Awake!, February 8, 1984

Awake! — February 8, 1984

Source: jw.org

Contents

Page Two

“They Lived Happily Ever After”

Making Them “Live”—With a Pencil!

How I Found Lasting Happiness

The Bible—An Invaluable Guide

Home Computers—Are They for You?

Feminine Modesty

Did You Say “Thank You”?

Crossword Puzzle

Why Won’t the Kids Let Me Alone?

Tongues, Trances and Voices—Should You Beware?

I Visit a Japanese Vineyard

From Our Readers

Watching the World

Beware of Losing Faith by Drawing Away from Jehovah

“A Great Help In Our Family”

Page Two

Fun and fantasy, whether in animated films or in entertainment parks—that is what people will pay for. A few hours of pleasure and happiness. Yet most people yearn for something more lasting. Our opening series of articles examine different aspects of fun, fantasy and happiness

“They Lived Happily Ever After” 3

Making Them “Live”—With a Pencil! 4

How I Found Lasting Happiness 8

“They Lived Happily Ever After”

“Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow were falling like feathers from the sky, a Queen sat at a window sewing . . . she had a little daughter, who was as white as snow . . . and she was therefore called Little Snow-white.”

THE German brothers Grimm recorded that story in the early 19th century and made it a part of their famous collection of fairy tales. In 1934 Walt Disney came up with concrete ideas about a film based on that very tale. He had made his reputation as an animator with his Mickey Mouse cartoon films. But now he wanted to do a full-length feature film that would include animated humans, not just animals. The result, three years later, was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Maybe you are one of the millions who have enjoyed it.

Why does the simple story of Snow White fascinate so many? Perhaps because it deals with the basic conflict of evil against innocence and the final triumph of innocence. See how children react to the wicked stepmother Queen as she systematically tries to do away with beautiful Snow White! Finally, in spite of the efforts of the dwarfs to protect Snow White, the Queen appears to achieve her aim to become the “fairest one of all” in the land. By guile she gets Snow White to eat a bite of a poisoned apple that causes her death. The Queen’s rival is now out of the way at last! But Snow White comes back to life and a handsome prince marries her. The wicked Queen is punished.

“But as to all the rest—the Prince and his Princess Snow White, and the seven little dwarfs—they all lived happily ever after.”

And in those final words we have the clue to the childhood, and sometimes adult, fascination with fairy tales—most of us yearn for a happy ending, to “live happily ever after.” Many film producers have been aware of this yearning among the greater number of mankind and have used it in animated films.

But to what extent do these films really succeed in communicating happiness? Doubtless you have enjoyed this type of entertainment. Did it make you feel happy? Was it true happiness or only a fleeting emotion based on fantasy? Is real lasting happiness possible? The third article of our series, by a film technician, will tell the story of his search for true happiness.

But first of all, have you ever wondered how an animated film is made? Awake! interviewed an expert animator who explained how film animation is achieved.

Making Them “Live”—With a Pencil!

DID you know that one of the world’s most famous film celebrities is not even human? Yet he is the star of over a hundred Hollywood movies and countless TV shows. Who is this film star? In Italian he’s called Topolino; in Chinese, Mi Lao Shu; in Spanish, El Ratón Miguelito; in English he is simply Mickey Mouse.

How did he “come to life”? He started his career in Walt Disney’s film Steamboat Willie in 1928 and has gone on to become the most famous cartoon character of all time. Of course, many other animated cartoon characters have achieved world fame—Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear and the Pink Panther, to name just a few. The artists who draw these cartoon films and characters are called animators. To find out how they work, Awake! talked to animator Bill Kroyer in Hollywood, California.

Why are cartoons called animated films?

Because the word “animate” means “to give life to.” And that’s what we do. We can make anything move and, hopefully, appear to come to life. When I worked at the Disney Studio, I animated mostly people and talking animals. But I’ve also animated dancing automobile engines for TV commercials and singing fruits and vegetables for health films. You name it, we can make it move.

What makes an animated cartoon character appear to move?

The illusion of movement is made possible by the same phenomenon that makes live-action movies appear to move. When you watch a movie, you’re really seeing 24 still pictures flash before your eyes each second. The light sensors in your eye retain each picture for a brief moment, so all the pictures appear to blend together in a smooth, continuous image. In animation, we draw each one of those 24 still pictures.

That’s a lot of drawings!

Yes, 1,440 just to make one minute of film.

But at that rate, a feature film like “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” would require more than a million drawings!

No, the figure is closer to two million.

Why so many?

You never see most of the drawings because they’re done in the planning stages and only a fraction are used in the final version. In an animated film the story isn’t written, it’s drawn. A team of artists does hundreds of small sketches that are pinned to large cork boards, called storyboards. Underneath are small notes describing the action or dialogue in each scene. The artists keep drawing and rearranging these sketches until the story is complete. When the artists have finished, the storyboard tells the whole story of the film in pictures, just like a giant comic book.

And then you start to animate the characters?

Not yet. First another team of artists designs the look of the film, according to a particular design style. Sometimes we want the film to look like old Europe, as in Disney’s Pinocchio. At other times we’ll go for a modern look. So the designers research and define the characters, costumes, buildings, and so forth, that will be in the film. Next, our director divides the storyboard into scenes. Each scene is given a layout drawing, one that shows the setting in which the scene takes place and where the characters will be in the scene. And that’s where I come in.

What’s the first thing you do when you start a scene?

I study the scene’s “exposure sheet.” That’s a chart that shows me how long the scene lasts and where all the sound effects, music and words occur.

You mean the sound track for the film has already been recorded before you start to draw?

Of course. That way I know ahead of time what sound occurs on each and every frame of film. If the character says “ouch” on the 15th frame of my scene, I draw him with a wide open mouth on that frame. That’s how characters are made to talk.

What do you draw with? Pen, pencil, brush?

I use a soft pencil because it’s easy to change and erase things. And I draw on a special kind of paper—animation paper. It has holes punched along the bottom edge, and these fit onto pegs on my drawing board. The pegs hold the paper in register consecutively from one drawing to the next. Another unusual thing about my drawing table—it has a hole in it! The hole is covered by a piece of glass with a light beneath it. As I draw I can stack several transparent paper drawings on top of one another and see through them, to make sure they are working together properly. When I start to draw, I do very rough sketches, just the basic shapes of the character. That way I can work quickly, without detail, and still visualize the movement I want.

