time of it. In the 1970s prices were pushed up very rapidly as speculators looking to profit from scarce stamps built up investment portfolios. But as London staged its 1980 Stamp World Exhibition, the bubble burst and the speculators found that the only people prepared to underpin the market were the collectors, and they had sensibly withdrawn. ‘When the investors tried to cash in their portfolios, they found that many stamps were not as scarce as they had supposed,’” and they lost out. What a warning this is for those who invest in stamps!

As a collector, then, or even as a philatelist, aim for balance. Enjoy your stamps. Learn from them​—about the world, its geography, peoples, and cultures. Do not let collecting become an obsession. Carefully weigh your interest in stamps, and measure this against the more important things in life.

[Picture on page 17]

Penny Black

[Pictures on page 18]

Stamps from Austria, Spain, and Britain

Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Straighten Out My Life?

“I JUST couldn’t go inside,” said John. He found himself standing outside a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. As a teenager he had left Christianity and pursued a life of crime, drugs, and sexual immorality. After years of living that way, he still could not put the Bible out of his mind, so he went to a Kingdom Hall​—but was too frightened to enter. “You don’t understand,” he said to someone who encouraged him to go inside. “I’ve just done too much. I don’t feel that there is any way that Jehovah is ever going to forgive me for what I’ve done.”

Countless youths rebel against their parents’ rules, religion, and morals. It is particularly shocking and tragic when youths raised by God-​fearing parents do this. Although more than a few have gone that route, in time, some begin to feel a nagging sense of emptiness that even a riotous life-​style cannot mask. (Proverbs 14:13) Some youths, having been burned by this wicked world, want to straighten out their lives and return to the Bible truths they learned as children. But is it really possible for them to do so?

A Rebellious Son Leaves Home

Jesus’ parable of the prodigal, or wasteful, son found at Luke 15:11-32 yields much insight into this matter. The account reads: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the part of the property that falls to my share.’ Then he divided his means of living to them. Later, after not many days, the younger son gathered all things together and traveled abroad into a distant country.”

Surely this youth did not rebel because his father was harsh, abusive, or overly strict! According to the Mosaic Law, a son was entitled to a substantial share of his father’s property, though normally not until his father’s death. (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) How callous it was for him to demand his share in advance! Yet, the father lovingly acquiesced. (Compare Genesis 25:5, 6.) Clearly, then, the young man’s attitude​—not his father’s—​was faulty. As scholar Alfred Edersheim put it, possibly he disliked “the order and discipline of his home” and had a selfish “desire for liberty and enjoyment.”

As a previous article in this series acknowledged, not all parents are kind and thoughtful.a When a parent is harsh or unreasonable, however, rebellion is hardly the answer; ultimately it is self-​destructive. Consider, again, Jesus’ parable. After traveling far away from home, the young man “squandered his property by living a debauched life. When he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred throughout that country, and he started to be in need.” Even this did not bring him to his senses. Still self-​confident, he “went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to herd swine. And he used to desire to be filled with the carob pods which the swine were eating, and no one would give him anything.”

Says Bible scholar Herbert Lockyer: “The Jews listening to Jesus must have shuddered at these words, ‘to feed swine,’ for to a Jew, there could not be a greater depth of debasement.” Likewise today, those abandoning Bible truths often find themselves in difficult, or even humiliating, circumstances. One Christian girl who ran away from home confesses: “All my money went for drugs, and I had no money for anything else. So I began shoplifting any and everything to support my habits.”

“He Came to His Senses”

How, though, did the prodigal son react to his own dire circumstances? Jesus said that he finally “came to his senses.” The original Greek words mean “having come into himself.” In other words, he had been “beside himself” in an insane fantasy world, blinded as to how desperate his situation really was.​—Compare 2 Timothy 2:24-26.

Some rebellious youths today have likewise been shocked into reality. Reaping the grim aftermath of fast living​—jail, serious injury, sexually transmitted disease—​can be a sobering experience indeed. The words of Proverbs 1:32 finally hit home: “The renegading of the inexperienced ones is what will kill them.”

