October 8

Page Two

A Trouble-Free Paradise—When? 3-11

Read how an earth-wide paradise free from trouble will soon be a reality.

The Crusades—A ‘Tragic Illusion’ 12

What were the Crusades? Were they from God?

Life Is Different Down Under 16

Visitors to Australia find things quite different there. Why?

A Trouble-Free Paradise—Just a Dream?

“IT’S so peaceful!” The view from the pine forest above Redfish Lake in the state of Idaho, U.S.A., was indeed serene. “It’s just how I imagine paradise to be,” the traveler said.

The sun shone brilliantly on the southern coast of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Waves gently lapped the beach. Seated at a clifftop restaurant overlooking this vista, the visitor exclaimed: “This is paradise!”

Many of us treasure memories of scenes like these. But residents realize that paradisaic surroundings often belie the harsh realities of everyday life: forest fires on the wooded foothills of the Rocky Mountains, pollution of the sea that affects fish and eventually humans—to say nothing of life-threatening international and intercommunal conflicts.

Paradise—What Is It?

How do you picture paradise? The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary offers as its first definition: “The garden of Eden described in Gen[esis] 2, 3.” This refers to the description in the first book of the Bible of the region where God settled the first man, Adam. In that original Paradise, trees “desirable to one’s sight and good for food” grew in abundance.—Genesis 2:9.

The second definition of that dictionary entry links “paradise” with “Heaven, in Christian and Muslim theology” but then adds: “Now chiefly poet[ical].” To our traveler and visitor, however, paradise was “a region of surpassing beauty or delight,” the third of the dictionary definitions.

The 16th-century British statesman Sir Thomas More wrote a book entitled Utopia in which he described an imaginary country where laws, government, and social conditions were perfect. So unreal did it seem that today Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary offers one definition of “Utopia” as “an impractical scheme for social improvement.”

To the followers of the People’s Temple sect leader Jim Jones, Utopia was a clearing in the jungle of Guyana. Sadly, in 1978 this hoped-for paradise became the scene of death for more than 900 of them—a nightmare indeed! As a result, people sometimes link the concept of paradise with strange sects whose practices shock and disturb.

In a world where crime and violence threaten, where disease stalks adults and children alike, and where hatred and religious differences divide communities, beautiful surroundings are often no more than a simple veneer. No wonder that people think paradise is nothing more than a dream! But this has not stopped some people from attempting to find or even make paradise for themselves. How successful have they been?

The Search for a Trouble-Free Paradise

ALL we want to do is create a safe and perhaps old-fashioned lifestyle where people care for each other,” explained one British couple. They decided to seek out a tropical island paradise and there establish a community that would live peacefully together. You can no doubt understand their feelings. Who would not jump at the chance to live in a trouble-free paradise?

Is Isolation the Answer?

The idea of living on an island appeals to many paradise seekers, for the isolation offers a measure of security. Some choose islands off the Pacific Coast of Panama or islands in the Caribbean, such as those off Belize. Others turn their attention to idyllic locations in the Indian Ocean—the Seychelles, for example.

The logistics of establishing an isolated community stagger the imagination. Even if enough money is available, existing government legislation may restrict a quick land purchase. But suppose the ideal tropical island could be obtained, would you be happy there? Would your paradise be trouble free?

The remote islands around the coast of Britain now house a growing population. Their new inhabitants are mainly people seeking solitude and peace. One man who lives alone on the 250-acre [100 ha] island of Eorsa, off the west coast of Scotland, claims that he never feels lonely because he has so much to do caring for his flock of one hundred sheep. Others who have sought the seclusion of an island quickly become lonely. Some have reportedly attempted suicide and needed rescue.

Many people believe that an idyllic tropical isle would be paradise. Living in a balmy climate with few weather extremes appeals to them. But concern over possible global warming and a consequent rise in the sea level has caused alarm among many islanders. The inhabitants of the low-lying atolls that make up the territory of Tokelau in the Western Pacific as well as those of the scattered Maldives in the Indian Ocean, islands that rise no more than six feet above sea level at high tide, feel likewise threatened.

Nearly 40 different governments have joined together in the Small Island Developing States federation to lobby support for their plight. Though the inhabitants of small islands generally have a long life expectancy and their infant mortality is low, they continue to face serious environmental problems. Oil slicks and dirty seas undermine the economies of some islands. Others become the dumping grounds for toxic waste that larger nations wish to discard.

Even the islands’ very desirability as havens for paradise seekers poses a threat. How? Tourists who flock to the islands’ sunny shores cause serious overcrowding and depletion of meager resources. These visitors also aggravate the pollution problem. In the Caribbean, for example, only one tenth of the sewage produced by the 20 million visitors each year receives any kind of treatment.

Something similar occurs in other exotic locations. Take the case of Goa on the western coast of India. “Mass tourism ‘is poisoning a paradise,’” declared London’s Independent on Sunday. Official estimates show an increase from 10,000 tourists in 1972 to over a million in the early ’90’s. One group warns that Goa’s fragile ecology and unique culture are threatened by the greed of hotel owners eager to cash in on the influx of tourists. An Indian government report confirms that some hotels have illegally sprung up on the beach. Sand has been quarried, trees felled, and dunes leveled. Sewage is discharged onto the beach or leaks into nearby paddies, spreading contamination.

Crime Free?

The creeping inroads of crime tarnish the reputation of even the most peaceful of areas. From the tiny Caribbean island of Barbuda comes a report headlined “Slaughter in Paradise.” This detailed the grisly murders of four people aboard a luxury yacht that moored off the island’s coast. Incidents such as this heighten concern over the spread of crime throughout the region.

“Drugs Trigger Gang Wars in ‘Paradise’” headlined a report in The Sunday Times of London regarding one Central American country. A local editor bewailed the fact that peace had gone, commenting: “Now it’s common to wake up in the morning to find a 16-year-old kid lying in a pool of blood in the street.”

Those who aim to live in community paradise hope to appeal to people who will agree to live peaceably. But what is the reality? Disagreements quickly surfaced in the case of the British couple mentioned at the outset. Some of the applicants to join their venture clearly wished to make money out of the scheme. “We don’t want leaders,” declared the promoter. “The idea is to pool our resources to get everything moving. I call it a Utopian community.” This is by no means the first such project.—See the box “Paradise Community Experiments.”

Some other paradise seekers believe that they will achieve their goal by winning a lottery. But financial gain achieved in this way rarely brings happiness. In February 1995, The Sunday Times reported that the family of Britain’s biggest lottery winner to date suffered bitter infighting; winning brought them nothing but “resentment, feuding and disillusionment.” This is not unusual in such situations.

In a study of man’s quest for Utopia, journalist Bernard Levin comments on the “dream of instant riches,” and asserts: “Like so many dreams, nightmare is not far away. There are too many authenticated stories of instant riches leading to utter disaster (including suicides) to reject them as coincidence.”

What About Doomsday Sects?

Other paradise schemes have had more sinister overtones. Reporting the siege by government law-enforcement agents at Waco, Texas, on the compound of the Branch Davidians back in 1993, a newspaper commented on the “volatile mix of guns, mind control and a doomsday prophet” that led to the debacle. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident.

The followers of the late Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, an Indian spiritual leader, set up a community in Oregon but offended the moral sensibilities of their neighbors. Their leader’s opulence and the sexual experimentation they practiced undermined their claim to have established “a beautiful oasis.”

Many cults led by people with paradise hopes demand that their followers practice strange rites, which sometimes result in violent confrontations. Newspaper columnist Ian Brodie explains: “Cults offer a sanctuary and a structured society for those who feel they are living in a vacuum or who cannot cope with pressures of the real world.” Nevertheless, his words testify to the fact that many people would welcome living in a paradise.

A Paradise Free From Trouble

The list of troubles seems endless: pollution, crime, drug abuse, overcrowding, ethnic conflict, political upheaval—to say nothing of those troubles common to all humans, disease and death. The conclusion must be that nowhere on this planet is there a paradise entirely trouble free. As Bernard Levin acknowledges: “There is a black mark on humanity’s score-sheet, and it seems to have been there almost as long as humanity. It takes the form of an inability to live happily in close proximity with more than a very few other human beings.”