Do you draw all your drawings rough?

Well, I must tell you, I hardly ever draw all the drawings in a scene. It would take me too long. The animator usually draws only the main drawings in a scene. These are called the extremes. They show the main poses or positions of the character throughout the scene. By flipping these main drawings between my fingers, I can visualize how the movement will look. Then my assistant will do the in-between drawings.

The speed with which the character moves will depend on how many drawings are put in between the extremes. For example, I may draw a head facing to the left and another head facing to the right. If I put ten drawings between them, the character will slowly turn his head from left to right, as if he’s watching someone walk by. If I only put one drawing between the two extremes, he will snap his head quickly from left to right, as if he’s watching a car whiz by.

But how do you know how many intermediate drawings to use?

It takes practice—and study. Animators are always watching the world around them, observing how things move. Do you know how many frames it takes to make an eye blink? Or did you know that a normal walk is one of the toughest things to animate? If you study it, you’ll see it’s a cycle of falling forward and catching your balance. And no two people walk exactly alike. There’s also a big difference between the way a dog walks, a cat walks, and an elephant walks.

What happens when you’ve finished the pencil drawings?

I film them. This black and white film is called a pencil test. I watch this film over and over, looking for ways to improve the action and timing. Then I’ll correct my drawings and shoot another pencil test. I’ll do this as many times as necessary to get the scene as perfect as possible. We have a saying in the trade: “Your scenes are on film forever, so make them good now.” By the last pencil test, my assistant and I will have cleaned up our roughs into beautiful, clean, detailed pencil drawings. But it’s a shame you’ll never see them.

Never see them? Why not?

Because they go through a process we call Ink & Paint. Each drawing is traced in ink onto a clear piece of acetate, called a cel, then painted with a special paint that sticks to acetate. Remember the layout drawing we had for each scene? That drawing is made into a color painting. We then lay each cel over the background painting and photograph it. Because we use cels, we don’t have to redraw and paint the entire scene for each frame of film—only the part that moves.

Are all animated films made this way?

Oh, no, there are many different techniques. At the Canadian Film Board, artists have made films by making tiny drawings right on the film itself! Several of the best studios in London, England, prefer to draw right on cels instead of paper. That way, the original drawings will be photographed. And there are many animated films that have no drawing at all.

No drawing at all?

That’s right. It’s called stop-motion animation. Artists can manipulate puppets, clay figures—even sand sculptures—and photograph these objects one frame at a time. When the film is run at normal speed, the objects appear to move and come alive! I recently worked on a Walt Disney film in which we did all the animation by computer. We didn’t do any drawing; we simply described the pictures to the computer and the computer did the rest!

What does the future hold for animation?

There will be more technological advancements, like computer-aided Ink & Paint. But there will always be animators doing real drawings in the Disney style. Only the human hand has the ability to create a delicate drawing with the subtle expressions to make you believe that the character is real. If I do my job right, you never see a drawing; you see a character, a personality that laughs and cries, and that you care about. When Bambi’s mother dies in the film Bambi, the audience doesn’t cry for a drawing, but for a real character.

There’s a time when every animator looks at his pencil test for the first time, and he sees this little cartoon character on the screen looking toward him, a character that just a few days before was scribbles on paper. Then when that little character opens his mouth and talks—I tell you, that’s a special moment! That makes all the hard work worth while. You’ve given him “life”—with a pencil.

However, we are still left with the questions raised in our first article. Is the happiness that is induced by fantasy and entertainment the real thing? Or is there a more lasting happiness? Will it ever be a reality for all mankind? Roy Brewer, a Disney technician, learned a satisfying answer to those questions. His story follows.

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A rough and a cleanup drawing. The animator must be able to draw the character from any angle and in any position

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A good character design will squash, stretch and exaggerate freely

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The animator “rolls” the drawings between his fingers and watches how the character moves

[Picture on page 7]

Animator at his illuminated drawing board

How I Found Lasting Happiness

MY FIRST glimpse of Walt Disney in 1954 was quite a thrill! Here was the man with whom I had associated happiness ever since my childhood—the artist who had brought to the movie screen Mickey Mouse, Snow White and Bambi. And now here I was, employed as a film editor, working in his motion-picture studio in Burbank, California. For the next 30 years I would daily be in touch with all the fantasy of his creations.

Life at the Disney Studios was exciting! My eyes were continually bulging in awe of the many movie stars and the fantastic movie sets constructed to shoot a picture. For instance, there was the day when an entire sound stage was swamped with water and blown about by six powerful wind machines in order to create a fearful storm atmosphere. In the midst of all of this, actor Kirk Douglas harpooned a giant squid to save the submarine Nautilus from being sent to the bottom. Perhaps you remember the picture, called 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It was based on a novel by Jules Verne.

Every day seemed a dream come true. My work was more like a hobby than a job. And I was being paid for it. There was something noticeably different about the people too. They seemed genuinely happy in their work! The 40 acres of sound stages, artists’ quarters, technical and executive buildings, were constantly aglow with a kind of team spirit. Smiling people were happy to be a part of Walt’s world. I felt I was happy then. But one day I would discover what true happiness was all about.

The “Magic Kingdom” and Happiness

Starting with his Mickey Mouse films in 1928, Walt Disney contributed to the pleasure of hundreds of millions of people. In 1937 he completed the first feature-length animated motion picture—Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It became a box-office smash and is still being re-released about every seven years to a new generation of children who, along with their parents, are utterly delighted!

Another development for Disney was designing entertainment parks. Amusement parks have existed for decades in places as wide apart as Coney Island, U.S.A., Blackpool, England, and Tibidabo, Barcelona, Spain. But Disney’s inspiration was his entertainment parks with a theme. The first to open was Disneyland in California in 1955, and then in 1971 the Walt Disney World with its “Magic Kingdom” in Florida. In 1982 EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) was added. Since 1983 the Japanese have their own Tokyo Disneyland as a reality.

