Awake!, June 8, 1980

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Awake! — June 8, 1980

Source: jw.org

Contents

Page Two

Is Faith in God Realistic in Our Modern World?

Will Mankind Destroy Itself?

The Unthinkable—Could It Happen?

A Nuclear Doomsday—Does the Bible Predict It?

“Mommy, Buy Me This!”

Remarkable Craftsmen in the Bird World

The Vatican Rekindles Hell

Church Decline “Unprecedented”

Learning to Adjust to Hearing Problems

“Ghost Towns”—Monuments That Instruct

Life or Principle?

English Channel Plagued by Traffic Problems

Bricks—Ancient Building Blocks at Modern Man’s Service

Watching the World

Now Hear John! on 2 Cassettes.

Do Not Miss the Four-day “Divine Love” District Convention

Page Two

Recently, world conditions have become more threatening. In view of the tremendous destructive capacity that the nations now have, could it be that we are nearing a nuclear holocaust in which mankind will finally destroy itself? Since the Bible talks about an “end of the world,” it is of great interest to see what it says about this vital matter

5 WILL MANKIND DESTROY ITSELF?

7 THE UNTHINKABLE—COULD IT HAPPEN?

8 A NUCLEAR DOOMSDAY—DOES THE BIBLE PREDICT IT?

Is Faith in God Realistic in Our Modern World?

Have You Ever Wondered—

Is Faith in God Realistic in Our Modern World?

TEN thousand persons in 60 nations were asked: “How important to you are your religious beliefs?” Only three out of 10, on an average, said, “Very important.”

This poll well illustrates that real faith in God is no longer an important factor in the lives of many people. But . . .

WHY IS RELIGION LESS IMPORTANT TO MANY TODAY?

For the majority, it is not that they no longer believe in a Supreme Being. But one needs money to survive in today’s world, and times are getting harder. Most persons feel that, when all is said and done, money (or the things it can buy) will do more for them than faith in God. ‘We are a practical people. We believe in what we can see and use to our benefit,’ said one person. Many agree. For instance, in Japan a recent poll indicated that 60 percent of those interviewed agreed with the statement that “money is almighty.”

Perhaps you do not feel this way, but have you not seen persons become so absorbed with their job, getting money and buying things, that they have little time for anything else? Many look at the uncertain conditions in the world today and honestly feel that what really matters is getting some good things out of life right now. They substitute this quest for material things for true faith. However . . .

IS LIFE WITHOUT REAL FAITH BETTER?

Have you noticed how quickly people tire of new possessions? Also, don’t a surprising number of “successful” people become involved in divorces or crimes, some even committing suicide? Many have realized that material things alone fail to bring lasting satisfaction.

This is nothing new. A wise king once stated: “A mere lover of silver will not be satisfied with silver, neither any lover of wealth with income. This too is vanity.” That down-to-earth truth was stated by King Solomon, and was written down in a very realistic book, the Bible.—Eccl. 5:10.

Building one’s life around material things simply doesn’t bring real happiness or satisfaction. Those who pursue such a life often are quite unhappy because they have to struggle so hard to get and keep what they have. The Bible confirms that the love of material things can cause people to be ‘stabbed all over with many pains.’—1 Tim. 6:9, 10.

So, many people have come to realize that man needs something more than material things to be happy. Yet, because we live in a modern scientific age some feel that faith in God is old-fashioned and unrealistic.

ARE THERE SOUND REASONS FOR BELIEVING IN GOD?

Well, which is more unrealistic or unscientific—to believe that our highly organized universe and this beautiful earth came about by mere chance, by accident, or that they had an intelligent builder? The Bible states realistically: “Of course, every house is constructed by someone, but he that constructed all things is God.”—Heb. 3:4.

As a watch shows the existence of a watchmaker, and a house shows the existence of a housebuilder, in like manner the magnificent things God has created are proof of his existence. So persons who believe in God are certainly in harmony with sound, logical thinking. But . . .

CAN GENUINE FAITH BRING BENEFITS NOW?

HELP FOR EVERYDAY PROBLEMS. Though providing some comfort, material things offer little assistance in coping with daily problems. For instance, one wealthy woman wrote: “My marriage was painful and unfulfilling and though there was plenty of money it was unbearable. I have no desire to be rich again.”

However, God says to us in the Bible: “If you listen to me, you will know what is right, just, and fair. You will know what you should do. You will become wise, and your knowledge will give you pleasure. Your insight and understanding will protect you and prevent you from doing the wrong thing.”—Prov. 2:9-12, Good News Bible.

Yes, faith in God will “prevent you from doing the wrong thing.” It will help you to do what is in your best interest in marriage, family life, work and many other areas. Why so? Because God, the author of the Bible, created us. He knows what will bring us genuine happiness. He gives counsel in the Bible on every major aspect of life. It really works when sincerely applied.—See Colossians 3:12-14, 18-22.

PEACE OF MIND. “I have met many very rich men,” said one newspaper editor, “and I have never known one of them whose millions brought him inner peace and happiness.” Yet, real faith brings “the peace of God that excels all thought.” (Phil. 4:6, 7) But why? Well, one with confidence in God knows of his promises to provide life’s necessities, and from personal experience such a person comes to realize that God fulfills his word. (Matt. 6:32, 33) This keeps him from being overly worried. His mind and heart can be at rest.

GENUINE HOPE. In view of worsening world conditions, how greatly needed is a realistic hope for the future! The Bible provides this, revealing God’s purpose soon to rid this earth of all unjust, immoral persons. Yet he will preserve alive those who obey him. In fact, he offers them a wonderful future—everlasting life right here on earth, amid paradise conditions! We read: “For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth.”—Prov. 2:21, 22.

So the benefits from faith in God are worthwhile. To enjoy them requires learning about God and his purposes. Jehovah’s Witnesses will be happy to help you free of charge to do this and to build a genuine faith. Such faith truly is a realistic help in our modern world.

Will Mankind Destroy Itself?

IT WAS clear and sunny over the Japanese city of Hiroshima on that fateful day—August 6, 1945. As the city awakened, no one in his wildest imagination could have foreseen the devastation that broke out at 8:15 that morning.

