September 22

Page Two

War—Will It Ever End? 3-9

Twentieth-century history shows that humans have become expert in the craft of war. Yet, the Bible promises that global peace will soon be a reality. How will it come about?

How Can I Cope With Injustice? 10

It is only natural to feel hurt and angry when you have been mistreated. Where can you turn for help?

“Your Daughter Has Diabetes!” 20

Read how ten-year-old Sonya and her family coped with the disease.

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COVER: Jet: USAF photo; Aircraft carrier: U.S. Navy photo

The Tragedy of War

AT THE Imperial War Museum in London, England, visitors are intrigued by a unique clock and digital counter. This clock does not keep time. Its purpose is to help people grasp the magnitude of a central feature of this century—war. As the hand of the clock rotates, the counter adds another number to its tally every 3.31 seconds. Each number represents a man, woman, or child who has died as a result of war during the 20th century.

The counter began its work in June 1989. At midnight on December 31, 1999, the counting will end. It will then register one hundred million, a conservative estimate of the number of those who have died in war during the past 100 years.

Imagine—one hundred million people! That is more than double the population of England. Yet, that statistic reveals nothing about the terror and pain experienced by the victims. Neither does it describe the suffering of the loved ones of those who died—the countless millions of mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, widows and orphans. What the statistic does tell us is this: Ours has been by far the most destructive century in all human history; its savagery is unparalleled.

The history of the 20th century also shows to what extent humans have become expert in the craft of killing. Throughout history the development of new weapons went slowly until the 20th century, which has produced an avalanche of weapons. When the first world war began in 1914, the armies of Europe included men on horseback, armed with lances. Today, with the help of satellite sensors and computerized guidance systems, missiles can deliver death to any part of the earth, with astonishing accuracy. The intervening years have seen the development and perfecting of guns, tanks, submarines, warplanes, biological and chemical weapons and, of course, “the bomb.”

Ironically, mankind has become so good at making war that war is now a game that humanity can no longer afford to play. Like the fictional story of Frankenstein, in which a monster destroys its maker, war threatens to destroy those who gave it such great power. Can this monster be controlled or abolished? The following articles will examine this question.

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U.S. National Archives photo

U.S. Coast Guard photo

By Courtesy of the Imperial War Museum

What Is the Future of War?

“OVER the course of 4000 years of experiment and repetition, warmaking has become a habit,” observed military historian John Keegan. Will the habit be broken? Countless lives have been sacrificed in combat. Extraordinary energy and immense resources have fueled the making of war. For millenniums, brilliant minds have been committed to finding new and better ways to kill and destroy. Do humans demonstrate the same enthusiasm for the promoting of peace? Hardly! Yet, many cautiously reason that there is some basis for optimism.

The Perception That War Is Folly

That optimism is grounded on the belief that civilized people no longer view war as they once did. In the 13th century, Mongol warrior Genghis Khan reportedly said: “Happiness lies in conquering one’s enemies, in driving them in front of oneself, in taking their property, in savoring their despair, in outraging their wives and daughters.”

One can hardly imagine a world leader making a similar statement today! The book A History of Warfare states: “It is scarcely possible anywhere in the world today to raise a body of reasoned support for the opinion that war is a justifiable activity.” War is no longer widely viewed as natural, instinctive, glorious, or noble. The carnage of 20th-century wars has left humanity with a sense of dread and loathing over what war does. One source reasoned that this antipathy toward violence has led to the abolishment of capital punishment in many countries and has fostered a sympathy toward those who refuse to take part in military activities.

Repugnance to the slaughter is not the only factor that has changed attitudes. There is also the important matter of self-preservation. So great is the destructive power of modern weapons, both nuclear and conventional, that any war between the major powers of today would bring the risk of mutual obliteration. To initiate a large-scale war is mad, suicidal. It is this conviction, argue many, that has prevented nuclear war for over 50 years.

There is another reason why some people think differently about the future. Large-scale war is perceived as folly not only because everything can be lost but also because so little can be won. The economic argument against the likelihood of major war is this: The rich and powerful nations of the world benefit immensely through economic cooperation. The material advantages these nations enjoy during peace cannot be matched by any that war might bring. Thus, there is good reason for the strong nations to maintain peace with one another. What is more, it is in their interests to join forces to curb any conflicts between lesser powers that threaten the economic status quo.

Global Efforts to Bring Peace

The desire to end war is expressed in the preamble to the charter of the United Nations. There we read of the determination of the member states “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime [with the two world wars] has brought untold sorrow to mankind.” That determination to save future generations from war was expressed in the notion of collective security—the idea that nations should unite against any state defined as an aggressor. Thus, if any nation wanted to start a war, it would face the wrath of the international community.

Though the idea is simple and logical in theory, applying it has been another matter. The Encyclopædia Britannica states: “Although collective security, in somewhat different forms, played a prominent part in the League of Nations Covenant and is embodied in the United Nations Charter, it has completely failed in both cases. Failing an international government capable of ultimately determining the issues, nations have not managed to agree on an unequivocal definition of aggression, have not in practice accepted the principle that aggression must be acted against independently of the identity of the perpetrator, and, therefore, have not established the international collective security force envisaged in the Charter.”

Nevertheless, the idea of creating a supranational body to promote peace was something new in human affairs. To many who yearn for peace, the UN peacekeeper, in blue beret, remains a symbol of hope. They share the sentiments of the journalist who applauded “the concept of the soldier of peace, who is sent to an area of conflict, not to wage war, but to promote peace, not to fight enemies, but to help friends.”

For decades the Cold War divided the UN into two power blocs, each inclined to thwart whatever the other wished to do. Though the end of the Cold War has not eradicated conflict, distrust, and suspicion between nations, many believe that the political landscape now offers unprecedented opportunities for the UN to act as it was intended to.

Other developments of the 20th century also give hope to those who yearn for peace. For example, the goal of international diplomacy is to resolve conflict peacefully. Humanitarian aid helps nations to rehabilitate other nations and helps peoples torn by war. Peacemaking and humanitarianism have both become components of foreign policy. Those who promote peace are honored.

The Face of Future War

Any feelings of optimism, however, must be balanced with some grim realities. When the Cold War ended in 1989, many expressed confidence in a peaceful world order. Still, war continued. During the next seven years, an estimated 101 conflicts raged in various places. Most were wars not between states but within states. They were fought by opposing groups with unsophisticated weapons. In Rwanda, for example, much of the killing was done with machetes.

Often, the modern battlefields are towns and villages, and there is little or no distinction between combatants and civilians. Michael Harbottle, director of the Centre for International Peacebuilding, wrote: “Whereas in the past the causes of conflict may have been fairly predictable, today they are much more complex and much more difficult to control. The degree of violence which accompanies them is unbelievable and totally irrational. Civilian inhabitants are as much in the firing line as the fighters.” Such low-tech conflict shows little sign of fading away.

Meanwhile, in the rich nations of the earth, high-tech weapon development continues apace. Sensors—whether deployed in the air, in space, in the ocean, or on the ground—enable a modern army to see more quickly and clearly than ever before, even in difficult terrain, such as jungles. Once sensors spot a target, missiles, torpedoes, or laser-guided bombs can hit it—often with amazing accuracy. As the new technologies are perfected and integrated, “distance warfare” moves toward reality, enabling an army to see everything, hit everything, and destroy much that an enemy has.

In considering the prospect of future war, we should not forget the menacing presence of nuclear weapons. The Futurist magazine predicts: “The continuing proliferation of atomic weapons makes it increasingly likely that we shall have one or more atomic wars during the next 30 years. In addition, atomic weapons may be used by terrorists.”