Over the last three decades, more than 335 million people have purchased tickets to the Disney parks, to be charmed by the vision come true that Disney called his MAGIC KINGDOM! And as promised, once you’re inside, problems are usually forgotten. Happiness takes over.

A Happier Kingdom Possible?

Happiness is something everybody wants. It is what some film producers try to offer to those who wish to buy it. It is expensive to produce but also very profitable. But is it true happiness? Is it lasting? Consider.

When a person leaves the movie theater, shuts off his television set or walks out of an amusement park, the fantasy disappears! Harsh reality hits him again. The few hours of pleasant entertainment become a happy memory. Once back in the real world the ugly problems come flooding back—the economy, crime, sickness and, of course, death. Entertainment is not lasting happiness. It’s just an interlude.

I often wondered, Wouldn’t it be nice to be invited into a land of trouble-free activity, where every day brings a joyful new encounter with life’s happy things and none of its ailments—a land where not only do you never grow old but you never have to die, where you could truly “live happily ever after”? If that were possible, how many people do you suppose would be willing to make sacrifices to get into that kind of kingdom? Would you?

The fact is, millions have already indicated their desire for such a place. Although it is still on the “drawing board,” its construction is guaranteed. According to Bible prophecy, there is still a limited time to take advantage of such an offer. It is not a “Magic Kingdom.” It is the earth transformed by God’s Kingdom. There, according to God’s promise, happiness truly will be forever!—Revelation 21:3, 4; Titus 1:2.

Soon the entire earth will be restored to a Paradise. Vigor and vitality will be renewed. Even the animals will no longer inspire fear or be afraid. Every waking hour will absolutely be filled with happiness and a sense of accomplishment that will bring joy to all. Does it sound like a Utopian dream? It did to me at one time.

A New Look at Life

Formerly I was a member of the First Christian Church in Grand Island, Nebraska. So when I began studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses back in 1970, the thought of living forever on earth was new to me. As my study progressed I found that God had certain standards regarding the conduct of people who sought comfort in the worship of him. I started making changes in my life. Such things as flying a private plane, promoting music concerts, playing tennis and other hobbies in which I had heavily indulged took on less and less importance as God’s purpose regarding the earth and mankind became evident to me and my family.

The Bible clearly revealed how my previous religion had failed to teach me the truth regarding God’s purposes and what his Kingdom really means. There is no hellfire! No immortal soul that slips out of a body at death! God is not Jesus but Jehovah, the Almighty Creator. Jesus is the Son of God, not God the Son.—Ezekiel 18:4, 20; 1 John 4:15; Psalm 83:18.

I also came to realize that Jesus never took part in political affairs. He knew that God’s purpose was to remove man’s governments eventually in order to make way for the Paradise that would even see the dead resurrected. How could I, then, continue supporting politicians who were trying to perpetuate this decadent system of high crime, poor health, bankrupt economies and certain death, when I could choose, instead, a loving arrangement that promises everlasting life? I began telling everyone I could that God’s government was soon going to satisfy the desire of every living thing!—John 18:36; Daniel 2:44; John 5:28, 29.

Most people believe that there is a Utopia in a spirit world for everybody after death. The Bible doesn’t say that! Here on earth is where Adam and Eve could have lived forever if they had chosen to obey God. Because of their rebellion God was obliged to execute justice. Imperfection led to a temporary flourishing of wickedness that is rising to a peak and then will suddenly get cut off! That peak has just about been reached. The cutting off spoken of so often in the Bible is soon to happen.—Luke 21:29-36.

I became something of a novelty to those who had known me as a sports enthusiast and social swinger who delighted in playing dixieland trombone and talking politics. A confider told me of people who ridiculed my efforts to put on a new personality of good habits. Interestingly, though, to my face I encountered a new respect, something I had not seen before. Certain ones would even stumble in their speech in order to change a cussword into something nice. They did not want to offend me. God’s Word began making a difference!

True Happiness Still Available

It has been 12 years since I became a baptized Witness. My wife and three children are all lovers of Jehovah. We have found a happiness we thought was not possible during this chaos they call civilization. Our life has a purpose! Our spiritual needs are being more than satisfied. We are very thankful for the many blessings we have experienced within God’s true organization.

What a joy to know that there is, not a transient “Magic Kingdom,” but a righteous Kingdom, a government, that will soon take control worldwide. What a thrill to anticipate having happiness forever under truly the happiest Kingdom ever!—Matthew 6:9, 10; Revelation 21:3, 4.

True, some movies and entertainment centers help to take our minds off our daily worries and problems. But, as I have seen, the effect is short-lived. Therefore, why not investigate for yourself, even as I did, how you, too, can participate in a permanent relief from wickedness and sorrow?

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Various forms of entertainment can only provide periods of temporary happiness

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Lasting happiness will be found in God’s paradisaic New Order

The Bible—An Invaluable Guide

The Bible, being “inspired of God,” is invaluable as a guide for our lives. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) It tells us of God’s requirements and his purposes. But it proves invaluable in another way, in the degree to which we can depend upon its accuracy. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution recently reported the work of Israeli archaeologist Yigal Shiloh, who is excavating the ruins of “the real Old City of Jerusalem—the Jerusalem of David and Solomon, of Isaiah and Jeremiah.” The report says: “Shiloh’s team of 150 volunteers and 30 professionals is using everything from picks and shovels to hi-tech electronics” in its archaeological excavations. “And in this quest . . . the Bible is an invaluable tool.”

In what way? The account states: “For example, in the book of Jeremiah (36:10) it is written: ‘Then read Baruch in the Book of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe.’”

What have Shiloh and his team found in apparent confirmation of this detail? A clay seal used for stamping papyrus, inscribed with the name of “Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe,” dating from the time of Jeremiah.

The same report goes on to say: “Even small items can illuminate the Bible. For instance, Shiloh has discovered numerous fertility idols in the shape of big-breasted female figurines from the time of the Hebrew prophets, meaning that despite the prophets’ protestations, idol worship was not easily given up by the common people.” This fact is confirmed in the Bible account. For example, in Jeremiah 7:17, 18 we read: “Are you not seeing what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The sons are picking up sticks of wood, and the fathers are lighting the fire, and the wives are kneading flour dough in order to make sacrificial cakes to the ‘queen of the heavens’; and there is a pouring out of drink offerings to other gods for the purpose of offending me.”

