Awake!, January 22, 1968

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Why Many Men Shun Religion

A New Kind of Furnace—the Nuclear Reactor

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What Is Femininity?

Why Britain Devalued the Pound

JANUARY 22,1968

THE REASON FOR THIS MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS

Can You Yield When There Is the Time for It? 3

Why Many Men Shun Religion 5

A New Kind of Furnace —the Nuclear Reactor 9

People and More People 12

What Is Femininity? 13

Lisbon's Flash Flood 16

Brood of the Serpent 17

Tikal—Deserted City in the Jungle 21

Why Britain Devalued the Pound 25

Diving Women 26

"Your Word Is Truth"

The Virgin Birth—Legend or Fact? 27

Watching the World 29

London, England, January 22, 1988

Volume XLIX

Number 2

AMONG the wise sayings of King Solomon is that "for everything there is an appointed time, even a time for every affair under the heavens." And how true that is! As he goes on to show, there is "a time to plant and a time to uproot what was

planted; . . . a time to rip apart and a time to sew together; a time to keep quiet and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace." Included in that last expression might be said to be 'a time to yield and a time not to yield.'—Eccl. 3:1-8.

Yes, there are times when yielding would be compromising principle. This the early Christians refused to do. Thus the historian Cadoux tells us that Christians between the years 70 and 110 C.E. were "above all irreconcilably opposed to pagan religion and worship in any form." Because of this they "were liable at any time, not only to the outbursts of popular hatred but also to punishment at the hands of the magistrates." Historians also tell that these early Christians chose death rather than to yield an inch in their refusal to sacrifice to the emperor, considering such an act of idolatry. Thus with regard to their worship they put obedience to God ahead of obedience to men, even as the

apostles themselves had done.—Acts 4:19; 5:29.

Today the spirit of compromise is abroad, and for the sake of peace many persons, even those professing to be Christians, are ready to yield, to sacrifice principles. Such a course can only lead to disapproval by

God and loss of self-respect. Ironically, at the same time there is an ever-increasing unwillingness to yield when no principles, but merely pride or self-gain, need to be sacrificed. But in everyday relations with one's fellowman, where such principles as obedience to God are not the issue, it is often the course of wisdom to yield, even as a German proverb has it: "Der Klugste gibt nach." ("The wisest yields.") Why should he yield? Why is he considered to be wise in yielding in such instances? Because the peace and harmony he gains are worth more than what he has yielded up.

The Bible gives us a fine illustration in this regard. The herdsmen of the patriarch Abraham and of his nephew Lot were quarreling over pasture grounds. In the interest of peace Abraham yielded, letting Lot choose. Lot chose the very best and so Abraham took what was left. Foolish? No, for thereby he kept peace and Lot's goodwill. Abraham was not stubborn but willing to yield.—Gen. 13:5-12.

There is a simile, "as stubborn as a mule." In fact, among the definitions that the dictionary gives for mule is "a very stubborn person." But the mule can be excused. Not only has it not been blessed with reasoning ability, even as the rest of the brute creation are not, but it is a hybrid, "the offspring of a male donkey and a mare," without the power of reproducing its kind. This fact may well have a bearing on its stubborn disposition.

But God the Creator endowed man with the capacity to reason, and reason does indicate that at times we be willing to yield for a greater good. Inability to yield no doubt is one of the chief reasons for much of the discord one finds in the world, such as marital discord, which so often ends in separation and divorce. The apostle Peter tells husbands to show consideration to their wives: "You husbands, continue dwelling in like manner with them according to knowledge, assigning them honor as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one." This requires willingness on the part of the husband to yield at times and to let the pace that the wife is able to take slow down the pace that he is accustomed to take. In the same connection the apostle Peter counsels wifely subjection for married women. This, of course, at times requires them to yield.—1 Pet. 3:1-7.

A great help in yielding when there is the time for it is empathy, being able to put ourselves in the shoes of others. It will enable us to obey the Scriptural command: "We, though, who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those not strong, and not to be pleasing ourselves." (Rom. 15:1) To take a simple illustration from true life: A tall energetic man who was very fond of walking, and rapidly at that, married a short, chubby girl. Obviously some

yielding had to be done, and at first she often said: "Please, please, not so fast!" But with patience they gradually adjusted to where they now walk more rapidly and more frequently than she used to do but still less than he had been accustomed to. Food, entertainment, friends, living quarters are only a few of the many other areas wherein entire families can learn to yield in the interest of peace, love and happiness.

The business world has a saying: "The customer is always right." Willingness to yield is considered good business. It may at times be galling to the salesman or the sales clerk, but this policy is followed for the sake of making a sale or keeping goodwill. Is it not equally practical wisdom for members of a family or a congregation to be willing to yield when no principle has to be sacrificed?

But there is still more to the wisdom of yielding. It really is a form of giving, and is there not greater happiness in giving than in receiving, in letting the other fellow have his way than in insisting on having our way? (Acts 20:35) Besides, by yielding in the interest of peace or some higher goal you win goodwill, as if you had given a gift. Nor is that all. Often willingness to yield when it means much to the other one to have his way will be rewarded by his yielding when it might mean much to you.