What Is the Problem?

What has frustrated efforts to achieve global peace? An obvious factor is that the human family is disunited. Humanity is fragmented into nations and cultures that distrust, hate, or fear one another. There are conflicting values, perceptions, and goals. Furthermore, use of military power has for millenniums been seen as a legitimate way to pursue national interests. After acknowledging this situation, a report from the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College stated: “To many, this implied that peace would only come with world government.”

Some have felt that the United Nations might be that government. But the UN was never intended to be a world government with power beyond that of its member nations. It is only as strong as its member nations allow it to be. Suspicion and disagreement continue between those nations, and the power they grant to the UN is limited. Therefore, instead of shaping the international system, the UN remains more a reflection of it.

Nevertheless, global peace will certainly come to the earth. The next article shows how that will happen.

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“MANKIND MUST PUT AN END TO WAR, OR WAR WILL PUT AN END TO MANKIND.”—JOHN F. KENNEDY

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The UN has not become a world government

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UN photo

A Good-bye to War

PEOPLE everywhere have long dreamed of a world without war. It is a dream that remains unfulfilled. As we saw in the preceding article, many believe that global peace can come only through world government, a government that would impartially represent all the peoples of earth. Most realize, however, that human rulers will never willingly give up their sovereignty to a government that represents everyone on earth. Does this mean that world government is impossible?

It might seem so. Yet, Bible prophecy shows that a government ruling over all the earth will soon bring peace to the earth. This will not come because of human negotiation or through international agreements. The prophet Daniel was inspired to write: “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin.”—Daniel 2:44.

It is the same Kingdom that Jesus told his followers to pray for in the prayer known by millions as the Lord’s Prayer, or the Our Father. Possibly you are familiar with that prayer, found in the Bible at Matthew 6:9, 10. Part of it makes this appeal to God: “Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” God will answer that prayer. Soon that Kingdom will “come” to carry out God’s will for the earth. God’s will involves transforming the globe into a paradise of peace.

A Realistic Vision of Global Peace

Is there any reason to believe that God’s Kingdom will do a better job than human governments have? Consider eight features of God’s Kingdom that will ensure lasting peace for all in its domain.

1. The Kingdom will have as its God-appointed leader the glorified Jesus Christ, the “Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) While on earth, Jesus showed that his servants do not arm themselves for physical warfare. He said to Peter: “Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword.”—Matthew 26:52.

2. The Kingdom will truly be a world government. Concerning the authority given to Jesus, Daniel foretold: “To him there were given rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him.”—Daniel 7:14.

3. The Kingdom will represent all peoples. Jesus will have corulers who come “out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,” and they will “rule as kings over the earth.”—Revelation 5:9, 10.

4. God’s Kingdom will bring to an end all human governments, which oppose its authority. “The kingdom . . . will crush and put an end to all these [human] kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”—Daniel 2:44.

5. The peoples of earth will be governed by international law. Isaiah prophesied of that time, saying: “Out of Zion law will go forth, and the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem. And he will certainly render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples.”—Isaiah 2:3, 4.

6. Subjects of the Kingdom will learn the ways of peace. Isaiah continued: “And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.”—Isaiah 2:4.

7. Lovers of violence will be swept away. “Jehovah himself examines the righteous one as well as the wicked one, and anyone loving violence His soul certainly hates. He will rain down upon the wicked ones traps, fire and sulphur and a scorching wind, as the portion of their cup.”—Psalm 11:5, 6.

8. Weapons will be eliminated. “Come, you people, behold the activities of Jehovah, how he has set astonishing events on the earth. He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons he burns in the fire.”—Psalm 46:8, 9.

Putting Faith in God’s Promises—Why and How?

The Bible gives many more details about God’s Kingdom. For example, it shows who will join Jesus Christ in governing earth’s affairs. It further tells how they are selected and what qualifications they must meet. The Bible also tells how the Kingdom will administer the earth’s resources to promote prosperity and happiness among all the peoples of the earth, eliminating the envy and greed that have so often led to conflict.

Are such prophecies to be believed? Jehovah himself has stated: “My word that goes forth from my mouth . . . will not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain success in that for which I have sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) This statement is much more than an assurance that God keeps his promises. Jehovah is the Almighty, so he has the power to establish global peace. There is nothing beyond his understanding; therefore, he has the wisdom to maintain peace. (Isaiah 40:13, 14) Moreover, Jehovah is the very personification of love, so no one in the universe has a greater desire to bring world peace.—1 John 4:8.

Of course, it requires faith to believe in God’s promises. Faith is based on knowledge and is cultivated through the study of God’s Word, the Bible. (Philippians 1:9, 10) As we learn of God’s personality and purposes, the reality of God’s Kingdom becomes evident. Yes, war will be abolished, not through the efforts of humans, but by means of a glorious world government with divine backing, God’s Kingdom.

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Under God’s Kingdom, subjects will learn peace, and weapons will be eliminated

Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Cope With Injustice?

“Only those who have money are respected, but we who don’t even have anything to eat or anywhere to sleep are treated like animals. If I expect anything for the future, it is to die without anyone taking notice.”—Arnulfo, a 15-year-old homeless boy.

THERE is much injustice in the world. A report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said: “In the last decade, more than 2 million children have been killed during wars, while more than 4 million have survived physical mutilation and more than 1 million have been orphaned or separated from their families as a result of war.” Hunger and poverty, also afflicting a large portion of the world’s population, often exist side by side with wealth and abundance. In developing lands, many young ones like Arnulfo are denied the opportunity to obtain an education.

Injustice is particularly painful when it is inflicted by those who are supposed to love and protect you. Consider a 17-year-old girl named Susana. Her mother abandoned her and her two younger brothers. “Years have gone by,” Susana says bitterly, “and my mother has never asked me to live with her, even though she lives in the same town as I do. She has never so much as told me, ‘I love you,’ and this is something that has always made me mad and still does.” When you are a victim of such mistreatment, you may find it difficult to contain your anger. One victim of childhood molestation says: “It has even made me feel bad toward God.”

It is only natural to feel hurt and angry when you have been mistreated. The Bible says: “Mere oppression may make a wise one act crazy.” (Ecclesiastes 7:7) Living with injustice every day of your life can also make you feel depressed. (Compare Psalm 43:2.) You may therefore yearn for an end to injustice. A young girl from Central America recalls: “At the age of 13, I joined the student movement. I had a dream to contribute to make things change, so that children would not be hungry. . . . Later I joined the armed struggle.” Instead of finding justice, however, she experienced unspeakable abuses at the hands of her fellow soldiers.

Such situations remind us that most people are powerless to improve their situation. How, then, can victims of injustice cope?a How might you deal with the bitterness and anger that you may feel?

Putting Away Bitterness and Anger

From time to time, you may need to remind yourself that we are living in “the last days” of this system of things. The Bible foretold that people today would be “abusive, . . . without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous.” (2 Timothy 3:1-4, New International Version) Many are “past all moral sense.” (Ephesians 4:19) Injustice is therefore an inescapable fact of life. So “if you see any oppression of the one of little means and the violent taking away of judgment and of righteousness in a jurisdictional district, do not be amazed over the affair.”—Ecclesiastes 5:8.

With good reason the Bible warns against letting bitterness consume you. For example, it says: “Let all malicious bitterness and anger and wrath . . . be taken away from you.” (Ephesians 4:31) Why? Because in the long run, remaining bitterly angry is harmful and self-destructive. (Compare Proverbs 14:30; Ephesians 4:26, 27.) This is particularly so if you find yourself “enraged against Jehovah.” (Proverbs 19:3) Being angry at God puts you on bad terms with the very One who can help you the most. The Bible says that Jehovah’s “eyes are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.”—2 Chronicles 16:9.