Consider young Elizabeth, who left her parents and got involved with drugs. “I forgot about Jehovah,” she says. However, while visiting New York, she passed the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The effect? “Pain ran through my mind and heart,” she recalls. “What had I done? How did I let my life snowball into such a disaster?”

When the prodigal son finally faced the truth, he made a courageous decision​—to go home and straighten out his life! But how would his father react after having been hurt and betrayed by his son? The account answers: “While he was yet a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was moved with pity, and he ran and fell upon his neck and tenderly kissed him.” Yes, before the youth could make his carefully rehearsed confession, his father took the initiative to express love and forgiveness!

Setting Matters Straight With God

Even so, the prodigal son said to his father: “I have sinned against heaven and against you.” The lesson? Youths who have strayed from God’s ways cannot straighten out their lives until they “set matters straight” with God himself! (Isaiah 1:18) We can be thankful that Jehovah makes such reconciliation possible. Indeed, the father in Jesus’ parable is a symbol of Jehovah God. And God demonstrates the same forgiving attitude by saying to repentant sinners: “Return to me, and I will return to you.” (Malachi 3:7; compare Psalm 103:13, 14.) But like the erring Jews in Bible times, such ones must resolve: “Do let us search out our ways and explore them, and do let us return clear to Jehovah.”​—Lamentations 3:40.

This means taking a hard look at one’s sinful course of conduct. When an erring youth does this, he should be moved to confess his sins before Jehovah God. Said the psalmist: “When I kept silent my bones wore out through my groaning all day long. . . . My sin I finally confessed to you, and my error I did not cover. . . . And you yourself pardoned the error of my sins.”​—Psalm 32:3-5.

What if a youth has got involved in very serious wrongs​—perhaps abortion, promiscuity, drug abuse, or criminal activity? Understandably, such a one may feel unworthy of forgiveness. John, mentioned at the outset, felt that way. That is why he stood immobilized outside the Kingdom Hall until a kindly congregation elder reminded him that King Manasseh of ancient Israel had also been guilty of serious sins​—including murder! Yet, Jehovah forgave him. (2 Chronicles 33:1-13) “That elder saved my life,” says John. Knowing that forgiveness was possible, John found the courage to enter the Kingdom Hall and ask for help.b

Most youths in such a predicament likewise need help in setting things right with God, and the local congregation elders can do much good in this regard. They can listen with empathy and understanding as a youth ‘openly confesses his sins.’ They can also render discipline and practical help. For example, they may arrange for the youth to have someone ‘teach him from the beginning the elementary things’ of God’s Word by means of a home Bible study. And if the erring one has difficulty praying, an elder can do so in his or her behalf. “The prayer of faith will make the indisposed one well,” the Bible assures us.​—James 5:14-16; Hebrews 5:12.

Make Straight Paths for Your Feet

Of course, setting things straight with God is only a beginning. Just as the prodigal son apologized to his father, erring youths should try to make amends with their parents. A sincere apology can go a long way in easing some of the pain they have suffered and in securing their support. One young runaway who returned home with an illegitimate baby recalls: “Mom and Dad showed a tremendous amount of love to me.”

A youth who wants to please God needs to ‘keep making straight paths for his feet.’ (Hebrews 12:13) This may mean his changing his life-​style, habits, and associates. (Psalm 25:9; Proverbs 9:6) Establishing a routine of personal study is also important. One formerly rebellious girl says: “I read the Bible every day and read all the Bible-​based material published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. I thank God for giving me a second chance.”

John sums matters up well, saying: “I look back at the time I wasted. I think about the way things could have been, but there’s no way I can undo what’s happened.” Happily, we worship a merciful God who warmly invites those who have left him to return. Why not accept his invitation?

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 20]

Mature Christians can help you straighten out your life

Magazines That Give Practical Comfort

“I WOULD like to thank you so much for the wonderful, practical articles you have given us to work with, particularly in the last couple of years. Upon receiving some of them, I have literally cried and thanked Jehovah because so many of our friends in the truth have desperately needed such information. I refer to issues such as those dealing with child abuse, being raised in alcoholic families, rape, and domestic violence.”​—Linda W. S., Indiana, U.S.A.