And, obviously, this yielding applies to all human relationships: parents and children can practice it to good advantage; so can teachers and pupils, Christian overseers and their assistants. Happy indeed are those who can yield when there is the time for it, for the sake of peace, love or some other good, and when no principle needs to be sacrificed:

RELIGION in Russia has at least one thing in common with religion in North America, Latin America, Great Britain and western Europe, and that is that an overwhelming majority of religious believers are women. A recent survey in a large Soviet city of Kazan, a city of 900,000, revealed that 81 percent of those who admitted to being religious were women. If one were to walk into almost any church in Christendom, a similar striking fact could hardly escape one's notice. Women make up the vast majority of those who attend church.

This world phenomenon raises some questions. Why are not more men attracted to religion? Why, in fact, do many men shun religion?

Atheistic Communism In the Soviet Union has, no doubt, influenced many men away from religion. It may also be said that a great number of Russian men shun religion for the same reasons that many Western men do.

The Western man has become deeply involved with the anxieties of life. While many women work, still it is generally up

to the man to see that the bills are paid. The home chores have been relegated to the woman, and somehow religion and its responsibilities have become a part of these chores. Where there are children, and the husband is approached on the subject of religion, he is often found to say something to this effect: "My wife sees to it that the children are religiously trained." Somehow he does not feel that that is his responsibility.

Religion is thus widely

viewed as unmasculine, something for women and children and feeble men. In fact, when the Russians released their survey statistics, they stated that 42 percent of those who admitted to being religious were men and women on old-age pensions. But why are many men shunning religion?

Viewed by Many as a Money-making Scheme

The constant pleading by clergymen for more and more money is a reason why many men shun religion. They may have heard that religious contributions in America each year amount to more than $5,000,000,000. They see many ministers driving around in big cars and living in lavish surroundings. Their conclusion is that, regardless of what is claimed, someone in religion is making money. So they are prone to view religion to be a money-making scheme.

When the clergy stress the need for money, as the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod did when it ran into a sluggish response to a special fund drive this year, a man's view of religion may shrink appreciably.

At one point Lutheran church representatives prayed, pleaded and scolded the parishioners for more money. One clergyman even stated: "I know of people that are literally going to hell because of our lack of funds." What worried the theologians was not the poor spiritual condition of their parishioners, but that a 1967 capital fund drive for 40,000,000 had yielded only5,250,000. Throughout Christendom these frequent pleas for money from the pulpit of all kinds of church organizations is an additional reason why fewer and fewer men can be found supporting religious organizations.

In one church the clergyman in charge initiated a policy of having the congregation drop a dime into a box as they entered the church. The womenfolk of the church responded to the money-making scheme without question, but the men rebelled at the idea. One male parishioner said: "If I have to pay to go to church, I would just as soon go to a theater." That finished his churchgoing days.

Such experiences have caused men to become rather cynical about religion. When their wives begin to study the Bible with Jehovah's witnesses, for example, the husbands often warn the wives to be on the watch because they feel that this, too, is probably just another money-making arrangement. Sometimes it takes years before they are satisfied that these people are truly different.

Meddling in Politics Repels Others

The clergy of Christendom claim to follow Jesus Christ, who said of his followers: "They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world." (John 17:16) But the religious clergy are very much a part of this world, deeply involved in its politics. And it is this religious meddling in politics that is another factor that repels many men from religion. Recently, at

a church in Washington, D.C., a priest reminded his audience that Cardinal Patrick O'Boyle had urged the Montgomery County Council to adopt a certain ordinance. A man rose in the rear of the church. "With all respect to the blessed sacrament," the man said, "couldn't we do without a political talk?"

Some men, who dislike the growing involvement of the clergy in political affairs, can see that Jehovah's witnesses keep themselves free from such pursuits, that they live in harmony with the Bible principle that Christians are to be completely separate from this world. (John 17:14, 16; Jas. 4:4) Yet these very men are not willing to associate with Jehovah's witnesses. Why not? Because they themselves are often so deeply engrossed in politics that they find it difficult to give it up. While they themselves do not think politics good for any religion, yet they themselves choose to remain in it. Thus they do not take a clear-cut stand for God and his kingdom even though they may know that a short time remains for this system of things.—Dan. 2:44.

Religion's Unsavory History

From a historical viewpoint religion has been associated with doctrines of hellfire and purgatory torments, with inquisitions, crusades and wars. This historical fact produces contradictions that disturb many men. Dr. Milton Rokeach, Michigan State University psychologist, said: "I suspect that such internal contradictions lead often to defection from religion."

When studying the Bible with men who have become soured on religion because of such past and present contradictions, Jehovah's witnesses find that they must first help them to reestablish faith in the Bible as the Word of God. Then they prove to these men that such religious contradictions are of false religion and find no basis preciably.

Meddling in Politics Repels Others

Religion's Unsavory History

Not all men hold religion suspect. When a message makes good sense, they, as a rule, will listen. Jehovah's witnesses have found in their ministry that men become interested in Bible discussions if what is presented to them is done logically. In fact, the Witnesses have discovered that men thoroughly enjoy Bible study, when such study is held in the privacy of their own homes.

turning them away from religion. Jehovah's witnesses find that they must first renew men's faith in God and convince them that God has a people who live in accord with Christian principles, before many men will listen at any length. But when they see this to be a fact, it is then that they are moved in a hopeful way once again to exercise faith in God.

