Awake!, March 8, 1976

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Awake! — March 8, 1976

Source: jw.org

Contents

How Dangerous Is Marijuana?

What I Did About My Brain Tumor

Why and How Be Thrifty?

Facing Life Alone

A Conspiracy Thwarted in “the Land Down Under”

Where Coconut Predominates in the Menu

‘Abstain from Blood’—for How Long?

Watching the World

What About Those “Ape-men”?

How Long Was Man Meant to Live?

How Dangerous Is Marijuana?

How Dangerous Is Marijuana?

FOR years, many people have regarded smoking marijuana as a “harmless” pastime. Even many scientists have felt that way, considering it a “soft” drug.

One result of this attitude is that the use of marijuana has spread rapidly. Tens of millions of people have tried it, with many millions becoming habitual users. At some social gatherings, it has been passed around as casually as candy.

Recently, though, some researchers have come forward to claim that marijuana is not a “soft” drug. They declare that it may do the following: cause brain damage leading to impaired mental processes; harm cell growth by hindering the ability of cells to reproduce; damage chromosomes and genes, the vital units that transmit hereditary characteristics; weaken the body’s resistance to disease; and lower levels of male sex hormones, leading to various sexual problems.

On the other hand, there are researchers who challenge these conclusions. They state that marijuana is not dangerous. Indeed, one writer asserts in the magazine New Times” “Smoking [marijuana] may be good for your health.” He said that it “might prove to be an unexploited wonder drug of the future,” and added: “[If] used in moderation, . . . [it] could help cure your asthma, relieve your migraine, inhibit cancer and give you a new lease on life.” But the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare states that there is no clinical evidence to support such extravagant claims.

Why this great conflict of opinions? It is due to several factors. For one thing, there are the preconceived ideas of those involved. A researcher who wants to verify one view or another can often, consciously or unconsciously, interpret test results to suit his purpose. Another factor is how a researcher conducts his experiments. If they are conducted in one way, they may give one set of results, but if in another way, they may provide something different. Also, it is true that in some animal experiments the amount of the toxic ingredient of marijuana given would far exceed what even a heavy user would be exposed to in a lifetime. Hence, for a variety of reasons, conflicting reports are being issued.

Yet, lately there have been more claims that marijuana is dangerous. A reason for this is that studies made recently were not possible years ago. It is only in the past several years that the toxic ingredient of marijuana, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), has been isolated for experimental use. But now it is being supplied to hundreds of researchers throughout the world.

CHANGING VIEWS

Among those who claim that marijuana is harmful are some who once felt it was harmless. In fact, a number of these used it themselves but now have changed their views. Why? It is because they feel that, as reported by the Seattle Times, “the adverse evidence against the drug continues to mount in scientific laboratories.”

Dr. David H. Powelson at one time stated that marijuana was a “harmless” drug. But after eight years of research at the University of California he now offers his regrets for having had that view. Instead, he declares that marijuana is a “most dangerous drug.”

Dr. Robert Heath of Tulane Medical School comments: “When I started my studies four years ago, I thought marijuana was a relatively innocuous drug . . . I now feel it is very harmful.” The Portland Oregonian adds: “Dr. Heath is not the only one who is changing his mind about marijuana. Scientists working in labs all over the world are echoing the theme: ‘Initially I didn’t think marijuana was dangerous, but I now feel it is a very great threat.’” And in Canada, the Montreal Star Weekend Magazine says:

“Dr. Olav Braenden, the director of the United Nations narcotics laboratory, felt compelled to say recently: ‘In my opinion, it seems that as progressively more scientific facts are discovered about cannabis [marijuana], the more one becomes aware the potential dangers.’ . . .

“Here, in Canada, an ever-increasing number of experts in the drug field have been stepping forward to urge caution, if not to denounce outright the use of cannabis.”

Some researchers claim that even the moderate regular use of marijuana can have bad effects. As the Detroit Free Press notes: “Medical researchers are reporting new discoveries which indicate that marijuana and its big brother, [hashish]​—are indeed dangerous to physical and mental health when used regularly, even once or twice a week.”

HOW MUCH MENTAL DAMAGE?

Is marijuana damaging to the brain, impairing mental functions, even when a person is not under its immediate influence? Its supporters say it is not, and cite several tests to back up their observations.

A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania reported no difference between those who smoked marijuana and those who did not. They summed up their findings this way:

“A battery of the most sensitive neuropsychological tests now available could demonstrate essentially no difference between moderate users and nonusers of marijuana. These results agree with those of Mendelson and Meyer who employed similar tests with 10 casual and 10 heavy users.”

However, critics of marijuana question the validity of many random tests of users versus nonusers. The point is made that a better test would be that of observing the mental condition of an individual before he ever began using marijuana, and then testing that same individual after a long period of marijuana use. They cite the experience with tobacco smoking, that only after prolonged use do damaging effects such as lung cancer and other diseases appear.

In regard to the more immediate mental effects, several experiments have indicated that, generally speaking, the more mental ability and coordination a task requires, the less efficiently it will be performed by one who is under the influence of marijuana. The user may think he is doing better. However, he is like the person who has had several alcoholic drinks and thinks he is more proficient at whatever he attempts, but is really not.

Evidence of this has been presented in connection with automobile driving tests. Persons under the influence of marijuana could not start or brake their cars as easily as those not under its influence. At times they reacted as poorly as drunk drivers. They had trouble concentrating, their judgment was faulty, and the time of reacting was slowed.

Regarding longer-range mental effects of marijuana, Dr. Francis A. Davis, publisher of the medical journal Private Practice, says:

“Its early use is beguiling. It gives the illusion of feeling good, so the user is unaware of the beginning loss of mental functioning.

“In fact, marijuana impairs the user’s ability even to judge the loss of his own mental abilities.”

Dr. Davis claims that “chronic, heavy use leads to mental and physical deterioration that may be impossible to reverse.” He says that for some people such use can lead even “to outright paranoia.” And he also warns that “psychological changes have been noted in those smoking less than one [marijuana] cigarette a week.”