Numerous authorities suggest identifying the “queen of the heavens” with the Babylonian fertility goddess Ishtar. Others identify her with the Canaanite fertility goddess Ashtoreth. (For further information see Aid to Bible Understanding, pages 1363-4 and 810-11.)

This, of course, is not the first time that archaeologists have confirmed the Bible by their findings. On many occasions they have used the Bible to locate their findings! As the late Yohanan Aharoni stated in his book The Land of the Bible: “The Bible still remains the main source for historical geography of Palestine during the Israelite period. Its narratives and descriptions reflect their geographical environment as well as the historical events that took place. It contains references to some 475 local geographical names, many of them in contexts which supply pertinent details about the nature, location and history of the place.” Yes, without a doubt the Bible is an invaluable guide, even when one is digging around the land of Israel today.

Home Computers—Are They for You?

“AT 6 o’clock every morning, Takeaki Yoshida’s favorite music begins to filter through his Tokyo condominium. Then the bedroom curtain opens automatically, the lamps light up and an electric rice cooker clicks on. By the time Yoshida steps out of his electronically controlled sauna, his breakfast is ready and the television is on. Every appliance in Yoshida’s apartment . . . is monitored by a micro computer.”

That is not a passage from a futuristic novel. Rather, it is from a report published in Newsweek on the current state of technological development in Japan. It is an indication of how the computer has affected the life-style of people.

Today, in Japan and elsewhere, not only is the computer greatly influencing the world of science, industry and business, and changing the way people work, but it is also making its way into the home, affecting the way people live, play and think. Yes, it can be said that the age of the home computer is upon us.

‘A Computer in Every Home’

Some people when they hear about computers still think of antiseptic, air-conditioned rooms filled with rows of switches and flickering lights. Such imposing main-frame computers, as they are called, are still very much in use in industry, business, military installations and elsewhere.

But development in electronics has brought down both the size and the price of computers to such an extent that even schoolboys are buying their own computers with money from their newspaper delivery routes. In fact, one expert estimated that if the same advances had been made in the automotive industry as have been made in computer development, a Rolls Royce would cost only $2.75 (U.S.) and go three million miles on one gallon of gasoline!

Attractive prices, however, are but one of the factors that have encouraged people to ‘take the plunge.’ Among the many buyers of home computers is a 37-year-old artist who had been reading about computers and what youngsters are doing with them. “I feel like I missed out on so much at this point from what I see 10-year-old kids being able to do,” he said. But after purchasing the machine, he confessed: “I don’t know how it’s going to be of use to me, but it’s fascinating.”

This fascination is carefully exploited by the computer industry. Clever advertising along with stories about young ‘computer wizards,’ many barely in their 20’s, commanding six-digit annual incomes, has played no small role in sparking the sale of home computers. Expressions such as “high-tech society” and “computer literacy” often make the consumers feel uneasy if they, or their children, do not have a computer or do not know how to use one. “You and I and the rest of the nation have been conditioned that every home will ultimately buy a computer,” said the marketing manager of a major American computer manufacturer.

‘With a Computer You Can . . .’

The typical question asked by a person who is considering getting a home computer is: ‘What can it do for me?’ More often than not, the answer is just as perplexing: Anything you want. As facetious as it may sound, that is apparently the firm belief of those in the business.

For example, an advertisement by one of the leading computer makers shows a hundred ways of using their product, along with the promise that “whoever you are and whatever you do,” you could use one of their machines and do a better job with it. Besides truly technological feats, such as monitoring experiments aboard the space shuttle, which you probably will never do, the list includes more mundane uses, such as helping you to lose weight, “keep up with the Dow Joneses,” maintain mailing lists, monitor home security and, above all, play games of all sorts.

So, it seems that the dream house of Mr. Yoshida, mentioned earlier, may soon be very popular. People envision the day when, at the touch of a button, many of the jobs around the house will no longer be tedious—thanks to the computer.

Others look forward to the time when they will no longer have to fight the traffic each day to get to work in the crowded cities. With a home computer they can work in the peace and quiet of their suburban house, presumably getting a lot more satisfaction, if not also a lot more money, out of it. They can use the home computer as a word processor. With a hookup to a telephone, they can tap into information services for news and financial reports, send messages, order merchandise, and conduct their business without leaving their house.

Then there are the children. With a computer around the house they can learn math, improve their reading ability, take up a foreign language and, of course, entertain themselves with nonviolent, morally clean electronic games. Maybe they will even watch less television and be more involved in learning something useful.

Ideas such as these have influenced many people to buy a home computer. In fact, the sale of home computers is rising so rapidly that an expert predicts that by the end of the decade, seven out of every ten homes in the United States will be equipped with a home computer.

But Is It Worth It?

The idea that a home computer can help you balance the checkbook, work out recipes, figure out gasoline mileage, and so forth, may sound exciting at first. But the question that must be considered objectively is: Is it worth it? A report in The New York Times answers: “Those applications, however, are usually not sufficient to justify purchase of a computer, since they have been performed for years with pencil, paper and calculator.”

It must be remembered that, in addition to the initial investment, it takes time and money to use the home computer to do these things. This is because the computer, though fast and accurate, is nothing more than a tool. It cannot do anything unless it is instructed, or programmed, to do so. There are two ways to accomplish this. You can take the time and effort to learn how to do programming. But, if you are like most people, you will probably buy prepackaged programs and the necessary attachments for feeding the programs into the computer.

Since each task requires its own program, the cost of getting the programs for all the little jobs around the house can pile up very quickly. If you decide to do it yourself, each program takes many hours to write and it takes many more hours to get out the ever-present “bugs.” After you have the computer programmed, say to balance your checkbook, you still would have to go through essentially the same steps that you did with pencil and paper and a simple calculator. It is not difficult to see why the above quoted New York Times report says that “so far, the most popular use [of the home computer] is to play games.”

Is There a Practical Use for You?

“There is no question that computers are essential for many business or scientific uses,” writes a magazine editor and computer designer. “If you bring work home, you may find a home computer valuable. I have one in my home, and I use it for research and for word processing. . . . If you need to do these things at home, I recommend getting one.”