Many men are not anti-God, but they are fed up with religious hypocrisy, false

Not Anti-God but Repelled by Hypocrisy There are other men who say, "Religion is not for me." What they mean is that a religion that does not relate itself to everyday life is not for them. They see the

churchgoer and the nonchurchgoer side by side at their places of employment They quickly detect much reli-

religion. It was the same in Jesus' day. Christ himself did not join in the formalistic religions of his time; in fact, he denounced their hypocrisy. (Matthew, chapter 23) However, he told his followers: "The hour is coming, and it is now, when

MALAWI'S ANTI-CHRISTIAN ATROCITIES A SHAME ON AFRICA

the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for

glious hypocrisy. When they see that church-

Coming in the Next Issue.

goers lie, steal and become involved in riots or other forms of violence, what conclusion do they reach? They conclude that religion is not doing anything for the believers, so why become religious? Why be a hypocrite?

But when men are shown that there are people who do practice Christian principles, who do not lie, steal or become involved in riots and violence because of

suchlike ones to worship him." (John 4:23) The

disciples of Jesus Christ were not men known for their love for the traditional religious systems. They, nevertheless, did find pleasure in listening to Jesus. Through him they found true religion.

So men today who find the traditional systems of modern-day religion hypocritical, repugnant, can find true religion, even as the apostles did. This can be found in association with Jehovah's witnesses, who

volved in Hors and violence because of what their religion has taught them, Jehovah's witnesses have found that they are more apt to listen, even though skeptically at first. The Witnesses have discovered that men expect a high moral standard of those who profess to be religious. The casting aside by the clergy of the high moral principles of the Bible has had a destructive effect in the minds of men,

association with Jehovah's witnesses, who follow closely in Jesus' footsteps. (1 Pet. 2:21) We, therefore, invite men who have been repelled by religious hypocrisy to investigate what Jehovah's witnesses teach and practice. If you are seeking to worship God with spirit and truth, you will find the right religion, for, as Jesus promised, "the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him."—John 4:23.

The Nuclear Reactor

THE amount of energy stored in the nucleus or core of the atom has been spectacularly demonstrated by nuclear bomb explosions. Harnessing this energy for constructive purposes, man has developed reactors or furnaces that use the same type of fuel as contained in atomic bombs. These "furnaces" emit no smoke and have no flame but are currently being used to generate electricity for homes and industry. Almost anywhere that large engines can be used, reactors may find application. How does the nuclear "furnace" work?

Power reactors are used to generate power, and the heat produced by the reactor is normally used to drive a generator to provide electricity. We will look at power reactors from the viewpoint that they are large furnaces. To understand how reactors are operated, it is helpful to learn some of the principles by which they work.

The Atom Itself

Reactors were made possible by the discovery (1939) of nuclear fission or the breaking of a heavy nucleus of an atom into two roughly equal smaller nuclei. Most of us have a mental picture of what an atom looks like. We imagine a very small central bit of matter that has electrons swirling about it. The central portion of the atom is called the nucleus, and it itself is made up of smaller bits of matter called protons and neutrons that are packed very closely together. If we had a

nucleus roughly as large as a ping-pong ball or about an inch in diameter, it would weigh about 1. 6 \times 1 03 tons or 1.6 thousand million tons. This gives us some idea of how dense the nucleus is.

We might liken the atom to a fig hanging by a string, with flies buzzing all around it. The flies correspond to the electrons and the fig to the nucleus. Just as the fig is composed of seeds distributed throughout the meat of the fig, the neutrons and protons are thought to be more or less uniformly distributed throughout the nuclear volume.

The number of protons or positively charged particles in the nucleus determines whether the atom is an iron atom or an atom of sulfur, and so forth. Atoms have the same number of electrons or negatively charged particles moving outside the nuclear region as protons in the nucleus so that the nucleus as a whole is electrically neutral. For example, an iron atom has 26 protons and 26 electrons, but it can have any number of neutrons or neutral particles, from about 25 to 35, and still it will be an iron atom. If there are 28 neutrons in the nucleus, this is called iron-54. The number 54 is called the "mass number" and is obtained by adding the number of protons to the number of neutrons, to obtain the total number of particles comprising the nucleus.

The Fuel

The fuel that most reactors "burn" is a white metal called uranium. Uranium contains 92 protons and is chemically similar to chromium. This fuel for atomic furnaces is mined out of the ground much as coal is but must be processed in order to get it in a chemically pure form. Deposits of uranium are found in Colorado and Utah in the United States, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Polar Lake Region in northern Canada. A great deal of uranium prospecting is going on today due to the sharp increase in reactor use.

Uranium "burns" in a nuclear reactor or an atomic furnace in a significantly different way than the ordinary burning of coal, oil or wood. When these materials burn, it is the electrons of the atom that are acted upon. But when uranium burns in an atomic furnace the nucleus itself is changed. This "burning" process is called nuclear fission. The particular "isotope" or type of uranium that is normally used is that with a mass number of 235, that is, uranium-235. Other nuclear fuels are uranium-233, plutonium-239, uranium-238 and thorium-232.

The Neutron

The "match" that causes the uranium to fission or split into parts is a neutron, a constituent of the nucleus. If a neutron comes very close to the uranium-235 nucleus, it may be absorbed by the nucleus; then the uranium-235 becomes uranium-

The uranium-236 is unstable or has an excess amount of energy so that it is caused to split into approximately two equal fission fragments or elements different from the uranium. This is called the fission of uranium-235, but it is really uranium-236 that is split apart or "burned."

