Awake!, June 8, 1982

Awake! — June 8, 1982

Source: jw.org

Contents

Page Two

“I Just Want a Job!”

Is This Divorce Necessary?

Be Cautious With Credit!

Is Dating Harmless Fun?

Acrostic Puzzle

Did a Whole World Once Perish?

Air Conditioning—For Comfort

Pickles to Please Your Palate

From Our Readers

Watching the World

Read About: The Government Soon to Rule All the Earth

Don’t Miss It! “Kingdom Truth” Convention

Page Two

Page Two

“I Just Want a Job!” 3

Unemployment in many lands has increased sharply in recent times. This has particularly affected young people. What can be done to find employment? Is there a permanent solution?

Is This Divorce Necessary? 9

The number of divorces keeps going up all over the world. But is it possible that many more marriages could be saved? What is the key to a successful marriage?

“I Just Want a Job!”

“I Just Want a Job!”

MANY countries are threatened by the alienation of millions of their people, especially the young. Why? Because there is no work for them. They are unemployed, and they are angry about it.

For example, in the United States the number of unemployed was about 9 percent early this year, a record high since World War II. That meant about 10 million people without jobs!

In the United Kingdom, of about three million without jobs, one fifth, 600,000, are under 19 years of age. A buildup of resentment and bitterness is inevitable. Expressing the underlying frustration, one teenager said: “I don’t care what I do now. I just want a job!”

Britain’s European trading partners share her problem. In nine Common Market countries about 8 percent of the work force is unemployed. And 400 out of every 1,000 of them are under 25 years of age! What will the story be in a few years if, as some experts see it, there are an expected 12 million jobless in Western Europe? This is a crisis, and every government knows it.

While the unemployment situation is worse in some other areas, such as in parts of Asia and Latin America, the situation is new to many people in Europe and North America. Why? What are the reasons for this escalating problem? A closer look at Europe, and Britain in particular, will be helpful in answering such questions.

Mass Unemployment​—Why?

With the end of the second world war, Europe entered an unprecedented period of economic prosperity. Merchandise of all kinds flooded into the shops. Employment was at its peak. ‘You’ve never had it so good!’ was the slogan used by Harold Macmillan, British prime minister of the early 1960’s, and this summed up the situation well.

But that was 20 years ago! Things have changed. Is full employment an attainable goal again for the 1980’s or, indeed, for any future time? Many authorities seriously maintain that it is now a thing of the past, just a memory of happier times. Why?

When the cost of oil, on which the Western nations base their economies, rose dramatically in the 1970’s, price increases and inflation went hand in hand. In an effort to keep pace, wage demands of workers increased rapidly. At the same time some market sources began to reach the saturation point, an added burden for faltering economies. Unemployment was the outcome.

Obviously there is no easy answer. For millions of people the prospect of getting any sort of job grows dimmer as the weeks go by. Such is the reality of the problem.

Youth Opportunities?

How are young people, especially those who finish school, coping with the situation? What is being done for them?

More than three years ago the British government initiated a Youth Opportunities Programme (YOP) to help one in eight of those who finish school. It now seeks to cope with one in two. How does the program operate?

Every type of employer is urged to sponsor youngsters, usually straight from school, to work on their premises. The aims are twofold: To give them practical experience in a working environment and, in work-preparation courses, to provide some training in a range of skills.

In one 12-month period, well over half a million young people have been assisted in this way. But how successfully?

Many youngsters transfer to a second YOP course at the conclusion of their first attempt. There is no guarantee of full-time employment, of course, and often not much hope of it either. The project, good as it is, cannot solve the fundamental problem. As one YOP administrator candidly expressed himself: “It’s like giving an aspirin for cancer.”

Welfare payments prevent hardship and a bread-line existence, true, but they can be no substitute for job satisfaction. The Times of London pointed this out, saying: “For most youngsters, work is the key symbol of maturity, which is why they need it so badly.”

With the real prospect of 800,000 under 18 years of age being jobless by 1983, Britain faces a challenge. But it is one that also needs to be met by her European allies. Just what they will do remains to be seen.

Initiative Can Surely Help!

Are you one of the youthful unemployed? Do you lack experience in getting a job? Take heart! The situation is not without hope! Check the following information. It contains practical suggestions gleaned from managers, youngsters and others concerned about jobs.

With these in mind, use your initiative to apply for vacancies that come your way. Or as you have the opportunity make openings for yourself. It can be done, as many have discovered to their satisfaction. True, few jobs may be readily available at present, but one can be for you!

1. Be Prepared!

“After 15 years’ experience, I think that today’s youngsters are far less prepared for an interview than ever.” So commented one training officer. Why is this? “They don’t do their homework!” he exclaimed. What did he mean?

Consider this experience in answer: “I took an interest in the company I now work for. I asked questions at my interview, having found out beforehand the kind of things they did in different locations around London. I got the job.”

Would you be prepared to do such thorough research before applying for a vacancy? It could well make the difference between your getting the job and losing the opportunity. The effort is well worth it. As one employer put it: “Those who show initiative tend to get jobs ahead of those who sit back.” He should know.

2. Be Presentable!

“I was told by my business-studies teacher that it is best to write a neat personal letter for a job, rather than type it. She was right. I found it pays off.” So said a successful teenage girl. Neat writing creates an immediate impression. It indicates a personal interest. It’s a point well worth noting. Of course, if one’s handwriting is not clear and neat, then a well-typed letter would be better.

When presenting yourself for an interview, what about your attire? One youth commented: “I had four interviews before I was actually told I had the job. At the final interview there were just three of us. We were all from school and there was little to choose between us. But in the final analysis I think it was the way we dressed that counted.” Would you have thought of that?

One fashion clothing company is constantly advertising for staff. Why? “Many applicants turn up in dirty jeans and disheveled clothing,” lamented the managing director. If you ran such a business, would you want to employ such people? A tidy, neatly groomed appearance will enhance your chances of getting that job, just as an unkempt and untidy presentation of yourself can kill your chances stone dead. Most employers will tell you that. Don’t learn the hard way.