However, there will be a global paradise that will be truly trouble free. Its duration is guaranteed by a superhuman power. Indeed, over five million people are even now working toward that, and they already enjoy precious unity and a relatively trouble-free environment among themselves. Where can you find them? How can you share the same hope and benefits they now enjoy? And how long will that coming Paradise last?

[Box on page 6]

Paradise Community Experiments

In the early 19th century, French socialist Étienne Cabet (1788-1856) and 280 associates founded a communal settlement in Nauvoo, Illinois, based on his ideals. But within eight years such dissension arose in the community that it soon disbanded, as did similar groups in Iowa and California.

Another Frenchman, Charles Fourier (1772-1837), developed ideas for a cooperative agricultural community with shifting roles for all its members. Each individual was to receive remuneration based on the success of the group as a whole. But communities based on these lines in both France and the United States were short-lived.

At about the same time, Welsh social reformer Robert Owen (1771-1858) proposed cooperative villages where hundreds of people would live together with communal kitchen and dining areas. Individual families would live in their own apartments and care for their children until they reached the age of three. Thereafter, their care was to be taken over by the whole community. But Owen’s experiments failed, and he lost much of his personal fortune.

John Noyes (1811-1886) became the founder of what The New Encyclopædia Britannica calls “the most successful of the utopian socialist communities in the United States.” When his followers abandoned monogamous marriages and permitted sexual relations simply by mutual agreement among all, Noyes was arrested for adultery.

Laissez Faire City, a kind of “capitalist Utopia” in Central America, is a recent attempt to create such a Utopian community, reports The Sunday Times of London. The project sought investors. Lured by the prospect of living in “the miracle city of the 21st century,” paradise seekers were invited to send $5,000 and join in a form of pyramid selling, searching out like-minded people who would, in turn, invest their money. Reportedly, all that this sum of money does is pay for an airline ticket to view the project “should a country ever be persuaded to give it building space, and a small hotel be built there,” commented the newspaper. There is no realistic hope of any “paradise” being established there.

[Picture on page 7]

An island appeals to many paradise seekers. But today crime tarnishes even the most peaceful areas

A Trouble-Free Paradise—Soon a Reality

“YOU will be with me in Paradise.” How those words reassured the man with a criminal record! No, not that he felt he would avoid going to a fiery hell and would go to heaven when he died. Rather, the thief alongside Jesus drew comfort from the hope that he would be resurrected back to life when Paradise was restored to the planet. Note, please, who made such a bold statement about Paradise—God’s own Son, Jesus Christ.—Luke 23:43.

What prompted Christ’s promise of Paradise? The thief had appealed: “Jesus, remember me when you get into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42) What is this Kingdom, and what connection is there between it and an earthly paradise? How does this guarantee that the Paradise will be trouble free?

The Power Behind the Paradise

You will agree that a true paradise can only come on earth when all present-day troubles are gone. Human efforts to remove them have so far failed, as history adequately testifies. The Hebrew prophet Jeremiah acknowledged: “I well know, O Jehovah, that . . . it does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.” (Jeremiah 10:23) Who, then, can wipe out all present-day troubles?

Weather Extremes and Pollution. When a violent windstorm over the Sea of Galilee whipped up waves big enough to threaten a boat with shipwreck, the sailors awoke their traveling companion from his slumber. In turn, he simply said to the sea: “Hush! Be quiet!” Mark’s Gospel account relates what happened: “The wind abated, and a great calm set in.” (Mark 4:39) That traveling companion was none other than Jesus. He had the power to control the weather.

It was this same Jesus who foretold through the apostle John that the time would come when God would “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Revelation 1:1; 11:18) This is no impossible feat for the One who removed a whole world of ungodly people in the Flood of Noah’s day.—2 Peter 3:5, 6.

Crime and Violence. The Bible promises: “Evildoers themselves will be cut off, but those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” (Psalm 37:9, 11) Again, it is God, Jehovah, who promises to remove all crime and violence, reserving Paradise for the meek.

Poverty and Hunger. Present-day injustice allows governments in one area of the world to store foodstuffs in surplus “mountains” while at the same time poor countries struggle on in poverty. Relief agencies, backed by concerned people worldwide, try to supply the basics but often fail when distribution schemes break down through a lack of law and order. Contrast this with what the prophet Isaiah recorded: “Jehovah of armies will certainly make for all the peoples, in this mountain, a banquet of well-oiled dishes, a banquet of wine kept on the dregs, of well-oiled dishes filled with marrow, of wine kept on the dregs, filtered.” (Isaiah 25:6) Does that not sound like famine and starvation will be no more? Certainly.

War. Attempts to govern this globe through a supranational authority have proved unsuccessful. The League of Nations, founded in 1920, failed to prevent the outbreak of World War II and collapsed. The United Nations, so often hailed as the best hope for peace, struggles to keep opposing parties apart in areas of conflict. Despite its publicized peace efforts, wars abound, whether civil, ethnic, or community. God’s Kingdom government promises to remove present-day warring factions and educate its subjects in the ways of peace.—Isaiah 2:2-4; Daniel 2:44.

Family and Moral Breakdown. Family disintegration is rampant. Juvenile delinquency abounds. Immorality pervades all levels of human society. Yet, God’s standards have remained unchanged from the beginning. Jesus testified that “a man will leave his father and his mother and will stick to his wife, and the two will be one flesh . . . Therefore, what God has yoked together let no man put apart.” (Matthew 19:5, 6) Jehovah God further commanded: “Honor your father and your mother . . . that it may go well with you and you may endure a long time on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2, 3) Such standards will prevail on earth under God’s Kingdom.

Sickness and Death. “Jehovah . . . will save us,” promised the prophet Isaiah, “and no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’” (Isaiah 33:22, 24) “The wages sin pays is death,” acknowledged the Christian apostle Paul, “but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus.”—Romans 6:23.

Jehovah God will remove all these troubles by means of his heavenly government in the hands of his Son, Christ Jesus. However, you may say, ‘This reads like a Utopian dream. To be sure, it would be delightful if it came true, but will it?’

A Present Reality

To many, the possibility of living in a trouble-free paradise right here on earth sounds unrealistically optimistic. If that is how you feel, examine the proof that this will really occur.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are a present-day international community of over five million people who already have a relatively trouble-free environment in their 82,000 congregations spread out in 233 lands. You may visit any of their gatherings, large or small, and what will you find?

(1) A Pleasant, Clean Atmosphere. Commenting on one convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Norwich, England, the football stadium manager said: “The peaceful atmosphere over the four days . . . is catching. You experience a personal calmness that is in complete contrast to that of any other four days in the tense business world and daily life around us. The Witnesses really have something that is different about them and hard to explain.”

A construction industry training adviser who visited the London offices of Jehovah’s Witnesses said: “I was very impressed both by what I saw and heard and was quite overwhelmed by the atmosphere of total peace and tranquillity which exists not only in your buildings but also amongst the [men and women]. I feel that your way of life and happiness has a lot to teach the rest of this troubled world.”

(2) Security and Peace. A columnist for the Journal de Montréal in Canada wrote: “I am not a Witness. But I am a witness to the fact that the Witnesses witness to efficiency and proper behaviour. . . . If they were the only people in the world, we would not at night have to bolt our doors shut and put on the burglar alarm.”

(3) Loyalty to God’s Kingdom government characterizes the Witnesses. Their neutral position unnerves some, though it need not. Their noninvolvement in present-day patch-up political schemes does not stem from a lack of commitment to improving society. Rather, they try to behave in a way that pleases the one who governs through a heavenly government, namely, the earth’s Creator, Jehovah God.

The Witnesses’ beliefs, based entirely on God’s Word, the Bible, prevent them from falling into the trap of becoming a sect or a cult. They take a kindly interest in all other people, of whatever religious persuasion. No, they do not try to force these people to change their viewpoint. They endeavor to imitate their Leader, Christ Jesus, by presenting Scriptural evidence of the trouble-free Paradise that will soon be established on earth.—Matthew 28:19, 20; 1 Peter 2:21.