What happened was described as a “rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on earth.” Mankind had now entered a new age of warfare, opening a door to awesome means of mass destruction.

Did this development have anything to do with someday bringing about what the Bible calls the “end of the world”? Before answering, let us consider just why what happened that day in August was such a dreadful milestone.

Eyewitness Account

“Someone shouted, ‘A parachute is coming down!’ I responded by turning in the direction she pointed,” began one woman who was in Hiroshima. She continued: “Just at that moment, the sky I was facing flashed. I do not know how to describe that light. I wondered if a fire had been set in my eyes.

“I don’t remember which came first—the flash of light or the sound of an explosion that roared down to my belly. Anyhow, the next moment I was knocked down flat on the ground.

“Soon I noticed that the air smelled terrible. Then I was shocked by the feeling that the skin of my face had come off. Then, the hands and arms, too. . . . all the skin of my right hand came off and hung down grotesquely. . . . What I saw under the bridge was shocking: Hundreds of people were squirming in the stream. I couldn’t tell if they were men or women. They looked all alike. Their faces were swollen and gray, their hair was standing up. Holding their hands high, groaning, people were rushing to the river.”

This woman saw the first use in warfare of what newspapers called “the most terrifying engine of destruction ever devised by man”—the atomic bomb. Though tens of thousands were killed instantly, many perhaps completely vaporized, those who survived the initial blast grasped the real horror of nuclear warfare. Because of exposure to lethal doses of atomic radiation, they soon became incapacitated with nausea. This led to vomiting blood, a high fever, extreme diarrhea, bleeding from the bowels and an agonizing death within 10 days. The final toll was estimated at nearly 140,000 deaths—all from one bomb!

It has been 35 years since that new era dawned. Only one nation then possessed the bomb. But what has happened since?

The Age of Overkill

Soon other nations developed atomic weapons, and as international tensions grew, the nuclear arms race was on. More and bigger bombs were developed. The one dropped on Hiroshima, nicknamed “Little Boy,” carried a punch equal to 13 thousand tons of TNT. Yet this was truly like a “little boy” compared to today’s bombs. Some already tested are equal to 60 million tons of TNT!

Tens of thousands of these bombs of various sizes are stockpiled in many arsenals. The United States alone has sufficient atomic warheads to kill every man, woman and child on earth 12 times over. But firepower is only one alarming development.

You may still feel somewhat secure, knowing you are thousands of miles from an unfriendly country. Today, however, there are systems equipped to deliver atomic warheads whose accuracy defies imagination. Missiles carrying up to eight separate atomic warheads are now capable of traveling 6,000 miles (9,656 km) and hitting within 492 yards (450 m) of the target. Soon they will be able to strike within a few yards! Clearly, no one on earth can really feel safe or “out of range.”

To add to the overkill, some nations have armed themselves with chemical and biological (germ) weapons. “New death sprays,” reports one authority, “are being manufactured, the most minute droplets of which can cause heart attacks.” A top scientist who has devoted much time to studying the subject warned: “BW [Biological warfare] still is an enormous threat to the world.”

“A weapon even more awesome than the nuclear one” is how Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev described recent developments in armaments. He urged “banning the creation of new types of weapons of mass destruction.” Many feel that he was talking about “weather warfare,” the making of environmental changes to destroy an enemy. The Soviet journal Red Star warned of “the exceptional danger of the whole world” as a result of tampering with the environment “for destructive military purposes.” It is feared that one country could cause floods, droughts, earthquakes, tornadoes, even hurricanes to happen in enemy territory. When you consider that one hurricane packs the power of 1 billion tons of TNT, 16 times stronger than the largest nuclear bomb, such weather warfare could be enormously destructive.

Obviously man already has at his disposal the means to destroy himself and leave this earth a radioactive waste. Yet, since 1945 nuclear weapons have not been used in warfare. For this reason many feel safe, thinking the world will never see an all-out atomic war, which, according to one who helped develop the bomb, Albert Einstein, would mean “annihilation of all life on earth.”

[Picture on page 6]

The United States alone has sufficient nuclear warheads to destroy every man, woman and child on earth 12 times over

The Unthinkable—Could It Happen?

Because of the awesome reprisals, it was considered unthinkable for a nation to start a nuclear war. However, recent developments in armaments have shown that this “balance of terror” or “deterrence” is no real basis for confidence.

As mentioned before, the accuracy of intercontinental missiles has dramatically improved in the last several years. The magazine Nation tells why this has frightening implications:

“Moreover, the type of weapons the United States is now developing hints at something other than simple ‘deterrence.’ The cruise missile, when deployed, will hit within 15 to 30 yards of a target 2,000 miles away. . . . The point is that weapons that accurate are not necessary for a ‘second strike’ retaliatory attack on cities and populations. A bomb that can come within a half mile or so of its target is more than adequate for simple ‘deterrence.’ Accuracy becomes important, however, when a nation plans a surprise first strike that will deprive the adversary of his response. The greater the accuracy the fewer bombs needed to demolish enemy missile silos hardened by thousands of tons of steel and concrete.”—May 27, 1978.

Also an increasing number of nations are developing nuclear weapons. The obvious danger is noted in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: “It is widely believed that the more nuclear weapon powers there are, the greater the probability of a nuclear war. . . . The technology of nuclear weapons is now so widely known that the current concern is that terrorist groups will construct nuclear explosives, let alone governments.”—September 1979.

When you see nations that possess such hideous arsenals become embroiled in conflicts where their vital interests are seriously jeopardized, do you not have the uneasy feeling that one of these will use nuclear firepower, regardless of the consequences? You would not be alone in your feeling.

Alarming Conferences

For several days in May 1978, 30 scientists, military men and government advisers from 10 nations met in closed sessions in Toronto, Canada, to consider seriously the theme “The Danger of Nuclear War by the Year 2000.” “The most striking thing about this conference,” stated chairman John Polanyi, “was the sense of agreement that the danger of nuclear war is increasing.” Since then, other gatherings of experts, including “the first nuclear war conference,” held in the United States with over 300 participants, have reached the same conclusion.

