Awake!, September 22, 1976

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Awake! — September 22, 1976

Source: jw.org

Contents

How Should You React to Life’s Uncertainties?

Youth Wants to Know

Do Not Judge by Outward Appearance

Oil—in Ancient Times and in Your Diet

I Was a Fortune-Teller

The Acacia—Thorny but Not Lacking Distinction

Our Rock-Mass Earth—Designed for Life

Did Life Originate by Chance?

A Lesson About Human Rulership

Was Abraham’s Fear Well Founded?

Learning a New Language

Why Fear the Wolf?

Will God Raise What Undertakers Bury?

Watching the World

Take Lifesaving Action Before It Is Too Late

Do I Have to Believe Evolution?

How Should You React to Life’s Uncertainties?

LIFE is filled with the unexpected. Humans soon find that they cannot always be sure of the way things will turn out. A keen observer of ancient times, wise King Solomon, stated: “The swift do not have the race, nor the mighty ones the battle, nor do the wise also have the food, nor do the understanding ones also have the riches, nor do even those having knowledge have the favor; because time and unforeseen occurrence befall them all.”—Eccl. 9:11.

Yes, often the unexpected happens. While one might expect the best runner to win the race, this is not always the case. An accident may slow him down or overconfidence may be his undoing, resulting in his failing to put forth his best efforts. Caught by surprise, the largest and most powerful army may suffer a humiliating defeat. The wisest of men may be given no opportunity to put their knowledge to work and may die in poverty. Men of unusual skill, instead of enjoying others’ favor, by some quirk of circumstance may fall into disrepute and spend their life in obscurity.

Furthermore, life itself is of uncertain duration. One of the most ancient books, the Bible, puts it this way: “You do not know what your life will be tomorrow. For you are a mist appearing for a little while and then disappearing.”—Jas. 4:14.

Faced with life’s uncertainties, what can we do to make the best of them? Should we strive to get ahead in the world?

That is what many people today do. They center their whole life around material pursuits. A man, for example, may drive himself to get ahead in the world, eventually attaining a prominent position and an excellent income. But what of the price he may have to pay for this? He may have to neglect his family, spending little time with his wife and children, in order to advance himself and to secure his position. In time he may find himself practically a stranger in his own home, unable to communicate with his children. They may have little appreciation for the material comforts he is able to provide for the family. Deprived of needed fatherly guidance, the children may become emotionally unstable. Instead of being able to stand up for what is right, they may readily succumb to pressure from youths their own age. Meanwhile, the man may sacrifice his health and be unable to enjoy the things that he can procure. He may even have a hard time sleeping at night. Finally death can bring everything to nothing. Whatever inheritance is left behind may be squandered by his heirs.

Truly a way of life based solely on the pursuit of materialistic goals is frustrating and empty. It is of no help in coping realistically with life’s uncertainties. But what about living by the principle “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we are to die”? (1 Cor. 15:32) Will such living for today as if there were no tomorrow enable a person to cope effectively with life’s uncertainties?

Well, think about the results that come from living merely for so-called pleasure. Is it not true that many people, especially youths, have ruined their life thereby? Drug addiction, alcoholism, venereal disease, unwanted pregnancies and a host of other social ills are a by-product of unbridled pleasure-seeking. Instead of enabling a person to cope with life’s uncertainties, one’s living only for the present can add to those uncertainties.

But what can we do to cope with the uncertainties of life? For one thing, we cannot ignore these uncertainties, viewing them as if they did not exist. In order to cope with them, we need to recognize them. Because things quickly change, it is wise not to attach undue importance to any sorrow, joy, worldly relationships or possessions. The Bible recommends: Let “those who weep be as those who do not weep, and those who rejoice as those who do not rejoice, and those who buy as those not possessing, and those making use of the world as those not using it to the full.”—1 Cor. 7:30, 31.

This is a realistic view of the way things are in the world. Nothing has any permanence or stability. The world is like a stage, quickly changing from one scene to another. That is why no joy, sorrow, possession or human relationship should be allowed to dominate our lives. Just as undue sadness can be injurious, so can undue attachment even to something that is good. For example, the person who builds his whole life around his relationship to a friend would experience a terrible blow were death or another circumstance to deprive him of association with that one. He would feel as though his whole world had gone to pieces.

It is wise, therefore, not to restrict ourselves when it comes to things and relationships that bring us joy. A broad field of interest can be a real asset in coping with life’s uncertainties. The person having a wide field of interest is less likely to experience a shattering of all his hopes and dreams. Usually not everything turns out bad at the same time. Something worth while always remains.

Moreover, our recognizing that life is short should cause us to give sober consideration to how we are using it. Are we earnestly shunning activities and habits that could ruin our mental, emotional and physical well-being? Are we following the truly wise course? You ask, What would that be?

After surveying human life in an imperfect world, wise King Solomon urged: “Fear the true God and keep his commandments.” (Eccl. 12:13) That is really the foremost way to cope with life’s uncertainties. A wholesome fear or regard for the Creator will move us to do what he commands. This is for our good, since God’s commandments are designed to aid us to get the best from life even now. When heeded, they will enable us, as the Bible says, to ‘remove vexation from our heart, and ward off calamity from our flesh.’—Eccl. 11:10.

One who appreciated the excellent guidelines provided by Jehovah God expressed himself about them as follows: “The judicial decisions of Jehovah are true; they have proved altogether righteous. They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much refined gold; and sweeter than honey and the flowing honey of the combs. Also, your own servant has been warned by them; in the keeping of them there is a large reward.”—Ps. 19:9-11.

Not even death can destroy the benefits of a person’s ‘fearing the true God and observing his commandments.’ Why not? Because it is God’s purpose to resurrect the dead. The Bible speaks of him as the God “who makes the dead alive and calls the things that are not as though they were.”—Rom. 4: 17.