(4) Spiritual Health and Happiness. Realistically, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not claim to be completely trouble free at this time. This is an impossibility among people who bear the hallmark of inherited sin from Adam. But with the help of God’s holy spirit, they work to develop personal qualities such as “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22, 23) It is their worship of Jehovah through Christ Jesus that unites them and keeps their hopes alive.

Your visit to the Witnesses’ local meeting place will, we trust, convince you that God will transform the earth into a literal paradise.

Gone will be present-day troubles. Even lingering imperfection will gradually disappear as the benefits of Christ’s ransom sacrifice are applied to obedient mankind. Yes, perfect health and happiness can be yours.

Simple preparations will help you enjoy such a prospect. Ask the Witnesses for your personal copy of the book Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life.a With this you can, in a short time, learn what God requires of you so that you too may enjoy life in a trouble-free paradise forever.

[Footnote]

[Blurb on page 10]

The Witnesses’ beliefs, based entirely on the Bible, prevent them from becoming a sect or a cult

[Pictures on page 8, 9]

The groundwork is now being laid for a trouble-free paradise

Soon, a physical paradise will exist earth wide

The Crusades—A ‘Tragic Illusion’

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN ITALY

SOME nine hundred years ago, in 1096, the First Crusade was about to begin. If you had lived in Western Europe then, you might have witnessed large movements of men, wagons, horses, and ships. They were headed for Jerusalem, the holy city, which had been under the control of Muslims since the seventh century C.E.

That was the first of the Crusades. Many historians list eight major ones. These expeditions scarred the history of East-West relations. They were accompanied by massacres and cruelty committed in the name of God and Christ. The last major Crusade began 174 years later, in 1270.

The word “crusade” comes from the Latin word crux, which means “cross.” Members of the many expeditions sewed the symbol of the cross on their clothing.

The Causes

The declared motive for the Crusades was to take Jerusalem and the so-called holy sepulcher from the Muslims. But the causes ran deeper. Except for a few incidents, relations between the professed Christians living in the Middle East and the Muslims had been relatively calm. An important factor that led to the Crusades was the turbulent political, economic, and religious climate that prevailed in Europe.

In the 11th century, new rural lands were being given over to agriculture, in an effort to increase food production. City areas were enjoying new life. The population was growing. However, when a famine plunged large numbers of peasants into poverty, many poured into the cities, where unemployment and misery awaited them. Protests often erupted.

At the top of the social hierarchy were numerous feudal barons. These professional warlords wanted to take advantage of the political vacuum created by the breakup of Charlemagne’s empire and conquer new estates.

The church of Rome was also experiencing a period of turmoil. In 1054 it lost control of the Eastern Church. In addition, many of the clergy were being accused of immorality and of meddling in politics.

The Appeal at Clermont

In this climate the First Crusade was called by Pope Urban II. In his eyes military action to reconquer Jerusalem and Palestine would serve several purposes. It would consolidate the unity of Western Christendom and reaffirm the primacy of the Roman Church. It would provide a vent for perpetual disputes among the upper classes. In exchange for religious and, above all, economic benefits, these would put their military expertise to work for a “noble” cause, becoming the armed wing of the church.

On November 27, 1095, before a council at Clermont, France, Urban launched his appeal. The church painted a dark picture of their foes, as those deserving of divine retribution. Foucher de Chartres, a priest who took part in the First Crusade, said that the war was necessary to defend Eastern “Christians” from Muslims. An immediate remission of sins was promised for those who died on the road or in battle. The feudal lords could thus convert their fratricidal disputes into a “holy” war against the “infidels.” At that council, a cry resounded that was to become the motto of the First Crusade: “God wills it!”

The Two Departures

Once the departure date, August 15, 1096, was fixed, the pope ensured the support of lay lords, to whom military operations were entrusted. The church guaranteed the protection of their estates for the duration of the undertaking. The less well-off were urged to finance the mission with alms.

However, some departed before the established date. This was an untrained and undisciplined mob and included women and children. They were called pauperes Christi (Christ’s paupers). Their goal: Jerusalem. They were led by rabble-rousers, perhaps the most famous of whom was Peter the Hermit, a monk who had begun preaching among the masses toward the end of 1095.

According to medieval chronicler Albert of Aix, Peter had previously traveled to Jerusalem. It was said that one night he had a vision in which Christ exhorted him to go to the patriarch of Jerusalem, who would give him a letter of credentials to take back to the West. Albert said that the dream came true and that after receiving the letter, Peter set out for Rome, where he met the pope. Albert’s account mixes reality with fantasy, but the alleged dreams, visions, and letters were powerful instruments in leading the masses.

The band that gathered around Peter the Hermit left Cologne on April 20, 1096. Not having the means necessary for the sea voyage, the pauperes had to face the long journey to the Holy Land on foot or in dilapidated wagons. Finding themselves almost immediately without food or arms, along the way they began to plunder local populations caught by surprise at the arrival of this undisciplined throng of “soldiers of Christ.”

The first to fall afoul of them were European Jews, accused of lending money to corrupt bishops. Atrocities were committed by the followers of Peter the Hermit against Jews, in places such as Rouen and Cologne, the city of departure. Albert of Aix states that when the Jews at Mainz “saw that the Christians did not spare even their little ones nor had pity on anyone, they threw themselves on their brothers, wives, mothers, and sisters and slew one another. The most heartrending thing was that mothers themselves cut their sucklings’ throats or ran them through, preferring them to die at their own hands rather than be killed by the arms of the uncircumcised.”

Similar episodes were repeated on the journey to the Balkans, en route to Asia Minor. Once the mob reached Constantinople, Emperor Alexius I, to avoid any repetition of such disorders, facilitated the passage of the pauperes onto the Asian shore. There, numerous women and children as well as the sick and the aged were slaughtered by Muslim forces. Only a few survivors succeeded in returning to Constantinople.

In the meantime, during the summer of 1096, trained armies set out. These were headed by famous leaders of the day. The unruly early departure of the pauperes had worried Pope Urban, who made arrangements to regulate the flow to the East. Those setting out now had to demonstrate sufficient means of sustenance. The aim was to limit the participation of women, children, the aged, and the poor.

Conquests and Other Massacres

After rendezvousing at Constantinople, the troops, barons, and surviving pauperes proceeded toward their goal. Again, episodes of violence were perpetrated in the name of God. Chronicler Petrus Tudebodus recounts that during the siege of Antioch, after massacring their enemies, the crusaders “threw all their bodies into a mass grave and brought their severed heads back to [their] camp in order to determine their number, with the exception of four horseloads of those heads, which were sent to the coast, to the emir of Babylon’s ambassadors.”

On July 15, 1099, Jerusalem fell to the crusaders. Raymond of Aguilers narrates: “A horrible spectacle could be seen. Some [of the enemy], the fortunate ones, had been decapitated; others fell from the walls riddled with arrows; many others burned among the flames. Piles of severed heads, hands, and feet could be seen in the streets and squares of the city.” But again, the crusaders tried to justify the violence in the name of religion.

End of an Illusion

The victory gave birth to the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. This institution had a precarious existence because of rivalry that soon erupted between the feudal lords who had established themselves in the East. In the meantime, the Muslims reorganized militarily. It was certainly not their intention to lose territory in Palestine.

In the course of time, other Crusades were mounted, the last in 1270. However, because of defeats, many began to doubt the legitimacy of such enterprises undertaken in the name of religion. If God really approved of these “holy” wars, they thought, he would certainly have favored those who claimed to act with his blessing. Yet, from the 13th century on, church jurists tried to justify such religious wars and the clergy’s role in them.

The ardor that animated the first crusaders waned. More than anything, the continuation of the wars would ultimately damage the economic interests of the West. So the arms were turned on the internal enemies of European Christendom: the Arabs in Spain, the “heretics,” and the pagan peoples of the North.

In 1291 the city of Acre, the last crusader stronghold, fell to the Muslims. Jerusalem and the ‘Holy Sepulcher’ remained in Muslim hands. During two centuries of conflict, economic and political interests had dominated religious questions. Italian historian Franco Cardini observes: “By this time the Crusades had progressively evolved into an intricate political and economic operation, a complex power play involving bishops, abbots, kings, alms collectors, bankers. In this game . . . it was Jesus’ sepulcher that lost all its importance.” Cardini also says: “The history of the Crusades is the history of the biggest mistake, the most complex deceit, the most tragic, and in some ways the most ridiculous, illusion of all Christendom.”