Even a “close confidant” of Soviet President Brezhnev revealed a concern over the near future by reporting: “Opinion in the Soviet Union is that there is a need for urgent measures, otherwise war might come.” (Emphasis added)

From a completely different quarter come a surprising number of religious persons who likewise believe nuclear war is near. However, they say that their conclusions are based on the Bible. For example, one religious professor, commenting on a Bible verse that says the ‘earth would be destroyed by fire,’ stated: “The present stockpile of Atomic devices gives a touch of realism to this passage.”—2 Pet. 3:7.

A Nuclear Doomsday—Does the Bible Predict It?

Absolutely not! To the contrary the Bible says that God “has founded the earth upon its established places; it will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever,” and, “The earth abideth for ever.”—Ps. 104:5; Eccl. 1:4, Authorized Version. See also Psalm 119:90.

‘But doesn’t the Bible speak of the “end of the world” and say that the earth will be destroyed by “fire”?’ ask some who point to Matthew 24:3 (AV) and 2 Peter 3:7. Jesus, in the same chapter where he mentions the “end of the world,” shows what this will mean. He associates the “end of the world” with his return and says: “Just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. . . . [The people] took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.”—Matt. 24:37, 39.

What the Bible Means

The “end of the world,” according to the Bible, will therefore conclude a period of time similar to the days leading up to and including the worldwide flood of Noah’s day. When that period ended, what was destroyed? The Bible tells us: “[God] brought a deluge upon a world of ungodly people.”—2 Pet. 2:5.

Yes, a violent system of things halted when that “world of ungodly people” was drowned. But obviously the literal earth was not destroyed. We are still standing on it. So in our day it is a wicked “system of things” that God will bring to its end by destroying “ungodly persons.”

What, though, about the verse that says the “earth . . . shall be burned up”? (2 Pet. 3:10, AV) Does “earth” as used in the Bible always mean the ground? No. For instance it says: “The whole earth was of one language,” and, “Sing unto the LORD, all the earth.” (Gen. 11:1; Ps. 96:1, AV) Who is it that has “language” and ‘sings’? Is it not people?

So when the Bible speaks of the “earth” as being destroyed, it is talking about the end of a society of wicked people. Notice how clear the apostle Peter makes this point: “The heavens and the earth that are now are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men.” So “ungodly men,” including the political authorities that rule over them like “heavens,” face “destruction.”—2 Pet. 3:7.

Destruction from God or Men?

The flood of Noah’s day, which has been established as a historical fact,a did not happen by mere chance. Nor was it the result of human efforts. It was an act directly brought by God. Also, the destruction was selective. Good persons did not die with the bad.

But why did God cause the Flood? What terrifying conditions were eliminated by the deluge of waters? Why were Noah and his family spared? Answers to these questions are of vital interest to us, since we live close to the time when God will again act.

A Violent World Washed Away

The world of that time was “filled with violence,” according to the Bible. (Gen. 6:11) No details are given in the record about the nature of the violence or what type of weapons were used. However, among those who lived before the Flood was “the forger of every sort of tool [cutting instruments] of copper and iron,” Tubal-cain.—Gen. 4:22.

Ancient Jewish comments claim that he did make weapons. Rabbi Rashi relates of him: “He refined and improved the work of Cain [his violent forefather] by providing weapons for murderers.” Historian Josephus adds a similar thought about Tubal-cain, saying that he was “surpassing all men in strength, distinguished himself in the art of war.”

No doubt the development and continued use of metal weapons added to the violent conditions. By the time of the Flood the Bible reports: “God saw the earth and, look! it was ruined, because all flesh had ruined its way on the earth.” (Gen. 6:12) But God acted and removed those war-like persons who were “ruining” the earth. Yet at the same time he protected those who obeyed him. He enabled Noah and his family to survive and continue worshiping him on a cleansed earth. But what about us today?

How Can We Survive God’s Action?

The Bible assures us that God will again act in our day by saying he will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Rev. 11:18) However, “Jehovah is guarding all those loving him,” promises the Bible, though “all the wicked ones he will annihilate.” (Ps. 145:20) Lovers of God will survive.

But what does it mean to ‘love God’? Is mere talk enough? “This is what the love of God means,” answers the Bible, “that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3) Yes, those who obey God, like Noah, will survive into a cleansed earth.

And what an earth it will be! All who would disrupt the security of that time will have been removed by the “fire” of God’s anger. (Zeph. 3:8) The survivors will have genuine love for God and for one another. Would you not enjoy living in a world where everyone would be a trusted friend? Instead of ruining the earth, these ones will have the satisfying work of restoring places spoiled by man. They will delight to see the earth become a global paradise, as God purposed from the time of the first man and woman.—Gen. 1:28; 2:18-25.

Beyond this the Bible shows that sickness and death will be removed, which will open up the opportunity for persons to enjoy these conditions forever. True, “the world is passing away,” since it will soon be destroyed by God, but ‘those that do the will of God will remain forever.’—1 John 2:17; Rev. 21:3, 4; 2 Pet. 3:13.

Such blessings are very near, especially when you consider that only in our generation has man developed the power to destroy our earth completely, and is threatening to do so. To prevent a totally ruined earth, God must soon act. Jehovah’s Witnesses will be happy to assist you free of charge to know just what God’s will is and to do it obediently, as well as telling you of other delightful features of this comforting hope.

[Footnotes]

For scientific evidence see the chapter “Was There an Earth-wide Flood” in the book Is the Bible Really the Word of God? published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.

[Picture on page 8]

The “end of the world” means the end of a wicked system, not the end of our earth

[Picture on page 9]

Survivors will share in making the earth a paradise

“Mommy, Buy Me This!”

TEACHING CHILDREN THE WISE USE OF MONEY

“MOMMY, buy me this!” How often we have heard those words! As children we probably used them ourselves. Sometimes our mother would say “Yes,” sometimes “No.” Occasionally she had the time to explain why, but usually we just learned that there were some things she would buy, and some that she would not.

That’s the way most children learn to use money—from example. In fact, surveys have shown that many parents do not have any planned way of teaching their children how to make wise use of money.