Those words were the introduction to one of many encouraging letters we have received in recent years regarding the contents of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines, published by the Watchtower Society and distributed by Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide.

When we consider that the former has a circulation of over 16,000,000 copies of each issue and goes out in 120 languages and that the circulation of the latter is almost 13,000,000 in 75 languages, then we can appreciate the earth-​wide impact of these journals. Jehovah’s Witnesses offer them to the public in the course of their house-​to-​house ministry and in their informal witnessing, which refers to witnessing on informal occasions, such as when out shopping, buying gas at the gas station, traveling on buses, trains, and planes, or at any other appropriate moment in the course of daily life. However, some Witnesses have found other original and successful outlets for the magazines that you might also want to try.

Visiting Professional Organizations

A traveling minister wrote in about the productive activities of another Witness as follows: “She has been making it a point to collect older copies of certain Awake! magazines that other Witnesses have accumulated at home. Then she visits agencies that she feels might show special interest in some of the topics.” What kind of agencies has she visited?

“She has concentrated on social service agencies, pro-​life centers, Planned Parenthood, psychiatrists, psychologists, police departments, probation offices, drug and alcohol abuse centers, child abuse treatment and prevention centers, welfare departments (asking for caseworkers), county health departments, day-​care centers, schools, hospital stress centers, and in one case a city mayor.” What success has she had?

“Since she began concentrating on this unique field six months ago, she has placed 1,784 older issues on specific subjects!”

How does this Witness go about these visits to professional people? She says: “I think one reason these calls were so successful, aside from the fact that the magazines addressed issues these people deal with on a daily basis, is that we dressed and presented ourselves in a professional manner.” Certainly professional people will respect us if we have a confident, businesslike approach and are suitably dressed and groomed.

She continues her account: “We were offering an Awake! on abortion (May 22, 1993), so I decided to call at a pro-​life center. I started the conversation with a news item about a botched abortion and then led into the magazine, along with The Watchtower. We had such a nice discussion that I also offered the brochure Does God Really Care About Us?, which they eagerly accepted.” Her next visit was to a Planned Parenthood center where she had similar success.a

This kind of initiative can lead to an ever-​widening circle of positive contacts. From letters received we know that professional people are often impressed by the research and the excellent writing style that go into our magazines. So true is this that in some countries, such as Suriname, in South America, the Awake! is used as a principal educational magazine by students and teachers. The Witnesses there have a high level of magazine placements, and the interested ones eagerly await each issue.

One report received from Nigeria told of a radio station that was quoting verbatim from the Awake! issue on “Women​—Deserving of Respect.” (July 8, 1992) What does that suggest? That we can successfully offer the magazines to directors of radio and TV stations. It is just a matter of studying each issue and figuring out who are the local specialists in the subjects covered, whether they be lawyers, teachers, counselors, policemen, nurses, doctors, or members of any other profession.

A different approach has been used by a Witness who has opened up her presentation by asking, “Do you like to do quizzes? Most people do. Here is one in this issue of Awake! (January 8, 1994, or September 8, 1994) entitled ‘Have You Ever Wondered?’ Why don’t you write down your answers to the questions, and I’ll come back another day so that we can compare them with the Bible’s answers.” She has had many interesting conversations based on this method and has started several studies of the Bible.

Another practical suggestion is to show recent issues with subjects that might appeal to the particular professional to whom you are speaking. Linda, quoted previously, had the following experience with an administrator/​counselor in a school with an alternative-​learning program. “As I went over the magazines with her, she saw ‘Children Under Stress’ and said, ‘God has sent you today!’ That very day she was having a session on how kids can avoid stress. When she saw the experience on the back page of the magazine announcing the book Your Youth​—Getting the Best Out Of It, she asked for a copy. I happened to show her a quote from the book about suicide, whereupon she exclaimed, ‘Now I know that God sent you here!’ She had just been counseling a boy who didn’t want to live. Now she would have more to offer him.”

These experiences illustrate that with initiative and preparation along with a positive attitude, we can reach out to many more people with God’s Word of comfort. As the apostle Paul wrote: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those in any sort of tribulation through the comfort with which we ourselves are being comforted by God.”​—2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.