The Lesson Ignored

The Crusades and their failure should have taught that economic greed and desire for political prominence can lead to fanaticism and massacre. But the lesson has been ignored. The evidence lies in the many conflicts that have continued to stain many parts of our planet with blood. In these, religion often serves as a front for abominations.

Not for much longer though. Very soon the spirit that fostered the Crusades and that continues to foster modern-day “holy” wars will pass away along with all false religion and the whole system subject to the domination of Satan.—Psalm 46:8, 9; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 18:4, 5, 24.

[Picture Credit Line on page 12]

The Complete Encyclopedia of Illustration/J. G. Heck

[Pictures on page 15]

Top: Jewish cemetery in Worms, Germany—a reminder of the massacre in the First Crusade

Left: Stone head of a crusader

Far left: The crest of a renowned crusader family

[Credit Line]

Crest and head: Israel Antiquities Authority; photos: Israel Museum, Jerusalem

Life Is Different Down Under

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN AUSTRALIA

“DOWN UNDER” is an English expression that has become known to many in recent years. But under what? It refers to countries under, or below, the equator. In a technical sense, all countries of the Southern Hemisphere could be termed “down under.” However, only Australia and New Zealand are commonly referred to in that way. This article will concentrate on Australia, which name comes from the Latin word australis, meaning “southern.”

Life in Australia is different from life in many lands in the Northern Hemisphere. And it is not only the geographic location that makes it so. There are many other differences that visitors notice.

European Settlement

In 1788, European settlement of this large, sun-drenched country began. A group of sailing ships known as the First Fleet sailed into Sydney Cove. Their passengers were mostly convicts from England, Ireland, and Scotland, who brought with them the English language. For the next 150 years, most immigrants were of British origin.

Following World War II, the immigration pattern changed. Today, there are thousands of “new Australians” from different countries, the largest numbers being from Italy and Greece. The immigrants have broadened the Australian way of life and have brought with them their own languages and distinctive pronunciation of English, as well as their cooking and cultures.

This accounts for the variety of accents heard here. But even those whose families have lived here for many generations have a distinctive accent and way of speaking English. The Australian pronunciation of the English vowels a, e, i, o, u takes on a flat, often indistinct, sound, which may take time to distinguish accurately. Then there are expressions peculiar to Australia. For example, no matter what time of day or night it is, rather than “Good morning” or “Good evening,” the accepted salutation is a friendly “G’day, mate!” Often this is followed by polite talk about one’s health, and the visitor may be asked, “How yer goin’, mate, orright?”

The People Too Are Different

To survive in this rugged land called for adaptability and strength of character. This may account for much of the optimism of many Australians, giving rise to the phrase, “She’ll be right, mate!” This implies that one need not worry so much when things look bleak, as everything should turn out all right eventually.

The foreword to the publication The Australians observes: “It stands to reason that a country which began its life in chains, and two hundred years later has become one of the most dynamic and prosperous of the small nations, must produce some fascinating and diverse characters. . . . They make up . . . The Australians.”

The quality of mateship is regarded by many Australians as having come about by a strong survival instinct over the last two centuries. They like to note the tenacity of Australian soldiers in World War I. Along with New Zealand’s armed forces, these rugged troops were known as Anzacs, an acronym for the combined Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. They also became well-known as “diggers,” but it is uncertain whether this referred to their digging trenches or to digging in the gold fields of Australia, where men flocked during the 1800’s.

Driving—A Major Difference

Visitors from countries where traffic flows on the right-hand side of the road find driving in Australia very different. All over the country, vehicles are driven on the left-hand side of the road.

So if you arrive in Australia from a country where right-hand driving is the norm, your first steps across a busy road may prove hazardous. Your ingrained ‘look to the left, then to the right, and then to the left again’ road-crossing routine could be disastrous. Now you must think, ‘look to the right, then to the left, and then to the right again’ before crossing. Well done! You are learning fast. Oops! You almost got into the car on the wrong side. You forgot that the driver sits on the right-hand side in this country!

Different Weather Patterns

Down under, in relation to the Northern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. Hot, dry winds come from the north and northwest, whereas all the cold changes come from the south. The cold-bearing northerly is never referred to here, but be careful of the icy southerly buster, with its chilling breath and possible snow and blizzards.

Australia is earth’s driest and hottest continent, with temperatures in the dry inland areas reaching 86 degrees Fahrenheit [30°C.]. The highest recorded was 127.6 degrees [53.1°C.]. The lowest was -8 degrees [22°C.], near Mount Kosciusko, Australia’s highest mountain peak, in the Snowy Mountains region.

By Northern Hemisphere standards, it does not get very cold here. For example, consider Melbourne, the capital city of the state of Victoria. Though this city is in the extreme south of Australia, the average daily temperature in the month of July ranges from 43 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit [6 to 13°C.]. Compare this with the average daily January temperature in Beijing, China, 14 to 34 degrees [-10 to +1°C.] or to New York’s 25 to 37 degrees [-4 to +3°C.]. Both cities are at a distance from the equator similar to that of Melbourne. Why is it warmer down under, especially when Australia is close to the coldest place on earth—Antarctica?

The difference is that land masses dominate the Northern Hemisphere but oceans dominate the Southern Hemisphere. Australia and New Zealand are surrounded by thousands of square miles of ocean, which creates a buffer of warmer air against the frigid Antarctic air masses, thus keeping the climate warmer.

Because of the large size of the Australian continent, the variation in climate in different parts is quite marked. In the more southerly states, the seasons are distinct, with winters of clear, cold, or frosty nights, usually followed by pleasant, warm days. These pleasant winter days often resemble the summer temperatures of many countries in the Northern Hemisphere. In the northern states of Australia, however, the year is simply divided into two seasons—the long dry season and the wet season with its monsoonal rains. In Darwin, the capital city of the Northern Territory, the temperature hovers at about 90 degrees Fahrenheit [32°C.].

Other Differences

As a result of the predominantly warm weather on much of the continent, the Australian people are for the most part casual dressers. But wearing a wide-brimmed hat is important. There is a higher incidence of skin cancer here than in more temperate countries because of the greater exposure to sunlight.

As there are still plenty of wide-open spaces in Australia, many picnic areas are set up with facilities for outdoor barbecues. Meat is comparatively inexpensive, so sausages and steak are standard barbecue fare. But are those people standing around the outdoor barbecue giving one another secret hand signals? No, they are just waving their free hand to keep the flies away! Flies and mosquitoes pose quite a problem for outdoor eating, especially in warmer weather.

So, living down under means learning to live with flies and mosquitoes, and most houses have screen doors at the front and the back. In earlier days, people wore hats with several corks hanging from the brim to act as a fly deterrent. Since the advent of insect repellents, such hats are not seen much anymore.

Another difference has to do with the magnificent, colorful flowers and flowering shrubs and trees. The strong fragrance usually noticed in the Northern Hemisphere is absent. Here, the garden-lover must put his nose close to flowers to get the full effect of their fragrance. Of course, this is not true of all Australian flowers. The daphne and the jasmine shrubs, for example, provide a spectacular treat for your nostrils. But generally speaking, blooms have less fragrance here than in colder climes.

Wide-Open Spaces

Space is an aspect of living down under that truly is different. The concept of what is close by or what is far away is different from that in many northern countries. Distances between some townships are so great that one can travel for hours before seeing another town. This is especially so in what is affectionately known as the outback. Here the space and tranquillity is overwhelming, and a visitor can fill his lungs with fresh, unpolluted air. Nearby is a eucalyptus tree, commonly referred to as a gum tree. Gum trees and wattle, or acacia trees, dominate the inland landscape.

As evening approaches, a glorious sunset delights your eyes. But darkness comes with surprising suddenness, for there is very little twilight down under. Soon, a brilliantly clear Southern night sky reveals its multitude of stars, including the famous formation called the Southern Cross. The gum trees are etched against the sky as the wildlife begins its rest, and a stillness engulfs you that seems to accentuate the wide-open space.