You may think you really teach your children what to buy and when, how to compare prices and judge quality, and how to stay free of modern materialism. But it might be good to ask yourself: “When was the last time I really made a conscious effort to do that?” It could be longer ago than you thought.

Whether you have been making that effort or not, principles and suggestions in this article could be of value to you.

This is important because there are people who are making a conscious effort to teach your children principles that may be different from ones you want them to follow. These people have spent their lives learning how to persuade, and their opinions on the importance of material things may differ from yours. Who are they? Let us let them speak for themselves:

Mind Molders

Some years ago an advertising firm that appealed to children ran an ad that told merchants and advertisers: “Eager minds can be molded to want your products! . . . Here is a vast market for your products. Sell these children on your brand name and they will insist that their parents buy no other. Many farsighted advertisers are cashing in today . . . and building for tomorrow . . . by molding eager minds.”

From a very young age children are the target of advertising designed to make them want more material things. Highly skilled people study how to appeal to your child’s “inner needs,” and to create a “demand” for their product.

In countries where television is used to advertise children’s products, this is a main medium used to persuade the young. It begins to work even before they are old enough to read. In The Hidden Persuaders Vance Packard quotes an ad that alerted manufacturers to television’s extraordinary ability. It said: “Where else on earth is brand consciousness fixed so firmly in the minds of four-year-old tots? . . . What is it worth to a manufacturer who can close in on this juvenile audience and continue to sell it under controlled conditions year after year, right up to its attainment of adulthood and full-fledged buyer status?”

Three college professors in the United States surveyed children between the ages of five and 12 years, and found that they were exposed to an average of nearly 400 television commercials a week—some 20,000 a year! These professors commented: “The ability of children to . . . avoid being ‘misled’ or deceived is an issue of considerable current interest, particularly in the light of this high exposure children—even very young ones—have to commercials.”

They found that 56 percent of the kindergarten children had low awareness of “why commercials are on TV,” and that about half thought “commercials always tell the truth.” These children are very young, but advertisers spend great sums of money to reach them because they believe that lifelong habits already are being formed.

The professors also found that only about half the mothers of these five-year-old children talked with them about commercials. They commented: “Many kindergarten mothers appeared to be missing an opportunity to teach their children to understand the intent of commercials, an understanding that can help them to begin to function as effective consumers.” However, they found that even young children can “filter” advertising messages, and that this ability can be taught “even to kindergarten-aged children.”a

Often this has not been done. The editor of Seventeen, an American magazine for teen-age girls, has been quoted as saying that his young readers are a good market because they “have not yet become cynical about advertising.”

It is good to take the initiative. Talk with your children about advertising. Point out that it can provide a great deal of information, but that its obvious purpose is to get people to spend money. The businessman can increase his profits if he can get you to want products that you do not really need, such as new gadgets and new styles. More important than the money that might be wasted is the materialistic viewpoint this can teach—the idea that buying leads to happiness.

Active Training

How can you teach your children right attitudes toward money and how to use it wisely? One way is to take them with you when you shop, and to talk about things you buy. If encouraged, many youngsters will make a game of knowing prices. You will think you almost have a walking computer, as they remind you that the price was lower in another store.

The next step is to teach about quality. You might ask: “Why do you think this sweater is cheaper?” “Is that one worth the extra cost?” “How long do you think the red one would last?” The child learns how to weigh cost and recognize quality—abilities that will stand him in good stead as the years go by.

Young people have a harder time judging between well-made products and “junk,” simply because they have not had as much experience as you have with products that did turn out to be junk. Thus, you do them a service when you point out why you picked one item over another, and explain why you think one would last while the other might not.

You can teach many things in this way. A father, about to buy a new car, turned to his small daughter and asked which color she wanted. She answered: “Black.” He commented: “Black shows dust easily—do you want to wash it?” She answered: “No, maybe we should get a lighter color.” Later, a woman who had been standing nearby said: “Imagine, letting a child pick the color!” But the child had not chosen the color. The father had simply taken a moment to teach his daughter something about choices. How much wiser many decisions would be if more parents took time to teach their children!

What about deciding whether you can afford something? When you see a dress or a tool that tempts you, you probably weigh whether you can spare the money from what you will need for groceries, the rent or the mortgage, and other obligations you have this month. However, the child does not know that you weighed those various factors. Why not explain, as you are walking through the store, what you took into consideration, and why you decided the way you did? Your youngster does not have these obligations, and thus may be more impulsive in how he uses his money. But it is good for him to know, even now, how such decisions are made.

Probably you decide very quickly whether an advertised sale seems worth while or not. Why not point out to your youngster why you decided the way you did? This takes time, but it can pay off in the child’s attitude now, and in his capabilities when grown.

Remember that loving instruction and a good example can be far more effective than criticism. Show your child how to make decisions and you will be happier with the decisions he makes!

True Contentment

Another very important matter is whether your youngsters will realize that there is more to life than just owning things. Or will they be convinced by manufacturers, advertisers, stores—and even by their friends—that happiness comes from things they buy?

In earlier generations people felt good about themselves because of things they produced. A man was an excellent cabinet-maker. A woman baked marvelous pies, or made beautiful quilts. A boy built a radio set, or raised a prize calf.

Today we make fewer things. Most of what we have is produced by machine. Manufacturers and sellers know this, and encourage you to fill the gap by consuming. They suggest you can “be somebody,” not through developing a good personality or an upright character, but through things you buy.

In their book Supershopper David and Marymae Klein say that “it’s not surprising that many young people try to distinguish themselves by being the first on their block or the first in their group to buy a new record, electric guitar, surfboard, or walkie-talkie—all of which represent consumption, not production. And even more young people flock to buy these things not because they genuinely enjoy them but simply because ‘all the other kids have one.’ This gives them a certain sense of equality—but it can also be brutally expensive, because it depends on continuous buying in order to keep it up.”

How can young people be helped to see that “I am what I own” is not a valid basis for a happy life?

A great deal depends on the parents’ attitude. As a parent, are you more concerned with things than with personal and spiritual development? Do you help your children realize that they are important because of what they are, not because of what they have? Do you make them feel good about themselves, rather than having to show off possessions?