The fission or splitting of uranium-235 by slow neutrons produces an average of 2.41 neutrons. Sometimes none are emitted. Other fissions may emit as many as five neutrons. A typical fission is shown in the illustration below, indicating the fission fragments of tin and molybdenum. The fission fragments are not always these two elements; they can be any element from zinc, which has thirty protons in the nucleus, to dysprosium, which has sixty-six protons.

One might ask, from where does the first neutron come? It is obtained from a start-up source. There are several types of start-up sources; a common one is called a radium-beryllium source. This source normally consists of a small disk about an inch thick and perhaps an inch in diameter and is made of radium and beryllium. Radium is a radioactive substance and decays into another element called radon and helium-4 (an alpha particle). One gram of radium (0.0022 lb.) emits about 37 thousand million alpha particles every second. These alpha particles strike a beryllium nucleus (beryllium is a light metal) and cause carbon to be formed and a neutron to be emitted. With a source of

this type about ten million neutrons are emitted every second.

When one wants to start the reactor, the neutron source is inserted into or near the core, and this source provides the neutrons to start the reactor.

A Chain Reaction

At least some of the 2.41 neutrons produced in the fission of uranium are then used to cause other uranium nuclei to fission. This process continues so that a point is reached where the neutrons from the fission of one atom cause at least one more fission. If these fissions then produce more neutrons that cause more fissions, there is a chain reaction or a self-sustaining process. This process is somewhat like a cell in a plant or animal that splits to form two more cells, and then the two splitting to make four, and so forth, so that a vast number of cells can be obtained from a single cell. The same is true in a reactor. Large numbers of fissions can occur from the fission of a single nucleus due to its multiplicative nature. In order for the process to be self-sustaining, so that the nuclear fire does not go out, a certain minimum amount of fuel must be present, depending on how pure the uranium is and many other factors. This minimum amount of fuel is called a critical mass. The critical mass varies considerably but is normally of the order of about ten pounds of uranium-235.

One difficulty that must be overcome is that the neutrons that are born in the fission process are very energetic, and they must be slowed down, that is, moderated. The reason for slowing the neutrons down is that a uranium nucleus is much more likely to catch or capture a slow-moving neutron than it is a fast-moving neutron. This is like a baseball catcher's being more likely to catch a wild slow ball than he can a fast one, because of the ball's

spending a greater period of time in the vicinity of the catcher. Reactors, therefore, have a moderating material, such as water, to slow down the neutrons.

It is easy to see that if 2.41 neutrons are produced per fission and that if each of these neutrons would cause another fission, the rate at which the fissions would occur in the reactor would increase very rapidly. However, some of the neutrons leak out and some are captured in other materials that do not fission. Thus one does not obtain in practice 2.41 more fissions for each fission that has occurred. Still a method for controlling the rate of fissioning is necessary, since the number of fissions occurring each second is proportional to the heat generated or the power of the reactor. Without a control system the furnace might melt or it might explode in an uncontrolled chain reaction, such as is produced in a nuclear bomb.

The Control System and Shield

The control system of a reactor consists of control rods that can be inserted into the fuel area and withdrawn from it by electronic means. These control rods are made of materials, like boron or cadmium, which have a very high probability of capturing neutrons so that these captured neutrons cannot cause more fissions to take place. The rods absorb neutrons much as a sponge absorbs water. If the fission rate or the power of the reactor increases too rapidly, this is sensed by a neutron detector coupled to an electronic system so the reactor is automatically shut down by quickly inserting the control rods; this is called "scramming" the reactor.

The reactor, then, consists of the fuel, uranium-235, mixed with a moderator, like water, for slowing the neutrons down, control rods for control of the chain reaction and a start-up source, all contained in a shield of some sort.

Since radiation is emitted when nuclei burn or fission, it is necessary to protect personnel and others from this radiation. There are three types of radiation that come from reactors: beta rays, gamma rays and neutrons. All of these are harmful to the body. Often a thick concrete encasement, called the shield, surrounds the heart or core of the reactor. Other materials are also used for shielding.

DIAGRAM OF POWER GENERATING STATION USING A REACTOR AS THE HEAT SOURCE OF FURNACE

The Furnace's Potential and Advantages

The fission process causes a great deal of heat to be generated. This energy really comes from the Einstein mass-energy relation, which gives the amount of energy produced when matter is transformed to energy. The small difference in matter before and after fission is transformed into energy. One pound of matter, if completely converted into energy, would yield the same amount of energy as that from burning 1,500,000 tons of coal. The fission of about 1 gram (0.0022 lb.) of material produces about one million watts of power, so the reactor is a potentially important source of energy.

In order to use this energy generated in a reactor, the heat transferred from the reactor core is used to raise the temperature of some cooling material, say water. Then the hot water is used to drive a turbine to generate electric power. The accompanying diagram shows roughly how such a system is connected.

The present cost of power obtained from a reactor is difficult to estimate due to the relatively small number of nuclear power plants in operation. Much of the cost is still

in design and development. Nuclear reactors can be made large enough to furnish electricity for an entire city.

Besides the advantage of producing vast amounts of energy from a small amount of fuel, atomic reactors have another interesting advantage over conventional power plants. It seems possible for reactors to produce more fissionable fuel than they consume. At first this may seem impossible, but let us look at the situation more closely. At first this may seem impossible, but let us look at the situation more closely. If the core of the reactor is made of plutonium-239 wrapped in a blanket of uranium-238, which is not fissionable with slow neutrons, these neutrons that would leak out of the reactor are captured by the U238 making U239 . This element is radioactive and eventually (a week or so) becomes plutonium-239, the fuel used to generate power to begin with. However, one did have to put the U238 in the reactor, so there was not a "creation" of fuel from nothing but really a converting of one nuclear species to another, the latter being fissionable with thermal neutrons.