Carefully extinguish the campfire before snuggling into your sleeping bag. That is essential, for when fire gets out of control in the Australian bush, it soon becomes a holocaust that respects nothing in its path. The crowns of the gum trees explode in the intense heat, which causes the fire to spread at a frightening speed. In the hot, dry summer months, bushfire is a constant dread of those living near the bushland areas. Fire bans and regulations on lighting fires in the open must be strictly observed.

Soon dawn breaks, and you wake up to noisy laughter as a flock of kookaburras that have spent the night in a nearby gum tree break into happy song. Bemused, you look out of your tent and see other trees teeming with beautifully colored birds. By now you may already have met up with many of them, as well as with other creatures, including kangaroos, koalas, emus, and maybe even a wombat. The ones you are not eager to meet are snakes and spiders. Yes, this continent has some of the most venomous snakes and spiders in the world. But most of these will never be a threat to you if you don’t disturb them.

It’s time for breakfast around the campfire—usually in the form of bacon and eggs and slices of well-toasted bread. The fresh air has given you a good appetite. Then, as you try to enjoy your breakfast among the flies, you begin to reflect on this bush experience, which has given you a glimpse of the vastness of the Australian continent.

Now your travels in this spacious country have ended, and you are returning home. No doubt your experience in getting to know the friendly Australians and their unpretentious manner of living will linger in your memory. Like most visitors, you probably want to come again someday. But there is one conclusion you have undoubtedly reached: Life is different down under!

[Picture Credit Line on page 17]

Parakeet and pink cockatoo: By courtesy of Australian International Public Relations; woman: By courtesy of West Australian Tourist Commission

The Bible’s Viewpoint

Is Asceticism the Key to Wisdom?

“HERMITS donned iron shackles, chains, barbed girdles and spiked collars . . . Others rolled in thorns and nettles, deliberately attracted insect bites, burnt themselves with fire and irritated their injuries to chronic purulence. A starvation diet being a matter of course, some improved on this by eating only rotten or otherwise disgusting food.”—The Saints, by Edith Simon.

These were ascetics. Why did they treat themselves so badly? In the book For the Sake of the World—The Spirit of Buddhist and Christian Monasticism, the authors explain that “ever since the time of Socrates (fifth century B.C.E.) at least, it had been widely understood that a life stripped down to essentials, unencumbered with sensual and material luxuries, was a precondition for genuine wisdom.” Ascetics thought that the mortification of the body would heighten their spiritual sensibility and lead to true enlightenment.

It is difficult to define asceticism precisely. To some, it simply means self-discipline or self-denial. The early Christians valued such virtues. (Galatians 5:22, 23; Colossians 3:5) Jesus Christ himself recommended a simple life unhindered by the anxieties that a materialistic life-style can bring. (Matthew 6:19-33) More often, though, asceticism is associated with much more austere and often extreme measures, such as the ones described above. Are these ascetic practices, especially in their more extreme forms, really the key to wisdom?

Based on False Assumptions

Among the philosophies that have given rise to asceticism is the idea that material things and physical pleasures are bad in themselves and hence barriers to spiritual progress. Another concept that opens the way for asceticism is the widely accepted belief that a human is composed of a body and a soul. Ascetics believe that the material body is the soul’s prison and that flesh is its enemy.

What does the Bible say? The Scriptures show that when God completed his creation of the earth, he declared that everything he had made—all his physical, material creation—was “very good.” (Genesis 1:31) God intended for man and woman in the garden of Eden to enjoy material things. The very name Eden means “Pleasure” or “Delight.” (Genesis 2:8, 9) Adam and Eve were perfect and enjoyed a good relationship with their Creator until they sinned. From that time on, imperfection became a barrier between God and man. Yet, satisfying legitimate human desires or enjoying God-given physical pleasures when done in harmony with God’s moral laws could never create a communication barrier between God and his worshipers!—Psalm 145:16.

Additionally, the Bible clearly teaches that man, created from the dust and made of flesh, is a soul. The Scriptures support neither the notion that the soul is some kind of immaterial and immortal entity bound up inside the physical body nor the idea that somehow the flesh prevents one from having a close relationship with God.—Genesis 2:7.

Clearly, the concept of asceticism paints a distorted picture of man’s relationship with God. The apostle Paul warned that some professed Christians would prefer deceptive human philosophies to basic Bible truths. (1 Timothy 4:1-5) Regarding some who held this opinion, a religious historian says: “The belief that matter was evil . . . and that men’s soul must be freed from entanglement with matter, induced a severe asceticism forbidding the eating of meat, sexual intercourse and so on, which could be followed only by the elite ‘perfect ones’ or perfecti who underwent special initiation.” This way of thinking has no Biblical support and was not the belief of early Christians.—Proverbs 5:15-19; 1 Corinthians 7:4, 5; Hebrews 13:4.

No Need for Asceticism

Jesus and his disciples were not ascetics. They endured various trials and tribulations, but these tribulations were never self-inflicted. The apostle Paul warned Christians to be careful lest deceptive human philosophies seduce them from the truth of God’s Word and lead them into unreasonable, extreme practices. Paul specifically mentioned “a severe treatment of the body.” He said: “Those very things are, indeed, possessed of an appearance of wisdom in a self-imposed form of worship and mock humility, a severe treatment of the body; but they are of no value in combating the satisfying of the flesh.” (Colossians 2:8, 23) Asceticism does not lead to special holiness or real enlightenment.

True, the course of Christian obedience implies vigorous exertion and self-discipline. (Luke 13:24; 1 Corinthians 9:27) One must work hard to acquire the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:1-6) Also, the Bible has strong admonition against being enslaved to “desires and pleasures” and being “lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.” (Titus 3:3; 2 Timothy 3:4, 5) However, these Scriptural passages do not endorse the practice of asceticism. Jesus Christ, a perfect man, enjoyed pleasurable occasions that included food, drink, music, and dance.—Luke 5:29; John 2:1-10.

True wisdom is reasonable, not extreme. (James 3:17) Jehovah God created our physical bodies with the capacity to enjoy many pleasures in life. He wants us to be happy. His Word tells us: “I have come to know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good during one’s life; and also that every man should eat and indeed drink and see good for all his hard work. It is the gift of God.”—Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13.

[Picture Credit Line on page 20]

Saint Jerome in the Cavern/The Complete Woodcuts of Albrecht Dürer/Dover Publications, Inc.

Crossword Puzzle

Clues Across

1. What some called Jesus because of his trade (Mark 6:3)

5. A Christian in Rome whose mother was so dear to Paul that Paul called her his own mother (Romans 16:13)

8. One of the prominent men of the Anakim, whose extraordinary size frightened 10 of the 12 Israelite spies (Numbers 13:22)

9. Earlier than the present time (Hebrews 1:1)

10. The amount of olive oil used in making the holy anointing oil (Exodus 30:24)

11. What will happen to “the very name of the wicked ones” (Proverbs 10:7)

12. One of six wives by whom David had sons while reigning in Hebron (2 Samuel 3:4)

15. The place where Jacob’s funeral cortege stopped for seven days of mourning before his burial in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 50:10)

17. A court official ordered by King Ahasuerus to bring Queen Vashti into his presence (Esther 1:10)

20. A family of the tribe of Asher (Numbers 26:44)

22. Impressively large (2 Samuel 18:9)

24. Situations causing distress (Daniel 9:25)

26. Chief (Jude 9)

27. This daughter of Caleb was offered in marriage as a prize to whoever would capture the stronghold of Debir (Joshua 15:16)