[Footnotes]

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The magazines have practical information for social service agencies

[Picture on page 24]

The Watchtower and Awake! can be offered in many situations

No Part of the World?

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN GERMANY

“THEY are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.” (John 17:16) With these words Jesus described the absolute neutrality of his followers toward political affairs. Do professed Christians today measure up to this standard?

Consider the following press comments regarding Christendom’s involvement in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), which until its dissolution in 1990 had been governed by a Communist regime.

• “Now that the Lutheran Church in the GDR has basked in glory for a short time as mother of the peaceful revolution, its public rating seems to be sinking rapidly. To many it appears to have been more a pillar of support for the regime and a playground for the Stasi (State Security Service).”​—Die Zeit, November 1991.

• “Various provincial Lutheran Churches . . . have expressed bewilderment at involvement of church workers and parishioners with the Stasi.”​—Evangelische Kommentare, January 1991.

• “[Lutheran] Church leaders hear complaints that priests were no longer caring for their people as they used to, as they are active in politics.”​—Süddeutsche Zeitung, February 1990.

• “Weizsäcker [former president of the Federal Republic of Germany] said that the [Lutheran] Church had always played a helpful role in the political relationship of the two German States.”​—Wetterauer Zeitung, February 1992.

Political meddling was by no means limited to the Lutheran Church. “Virtually every [Protestant] church grouping was infiltrated by Stasi agents,” reported The European. Manfred Stolpe, whom The European describes as “the protestant church’s chief negotiator with the communist authorities,” said in his defense: “I would have shaken hands with the Devil if it had furthered our cause.”

The Guardian of London reported on the close relationship between the clergy and the Mafia in Italy. It stated: “Church and Cosa Nostra have cohabited peacefully for so long that the church is frequently accused of complicity.”

The Toronto Star carried an article on the collaboration of some Russian Orthodox priests with the former KGB. The report states: “The disclosures about church collaboration with the communist regime represent the most shattering blow. . . . Material from KGB archives . . . suggests that senior church officials not only betrayed their own principles but were willing to compromise religious leaders abroad.”

While the churches of Christendom continue to meddle in politics, genuine Christianity adheres to Jesus’ injunction to be no part of the world.

The Bible’s Viewpoint

Who Go to Heaven?

A TERRORIST bomb rips apart an airliner in flight, killing all on board. Relatives and friends of the victims are told that their loved ones are now in heaven, as if to compensate for their untimely and violent death.

A popular musician dies and is said to be ‘trumpeting with the angels in heaven.’

Disease, famine, or accidents rob infants of a full life, and the clergy say they now enjoy heavenly bliss, perhaps even as angels!

Is God correcting injustice to young and old by taking all such ones to himself in heavenly peace? Is admission into heaven simply God’s way of preserving all that is good and praiseworthy in mankind? What is the Bible’s viewpoint?

Those Not in Heaven

The Bible’s statement is clear: “What! Do you not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit God’s kingdom?” (1 Corinthians 6:9) However, the Bible also speaks of many righteous ones and victims of injustice who would not inherit the heavens.

Jesus himself said of the soon-​to-​be martyred John the Baptizer: “Truly I say to you people, Among those born of women there has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is.” (Matthew 11:11) All the boys two years of age and under in Bethlehem and its districts were mercilessly slaughtered by wicked King Herod in his attempt to destroy the child Jesus. (Matthew 2:16) Yet, Jesus said: “Moreover, no man [or woman or child] has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man [Jesus].” (John 3:13) Why did Jesus not speak of these victims of injustice as being in heaven?

Jesus Opened the Way

Jesus called himself “the way and the truth and the life” and was referred to by the apostle Paul as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep in death.” (John 14:6; 1 Corinthians 15:20) Consequently, no one could have preceded him into heaven. But when Jesus did ascend to heaven some 40 days after his resurrection, was he then followed by worthy men of faith already deceased? Some ten days later, the apostle Peter said concerning King David that “he both deceased and was buried and his tomb is among us to this day. . . . Actually David did not ascend to the heavens.”​—Acts 2:29, 34.