The Bible also says of Jehovah: “All his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4) Injustice came about because of the rebellion of Adam and Eve. (Ecclesiastes 7:29) Man—not God—has “dominated man to his injury.” (Ecclesiastes 8:9) Remember, too, that “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one,” Satan the Devil. (1 John 5:19) Satan, not Jehovah, is behind the world’s injustices.

An End to Injustice

Fortunately, injustice will not go on forever. Keeping that in mind can help you to cope. Consider the experience of a man named Asaph, who lived in Bible times. Injustices were taking place all around him, even though he lived among people who claimed to serve Jehovah. Instead of being punished for their mistreatment of others, cruel people seemed to be living trouble-free and prosperous lives! Asaph admits: “I became envious . . . when I would see the very peace of wicked people.” Asaph temporarily lost his balance by allowing himself to become preoccupied with such things.—Psalm 73:1-12.

In time, Asaph came to a dramatic realization. He said regarding the wicked: “Surely on slippery ground is where you [God] place them. You have made them fall to ruins.” (Psalm 73:16-19) Yes, Asaph came to understand that in the long run, people really do not get away with wickedness. Often, their wrongdoing catches up with them, and they suffer imprisonment, financial ruin, loss of employment, or removal from positions of power. At the very latest, the wicked will “fall to ruins” when God executes judgment upon this wicked system of things.—Psalm 10:15, 17, 18; 37:9-11.

Knowing that God will correct matters in the near future can help you to contain your anger and frustration. “Return evil for evil to no one,” admonishes the Bible. “Provide fine things in the sight of all men. If possible, as far as it depends upon you, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says Jehovah.’”—Romans 12:17-19; compare 1 Peter 2:23.

Getting Help and Support

It may be, though, that you carry deep emotional scars, such as painful memories. According to a report by UNICEF, “children who have been continually exposed to violence almost always experience a significant change in their beliefs and attitudes, including a fundamental loss of trust in others. This is especially true of children who have been attacked or abused by people previously considered neighbours or friends.”

There is no quick fix for such problems. But if negative feelings or painful memories are dominating your thinking, you likely need help. (Compare Psalm 119:133.) First, you might read material that specifically deals with the difficulties you have experienced. Awake! magazine, for example, has published a number of articles that give practical advice to victims of rape, robbery, and child abuse. Sharing your anxieties and feelings with a mature, empathetic listener can be of much help. (Proverbs 12:25) Perhaps you can confide in your parents.

But what if parental support is not available? Then seek support from the Christian congregation. Among Jehovah’s Witnesses, congregation elders serve as a refuge for those who suffer. (Isaiah 32:1, 2) Not only will they listen to you but they may also have some practical advice to offer. Don’t forget, too, that other mature Christians can serve as “brothers and sisters and mothers” to you. (Mark 10:29, 30) Do you recall Susana, who was abandoned by her mother? She and her siblings got support from the Christian congregation. One Christian minister took such an interest in Susana’s family that she calls him her adoptive father. Such support, says Susana, “has helped us to mature and stand firm in the truth.”

Experts say that maintaining a daily routine of meaningful activities can also be helpful. Simply going to school and doing your household chores can do a lot to keep your mind off negative thoughts. You will particularly benefit, though, from following a routine of spiritual activities—attending Christian meetings and preaching the good news.—Compare Philippians 3:16.

Injustices will not disappear from the earth until God’s Kingdom comes and carries out God’s will earth wide. (Daniel 2:44; Matthew 6:9, 10) In the meantime, do what you can to cope. Sustain yourself with the promise that as the Ruler of God’s Kingdom, Jesus Christ will “deliver the poor one crying for help, also the afflicted one and whoever has no helper. He will feel sorry for the lowly one and the poor one, and the souls of the poor ones he will save.”—Psalm 72:12, 13.

[Footnote]

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“It has even made me feel bad toward God”

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The support of fellow Christians can help you to cope with injustices

When the Rain Does Not Come

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN BRAZIL

LAST year, severe drought ravaged much of northeastern Brazil. According to Veja magazine, hundreds of thousands of nordestinos, as the inhabitants of the northeastern part of the country are called, found themselves living “at the mercy of the rain that does not come.” The drought burned up rice, bean, and maize crops, leading to widespread famine—the worst in 15 years. In some places, even drinking water came to be in short supply.

Brazilians are no strangers to drought. In 1877, in the nation’s worst drought, some 500,000 of them starved to death. At that time the Brazilian emperor, Dom Pedro II, vowed that he would find a solution to the drought problem even if he had to sell every last jewel in his crown to do it! That was more than 100 years ago; yet, today, the problem persists. During last year’s drought, estimates were that it would affect as many as ten million people living in 1,209 cities in northeastern Brazil.

Fellow Witnesses Lovingly Respond

When reports of the drought reached the Watch Tower Society’s branch office in Brazil, immediate action was taken. Traveling representatives were dispatched to hard-hit areas in the states of Bahia, Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, and Piauí to assess the extent of the problem. The traveling overseers found that 900 Witnesses and Bible students living in those areas were in dire need. Some of them were subsisting on a diet of yams; others had only rice to eat. One family had no food to eat and only milk to drink for breakfast, lunch, and supper. A Christian sister who suffers from cancer had to sell her bed in order to buy a little food. A family of six had eaten what they thought was their last meal when help from their Christian brothers arrived.

Relief committees were immediately organized to distribute food and supplies. Witnesses from Recife and from other nearby cities donated generously to those in need. But when more help was needed, Christians from Rio de Janeiro also stepped in to help their brothers. In short order the Witnesses had donated 34 tons of food and had paid the costs of transporting the supplies the 1,450 miles [2,300 m] to Recife.

In the capitals of the states of Piauí and Paraíba, six tons of food were quickly collected. A Kingdom Hall in the city of Fortaleza was designated for temporary storage of donated food. But there was a problem. How could the Witnesses transport the food to its destination? A man who is not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses kindly offered the use of his truck. However, convoys carrying food and supplies were being intercepted and looted. Would the donated goods reach their destination? The Witnesses were determined to find out. With full faith in Jehovah, they drove the truck laden with food into the area. The supplies arrived safely and were gratefully received.

Happiness in Giving and in Receiving Aid

The Witnesses who were involved in organizing relief were thrilled at the opportunity to help their brothers. A congregation elder living in São Paulo observed: “Last time there was a famine, we were not invited to contribute food. How grateful we are that we were invited this time!” Witnesses in Fortaleza wrote: “We are very happy to have been able to help our brothers, especially because we are sure that we have made Jehovah’s heart rejoice. We never forget the words of James 2:15, 16.” Those Bible verses state: “If a brother or a sister is in a naked state and lacking the food sufficient for the day, yet a certain one of you says to them: ‘Go in peace, keep warm and well fed,’ but you do not give them the necessities for their body, of what benefit is it?”

Sometimes the Witnesses donating supplies attached encouraging messages to the food packets. One message stated: “Keep in mind the promise found at Psalm 72:16 that soon, in God’s new world, there will be an overflow of food.” Needless to say, the famine-stricken Witnesses were grateful beyond measure for the kindness of their brothers. One Witness whose family received much-needed aid wrote appreciatively: “My family and I view this action as a tangible demonstration of the love of our merciful God and Father, Jehovah, and of the loving concern of his organization for us, its members. This has made us feel closer to him and to his people.”