So, then, the person who uses his time to build a fine relationship with the Creator is really making the best of life, despite its uncertainties. Is this what you are striving to do? Are you allowing the Bible to help you to enjoy the best from life now and in the future?

Youth Wants to Know

IN MOST lands, formal religious practice is declining. Church attendance is down. More and more people, young as well as old, are rejecting the traditional ways of worship. Along with this, growing numbers are even abandoning belief in God.

Of course, for decades Communist societies have been attacking religion, considering it ‘the opium of the people.’ In those lands atheism is promoted. But in the heart of Christendom, too, atheistic and agnostic types of beliefs are gaining force.

Part of the problem is that for centuries the unreasonable beliefs and the hurtful actions of this world’s religions have invited ridicule. It is no strange thing, therefore, that many thinking people see no use in the ceremonies and formalistic ways of the churches and other non-Christian religions.

An example of this was noted in the West German magazine Stern, published in Hamburg. It contained a negative article entitled “The Marketing of the Virgin Mary.” The account was about Altötting, the Bavarian village of pilgrimages. The issue sold a million copies.

The Bavarian Ministry for Education and Culture noted such opposition to religious practices and said: “They are successful in putting religion in a bad light, in stripping piety, prayer and worship and stamping the devout as clowns.”

Are the Young Interested?

The Bavarian Ministry, in its publication School and We, of December 1975, also stated: “Daily we read, hear, see piety derided as stupidity, the Ten Commandments sent to the rear bench. Is it any wonder that God and Christianity have become words without meaning, syllables without sense, empty spots in life for many nowadays? When many families painstakingly avoid a religious discussion, is it not reasonable that, as a school subject, religion is in bad straits?”

Certainly, as adults abandon religion, or keep it in name only, their young ones are bound to be affected. They, too, are now often found to have as little, or even less, respect for formalistic religion and its ceremonies as do their parents.

However, is this because young people are not at all interested in questions that relate to the existence of God, the meaning of life, or what happens after death? On the contrary, often young people are more willing to discuss such subjects than are adults.

But what the young are rejecting in growing numbers is formalistic religion, for which they can see no use. They also have observed the bad practices of this world’s religions. That includes the political meddling by the churches, their support of wars, their hypocrisy and unreasonable doctrines, as well as the immorality and “high” living on the part of many clergymen and other religious people. All of this has “turned off” the youth as regards formalistic religion.

A Revealing Survey

In Munich a young scientist named Werner Prawdzik decided to find out whether the young were interested in matters pertaining to God. He questioned 800 of the 2,000 boys and girls in the ninth grade of Munich’s schools.

The results caused many to reappraise their views. Why? They had felt that due to the disinterest of adults in matters related to God, the young would show the same disinterest. But it did not altogether turn out that way.

His survey did show that the greater number of these young people in Munich were surrounded by an atmosphere that ignored God. As an example, only 16 percent of the students said that their fathers took religion seriously. Only 24 percent of the students reported that their mothers took religion seriously. Two thirds of the students said that their parents were so disinterested that they did not even care if their children participated in religious instruction or not.

It was also noted that 83 percent of the fathers and 74 percent of the mothers seldom, if ever, attended church. And in this area, the children reflected their parents’ habits. But that was to be expected. Children usually imitate their parents in their formal way of worship.

But what was unexpected to many was another aspect of the scientist’s investigation. The publication School and We put it this way:

“A result with which no one had reckoned: In these religiously apathetic surroundings, branded by apostasy from family piety, youths are growing up who in this case are not an image of grownups. Urban youth stated:

“‘I often concern myself with the question of God’s existence’ (59 percent).

“‘I have often thought about the meaning of life’ (64 percent).

“‘I am interested in knowing what happens after death’ (57 percent).”

The report added: “Many young people who live in this anti-religious climate, whose parents are the exact opposite of faithful Christians, nevertheless occupy themselves with the big religious questions such as: From where, where to and the meaning of life.”

Only one fourth of the students said that they considered matters of religion to be an unimportant or unpopular subject. Another poll taken of schoolchildren in the city of Düsseldorf showed about the same results on all these questions.

Natural Curiosity of Youth

The Bavarian Ministry for Education and Culture reached this conclusion: “Football, television and motorbikes—anyone thinking that these are the important things around which the world of 15-year-olds revolves, doesn’t see everything, doesn’t look deep enough. The research done in connection with the Munich urban children leaves no doubt: The big, permanent themes of religious instruction, such as fear, grace, guilt, hope, sorrow, trust, appreciativeness, forgiveness are still in demand and sought for.”

It is erroneous to think that youths do not want to believe in God and related matters. The fact is that they are led to disbelieve by what their parents, and clergymen, teach or do not teach, and by the example that these set in their everyday lives. That is a reason why the Bavarian Ministry recommended that ‘parents end their cowardliness about having family discussions on religion.’

Hence, it is apparent that interest in things pertaining to God is not dead among young people. It is something that seems to be inherent in them. They are naturally curious about life and would like to know the answers to the serious questions about it. But when they do not get the answers, or get them in the distorted way that such matters are often presented by the conflicting religions of this world, that natural inclination toward worship of one’s Maker can be smothered. The conscience can be seared in these matters.

What a grave responsibility rests with parents, and also with those who are supposed to give religious instruction! Nor can parents try to shift totally the responsibility from themselves to clergymen. Regardless of what the clergy do, it is the parents who are given the prime responsibility of teaching their children about God. God’s Word, the Holy Bible, says: “You fathers, again, must not goad your children to resentment, but give them the instruction, and the correction, which belong to a Christian upbringing.”—Eph. 6:4, New English Bible.

That such instruction was to include the vital matters about God is clearly seen by similar instruction recorded in the Bible at Deuteronomy 6:5-7: “And you must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your vital force. And these words that I am commanding you today must prove to be on your heart; and you must inculcate them in your son and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.” In this way, the natural curiosity of children will be satisfied.