Thus, admission to heaven involves more than compensation for injustices suffered or even a rewarding of personal faithfulness. Instead, it provides for the formation of a heaven-​based body of rulers composed of a representative number of humans under Christ’s direction, anointed by holy spirit.​—Romans 8:15-17; Revelation 14:1-3.

A Heavenly Kingdom

Jesus referred to this rulership, or government, as “the kingdom of the heavens” or “the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 5:3, 20; Luke 7:28) It was not intended that great masses of mankind be included in this administrative body. Thus, Jesus referred to it as a “little flock.” (Luke 12:32) In the original language used in this part of the Bible, the word “little” (mi·krosʹ) is the opposite of great (meʹgas), and its use at Luke 12:32 refers to quantity or fewness in number. Hence, membership in “the kingdom of the heavens” does not allow for an unlimited number. To illustrate: If you were asked to pour a little water into a glass, you would make sure that it did not overflow. So, too, the “little flock” cannot be made up of overflowing numbers of people. God’s Kingdom has a set (“little”) number of corulers with Christ.

The exact number of these rulers, 144,000, was revealed to the apostle John. (Revelation 14:1, 4) Earlier in Revelation these same ones are said to be ‘out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation to be a kingdom and priests to God,’ and they are to rule as kings from heaven over the earth. (Revelation 5:9, 10) This administrative body in association with Jesus Christ is the Kingdom for which he taught his followers to pray. It is also the agency by which misrule of this earth will be terminated, thus restoring justice and peace to man’s home, the earth, as well as everlasting vitality to its inhabitants.​—Psalm 37:29; Matthew 6:9, 10.

A Select Body of Rulers

Since the human rulerships that the Kingdom replaces are so riddled with corruption, can we not see why those included in that heavenly government must be carefully selected and tested by God? Mankind’s current situation might be likened to that of hundreds of passengers aboard a damaged jetliner in bad weather. In such a critical situation, would you want a flight crew made up of young, inexperienced people? Hardly! The situation would call for a crew carefully selected according to stringent qualifications.

With regard to those who will serve in heaven with Christ Jesus, we are relieved to know that “God has set the members in the body, each one of them, just as he pleased.” (1 Corinthians 12:18) Personal desire or ambition for a position in the Kingdom is not the determining factor. (Matthew 20:20-23) Specific standards of faith and conduct have been established by God so as to bar the admittance of unworthy ones. (John 6:44; Ephesians 5:5) The opening words of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount show that corulers with Christ must prove to be spiritually-​minded, mild-​tempered, lovers of righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, and peaceable.​—Matthew 5:3-9; see also Revelation 2:10.

Happily, the great majority of mankind, although not chosen by God to be among this representative heavenly body of rulers, are not left without hope. They will inhabit this beautiful earth and enjoy the benefits of his divine rulership. Long dead victims of past injustices will be restored to life to live alongside those who survive to see God’s Kingdom “come” in the fullest sense. The promise will be kept: “The upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it.”​—Matthew 6:9, 10; Proverbs 2:21; Acts 24:15.

Watching the World

“Safe Sex”​—Not So Safe for Women

Despite much publicity in favor of “safe sex” and the use of condoms to avoid contracting AIDS, doctors are beginning to question the wisdom of such advice. A medical report appearing in the Paris newspaper Le Figaro says that although condoms offer men a measure of protection against AIDS, they offer women much less protection because an infected partner can easily contaminate a condom’s outer surface. Women are also especially at risk of being infected during menstruation and when they have any form of vaginal infection or lesion. Statistically, condoms now appear to be less than 69 percent effective in protecting women against AIDS. Commenting on this reduced “safety” factor, one doctor observed: “What would we say about an airplane that had only a 69-​percent chance of not crashing in a year?”

Brain Jogging

“A bad memory is usually a question not of fate but of poor training,” reports DAK Magazin, a German health-​insurance publication. Just as muscles atrophy through inactivity, the brain becomes rusty and stores less data if it gets little exercise. Is this a problem mainly of the elderly? Far from it! “Since thinking is often made easy for us or even superfluous,” comments the magazine, even youths run the risk of developing a rusty memory by not keeping their minds properly occupied. What can help? The magazine recommends brain jogging, using mental games, such as puzzles involving numbers and letters of the alphabet, to stimulate mind and memory. Also, “crossword puzzles can be helpful.”