Certainly the reactor is a useful outgrowth of modern technology and can be used for man's benefit.

"I DON'T know what femininity is, but I know it's extraordinarily powerful!" So exclaimed a noted sociologist. How would you define it? Would you say a woman is feminine if she is warmhearted, cheerful, mild-tempered and poised? These are certainly some of the factors that come to mind. Others see femininity as a woman's being soft, vulnerable, modest, a bit mysterious, compatible and sympathetic.

The physical difference between men and women has, no doubt, done much to emphasize the feminine role. They differ also in their outlook, approach and reaction to things. For example, men usually are eager to display their masculinity; women, to attract and please. Men often like to move about and explore; women, usually to settle in one place. Men are generally governed by reason; women, to a large extent by their emotions. Despite these differences, most men would have it no other way. For a feminine woman makes life both interesting and pleasant for those around her.

What Femininity Is Not

Many little things make up femininity, and the absence of these denotes a lack of it. That is why not all females are feminine. If a kind, gentle and loving personality makes a woman feminine, then a harsh, cold, aggressive one does not. A woman's attitude toward people in general and how she talks to them in particular

can show her lack of femininity. Her voice may betray it in a condescending tone with them, or in the fact that she relishes discussions wherein she can pit her keen mind or sharp wit against men's.

Overbearing and bossy attitudes are also signs. The woman who tries to dominate her husband has only herself to blame when she is referred to as "the boss." As Cleveland Amory, author of Who Killed Society, put it: "In the war between the sexes, the battle-axes of the past may have won the battle, but they sure lost the war." How true that is for those who try to wear the pants in the family, and how unrewarding! A successful wife accepts the fact that there cannot be two captains on a ship nor two heads in a house. She lets her husband do the steering and the entire family is happier because of it.

Of all the bad habits a woman can have, many men would put nagging on top of the list. Few things can irritate or exasperate a man more than a wife who is constantly nagging and complaining. It can make his life miserable. The Bible describes her futile course: "Better is it to dwell in a wilderness land than with a contentious wife along with vexation."—Prov. 21:19.

Some women, of course, try to defend their lack of femininity by blaming society in general and their husbands in particular for having to take charge of things. It is true that a masculine man who accepts responsibilities and upon whom a wife can lean under difficult circumstances helps bring out femininity in a woman.

It is also a fact that some men do not assume their responsibilities, but is that a valid reason for a woman to lose her femininity? Not when you consider that other women, in the same situations, have not lost theirs in the process. A woman can change a tire, fix a leak or paint a house and still be feminine. In fact, cooking, cleaning and changing diapers does not make a woman feminine. It depends upon her attitude more than anything else.

Although a woman can rarely challenge a man physically, she has a tremendous power to ridicule him if that is her bent. Especially is this true in the relationship of marriage. Yet, here is where a feminine woman truly excels. Instead of subtly undermining and shattering the will and spirit of a man, she is wise if she uses what power she has to support, encourage and inspire him. She sees her submissiveness as a unique avenue to demonstrate her need of her husband and her devotion to him. She is not afraid to be a woman.

Ways in Which It Finds Expression

It is usually not difficult to recognize a truly feminine woman. She is happy to be a woman and does not want to trade places with men. This attitude cannot help but be reflected in the clothes she wears. She is not overly imitative. When she wears a current style, it is because it suits her rather than because other women are wearing it. Hence, she is not a slave to fashion. She is not like some women who are so fashion conscious they wear styles no matter how unbecoming to them. By conforming to current fads, these women allow themselves to become as if putty in the hands of designers to be molded and shaped as they see fit.

Although clothes are important, they are not the whole answer to femininity. Good grooming and personal hygiene are just as important. In fact, a woman's entire appearance should denote her womanliness.

If she uses cosmetics, it is to enhance her features, not to try to perform miracles with them, if she is really feminine. She knows that trying to appear much younger than she is with too much makeup, jewelry or loud colors will have an undesirable effect. So moderation is much of her key to success. Those who grow old gracefully are beautiful no matter how lined their faces or gray their hair, for their beauty comes from within. Neither is there anything false about a feminine woman. She does not put on airs. She is simply herself.

Being soft-spoken and modest are other traits a feminine woman displays. Her modesty prevents her from exhibiting herself, be it by word or deed. Her walk is graceful but not provocative. Her clothes are attractive but not revealing. Her speech is respectful of others and her manner dignified. She shows good taste in everything she does. She is also a good listener, mainly because she is really interested in others. No wonder people respect her.

A woman's home also provides clues to her femininity. It may reveal her to be gracious and imaginative or just the reverse. It is the little feminine touches a woman makes to a house, apartment or room that convert it into a home and signify that a woman lives there. It is not so much what is added but how it is done that makes it more comfortable and inviting.

One that is feminine displays other qualities as well. Her sense of humor helps prevent quarrels. It prevents her from taking herself or others too seriously. This kind of woman quickens a man's steps toward his home instead of away from it.