That is a rather realistic view of the matter. People, such as the magazine editor mentioned above, who have a need for it will find the home computer a bargain at today’s prices. For them the computer at home is really an extension of the one at their place of work. Others who run small businesses may also find the home computer a great asset in helping them keep records and schedules.

Individuals who are interested in a career in the computer field will find the home computer a fine introduction to the subject, even though they may soon outgrow all but the most advanced home machines. And students who are using computers in school may find a home computer helpful in doing their homework, although most schools where such courses are offered do provide machines for students to use at home.

But what about the average person who is simply fascinated by the idea of owning a home computer? Of people in this category, The New York Times report quoted earlier says: “Those who have purchased home computers report mixed results. Some become enthralled with them, even if they never find a practical use.”

Finding practical uses, in the opinion of many experts, appears to be the real issue with home computers today. The magazine editor mentioned puts it this way: “I thought I would find other uses for my machine. But I haven’t thought of anything.” What he means is that besides using his home computer for his work, he has not thought of anything else that he felt was really practical.

On the other hand, some people will tell you about all the wonderful things they are doing with their home computers. Usually, though, these are people you meet at computer stores, centers, camps or workshops. Or they are in some way involved with computers in their work. In other words, they are either computer hobbyists or people with a vested interest in computers.

What about the rest of us? You may be intrigued by all the things that the home computer is said to be capable of doing. But the question is whether you will have the time and patience to make use of it and whether you will find a practical use for it. True, you may be thinking of the future of your children. Here the situation is rather like that of deciding whether to buy an encyclopedia for the home or not. The potential may appear to be limitless, but is there a real need? How often will it be used? And how long will the interest last?

In some respects, the home computer has taken on the role of a technological triumph in search of a practical identity. Therefore, before deciding that a home computer is for you, it would be wise to weigh its practical value and benefits against its cost and time consumption.

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Could a home computer help your child’s education?

Feminine Modesty

Is modesty a quality in many of the modern styles of women’s dress in your area? Throughout the earth many men and women would answer with a resounding no! Even when longer skirts are in fashion, frequently the garments that are worn are very revealing or immodest.

Should Christian women, then, make the effort to purchase or make clothes that accord with the quality of modesty? Thousands of female Christian witnesses of Jehovah in various nations realize that this is the advisable course. While taking an interest in being neat and attractive in their grooming, they guide their thinking by the inspired advice that Christian women should “adorn themselves in well-arranged dress, with modesty and soundness of mind.”—1 Timothy 2:9.

The Puerto Rico branch office of the Watch Tower Society received an interesting note regarding this from a young Witness. It read:

“We had an experience that really brought us joy the other day, and I wish to tell you about it. Two other young Witness girls and I were walking down the street on our way to share in the house-to-house preaching work when a man called for us to stop. At first we did not want to because we were not sure of his motive, but since he insisted, we did stop to find out what he wanted. He said: ‘I want to congratulate you on your manner of dress.’ We explained that we were Jehovah’s Witnesses and that the Bible says that we should dress modestly, so that is what we do. ‘It is for this reason that I want to congratulate you,’ said the man, ‘because I belong to the Evangelist religion, but I can see that you people are the only ones that dress properly according to the Bible.’ So we want to say how happy and grateful we are for the fine Bible counsel on how we should dress.”

Did You Say “Thank You”?

“BLOW, blow, thou winter wind, thou art not so unkind as man’s ingratitude.” Surely an exaggeration! Can man’s ingratitude possibly be more chilling than the depth of a harsh winter? Sadly, many have had reason to agree with Shakespeare’s observation.

Hardened by the cruel events of this 20th century, we still find ingratitude so very unkind because it strikes at the basic need we have for one another. Individually, we cannot be skilled at everything necessary for enjoying life. Few of us want to be hermits, or could survive as such. So we need one another.

Consequently, when our efforts to contribute to the common good are taken for granted or accepted patronizingly; when others give grudgingly the service we pay for; when we go out of our way to be kind, only to get a frown or a suspicious look; when our loving consideration for others is taken as a sign of weakness; then the chill of their ingratitude reaches into our very heart. Has this ever been your experience?

What causes a person to be ungrateful? It may sound rather severe, but basically it is selfishness. There are degrees of selfishness, of course, all the way from thoughtlessness to egocentricity. The thoughtless person may be surprised and even hurt when his failure to express gratitude is pointed out to him, but the egocentric cares nothing about it. Either way, it is obvious that we might have here a blemish that needs our attention.

Cultivating a Grateful Disposition

What can we do to cultivate a grateful disposition? First, never take any kind action for granted. How difficult is it simply to say “thank you” and really mean it? In some places, because of misguided tradition, people feel it is unnecessary to say, “Please” or, “Thank you.” Yet the Bible counsels us to ‘show ourselves thankful.’—Colossians 3:15.

Next, we can heighten our appreciation of what others do for us. This would include almost everyone with whom we have dealings, especially those closest to us at home. For seven days a week a wife may be shopping, washing, preparing meals, cleaning, caring for the children. A marathon of a job! Do we show, by deeds as well as in words, that we appreciate her? Or, with the passing of the years, have we come to take her efforts rather for granted? Have you asked yourself recently, Are my expressions of appreciation adequate for all that she does to make our home a haven from the harsh world outside? On the other hand, do those of us who are wives show that we appreciate to the full our husband’s efforts as breadwinner under the tough and often discouraging conditions that he faces every day in the working world?

In these days when many wives go out to work, there is extra pressure. The many household chores have to be crammed into evenings and weekends. Sometimes one of the casualties is gratitude. Tired people tend to have short tempers and little time for the courtesies and kindnesses of life. In such circumstances there has to be a readiness for all in the family to make allowances and be forgiving.

And what about gratitude to our children? How rewarding it is to watch them grow in body and mind, respond to training and care; to see them apply themselves to their chores because you have taught them that they are part of the family team; to sense their trust and confidence in you; to feel their loving arms around your neck as you kiss them good-night. Yes, there are plenty of reasons to be grateful to our children, grateful to their mother who gives so much time to training them, and most importantly, grateful to God, as he is the Originator of the family.