Many children of Jehovah’s Witnesses have a particular advantage in this regard. They are encouraged to comment in their congregation meetings. They can participate in their Theocratic School, where they learn to give talks in front of the congregation. Some of them volunteer for work around the Kingdom Hall. All can have a part in helping to spread the good news of God’s incoming new order. Such children come to have a real goal in life.

In homes where Bible principles are applied, children are convinced of their parents’ love. They know that others appreciate them because of the kind of people they are trying to be—people who demonstrate their love, and who try to do what is right. In the lives of such youths there is a basis for real joy and satisfaction from accomplishments, rather than the shallow feeling of temporary importance because of possessions.

It is important for us to set such things of real value before our young ones, whom we love so much, and who look to our example as they mold their own lives.

[Footnotes]

How Children Learn to Buy by Scott Ward, Daniel B. Wackman and Ellen Wartella.

[Box on page 14]

NOT SPOILING GROWN CHILDREN

Giving young children everything they want may indeed spoil them and tend to make them more selfish. Older parents who continue to give adult “children” everything they want may cause them to view the parents mainly as a fountain of gifts, rather than as people who are due respect and affection.

This fact struck one disillusioned woman who wrote that she and her husband had been “giving and giving to both [our] children for years, on every possible occasion, and asking them not to spend any money for us.” But the parents received a shock when, after offering the grown daughter an expensive statue, she said: “Don’t bother. One day all this stuff will be mine, and then I’ll sell it.” The mother lamented: “I can’t tell you how much this hurt me.” Further hurt came later when both grown son and daughter began quizzing her about how much they could expect to inherit when she and her husband died. Sadly she said: “I never thought to hear such remarks from our own son and daughter.”

Grown children who receive too much in a material way from their parents may not only be spoiled but also be prevented from learning the valuable lesson of how they can obtain joy by giving to their parents, or by doing things for them. Parents who do not give children too much often find that when they later do give an unexpected gift it is more likely to be appreciated. And the parents may be more appreciated for what they are, rather than for what they can give.

Remarkable Craftsmen in the Bird World

DID you know that some birds were masters of weaving, textile manufacture, tailoring and riveting long before the industrial revolution? And the homes they build are often exceedingly strong. But how did they learn these remarkable skills?

For example, is it strength you look for in a home? Then consider the hammerkop’s work. This brown, storklike bird found in most of Africa works for six months to build a nest of enormous strength. It places sticks and reeds in a forked tree or on a rocky ledge to form floor, walls and a strong domed roof over the nesting chamber. The structure is further strengthened with mud plaster. The entrance is placed over a sheer drop, making it inaccessible to predators. These nests are about nine feeta in diameter and are so strong that a man can jump on one without harming the nesting chamber below!

Other birds in all parts of the world use grass and sticks as building material, but some “manufacture” textile as well. The European penduline tit and the tiny Cape penduline tit are master builders who use fine, woolly substances from plants and animals to make a tough, felt-like cloth for nest building. It is reported that the European species builds its nest so well that some peasants in parts of Eastern Europe use them for children’s slippers.

The tailorbird of Asia knows how to stitch leaves together. It may choose a single leaf large enough to be folded over and stitched together, or a number of leaves that can be joined together. With its sharp bill it punches holes around the edge of the leaf, then uses its bill and claws to maneuver fine grass or vegetable fibers through the holes. When sewn, the leaves form a pouch or purse into which the female places a lining of soft downy matter. She is now ready to lay her eggs in this snug little tailor-made home.

The barred warbler of southern Africa uses a slightly different method. It joins a cluster of leaves together with vegetable down or cobwebs. How? By “riveting” them. The bird punches the thread through the leaf and then teases it out at each end, forming a ‘rivet head’ to prevent the leaves from slipping off the thread.

Weaver birds of Africa know how to tie knots. With one foot they hold down one end of a piece of grass to a branch, then use their beaks to wrap and tie the grass around the branch. From this, a woven ring of grass is suspended as the basis of the nest. As many as 300 strands are then woven into a hollow ball. Some species have a vertical entrance tunnel projecting several inches below the nesting chamber. To prevent the eggs from rolling out they build a little ridge between the nesting chamber and the entrance tunnel.

Remarkable craftsmen indeed! But who taught them their weaving, textile manufacturing, tailoring, riveting and engineering skills that take humans years of schooling and practice to develop? How apparent it is that such instinctive wisdom has been implanted in them by their Creator.

[Footnotes]

One foot = .3 meter.

The Vatican Rekindles Hell

BY “AWAKE!” CORRESPONDENT IN FRANCE

“FIRM Reminder from Vatican.” “Hell Revisited.” “Has Hell Misfired?” “The Teachings of the Church on the Hereafter Must Be Safeguarded—Christians Distressed.”

Those are just a few of the newspaper and magazine headlines that greeted the letter relating to hell published last year by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It was duly approved by Pope John Paul II.

This official letter reminded all Catholic prelates and theologians of the “need for perfect faithfulness to the fundamental truths of the faith.” Among these it included the survival after death of the “soul,” “bliss for the just” and “punishment for the damned” in “hell” throughout eternity.

Commenting on this pope-approved Vatican document, the Paris daily Le Monde wrote: “Concerning hell, the Roman Congregation gives a reminder that such punishment is real and that it lasts ‘forever.’ This dogma is undoubtedly the one that raises the most problems in the modern mind. . . . It is the most depressing and improbable of all dogmas. The Roman Congregation that has replaced the Holy Office has brutally reminded us of it, with no commentary and without the slightest effort to explain it.”

“Cool Hell” of Recent Years

This brutal reminder of the ‘reality of hell’ was all the more surprising and distressing to sincere Catholics. Why? Because for some years now the Catholic clergy have been soft-pedaling the hellfire theme. French newsweekly L’Express highlighted this when it wrote:

“Hell has come back into the news after having been more or less purposely forgotten for many years. . . . It is practically virgin material. Thirty years have gone by since hell was preached in the churches. Heaven and purgatory fared no better. The new generation of Catholics have received little or no education about life everlasting.”