Dr. Jared Tinklenberg of the Drug Abuse Council in Washington, D.C., feels that marijuana interferes with memory by impeding the transfer of images from short-term to long-term “storage.” And Dr. Hardin Jones, a professor of medical physics and physiology at the University of California, says:

“There is now a growing body of evidence that marijuana smokers do have problems with memory.

“In my own work, which is directed to the evaluation and recovery of cannabis users, I have extensive proof that those who stop using marijuana are amazed when they witness the return of functions they didn’t realize they had lost.”

Inspector Gordon Tomalty, head of the Drug Enforcement Branch of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, noted adverse psychological ‘effects. After years of working with marijuana users, he said:

“The tragedy lies in the fact that so many of our youngsters turn to cannabis as an answer to their personal problems . . .

“Yet they find none of the answers they are looking for and any pleasure they may get from it is short-lived. In fact, it only serves to mix them up further . . .

“Of all the users I have seen over the years, I don’t know of a single person who has benefited from it. I think it simply retards the maturity process.”

COMPARISON WITH ALCOHOL

Some researchers who support the use of marijuana acknowledge that it can affect the mind. And, of course, this is why the majority use it, since it can produce a feeling of euphoria, or well-being, the “high” referred to by many. Also, it is admitted that with some users the mental effect is so strong that the user is referred to as being “stoned.”

However, supporters of marijuana say that, while it can affect the mind, it is no more dangerous than alcohol, since alcohol can produce similar mental states. But many others claim that there is a very real difference between it and alcohol.

It is pointed out that alcohol is not retained for long periods of time in body or brain cells. Of course, the long-term excessive use, or abuse, of alcohol can certainly damage the body and brain. But with moderate use, it is dispersed from the body in a matter of hours. Marijuana’s toxic substance, however, is not quickly passed off. It is said to persist and accumulate like DDT, which is why many feel that it is potentially more dangerous than alcohol.

For example, six doctors from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, in a letter to the editor of the New York Times, declared:

“Marijuana contains toxic substances . . . which are only soluble in fat and stored in body tissues, including brain, for weeks and months, like DDT.

“The storage capacity of tissues for these substances is enormous​—which explains their slow deleterious effects in habitual smokers.

“Anyone using these substances more than once a week cannot be drug free.”

Dr. Andrew Malcolm of Toronto says: “Brain cells are particularly loaded with this fatty material and therefore there is a fairly high concentration of marihuana laid down in such cells.” He also said: “There are people who will tell you that there is nothing wrong with cannabis, but in the light of contemporary evidence, this is simply irresponsible on their part.”

Tulane University’s Dr. Robert Heath brands the comparison between alcohol and marijuana as “ridiculous.” He states that alcohol has “a temporary effect. Marijuana is complex with a persisting effect.” Hence, it is his contention that the prolonged use of marijuana “damages the brain.”

SEX HORMONE LEVELS

Controversy also surrounds claims of damage in other areas. For example, some say that marijuana use has resulted in lower levels of male sex hormones, which has produced problems related to the male reproductive system.

The New York State Journal of Medicine reports on three different observations in this regard. In one, three men between the ages of twenty-three and twenty-six suffered from malfunction of their reproductive system. It was found that they had smoked marijuana in large quantities for long periods, six years in one case and two years in another. Doctors believe there was a direct connection between their problems and the prolonged marijuana use.

In a study of 40 men from eighteen to twenty-eight years of age, the same medical journal related that 20 of the men had used marijuana at least four days a week for a minimum of six months, without using any other drug during that period; the other 20 men had never used marijuana. The publication noted that the male hormone levels were “significantly lower in the marihuana users,” and that a number suffered serious effects as a result. The report said: “The data suggest that chronic intensive use of marihuana may produce alterations in male reproductive physiology.”

But what about another study of 27 men, reported by the Journal of Medicine, where sex hormone levels were checked daily before, during, and after a 21-day period of marijuana use? In this case no significant changes were noted. Under these conditions, the authors of the test concluded that there was no association between marijuana use and male sex hormone levels. But there was a difference. What? The time involved was brief​—three weeks—​compared to the other two observations of harmful results coming from much longer periods of marijuana use.

OTHER POSSIBLE DAMAGE

In regard to claims of marijuana producing lower resistance to disease, as well as damage to chromosomes and genes, similar disagreement is evident.

Consumer Reports tells of tests that failed to show any damage to cell structure. Regarding disease, it cites a finding from tests at the University of California at Los Angeles, which stated: “There is no clinical or epidemiologic evidence to suggest that chronic marijuana users might be more prone to the development of . . . [cancerous] or infectious processes.” These results came from tests of the skin.

Other researchers conclude the opposite. Dr. Gabriel G. Nahas and his associates at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons reported, after complex tests, that the immune response of marijuana smokers was impaired. Dr. Nahas concluded that habitual marijuana smokers are damaging their defense against infectious diseases and also against cancer. He also noted that large doses of THC have produced “a decrease in DNA cell formation,” which suggested the abnormal development of genetic codes. Hence, he stated:

“The effect of THC is 10,000 times as strong as the effect of alcohol . . .

“Indications are that marijuana is extremely harmful, and its use should be discouraged. It is not a mild, mind-expanding herb. I deplore those efforts to make it socially acceptable or readily available.”

In regard to lung damage, there is more general agreement that marijuana smoke, like tobacco smoke, can be harmful. Scientists in Switzerland found that marijuana smoke “contributes to malignant and premalignant growth” in lung-tissue cultures. A Swiss medical research team concluded that marijuana damages lung tissues even more rapidly than does cigarette smoke. And Consumer Reports, in an article generally favorable to marijuana smoking, states:

“Though the evidence to date is far from decisive, there is no reason to doubt that marijuana smoke, like tobacco smoke and other kinds of smoke, may damage human lung cells. How much damage remains an unanswered question. . . .