30. Jehovah said he was both beginning and this (Revelation 21:6)

32. It took three of these to make one of number 10 across (2 Kings 6:25)

34. A son of Jether of the tribe of Asher (1 Chronicles 7:38)

35. A place inhabited by Arabs in King Uzziah’s time (2 Chronicles 26:7)

36. Ways out of an enclosed place (Ezekiel 44:5)

37. The traditional garment of mourning (Genesis 37:34)

Clues Down

1. Declining David’s invitation, Barzillai recommended that this son take his place in the royal court (2 Samuel 19:37)

2. Because he disclosed he was this, Paul gained exemption from being scourged (Acts 22:24-29)

3. The place where King Saul consulted a spirit medium (1 Samuel 28:7)

4. What the Romans, in mockery, put in Jesus’ right hand (Matthew 27:29)

5. This former prostitute became an ancestress of Jesus (Matthew 1:5)

6. Sharp-edged stone used by Moses’ wife to circumcise her son (Exodus 4:25)

7. It is out of what is written in these that resurrected people will be judged (Revelation 20:12)

8. His name means “Resister” (Zechariah 3:1)

12. What you must not do regarding an accusation against an “older man” unless it is substantiated by two or three witnesses (1 Timothy 5:19)

13. He arrested Jeremiah on the false charge of intending to desert to the Babylonians (Jeremiah 37:13, 14)

14. Solemn pronouncements of evil (2 Chronicles 34:24)

16. Because of Achan’s sin, the Israelites suffered defeat by the men of this city (Joshua 7:4, 5)

18. The seventh letter of the Greek alphabet

19. A sheikh of Edom (Genesis 36:40)

21. A capable person who does not want to work should not be allowed to do this (2 Thessalonians 3:10)

22. Amount (Luke 6:38)

23. Because he was wicked, this son of Judah was put to death by Jehovah (Genesis 38:7)

24. Listening to Ezra, this son of Bani dismissed his foreign wife (Ezra 10:29)

25. Failure to keep it was punishable by death (Exodus 31:14, 15)

28. Father of Mibhar, one of David’s mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:38)

29. Units of land (Isaiah 5:10)

31. A Persian gold coin (Ezra 8:27)

32. A city mentioned by the Assyrians when boasting of their conquests (Isaiah 10:9)

33. To cross (John 7:3)

Crossword Solutions Page 27

Solutions Across

1. CARPENTER

5. RUFUS

8. SHESHAI

9. AGO

10. HIN

11. ROT

12. ABITAL

15. ATAD

17. MEHUMAN

20. IMNITES

22. MASSIVE

24. STRAITS

26. ARCH

27. ACHSAH

30. END

32. CAB

34. ARA

35. GURBAAL

36. EXITS

37. SACKCLOTH

Solutions Down

1. CHIMHAM

2. ROMAN

3. ENDOR

4. REED

5. RAHAB

6. FLINT

7. SCROLLS

8. SATAN

12. ADMIT

13. IRIJAH

14. CURSES

16. AI

18. ETA

19. ALVAH

21. EAT

22. MEASURE

23. ER

24. SHEAL

25. SABBATH

28. HAGRI

29. ACRES

31. DARIC

32. CALNO

33. PASS

Tapping Clouds

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN SOUTH AMERICA

RESEARCHERS working in Chile have successfully adapted an ancient Arab technique that draws out water from fog. “Olive trees in the deserts of Oman,” explains the newsletter Health InterAmerica, “have been nourished for centuries from fog water which collects on the leaves and drips into small tanks built at the foot of the trees.” Instead of olive trees, the researchers put up large nets in mountainous desert areas that are regularly covered with fog blown in from the ocean. The nets, which look like giant volleyball nets, catch water droplets from the fog. These drip into a gutter that empties into a pipeline, which transports the water to a storage tank.

Chungungo, a tiny village that sits in Chile’s north coastal desert, has proved that the system works. Fourteen years ago, says IDRC Reports, a magazine published by Canada’s International Development Research Centre, Chungungo’s inhabitants had no local source of fresh water. Trucks brought in 1,300 gallons [5,000 L] a day, and each family had to get by on 1 to 4 gallons [3-14 L] a day. Today, however, thanks to the 75 fog-collecting nets installed in the mountains above the village, an amazing 2,900 gallons [11,000 L] of water is flowing into Chungungo, providing each villager with 8 gallons [30 L] of water a day. Researcher Dr. Robert Schemenauer, a cloud physicist, says that the fog-catchment system has given a boost to the villagers’ health. “Everyone is eating vegetables and fruits from their own gardens and orchards.”

Fog water is not only healthy but inexpensive as well. An average installation, says Dr. Schemenauer, costs about $75,000 (U.S.) compared with the millions of dollars needed to build a dam. Researchers say that though many other arid places around the world could benefit from this system, international agencies have been slow to recognize this alternative approach to water supply.

[Pictures on page 23]

Left: Nets on mountaintop that gather water droplets from fog

Below: A close-up of the net

[Credit Line]

Photos: IDRC

Secrets of Animal Slumber

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN KENYA

SLEEP—we spend about a third of our lives in that restful state. Far from being a waste of time, sleep appears to meet a number of important physiological and psychological needs. Sleep can thus be viewed as a precious gift from God.—Compare Psalm 127:2.

Not surprisingly, sleep also plays an important role in the animal world. Indeed, many species go about catching shut-eye in ways that are fascinating, sometimes amusing, and often unusual. Let’s look at a few examples.

Champions of Sleep

Anyone who has ever seen a lion sleeping belly up with paws reaching toward the sky in the hot midday African sun might well conclude that this fierce feline is as tame as a house cat. Looks are deceiving, however. The 17th-century writer Thomas Campion wrote: “Who a sleeping lion dares provoke?” Yes, even the mighty lion needs sleep—about 20 hours a day—in order to carry out its predatory life-style.

Consider, too, the tuatara, a lethargic lizardlike animal found in New Zealand. It spends about half the year in a state of light hibernation. Why, the tuatara is so sluggish that it even falls asleep while chewing its food! But all that sleep evidently does it some good, for scientists estimate that some tuataras can live about 100 years!

Like the fictional Rip Van Winkle, other creatures also sleep for long periods of time. It is the way many of them survive cold winters. In preparation, the animal builds large layers of fat that will keep it nourished during its long period of sleep. What, though, prevents the slumbering animal from freezing to death? As the book Inside the Animal World explains, the brain triggers chemical changes in the animal’s blood, creating a kind of natural antifreeze. As the creature’s body temperature drops to just above freezing, its heartbeat falls to a fraction of its normal pace; its breathing slows down. A deep sleep then ensues, and it can last for many weeks.

Sleeping ‘on the Wing’?

Some animals sleep in very unusual ways. Consider the seabird called the sooty tern. When a young sooty tern leaves its nest, it heads out to sea and stays in constant flight for the next few years! Since it is not equipped with waterproof plumage and it does not have webbed feet such as those of other terns that can make a water landing, the sooty tern avoids being submerged in the sea. It hunts by scooping small fish from the surface of the water.

But when does it sleep? Says the book Water, Prey, and Game Birds of North America: “It seems unlikely that they sleep on the ocean since their feathers would get waterlogged. Some scientists suggest that these birds may sleep on the wing.”

Underwater Siesta

Do fish sleep? According to The World Book Encyclopedia, among vertebrates “only reptiles, birds, and mammals experience true sleep, with changes in brain wave patterns.” Even so, fish do enjoy sleeplike periods of rest—though most cannot close their eyes.

Some fish sleep on their sides; others, upside down or vertically. Some flatfish, like the flounder, dwell on the bottom of the seabed while awake. When asleep, they assume a floating position a few inches off the bottom.

The colorful parrot fish has a unique bedtime routine: It dons a “nightgown.” As its period of rest comes near, it secretes a mucus, or slime, that completely encloses its body. The purpose? “Presumably to keep predators from detecting [it],” says nature-writer Doug Stewart. It breaks out of its slimy garment when it awakens.

Seals likewise have an interesting bedtime routine called bottling. They inflate their throats like a balloon, creating a sort of natural life jacket. Buoyed up in this way, they can sleep as they float vertically in the water with their noses exposed at the surface for breathing.

Keeping One Eye Open

Of course, going to sleep in the wild makes an animal more vulnerable to predators. Many creatures thus sleep with one eye open, so to speak. Their brains maintain a level of alertness during sleep, allowing them to respond to any sounds that spell danger. Yet other creatures survive by making regular safety checks. For example, birds sleeping in a flock will periodically open an eye and peek, checking for danger.