But have the churches equipped parents to do this kind of teaching at home? No. And that is a prime reason for the “cowardliness” of parents, their reluctance to have religious discussions in the home. People generally do not like to discuss things that expose their incompetence.

Who is to blame for this inability to teach at home? The blame rests in two areas. First, on the parents themselves, since they should make it a point to find out where they can get such direction. The other part rests on the church systems and their clergy for failing to train parents, adults and young people properly.

Successful Teaching

When children are properly taught the right things about God, the response is gratifying. That is what God’s Word says would be the result. Proverbs 22:6 states: “Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.”

That training must begin at home. Parents need to teach the truth about God to their children. And parents need to live lives in harmony with godly principles.

In the first century, Christians did train their children in this way. Not only did the young know the truth about God and his purposes, but when they grew up and had families of their own, they were equipped to teach their children too.

The apostle Paul wrote this to the young man Timothy: “From infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through the faith in connection with Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.”—2 Tim. 3:15-17.

Are there parents who can do this kind of teaching and training of their children in our time? Are there children who know “from infancy” the holy writings that were inspired by God as a guide for us? Yes, there are such people—over two million of them, in fact, in over 200 lands, of all nationalities. They participate in a regular arrangement for teaching and training adults and children about God. Such instruction is an integral part of the way of life of Jehovah’s Witnesses everywhere in the world.

Today, young people who have been trained by God-fearing parents know what they believe. They can prove to themselves from their own Bible what the right view is of God and of Christian living. They have a firm foundation for life now, and a grand hope for life ahead in the future.

One grammar school child said that she knows what the truth is about the important matters of life because, as she stated, “Mom read to me from when I was a baby.” That instruction came directly from the Bible and Bible study aids. She was like Timothy, who had ‘known the holy writings from infancy,’ which knowledge equipped him properly for life.

Another child was able to tell her schoolmates about such things as where the dead are, what hell is, what the future holds in store, and so forth. When another child asked how she knew all of this, she explained that her parents had instructed her for years from the Bible. They had also used Bible handbooks that explained Bible doctrine as well as its practical and beneficial principles of living.

She mentioned learning much from the fine handbook especially designed for young children, entitled “Listening to the Great Teacher.” This informs young ones about God and gives them practical instruction for dealing with everyday living.

Appreciating the Instruction

As young people get older, they can look back and really appreciate the right kind of training. They realize that it did indeed set their minds straight, ordering their lives properly so that they could avoid many of the pitfalls common to youth.

One young person wrote this to her parents after graduating from high school: “I want to tell you both how much I love you and appreciate all that you have done for me. It is only because of your help that I have reached this time in my life. Whenever I needed it, you gave me such fine counsel and encouragement, always with kindness and love.”

This graduate added: “You have given me something else for which I shall be forever grateful. By teaching me about Jehovah God and his Bible principles, you have given me a purpose in life that has made me very happy. You have also given me a wonderful hope for the future and taught me to rely on Jehovah and his promises. Now as I strive to serve him more fully, I hope that you will be happy because you have given me the most precious things in life. Again, thank you both very much. No amount of words can really express how much I appreciate you both, but I know you will understand.”

What a fine reward for years of sincere, loving effort by the parents of that young person! Such appreciation is common among the children of parents who have learned what God’s laws, principles and purposes are, and then have equipped themselves to teach their children. And this does not mean that parents have to be perfect, or intellectuals, or have rare abilities. Any parent who is sincerely interested in teaching his children can learn to do it.

You can see for yourself that these procedures work, that they are practical, and get successful results. Visit the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses nearest you, or attend one of their large assemblies. You will no doubt be impressed by the large number of young people in attendance. No, those children are not perfect. But they do want to know what life is all about and what the future holds for them. They are finding out. Their natural curiosity about these matters is being cared for.

True, not all children respond. But most of them do. And if you are a parent, you can imagine the joy that comes to parents whose efforts have been rewarded. It is as God’s Word says: “The father of a righteous one will without fail be joyful; the one becoming father to a wise one will also rejoice in him. Your father and your mother will rejoice, and she that gave birth to you will be joyful.”—Prov. 23:24, 25.

Do Not Judge by Outward Appearance

■ The Bible counsels against judging a person’s heart by his outward appearance. Even if he were to come to a meeting place of true Christians in ragged attire, he should be shown love and consideration.—Jas. 2:1-4.

The good effect this can have on the individual is illustrated by what happened to a young man in Mali, Africa. One of Jehovah’s Witnesses was studying the Bible with this man and repeatedly invited him to come to the meetings at the Kingdom Hall. Though promising to do so, the young man did not come. Simply to avoid further invitations, he finally did come.

His clothes were dirty, too short for him and half torn away. To top it off he wore a woven bonnet reaching to his knees and terminating in a wool ball. His purpose in dressing as he did was so that Jehovah’s Witnesses would refuse to let him into their Kingdom Hall. But how surprised he was at the warm welcome he received!

As to the effect this had on him, he explains: “I have never been so ashamed in my life. I was coming to the Kingdom Hall in order to be expelled from it, and, look, I was welcomed as one of the Witnesses! I tell you, I really wished I had worn decent clothes; everybody was well dressed.” What added to his embarrassment was the fact that one of his friends was also in attendance. Right after the meeting his friend came over to him and said: “But are you not ashamed to come with such dirty clothes to the Kingdom Hall? I really did not expect that from you.” From that time onward, the young man began taking his personal Bible study and attendance at meetings more seriously. He is now zealously sharing Bible truth with others.

Oil—in Ancient Times and in Your Diet

WHEN vegetable oil is mentioned, what comes to your mind? Do you think of a substance used for salad dressings or cooking purposes? Are you also familiar with its role in the manufacture of medicines, perfumes, paint, margarine and soap? What about the past? Did you realize that the use of oil has a very ancient history, going back for thousands of years?