3. Be Pleasant!

What kind of person would you be to work with? Are you pleasant and kind? Do you smile? Can you laugh at yourself and your mistakes? Or, are you moody? Do you take yourself too seriously? Ask yourself: What kind of person would I choose to work with?

“School does not teach you what a vital dimension personality can be,” reflected a woman in her early 20’s. How true that is! Over the years higher education has concentrated on academic qualifications, often at the expense of character growth.

“Does the course concern itself with the development of my personality as well as my intellect?” is one of the questions The Observer Study Service suggests young people should be asking themselves. It follows that a pleasing personality is not dependent upon one’s ability to pass examinations, and a prospective employer may well be impressed with you as a person, rather than being influenced solely by certificates of education.

4. Be Persistent!

With an acute shortage of jobs, employers can afford to be choosy. To balance this, you need to be persistent! Do you recall the well-known Bible story of a widow who kept going to a judge to get justice for herself? She got what she asked for in the end, because of her persistence.​—Luke 18:1-8.

The same can be true of you. One employer relates that he gave a good job to a youth just out of school simply “to get him off my back!” Persistence not only pays off, but it indicates to prospective employers your own sincerity and concern. That in itself can earn their respect.

“I’m glad I didn’t despair after one bad experience,” recalls a young person. “The only way to cope is to bounce back into something else.” Do you have that kind of resilience? You will need it if you are going to be successful in job hunting.

5. Be Practical!

The world does not owe anybody a living. Yet many prospective employers are concerned about those who finish school and who set their sights too high and demand rights that they have never earned. A spokesman for the Association of Professional Employment Agencies explained that many young people “insist on holding out for more money than employers are prepared to pay. They’re too choosy.”

If you are going to price yourself out of a job, what is to be gained? Surely it is far better to start and get the initial experience of work. Such a position can then be the stepping-stone to something better as you gain that valuable experience.

“Young people consider it degrading to do a service job,” observed a hotel owner. Be practical! People will always pay for a personal service. In fact, many young people have started their own businesses on this basis. They offer their services in an endless variety of ways​—grass mowing, garden pruning, window cleaning, baby-sitting, car washing. These are just a few examples. They are well worth pursuing.

6. Be Positive!

So you have tried to get a job many, many times and you are still unsuccessful. What then? DON’T GIVE UP! Agreed, it is not an easy thing to do, but keep a positive outlook.

“Sell yourself!” was the advice of one experienced job hunter. Show your prospective employer what a fine asset you would be to him. A good reference testifying to your honesty will go a long way in this regard. Even if he does not have an immediate vacancy, he may be well disposed to keep your name on file.

Never become overly aggressive, either in outlook or at an interview. Remember that there are many more in the position you are in. If you are turned down, ask why. Maybe you can learn something to help you with your next application.

Never lose your sense of humor and, above all else, maintain your dignity in the face of adversity. Who knows about the next job? Approach it in a positive frame of mind​—it could be yours.

Is There Any Permanent Solution?

There is no doubt that much frustration and anger are caused by the difficulty of finding a job. Similar frustration and anger often come with having a job that one does not really like.

Then, is there no hope that someday people can not only have full employment but also really enjoy what they are doing? From the actual conditions that exist in this world, the answer would seem to be, No.

However, the very conditions that exist today in this trouble-filled world, including high unemployment, are evidences that this unsatisfactory system of things is nearing its end! Long ago many Bible prophecies foretold the awful things that would take place in our age, giving evidence that the time was nearing when the Creator, Jehovah God, would intervene in human affairs and wipe out the entire man-made structure now oppressing people.​—Matthew 24:3-14.

In our lifetime, in “this generation,” as Jesus called it, God will use his almighty power to crush what is bad and restore what is good to this earth. (Matthew 24:34) “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; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.”​—Proverbs 2:21, 22.

The final prophetic book of the Bible, Revelation, shows that “a great crowd” of honest-hearted persons would survive this world’s destruction, ‘coming out of the great tribulation’ to endless life on earth. (Revelation 7:9-17) Then, under God’s direction, a great work program would begin to transform this earth into what Jesus called Paradise. (Luke 23:43) That there would be such a building program was foreshadowed by these words of the prophet Isaiah: “They will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. . . . the work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full. They will not toil for nothing.”​—Isaiah 65:21-23.

Since God created humans with a desire for satisfying work, that hope will indeed be fulfilled. After God’s execution of judgment against this present system, the earthly subjects of his rule will have before them a worldwide cleanup work that will eclipse any this earth has ever seen. The wreckage caused by the final war will be cleared away. (Psalm 46:8, 9) Lovely homes will be built. Gardens, parks and crops will flourish, the work happily being done by humans who are blessed by their Creator.

In addition, “there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15) Think of all the upbuilding work that will be done on their behalf! They will be taught God’s laws, be provided with places to live and will have work to do. Since “death will be no more” (Revelation 21:4), there will be plenty of time for all to cultivate skills in work, in the arts and in the sciences. Yes, indeed, ‘the work of their own hands they will use to the full,’ so that each day will be a delight. Forever gone will be the curse of poverty, unemployment and undesirable work.

Hence, while life today is full of uncertainties where making a living is concerned, you can have full confidence in God’s promise of a soon-to-come new system that will do away with all of that. No more will persons say in frustration, “I just want a job!” There will be more than enough creative, upbuilding, useful and satisfying work for all!

Is This Divorce Necessary?

Is This Divorce Necessary?

IN MOST countries the divorce rate is skyrocketing. According to the Americana Annual, “nearly four out of every ten recent U.S. marriages might end in divorce if the current levels of divorce persist.” Every year, worldwide, multitudes of people are deciding that they no longer can endure their marriages.

Why? What triggers this tragedy? “A hundred, a thousand different things,” wrote Morton Hunt in his book The World of the Formerly Married. He included financial troubles, domination of one partner by the other, adultery, drunkenness, personality differences, a lack of interest in homelife, cultural differences, immaturity, the influence of relatives, and sexual incompatibility. Of course, the list is much longer, as the subject is very complex.