“For very heavy users who smoke many marijuana cigarettes a week, of course, the risk of lung damage may be serious.”

THE JAMAICA STUDY

Defenders of marijuana cite a study made in Jamaica, the West Indies. Many residents of that land have long smoked what is called ganja, or marijuana. So it was thought that observations of the people there would result in conclusive findings.

A report based on these studies declared that no harmful effects were noted in the Jamaicans. The report concluded: “The data clearly indicate that the long-term marijuana use . . . did not produce demonstrable intellectual or ability deficits . . . There is no evidence in the results to suggest brain damage.”

However, this study and its conclusions have been challenged. Professor Hardin B. Jones of the University of California states:

“A study of marijuana (ganja) use in Jamaica that claimed to prove no harmful effects has been thoroughly discredited by Dr. John A. S. Hall, chairman of the Department of Medicine at Kingston Hospital, Jamaica, who found that the selection with which the study was done was faulty.

“He observed ‘20 per cent impotence . . . among males who have smoked ganja for five or more years’ and reported that ‘personality changes among ganja smokers . . . are a matter of common observation in Jamaica.’ Among the symptoms were apathy, retreat from reality and the incapacity or unwillingness for sustained concentration.”

Dr. Jones acknowledged that studies do appear that seem to refute the claims that marijuana is harmful. However, he says: “These studies invariably miss either or both of two points: The effects of marijuana take time to accumulate, and selected groups of subjects may not experience the effects that occur in most users. The active ingredient, THC, lingers in the body; 40 to 45 per cent of it remains after four days; 30 to 35 per cent after seven days, with slow elimination thereafter. Persisting brain burdens of THC account for impaired brain functions.”

A VITAL FACTOR TO CONSIDER

At this point the evidence about marijuana’s damaging effects is not complete. Much more research remains to be done. Yet, from the results that some have obtained, it is evident that there are at least possible serious threats to health.

In view of this, Dr. Robert L. DuPont, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse in the United States, says: “There is cause for concern and caution based on evidence from animal studies and some preliminary human studies . . . For now, it would seem the possible adverse effects should lead marihuana smokers or potential smokers to question whether it is worth the risk.”

Even a Consumer Reports article, published one month after its article defending marijuana use, admitted: “Marijuana, like any other drug, is probably harmful in at least some respects to at least some users at some dosage levels under some conditions of use.”

Yet, there is another, even greater consideration in this matter. It is the view of the One who created man’s body and mind, and who surely knows what is best for people. In God’s Word, the Holy Bible, we are counseled: “Let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.” (2 Cor. 7:1) Surely, the sucking of smoke​—any smoke—​into our lungs deliberately is a defilement of the flesh. Hence, a person could not continue this practice and still be a true Christian.

In addition, since marijuana can produce a “high,” or a “stoned” condition, it is obvious that the mind could be laid open to wrong concepts. World Book Encyclopedia observes: “Marijuana causes various changes in the way a person feels and thinks . . . Marijuana can also cause a person to lose his sense of time and space. Minutes may seem like hours, and nearby objects may seem far away. The drug may reduce memory, judgment, and coordination. . . . Marijuana may increase a person’s willingness to accept new ideas without judging whether they are true or false.”

Could a God-fearing person expose himself to such an effect? The Bible states: “Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.” (1 John 4:1) How well can a person test ideas to determine if they are true or false if he uses a drug that can “increase a person’s willingness to accept new ideas without judging whether they are true or false”?

Further, the Bible book of Proverbs says: “Thinking ability itself will keep guard over you, discernment itself will safeguard you, to deliver you from the bad way, from the man speaking perverse things, from those leaving the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness.” (Prov. 2:11-13) Will getting “high,” or “stoned,” on marijuana improve thinking ability and discernment, helping to safeguard one from bad ways and perverse speech? Hardly.

Regardless of what current research turns up about the short- or long-term effects of marijuana, true Christians avoid its use. They know that it is a defilement of the flesh, and that it can produce a mental condition that is contrary to what a servant of God must cultivate.

[Blurb on page 5]

Some automobile drivers under the influence of marijuana reacted as poorly as if they were drunk.

[Blurb on page 7]

‘Marijuana damages lungs more rapidly than cigarette smoke.’​—Swiss medical team.

What I Did About My Brain Tumor

What I Did About My Brain Tumor

ONE moment I was sitting relaxed in a chair talking normally, and the next moment, they tell me, my face suddenly became distorted, flushed bright red and gradually faded to blue gray. My body stiffened rigidly as if drawn together with steel bands. Then I relaxed and my limbs began to shake. In about half a minute my face went chalky white. My breathing stopped, and I appeared to be dead.

Soon, however, breathing started again. Color returned and I seemed to be in a deep sleep. By the time the doctor arrived, consciousness was returning, but I was in agony. A convulsion​—the first in my life—​had struck. My pain was not from the convulsion itself, but from my own violent actions during the seizure. I had dislocated and broken my right arm and sustained compression fractures of the spine!

This was not to be my last encounter with the strange force that suddenly took over my body. Three weeks in the hospital somewhat repaired the broken arm, but I returned home only to suffer another convulsion. It was less severe than the first, but my injured arm was damaged again.

What was causing this alarming loss of bodily control to strike me without warning? To find out I visited a neurologist, a specialist in disorders of the brain and nervous system.

Tracing the Cause

First, a very thorough examination revealed no significant physical or mental abnormalities. Probing further, the neurologist made an EEG (electroencephalogram). About twenty electrically conductive pads or electrodes placed on selected parts of my skull picked up the extremely tiny electrical impulses there, and an electroencephalograph machine recorded them as waves on a moving paper. Normally, impulses occur at a constant frequency and are identical on both sides of the head. But unusually slow, fast or sharp waves may indicate that something is wrong. Abnormal electrical activity in just one area usually means that there is disease in that part of the brain.