She makes things more pleasant because she is there. What man does not want to be around such a woman? A gift, you say? Yes, and one that can be cultivated. When a woman resolves to be warmer, kinder and more considerate, how can she help but be more feminine?

Acceptance of Her Role Brings Happiness

The feminine woman has learned the art of pleasing. Many were really little tombboys at one time, but somewhere along the way they stopped poking fun at boys and beating them at sports. Suddenly they became little ladies, eager to please instead of taunt. They became feminine in the process. Unfortunately, some women have not learned this important lesson. The wife who constantly tries to top her husband's jokes, corrects him in front of others and belittles what is important to him is unattractive no matter what her physical assets.

On the other hand, the woman who is still eager to please and attract her husband years after their wedding day is probably feminine. She is not among those who habitually greet their husbands at night with a sinkful of dirty dishes. Instead, the house is usually neat and clean, his meals are delicious and on time. She sees to it that the general atmosphere in the home is free of tension, one that is conducive to his relaxation and comfort. Is it any wonder that her husband can usually be found at home with her instead of out with his friends?

Nor does she underestimate the importance of her role in the home. Social functions and the like do not take priority over her family's needs. She cheerfully goes about her household duties, free of complaint or hints of martyrdom. She helps hold the family together as if she were cement.—Prov. 31:10-31.

She realizes how much her children depend on her, not just being there physically, but really to spend time with them. She knows they can get knowledge and facts from books, but it is from her they will first learn how to be kind and considerate. It is through her they become sensitive to others' feelings. And it is to her they turn when they need a sympathetic ear or an affectionate hug or kiss. Such a woman realizes that to be a really good wife and mother is a full-time career in itself, one that is complex and demands the very best that is in her. She relishes the privilege of molding and shaping her children into responsible and happy adults. She is thus at home with herself as a woman, and her every thought and deed proves that "there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving."—Acts 20:35.

What, then, is femininity? It is a woman's tender way with her loved ones, her graciousness with all people, her wisdom, patience, warm smile, quiet answer; in essence—her inner beauty. These are the qualities that draw others to a feminine woman.

Men around the globe acknowledge the great difference that separates the sexes, but a truly feminine woman causes them to exclaim, as the French did long ago— "Vive la différence!"

LISBON'S Flash Flood

By "Awake!" correspondent in Portugal

N Saturday morning, November 25, it started to drizzle. In the afternoon it was pouring. Around 7 p.m. sheets of rain deluged greater Lisbon. Somewhere near 2 a.m. it stopped raining. But the damage had been done.

The destruction that those few hours of heavy rainfall did is staggering. By midnight on Saturday, downtown Lisbon had become a sea of water. The city's transportation systems were brought to a standstill. The principal avenue leading to Portugal's Riviera, Estoril, was under six feet of water at places. On stranded streetcars people screamed as they stood on the seats, helplessly watching the ominous waters rise to window level.

Then came the power failure. Next, the electric generators providing power for telephone lines became submerged. Lisbon was now virtually isolated. Landslides blocked rail service.

Damage was great. The Gulbenkian Foundation alone suffered the loss of 200,000 volumes of books.

The full brunt of the storm was telt in Lisbon's northern suburbs and nearby towns. Steep hills and deep valleys dominate much of the area. In the valleys are dozens of small towns, settled on the banks of shallow rivers.

Saturday night these lazy streams became raging torrents of devastation, sweeping away many barracas, or wood shanties. Landslides ripped out foundations. Trees, bridges and roads were washed out. Scores of automobiles were tossed about. Dozens of families were wiped out. The only survivor in a family of twelve said: "About 2 a.m. I awakened to the noise of rushing water. By the time I realized what was happening the entire room was rapidly filling with water. I quickly got up and told my wife to get the children together. The only place of

safety seemed to be the roof, so I struggled to remove some of the tiles. The next thing I knew I was alone. By then the house was almost completely filled with water." When the waters subsided, there were eleven bodies found in a corner of the home, the man's entire family.

On Sunday morning it was still impossible to estimate fully what had happened. There were mud and debris of all kinds strewn around, with rivers still raging. Dozens of families were found buried in mud. Corpses were appearing in grotesque form, as the rivers had dashed some to shreds. Trees over a yard in diameter had been uprooted. Two large machines used in a paper-manufacturing plant, weighing several tons each, were tossed about like toys, one coming to rest five kilometers away.

Then, adding to the panic, a deafening explosion rocked a suburb of Lisbon, Alges, Sunday morning. A huge underground munitions depot at Fort Carrascal had blown up, shattering thousands of windows up to a distance of six kilometers. Some 3,000 were hurriedly evacuated from the danger zone.

On Sunday night the Minister of Interior released an official estimate placing the number of dead at 250. The days that followed, however, quickly revealed the unexpected toll of human lives. On the fifth day after the flood there had been 451 bodies found and dozens were still missing.

Cleanup operations have been greatly hampered. In one area six bridges were washed away. The entire fire department of Alenquer, consisting of eight vehicles, was immobilized. At one poultry farm 20,000 chickens drowned. Many horses, dogs, cats, sheep, goats and cows had been drowned, and now these carcasses began to smell. Waters had churned up a cemetery with such force that dead bodies were disentambed.

Reports received to date indicate that none of Jehovah's witnesses lost their lives in this flood. Some did, however, sustain material losses. Christian love is being shown to the needy. Interestingly, on the very weekend of the flood, there was a gathering of these Christians at a meeting. The minister in charge reports that the heavy rains did not interfere with the program, although some Witnesses were stranded in their automobiles and forced to stay in them overnight.