As faults become apparent, romance and affection can fade. Frustration and disillusionment grow. Instead of happiness and harmony, there are quarrels and tension. Instead of trust and love, suspicion and resentment grow. The situation becomes difficult to bear.

Often the reasoning of those who seek release from their unsatisfactory marriage is: ‘We tried, but failed. We just can’t make a go of it. So why prolong the agony? Divorce is acceptable today, so is it not better than a miserable marriage?’

That may be true in some cases. For example, when a marriage mate becomes immorally involved with someone else, and has no regrets or expresses no repentance, then legal action may be proper.​—Matthew 19:9.

However, countless divorced couples have learned from bitter experience that divorce is not always the answer.

A Painful Experience

Divorce is often a very painful experience. It may be likened to an operation that leaves dreadful scars. According to research, compared to the death of a marriage mate, divorce ranks second in life’s most stressful situations.

The Brisbane Telegraph of Australia quoted a divorce-court counselor as saying that divorce is “the same as losing a close relative through death. Partners in marriage breakdown can go through a period of grief and mourning and experience the same emotion as though the loved one had died.”

With a marriage mate who seems “impossible” and with a wretched situation in the home, one might reach the stage of thinking that any change must be for the better. There may be a longing for freedom and a single life again. However, the matter is not as simple as that. Said sociologist Robert Weiss: “People need to understand that divorce is drastic surgery.”

Such expressions indicate the pain that can come from severing the bonds that once existed. These bonds between man and wife include those that are physical, emotional, mental and, in some cases, spiritual. To cut all that asunder is indeed “drastic surgery.” And this is not surprising when we consider what the Maker of marriage, Almighty God, said after establishing the first such union: “A man will leave his father and his mother and he must stick to his wife and they must become one flesh.”​—Genesis 2:24.

Loneliness

Cutting apart “one flesh” is no light matter. Often it produces deep depression and negative feelings about oneself; and it also produces a feeling of loneliness.

Companionship is one of the joys of marriage. Quite frequently elderly widows and widowers get married simply to have company. They are too lonely to remain single. Said one divorcée: “Loneliness can be the worst thing.”

The Bible puts the need for close, warm companionship in this direct, down-to-earth way: “Two are better than one . . . For if one of them should fall, the other one can raise his partner up. . . . Moreover, if two lie down together, they also will certainly get warm; but how can just one keep warm?” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-11) As God said before creating the first woman: “The man’s being alone is not good; I will make him a helper to match him.”​—Genesis 2:18, Byington.

Sexual Needs

When God created male and female, he implanted in them the sex drive. This was so that they could “be fruitful and become many” and find a source of delight in marriage.​—Genesis 1:28.

However, in recent decades sex habits have broken all bounds. As a result, millions of people suffer from venereal diseases, unwanted pregnancies and many other problems. Marriage partners can properly exercise the privilege of sex relations, but once divorced they lose that Scripturally legitimate and natural outlet for their desire.

Hence, one of the problems for divorced persons is finding themselves in unrelieved passion. As the Bible says: “It is better to marry than to burn with passion.”​—1 Corinthians 7:9, Today’s English Version.

Often, for the formerly married, the hunger for love is greater than ever. As a result, some of them practice self-abuse as an outlet for their sex drive. Others seek satisfaction in love affairs or casual sex. But according to a report in the Toronto Star, many find these encounters disappointing and repugnant. Associated with such conduct is a serious loss of dignity and self-respect. Also, for those who wish to please God, such illicit sex is not acceptable. (Colossians 3:5) True, God created sex, but he created it for use only within the bonds of matrimony.​—Hebrews 13:4.

The Effect on Children

Children, especially younger ones, can be devastated by divorce. For them, the family is like a nest​—warm and protective. When it collapses, the bottom seems to fall out of their world.

The effect is illustrated by an incident reported in Dr. Howard Irving’s book Divorce Mediation. A divorced husband was taking camping gear to his car on a Friday night, preparing for a weekend trip with his children. His three-year-old daughter woke up, saw him outside packing the car and began screaming hysterically. Mummy had left her already. Now she thought that Daddy was leaving too.

Dr. Irving noted that “divorce introduces the idea that love can die. For the child who depends on the love of his or her parent, this can be a frightening thought. . . . If the parents who once loved each other no longer do, will they be the next to lose that love?”

For most children, divorce spells disaster. Almost all of them suffer intense unhappiness. It can make them cynical and hard in their emotional lives. Many children from broken homes become problem pupils in school. The loss of family security has cost them dearly.

Thus, a survey taken in San Francisco revealed an interesting preference. It showed that 80 percent of the children involved in marriage breakups said that they preferred their parents having a miserable marriage rather than their getting divorced.

Is Your Marriage in Danger?

If your marriage is in danger, think carefully. And think again. Is it possible that your marriage can be saved, and thus you and those involved can be spared the agonizing consequences, of which we have discussed only a few?

Recall the happiness of your courting days. What went wrong after that? Is it your mate’s fault or yours? Or both? Has there been a failure in three of the basic requirements of a good marriage​—communication, cooperation and consideration? Even if your failures have been only partly to blame, have you said “sorry”? Just saying that sincerely and humbly can often free a deadlock in the marital partnership.

Of course, marriage problems often become so complicated that man and wife are no longer able to correct them without help. But where can a person go for help? There are many marriage counselors in this world, and often their advice is helpful. Yet, because there is no common standard among them, their views may be contradictory. What a marriage in trouble needs is the very best counsel that comes from the most reliable source. Where can it be found?

The best counsel on marriage comes from the One who has the best knowledge of human nature, and the most experience. The Creator, the Almighty God Jehovah, made man and woman. He brought them together in the first marriage. He has had thousands of years of experience in viewing marriage. Hence, when he gives us counsel in his inspired Word, the Bible, it works! When both parties in a marriage adhere to God’s counsel, serious marriage troubles can be avoided or solved if they do appear. And often, where only one mate works hard to apply the counsel, good results can still be obtained.