We might take a closer look at this slippery substance. Oil is lighter than water and, instead of combining with the heavier liquid, it floats on the top. The old adage, “Oil and water do not mix,” well describes one of the chief characteristics of this fluid.

The most commonly used vegetable oil of ancient times was extracted from the fruit of the olive tree. As much as 30 percent of ripe olives may be oil and, in the case of the pulp alone, about half of it. In a good year, a healthy olive tree may yield from ten to fifteen gallons (38 to 57 liters) of this liquid. That amount would be enough to supply the proportion of fats needed in the diet of a family of five or six persons.

Anciently, as indicated in the Bible, olive oil had a great variety of uses. Besides being employed in cooking and baking, it was commonly rubbed on the body after bathing. This served to protect the exposed portions of the skin from the intense rays of the sun and it also contributed toward keeping the skin supple. (Ruth 3:3; 2 Sam. 12:20) Along with wine, olive oil might be applied to bruises and wounds, to soften and soothe them. (Luke 10:34) And it was olive oil that burned in ancient lamps, providing light when needed.—Matt. 25:3-8.

How was olive oil obtained? The very best oil was produced by beating the olives in a mortar until they were well bruised. The bruised olives were then transferred to strainer baskets wherein they would release oil. For a common grade of oil, the olives were crushed in a mortar or hand mill. The poorest grade of oil was extracted from the pulp that remained after the olives were crushed in an olive or wine press. The pulverized pulp was put in baskets and these were stacked between the two vertical pillars of the olive press. While in the baskets, the pulp was subjected to the pressure of a weighted lever.

Oil in Modern Times

As in ancient times, vegetable oils have many uses today. They still serve valuable purposes in ointments and medicines. Oils extracted from safflower seed, soybeans and flaxseed have been used for paints. The oil from flaxseed, called linseed oil, is also employed in making printing ink, linoleum and varnish. Cottonseed oil and sesame oil may be used in producing soap. And certain lubricants, resins, chemicals and perfumes owe their existence to vegetable oils. Also, as in ancient times, olive oil and other vegetable oils serve as food items.

There are three major methods used today in extracting oils from fruits, nuts and seeds. There is the “hydraulic cold press” method, the “expeller press” method, in which oil-containing material is subjected to great heat and pressure, and the “solvent” method. In the case of solvent extraction, oil-containing products are ground, steam heated and then mixed with a solvent. After releasing the oil from the pulp, the solvent is removed from the oil. Some persons object to this method, claiming that a residue of the solvent might remain and possibly contribute to the development of cancer in persons using the oil for food. Solvent extraction, however, is used by large commercial oil processors because it is the most efficient and economical method.

After the oil has been extracted it usually is subjected to a refining process. This removes, among other things, chlorophyll, vitamins A and E and phosphorous compounds, and makes the oil light and clear. Because refining strips valuable substances from the oil, persons who object to refined white sugar and white flour may prefer unrefined or crude oils.

Many people favor vegetable oils over such animal fats as cream, butter, lard and suet (in beef and mutton). This is because animal fats contain cholesterol, a fatlike substance that may contribute to a hardening of the arteries. Moreover, animal fats are “saturated” with hydrogen atoms, whereas vegetable oils, by and large, are “unsaturated,” which means that they are more readily digested and absorbed by the body than are animal fats.

Among the vegetable oils used for food are those extracted from safflower seed, cottonseed and olives. Safflower oil is rated as containing the most linoleic acid, which is thought to work in decreasing cholesterol in the blood. Most of the cottonseed oil produced in the United States finds its way to the table. It may be prepared for margarine, cooking oil, shortening, salad dressing or mayonnaise. Many salad lovers and cooks prefer olive oil due to its delicate flavor and its being easily digestible.

Persons concerned with keeping their cholesterol level low may use corn oil instead of cream or ice cream in making creamy milk shakes. Also, they may mix butter with safflower oil in a blender, thereby reducing the intake of cholesterol.

It may be noted, however, that a vegetable oil product is not necessarily better than an animal fat product. In his book Food Is Your Best Medicine, Doctor H. G. Bieler writes: “In some cases, instead of leaving unsaturated cooking oils and margarine in their natural states, commercialism has again stepped in, altered their melting points to make them resemble butter or other natural shortenings, ‘fortified’ them with synthetic ‘vitamins,’ added monosodium glutamate or glutamic acid, aniline-dye coloring matter, salt and traces of butter or cream for special flavor. Actually, all of these additives tend to saturate the hydrocarbons so that the final product, pleasing to the taste and gratifying to the mind of the consumer, is little more than glorified grease!”—Pp. 117, 118.

He concludes that, as long as the liver is in good condition, it makes little difference whether one eats natural, unadulterated animal fats or vegetable fats.

Another factor that is often overlooked is that vegetable fats become saturated when heated. The more often they are reused, as in preparing deep-fat fried foods, the more saturated they become.

Of course, when it comes to food, opinions vary greatly as to whether something is good or not. Moderation is by far the best policy. The Bible urges: “Do not come to be among heavy drinkers of wine, among those who are gluttonous eaters of flesh.” (Prov. 23:20) Moderate amounts of animal fats are certainly far better than excessive amounts of vegetable oils. For those who want to throw moderation to the wind, an ancient Egyptian papyrus proverb may add a sobering thought: “We live off a quarter of all we eat. Doctors live off the other three quarters.”

I Was a Fortune-Teller

AS THE young woman sat down on the cushion I offered her, I could tell that she was not just an ordinary Korean. She was well dressed and had the bearing of a person of nobility. I listened as she told about having heard of me from far away. She said that she came to me because she really needed to know something.

I encouraged her to be comfortable, but she sat rigid in deep anticipation. “What is your name?” I began. “Oh, this is of more importance than something concerning me,” she said. “I came to find out my older brother’s fortune.” “What is his name?” I asked. When she told me, I too became more serious. He was one of the most controversial of Korea’s rising politicians. Each day his name was in the news.