Trains’ Toilet-​Roll Message

Until more modern equipment is introduced, the only way a train conductor can notify the authorities of an emergency on nearly any Italian train will continue to be as follows: Write a note, place it inside a roll of toilet paper, and hurl it from the speeding train at the next station down the line, in hopes that it will be found and the authorities notified. This system, “as old as the railways themselves,” is prescribed by official railroad regulations. It is “still an efficient, tried and tested method,” says an official of Italian State Railways, who nonetheless recognizes that “communication on trains is a very serious problem.” Faced with the illness of a passenger, a suspect piece of luggage, an act of aggression, or a theft, “the personnel of State Railways are in effect powerless,” says Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, since they are not authorized to intervene. To solve the problem of communication, Italian State Railways intends to adopt closed-​circuit portable telephones in the near future.

The U.S. Gun Paradox

The increasing number of handgun murders in the United States, coupled with a spate of mass shootings, has produced both those who think it is time to take the guns away from the criminals and those who feel it is time to buy a gun themselves. “A lot of people, in fact, may be thinking both at once,” says Time magazine. And while there is increased pressure to control guns, more people are going out and buying guns than ever before. When the Brady law (a gun-​control law) was passed, gun dealers reported skyrocketing sales before it went into effect. There are now about 211 million guns in the United States. In an effort to decrease that quantity, programs were started in which people could turn in a firearm and receive a $100 gift certificate​—no questions asked. The campaigns took hundreds of guns off the streets but also prompted some to buy cheap guns so that they could turn them in and make a profit. Said one gun-​shop owner: “I can guarantee you, many of the people who turn in guns in the morning will still have guns in the afternoon.”

Bugging Japan

Calling eavesdropping Japan’s “national pastime,” Mainichi Daily News reported that “Japan is one of the most widely bugged nations in the world, with 60,000 tiny radio microphones sold” each year. Some bugs are so small they can fit into writing pens. There are devices that can catch a conversation 50 feet [15 m] away and transmit it a distance of two miles [3 km]. Who are Japan’s eavesdroppers? According to the newspaper, many eavesdroppers are simply searching “the frequencies to find the juiciest tidbits” of gossip. But many “are jealous lovers who want to be reassured of their partner’s affections, or fathers who wish to keep an eye on their daughter’s movements.”

AIDS Decimating Africa

According to estimates by the World Health Organization, of the more than 15 million known cases of AIDS in the world, some 10 million are in Africa, making it the world’s worst-​affected continent. “Little dikes of sand against ever swelling rivers,” is how Professor Nathan Clumek described the measures now in place to fight the AIDS epidemic. In an interview published in the Paris daily Le Monde, Professor Clumek said that the African chiefs of state have not yet fully realized the destruction that the virus is going to cause in Africa. In 1987, when Professor Clumek estimated that 10 percent of the continent would be infected with AIDS, many thought it an exaggeration. Today it is estimated that anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of Africa’s population will be infected with the deadly virus.

Overfishing Exhausting the Seas

“‘Plenty more fish in the sea,’ runs the saying. But it is wrong,” notes The Economist. “The sea’s abundance has been stretched beyond its limit.” Since its peak in 1989, the world’s marine fish catch has been declining. The reason is simple: “Too few fish have been left in the sea to maintain spawning stocks. Fishermen are living off capital, consuming the resource that should yield their catch.” According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 13 of the world’s 17 major ocean fisheries are in trouble​—4 of which are classified as commercially depleted. Sophisticated technology​—such as sonar and satellite communications—​has made it possible for fishermen to locate the fish even in remote areas and to return to precise prime fishing spots. Huge factory trawlers the size of football fields, with even larger nets, haul in excessive quantities of fish. Governments are to blame for the wastefulness, says The Economist, since 90 percent of the world’s catch is found within 200 nautical miles [370 km] of some countries’ shores, water over which they claim sovereignty. The governments keep other nations’ fishing fleets out but allow domestic fleets to expand, and they even subsidize them.