Among Jehovah’s Witnesses there are many men and women with a deep understanding of marital problems. They can give counsel that many others cannot. Why? Because they adhere strictly to the best standards, those that God lays down in his own Word. If your marriage is in trouble, why not discuss it with them? Since they may not be your parents or close friends, they can take an impartial view.a

Those Contemplating Marriage

Can many marriage problems be headed off even before two people get married? Yes, for it is at the courting stage that serious mistakes are often made that bring trouble later.

To choose a suitable partner can be the most serious decision one has to make in life relative to another human. It can lead to marvelous happiness, or to misery. And very often it is made too hastily by those who are too young. Divorce is more than twice as likely to occur among those who marry as teenagers.

Are you a young person in love with someone? That can be a very fine time of your life. But beware that the ‘pink mist’ of romance does not shroud serious incompatibilities. Have you seen how your prospective life partner reacts under stress? Is he or she honest, mild-tempered, kind, unselfish? Do you have much in common? Is the attraction mainly physical, or are there qualities in him or her that command your respect?

A Most Vital Factor

Yet there is another vital factor even more important for successful marriage: Will the Originator of marriage, Jehovah God, be involved in your marriage? Will you be guided by the fine counsel that only God can give us, as recorded in his inspired book, the Bible? He knows what it takes to make a success of married life. His Word is a sure guide toward that goal.​—Ephesians 5:22-33.

Thus, if marriage partners really love each other, not just physically but also because of the other partner’s spiritual qualifications, and have deep respect for God, he becomes a third party in the contract. In this way marriage ties are greatly strengthened, for as the Bible says, “a threefold cord cannot quickly be torn in two.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12) Asking God to be a third party can be the greatest help to those planning to marry. It can also transform many miserable marriages into happy ones.

[Footnotes]

a For a detailed discussion of what is involved in making a success of marriage from the Creator’s viewpoint, ask Jehovah’s Witnesses for the book Making Your Family Life Happy, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. Or write the publishers of Awake! for a copy.

[Blurb on page 10]

In recent decades sex habits have broken all bounds

[Picture on page 11]

For children, loving parents are like a warm, protective nest

Be Cautious With Credit!

Be Cautious With Credit!

By “Awake!” correspondent in South Africa

IZAK and Mabel gazed at the bedroom suite in the shop window. Mabel’s eyes glowed as she noted the elegant bed cover and the attractive dressing table. But her face fell when she saw the price​—R555,55.a For Izak, an office cleaner, and Mabel, a domestic servant, that was far too much. They could never save that amount.

Mabel was about to walk away when she saw another ticket. It said: “10% Deposit​—R25 per month.” She began working it out: “Only R25 per month! Surely by saving here and there, or doing some extra work, we could manage to pay that. Perhaps we could get this bedroom suite now, without first having to save up.”

As she was thinking it over, a smiling salesman approached. Izak and Mabel were ushered into the store.

Mabel asked: “How long would we have to pay the R25 per month?”

“Two years,” said the salesman.

Mabel worked it out slowly on paper: R25 per month for 24 months. Total​—R600. The deposit was R55,55. Thus the bedroom suite would cost them R655,55 instead of R555,55.

“Why the extra R100?” she asked.

“That’s the amount you pay on interest because you are buying on credit.”

“It seems like a lot,” complained Izak.

“No,” explained the salesman, “it’s only 10 percent per year. And 10 percent of R500 is R50. For two years that’s R100. That’s not much for borrowing the money for two years.”

Izak thought about it. Mabel was obviously keen about getting the furniture now. He was satisfied.

But should he have been? While 10 percent interest a year did not seem too high, actually he would be paying interest at a far higher rate. How so?

The salesman had quoted to Izak the “add-on,” or “flat,” rate. This is calculated on the full amount owing at the time of the sale. However, Izak would not owe this amount for the full two years. After each monthly installment he would owe less. But he would be paying interest as if he owed the full R500 throughout the entire two years. Calculated on what he would actually owe each month, the interest he would pay would amount to over 18 percent per year, not 10 percent. This actual rate of interest is also referred to as the “effective” rate. In many countries the interest charged on installment sales is much more.

So if you are buying on credit under an installment arrangement, ask what the “add-on” and “effective” rates are in your country. Usually, the “effective” rate is the actual rate you would pay if you borrowed the money from a bank.

Cash vs. Credit

Obviously, buying on a credit plan means paying more. Could Izak and Mabel have saved even more money by waiting until they had cash?

The owner of the store may mark up his goods 100 percent or more. This means that an item he buys at R100 would sell for R200. But with such a large gross profit the storekeeper may feel that in order to make a sale he can offer a good discount for cash.

Thus, if Izak and Mabel could have offered spot cash for their bedroom suite they might have been able to bargain with the storekeeper for a 10 percent, or even a 20 percent discount on the price, thus saving them over R50 or R100.

Thus, before buying their furniture through an installment plan, Izak and Mabel should have considered not only (1) the high rate of interest they would have to pay, but also (2) that they would lose any discount they could have obtained by paying cash.

Then, is buying on credit wrong? Not necessarily. It is a personal decision. Very few families can buy things such as a home, or even an automobile, without getting credit. True, in the case of the automobile, some might feel that they would want to save the money ahead of time and then pay cash. But, in some cases, this could take several years. By that time inflation likely would have caused the price to go up considerably, wiping out much or all of what could have been saved by not buying on credit.

Thus, some may feel that there are advantages in buying on credit, such as: (1) having the immediate use of the goods; (2) no price increase due to inflation; (3) complaints often attended to more promptly since good relations are desired with the customer because he still owes money; (4) monthly payments can be taken as a sort of compulsory saving.

Less Costly Credit

In addition to an installment agreement that includes interest payments, some places have less costly forms of credit.

(1) Monthly payments treated as a cash agreement. Some stores allow customers to pay just the original price by monthly installments over a period of time, say, six months. No credit payments are involved. This is the least costly method of credit buying. However, usually there is no possibility of any cash discount.

(2) Bank overdraft. If your standing with a bank is good, in some places you can borrow money for credit purchases by drawing from your account more than you have, with the bank’s approval, of course. In South Africa, at the moment, the interest charged on a bank overdraft is less than the interest on an installment sale agreement. Interest is charged only on the actual amount owed. If you are able to pay off your debt more quickly, you pay less interest.