I opened my Oriental philosophy books to material regarding his type of name and, after considering it, asked my usual questions: “In what year was he born?” Then, “What month, what day?” And finally, “At exactly what hour was he born?” Then my research began. Comparing data from my Oriental philosophy books concerning what happens to people with such a name and checking this against the numerology tables for his date of birth, I determined what dates and years would be good for him and which ones would be bad. I told the young woman my findings. The coming year, 1974, would be a very good year and a time of triumph for this man. He should go ahead positively in his endeavors. The young woman paid my fee and left as a happy person.

What finally happened? Her brother did succeed and, in 1974, became president of his political party, as I had predicted.

How I Got Started

My interest in fortune-telling was aroused when, as a young woman of twenty-six years, I met a woman who was a fortune-teller. Using ancient numerology, she calculated mathematically which days would be good ones and which days would be bad ones. I asked her for a book about numerology. But she tried to discourage me, saying that it was very difficult to learn. Nevertheless, I obtained the book and began studying it. As a schoolgirl, I had been a very good student and so felt that I would be able to learn numerology well.

Then, in 1966, at the age of thirty-one, I got married but kept on studying and learning about numerology. As I progressed, I began to tell fortunes on a small scale. Eventually I became well known.

A Change

I looked down upon so-called Christians and felt that they worshiped a very weak god. Why? Because, even though they attended church, they would come to me to have their fortune read. I asked them why they came to me when they were worshiping the Almighty Creator. They answered that the Bible does not tell about personal business nor about what is going to happen to individuals in certain situations. They said that they were coming to me to find out what their personal fortune would be. Also, some of these people told me that they came to find out their future in a scholarly way and did not want any contact with demons. I asked some of them if they thought that I, the fortune-teller, was stronger than their god in heaven. They never gave me a satisfactory answer. At first mostly Catholics came to me, but eventually people from other churches quietly came to have their fortune read. My experience with all these churchgoers led me to one conclusion: There is absolutely no truth and no value whatsoever in the churches.

Up until that time I did not know Jehovah’s Witnesses. But, then, a Witness moved into the house just across the street from my home. She was severely opposed and persecuted by her husband. He would beat her, lock her out of the house and cause such problems for her that the entire neighborhood knew that she was being persecuted for her faith. I felt sorry for her and went to talk to her, encouraging her to stop associating with Jehovah’s Witnesses and thus avoid trouble with her husband. I stressed to her that, if her God really had any power, he would have helped her by now.

But I was the one to be surprised. The Witness actually had an answer. She told me about God’s purpose for the earth, the “last days,” and the reason for the persecution of true believers. She said that she would not abandon her faith even in the face of death. Was I ever amazed! She told me how much she loved Jehovah God, the truth from the Bible and Jehovah’s Witnesses, her spiritual brothers and sisters. I was stunned by the depth of her faith.

Of course, I could not fully understand all these things at that time. But it impressed me immensely and I did learn one important thing: Jehovah’s Witnesses are different from any other religion. Furthermore, among all the many people who had come to me for my service as a fortune-teller, not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses had ever come to me. This got me to thinking. Why were Jehovah’s Witnesses not worried about the future? Did they know something that I did not know?

It was just after this that I came to meet the Witnesses in a different way. My older sister went to a friend’s house and found that her friend was studying with them. She saw how much her friend was learning from the Witnesses about the Bible and was very impressed with their conduct. She took the Bible aid The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life and brought it home with her to give to me. She described some of the interesting things that she learned at her friend’s house and commended the Witnesses so much that I, too, wanted to find out more. Especially did I want to know why Jehovah’s Witnesses never came to me to have their fortune read. I began reading the Truth book and was shocked to learn that Deuteronomy chapter 18 states that all fortune-telling is associated with the demons and is wrong. This made me extremely angry and I hated this publication. I wanted to throw it away. I wanted to burn it. But somehow I could not bring myself to do this. I kept thinking about the hope that the book presented and I could not put it down. The more I read, the more I was moved by the book’s logic and good contents.

Then the Witness who was conducting the Bible study with my older sister’s friend called on my older sister, who had accepted the Truth book. She told the Witness that I had the book now and was more interested than she was. So the Witness called on me. This gave me the first real opportunity to ask my one really big question: “Why don’t any of Jehovah’s Witnesses come to me to have their fortune read? Don’t you worry about the future?” Kindly the Witness explained the reasons from the Bible. Upon hearing her explanation and remembering bits of what I had learned from reading the Truth book, I was satisfied. I had the basis for a simple understanding of the Bible and was now ready to study it seriously. That was in July of 1974.

Starting with my second Bible study with Jehovah’s Witnesses, I felt the need to attend their meetings at the Kingdom Hall here in Masan City. Three weeks after I started to study there was a district assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Taegu City, three hours away by train. At the assembly I saw many eye-opening things. Thousands of Witnesses were in attendance, but there was very good order. No one was worried about anyone’s stealing from anyone else. Even the missionaries from America stood in line for meals in the hot sun and then ate noodles and rice with the rest of us. All seemed to be one big family. I was deeply moved by all of this and felt that, for the first time, I was seeing real faith being practiced.

Just as soon as I got back from the district assembly, I burned all my numerology books and all related items, and closed my door as a fortune-teller, refusing to accept any more clients. I prayed to Jehovah that he help me and promised to devote myself to his work. I continued to study and, then, after overcoming many obstacles, was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

One of the obstacles was the many customers who kept coming to me to have their fortune read. They tried everything to get me to read their future. They told me that I was crazy and they tried to belittle me. But I used this opportunity to preach to them. They would come to have their fortune read, and they would leave with more knowledge about God and his purposes. Preaching to them had another benefit also. They either stayed longer and showed interest in the Bible or else they got angry and left. Among those who manifested interest were fifteen who began to study the Bible and a number of these are continuing to make progress.