A Lasting Solution

Ironically, there is no lack of water in northeastern Brazil; there is a sea of fresh water under the subsoil, as well as a large quantity of water in reservoirs. If it were possible to make these water resources available to all, the land could be agriculturally productive.

One day, the problem that so tormented Emperor Dom Pedro II will be permanently resolved. That day will come when God’s Kingdom through Jesus Christ will solve all of earth’s problems, including famine. Then the drought-stricken ground will see the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy: “In the wilderness waters will have burst out, and torrents in the desert plain. And the heat-parched ground will have become as a reedy pool, and the thirsty ground as springs of water.”—Isaiah 35:1, 2, 6, 7.

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“Work What Is Good Toward All”

The apostle Paul counseled fellow believers: “Let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.” (Galatians 6:10) The recent drought in Brazil gave Jehovah’s Witnesses there an opportunity to apply that counsel in a practical way. They showed loving concern for not only fellow believers but others as well. As a result, some individuals who had previously been opposed to the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses have begun to reassess their opinion of them.

One man was initially very unhappy when his wife decided to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. In time, the wife began to share her newfound beliefs with others. When at the height of the famine local Witnesses arrived at the couple’s home with food, the man was so impressed that he decided to do something that he had vowed never to do—attend a meeting at the local Kingdom Hall. Although he still had some doubts about the inspiration of the Bible, this formerly opposed man accepted a home Bible study.

In another locality the Witnesses reported: “We were surprised that the relief supplies arrived so quickly. The amount of food provided was greater than we had expected. So after caring for the needs of our brothers and their families, we distributed food to Bible students, to their relatives, and also to neighbors of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

Witnesses living in one village gave food parcels to some of their neighbors. One grateful householder remarked: “You people are doing what Christ taught; you give without expecting anything in return.”

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The effects of the drought

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UN/DPI Photo by Evan Schneider

Tasty Athletes of the Deep

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN AUSTRALIA

WHAT falcons are to the skies, these superfish are to the seas. Fast and sleek, they slice through the depths like shimmering darts. They are forever on the move, forever on the prowl. Indeed, their scientific name, Thunnus thynnus, stems from a word meaning “rush.” Part of a prestigious family, their relatives include marlins, spearfish, and swordfish. Yes, these aquatic athletes, if you have not already guessed, are in the tuna family, which comprises 13 species.

Of this athletic family, the stars are the bluefins. Found south of the equator, the southern bluefin grows to at least six feet [200 cm] and weighs up to 450 pounds [200 kg]. The family heavyweights, however, are the giant northern bluefins, found, as their name suggests, in the Northern Hemisphere. At nine feet [270 cm] or more (rare nowadays because of overfishing), they can tip the scales at over 1,500 pounds [700 kg]—75 percent of which is powerful muscle. But size does not slow bluefins down. The big fellows, in fact, are the missiles of the pack, able to attain speeds of about 45 to 50 miles per hour [70-80 km/hr] for short bursts.

Built for the Sprint and the Marathon

How do bluefins manage to swim so fast? National Geographic magazine explains: “Three-quarters muscle, hydrodynamically superb, with a powerful heart, ramjet ventilation, heat exchangers, and other special adaptations, the bluefin is built for speed.” In fact, the bluefin’s mighty heart is several times bigger than the heart of other fish and is more like a mammal’s heart than that of a fish. What is more, its heart, unlike that of a typical cold-blooded fish, pumps relatively warm blood through its ingenious circulatory system. An 18-degree-Fahrenheit [10°C] rise in its blood temperature increases the bluefin’s muscle power some threefold, helping to make it a formidable predator as it sates its appetite on fish, squid, and krill.

When a bluefin spots a tasty meal—let’s say, a mackerel—its sickle-shaped tail blasts it up to attack-speed in a heartbeat or two. Pectoral and pelvic fins retract into special slots in the fish’s steel-hard body to reduce drag. Fast though the mackerel may be, it has little chance of escape, for the bluefin is also equipped with binocular vision, extremely sensitive hearing, and chemical detectors that sample the water. As the bluefin is about to strike, its fins extend again for critical, split-second directional control. Then, in the blink of an eye, its gill-covers and mouth open and the mackerel is gone—sucked in and swallowed.

Because of their powerful heart, relatively warm blood, and exceptionally large gills, tuna recover from such sprints about ten times faster than any other fish. Yet, even while ‘catching their breath’—as well as while sleeping—they continue swimming, for they are heavier than water, and they do not have the gill pumps that allow other fish to come to a complete rest. Thus, like sharks, tuna swim with their mouths partially open. A tuna’s epitaph might simply read: “From birth to death a marathon, punctuated only by frenzied sprints.”

The most beautiful members of the tuna family are the giant yellowfin tuna. Yellowfins grow to about six and a half feet [2 m] and sport a yellow stripe, yellow finlets, and exceptionally long, swept-back fins. When knifing through a wave, these magnificent fish shimmer like darts on fire, especially at night. In fact, the Hawaiians call them ahi, meaning “fire.”

Athletes in Deep Trouble

Its copious red, oily flesh also makes the tuna a superstar on the dining table. Gourmet Japanese dishes, such as sashimi and sushi, have put bluefin among the most sought-after and expensive foods on the Japanese market. Sushi-bar clients pay big money for small servings of tuna. If you were to hear buyers bid on just one bluefin at an auction, you could be excused for thinking that they were bidding on a new car. Figures like $11,000 or more are common. One 715-pound [324 kg] bluefin, in fact, sold for $67,500! “Big as a Porsche, fast as a Porsche, and as valuable as a Porsche,” said one conservationist.

In view of the demand for tuna, fish stocks are in sharp decline. They are “overfished, overexploited, [and] wasted to make money as if there were no tomorrow,” says the book Saltwater Gamefishing. Modern industrial ships equipped with the latest technology, including aerial surveillance, take huge catches. When a ship called a purse seiner, for example, spots a school of tuna, it lowers a skiff that pulls a curtain of netting, or a purse seine, around the fish, blocking their escape. Long-liners, on the other hand, have been known to drag a line up to 80 miles [130 km] long. Attached to this primary line are some 2,200 shorter lines, each bristling with baited hooks. The stuff of tuna nightmares! Large bluefins are such a prize that boats and spotter planes “may spend weeks hunting down just a few individuals,” says the World Wildlife Fund.

Some countries have set limits on catches permitted in their territorial waters, but how do you police catches of pelagic fish like tuna? (Tagged and released near Japan, one northern bluefin was later recaptured off Mexico—nearly 7,000 miles [11,000 km] away!) Thus far, the answer has been that you cannot. Organizations within the United Nations are attempting to promote sustainable harvests, but pitted against them are powerful vested interests. In fact, when some countries have attempted to police catches, they have ignited explosive incidents.

You might wonder why fishermen put the oceans’ bounty, and even their own future livelihood, at risk by continuing to exploit dangerously depleted stocks. Says National Geographic: “In the face of such declines [in fish stocks] neither traditional nor industrial fishermen can turn to voluntary conservation, because there’s no profit in it. It just gives the fish to someone less scrupulous. Instead, everyone fishes harder.”

Will Tagging and Farming Save the Tuna?

The southern bluefin has been the object of considerable research. Part of this research incorporates the use of sophisticated electronic tags that reveal vital data about the habits and health of tuna schools. This information will aid in regulating fishing quotas.

Meanwhile, fish farming, which includes tuna farming, is gaining popularity in some countries. As far as fertility is concerned, female bluefins have a lot to offer the fish farmer—they release up to 15 million eggs in one spawning season! If successful, farming may ease the pressure on dangerously low, noncaptive fish stocks. It would be a tragedy, indeed, to see the extinction of such magnificent aquatic athletes as the tuna and especially the superstars of the family, the bluefins—fish that delight not just the eye but the palate as well.