(3) Credit Cards, such as a bank credit card. The basic use of a credit card is for obtaining goods and services that are paid for during the following month. But with many credit cards it is possible to make larger purchases with payment being extended for one or two years. The monthly payments include considerable interest. If you are able to pay off the debt more quickly, interest payments are less, as with the bank overdraft. But again, when buying with a credit card, it is difficult to negotiate a cash discount.

Be Cautious About Credit

Before obtaining a credit card, it would be well to ask: “Could having such a card be a danger and introduce additional stress into my life?” Many have found that having a credit card encourages impulsive, unnecessary buying, resulting in financial problems and worries.

Such a word of caution applies not only to credit cards but to all buying on credit. It can be argued that no form of credit is cheap, that it increases costs and fuels inflation. Shakespeare said: “Neither a borrower, nor a lender be.” Before him the inspired Bible writer warned: “The borrower is servant to the man doing the lending.”​—Proverbs 22:7.

It would be highly preferable if one could go through life without any debts. However, this is not always possible in today’s world. Yet caution should be exercised, realizing that credit is money. Your ability to pay back is limited by your disposable income, that is, by what remains of your income after all other expenses have been paid.

If your total repayments for credit purchases exceed your disposable income you will experience problems and unhappiness. In Charles Dickens’ novel David Copperfield, Wilkins Micawber declared: “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds, nineteen shillings and sixpence, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds and sixpence, result misery.” Yes, the difference between happiness and misery can be spending one shilling too much!

Particularly is it unwise to use long-term credit for nonessential luxury items of a perishable nature, where the goods are used up long before they are paid for. Even when inflation is taken into account, saving for a purchase and then paying for it is often cheaper and more satisfying. It also means much less anxiety.

If, like Izak and Mabel, you decide to buy on credit, use it for essential purchases of a durable nature. Learn what types of credit are available. Choose the least costly. In a word: be cautious with credit.

[Footnotes]

a R=Rands, currency of South Africa. One R is about $1, U.S.

[Chart on page 14]

Actual cost using installment credit 655.55

Listed cost 555.55

Difference 100.00

Discount for cash 50.00

Total saving paying cash 150.00

[Chart on page 15]

Credit payments should not exceed your DISPOSABLE income

GROSS SALARY 1,000.

NET SALARY (after deductions) 900.

ESSENTIAL PAYMENTS 860.

DISPOSABLE INCOME

(after paying for essentials) 40.

Is Dating Harmless Fun?

Young People Ask . . .

Is Dating Harmless Fun?

“THE date starts as an invitation from a young man to a girl for an evening’s public entertainment, typically at his expense,” penned American author Geoffrey Goren. “‘Showing the girl a good time’ is the essential background for a date, but it is not its object, as far as the man is concerned; its object is to get the girl to prove that he is worthy of love, and therefore a success.”

With some humor this writer describes a common custom in many countries. However, a couple may “date” by spending time enjoying some social activity at either’s home, or going out together in a group and thereafter pairing off. “Dating is often the subject of conversation among friends and is a pleasurable part of growing up,” according to writer Jane Burgess-Kohn. “It is full of freedom because it is done just for fun.”a Perhaps this is how you feel. However, some young persons have another story to tell.

Harmless Fun?

“From my early teens, I frequently dated. I felt that it was important to talk to and be close with young men. Now I know that can be dangerous,” declared 20-year-old Loretta. “The more we saw each other, the more involved we became. Kissing soon grew stale and we began touching intimate body parts. I became a nervous wreck because I felt so dirty. My date also in time expected me to ‘go all the way’ and commit fornication, although this was totally against what I wanted. I was confused and bewildered. But all I could think of was, ‘I don’t want to lose him.’ I was miserable!” Yet Loretta’s experience is not unusual. Several hundred teenagers were asked whether there had been times on a date when they had had sexual contact even though they did not feel like it. Sixty-five percent of the girls (ages 15 to 16) and 43 percent of the boys said Yes!

“When we started dating, everything was strictly honorable. We didn’t even hold hands or kiss. I just wanted to enjoy the pleasure of her company and talk,” said one young man. “However, she was very affectionate and would sit very close to me. In time we did hold hands and kiss. This created within me an even stronger sex drive. It affected my thinking to the point that I wanted to be with her, not just to talk, but to hold her, touch her and kiss. I couldn’t get enough! I was literally going crazy with passion. At times I would feel cheap and ashamed. However, to my surprise, she said that she was tired of me and broke off the relationship. I was crushed.”

These and countless other young persons have found that ‘dating for fun’ brought emotional heartache. This is quite a contrast to what the Bible says a young person should find in life. At Ecclesiastes 11:9 it reads: “Rejoice, young man [or, woman], in your youth.” However, to achieve this ‘rejoicing’ the Bible urges in the following verse: “Remove vexation from your heart, and ward off calamity from your flesh; for youth and the prime of life are vanity.”​—Ecclesiastes 11:10.

“Vexation” means to be deeply troubled or sorely distressed. “Calamity” denotes a personal disaster. Both can make life unbearable. Just imagine how those two young persons quoted before must have felt. Have you ever been so troubled about a date that you could not sleep? The Bible shows that a young person’s life can be filled with either ‘rejoicing’ or ‘vexation and calamity.’ It is up to you.

“But no one would deliberately choose ‘vexation and calamity,’” you may be thinking. “Why is it that dating can bring such problems?”

Heavy Emotional Decisions

In many countries where dating is popular, it is not unusual to see 11- and 12-year-olds dating regularly​—some even engaging in kissing and petting. Those who taste of such intimacies at a tender age soon are faced with some emotionally heavy situations.

For instance, one young man said of his dilemma: ‘I liked Kathy a lot at first. Well, I admit I talked her into doing some things she didn’t think were right. Now I feel dirty because I’ve lost interest. How can I ditch Kathy without hurting her feelings?’ What a perplexing situation he must face! How would you feel if you were Kathy?