Herds of antelope or zebras in Africa likewise look out for one another during rest periods. Sometimes the entire herd will laze on the ground with their heads upright in a state of alertness. Periodically, one animal will roll over on its side and lay limp on the ground in a deep sleep. After a few minutes, another member of the flock takes its turn.

Elephants similarly sleep as a herd. The adults, however, usually remain on their feet and sleep lightly, opening their eyes from time to time, lifting and spreading their huge ears to catch any sounds of danger. Under the shadow of these huge watchmen, the smaller calves are free to lay flat on their sides and fall into a deep sleep. In her book Elephant Memories, writer Cynthia Moss recalls seeing an entire herd go to sleep: “First the young calves, then the older ones, and finally the adult females all lay down and went to sleep. In the moonlight they looked like huge gray boulders, but their deep, peaceful snoring belied the image.”

We still have much to learn about the sleep habits of animals. But when you consider the relatively little that we do know, are you not moved to reflect on the awesome wisdom of the One who “created all things”?—Revelation 4:11.

Help for Aching Feet

“MY FEET are killing me!” Obviously, that is an overstatement. Nevertheless, the problem of aching feet is serious enough in the United States to keep thousands of foot specialists in business.

After reviewing more than 2,000 foot operations he performed over a 14-year period, Dr. Michael Coughlin, an orthopedic surgeon, made a startling discovery. “Incredibly,” he says, “I found that nearly all these operations were on women.” Why are women especially prone to foot problems?

Fit, Fashion, and Feet

A survey of 356 women found that almost 9 out of 10 wore shoes that were, on the average, more than a full size too narrow for their feet! Part of the problem lies in the way women’s shoes are made. “Shoemakers no longer use the split lasts that could make a narrow heel and a wider forefoot,” explains orthopedic surgeon Francesca Thompson.a

Thus, when trying on shoes, many women find that when the front fits comfortably, the heel is loose; but when the heel is comfortable, the front is tight. Others opt for a comfortable heel with a tight front, as the alternative could mean slipping out of the heel with each step.

Squeezing the front part of the foot into a narrow toe box seems bad enough. But then designers raise the shoe’s heel a few inches. Though considered fashionable, a high heel puts all the pressure on the ball of the foot, and it forces the foot forward into a toe box that may already be too narrow. “There’s no such thing as a healthy, high-heeled shoe,” claims Dr. David Garrett, a podiatrist. Some say that high heels can eventually damage the wearer’s feet, ankles, calves, knees, and back. They can also shorten leg muscles and tendons, which can make runners particularly susceptible to serious injuries.

A woman’s foot does not adapt well to the abuse it suffers. In fact, over the years the front of the foot only tends to widen—even after a person reaches adulthood. But not so with the heel. “The heel has only one bone,” says Dr. Thompson, “and that stays as narrow at age 84 as it was at 14.” This makes it even more difficult for a woman to find a shoe that fits comfortably from heel to toe.

Shopping Tips

With the fit and fashion of their shoes working against them, how can women prevent aching feet? The answer begins in the shoe store. Some experts recommend the following:

● Shop for shoes toward the end of the day, when your feet are slightly larger.

● Try on both shoes—not just one.

● Make sure that the heel is snug and that the length, width, and height of the toe box is sufficient.

● Consider that the store may have a heavily padded carpet, making even ill-fitting shoes feel momentarily comfortable.

● Avoid shoes made of patent leather or synthetic materials. Unlike soft leather or suede, such materials do not give as you walk.

● If you buy shoes with high heels, try leather insoles for further padding. Consider wearing heels only part of the time, switching to lower heels occasionally throughout the day.

In addition to the above, always remember that shoes should feel comfortable at the time of purchase. Contrary to popular belief, there is no break-in period. “Never, never let the salesman convince you that the pinching shoe will feel better after you break it in,” warns Dr. Coughlin. “The only thing that will get broken is your foot.”

But what if your only options are a tight front with a comfortable heel or a comfortable front with a loose heel? Dr. Annu Goel, a podiatrist, says you should decide which is easier to correct. “There are two ways to do this,” she says. “First, you can buy shoes that are wide enough up front and insert pads to make the heel snugger. . . . The second strategy is to buy a shoe with a snug heel and have the front part of the shoe stretched. But generally this works only with shoes made of leather.”

Since many women walk an estimated ten miles [15 km] a day, they would do well to examine their footwear. As American Health magazine says, “by treating feet with more respect—especially by wearing shoes that fit—you can prevent most foot problems from ever occurring.”

[Footnote]

[Box on page 26]

Four Common Foot Problems

Bunions. A bunion is a bump at the base of the big toe. When not hereditary, bunions may be caused by tight-fitting or high-heeled shoes. Application of heat or ice can provide temporary relief of pain, but surgery is needed for permanent removal of a bunion.

Hammertoes. Toes bent downward may be caused by shoes that put too much pressure on the front of the foot. Surgery may be required to correct the deformity.

Corns. Cone-shaped bumps on the toes, caused by friction and pressure, sometimes result from wearing shoes that are too narrow. Home remedies may give temporary relief, but surgery is usually necessary to correct the deformed toes that cause friction.

Calluses. Layers of thick, dead skin protect the foot from repetitive friction. Soaking in warm water and Epsom salts can soften them. But do not attempt to cut them, as this may invite infection.

[Picture Credit Line on page 26]

The Complete Encyclopedia of Illustration/J. G. Heck

Watching the World

Endangered Species

In Germany the Federal Minister for the Environment, Angela Merkel, publicly voiced her concern at the high percentage of species that are endangered in that land. Announcing the release of a book on the environment, published by the ministry, Merkel disclosed some disturbing statistics. Experts estimate that of the vertebrates native to Germany, “40 percent of all mammals, 75 percent of reptiles, 58 percent of amphibians, 64 percent of freshwater fishes, and 39 percent of birds are endangered species,” reports the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Plants fare no better, with 26 percent of all species being endangered. Past efforts to reduce the danger to the natural environment have not been adequate. Merkel called for “a new strategy for the protection of nature.”

Protecting Children From Kidnappers

Parents in Germany are increasingly concerned about the safety of their children, especially because of a recent rash of kidnappings of girls in that country. According to the Nassauische Neue Presse, Julius Niebergall, a therapist with the German Association for the Protection of Children, suggested some precautionary measures. For example, parents could point out to their children certain locations on the way to and from school—a store or a house—where they can seek help in an emergency. Young ones must also be taught not to talk to strangers or allow strangers to touch them. Niebergall stressed that “children have to learn that they are allowed to say no,” even to adults. Especially when under the threat of a potential kidnapper, children ought to appeal to other adults. “Please help me. I am afraid of this man,” is what they could be taught to say.

Violent Passengers

Commercial airlines report a sharp increase in violent behavior on the part of irate passengers. Upset by things such as delayed flights and missing luggage, passengers “spit on flight attendants, fling food trays and sometimes strike employees. On occasion, they even attack pilots,” reports The New York Times. Officials are especially concerned about such attacks taking place on planes in the air, as these can result in crashes. One airline reports about 100 cases of verbal or physical assault every month. The Times says that “disruptive passengers come in both sexes, varied colors, many ages and are equally obnoxious in economy, business or first class. About one in every three has been drinking.”

Female Mutilation Continues

Female genital mutilation (FGM) continues to be a problem in many countries, particularly in Africa, according to The Progress of Nations 1996, a yearly report published by the United Nations. Although several countries have enacted laws against this brutal practice, about two million girls are mutilated every year. The victims are mostly between the ages of 4 and 12. “Apart from the immediate fear and pain, the consequences can include prolonged bleeding, infection, infertility, and death,” says the report. (For more information on FGM, see the April 8, 1993, issue of Awake!, pages 20-3.)

Canine Help for Epileptics

In England dogs are being trained to warn epilepsy sufferers of an impending epileptic fit. This would allow the patient sufficient time to prepare for the attack, reports The Times of London. “As a result of rewarding the dog for barking during a fit,” explains the manager of a charity specializing in training dogs for disabled people, “he has tapped into the signs and symptoms exhibited by the sufferer immediately prior to the seizure. Knowing that such a response is going to result in a reward, the dog becomes acutely sensitive to such signs.”