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Yellowfin tuna

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Innerspace Visions

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Bluefin tuna

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Innerspace Visions

Health Has Improved Globally—But Not for All

ACCORDING to The World Health Report 1998, published by the World Health Organization (WHO), there is a global trend toward healthier, longer life. The report lists some examples.

More people than ever before have access to sanitation facilities, safe water supplies, and minimum health care. In addition, most of the world’s children are now immunized against the six major childhood diseases.a This has contributed to a drop in the number of deaths among children. While 21 million children under age five died in 1955, that figure has dropped to about 10 million in 1997. Meanwhile, in several industrialized countries, in recent decades there has been a dramatic reduction in deaths caused by heart disease.

The report adds, however, that progress in health has been far from universal. HIV/AIDS continues to be a deadly menace. Unknown before 1981, AIDS has claimed an estimated 11.7 million lives since the epidemic began. And no relief is in sight. In 1996, 400,000 children under the age of 15 became infected with HIV. In 1997 the number of newly infected children in the same age group was nearly 600,000.

Poverty Still Dangerous to Health

Especially have the hundreds of millions of people trapped in poverty seen little health improvement. They live mainly in poor countries where the burdens of disease are heavy, the outlook is bleak, and life is short. Says Dr. Hiroshi Nakajima, former director general of WHO: “The gaps between the health status of rich and poor are at least as wide as they were half a century ago.” Regrettably, these gaps are even widening, says one WHO expert, because “developing countries are hit with a double blow. They deal with not only the emerging modern chronic diseases but the residual tropical diseases as well.”

Even so, progress is not beyond reach. In fact, many of the millions of premature deaths are already preventable. For instance, “at least 2 million children a year die from diseases for which there are vaccines,” says Dr. Nakajima. Arguing that the gap in the level of health between rich and poor must narrow, Dr. Nakajima adds: “It is time to realize that health is a global issue.” The world urgently needs “international partnerships for health, based on social justice, equity and solidarity.”

Although these partnerships may be long in coming, each nation can already do much to improve the health of its population, states The World Health Report 1998. How? By educating its people to develop “life skills and healthy lifestyles” that prevent or reduce disease. The WHO Constitution puts it this way: “Informed opinion and active cooperation on the part of the public are of the utmost importance in the improvement of health.”

[Footnote]

“Your Daughter Has Diabetes!”

THE impact of those words from the doctor will not quickly be forgotten. My daughter, Sonya, was ten years old at the time. She had been the picture of health, full of energy—even to an excess at times. The last time she had been treated for an illness was when she was five.

However, the days just prior to this visit to the doctor were difficult. Sonya did not look well. She wanted to drink a lot, and when she did, she could hardly wait to go to the bathroom—sometimes every 15 minutes. At night she would get up at least three times. At first I tried to explain her symptoms away—it was just a bladder infection, and she would get better. But after a few days, I concluded that she probably needed an antibiotic to get the infection out of her system.

That is when I took her to the doctor. I explained what I thought she had. He asked for a urine sample, and I noticed that the urine in the cup was full of fragments, almost like small snowflakes. The nurse noticed it too. Their suspicions were confirmed by a simple blood test. She had Type 1 diabetes.

Sonya understood what that meant. Although she was only ten years old, she had learned about diabetes at school. The fear and devastation visible on her face matched my own. The doctor said that to avoid further danger, she needed to go to the hospital quickly. He made arrangements for her to be admitted to the intensive care unit at a hospital in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. Sonya was extremely angry that this was happening to her. She did not want to have to take shots to keep herself alive. She was crying and kept asking why. I was having a very hard time controlling my own grief. Then I could hold back no longer. So there we were, sitting in the waiting room, leaning on each other, sobbing and begging Jehovah to see us through this.

The Hospital Ordeal

The doctor allowed me to drive Sonya home to get a few things, call my husband, Phil, and arrange for someone to pick up our son, Austin, from school. Within an hour my husband and I were checking Sonya into the hospital. Immediately they started her on an IV to flush the excess sugar and ketones from her blood.a This proved to be an ordeal. Sonya had lost seven pounds of body weight from dehydration. Her receded veins were difficult to find. The nurse finally succeeded, and things calmed down—for the moment. We were handed a large book and many other papers that we were expected to read and understand before we would be allowed to take Sonya home.

There was a constant flow of doctors, nurses, and dietitians. We were shown how to draw up and give Sonya the two insulin shots that she would need each day from then on. We were taught how to do the blood test that Sonya would have to do four times a day to keep check on her blood-sugar levels. There was so much information to take in! We also had to be instructed on how to feed her. She would have to avoid foods high in sugar, and in addition to being properly balanced for her growing body, every meal would have to have exactly the right amount of carbohydrates.

In three days she was out of the hospital. She allowed me to give her the shots, but she would do her own blood tests. Within a month she wanted to give herself the insulin shots, and she has been doing so ever since. It was amazing to see her come to accept this disease and learn to live with it. She went from wanting to die and just wake up in Paradise to being aware of her body and feelings and limitations and being able to speak up when she is in need.

A Period of Adjustment

The first few months were very difficult. Each family member had to deal with an array of feelings. I was trying to do so much that it got to the point where I just felt like escaping. The rigid schedule was the hardest to maintain, especially when it conflicted with Christian meetings and our preaching activity—not to mention daily school routines and vacations. But with many prayers, my husband and I learned to take one day at a time and began to accept our new responsibilities.

We have found a wonderful doctor who specializes in endocrinology and who is always available to help with our concerns, even keeping in touch via E-mail. We make visits to his office a regular part of our schedule. Seeing him every three months for checkups not only lets us check on the progress of Sonya’s condition but also reassures us that we are doing all we can for her.

As could be expected, our son had a hard time coping with all the attention given to his sister. Others in the congregation as well as his teacher at school recognized this and helped him to keep busy and to see that adjustments had to be made. Now he has become a big help in keeping an eye on Sonya. As her parents, we sometimes had a tendency to be overprotective and to have exaggerated fears for her well-being. We have found that the best way to prevent these fears is to research the disease and learn what it can actually do to the body.

How Are We Now?

We often talk about Jehovah’s promises and about the time soon when sickness will be merely a distant memory. (Isaiah 33:24) Until then, it is our goal as a family to keep active in serving Jehovah, having as full a share as possible in speaking to others about the blessings of God’s Kingdom. We also try our best to be regular at congregation meetings.

A few years ago, my husband was offered a temporary, secular work assignment in Israel. In view of Sonya’s medical situation, we considered the move carefully and prayed about it. We decided that with proper preparation, including finding the correct diet for Sonya, such a move might even allow for spiritual blessings. For a year and a half, it was our privilege to be part of the Tel Aviv English Congregation. We enjoyed a completely different form of preaching, and it was a wonderful learning experience for our family.

The few simple words “Your daughter has diabetes!” turned our lives upside down. But instead of giving in to despair, we made the physical well-being of our daughter a family project, and this has brought us even closer together. Jehovah, “the God of all comfort,” has helped us to cope. (2 Corinthians 1:3)—As told by Cindy Herd.

[Footnote]

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What Is Diabetes?

Our bodies convert the food we eat into energy that we can use. This function is as essential as breathing. In the stomach and the intestines, food is broken down into more basic elements, including a type of sugar, glucose. The pancreas reacts to sugar by producing insulin, which helps the sugar pass into the body cells. Then the sugar can be burned for energy.