Outside the family, our colleagues at work and the many who provide services of various kinds all contribute to our well-being. So we should be grateful for what they do too. Usually we can show some kindness in return. It might be as simple as a smile or a warm “thank you.” The main thing is not to be so busy or preoccupied that we neglect to register genuine appreciation. Show that, quite apart from any payment involved, you value what was done for you and the spirit in which it was done. Doing so will make others happy, and that is a fine objective to have in life.

Are You Grateful to God?

In Luke chapter 17 we read of ten lepers who met Jesus and begged his mercy. Having in mind to heal them, he told them to report to the priests as the Law required. As they were leaving “their cleansing occurred.” But only one came back to thank Jesus and glorify God for the deliverance.

Jesus could have been disappointed. “Where, then, are the other nine?” he asked. “Were none found that turned back to give glory to God but this man of another nation?” (Luke 17:11-19) The nine failed to express gratitude for something so precious to them—release from a dreaded disease, leprosy. Jesus saw fit to draw attention to this. But how pleasingly different was the attitude of the Samaritan who did return to express his gratefulness so positively!

Now where do you personally stand concerning the giving of thanks and glory to Jehovah God and his Son? Do you think there is anything for which to be grateful?

Evidently many did not think so in the apostle Paul’s day, for he commented to fellow Christians in Rome: “All that may be known of God by men lies plain before their eyes; indeed God himself has disclosed it to them. . . . There is therefore no possible defence for their conduct; knowing God, they have refused to honour him as God, or to render him thanks.”—Romans 1:19-21, The New English Bible.

Likewise today, how many people are unseeing and ungrateful? Could you be one of them?

A grateful heart adorns the person. It brings peace and satisfaction to the one who cultivates it. It enhances the personality. It wins God’s blessing. “Thank you” are two simple words that warm the heart. So express gratitude generously in both word and deed if you would make glad the heart of God and man.

[Picture on page 16]

Grateful husbands do not take a wife’s work for granted

[Picture on page 17]

“Please” and “thank you” should be normal expressions of good manners

[Pictures on page 18]

There are plenty of reasons for being grateful to our children

A “thank you” for everyday services can mean so much

Crossword Puzzle

Clues Across

1. The second Herod by this name. He heard Paul’s defense in Caesarea (Acts 25:13-26:32)

4. Second world power in Bible history (Isaiah 19:23)

8. One of Jesus’ last statements [3 words] (John 19:28-30)

9. Fourth king of the ten-tribe kingdom (1 Kings 16:8)

11. Both birds and snakes are said to make this (Isaiah 16:2; 34:15)

12. One of the 12 chieftains who assisted Moses and Aaron in numbering Israel (Numbers 1:1-19)

14. Not one is unattainable for Jehovah (Job 42:1, 2)

15. The most handsome man in Israel in Samuel’s day (1 Samuel 9:2)

17. A loved one (The Song of Solomon 1:13-16)

19. “--! He sounds with his voice, a strong voice” (Psalm 68:33)

20. Sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet

21. He was called “the great man among the Anakim,” a giantlike race that inhabited Canaan (Joshua 14:15)

23. Every captain of one bewailed the fall of Babylon the Great (Revelation 18:2, 17-19)

25. It is not to be put under a measuring basket or a bed (Mark 4:21)

26. The valley where the Israelite spies cut off a large cluster of grapes (Numbers 13:21-24)

29. “A ---- little boy will be leader over them” (Isaiah 11:6)

30. A dwelling for nomads (Genesis 31:33)

32. What Jeremiah was given for sustenance when put in custody by King Zedekiah [2 words] (Jeremiah 37:21)

33. The 120 who received God’s holy spirit at Pentecost were all from this region (Acts 1:15; 2:1-7)

34. Award judicially (Isaiah 26:12)

Clues Down

1. Non-Israelite inhabitant [2 words] (Leviticus 19:33, 34)

2. Starting point of the Exodus from Egypt (Numbers 33:1-3)

3. Aquila’s wife (Acts 18:2)

5. Distinctive manner (2 Samuel 18:27)

6. “A priest of David” (2 Samuel 20:26)

7. A warrior under David, noted for his fleetness (2 Samuel 2:18)

9. “My God” (Matthew 27:46)

10. Isaiah’s expression of willingness to represent Jehovah [5 words] (Isaiah 6:8)

13. A fortified city in Naphtali’s territory (Joshua 19:32, 35)

16. Where the resurrected anointed of the Lord are said to meet him (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17)

17. Exhibited (John 10:32)

18. Son of Abdiel of the tribe of Gad (1 Chronicles 5:11, 15)

21. A constellation (Job 9:9)

22. He helped supply David with provisions during Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 17:27-29)

24. What hired men did in an effort to trap Jesus (Luke 20:20)

27. Deeply hurt (Acts 5:33)

28. Dwell (Luke 19:7)

31. Father of Shimei, one of Solomon’s 12 deputies (1 Kings 4:7, 18)

CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS PAGE 25

Answers Across

1. AGRIPPA

4. ASSYRIA

8. I AM THIRSTY

9. ELAH

11. NEST

12. ELIZUR

14. IDEA

15. SAUL

17. DEAR

19. LO

20. PI

21. ARBA

23. SHIP

25. LAMP

26. ESHCOL

29. MERE

30. TENT

32. DAILY BREAD

33. GALILEE

34. ADJUDGE

Answers Down

1. ALIEN RESIDENT

2. RAMESES

3. PRISCILLA

5. STYLE

6. IRA

7. ASAHEL

9. ELI

10. HERE I AM SEND ME

13. ZER

16. AIR

17. DISPLAYED

18. AHI

21. ASH

22. MACHIR

24. PRETEND

27. CUT

28. LODGE

31. ELA

Why Won’t the Kids Let Me Alone?

Young People Ask . . .

Why Won’t the Kids Let Me Alone?

“WHAT bothers you the most?” This question was posed to 160,000 American teenagers, 30 percent of whom answered, “School”! If you are of school age, this response is probably no surprise to you.