There are many things that caused me to wake up to the truth of God’s Word and associate with his people. One of them was the death of the first lady of Korea, the president’s wife. She was assassinated. If fortune-telling is a thing of benefit to humans, why did not a fortune-teller help her with superhuman knowledge? This case, and many others, showed me that fortune-telling is not a force for good and peace. Even if it appears accurate in some instances, fortune-telling, in the final analysis, is a means used by the demons to deceive humans. It cannot solve humanity’s problems; neither can it solve personal problems. That is why I will never rely on fortune-telling again and will encourage other people to avoid it also. I will rely upon Jehovah God who knows all things and who can solve all problems for the good of humans everlastingly.

Many people used to depend upon my fortune-telling ability to run their businesses as well as their personal lives. But now they come to me with another question: “Why are you working harder now as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses for no money than you worked previously as a fortune-teller for much money?” Some even ask, “What is your purpose?” And others, “What is better than money?” I answer them from the Bible. I tell them that I have found something of lasting value—knowledge about God and his purposes. I am confidently looking forward to the blessings Jehovah has prepared for mankind in the near future, the sure future.—Contributed.

The Acacia—Thorny but Not Lacking Distinction

THERE are some 450 varieties of acacias. These range in size from mere shrubs to trees that furnish usable lumber. Acacias are members of the Mimosa family and are found in the warm parts of the earth, including desert regions.

Two varieties of acacias are of particular interest to students of the Bible, Acacia seyal and Acacia tortilis. This is because these two kinds may well be the acacias that are referred to in the Scriptures.

Both varieties are found in the Arabian Desert and are about the only trees that would have been able to supply needed materials for the Israelites to construct the tabernacle in the Sinai Peninsula.

The larger of the two kinds is Acacia tortilis. It is not very impressive in inhospitable desert regions. Usually twisted and gnarled, it is more of a bush than a tree. But under more favorable growing conditions, it attains a height of up to twenty-five feet (7.6 meters). Strong, slender thorns, one-and-a-half-inches (3.8 centimeters) long, extend from the widely spreading branches of this handy tree.

Rough black bark covers the hard, fine-grained orange-brown wood. Even today the acacia’s rich color and natural resistance to insect attack make the lumber ideal for cabinet work.

The greatest distinction that the thorny acacia enjoyed, however, was in its supplying wood for the construction of items associated with true worship. It was used in making the ark of the covenant, the table of showbread, the altar of burnt offering, the altar of incense, poles for carrying this sacred furniture, pillars for the tabernacle curtain and screen, as well as the tabernacle panel frames and their connecting bars.—Ex. 36:20, 31, 36; 37:1, 4, 10, 15, 25, 28.

Truly the thorny acacia is a tree that does not lack distinction. The rich color and durability of its wood commend it. The acacia’s being used in tabernacle construction adds to its reputation, for that tabernacle and its furnishings were employed for about five hundred years.

Our Rock-Mass Earth—Designed for Life

WE LIVE on the surface of an immense ball-shaped spaceship of rock and metal. If you could dig below the land surface to the depth of about twenty miles (32 kilometers) you would find nothing but lifeless rock in what is called the earth’s mantle. The crust, on which we live, made mostly of nonmetallic elements, is therefore a very thin skin on top of sextillions of tons of material we never see except for some molten rock that comes up through the crust due to volcanic action. Yet all of this is essential so that we may have a place to live.

How do geologists come to their conclusions about the earth’s composition? Actually, they have methods that probe the inside of our planet to provide a tentative description of earth’s interior, but they admit that the picture may not be accurate. No one has yet been able to dig into the mantle, even under the oceans where the crust is thinnest, only about three to five miles (5 to 8 kilometers) thick. A plan to do this was made during the International Geophysical Year (July 1957 to December 1958). You have probably read about this, the so-called “Mohole” project. “Moho” is an abbreviated term for the boundary between the crust and the mantle below. This attempt to find out the composition of the crust and just what constituted the top part of the mantle failed because of the enormous cost involved and the lack of expertness to do the job.

Earthquakes “X-ray” the Earth

Strange to say, it is earthquakes that have been most helpful in determining the structure of what lies under the earth’s surface. Knowing what is there, in turn, aids us in explaining things that make earth’s crust livable for us. The study of earthquakes is called “seismology.”

Seismologists have discovered that there are several kinds of vibrations, or waves, created during an earthquake. These waves radiate in all directions from the epicenter, the focus or place of origin of the quake. As the waves pass through the earth they curve with a curvature opposite to that of the earth’s surface, and seismograph stations miles away receive and register the waves. There are three kinds of waves: (1) the main wave, traveling along the crust, (2) a primary (“P”) wave (a push-pull type wave) and (3) a secondary (“S”) wave (a transverse wave). Both of these latter waves travel through the earth. The “P” wave is deflected about 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) down. The “S” wave is completely eliminated beyond this depth. This happens because they evidently meet some kind of barrier at the lower boundary of the mantle where it meets the outer core below. Another beam of the “P” wave continues through the earth’s center, though the “S” wave goes no deeper than 1,800 miles.

A Partially Liquid Core

Why is the “S” wave stopped at that 1,800-mile depth? Why also is there a deflection of one beam of the “P” wave and a slowing down of the other beam? Evidently because the outer core beneath earth’s mantle is liquid. This phenomenon can be illustrated by the fact that a hard metal object (for example, a bell) will carry a vibration better than will a soft object. The “S” wave cannot travel through a liquid and the “P” wave is either deflected or slowed down considerably. This slowing down lasts for about 1,350 miles (2,175 kilometers). The outer core, then, extending about 1,350 miles deeper toward the center of the earth, seems to be liquid, or behaves like liquid. In the great pressure and heat (about 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit [2,200 degrees Celsius] at the top of the outer core and about 9,000° F. [5,000° C.] at the bottom, where the central or inner core begins) the rock of the outer core may well be in a melted, liquid state.