When a person has diabetes, either his pancreas does not produce enough insulin or his body does not utilize insulin well. As a result, the sugar in the bloodstream cannot pass into the body’s cells to be utilized. Explains the book Understanding Insulin Dependent Diabetes: “The blood sugar then rises to a high level and overflows through the kidney into the urine.” Untreated diabetics may experience frequent urination and other symptoms.

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Type 1 Diabetes

This type of diabetes was previously known as juvenile diabetes, since it is the type found mostly in children and young adults. But it can afflict people of any age. While the cause of diabetes is not known, there are various factors that some believe are linked to Type 1 diabetes:

1. Inheritance (genetic)

2. Autoimmunity (the body becomes allergic to one of its own tissues or types of cells—in this case, in the pancreas)

3. Environmental (viral or chemical)

It is possible that viral infections and other factors result in damage to islet cells (the groups of cells within the pancreas where the insulin is made). As more and more islet cells are destroyed, the person moves closer to having diabetes.

Diabetics exhibit a number of symptoms:

1. Frequent urination

2. Extreme thirst

3. Frequent hunger; the body is hungry for the energy it isn’t getting

4. Weight loss. When the body can’t get sugar into its cells, it burns its own fat and protein for energy, resulting in weight loss

5. Irritability. If the diabetic is getting up frequently at night to urinate, he cannot sleep soundly. Behavior changes may result

In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas is producing little or no insulin. In such cases, insulin must be taken daily, usually by injection (insulin is destroyed in the stomach if taken orally).

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Type 2 Diabetes

Not to be confused with Type 1 diabetes, it is a condition in which the body is not producing enough insulin or is not using it efficiently. It is the most common type in adults over the age of 40 and tends to come on more gradually. There is a hereditary component to this illness, and it is often worsened by improper diet or by overweight. In many cases pills can be used, at least initially, to stimulate the pancreas to make more insulin. The pills are not insulin.

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Dangers of Diabetes

The body needs fuel to keep it going. If it is unable to utilize glucose, it turns to body fats and protein. However, when the body burns fat, waste products called ketones are formed. Ketones build up in the blood and spill into the urine. Because these ketones are more acidic than healthy body tissues, high blood levels of ketones may lead to a serious condition called ketoacidosis.

It is also dangerous for a diabetic when his blood sugar falls below the normal range (hypoglycemia). The diabetic is alerted to this condition by unpleasant symptoms. He may feel shaky, sweaty, tired, hungry, irritable, or confused or have a rapid heartbeat, blurred vision, headaches, numbness, or tingling around the mouth and lips. He may even go into seizures or pass out. Proper diet and regulated eating times can often prevent such problems.

If the symptoms listed above do occur, taking in simple sugars, perhaps some fruit juice or glucose tablets, may bring the blood sugar back to a safer level until other food can be eaten. In severe cases, glucagon must be given by injection. This is a hormone that promotes the release of stored sugar from the liver, which will raise the blood sugar. The parent of a diabetic child would want to inform the child’s school and bus driver or day-care provider about the child’s condition.

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Long-Term Complications

A person with diabetes may experience long-term complications, including heart attack, stroke, eye problems, kidney disease, foot or leg problems, and frequent infections. These complications are caused by damage to blood vessels, damage to nerves, and inability to fight infections. Not all diabetics, however, develop these long-term problems.

Keeping blood-sugar levels close to the normal range may delay or reduce the harmful effects of these complications. In addition, keeping weight and blood pressure levels in normal range and not smoking may be very effective ways to reduce risks. The diabetic must get plenty of exercise, maintain a proper diet, and stay on his prescribed medication.

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The Herd family

Standing Firm Under Nazi Occupation in the Netherlands

THE United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) displays the world’s largest collection of artifacts and films documenting the crimes committed by the Nazis during World War II. Since the museum opened to the public in 1993, some 12 million visitors have explored this increasingly popular exhibit, located in Washington, D.C.

The museum also displays some documentation of the intense persecution suffered by Jehovah’s Witnesses under the Nazi regime. In addition to the limited permanent exhibits, the USHMM has presented a series of special programs on Jehovah’s Witnesses. These programs have highlighted specific examples of endurance and integrity on the part of Jehovah’s Witnesses. On April 8, 1999, the museum sponsored a special presentation entitled “Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Netherlands Under Nazi Occupation.” It was held in the museum’s two large auditoriums.

The program began with opening remarks from Ms. Sara Jane Bloomfield, executive director of the USHMM. Ms. Bloomfield expressed a genuine interest in the story of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In an interview with Awake! she explained that a great effort is being made to increase public awareness of the integrity of Jehovah’s Witnesses under persecution. “Events like this one,” she said, “are advertised in the same manner as all other important programs held at the museum.”

Several historians were present and shared in the program that evening. One of them was Dr. Lawrence Baron, professor of modern German and Jewish history at San Diego State University. In his discourse Dr. Baron stated that “Jehovah’s Witnesses admirably resisted any complicity with the Third Reich.” He noted that the Witnesses “placed their faith in God above the demands of the Nazi state. They viewed the leadership cult of Hitler as a secular form of worship and refused to sanction his deification by giving the Nazi salute or saying, ‘Heil Hitler.’ . . . Since God commanded them to love their neighbor and not to kill others, they refused military service . . . When ordered by the Third Reich to stop holding their services, Witnesses typically responded, ‘We must obey God as ruler rather than men.’” For this, many Witnesses from several European countries were sent to concentration camps, tortured, and even executed.

The USHMM invited Dutch researchers and a group of Holocaust survivors to provide examples of Nazi persecution against Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Netherlands. On May 29, 1940, shortly after the Nazis occupied the Netherlands, Jehovah’s Witnesses, numbering about 500, were banned in that country. Over the months that followed, hundreds of Witnesses were arrested. In an effort to obtain the names of other Witnesses, the authorities tortured those arrested. By the end of the war, more than 450 Witnesses had been arrested. Of these, more than 120 died as a direct result of the persecution.

A Dutch researcher explained that the Netherlands branch office of the Watch Tower Society has in its archives “more than 170 video interviews and 200 written life stories of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Netherlands who survived the Holocaust. All of it shows that what motivated the Witnesses was their love for God and their fellowman.”

Several speakers emphasized the fact that unlike other groups targeted by the Nazis, most of Jehovah’s Witnesses could have obtained their freedom simply by signing a declaration renouncing their beliefs. Still, both the speakers and those interviewed explained that the vast majority of Witnesses made a rational and well-informed choice to accept persecution rather than compromise. A few individuals signed because they wanted to end their association with Jehovah’s Witnesses.

There were some who signed the declaration in confusion. These never intended to abandon their form of worship. A few felt morally justified in misleading their persecutors in order to gain freedom and return to their preaching activities. At some point after their release, they realized that regardless of their motives, signing the declaration was wrong.

Their error in judgment did not result in ostracism. As they returned to their homes and congregations, they received spiritual assistance. A letter from the Netherlands branch office of the Watch Tower Society, dated June 1942, encouraged the Witnesses in that land to understand the circumstances that led some to sign the declaration and to treat them mercifully. Although the Nazi occupation was still a fact, soon these former prisoners were again sharing in the preaching work, and this at great risk. Some were arrested a second time. One of them was even executed because he refused to share in military activities.

Despite much suffering and years of tense, dangerous underground work, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Netherlands grew in number from some 500 in 1940 to more than 2,000 when Nazi rule ended in 1945. Their courage and determination to obey God stands as a great witness down to this day.

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Researchers addressed the assembled group

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An interview with Dutch survivors of the Holocaust

“This Awake! Was Written Especially for Us”!