New Attitudes in Japan

The Japan Youth Institute recently conducted a survey among 1,000 high school students in Japan, reports The Daily Yomiuri. The survey revealed that 65.2 percent of the students see nothing wrong with skipping classes. Almost 80 percent feel the same way about disobeying teachers, and about 85 percent of the students condone disobedience to parents. According to The Daily Yomiuri, the same survey showed that 25.3 percent of the girls think that engaging in prostitution while still in school should be a matter of personal choice.

Dangerous Driving Habits

● “Fifty percent of all traffic deaths in Brazil are caused by drinking,” states the newspaper Gazeta do Povo of Curitiba, Brazil. Drunken driving causes “more than 26,000 deaths every year.” These accidents “occur mostly on short trips and in good weather.” Although a drunken driver may feel confident, his capacity to react quickly is reduced, thus endangering his own safety and that of others on the road. Tests show that under the influence of alcohol, it is difficult, even impossible, to handle unexpected situations. According to the newspaper, elimination of alcohol through metabolism may take from six to eight hours and neither strong coffee nor a cold bath will help a drunken driver to drive safely.

● According to a British survey, the average motorist makes 50 serious errors a week. Overall, the 300 drivers surveyed admitted to being careless at least once on 98 percent of their journeys, reports The Times of London. In 1 out of 2 journeys, they experienced feelings of anger. The risk most drivers take is speeding, and over half said they had been involved in an accident. Research in Toronto, Canada, suggests that drivers using a car phone while driving are four times more likely to have an accident. The danger is highest within the first ten minutes after a call has begun, likely because the driver is distracted and his reaction time is correspondingly slower.

Cooking—A Dying Art?

According to a 12-month study of eating habits in the Australian state of Queensland, cooking may become a dying art. The Courier Mail reports that most people under 25 years of age do not have the skills necessary to cook their own meals. Public-health lecturer Margaret Wingett, the author of the study, said that in times past young people—mainly girls—would learn to cook either at home from their mothers or at school. But nowadays it seems that most young people, including girls, do not know how to cook and do not appear interested in learning. Many prefer prepackaged or convenience foods. Some believe that such dietary habits can lead to an increase in hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.

Radioactive Buildings

According to Asiaweek magazine, “105 buildings accounting for 1,249 apartments are contaminated” with radioactivity in northern Taiwan. This was discovered by an employee of a power company who was demonstrating to his son how a radiation monitor works. While taking a reading in their kitchen, he was shocked to see the indicator jump into the danger zone. A further investigation was made, confirming that the apartment building and others were contaminated. Tests showed that the radiation was emanating from steel reinforcing bars in the building walls. Authorities are not in agreement as to how the radioactivity got into the steel.

High-Tech Antitheft Devices

The microdot, once favored by spies for sending secret messages, has been put to use in Britain to help prevent burglary. The dots, each no bigger than a period, contain a household’s postal code 60 or 70 times and are used to mark possessions that could attract thieves. The Times of London reports that the dots “come suspended in a heavy-duty adhesive in a bottle with a brush, similar to a pot of nail varnish. Each contains up to 1,000 microdots and the buyer can delicately blob or coat his item as he wishes.” The potential thief is warned by a prominent label and can never be sure he has removed all the hidden dots. Likewise, a computer chip, developed to identify Vietnam War fighter-pilot casualties, now identifies paintings, sculptures, or furniture. No bigger than a grain of rice, the chip when inserted proves undetectable and holds details such as history, description, and ownership, which can be read by a scanner. This information can help establish the rightful owners of items that are found in the possession of criminals, notes The Times.

From Our Readers

Managing Finances I am very grateful for the series “How Can You Manage Your Finances?” (December 22, 1996) I was spending too much money and had little self-control. After reading the articles, though, I began controlling my expenditures. Now when my eyes desire something, I ask myself whether I really need what I see.

J. B., Brazil

My husband has been unemployed for five months, and we have three children to care for. So I began to apply some of the suggestions made in the articles. I got a notebook, drew some columns, and made up a budget. In this way we have been able to manage our money for the last three months and still have a little left for unexpected occasions. Budgeting really works!

L. S., Czech Republic

Facing Trials I feel impelled to comment on the article “Strengthened to Face Trials Ahead.” (December 22, 1996) I was touched by the way Edward Michalec persevered through some of the most difficult situations. His love of Jehovah, his fellowman, and the truth were clearly evident by his faithful conduct and patient endurance.

K. B., United States

Maggy’s Ordeal Thank you for publishing the article “Maggy’s Ordeal and My Blessing.” (December 22, 1996) I found it hard to hold back my tears as I read about the sacrifice this mother made during the final days of her life so that her daughter could be born healthy. I also appreciated her husband’s comment that his pain gradually lessened as he spoke about the loss of his wife—a subject we may tend to avoid when we talk with relatives of the deceased. I hope to get to know Maggy in the resurrection.

L. S. C., Spain

The article demonstrates how we in the congregation can show real concern for one another. Fellow Christians supplied Maggy’s husband with food for months on end and also gave him clothing for his baby. What a lesson for us to do more than simply send a card or make a call on the telephone!

P. L., United States

I want to thank you for this article with all my heart. My wife died in a traffic accident three weeks after the death of Maggy, leaving me with eight children. I understand the pain that Lorne Wilkins felt and must still feel. Thank you for publishing such experiences for us. Truly they are a support and encouragement for all those who go through such ordeals.

B. B., France

Best Friend Moves I want to express my deep appreciation for the article “Young People Ask . . . Why Did My Best Friend Move Away?” (December 22, 1996) It arrived at the right time. Soon, one of my friends will move away; she and her husband are going to serve in a congregation where there is a need for more preachers. Despite being very happy for her, I know that I will miss her greatly. Thank you for your excellent advice.

R. A., Italy

You cannot imagine how much the article moved me when our circuit overseer, traveling minister, left us to serve a new area. He had cared so much for my spiritual and emotional needs. Just as the photograph in the article illustrated, saying good-bye was a painful experience. How timely your suggestions are in helping me to cope with the loneliness.

J. D., Nigeria

Who Is the Parent? Who Is the Child?

A PSYCHOLOGIST in California, U.S.A., laments the degree to which parental authority has been eroded in recent years. “In my office,” she writes, “I have witnessed countless discussions between parents and children that were conducted as if between two adults, not a child and a parent. Negotiations worthy of our largest corporations have been carried out about everything from bedtime to allowance to household responsibilities. At times it has been hard to know who is the parent and who is the child.”

The Bible provides balanced counsel for parents. It warns them about the danger of being so strict that they irritate their child, perhaps making the child depressed and downhearted. (Colossians 3:21) But it also cautions parents against the other extreme—being overly permissive, abdicating their authority. Proverbs 29:15 states: “A boy let on the loose will be causing his mother shame.” Another Bible proverb says: “If one is pampering one’s servant from youth on, in his later life he will even become a thankless one.” (Proverbs 29:21) Although this scripture refers to a servant, the principle fittingly applies to children as well.

Parents who deprive their children of needed guidance and discipline ultimately pay a heavy price—a household that is out of control. How much better it is to apply the Bible’s counsel! True, doing so requires effort, but it can bring lifelong benefits. The Bible says: “Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.”—Proverbs 22:6.

What Bible Tracts Can Accomplish

In the city of Golitsino, near Moscow, Russia, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses gave the tract Enjoy Family Life to a woman pushing a baby carriage. The Witness walked on, but soon he heard the woman’s voice calling to get his attention. She was running to catch up with him, all the while pushing her baby carriage.

The woman said that she was interested in learning more, so the Witness gave her two more tracts on Bible topics. He also gave her his phone number so that she could contact him later. That same evening she called and arrangements were made for her to have a weekly home Bible study. Within only seven months, both she and her sister made a dedication to serve God and were baptized.

If you would like to read the Bible tracts Enjoy Family Life, Comfort for the Depressed, Who Really Rules the World?, and Life in a Peaceful New World, please write to Watchtower, 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483, or to the address nearest you that is listed on page 5.