This test revealed what the neurologist was looking for! The graph that emerged under the magnetic pen indicated abnormal activity in one part of my brain. I would have to take further tests to verify this, though, so three weeks later I entered a neurosurgical hospital. There I was quickly caught up in a whirl of examinations and tests. Two further EEGs confirmed that the abnormal activity was on the right side of my brain. This meant that the brain itself would have to be inspected for clues to the source of my mysterious seizures.

First, the doctor injected a radioactive compound into a vein on the back of my right hand. After a few minutes, this substance was making its way through the profusion of blood vessels in my brain, and a device related to the Geiger counter started scanning the radioactivity, mapping out its location on film. Abnormal concentrations may indicate damaging growths. This relatively harmless procedure revealed a slight shadow that proved we were getting closer to the culprit!

But still another test was required for positive identification. This one, called an angiogram, harbors some potential hazards. They fed a special dye into one of the two large arteries in my neck that go into the brain. It quickly filled the arteries of my brain, making them stand out clearly in X-ray photographs. But the dye can also cause some hallucinatory effects and possibly momentary blindness. In my case, the aftereffect was a feeling of wretchedness that was the worst part of the whole series of tests for me. I had to stay in bed for three days to recover.

Another hazardous test, called an air encephalogram, requires removing some of the fluid that constantly bathes the brain and replacing it with air. The air acts as a contrast medium to make the shape of the brain itself stand out clearly in X-ray photographs. Any distortions from the normal shape of the brain can then be noted.

But this test was not necessary in my case because the angiogram told the story. It plainly revealed a tumor just under the surface of my brain, and even indicated its size. The intruder was exposed! I felt numbed and shocked by the knowledge that a deadly growth was in my head​—probably growing every day.

Although I had known for some months that there was something seriously wrong, the last thing I had suspected was a brain tumor. Why, I had never even had a headache in my life! But I learned later that tumors manifest themselves in different ways, depending on their type and location. To understand what had happened to me, I had to learn something about the brain itself.

A Marvelous Instrument

The approximately three pounds of gray matter in our heads contain about ten billion nerve cells called neurons​—a number equal to two and a half times the earth’s present population! Various groups of neurons control different bodily tasks. When we move our arms, hands, legs or feet, for example, the command comes from the “motor strip” of neurons. Other neuron groups control sight, speech, reasoning, and so on. The way they work is marvelous.

Each neuron operates by firing a minute electrical charge at another preselected neuron, which, in turn, sends its own impulse to others. This may be compared to using your telephone to select another phone among many millions and quickly making a connection through many lines and relays. But neurons make connections among, not millions, but billions of others and they do so almost instantly. One estimate puts the daily activity of a brain at more than one hundred times the total of all the connections made by all the telephone exchanges in all the world put together!

Brain cells obviously do a good deal of work, and that requires fuel. In fact, though they compose only about 2 percent of our weight, our brains consume about 25 percent of all the oxygen that our bodies use​—more than any other part—​even at rest. To supply all this oxygen and other nutrients, about 20 percent of all the blood our heart pumps flows through our brains​—about 375 gallons each day!

But even though we know that great amounts of energy are consumed to keep our mind working, exactly how the brain works is still not known. No one knows what makes these billions of neurons produce thoughts, emotions or dreams. A brain specialist commented recently on British television that today we know a great deal about the moon​—men have even been there and back. But there was a time when it was thought to be a light shining through a hole in the sky. That, he said, is about the present level of our understanding of the brain and its workings.

The Brain Tumor

Now suppose something intrudes itself into this marvelous mechanism. What happens to its function? One intruder is a brain tumor, such as the one I had. Some tumors are cancerous, or malignant, and may grow very rapidly, causing death within just a few months. Others are slower growing and may be nonmalignant, or benign. But they can cause death too, unless treated.

How do brain tumors get started? It is not known for certain, though one type, called metastatic, springs from a cancer in another part of the body that sheds a few cells. The bloodstream carries them to the brain, where they establish a new colony.

Both kinds of tumors are composed of abnormal tissue that hungrily feeds on the blood supply to the brain. In fact, their appetite for blood has been known to exceed that of the brain itself! As they grow, they either destroy or push aside and damage surrounding neurons in the quest space, causing the brain to malfunction due to the damaged tissue or increased pressure.

Headaches, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, mental changes and convulsions may all be symptoms of a brain tumor, but none of these necessarily prove that one is present. For example, for no apparent reason, a person may have just one convulsive seizure in his whole life.

Such seizures or epileptic attacks occur when the brain has what might be called an “electrical storm.” A tumor or other disease may cause large masses of brain cells to discharge repeatedly in unison, creating much stronger electrical impulses than normal. Depending on the area affected, this may cause sudden contractions of the muscles so that the victim abruptly loses consciousness, experiences jerking movements of his body and stops breathing. Injuries or fatalities from such seizures are rare unless the brain discharges persist so that the person is in a continual state of seizure, called status epilepticus.

To Operate or Not

I now had a decision to make. Should I have the intruder removed? The first operation for removal of a brain tumor in modern times was performed in 1884. The patient did well at first, but he died about a month later from meningitis, an inflammation of the protective membranes that cover the brain. For some time after this, of the few operations that were performed, over half were fatal to the patients and only about a tenth of the patients were completely cured.

It was not until after the first world war that brain surgery became more frequent and successful, as surgeons learned more about the brain and developed new operating techniques. Of course, not all tumors are readily operable. In some cases only a portion of the tumor can be safely removed, and radiation therapy is often favored when malignant tumors reach deep into the brain.

But my doctor assured me that my tumor was almost certainly not malignant, and that it was in one of the best locations for successful removal, with good chances for a complete recovery. He strongly advised removal, but left the decision up to me. I knew of others with confirmed tumors who, out of fear, refused to undergo surgery, but my mind was made up. I was determined to have surgery. I wanted to do everything possible in order to return to a useful and normal life rather than experience a gradually declining state of health, leading to an early death.