THE September 22, 1998, issue of Awake! featured the cover series “Alzheimer’s Disease—Easing the Pain.” A number of readers expressed their deep appreciation for the helpful suggestions contained in this series. Following are some of their comments.

“Since my husband’s condition was diagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease over two years ago, I have read a lot on the subject. Awake! had the best material. It briefly summarized everything else I had read. We shared copies with the doctors and others at the hospital where my husband is a patient.”—M. L., United States.

“Mother died two years ago, at the age of 83. She had been a faithful Witness since 1937. To see her memory and body deteriorate was a painful experience. Thank you for such useful and comforting information. These articles will be invaluable in helping the afflicted and their caregivers to cope with a tragic and frightening situation.”—D. C., United States.

“Their doctor and other professionals seem to feel that my mother and her sister have Alzheimer’s disease, so I sent the magazine to my uncle. He responded: ‘Using the computer, I found a huge amount of information on AD [Alzheimer’s disease]—so much that I do not have the time to dig through it all. I read the Awake! articles on AD that you sent, and I can honestly say that they contain just the right amount of information, written in an understandable manner too! Do you mind if I pass it on to others in the family after I read it again?’”—B. E., Canada.

“I am a fourth-year nursing student, and I would like to commend you on your series on AD. It offered many up-to-date suggestions that coincided with our Gerontology-Alzheimer’s lectures. I plan to use these articles when caring for my patients and when helping their caregivers.”—G. L., United States.

“My mom died on August 18, 1998. That same week I received this magazine. AD is a very painful disease, especially at the end—not only for the victims but also for their loved ones. The articles prove beyond a doubt that Jehovah sees what we are going through. We appreciate so much his loving care!”—M. S., United States.

“I want to thank you wholeheartedly for these articles. I am studying to assist people affected by this disease. The information is really useful to me.”—T. N., Italy.

“My grandmother, who suffers from dementia, has lived with me for the past year. She has regressed and has become hostile and extremely bitter toward me. I felt as though I had failed my family and Jehovah. After reading your articles, I was able to pinpoint my errors and see how I could change my approach to her situation. I now see how important it is to show constant consideration for her limitations.”—S. S., United States.

“My husband and I were pioneers, full-time evangelizers, for many years. It pained us to have to stop, but we had to help care for my mother. I have read other books and articles on the subject of Alzheimer’s disease, but my heart was touched deeply when helpful information came from Jehovah’s organization. I will keep these articles nearby so that I can read them many times.”—P. M., United States.

“I am 12 years old. The articles on Alzheimer’s disease interest me because my great-grandfather suffered from this disease and so does a dear elderly Christian sister I know. These articles helped me to see what I can do, and they gave me a better understanding of this disease. How glad I will be when the day comes when ‘no resident will say: “I am sick”’!” (Isaiah 33:24)—P. W., United States.

“My 15-year-old daughter and I immediately discussed the main points of this issue. The recommendations to have a warm facial expression, to talk in a soothing voice, to preserve the sufferer’s dignity by not correcting mistakes, and so forth, were particularly useful. I hope to distribute this magazine to day-care workers.”—Y. K., Japan.

“Words cannot express how grateful our family is for your wonderful articles. When my mother-in-law could no longer care for herself, we brought her to the United States to live with us. She was 80 years old, and the change was devastating for her. We couldn’t understand why she took a turn for the worse until we read the articles in Awake! The thorough explanation of this illness and how to deal with the patient answered many questions that even her doctors had not been able to answer. Please accept our thanks, and may Jehovah continue to bless your efforts to help us all.”—O. S., United States.

“I would like to congratulate you on these in-depth articles. They came at a time when we needed to look after our grandma. Our family felt that this Awake! was written especially for us because it gave us comfort and help when we needed it. Thank you for articles like these. They always arrive at the right time.”—R. N., Zambia.

Watching the World

Celibacy—Why?

“The conflict over celibacy in the Catholic Church is one of the priesthood’s greatest challenges,” reports Veja magazine. “In 1970, 10,000 priests were listed as having given up their position in order to marry. Today, there are 120,000—12 times that number. In Brazil, the number of priests who have made this decision has increased 20 times in the same period.” Though their argument has no basis in the Scriptures, church leaders in Roman Catholicism defend the practice of celibacy by saying that it allows the priest to “give more attention to God” and to concentrate on his work. “But the real argument that sustains celibacy is very mundane,” says Veja. “The idea came up in the Middle Ages to preserve the material patrimony of the church, preventing descendants from obtaining land and other possessions.”

Slaughter by Trawling

“Each year, an area of the world’s seabed larger than all of Canada is trawled,” states a report in The Globe and Mail. “In trawling and dredging, heavy nets are pulled across the sea floor, indiscriminately killing fish and bottom-dwelling animals that are important for the ocean food chain. Many species not sought by fishermen are also caught in the nets and are killed.” Researchers estimate that “for each shrimp caught by trawling, 10 or more small turbot or young cod are caught in the nets and die.” Where the seabed has been trawled, sponges, mussels, and crustaceans are almost all gone, says the report. Explains University of Maine oceanography professor Les Watling: “It doesn’t take a marine biologist to realize that these fishing methods are terrible for marine animals. Nothing humans do to the sea has more physical impact.” Likening the devastation to the clear-cutting of forests on land, biologists are calling for setting aside certain areas as marine reserves.

Chemicals in Toys

“A group of chemicals commonly used to soften children’s toys are almost 20 times more dangerous than previously thought,” reports The Independent, a London newspaper. Research in the Netherlands shows that phthalates—softeners of hard plastics, such as polyvinyl chloride—are found in teething rings and other toys that young children chew on and that these chemicals are readily released into saliva. Tests revealed that high doses of two common phthalates “can cause liver and kidney cancer, and shrink testicles.” Young children are particularly at risk because their “low weight, developing biology and potentially long exposure makes them relatively more sensitive to chemicals,” the article states. Professor James Bridges, a British scientist reviewing the problem for the European Commission, expressed concern particularly for “children who are institutionalised, say in a poorly run day-care centre or hospital, since they tend to chew toys because they have nothing else to do.” Six countries have already banned the chemicals from toys, and four more are preparing to do so.

Parishes Without Priests

Many Catholic parishes in Italy—3,800, to be exact—do not have a resident parish priest, notes a survey conducted by the church’s Pastoral Orientation Center. And these are not just parishes in rural or isolated areas. According to the newspaper La Repubblica, “a ‘resident parish priest’ is often missing even in medium-sized urban centers (of between one and three thousand inhabitants).” To mask the shortage, groups of parishes are usually entrusted to a single appointee or to a group of priests. “But, in this way,” explains the newspaper, “the parish priest’s direct and daily contact with his parishioners is lost, and . . . priests are forced to run, breathless, from one place to another.” The shortage is being addressed in various ways. Large cities like Rome have recruited foreign priests. At least two Italian parishes are now assigned to laymen, who cannot hold Mass and must limit themselves to imparting Communion or performing christenings in cases of emergency.

Escalating Bankruptcies

“America is in the midst of a bankruptcy crisis,” says U.S. senator Charles Grassley. Since U.S. bankruptcy laws were established a century ago, some 20 million Americans have filed for personal bankruptcy, and more than half of these have done so since 1985. By mid-1998, bankruptcy filings had reached a record 1.42 million for the preceding 12 months. Why the escalating figures? According to U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan, the dramatic rise in bankruptcies can be partly attributed to changes “in the stigma associated with the issue of going bankrupt.” Another factor is said to be “the rise of a credit-soaked culture in which consumers have become accustomed to carrying ever-mounting loads of personal debt,” says The Wall Street Journal.

Odor-Free Clothing?