The Catholic clergy has been blown along by the winds of change. The advance of science and technology, the end of old-time colonialism, the development of human rights, and education for the masses—all of this made it expedient for priests to preach more about the here and now than about the hereafter, particularly hell.

It became fashionable in such Catholic countries as France for priests and educated Catholics to “cool down” hell. They explained it away by saying that nobody still believes that God torments people forever in a literal fire. Instead, it was said that the damned bring eternal suffering upon themselves by depriving themselves everlastingly of God’s presence.

This “cool” concept of hell is reflected in Catholic reference works published in recent years. For example, A Catholic Dictionary states:

“Theologians divide the punishments of the damned into that of loss and that of sense. The former of these is indicated in our Lord’s words ‘Depart from me, ye cursed,’ and consists in the deprivation of the vision of God. . . . It is from the knowledge of the bliss which they have forfeited that the chief suffering of the lost arises.”

However, Pope Paul VI had already begun to heat up this “cool” hell back in 1968. Then, in his “Profession of Faith,” he asserted that sinners who continue to reject God’s love “will go into inextinguishable fire.” And now this more recent letter, approved by Pope John Paul II, further reminds Catholics that hell is still a place very much to be feared.

Middle-Ages Scarecrow or Current Dogma?

“All hope abandon, ye who enter here.” Such was the inscription placed over the gates of hell in Dante’s Inferno. This 14th-century poem depicts hell as a deep pit divided into nine circles going down to the center of the earth where Satan dwells. Each circle represented a greater degree of suffering and punishment.

That medieval Italian poet made an imaginary word picture of what was then current Catholic dogma and had been ever since earliest times of the Roman Church. The horrible sufferings of hell have also been depicted over the centuries by artists. “Last judgment” paintings are to be seen in many Catholic churches and in museums all over the world. The most famous one likely is Michelangelo’s huge fresco in the Vatican’s Sistine chapel, said to have scared the wits out of Paul III, one of the popes who had commissioned the painting.

Frightening too are the sculptured portals of many Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals in Europe. For example, millions of tourists visiting Paris feel a shudder when they gaze at the terrifying “last judgment” scenes carved into the stonework above the central doorway of Notre Dame Cathedral. There is no gainsaying that what is depicted in these various works of art is excruciating physical torment of a literal kind.

“Oh, yes,” the modern educated Catholic will reply, “but these artistic representations merely show that the hellfire dogma was used in the Middle Ages to scare ‘simple souls’ into serving God. These days, enlightened Catholics know that these ‘last judgment’ scenes symbolize the mental anguish of the damned who are deprived of being in God’s presence.”

But this loophole places the Catholic Church in a dilemma. If all these artistic works depicting hell are a misrepresentation, why was the most famous of them, located right in the Vatican, commissioned by two popes (Clement VII and Paul III)? If, on the other hand, they give a true picture of official Church dogma, then why have Catholic priests been allowed to soft-pedal such a vital doctrine for so long? Sincere Catholics are wondering.

Is “Mental Torment” Any Improvement?

Another thing many sincere Catholics are wondering about is whether even the “cool” version of hell, limiting the suffering to mental anguish at being everlastingly separated from God, is reconcilable with God’s love. Thus French religious writer Henri Fesquet wrote in Le Monde: “Is the God worshiped by Christians a torturer? . . . Is God sadistic, putting the pleasure of being obeyed above the suffering of his wayward creatures?”

L’Express made the following interesting comments: “No more caldrons. But hell continues. It is said to be ‘a state in which man places himself through refusing God.’ Hell is isolation. . . . Even in earthly prisons sensory isolation is considered to be the worst torture.” “Hell, as explained by modern theologians, is just as fearsome as the hell depicted by medieval artists.”

A Catholic Dictionary quotes Catholic “Saint” Augustine as saying that the pain of loss is “so great a punishment that no torments known to us can be compared to it.”

So is it any improvement over the classic “fire-and-brimstone” hell to say that unrepentant sinners will be punished everlastingly by unremitting mental anguish? Many sincere Catholics will readily agree that, morally, it is just as fiendish to torment someone mentally as physically. Both forms of punishment are incompatible with the Scriptural concept of a God of justice and love.

The above-quoted article in L’Express put the question: “‘How could a kind God have his creatures suffer eternally?’ That is a fundamental problem. Theologians reply that paradoxically hell is the ultimate consequence of God’s love for man’s freedom.” Does that sound logical?

What Does the Bible Say?

Interestingly, in his article “Has Hell Misfired?” published in Le Monde after the Vatican reaffirmed the hell dogma, H. Fesquet also stated: “To believe hell exists and is not empty, many obstacles have to be overcome, obviously the first one being survival after death.” Yes, if there is no immaterial soul that survives man’s death, such “hereafter” doctrines as limbo, purgatory and hell collapse for want of souls to inhabit them.

What says the Bible? Let the answer come from Catholic scholars:

“A distinction between the body and the soul is nowhere clearly stated in the Scriptures.”—Dictionnaire de la Bible, edited by F. Vigouroux.

“The concept of ‘soul,’ meaning a purely spiritual, immaterial reality, separate from the ‘body,’ . . . does not exist in the Bible.”—Georges Auzou, Professor of Sacred Scripture, Rouen Seminary, France.

The Bible clearly states: “The soul that sinneth, the same shall die.” (Ezek. 18:4, 20, Catholic Douay Bible) Not only does this show that the human soul is not inherently immortal, but it also shows that the punishment for unremitting sin is not torment (whether physical or mental), but death. The Bible further says: “The wage paid by sin is death; the present given by God is eternal life.” (Rom. 6:23, Catholic Jerusalem Bible) Everlasting life or everlasting death—such is the choice God sets before his creatures.—John 3:16, 36; Deut. 30:19, 20.

The Hebrew and Greek words mistranslated “hell” in some versions of the Bible mean either the common grave of dead mankind (Heb., sheol; Gr., hádes), from which there will be a resurrection, or everlasting destruction (Gr., geʹenna).a A careful reading of the Bible will convince any honest person that the “everlasting fire” prepared for the Devil, his angels and wicked men (Matt. 25:41, 46) is symbolic of destruction, “the second death,” from which there will be no resurrection.—Apoc. or Rev. 20:9, 10; 21:8.