Of what are the outer core and the central core composed? A study of meteorites coming to the earth from outer space suggests that these cores of the earth are mainly iron, alloyed with nickel. The earthquake wave traveling through the central core speeds up, denoting that it is solid, likely, for the most part, being extremely dense and hard.

The Crust and Its Underlying Mantle

We on the crust of the earth need a solid, stable place to live, which the earth indeed provides. But we need more than rock composed mainly of metal. These other needs the Creator provided in the earth’s crust, along with its atmosphere. The crust is made up of much lighter rock containing many elements, particularly oxygen and silicon, as well as aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium, in order of their abundance. Oxygen and silicon, both nonmetallic elements, make up about three fourths of the total crust by weight and 93 percent by volume. Then there are water and atmosphere, which work together to break down the rocky crust into soil. But the Creator did not restrict the accomplishment of this task to mechanical means. He created the lowly earthworm, which does more for man than he can imagine.

The soil, particularly, provides elements to grow and sustain plant life, the basic food of all animal life on earth. (Gen. 1:29, 30) The other materials found in the crust, both organic and inorganic, are useful for construction, machinery, fuel, chemistry, medicine, and so forth, in countless applications.

The material underlying the crust causes constant changes in the crust by volcanic action. Convection currents beneath the ocean floor are thought to be the cause of the mid-Atlantic ridge, a mountain range about 2,000 feet (600 meters) high. Some geologists believe that the continents now bordering the Atlantic Ocean were once joined together and then gradually split apart, with the mid-Atlantic ridge centrally located between the two.

There is a theory that the water in the oceans was produced from the mantle. The reason for this idea is that the upper part of the mantle contains a mineral called serpentine, which is a combination of the mineral olivine and water. The mantle is apparently the source of the water. Someone may say, ‘But look at the tremendous volume of water in the oceans.’ True, but when we realize that all our oceans are in the crust, and that in volume the mantle is more than fifty times as great as the crust, it is seen to be easily possible.

The earth’s crust, therefore, appears to rest upon a very hot mantle, which seems to be, at least in some areas, in a plastic state, the crust, in effect, “floating” upon the mantle. In the outer five miles (8 kilometers) of the earth’s crust the temperature rises approximately 1° F. (5/9° C.) every 60 feet (18 meters) in depth. Pressures are also greater the deeper we go. Water that seeps down until it reaches very hot rocks in earth’s interior becomes superheated to 290° F. (145° C.) and, when released, flashes instantly into steam. Thus we have the geysers, such as Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park, United States, which throws thousands of gallons of water more than 100 feet (30 meters) into the air. Hot springs are formed from some of this subterranean water, and they are important to man in hot baths, laundries, heating of buildings, and as sources of steam for generation of electricity.

Pressures of gas in the crust help in bringing artesian water and oil to the surface and also provide a source of natural gas for fuel. Deep in the mantle molten rock is formed. This is called “magma” (from a Greek word meaning “dough”). It may come upward under great pressure through openings or fissures and accumulate in the crust, then burst forth in volcanic activity. Great quantities of rocks, molten lava, steam, dust and ash, as well as a number of poisonous gases, are in this way thrown out. This, while destructive, brings material to the top that enriches the crust.

So the earth under us is far from a dead, inactive “pile” of rock. If dirt and rock could be heaped up by men in mountainous proportions it would be far from the fine structure that the Creator has brought about. A man-made mountain would be a mere “heap.” But consider only one marvelous feature of a mountain made by God, namely, the supply of sparkling fresh water flowing from many springs on its slopes. What a “plumbing system”! Also, we find hot springs, soda springs, sulphur and iron water and other types of water often beneficial to health.

The Magnetic Field

Another factor apparently governed greatly by the earth’s heavy core is the earth’s magnetic field. It is thought that electrical currents in the outer core are the main cause of the magnetic field. This field surrounds the earth just as a magnetic field surrounds a bar magnet. It is essential to life, for it shields the earth from destructive radiation coming from outer space. It has to do with radio transmission, and doubtless has other yet undiscovered beneficial effects on life. Charged particles from the sun and space tend to follow the magnetic field to produce the spectacular auroral displays. Sailors and travelers have long relied on earth’s magnetism for compass directions.

The earth’s magnetic fields undergo slow changes, due to unknown causes. The location of the magnetic poles varies from time to time. (There is a difference between the “geomagnetic” north pole, which is the northern end of the earth’s magnetic field, and the north “magnetic” pole toward which the compass points. The same principle is true as to the south geomagnetic and magnetic poles.) The actual geographical North Pole (the north end of the rotational axis of the earth) is at present several hundred miles from the geomagnetic and the magnetic north poles. The actual South Pole is likewise not at the same place as the south geomagnetic and magnetic poles.

Studies of permanently magnetized rocks in various parts of the earth seem to provide evidence that, in the far, far distant past, the magnetic poles “wandered” over the earth, reversing positions several times. The reason is unknown, as are many other factors about our marvelous earth. Right now the inside of the earth presents as many mysteries as do some things about universal space. This, in fact, highlights the words of the prophet about the Creator and Sovereign, Jehovah God:

“Who has measured the waters in the mere hollow of his hand, and taken the proportions of the heavens themselves with a mere span and included in a measure the dust of the earth, or weighed with an indicator the mountains, and the hills in the scales? . . . Look! The nations are as a drop from a bucket; and as the film of dust on the scales they have been accounted. Look! He lifts the islands themselves as mere fine dust. . . . There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth, the dwellers in which are as grasshoppers, the One who is stretching out the heavens just as a fine gauze, who spreads them out like a tent in which to dwell.”—Isa. 40:12-22.