“For two years now, textile professionals have realized the importance of bioactive cloth, variously labeled as antibacterial . . . or antiodor,” states the French newspaper Le Monde. The market for antibacterial cloth is increasing. While this material is principally used in bedding, it is now also used to make socks and underwear. Not all, however, are so enthusiastic about using cloth containing phenols and heavy metals that alter the way bacteria work, as many bacteria are beneficial to humans. “In order to carry out its functions properly, our skin needs all its natural guests,” notes Le Monde. “Manufacturers of antibacterial textiles have got to come to terms with a real quandary”—how to limit the growth of harmful bacteria without killing off the bacteria that are necessary to fight infection.

More Water Worries

“Not only is our drinking water full of pesticides, but it now looks like it’s full of drugs, too,” says New Scientist. The drugs come from a number of sources. Unwanted medicines are sometimes disposed of by being flushed down the toilet. Additionally, drugs are excreted through the urine. “Between 30 and 90 per cent of an administered dose of most antibiotics to humans and animals is excreted with the urine,” says Bent Halling-Sorensen, of the Royal Danish School of Pharmacy. Farmers have routinely used animal urine and manure on their fields. When drugs reach the environment, they may be in their original form, or having been changed by the human body, they may be in a form more reactive or toxic than the original and one that is often more soluble in water. “Drugs are one of the few groups of chemicals in water that we don’t monitor,” says Steve Killeen, of Britain’s Environment Agency.

Growing U.S. Prison Population

“The scale of imprisonment in America is now unmatched in any democracy, and is greater than even most totalitarian governments have ever attempted,” notes The Economist. “Last year one in every 150 [U.S.] residents (children included) was behind bars.” The rate of incarceration is 20 times that of Japan, 6 times that of Canada, and from 5 to 10 times that of Western European countries. The number of prisoners in the United States has quadrupled since 1980. Over 400,000 of those now imprisoned are there because of drug offenses, yet the number of people abusing drugs has remained unchanged since 1988. Asks The Economist: “Whether or not prison works as a crime-fighting tool, how much further down the road of ever more frequent imprisonment can America go?”

Gambling on Armageddon

Each week dozens of people in Britain are “placing bets on Armageddon,” reports The Guardian. A survey of 1,001 adults revealed that 33 percent think the end of the world will come as a result of a world war, while 26 percent think that the end will be caused by global warming. Others speculate that collision with an asteroid will be the cause. In fact, 59 percent of those surveyed “think they have more chance of experiencing the end of the world than winning the National Lottery,” says The Guardian. Why this speculation about Armageddon? People are “possibly inspired by the Millennium and the feeling of doom surrounding it,” comments the newspaper.

From Our Readers

Jesus’ Beard In your series “Jesus—What Did He Really Look Like? What Is He Now?” (December 8, 1998), your illustrations suggest that Jesus disobeyed the law stated at Leviticus 19:27: “You must not cut your sidelocks short around, and you must not destroy the extremity of your beard.” Why don’t your illustrations depict him with uncut sidelocks?

C. S., England

This law was evidently given to prevent the Jews from trimming their beards or hair in a way that would imitate certain pagan practices. However, God’s command did not mean that the Jews could not trim their beards or facial hair at all. The account at 2 Samuel 19:24 indicates that Jewish men normally “attended to,” or trimmed, their facial hair. To what extent they did so likely depended on the prevailing custom. Archaeological evidence indicates that the Jews wore a variety of beard styles over the centuries. So our artistic representations of Jesus with a short, manicured beard and trimmed sidelocks are in harmony with the evidence.—ED.

Asteroid Collision In the issue of January 22, 1999, there was an article entitled “Asteroids, Comets, and the Earth—On a Collision Course?” Thank you very much for this article. It provided a credible explanation of the potential threats to earth. Thanks to Jehovah, no disasters have taken place. I appreciated the straightforwardness and honesty of the article.

O. R., Finland

Eating Disorders You literally saved my life with the January 22, 1999, series, “What Is Behind Eating Disorders?” I had a severe problem along those lines 20 years ago. Then, for the past ten years or so, I maintained a normal weight. Recently, though, I suffered from depression and lost ten pounds [5 kg] in 16 days. I was beginning to choke every time I took a bite of food. I was really scared about where I was heading. The articles helped me to think things through and made me determined to get proper nutrition. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your caring and loving articles.

P. M., United States

When I read these articles, tears welled up. It seemed as if they were written just for me. They touched my heart and helped me to understand that if I continue relying on Jehovah, I will recuperate from this illness.

G. G., Puerto Rico

I am 14 years old and want to say a big thank-you for the articles on eating disorders. I was suffering from the early stages of bulimia. I did not know what to do, since even books dealing with the problem did not help me. My parents noticed my situation and spoke with me about the articles. Thanks a lot.

N. H., Germany

About a year and a half ago, I suffered from bulimia. I thought I was fat, even though I wasn’t overweight at all. I knew that bingeing and purging were wrong, but I could not stop. With Jehovah’s help and with encouragement from close friends, I got better. These articles have really helped me. I see that I am not the only one who has had these problems.

M. R., England

I studied the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses for two years but stopped because of depression. I suffer from bulimia. Since I am under constant medical care, I intend to distribute this magazine among my doctors and fellow patients. I hope to start studying the Bible again.

V. K., Czech Republic

More Valuable Than Money

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN CANADA

“[She] gave her daughter a gift far more valuable than any amount of money,” acknowledged an editorial comment in The Monitor newspaper of Bridgetown, Nova Scotia. What was the gift? It was her “wonderful example of honesty.”

Anna and her daughter Tanya stopped at a yard sale and bought a white purse to hold Tanya’s Bible. When they arrived home, Tanya opened a zipper inside the purse and was astonished to find $1,000 in bills. Immediately, mother and daughter returned to the yard sale and handed the money to the lady who had sold them the purse. Apparently, the seldom-used purse had belonged to her recently deceased mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, and it had not been closely examined before being sold. Extremely grateful, the lady remarked: “It restores my faith in people . . . It’s nice to know there are honest people out there.”

A front-page article about the incident in the local newspaper quoted Anna as saying: “As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we couldn’t consider anything else. We have a Bible-based [conscience]. We also want to teach Tanya what’s right.” For Tanya, the new white purse will be a special reminder of a lesson in honesty.

“My Greatest Desire”

A CLASS of students in Vranje, Yugoslavia, were assigned to write a paper on the above subject. The following is the essay of eight-year-old Sergej, whose composition was later posted at the school for all to read.

“First, I wanted to write that my greatest desire is to finish school with the best grades and to go to Belgrade for vacation. But at home I was thinking about something else. My greatest desire is for the whole world to be at peace, for all people to live happily, and for them to love and help one another. I would like all people to be healthy and our planet to be cleaner than it is now.

“Today the earth is polluted with chemicals. Water and air are contaminated too. Because of hunger in the world, thousands of children are dying every day, and many more are dying because of illnesses. I would like all that to disappear, and I would like all children to feel their parents’ love, so that they can go to sleep joyfully and happily, knowing that each tomorrow will be a beautiful day. This is not possible in this world, but in the future it will be. This is my greatest desire.”

What made Sergej certain that these things will be realized? He believes in the promises of God as described in the Bible. The brochure Does God Really Care About Us? describes these promises in the section entitled “The Marvelous New World of God’s Making.” You can obtain a copy of this brochure by filling in and mailing the accompanying coupon to the address shown on the coupon or to an appropriate address listed on page 5 of this magazine.

□ Send me a copy of the brochure Does God Really Care About Us?

□ Please contact me concerning a free home Bible study.