“I began going with boys early in my teens and gradually holding hands and kissing led to sexual immorality,” confessed Ann. “I became pregnant at 15.” Suddenly, she was faced with some awesome decisions. Should she have an abortion or put the baby up for adoption? Should she try to care for the child herself without a husband to help? How would she manage? “When I gave birth I realized what a few moments of romance can lead to. I was sick with an infection for the whole nine months and finally spent 14 agonizing hours in labor pains!” said Ann.

The Bible frankly recognizes that young people will “walk in the ways of [their] heart.” Yet so often those “ways,” which seem to be such fun and are appealing to the heart, end up bringing ‘vexation to the heart’ and “calamity.” Of course, not all dating leads to an illegitimate pregnancy, but regular association with someone of the opposite sex, such as a “steady” boyfriend or girl friend, stirs into operation feelings that can lead to sexual relations. This is the way we are made. Real pain of heart and vexation can result from dealing with these urges that, once aroused, are among the strongest in our body.​—Ecclesiastes 11:9, 10.

There are some persons, however, who are in a position to marry and thereby honorably satisfy sexual desires. They may wish to become better acquainted by dating. By being careful about their circumstances and expressions of endearment, they may find dating to be a positive experience. But dating for ‘fun’ can​—and often does—​lead to sexual intimacies. A survey of several hundred teenagers found that 87 percent of the girls and 95 percent of the boys said that sex was either “moderately important or very important” in their dating.

When such intimacies become commonplace at a youthful age, the couple often enters into an early marriage. Yet the United States Bureau of Vital Statistics reports that the divorce rate for teenage wives is four times greater than it is for women who marry later. The divorce rate for teenage husbands is three times higher than that for the general population. Though many of these youthful marriages do hold together, often the adjustment is extremely painful. One 18-year-old bride admitted: “I’m changing diapers, cleaning, cooking and ironing because I started going steady when I was 16 years old. I am not proud of this. I was one of the thousands who thought it couldn’t happen to me.”

Youth is a time for gaining knowledge, experience and strength to take on later the heavy emotional and physical challenges of adulthood. If these heavy burdens, especially the emotional ones, come during youth, the effect can be devastating.

Several research studies have even linked “a fight with a girl friend” or “disappointment in love” as among the situations responsible for many youthful suicides. The fact that in some countries suicide is the second highest cause of death among young people, and that an estimated 50 to 75 percent of psychiatric hospital beds are filled by young persons with emotional problems, indicates that youthful minds and hearts are fragile. Most persons would agree with the sentiments of the Bible patriarch Jacob, some of whose offspring were no doubt teenagers at the time. He said: “The children are delicate.” This is true not only physically but also emotionally.​—Genesis 33:13.

So dating certainly is not harmless fun. It can bring vexation into a young person’s life. What can help you to decide if you should date or not? The next issue of Awake! will provide some answers to this question.

[Footnotes]

a Serious courtship leading to marriage will be considered in a future article.

[Blurb on page 18]

A youth can find either ‘rejoicing’ or “vexation” in life, according to the Bible. Can dating ‘for fun’ lead to “vexation”?

Acrostic Puzzle

Acrostic Puzzle

Directions: Write the answers over the numbered lines and then transfer the letters individually to the corresponding spaces in the diagram. The puzzle reads across only. When the diagram is complete, it will spell out a scripture. The first letter of each answer will spell out the book of the Bible from which the scripture is taken. Once you have the diagram started, you will be able to work backward by guessing some of the incomplete words.

1. 3 56 33 60 15 1. “You must not steal, You

must not ‐‐‐‐‐.”

(Romans 13:9)

2. 44 57 12 2. “Strip ‐‐‐ the old

personality.”

(Colossians 3:9)

3. 54 4 18 32 48 3. The apostle Paul was a

‐‐‐‐‐ citizen.

(Acts 22:25)

4. 47 7 59 5 25 4. An early descendant of

Judah. (1 Chronicles 4:3)

5. 40 53 58 24 45 5. “I shall tell you the

things ‐‐‐‐‐ down in the

writing of truth.”

(Daniel 10:21)

6. 8 27 39 61 20 51 6. Jesus’ apostles were often

spoken of as the ‐‐‐‐‐‐.

(Mark 9:35)

7. 50 62 23 42 7. Mary became pregnant by

‐‐‐‐ spirit.

(Matthew 1:18)

8. 34 17 64 16 26 36 2 8. We must not ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ in

loose conduct like the

people of Sodom.

(2 Peter 2:7)

9. 10 37 46 30 43 38 6 9. Jesus is an ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ and

high priest. (Hebrews 3:1)

10. 35 9 41 52 19 63 55 10. The altar of burnt

offering was constructed

with a grating or ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

of copper. (Exodus 27:4)

11. 14 21 1 22 28 49 31 11 13 29 11. The Israelites were not to

work on the ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐.

(Exodus 31:15)

ACROSTIC SOLUTIONS PAGE 25

ACROSTIC PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

CLUE WORDS: (1) covet; (2) off; (3) Roman; (4) Ishma; (5) noted; (6) twelve; (7) holy; (8) indulge; (9) apostle; (10) network; (11) sabbath day.

When filled in, the grid contains a quotation from the Bible, 1 Corinthians 15:58, New World Translation.

Did a Whole World Once Perish?

Did a Whole World Once Perish?

RECENTLY, some researchers at a Detroit medical school put a slice of tissue from a long-frozen woolly mammoth under an electron microscope. To their surprise they were able to identify individual red and white blood cells​—something that had never been done before in tissue that was so old.

What was it that quick-froze the ancient mammoths, preserving them so perfectly? Scientists can only guess. For example, a recent theory by British astronomer Fred Hoyle blames the sudden extinction on a close encounter between the earth and an asteroid or a comet. Allegedly, this could have filled the atmosphere with dust particles, cutting off sunlight so that the bedarkened mammoths blundered their way into swamps where they were later frozen. Farfetched, is it not?

Although Hoyle’s theory is unlikely, at least it recognizes one important fact: Some sort of catastrophe was required. But what was that catastrophe? Was it merely an astronomical near-miss, or was it something more purposeful?