Two days later the surgeon and his staff, ten persons in all, visited me. In discussing the proposed operation, I advised them that because of my Bible-based religious beliefs I wished them to use no blood. A few days later the surgeon agreed to perform the operation by using one of the alternatives to blood transfusions.

The Operation and After

During the operation he cut out a piece of my skull about four inches by two and a half inches so that the area where the tumor was located could be reached. After cutting a flap in the brain’s tough protective envelope, or dura mater, the underlying brain was exposed and the tumor was removed without complications. Then the dura mater was sewed together and the skull piece was replaced. After the operation I was in intensive care for only two days, and by the fifth day I was walking unaided. On the ninth day came the pleasure of dressing myself and being driven home by my wife.

But this did not end my experience altogether. Understandably the brain objects to intrusion by the surgeon’s knife. He cannot help but destroy some neurons and damage others when he removes the tumor. Swelling occurs. Damaged neurons need time to recover. Scarred tissue is left behind. Brain cells, unlike others, do not replace themselves when destroyed, but by some unexplained yet marvelous process, they can reestablish circuits in the area from which the tumor was removed. This takes time.

Though I seemed well on the way to recovery, six months after surgery I suffered three more convulsions. I learned that full recovery could take as long as three years, but at least I would recover. My capacity for reasoning was completely unimpaired, and my memory was as good as it had ever been.

I feel very grateful to the surgeon for his great skill, and grateful to sincere friends who visited me during my periods in the hospital. I am thankful, too, to be able to continue displaying my appreciation to the Creator who gave our bodies such a wonderful capacity for recovery. Indeed, my appreciation for life itself has increased. It is so good to be alive!​—Contributed.

[Picture on page 9]

Speech

Thought

Body Movements

Hearing

Sight

Coordination

Why and How Be Thrifty?

Why and How Be Thrifty?

THEY are an elderly couple, in their seventies, who live in a lovely, modest five-room house not far from Boston. Their home has a spacious basement and is situated on a large corner lot ornamented with trees and shrubs. They live comfortably and enjoy life as two retired citizens in the community.

What enables them to live this way? Do they get Social Security? Yes, but it does not reach far enough to cover all their expenses, as the taxes on their home alone come to more than $1,000 a year. Do they benefit from a pension? No. The reason they are getting by these days is that during the fifty years that he worked as a hotel chef they made a habit of saving; they lived economically; they were thrifty.

Being thrifty is not as highly regarded today as it once was. There was a time when parents admonished their children, “Waste not, want not.” The poet idealized the one of whom he could say, “Never idle a moment, but thrifty and thoughtful of others.” But one hears very little in praise of thrift these days and sees still less in practice.

Today everything seems to encourage wastefulness rather than thrift. Pride and the desire to “keep up with the Joneses” motivate so many people. Not only do advertisements make luxuries seem indispensable, but unwary buyers are lured with easy credit plans. The convenience of the credit card also plays its role in cultivating spending.

Of course, it must be admitted that there is such a thing as going to an extreme in this matter of being thrifty, as when a person becomes closefisted, miserly, stingy, mean. Wise and happy is the man who avoids both extremes, who is neither miserly nor wasteful.

Being Thrifty Is Wisdom

The Bible tells us that “money gives protection.” (Eccl. 7:12, Jerusalem Bible) And that it does.a Practicing thrift in money and in other material matters does give one a measure of protection and security. Thus when emergencies, such as sickness, accident or unemployment, arise, one is not faced with the embarrassing procedure of filing for personal bankruptcy, the way some 200,000 Americans did in 1972.

Another reason for being thrifty is that you get more for your money. When you save and then buy, you save the carrying or credit charges. Interest on unpaid bills usually is 1 1⁄2 percent a month or 18 percent a year! And should you need to borrow from a small-loan company, you may be paying even higher interest rates. So by saving your money and then buying, you not only avoid paying interest but your money earns interest until you spend it.

Good news for all such thrift-minded persons was the winning of a law suit that was brought by the Consumers Union against the American Express Company, one of the foremost issuers of credit cards. Some six million people world wide carry its card, and in the United States alone 87,000 business establishments accept its cards. The person carrying the card pays $15 annually for the convenience, and the establishment that honors these cards pays from 3 to 6 percent of the amounts purchased by credit-card users. Up till now business establishments could not offer discounts for cash if they wanted to keep the credit-card business of the American Express Company. But now they can. No longer is the cash-paying customer paying for the credit convenience extended to the credit-card user. A week later the press told of a like suit instituted against another major credit-card company.

The aviation industry advertises, “Fly now, pay later.” But better advice, once seen in Vancouver, British Columbia, is, “Save now, fly later.” Why? Because by getting the habit of thrift you will find that you can afford to get or do many more things, and that without any misgivings about being able to pay for them.

Thrift in Care of Home and Auto

That thrift is rewarding is also to be seen in such possessions as one’s home or auto. The home that is neglected soon becomes so dilapidated that it is not fit to live in. In certain sections of the big cities one sees abandoned apartment houses that now harbor squatters and/​or rats instead of paying tenants. Why? In part, it is because the onetime tenants were so careless in their upkeep that the owners simply abandoned the buildings. In fact, this lack of care for the property of others on the part of certain classes of people is one of the main reasons why homeowners in well-kept sections of a city often try to keep certain ones from buying into their neighborhoods, not because of any racial prejudice, but because of concern for the value of their property.

A leading American monthly once told of how homes and neighborhoods suffered because of such lack of thrift: “Garbage, broken bottles and old bedsprings accumulate in many a back yard . . . a loose porch board goes unfixed for weeks, though all it needs is one nail and two licks with a hammer . . . broken windowpanes get stuffed with rags. Moreover, the same families that can’t find money for a bucket of paint or a pane of glass somehow manage, surprisingly often, to drive fancy cars and buy a fifth of whiskey every weekend.” To cite a specific instance: One man, with his family, was living in an abandoned building that lacked light, heat and water, and yet he bought a Cadillac to ride around in! But only for a few weeks, until it was stolen.