[Diagram on page 17]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

Inner Core

Outer Core

Mantle

Crust

800 Miles

1,350 Miles

1,800 Miles

3 to 20 Miles

Did Life Originate by Chance?

Is it reasonable to believe that it did? Is life the result of just simple chemical combinations and reactions?

Scientific American of September 1973 observed: “Life itself is an awe-inspiring multitude of natural chemical reactions. Sir Macfarlane Burnet put it succinctly: ‘It is very humbling to realize that there is more information packed into the head of one spermatozoon [microscopic male reproductive cell] than there is in all the volumes of the Journal of Biochemistry.”’—Page 103.

Surely the amazing complexity of life supports the Bible’s explanation that life came about, not as a result of chance combinations and reactions of chemicals, but by the creative power of God.—Ps. 36:9.

A Lesson About Human Rulership

By “Awake!” correspondent in Australia

“IT CAN’T be happening here.” This was the stunned reaction of many Australians when they learned that their prime minister had been dismissed from office on November 11, 1975. The former official was leader of his party and had been elected to government in 1972 and again in 1974.

The dismissal was ordered by Governor-General Sir John Kerr, the representative of the queen of England in Australia. The governor-general immediately swore in the leader of the “opposition” as a temporary caretaker prime minister.

The governor-general’s action involved an unprecedented step. He proceeded on his own to dissolve the Australian Parliament, including both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This action made necessary a general election, which took place on December 13, 1975.

The campaigning that followed the dissolution of parliament was described as “the most unpleasant, dirty and bitter” in the history of Australia. Letter bombs were mailed to the governor-general, the caretaker prime minister and the premier of the State of Queensland. There were violent demonstrations, strikes and threats of industrial anarchy.

But why bring up something that happened last year? Can we learn anything of value from this incident? Yes; but first let us consider some of the things that led up to this crisis in Australia.

The Makings of a Deadlock

Since 1972 the now-dismissed administration had been scheduling large-scale social reforms. Many in the Senate, however, did not agree with these proposals. The House of Representatives twice passed twenty-one bills that both times met defeat in the Senate. According to the Melbourne Herald, the recurring theme of these bills was an “immense concentration of power of all kinds in Canberra [the Australian capital, where parliament is located] and the whittling away of State power and the power of individuals and companies.”

Moreover, certain members of the government had become involved in a series of deeds that many viewed as scandalous. This led to the resignation and dismissal of some senior ministers. Additionally, the government explored the prospect of borrowing a huge amount of foreign money without working through the Treasury Department or consulting the Loans Council that represents the states.

Eventually a deadlock developed between the Senate and the House of Representatives, which threatened to dry up all money supplies. To break the deadlock, the governor-general, who by tradition had always acted on the advice of the prime minister, proceeded without this advice and dismissed the government.

A Basic Defect in All Human Rule

It is true that there is nothing new about political upheavals. The grasping for money and power on the part of politicians is common. Yet, the unprecedented political crisis that developed in Australia illustrates once again an important truth about human rule. Consider:

A wise king who ‘set his heart to seek and explore wisdom in relation to everything that has been done under the heavens’ wrote under divine inspiration:

“If you see any oppression of the one of little means and the violent taking away of judgment and of righteousness in a jurisdictional district, do not be amazed over the affair, for one that is higher than the high one is watching, and there are those who are high above them.”—Eccl. 1:13; 5:8.

The point is that lesser officials are watched by higher officials, and these, in turn, by persons having still greater authority. Lowly individuals, who are at the bottom, so to speak, feel the brunt of pressure from rulers who seek personal advantage at the expense of their subjects.

Why does human rule result in widespread oppression? One reason is that frequently persons who gain power are corrupt, selfish and incompetent. On the other hand, generous, capable individuals are often shoved aside. The astute monarch quoted above remarks concerning this: “There exists something calamitous that I have seen under the sun, as when there is a mistake going forth on account of the one in power: Foolishness has been put in many high positions, but the rich ones themselves keep dwelling merely in a low condition. I have seen servants on horses but princes [those noble in their attitude and ways] walking on the earth just like servants.”—Eccl. 10: 5-7.

Does not your own experience verify these Scriptural observations about human rulership? The underlying problem is a basic defect in human nature that prevents any form of man’s rule from being lastingly beneficial. After committing a series of blunders that led to grave consequences, King David pointed to this underlying flaw, saying: “Look! With error I was brought forth with birth pains, and in sin my mother conceived me.” (Ps. 51:5) Inherited sinful tendencies incline all humans toward a measure of selfishness and greed. (Rom. 5:12) This becomes especially evident when persons gain power over others.

Rule ‘by the People’ No Different

Is this as true of modern democracies as of ancient rulerships? Consider as an illustration Australia’s system of government, which is a parliamentary democracy. Parliament here consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. Each of the states provides ten members for the Senate. Members of the House of Representatives are chosen according to the population of each state.

The political party with the majority of elected members in the House of Representatives constitutes the government and nominates the prime minister. While the governor-general has vast powers as the representative of England’s monarch, usually he acts on the advice of ministers of state, who are chosen from members of parliament belonging to the party or coalition of parties commanding a majority in the House of Representatives.

Yet events of last December in Australia illustrate that even where an administration is largely of ‘the people’s choice,’ considerable turmoil can develop. Concerning the bombs mailed to officials during that election campaign, a prominent criminologist remarked: “The letter bombs were a stark reminder of the link between crime and politics.” Not only is this true here. “Corrupt politics” has become a household phrase in many countries. An article that appeared in the New York Times of June 10, 1976, said concerning the United States: “Public cynicism about politics is an old story in this country, but the feeling seems especially strong this year. Pollsters telephoning prospective voters in the primary states met this sort of reaction again and again: ‘Oh, don’t ask me about politicians. They’re all the same.’”

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Awake!, September 22, 1976