“God is love.” (1 John 4:8) The dogma of eternal torment in hell is a gross misrepresentation of the just and loving God whom true Christians worship. The motivating factor in true worship is love, not morbid fear. (1 John 4:16-19) By rekindling the idea of the non-Biblical hell, the Vatican is certainly dishonoring God.

[Footnotes]

For further details and Scriptural proof, see the book Is This Life All There Is?, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.

[Picture on page 17]

A section of Michelangelo’s Last Judgment inside the Sistine Chapel

[Picture on page 18]

Last Judgment sculpture, Rheims Cathedral, France

Church Decline “Unprecedented”

In an article in “Theology Today,” Dean R. Hoge, a member of the Sociology Department of the Catholic University of America, writes about the decline of the churches. “The recent downturns in membership in many denominations are unprecedented in American history, indicating that something basic is happening in the churches and American society,” he says. “Whatever is causing present-day membership loss in mainline Protestantism is something new, and it was not present in American society in the 1940s and 1950s.”

Going into the matter further, he states: “From church data and nationwide survey data, it became clear that the decline in membership is . . . disproportionately a phenomenon of youth and young adults. In short, young adults are not coming into the churches in as fast a rate as in the 1950s. . . . The problem is a deep one, and it will continue.”

Could it be that the churches are not giving young people the kind of spiritual food and guidance from God’s Word, the Bible, that they need in these critical times?

Learning to Adjust to Hearing Problems

THE normal ear is designed to hear. This organ enables one to enjoy the sound of the chirping bird, the rush of a waterfall and the rustle of leaves in the wind—all delightful sounds that enhance appreciation for being alive.

Because of its ability to gather sound and to transmit this to the brain, the ear is indeed a marvel. But it does much more than just permit one to pick up sound. Its full use is experienced when a person listens to and engages in conversation. His hearing ability enables him to detect the interchange of feelings, concerns and emotions. However, when the sense of hearing is lost, feelings of helplessness, frustration and even anger may result.

To illustrate: What if the words “make,” “rake” and “lake” all sounded the same to you? What if the only way you could tell what was being said would be by seeing the speaker pronounce the word? How would you feel? Needless to say, there would be some frustration.

To ascertain the effect of a hearing problem, read the following sentence out loud: Jo––ua –aw the –mo–– on to– of Moun– –inai. Do you have to read the sentence several times to get the sense of it by supplying the missing letters or sounds? Truly, those missing sounds are needed to understand what is meant. The sentence is, “Joshua saw the smoke on top of Mount Sinai.”

The foregoing illustrates the usual problem experienced when a person loses his hearing ability. Seldom does he lose all sense of hearing. The most common problem comes from not being able to hear all the sounds adequately. Hence, what is heard sounds distorted and confused. A victim of this type of hearing loss observed:

“We think we have understood but have not. For example, when I was courting my wife, I heard her ask me, ‘Do you like people?’—a type of pretentious gambit I am chronically loath to answer. I replied vaguely and was probably a little abrupt. She looked surprised. What she had actually said, as I learned a few minutes later, was much more promising: ‘Do you like pizza?’

“The result of such mishearings—and they are perennial with us—is often robust laughter, good-natured ribbing and a dinner-table anecdote. But the result can also be a serious miscommunication, an inaccurate appearance of slow-wittedness or indifference and the end of friendships.”

Drawing on his own experience, a deaf author relates the following about this handicap:

“In group discussions where you alone are deaf, you do not exist. Because you cannot present your ideas through a medium everyone is accustomed to, you are not expected, much less asked, to contribute to them. Because you are deaf, they turn deaf. Just do what your parents, friends, fellow workers—who can hear—tell you . . . While everyone is talking or laughing, you are as far away as a lone Arab on a desert that stretches along every horizon. Everyone and everything is a mirage; you see them but you cannot touch or become part of them. You suffocate inside but you cannot tell anyone of this horrible feeling. You do not know how to. You get the impression nobody understands or cares.”

What About a Hearing Aid?

A person without a hearing problem may be inclined to think that a hearing aid would certainly be the obvious solution to the problem. Although a hearing aid can be helpful, it has limitations.

An expert in the field, Hayes Newby, writes: “Hearing aids are expensive instruments, and it might be expected that once a patient had invested in one he would force himself to learn to operate and adjust to it.” But will he? “A large proportion of hearing aids,” he continues, “end up in the proverbial dresser drawer.”

Probably you know someone who has purchased a hearing aid. Perhaps the person is as close to you as your marriage partner. It may well be that he is not wearing his hearing aid. This may cause frustration for those whose hearing is not impaired. They may say, “If only he would wear his aid, we could communicate much better.”

Still, there must be a reason for his not using the aid. Commenting on the problem, Hayes Newby states: “Too many patients expect that the hearing aid will be the answer to all their hearing problems, and that once they start wearing the aid they will be able to hear just as well as they did when their hearing was normal. Unfortunately, this is not true . . . a hearing aid is an amplifier system, and not a very high-fidelity one. It can serve to make speech louder for the individual, but it cannot make it any clearer.”

So the first problem is with the hearing aid itself. It is limited as to the variety of sounds it can reproduce. While to some extent selectively featuring certain sounds and dampening others, the hearing aid cannot amplify these without a measure of distortion. At best, the quality of the amplification is much more like the sound of a telephone than that of a high-fidelity recording.

A second problem is that persons with hearing problems are all different. No two ears are alike; nor do they hear exactly the same. Hence, an amplification that seems too loud for one person is comfortable for someone else.

This can be illustrated in the case of individuals with “normal” hearing. Some young people may turn up the volume of a record player or radio and appear to be totally comfortable while listening. The parent, meanwhile, is stating emphatically that the music is too loud. Both parent and children may hear the same loudness, but they have different tolerance levels.

Since the hearing aid tends to amplify all sounds, what the wearer can tolerate plays a large part in the effectiveness of the aid. If he uses it at the “comfort” level rather than the “listening” level, he will not be taking full advantage of the instrument’s ability to amplify sound. The hearing aid may be “on” but not “up” high enough to help him to understand speech.