Thrift in the use of an automobile is also rewarding. Many a shrewd buyer is proud to tell you of the bargain he got in a good used car. Why? Because it had been owned by a thrifty person who took good care of it, took no chances with it, and got into no serious accidents with it. He did not abuse the motor and kept his car clean inside and out; also, he had it simonized from time to time. Both seller and buyer profited from such thrift.

There is also the matter of thrift in driving a car. Having tires inflated just a little higher than recommended will save on gasoline as well as rubber. Drive so as to use the brakes as little as possible. Every time that you use the brakes you are wasting gasoline; so slow down when a stop is coming up.

Better Reasons for Thrift

Not that the reasons for practicing thrift are all of a material nature. The person who is thrifty grows in appreciation of the value of things and so has more joy and satisfaction in the things he acquires and possesses. Then, too, should hard times come and banks fail and stocks and bonds depreciate in value, the person who has practiced thrift is more likely to be able to take such adversities in his stride. Such hard times will not fall nearly so hard upon the one who has been thrifty as upon the one who has been extravagant or wasteful.

Another reason for practicing thrift relates to our relationship to the Creator, Jehovah God. Actually, all of us are recipients of His goodness. He made the earth and man upon it, and provided all the things needful for sustaining and enjoying life, even as his Word repeatedly shows. (Ps. 104:14, 15; Matt. 5:45; Acts 14:15-17) So, at best, we are merely stewards of His goodness, and it is required of stewards that they be faithful and prudent. (1 Cor. 4:1, 2) Jesus made this point in two of his parables. In each of these there was a servant who brought no increase to his master and was rebuked for it. The money his master had entrusted to him he could at least have deposited in a bank so that the master would have received back the principal with interest added.​—Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-23.

And what about having means so as to be able to help others? The thrifty person is in position to help those who happen to be in need. In this regard the counsel of the apostle Paul to the one who had been a thief comes to mind: “Let the stealer steal no more, but rather let him do hard work, doing with his hands what is good work, that he may have something to distribute to someone in need.” (Eph. 4:28) This counsel might well be adapted to the one lacking in thrift: ‘Let the wasteful spendthrift be no longer wasteful, but let him practice thrift so that he will have something saved up for a rainy day and so that he will be able to do a good turn to someone in need.’

And give not only to those in need but also to those known to be deserving, such as those who spend their full time telling others about Jehovah’s kingdom. The Philippians gave generously to the apostle Paul although he said that he was able to manage whether he had little or much. (Phil. 4:10-13) More than that, there are also worthy causes to which one can contribute​—the most worthy of all being that which furthers the preaching of the good news of God’s kingdom. (Matt. 24:14) Undoubtedly, those who practice thrift put themselves in a position where they can be “rich in fine works” and so experience ‘the greater happiness that comes from giving.’​—1 Tim. 6:18; Acts 20:35.

Gasoline Crisis Teaches Thrift

The gasoline shortage with its long waiting lines and resultant higher prices caused many to adopt more thrifty habits. Some of the thrift habits that people adopted because of this shortage were reported in the press. For example, one man who daily drove his car to work learned to ride a motorcycle. In three months thereafter he and his wife drove their family car only 200 miles. A Florida couple who used to drive from 200 to 300 miles every weekend for pleasure and relaxation found that they could enjoy their weekends at home just as much. “You might say that the gasoline shortage has domesticated us,” is the way the wife put it.

A commuter living in a Philadelphia suburb organized a bus pool and so forty-six commuters, each of whom used to drive his auto to work, could regularly commute by means of this bus. Not only did they find this very economical but they also found it more relaxing and enjoyable, as they did not need to worry about the traffic but could enjoy reading the daily paper or visiting with one another.

Thrifty? Yes, as one newspaper said: “Reports from 14 cities across the country indicate that many Americans are continuing to stay home on weekends, walk to work or to the store, pursue more efficient shopping habits, ride bicycles, buses and trains, buy small cars and think about moving from the suburbs back to the city.” Undoubtedly life for millions may never be the same again.

Because of this trend toward practicing thrift a newsweekly featured a cover story entitled “Detroit Thinks Small.” It told of plans to cope with problems resulting in some 100,000 men being permanently laid off and as many as 66,000 being temporarily without work. It is also reported that in the spring of 1974 the middle-class real estate business on the outskirts of Miami was “very bad.” On the other hand, the business of selling homes in the center of New Orleans was described as “still hot​—hot as firecrackers.” Truly, the shortage of gasoline and its increase in price caused many persons to change their life-style.

Other Aspects of Thrift

It may well be that most lack of thrift is simply due to thoughtlessness or following the lines of least resistance. Being thrifty means being thoughtful as regards little things as well as big ones. It means turning off the lights and TV when these are not being used. It means not wasting water, whether hot or cold. It means keeping household possessions clean, painted and in repair.

Food often takes the largest bite from the family budget. Thrift, therefore, means being careful in the first place when it comes to buying food; then in preparing it and then in what you do with the leftovers. Regarding the use of leftovers, you can take a lesson from Jesus Christ. After miraculously feeding five thousand men he gave instructions: “Gather together the fragments that remain over, so that nothing is wasted.” (John 6:12) And thrift would also indicate buying plain, wholesome, unrefined foods that contain their natural quota of vitamins and minerals.

The thrifty person will also give thought to saving money when it comes to clothes. The more radical the design, patterns and colors, the sooner one tires of them. As a rule, it is wise to pay a little more for quality​—if one expects to wear the garment for any length of time. Keeping clothes neat, clean, pressed and mended will make them last longer. The same is true of your shoes. If you keep them shined, and replace soles and heels before these get worn down too far, you can double or triple the wear you get out of them.

Many indeed are the reasons for practicing thrift. Because we are sensible, logical creatures, practicing thrift brings a certain degree of satisfaction and pleasure. And since it requires both thought and self-discipline, it is truly a virtue; especially since we are in fact stewards, accountable to God for the way we use the gifts he has bestowed upon humankind.