Better Sleeping Habits

“Insomnia may seem productive to many people, but the consequences of denying the body hours of sleep will end up being rather unproductive,” says the Brazilian magazine Exame. Explains neurologist Rubens Reimão: “The organism will not forget the hours of sleep that a person owes it. On the contrary, it will always remember and will suddenly present a bill that can be translated into lapses of memory, concentration problems, and slow thinking ability.” To avoid undue anxiety, Dr. Reimão recommends: “Leave the solving of work problems or the thinking about them for when you are at work.” For you to relax and sleep better, Exame suggests regular exercise, soft music, subdued lighting, and good thoughts.

Catholic Mass Served by Altar Girls

The use of girls to assist priests during the celebration of the Mass has, up till now, been tolerated by some church authorities. In a letter approved by Pope John Paul II and sent to the presidents of the Catholic bishops’ conferences around the world, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has given individual bishops the choice to authorize altar girls to help serve Mass. According to Corriere della Sera, as he gave the announcement and in order to “eliminate even the slightest glimmer of hope for feminist aspirations,” Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro Valls was quick to point out that the opening does not in any way modify the church’s attitude toward female priests. Why the altar girls, then? “It doesn’t surprise me,” commented sociologist Franco Ferrarotti. “The Church can’t find priests, and it seems that it can’t find altar boys either.”

A Cult of Eunuchs

The Indian Express of Bombay reports that in India there are more than one million eunuchs. Of these, only 2 percent were born in this condition. The rest were castrated. According to the Express, good-​looking boys are seduced or kidnapped and taken to one of many eunuch creation centers in India. There the boys are submitted to a ceremony that includes “princely treatment” and culminates in the removal of their testicles. Afterward, the newly made eunuch is adopted by an older eunuch, establishing a “mother-​daughter” relationship. These eunuchs are given female names and thereafter behave and dress as women. Most eunuchs are organized into a cult with a presiding deity. There are many temples throughout India in which eunuchs are honored and revered as divine beings during a yearly festival.

From Our Readers

Reincarnation Thank you for the excellent series of articles “Have You Lived Before? Will You Live Again?” (June 8, 1994) These articles convey in a simple and rational way the truth about the condition of the dead. I believe that anyone who is searching for truth in connection with this subject cannot do other than accept what you have written.

F. P., Italy

Former Boxer Thank you very much for the article “I Learned to Hate What I Had Loved.” (June 8, 1994) Obdulio Nuñez’ story has helped us to understand some of my husband’s medical problems. As a former boxer, he too suffers from depression. Truly, it is Jehovah God who has helped my husband turn his life around!

S. S., United States

Pain I am a professional masseur and want to thank you for the series “Is Life Without Pain Possible?” (June 22, 1994) I was greatly impressed by the insight, balance, and wisdom evident in the research and presentation of this information. The article will be a precious aid to specialists, patients, and others. Using massage techniques, I continue to fight pain, awaiting the day under God’s Kingdom when chronic pain will no longer exist.

D. T., Denmark

These articles brought much comfort to me. I shared them with a number of others who, like me, cope with pain daily.

M. G., United States

I am lying here writing you from my bed, where I have periodically been confined for the past two and a half years because of two slipped disks. Thank you for the fantastic article “Do You Suffer With Back Pain?” (June 8, 1994) I cried when reading it, for it was as if you were talking to me. I could hardly believe that anyone could understand this problem so clearly.

B. H., England

Just ten days ago, I had to undergo back surgery, and I thank you for the accurate information. The article helped me to understand the cause of my pain. The suggestions given are very useful, and I hope many will apply them and avoid surgery.

K. G., Hungary

Musical Anachronism? I liked the article “From Hitchhiking Hippie to South American Missionary” very much. (March 22, 1994) But one point puzzled me. Richard Fleet mentions that he went to Liverpool to see the Beatles in September 1973. As far as I know, the Beatles performed in public for the last time in 1969 and split up in 1970.

C. S., Germany

Sorry for the misunderstanding. Richard Fleet meant to say that he went to Liverpool in order to see a club where the Beatles had once performed.​—ED.