Never before in Portugal, it seems, and seldom elsewhere, has so short a period of rain exacted such a severe toll.

SERPENTS, to most people, are repulsive. An air of mystery and inscrutability surrounds them. Their sly and sinuous movements and the deadly power of poison fangs and crushing coils only add to this impression. How fitting

that the great arch-deceiver, Satan, first appeared under the figure of a seductive serpent! In this guise he intimated that he could make available to our first parents hidden, divine wisdom that would render them godlike. (Gen. 3:4, 5) By rendering obedience to his counsel Adam and Eve became the first worshipful slaves of the great Serpent.

That great deception in Eden in due time produced numerous sects that came to be called Ophites, from the word Oph, signifying "serpent." Other variations of this word are: Ope, Oupis, Eph, Opis, Ops, Upis, Ob, Aub, Oub and Eva. The learned writer Joseph Bryant, in his Ancient Mythology, declares:

"In Persis and in other parts of the East they erected temples to the serpent tribe, and held festivals to their honor, esteeming them as the supreme of all Gods, and the superintendents of the whole world. The worship began with the people of Chaldea. They built the city Opis upon the Tigris and were greatly addicted to divination, and to the worship of the serpent. From Chaldea the worship passed to Egypt: where the serpent-deity was called Canoph, Caneph, and Cneph. . . . The chief Deity of Egypt is said to have been Vulcan, who was also styled Opas, as we learn from Cleero. He was the same as Osiris, the Sun, and hence was often called Ob-El or Pytho-Sol."

The Ophite sects had certain things in common. The serpent was their symbol, said to represent the unseen power that first brought enlightenment to man. As stated in The Encyclopedia Americana, 1956 edition, under "Ophites": "They

considered that the Serpent in Eden by misleading Eve was the librator of man from the power of Jehovah, whom they regarded with abhorrence." They put faith in that original lie: "Your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad."—Gen. 3:5.

Spread of the Serpentine Cult

After the Deluge brought destruction upon a world of men who followed the way of the Serpent, the false doctrine again found its place in the minds of one of the families descended from Noah. Which family? Pointing to the sons of Cush, whose kingdom first took root in Babel and other cities of Mesopotamia, the book Ancient Mythology offers this information: "The worship of the serpent began among them [the Cushites], and they were hence denominated Ethiopians, and Aethiopians, which the Greeks rendered Aethiopes, so-called from Ath-Ope, and Ath-Opis, the God which they worshiped." Ath was a sacred title. Thus there were Ethiopians long before Ethiopia took its name from one Ethiop who was a deity, according to the Roman writer Pliny.

From Egypt the cult spread to the Grecian islands. Says J. Salvador, in his book Institutions de Moise (Mosaic Institutions): "It is certain that in imitation of the Egyptians, the serpent later became among the Greeks the emblem of Hygela, goddess of health, and of Aesculapius, god of medicine. The motive for this choice

Hygeia and Aesculapius

is probably the same which, in Genesis, made the serpent representative of moral seduction."

In Phoenicia, the serpent with its tail in its mouth was a symbol of the world and of the heaven-god Taaut, as well as the emblem of

eternity. The Ophiogenes of Phrygia, Asia Minor, declared themselves the descendants of a serpent-hero, and claimed the power of healing serpent bites. Spartans, too, were Ophites, worshiping the sun under the figure of a serpent, and displaying the serpent motif on their shields. In all of this we can note but a vast extension of Devil worship.

Eastward the cult spread to embrace India, Siam, Burma, China and Japan. Sculpture on the Buddhist memorial mound at Sanchi, central India, reveals scenes in which a race of snake worshipers adore the multiheaded serpent deity in his temple. Vishnu is often depicted as lying asleep on Ananta, this same multiheaded serpent, said to represent eternity. Siva appears at times with earrings of serpents, and often he is shown entwined by them. The Hindus, according to J. D. Rees, in The Real India, "make offerings to the King of Snakes, whose worship, in one form or another, and to a greater or less extent, prevails all over India." And quite recently a current magazine published a

photograph of a Burmese priestess culminating a fertility rite by kissing a king cobra, whose fangs and venom sacs were still intact.

The Israelites must ha with many evidences of this degrading worship, and not in Egypt alone. At Kiriath-sepher, thirteen miles north of Hebron, was found a household stela showing a Canaanite goddess with a large snake coiled about her. Bethshan, notorious as the city upon whose wall King Saul's headless

body was hung, is believed to have been a center of the serpent cult. Piaques bearing serpents, as well as shrine houses with serpents as part of their architectural decor, were uncovered there. Beth-shan is understood to be the same as Beth-Zan, and Zan was the name under which the serpent deity later came to be known by the Spartans.

It is said that a golden viper was adored among the pagans of Lombardy until a missionary of Christendom converted the idol into utensils for the celebration of the Mass. A snake was fed and honored in the temple of the Slavonic god, Potrimpos. In north Germany and Scandinavia there are traditions relating that "whoever is so fortunate as to catch a snake with a crown on its head, or, as it is called, a royal snake, becomes 'fremsynet' (i.e., able to see into hidden things), understands the speech of animals and can read any book whatsoever."* Ancient Prussian snake worship was marked by the offering of food to the household serpent. Everywhere we find the link with the false deity whose voice was heard in Eden through the instrumentality of the serpent.