[Footnotes]

Not, of course, that money gives the best protection, for Solomon, the writer of the Bible book of Ecclesiastes, goes on to say that it is knowledge (of God) that does that.

Facing Life Alone

Facing Life Alone

THE fifty-year-old widower explained to his friends who kept trying to find a mate for him: “I appreciate your wanting to help me, but I don’t want to get married again. . . . My life isn’t all roses, but I’m discovering a lot of advantages in being single.”

Similarly, Janice, who had never married, told her parents: “I know you would like me to be married, but I don’t want it. Being single is a happy way of life for me.”

You may feel quite differently, though. Maybe you also face life alone​—being widowed, divorced, separated or never having married. And you may genuinely suffer from loneliness, stress and frustration. What can you do to make your life fuller, happier?

What you face may not be pleasant, as millions of persons can well testify. In many lands there are more persons who are single, divorced or widowed than those who are married. Especially are many women affected. It has been estimated that in the United States one out of six women over the age of twenty-one is a widow. And elsewhere the problem is even greater. There are areas where “by age 40 more than half of all women are widowed.” In addition to the millions of widows and widowers, there are all the men and women who are now alone as a result of divorce.

From your own experience and observation in life, you may realize that the loneliness a person suffers is made worse by the ordeal that brought on the situation. Dr. Thomas Holmes and his colleagues studied “43 life events that are associated with varying amounts of disruption in the average person’s life.” Which were found

to be the most disruptive? They are: (1) death of one’s mate, (2) divorce, and (3) marital separation. Then, after having gone through one of these wrenching experiences, a person is confronted with the difficulties of those who face life alone. One widow put it in this way: “Being a widow is like living in a country where nobody speaks your language. A country that considers you an untouchable.”

Whatever the circumstances that led to your now facing life alone, you know how difficult it can be. But so as to see what you can do to find more contentment and satisfaction in life, let us isolate some of the problems that you may face. Then we can better appreciate the steps to take so that you can cope successfully.

Loneliness

Is loneliness the problem that comes first to your mind? It is for many who face life alone. It seems to be an ever-stalking monster. That is so even with persons who might seem to be best qualified to meet the challenge. For instance, when her husband died, British social worker Lily Pincus found that ‘despite her work, family and many loving friends, she often was depressed and lonely.’ And divorced persons? Even when divorce brings an end to a troubled marriage, a person can fall prey to loneliness. You may have noticed that this is especially so since a divorced person may be under the malaise of failure from the breakup of his or her marriage. Truly, loneliness can be a problem.

‘I recognize the problem of loneliness,’ you may think, ‘but what can I do about it?’ One suggestion is to try to determine just what sparks your loneliness. Maybe you feel it most when eating breakfast or supper alone, on rainy days or on Saturday evenings, if you used to have pleasant companionship at those times. Whatever it is, by isolating the thing that triggers your loneliness, you can then make some adjustment to lessen its frequency and severity. One divorced man discovered that what brought on his feelings of loneliness was coming home to a dark, dreary apartment. What did he do? “I painted the entrance hall a warm color and hung some of my favorite pictures there. Then I bought a lamp, which I leave on when I go out. I find it makes all the difference in my mood.” Of course, in your case it may be something else that you need to adjust. Perhaps you will decide to put away some pictures or mementos that you link with happy times in the past but that leave you feeling lonely when you now see them.

It will also help if you recognize the difference between being alone and being lonely. Have you not, many times in your life, enjoyed solitude, periods when you were alone and able to think, read or simply “unwind”? You were alone, but you were not lonely, were you? True, that was by choice and was not a regular thing. Still, it shows that there is a positive side of your present life alone that you should not overlook. On one hand, being married does offer the blessings of being wanted and feeling a loved one’s presence. But, on the other hand, being single​—by choice or by circumstances—​offers the blessings of being able to think and spend your time with fewer distractions. (Compare 1 Corinthians 7:32-35.) Recognizing this may help you to avoid feeling that there is no green grass on your side of the fence, so to speak.

Ella, a thirty-four-year-old divorced woman in New York, commented that one difficulty is “the feeling of being rejected, that nobody wants me.” Do such thoughts weigh you down at times? Or perhaps you feel that you are no longer useful. For instance, Monika, a thirty-one-year-old widow in Maryland, had in her kitchen a small sign that read “I Hate Cooking.” A couple who visited her thought it was because she did not know how to prepare meals. But they later said: “We sure had our minds changed. She is an excellent cook. The underlying reason for losing her zest for cooking is the loss of her husband. It just wasn’t the same.”

In combating such feelings it is helpful to do something for someone else. Realize the truthfulness of Jesus’ words: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.” (Acts 20:35) Illustrating this, the Bible mentions Dorcas, who apparently was unmarried at the time. What did she do that undoubtedly helped her to combat loneliness? Acts 9:36-42 says that “she abounded in good deeds and gifts of mercy.” She made clothing for Christian widows and others in need. Why not read the account? See if you know of persons whom you could likewise help.

Both Ella and Monika followed a somewhat similar course. Ella began sharing in the Bible educational work of Jehovah’s witnesses. On evenings and weekends when she is off from her secular work she both teaches the Bible to other persons and attends Bible-based meetings at the local Kingdom Hall. She recently said: “Loneliness might be a danger, but it really helps when I go to the Kingdom Hall. It is marvelous that we have meetings three times a week. They are beautifully timed.” Monika, too, was able to increase her share in the Bible-teaching program of Jehovah’s witnesses. This brings her immense satisfaction. She knows that she is not merely filling lonely hours. Rather, she is serving God and at the same time being of real help to many persons whom she meets in her Christian teaching work. About this, she said: “The full-time preaching work has been the one thing that has helped me to overcome the flashes of loneliness that come back occasionally.”