But is it always nervousness about grades that upsets a youth at the very thought of school? A New York City high school student named Michael spoke for many when he said: “The biggest pressure a student has to face is not from teachers, not grades. It’s pressure from other kids.”

Yes, peer pressure has influenced many young people to loathe school. And although statistics are hard to come by, one teacher wrote: “The case of a student staying home, being ill, or skipping a class because he fears some group of students is more common than most adults imagine.”

Indications are that even the very young are afflicted by peer cruelty. When a group of fourth graders (nine to ten years old) in four different elementary schools were questioned, roughly half indicated that fellow students said things that hurt their feelings. Asked, “If you made a mistake while reciting would some children laugh at you?” over half said, “Yes.” And the pattern of misery often continues well into high school. As one teenage youth so bluntly put it: “I tell you, kids can treat kids like dirt.”

“Was I Not Having Fun?”

Kids, though, are not the only ones who find sadistic delight in teasing and harassing others. Nor is this a uniquely 20th-century phenomenon, for fallen man’s ‘mean streak’ was observable even in Bible times. Proverbs 26:18, 19, for example, describes a “man that has tricked his fellowman,” perhaps in the form of a cruel practical joke. “Was I not having fun?” the trickster asks. Nevertheless, the proverb compares the man performing the ‘trickery’ to “someone mad that is shooting fiery missiles, arrows and death.” Any new student who has been the target of hazing by older students can vouch for the accuracy of this scripture. The emotional—and at times physical—harm such “fun” causes can be devastating.

The Bible also tells of an incident where a group of youths harassed the prophet Elisha. Showing contempt for his office, the youths cried out with great disrespect: “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” (2 Kings 2:23-25) Likewise today, many youths seem to have a real knack for making insulting and hurtful remarks.

“I was the runt of my ninth-grade class,” recalls Frederick McCarty, one of the authors of Growing Pains in the Classroom. “Because I was very small I got beat up all the time. . . . I was also very bright. . . . So being the smartest kid and the shortest kid in the room was a disaster combination for junior high: those who didn’t want to hit me for being a runt hit me for being a smart guy. In addition to ‘four eyes,’ I was called ‘a walking dictionary,’ and 800 other epithets. I went through many pairs of glasses in junior high school because a succession of bullies used to break them.”

Another man, named John, similarly recalls the teasing he got because he was not strong enough to compete in gym class: “The other boys razzed me constantly, calling me a sissy and a mama’s boy. . . . It was sheer misery.” This author of The Loneliness of Children adds: “Children with physical handicaps, speech problems, or obvious physical or behavioral peculiarities are ready targets for teasing by other children.” Of course, the insulting is not always one-sided. In some areas, youths indulge in a cruel contest of firing increasingly hurtful insults at one another, often about one another’s parents, just for “fun.”

No Laughing Matter

Are such insult sprees really “fun,” though? Not to those on the receiving end. Says a youth named Miguel, for example: “There are a lot of verbal conflicts that come about, and they’re a lot more painful than getting hit, because they attack your weak points. . . . It hurts to have somebody talk about somebody very close to you, . . . and that happens a lot, especially in my school, because everybody [insults] each other. A lot of times it’s for fun, but sometimes you get into very serious verbal . . . [and] physical fights.”

Another youth similarly recalled that because of teasing and harassment by fellow classmates ‘some days he was so scared and unhappy that he thought he would vomit. He couldn’t concentrate on his studies for worrying about what the other students would do to him.’

Have you been the butt of such cruelty? Then you may be comforted to know that God, too, does not view it as a laughing matter. The disrespectful youths who taunted God’s prophet Elisha paid for their “fun” with their lives!—2 Kings 2:24.

Another Bible event similarly shows how seriously God views such conduct. This was when a feast was arranged to celebrate the weaning of Abraham’s son, Isaac. No doubt jealous of the inheritance Isaac would receive, Abraham’s older son, Ishmael, began “poking fun” at Isaac. Harmless childish behavior? Not to Sarah, who saw that Jehovah’s will and purpose were involved. Serious issues were at stake here, since the promised “Seed,” or Messiah, was to come through her son, Isaac. Ishmael’s “poking fun” was later even called ‘persecution’ by the Bible-writer Paul! It therefore resulted in the dismissal of Ishmael and his mother from Abraham’s household.—Genesis 21:8-14; Galatians 4:29.

Especially is it not a laughing matter when youths harass or poke fun at you because you endeavor to live by Bible standards. Christian youths, for example, take seriously Jesus’ command to share the message of God’s Word with their neighbors. And how do their schoolmates often react? Said one group of youths who are Jehovah’s Witnesses: “The kids in school think we’re stupid because we preach from door to door, and they put us down for it.”

Letting Your Light Shine

It is understandable then that some youths dread school because of this peer pressure. Nevertheless, getting the kids to let you alone may not be easy. So, said one youth, ‘I attack back.’ But this is not the course the Bible recommends. “Return evil for evil to no one. . . . Keep conquering the evil with the good,” is godly advice.—Romans 12:17-21.

This may mean enduring harsh insults. But remember that many faithful worshipers of God in the past “received their trial by mockings.” (Hebrews 11:36) Jeremiah, for example, “became an object of laughter all day long” because of boldly speaking Jehovah’s message. So persistent was the harassment, that Jeremiah temporarily lost his incentive. “I am not going to make mention of him [Jehovah], and I shall speak no more in his name,” he decided. However, his love for God and truth eventually overpowered his fear.—Jeremiah 20:7-9.

Some Christian youths today have similarly felt discouraged. Anxious to make the teasing stop, some have even tried to conceal the fact that they are Christians. But love for God often moves such ones to overcome their fear and to ‘let their light shine’ as Christians. (Matthew 5:16) One teenage boy, for example, said: “My attitude changed. I stopped viewing being a Christian as a burden to carry around and began to view it as something to be proud of.” You, too, can “boast” in the privilege of knowing God and of being used by him to help others.—1 Corinthians 1:31.

Of course, this may not necessarily end the ridicule. Whether one is tall or short, beautiful or plain, brilliant or mediocre—youths often have a way of finding excuses to tease and harass. But why are youths so cruel to one another? Are there effective ways to deal with the teasing—perhaps even stop it? A future issue will attempt to answer these questions.