Even to the western hemisphere the serpent cult extended its bedeviling influence. To the Mexican Indians the bringer of civilization, the god of learning and culture.

Temple of Quetzalcoatl bol—a feathered serpent!

Tenayuca, some six miles north of Mexico City, was known to the Spanish conquerors as "the Place of the Serpents." "Carved rattlesnakes were everywhere, inside and out. Two huge stone serpents occupied the principal altar; 156 lesser carvings rested on a narrow walk around the temple platform; snake heads protruded from walls and stairways. Altogether, there were at least 800 representations of serpents in and about this place of worship."—National Geographic, January 1948.

Columns and balustrades at Chichén-Itzá, Mexico, abound with examples of the serpent motif. In Peru, too, there is evidence that the Indians worshiped great snakes before they received the religion of the Incas. The Great Serpent Mound northwest of Portsmouth, Ohio, takes the form of a 1300-foot-long serpent, and was obviously used by Indians of the region for religious and ceremonial purposes. The Snake clan of the Moqui Indians of Arizona claim to be descendants of a woman who gave birth to snakes, and they believe that at death they will be transformed into snakes.

Snake worship spread throughout the continent of Africa also. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th edition, under "Totemism": "The Psylli, a Snake clan of Africa had a test of kinship; they exposed their new-born babies to snakes, and if the snakes left them unharmed or only bit without killing them, the children were legitimate; otherwise they were bastards. . . In Senegambia a python is expected to visit every child of the Python clan within eight days after birth. . . Members of [this clan] profess to heal . . . persons who have been bitten by serpents."

Ophites Since the Time of Christ

Thus the devotees of Satanism spread to every land and continent. Of the Ophite

sects that professed to accept the gospel of Christ, perhaps the Cainites carried to its most extreme form the misrepresentation of the Bible record. In addition to claiming the serpent to be a purveyor of heavenly wisdom and a savior from ignorance, they took the position that all the godless characters in Bible history had been slandered, and that Cain and other like fighters against Jehovah were in fact spiritual heroes. They even believed that Judas Iscariot was the only disciple sufficiently enlightened to betray the Master so that he might victoriously terminate his course of sacrifice.

The close ties between the Ophite sects and Gnosticism are most significant. The term Gnostic, of course, is derived from the Greek word gnosis, which has the meaning "insight into divine truth." Again we are reminded of Satan's promise to Eve. And, having in mind that the Ophite and Gnostic cults were united in their abhorrence of Jehovah, whom they describe as a malignant demiurge or lower type of god responsible for all the evils of this present life, it is quite startling to find their views, as listed by Gibbons, the historian, very closely approximating those of many who today adopt the name "Christian":

"The Mosaic account of the creation and fall of man was treated with profane devision by the Gnostics, who would not listen with patience to the repose of the Deity after six days' labor, to the rib of Adam, the garden of Eden, the tree of life and of knowledge, the speaking serpent, the forbidden fruit, and the condemnation pronounced against humankind for the venial offence of their first progenitors."—Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. II, page 85.

History demonstrates that many of the Ophite and Gnostic sects deteriorated into the most degraded movements, countenancing and practicing every lust of the flesh, on the false assumption that the matters of this life have little to do with the future.

They believed that their hopes for the future depended upon the ultimate defeat of Jehovah. Indeed, some of them believed they were contributing toward that objective by challenging and defying the moral principles set forth in the Hebrew Scriptures.

One of the Gnostic sects had a strange method of celebrating what they called "holy communion." Just prior to partaking of the bread they permitted a serpent to pass over it as it lay upon the table. Only then did they consider the bread as sacred.

Serpent Worship Today

As late as the eighteenth century it is reported that serpents were still being adored in remote villages of Russia. But such ignorant and primitive worship is as nothing compared with the many developments of Satanism in our own time. Highly educated men and women profess to worship the Devil. One doctor in the United States openly professes himself a Satanist, and calls his theological persuasion Ophitic Gnostic. The Oklahoma City Times of July 5, 1954, reported: "There is more active Satan-worship today than ever since the Dark Ages, when witches were burned upon Tower Hill. . . . When a Sunday in December falls on the thirteenth day of the month, and is, therefore, the thirteenth day before Christmas, . . . men and women will congregate at midnight in secret temples of South Kensington, Paddington and, I believe, Bloomsbury, too, to strip off their clothes and worship Satan with ritual and sacrifice that would shame an African savage."

According to the police such rites have led to murder, suicide and insanity. At the ceremonies the ordinary standards of decency and morality are derided. Black magic, secret orgies, desecration of

churches and burial places are common "works" of such Satanists. Devotees profess to believe that by leaguing themselves with the Devil and offering him their worship they can assure for themselves his help, not only in the affairs of this life, but also in the region of the dead. They even engage in active proselytism on behalf of their respective sects. They watch for regular attendants at lectures on spiritism, necromancy and kindred subjects, and slyly cultivate their acquaintance. It is then easy to persuade unwary ones to become initiated into their societies.

In America, in Britain and throughout Europe it is reported that such diabolic cults are to be found in many of the large cities. People of higher than ordinary education are the prime targets for conversion, since they are more likely to be intrigued by the promise of "hidden wisdom." Additional danger to the merely "curious" is posed by the use-of hypnotic and spiritistic powers by practitioners of Satanism.

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Awake!, January 22, 1968