Suicide I thank you with all my heart for the article “Young People Ask . . . Is Suicide the Answer?” (April 8, 1994) How many times I have longed to take that road. When I was a toddler, I was sexually abused by someone I trusted. . . . In the past, I have written so many notes saying, ‘I want to die’ that I have lost count. I have since become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I now serve as a full-​time evangelizer, but this urge still comes over me from time to time. I had this feeling just the day before I received the article. It made me cry. But Jehovah has allowed me to stay alive, and he seems to be telling me gently, ‘Keep on living.’ Truly, I thank you very much.

Y. K., Japan

Priest Admits Witnesses’ Virtues

By Awake! correspondent in Australia

IN 1991 the Condobolin Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in New South Wales, Australia, was destroyed by fire. A few weeks later, a local Anglican priest expressed sympathy in his parish letter “for the loss of the place of worship.” His letter continued:

“While there are obvious differences between our practices and theirs, I have for many years been full of praise for those aspects of the practice of their faith which I believe are good in themselves.” What were some of these positive aspects?

First: “They are very concerned about the teaching of the faith. They will meet together for two or three occasions each week for this purpose.” This is true​—Jehovah’s Witnesses are a reading, teaching, and preaching religion. They have three meetings weekly.

The priest’s second point was: “They . . . regularly make evangelistic visits to the homes of people. . . . They like us to know that the third largest denomination in Australia is the body of people who state No Religion (3,841,000 people). The JW people are not content to keep the faith to themselves but want to share it with other people.” Jehovah’s Witnesses know that they must respond to Matthew 24:14 and Mark 13:10 by preaching the good news.

The third point: “They do not appear to raise funds through the community with Street Stalls and other fund-​raising efforts. Their finance comes from within [their] community.” The Bible says, ‘freely have you received, freely give’ and, ‘there is more happiness in giving than in receiving.’ Thus, they take no collections. Contribution boxes are discreetly available at their halls.​—Matthew 10:8; Acts 20:35.

What was the final praiseworthy aspect he mentioned? “They construct their places of worship with a minimum amount of time and finance. . . . You may care to wander down to Gum Bend Lake Road . . . and see the local JW people . . . working on the construction of a new Kingdom Hall. They estimate the work will take them three days.” Then what advice did he give his parishioners?

“I suggest that you read over the four points I have suggested above and ask how they can help you think about the visible practice of your faith. . . . I would suggest that in relation to the four points mentioned the JW people would leave the average Anglican and other Christian parishes for dead.”

If you would like to visit a Kingdom Hall and see for yourself how Jehovah’s Witnesses worship and what they believe, feel free to go to the Kingdom Hall nearest you, or write to us for the address of the hall closest to you.

[Picture on page 31]

Kingdom Hall in Condobolin, New South Wales

“Smoking Stinks”

In recent years the California Department of Health Services has waged an energetic educational campaign against smoking. The message is short and blunt and has appeared on billboards across the state. What are some of the messages? “Smokers are addicts. Tobacco companies are pushers. Smoking stinks.” “Second hand smoke will kill 50,000 non-​smokers this year. Smoking stinks.” Another one says, under the symbol of a cigarette pack, “Buy now. Pay later.” With your life, of course. A sign in Spanish states: “Me muero por fumar.” It is a play on words that can be read, “I am dying to smoke” or, “I am dying because of smoking.” The half-​skull-​half-​face photo makes the idea clear.

A different ploy used in some countries to dissuade people from turning to tobacco and nicotine is a brand of cigarette called “Death.” The black package carries a skull-​and-​crossbones symbol and a message that states: “Cigarettes are addictive and debilitating. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you smoke, quit.”

Whether the billboard shock treatment’s other gimmicks have any effect on those who already smoke is hard to tell. Over the last six years, though, “tobacco use in California has plummeted by 27 percent, about three times the national average.” (The Washington Post National Weekly Edition) The poster campaign might turn even potential smokers away from this dangerous habit. Certainly those who profess to be Christians should avoid this unclean, selfish vice. The apostle Paul wrote: “Since we have these promises, beloved ones, let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in God’s fear.”​—2 Corinthians 7:1.