You can also undertake a number of other practical steps that will help you to fight loneliness. Speak with someone who cares. Approach a friend or a relative in whom you have confidence, and explain: ‘I sometimes have a real problem with loneliness. Would you mind if when I feel that way I give you a call on the phone?’ You can use this “hot line” to obtain emotional support when you feel dejected and lonely, as we all do at times. And your friend will likely receive satisfaction from being able to help you. Also, do something interesting or vigorous. Have you been thinking of planting a garden? Get busy and plant it. Go ahead and paint the living room, if you have been wanting to do that. Start working on a hobby or something of special interest, be it learning a new language or how to play a musical instrument, undertaking an exercise program or planning an exotic meal for a few friends. But do it!

Daily Living

Many persons who face life alone report that financial pressure is a real strain. Do you find that to be so? Perhaps a woman never concerned herself with family finances before her husband died. Now she has to earn a living, pay bills and worry about insurance and such matters. It can be a heavy burden.

When it comes to supporting oneself, there is no one solution that would apply to all persons. But in this connection, and as regards other financial matters, do not overlook the help that your friends and relatives might be happy to provide. Approach some persons whose balance and judgment you respect and explain your situation. No, they cannot and should not make your decisions for you. But maybe a married couple could offer practical suggestions about finding work, paying your bills and caring for taxes and insurance. By speaking to a married couple, not just a married man, you will avoid the problem, which some widows have had, of appearing to be “making a play” for someone’s mate. And likely it will be good experience for that couple in the use of their mutual knowledge of these matters.

A word of caution: Do not make hasty financial decisions, or other decisions, for that matter, when you are still numb over the death of a mate. One widow was worried about safety now that her husband was dead. So she sold her home and moved to a trailer in another state. She thus separated herself from friends who had long been close to her and who would have been pleased to help her. Now she realizes that it would have been wiser to discuss the matter first, for, as the Bible says, “In an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (Prov. 11:14, Revised Standard Version) Her friends might have been able to help her to find a local apartment in a safer area, or to put her in contact with someone nearby who would appreciate a roomer and companion. A person who faces life alone has the freedom to make decisions, but it is usually wise to go slow and to get advice from persons interested in your good.

Sex

There is no denying that sex can trouble an adult who has normal desires but who does not have a mate. Many persons in this situation have been led to believe that the solution rests in having affairs, visiting prostitutes or practicing self-abuse.

But why say, “have been led to believe”? Psychologist M. Edwards pointed out: “Sex is sold like any other product, and you are told that if you’re not consuming your share there’s something wrong with you.” Yes, the sales propaganda about sex abounds in movies, magazines and books. A widely published view is that “human beings are sexual beings and without the constant stimulation of regular and frequent sex they tend to fade.” But, taking strong exception to this view, psychologist Edwards stated: “People can abstain from sexual intercourse for long periods of time and still show no ill effects. Whether you are a man or a woman, it is mostly a matter of adapting to the facts of a situation.”

Ask yourself: Why should I allow this overemphasis on sex, this sales propaganda, to lead to a greedy abuse of my body or to immoral relations? Why should I be “sold” into being exposed to painful emotional experiences, the possibility of unwanted pregnancy, ruinous venereal diseases and a violation of God’s perfect moral standards? (Heb. 13:4) A wiser course is to realize that a single person can keep normal desire in check by exercising self-control. One widow sought sexual satisfaction by immoral affairs. Yet, in time, even though she was not restrained by an interest in having God’s approval, she ceased such immorality. Why? Because it brought, not happiness, but frustrations and disappointments. She said: “I’m not a woman to live happily without sex. But I have learned that I can.”

Mature reasoning and self-discipline can help a person to lessen sex longings by avoiding things that stimulate them. Illustrating this, a divorcée in Brooklyn said that she is very strict with herself in this regard. She keeps far away from romantic or sex-oriented novels and movies. She added: “Sometimes I won’t listen to certain records or songs because they would play on my emotions. When I am feeling sentimental, I turn them off or skip them, for they would only fan romantic longings.”

Outlook

In facing life alone, do not withdraw into a shell of self-pity. Recognize that even if you would prefer to have a family, you now have certain blessings. These include privacy, time to cultivate talents and fields of interest, freedom to make your own decisions and opportunities to widen the borders of your friendships and to do good for others. Facing life alone is not without problems; you know that. Yet you can meet the challenge by positive effort and thus live a productive life.

Finally, do not forget this: It is clear from the Bible that Jehovah God is interested in widows, those who face life alone. (Deut. 10:17, 18; Isa. 1:17; Mark 12:38-40) You can regularly pray to him and concern yourself with his will, assured of his interest. As one woman whose husband left her said: “I pray to Jehovah to help me out. And it helps. It really helps. Maybe some people think it wouldn’t, but it really does help.”

A Conspiracy Thwarted in “the Land Down Under”

A Conspiracy Thwarted in “the Land Down Under”

By “Awake!” correspondent in Australia

THE people of Australia value their individual rights as citizens. They are well known for their insistence on fair play or “a fair go,” as they call it.

Fair-minded people usually favor freedom of worship. Section 116 of Australia’s Constitution provides for this, saying: “The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion.’’

Many inhabitants of “the land down under” have hearty spiritual appetites and enjoy it when Jehovah’s witnesses come to their homes to study the Bible with them. During 1975, more than 11,000 of such free Bible studies were held with Australians each week.

Do you realize, though, that the Witnesses were once under ban in Australia? How did that happen?

Declared Unlawful​—but Why?

On January 17, 1941, Australia’s Governor-General gazetted an order-in-council that declared unlawful Jehovah’s witnesses and several legal corporations that they used.

The ban apparently was related to the closing of four radio stations operated by Jehovah’s witnesses. The shutdown occurred because certain military persons claimed that the facilities had aired seditious broadcasts that provided information for the enemy during World War II.

Did Jehovah’s witnesses really sponsor seditious broadcasts? Consider the reason given by the Federal Cabinet in Sydney when the cabinet requested that the Attorney-General of Australia not allow the radio stations to reopen for a period of time: “In order to enable the position in relation to these wireless stations to be examined and clarified.”

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