[Picture on page 21]

At times one is teased because of some difference

Tongues, Trances and Voices—Should You Beware?

By Awake! correspondent in South Africa

THE Sunday-night service at a South African Pentecostal church was in full swing. A miracle was taking place! An Asian woman stood up and began speaking in a foreign tongue. ‘Surely it must be some divine revelation!’ thought her fellow worshipers.

But something about this manifestation struck another woman and her daughter as odd. They asked the pastor what the woman had actually said. To their surprise the pastor, who understood the language, admitted that the outburst was both vulgar and obscene. Even more startling was his admission that “there are both good and bad spirits.”

Perhaps you have been taught that phenomena such as speaking in tongues are manifestations of holy spirit. If so, you may find the above experience disturbing. “Bad spirits” speaking in church? Open-minded people truly have reason to question whether this conduct is really from God.

Researcher Barbara Rosen, editor of a book called Witchcraft, has observed that phenomena such as physical convulsions, exercising unusual strength, hallucinations—often connected with worship—are all typical of possession by evil spirits. Yet this author states that “hundreds of nominally Christian sects in Africa (and in remote parts of America) still regard trance, reached through convulsions, as ‘the descent of the Holy Spirit’ and structure their worship towards the attainment of this state.”—Italics ours.

Could it be, then, that sincere worshipers are being deceived by wicked spirit creatures? ‘How can this be?’ you might ask. ‘Does not the Bible even tell of servants of God experiencing such manifestations?’

Speaking in Tongues

Miraculous speaking in tongues as a God-given gift was experienced for the first time by about 120 of Christ’s disciples assembled in Jerusalem during the Jewish Festival of Pentecost in 33 C.E. But was it just a spectacle to attract the curious? No, the Bible clearly shows that this was for the purpose of witnessing to foreigners visiting Jerusalem; these, too, needed to know “about the magnificent things of God.” (Acts 2:8-11; 1:15) Those “tongues” were neither gibberish nor obscenities. They were clearly understood.

This gift was a part of early Christian worship. But the apostle Paul pointed out, at 1 Corinthians 13:8: “Whether there are tongues, they will cease.” As the congregation grew and matured, these “tongues” were no longer necessary.

What about modern-day miraculous “tongues”? As shown at the outset, the content of “miraculous” speech may be anything but godly. A former Hindu priest who joined a Pentecostal church further said of worshipers that some at times “even mention the names of Hindu Gods, for example, ‘Siva, Siva, Siva,’ in their shouting.”

Of course, when a church member speaks in a foreign tongue, usually nobody knows what is being said. The apostle Paul, however, said: “Therefore let the one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may translate.” (1 Corinthians 14:13) Seldom is this counsel followed. The babbling certainly bears no resemblance to the orderly manifestations of God’s spirit that first-century Christians observed. It bears the earmarks of a demonic deception.

Trances

Trances, too, have been used by God to communicate messages. The apostle Peter, for example, went into a trance that mentally prepared him to baptize the first uncircumcised Gentile Christians. (Acts 10:9-48) However, a purposeful trance is vastly different from those experienced today.

The Daily News of Durban, South Africa described a fire-walking ceremony dedicated to the Hindu goddess Draupadiamman: “The procession starts at a nearby river where devotees who have fasted for 18 days ceremonially cleanse themselves and enter a trance, after which they are usually hung with fruit, attached with hooks through their skin, and their cheeks and tongues skewered with brass needles.” After walking across the fiery coals in the pit, the “devotees . . . are divested of the hooks and skewers, and recover bloodlessly, painlessly and apparently without recollection, from their trances.”

How different this was from the trance Peter experienced! He was fully aware of what happened and was not called upon to perform some gruesome practice. The repulsive and masochistic acts connected with modern-day trances brand them as demon inspired.

Voices

Early in the 15th century a 13-year-old French peasant girl began hearing a voice that claimed to be the voice of God. As she gave herself over to the will of the voice, it eventually led her to leadership of the French army—and death at the stake! Her name was Joan of Arc.

Many today also claim to hear voices. Often these voices contradict what God has stated in the Bible. Joan of Arc, by involving herself in political wars, actually went contrary to Jesus’ explicit definition of his disciples, that they were “no part of the world.”—John 17:16.

The Bible warns us against paying attention to “spiritistic mediums or to those having a spirit of prediction who are chirping and making utterances in low tones.” (Isaiah 8:19) The Scriptures provide Christians with all the principles and guidelines needed to make a wise decision in this matter. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) And since the completion of the Bible around the year 98 C.E., holy angels have not been used to communicate with God’s people. Spirit voices heard since then are therefore demonic.

Wicked Spirits—Their Origin

But who are these wicked spirits that seem to be behind occult phenomena? Many believe they are the souls of the dead. The Bible, however, says that the soul is mortal and “the dead . . . are conscious of nothing at all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5; Ezekiel 18:4, 20) So we must look elsewhere for their origin.

At one time the now wicked spirits were counted among the faithful hosts of God’s angels. Created long before man, they loyally served God. But then some angels rebelled. Abandoning their assignment in heaven, they took on human form. The reason? To indulge in illicit sex relations with women on earth. No doubt the original Rebel, Satan the Devil, had much to do with their taking this perverse step. (Revelation 12:4) Their effect on human society was so degrading that God had to exterminate that generation of mankind by means of a Flood. Those former angels—by then demons—were forced to return to their spirit existence, but they were alienated from God and in spiritual darkness, in which they have been imprisoned ever since.—Genesis 3:1-24; 6:1-7; Jude 6; Revelation 12:9.

Since Satan’s angels can no longer take on human form, they have resorted to extremely deceptive ways in order to influence people, including those of whom the Bible says: “Such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:13, 14) It therefore should not surprise us to learn that some of Satan’s “deceitful workers” are religious leaders.

However, one can break free from the influence of the demons. To do so requires rejecting religions that promote spiritistic practices. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) This, of course, is not easy to do. Jehovah’s Witnesses, however, are more than happy to help. They have already assisted thousands to see through the deceptions perpetrated by wicked spirits. They begin by teaching Bible truth. They help you apply what you learn.

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Awake!, February 8, 1984