‘Who cares what it was?’ some might say. ‘Does it really matter to anyone but the mammoths?’ The answer is Yes! What if the woolly mammoths were caught, not in a cosmic accident, but in a deliberate execution of judgment against a whole world? Furthermore, suppose that a similar execution awaits the present generation of mankind. Would you not want to know about it?

‘Absurd!’ retorts the skeptic. ‘Catastrophic executions of judgment just do not happen on a worldwide scale. There is no historical record of such a thing!’

But there is such a record! Chapter seven of the Bible book of Genesis records a worldwide flood that ravaged all forms of life on earth some 43 centuries ago. The record indicates that there was a reason for this disaster. “The earth became filled with violence . . . it was ruined.” (Genesis 6:11, 12) The Flood was a judgment against the wicked generation responsible for that violence. Although drastic, the Flood was necessary to save the earth from utter ruination. Lovingly, God arranged for the survival of Noah and his family, eight persons who were not among those ruining the earth.

Did it really happen? Well, stories of a universal flood are preserved in the folklore of scores of peoples, some 150 examples being known. Such a supercatastrophe certainly does a far better job of explaining what happened to the mammoths than does Hoyle’s frozen swamp theory. As researchers have noted: “These animal remains were not in deltas, swamps or estuaries, but were scattered all over the country.” Besides, no slowly freezing swamp could possibly account for the drastically sudden drop in temperatures that, it has been estimated on the basis of cellular studies, were as low as 150 degrees below zero F. (–101° C.)!

‘But such a thing can’t happen today!’ scoffers will claim. Yet the Bible indicates that we are living in the “last days” of this system of things. (2 Timothy 3:1-5; Matthew 24:3-14) Who can deny that once again men are “ruining the earth”? (Revelation 11:18) What generation has ever seen more violence than ours, with two world wars taking scores of millions of lives in this century? As in Noah’s day, God is making provisions for sincere persons to survive the coming destruction, but many are not interested in those provisions.

Notice what the Bible says regarding the very skeptics who laugh at the possibility of a coming judgment: “For you know this first, that in the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying: ‘Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.’”

What does this have to do with the flood of Noah’s day? The Bible answers: “For, according to their wish, this fact escapes their notice, that there were heavens from of old and an earth standing compactly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; and by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was deluged with water. But by the same word 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.”​—2 Peter 3:3-7.

Does the reasoning of these scoffers sound familiar? It should. It is the sort of reasoning that underlies the theory of evolution, which denies the Flood and rejects the idea of a future accounting with God. It amounts to saying: ‘We have not observed any dramatic judgments from God in our lifetime; nor have our forefathers. As far as we can tell, natural processes appear to go forward at a leisurely pace, requiring millions of years to change things on a global scale. So why worry about a sudden, worldwide calamity?’

Such thinking is dangerous! True, it may seem to reflect the way natural processes work today, but it totally ignores the warning example of the Flood. People who think this way refuse to accept the fact that there was a Flood, not because of a lack of evidence for it, but “according to their wish,” because they don’t want to be accountable to God.

But wishful thinking will not change the facts! There really was a worldwide flood in Noah’s day, just as there will really be a worldwide settling of accounts with the present generation. (Matthew 24:32-34) Don’t you owe it to yourself and your family to find out how you can survive that coming judgment?

Air Conditioning—For Comfort

Air Conditioning​—For Comfort

WIFE: Did you turn the thermostat down? It seems to be getting chilly in here.

HUSBAND: Yes; I thought it was too warm.

WIFE: Well, I guess I can put on a sweater. But it seems kind of foolish, in July.

HUSBAND: Turn it back up, then. I can stand it.

How often is a scenario like this repeated in modern air-conditioned homes? In an earlier generation, everyone was subject to the temperature imposed by summer weather, and about all one could do was talk about it. But in today’s controlled environments, the ability to choose the temperature often changes this subject from one of idle discussion into one of active dispute.

When people enjoy the freedom to choose their temperature, why do they so often differ in their preference? There are physiological reasons for this, some based on obvious differences between one individual and another. These differences are so common that we even find the Bible referring to some of them.

For one thing, there is a big difference between men and women. Women burn only about 72 percent as many calories as do men. That is why a man can be comfortable in a room where his wife is cold. (1 Peter 3:7) His higher rate of metabolism keeps him warm.

Another important factor is age. Our metabolism slows down as we get older. At 70 years, a person is burning 30 percent fewer calories than he did at 35. So, producing less heat inside, older people need a warmer room. King David found it hard to keep warm in his old age.​—1 Kings 1:1.

Not to be overlooked is the effect of one’s body weight. Compared with a slender individual, a person who is overweight generates more heat in relation to the area of skin by which he dissipates it. So we often notice that a fat man prefers the room cooler than does a thin one. Doubtless that was why fat Eglon, referred to in the Bible, liked his “cool roof chamber.”​—Judges 3:20.

Comfort for All

However, the fact that one person’s preferred temperature is different from another’s does not mean they cannot both be comfortable in the same room. For everyone there is a range of temperature, above and below his ideal preference, in which he is comfortable.

Take the man and the woman in the opening scenario. He might choose 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24° C) as the ideal temperature, but he would be comfortable anywhere between 70 and 80 degrees F. (21° and 27° C). His wife might prefer the room at 80 degrees F., but would find tolerable any temperature between 76 and 84 degrees F. (24° and 29° C). So both of them would be comfortable in a room kept between 76 and 80 degrees F.

It is this overlapping of individual comfort ranges that provides the solution to the problem. Imagine the happy ending to the scenario if we add these lines:

WIFE: Let’s split the difference. I’ll set it in between.

HUSBAND: Good! Then we’ll both be satisfied.

The problem is usually this simple when only a couple or a family is involved. But when we get into a larger group, it gets more complex. If a dozen persons share a business office, or several dozen are dining in a restaurant, there are that many more individual preferences to take into account. Or suppose a hundred or more persons are present in a theater or a meeting place. Does this larger number of differing choices as to the ideal temperature make it impossible to satisfy everyone? Fortunately not.