What Can the User Do?

In view of these factors, what can the user of a hearing aid do? First, he must give himself time and discipline himself to get used to his “new ear,” not expecting more from his aid than it is capable of giving. The initial discomfort is similar to that experienced when one gets false teeth or bifocal glasses. Eventually the discomfort decreases as the one using the aid adjusts to the new perceptions of sound.

Obviously, if a person has not heard certain sounds for a long time, he becomes used to not hearing. Even the chirping of a bird or the rustle of leaves can be disturbing if one has not heard these sounds for some time. The hearing-aid wearer may, therefore, feel that he is perceiving too much noise, and refuse to continue using the device. But this will not help him to hear better. The only solution is for him to learn to accept the noise, ignore the undesirable noises and concentrate on those sounds that he wants to hear.

To avoid discouragement, a hearing-aid user also needs to keep in mind that there are occasions when even those with normal hearing miss much of what is being said. Hence, he, too, can expect to obtain poor results at times.

If a hearing-aid wearer appreciates these limitations and does not allow himself to be discouraged by them, he may well reap fine benefits. Certainly, it takes self-discipline to become a successful hearing-aid user.

Being Helpful

Those associating with a person who is hard of hearing can assist him by being understanding. They do well to remember that one learning to wear a hearing aid is experiencing problems and discomfort.

While it may be a trying experience to speak with one suffering from hearing loss, conversation should not be discontinued. Talking with one’s regular voice and with the usual volume is most helpful. Speaking louder may cause distortion for the hearing-aid user. It is best to get his attention and to speak with him face to face so that he can see your lips and face, and visually “read” the lips and facial expressions for clues as to what is being stated. If he does not understand something, rephrasing may be more helpful than just repeating. For example, if the expression, “Do you want to go uptown?” is not readily understood, more clues could be given. Perhaps one could say: “We are going shopping uptown. Would you like to go uptown with us?”

Safeguarding One’s Hearing Ability

Individually, we may not have a hearing problem. Nevertheless, there is wisdom in doing what we can to retain our hearing ability in a noisy industrialized society.

It is generally agreed that exposure to loud noise for extended periods can injure the hearing mechanism. This kind of hearing loss cannot be restored. If a person works in a setting where the noise is very loud (any environment where conversation cannot be carried on at a normal level), he should have his hearing checked at regular intervals to see if the noise is affecting his hearing. It is far better to make needed changes so as to prevent hearing loss than to try to correct it by means of a hearing aid. And, in the case of disease, one should not unduly delay treatment.

Truly, hearing is precious—a gift from the Creator. Our appreciating its value should move us to be understanding toward those with hearing problems, and to put forth reasonable effort to protect the hearing we may presently enjoy.

“Ghost Towns”—Monuments That Instruct

BY “AWAKE!” CORRESPONDENT IN CANADA

THERE they stood—wooden grave markers of a bygone age. It was still easy to read those epitaphs:

“In memory of William Hugill, Late of Fullerton, Canada West. Who died Aug. 31, 1863, aged 23 Years.”

“Sacred to the memory of Peter Gibson of Vankleek Hill, County of Prescott, Canada West. Who died July 24, 1863, aged 31 Years.”

There were more like them. Many of the deceased were in their 20’s and 30’s, a few in their 40’s. They had died young and, as their epitaphs often bore witness, they had come here from many parts of the earth.

Interestingly, these grave markers were in the shadow of a much larger monument, Barkerville, a town born in 1862 and that died in 1868—well, almost. In 1868 Barkerville burned to the ground. But it was “resurrected” when inhabitants started rebuilding it the very next day. Then it almost died again, this time due to people’s leaving. It became a “ghost town.”a

But in the late 1950’s the provincial government of British Columbia started to restore Barkerville. Now thousands of visitors are able to recapture some memories of this town that once boasted the largest population on the North American continent west of Chicago and north of San Francisco.

But how did Barkerville come into existence in the first place, and nearly overnight at that? Why did it flourish and then almost die? The answers lie in the ground on which it stood. It was built on gold. Yes, this was a gold-rush town, one of many in the 19th century.

But what can we learn from Barkerville? What epitaph can you write on the markers of such towns that have been born because of an unrelenting search for gold? Briefly relive the birth and life of Barkerville and see what you would inscribe on this monument of the past.

Barkerville Is Born

Barkerville is snuggled in a mountainous wilderness of British Columbia, Canada’s far western province. It is about 500 miles (800 km) from where the Fraser River empties into the sea near the Canada–United States border at Vancouver. A little farther west is Vancouver Island. On its southern tip is Victoria, one of the oldest communities in British Columbia.

Before Billy Barker (after whom Barkerville was named) left his sailing ship and got caught in the gold fever of the 1860’s, Victoria had about 400 inhabitants. Imagine their surprise one Sunday when a ship appeared in the harbor with 450 men on board! Why such an influx?

Well, word had leaked out that there was gold along the Fraser River. A small party of miners had set out from San Francisco to have a look. They found gold in sufficient quantity to encourage them, and sent word back to San Francisco. As a result, in April 1858, that ship containing the 450 men docked at Victoria. In the next three months, about 23,000 more came by sea and another 8,000 by land! But some 25,000 of those returned home. In the face of great hardships, only the strong and determined stayed.

During the next year, the remaining stouthearted ones pushed northward up the Fraser and eventually on to its tributaries into an area called Cariboo. Here gold was discovered by the ton! It was there in 1862 that Billy Barker and his party staked a very rich claim. Barkerville then was named and its growth was rapid. Soon miners, and those daring to become such, were making their way to the Cariboo from all over North America, indeed, from all over the world.

Barkerville was just one of the instant towns then born of necessity rather than planning. It was an array of log shanties, stores and saloons built on stilts to protect it from flash floods. At its peak, the town reached an estimated population of 10,000. However, while the lure of gold beckoned thousands, only a few would be rewarded. By far the majority caved in under the unimaginable hardships.

…

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Awake!, June 8, 1980