Sometimes the one responsible for controlling the thermostat may feel frustrated when, in spite of his most earnest efforts to keep the room comfortable, he still gets complaints that it is too cold or too hot. He may conclude that it is just not possible to please a large group, no matter what he does. But there is a solution​—not a perfect solution every time, but a solution that reduces to a minimum the number who are uncomfortable.

Although individual preferences differ, in a large group the choices cluster around an average temperature that is the same whether there are a dozen, a hundred, or a thousand. How do we determine this optimum comfort temperature, that is, the temperature at which the greatest number are comfortable?

This question has been the subject of investigation by air-conditioning engineers, and the result of such studies is summed up in a “comfort chart,” shown in the illustration. Here the temperature is measured along the horizontal scale, and the percentage of people who are comfortable at a given temperature is shown along the vertical scale. The optimum temperature is where the curve reaches a peak.

This shows that at 78 degrees F. (26° C), 97 percent of the people in a large group will be comfortable. Notice that a degree up or down from this ideal temperature does not greatly change the percentage of those satisfied. But two degrees up will cause 15 percent to report that they are too warm; likewise, two degrees down will make 15 percent​—a different 15 percent—​of the occupants too cold. A deviation of more than four degrees either up or down will make the majority of persons uncomfortably warm or cold.

This comfort guide applies whenever the outside temperature is such that refrigerated cooling is needed. But when the weather is cold enough that heat is required, a different standard applies. The comfort chart has a similar shape, but the temperature scale is shifted down six degrees. The optimum temperature is then 72 degrees F. (22° C).

The comfort chart shows that at the optimum setting, there are usually a few, maybe three out of a hundred, that are too warm or too cold. Those who are too warm would be better pleased by dropping the temperature a degree or two, but by so doing we would be making a greater number of persons uncomfortable on the cold side. The optimum is the best temperature, in the sense that it balances the discomfort between those few who feel cold and an equal number who feel overwarm. So while it may be true that “you can’t please everyone,” yet the goal should be to please as many as possible. And 97 out of 100 is nearly everyone.

By this standard, most air-conditioned buildings have been kept too cold. Such overuse adversely affects both comfort and health, and wastes energy. A California utility company recommends that the thermostat be kept at 78 degrees F., admonishing: “Remember: air conditioning is not to make you cold​—just comfortable.”

Humidity

But the temperature is not the only thing that affects comfort. Another important factor is the humidity. Theoretically, this varies from zero for perfectly dry air to 100 percent for air saturated with water vapor. This affects the comfort of the human body through its influence on the natural cooling mechanism, evaporation of perspiration from the skin. This goes on most rapidly when the humidity is low and causes a rapid cooling rate. At high humidity, evaporation is hindered, and when it becomes slower than the rate of perspiration, drops of sweat form on the skin, a source of discomfort.

So the effect of humidity is to make us feel too cool if it is abnormally low and too warm when it is high. There is a “comfort zone” between 76 and 80 degrees F. in which the most agreeable humidity range is between 40 percent and 50 percent. If the humidity gets too high, as it might in a room full of people without fresh air, then the upper temperature is no longer comfortable. The comfort zone is squeezed down toward the 76-degree F. limit. Conversely, too little moisture in the air would make the lower level too cold, and we are more comfortable toward the 80-degree F. limit.

To provide comfort for an audience it is useful to monitor the humidity. A hygrometer is an instrument that indicates changes in relative humidity. Many commercial hygrometers do not give accurate readings, but they will serve to signal abnormal conditions and indicate the need for a one- or two-degree adjustment.

So the preferred temperature shifts with changes in humidity. At 50 percent humidity, 78 degrees F. is the best temperature setting. But at 70 percent, the thermostat should be set at 77 degrees F. (25° C); at 30 percent, 79 degrees F. (26° C) would be better. At extremes of humidity, either high or low, it can be uncomfortable regardless of the temperature.

Air Movement

Now, temperature and humidity are the most important factors affecting comfort. But these alone are not enough. If there is no air movement, even ideal conditions of temperature and humidity will not be enough to keep us comfortable. In perfectly quiet air, the layer of air closest to our bodies becomes warmer and more humid. Circulation of the air serves to remove this invisible blanket. This aids the natural cooling of the body and replaces used air with fresh air.

Some air movement is essential, but too much becomes a draft. The comfort chart on the preceding page is set up on a basis of air moving at 20 feet (6 m) per minute. This is a very gentle movement, hardly perceptible. A higher velocity has the effect of increasing the evaporation of moisture from the skin, so that a person feels cooler. A velocity of 100 feet (30 m) per minute cools the body so much that the thermostat would have to be set one degree higher to compensate. A simple way to estimate air velocity is by timing the motion of soap bubbles.

Many modern structures are built without windows, for greater economy in heating and air conditioning. In these, air circulation must be provided from a central fan through a duct system. In such systems, the fan usually can be operated independently of the heater or air conditioner. This can be used to provide needed circulation when the temperature is between 72 and 78 degrees F., that is, when neither heating nor air conditioning is needed.

Air Distribution

An ideal air-conditioning system would introduce air into an auditorium uniformly over the whole ceiling. As a practical matter, it has to be brought in through diffusers mounted over the outlets of a small number of ducts. If these are too few, and if the design of the outlets sends the air directly down upon the occupants, they will feel a draft.

What can be done to alleviate drafts? The best answer is in the design and installation of the ductwork. However, modifications can be made in an existing installation to improve an unsatisfactory condition. The diffusers on the ceiling outlets might be changed to a style that channels the effluent air horizontally along the ceiling, instead of vertically over the seats. Or one outlet in a corner of the hall might be blanked off to provide an area relatively free of drafts, for the benefit of those who are particularly susceptible to them. If the circulating air system is inherently drafty, it would give relief if you did not operate it continuously. Turn it off from time to time.

Be Comfortable with Air Conditioning

There are other things that you may need to do to get the best results from your air-conditioning system. The thermostat may need to be adjusted or calibrated, or it may be poorly located, giving inaccurate readings and control. A large, slow-moving ceiling fan could be put in to distribute the air and mix it more uniformly. At times it could be used instead of the air conditioner.

…