Awake!, May 22, 1990

Awake! — May 22, 1990

Source: jw.org

Contents

Page Two

Guns—A Way of Life

Guns—Not for Men Only

Guns—A Way of Death

Guns—A World Without Them

Five Common Fallacies—Don’t Be Fooled by Them!

Point Lobos—Dramatic Meeting of Land and Water

When Fire Threatens a Crowd

When Will My Parents Let Me Wear Makeup?

The Haida—A Unique People of the “Misty Isles”

Watching the World

From Our Readers

Artificial Intelligence—On a Par With a Worm

Read About the Government Soon to Rule All the Earth

Page Two

Guns Galore

The more guns, the more shootings, the more massacres. In the United States a gunman sprays a hundred rounds from a rapid-fire assault rifle into a crowd of schoolchildren: 5 dead, 29 wounded. In England a crazed man slaughters 16 people with an AK-47 assault rifle. In Canada a man who hates women goes to Montreal University and kills 14 of them. In San Salvador guards patrol supermarket aisles with shotguns, and shoppers are required to check their weapons at the door.

More women are now buying guns. They flock to the pistol and rifle ranges, squeezing off round after round of ammunition into life-size target posters of men, putting bullet holes right between their eyes. Special designer pistols for women are selling well.

And don’t leave out the children. One case of many: A ten-year-old boy “loaded his father’s high-powered hunting rifle and shot to death a girl who had bragged that she was better than him at video games.”

The domestic arms race is on. Where will it end? When will it end?

Guns—A Way of Life

THE long row of red tenement houses teeming with life is back to normal. The unmistakable sound of automatic and semiautomatic gunfire no longer shatters the quiet. The flashes of fire with each burst of the weapons no longer cast eerie shadows in the night, no longer help light up the dimly lit streets. There are holes in the ancient brick fronts where bullets have buried themselves deep in the masonry in gun battles past and present.

Police and medical examiners know the streets well. An arsenal of weapons with enough firepower to arm a small police force has been confiscated—the aftermaths of murders, suicides, accidental shootings, and robberies. Mailmen and trash collectors refuse to service the community for fear of being caught in a hail of bullets. Children are kept inside their homes, but some are still gunned down as bullets fired from deliberately or poorly aimed guns penetrate windows and walls and ricochet through rooms.

If you live in a large city, chances are you are familiar with the scenario described here, if not as an eyewitness, then as a viewer of the TV evening newscasts. In many cities shootings are so commonplace they are often not reported in the local press. Frequently, they are paled into insignificance by too many other massacres capturing the daily news in other cities or other parts of the world.

A California massacre scene, for example, made news in many parts of the world when a gunman sprayed a hundred rounds of ammunition from a rapid-fire assault rifle into a crowd of elementary-school children, killing 5 students and wounding 29 others before taking his own life with a handgun. Europe and the United States also read the shocking news of a crazed man who slaughtered 16 people in England with an AK-47 assault rifle. In Canada a man who hated women went to Montreal University and shot and killed 14 women. Unless the death toll is staggering, most of the killings by guns, accidental or intentional, however, are seldom reported outside the city in which they take place.

The Gun Mystique

Local, state, national, and international law enforcement agencies and leaders are perplexed by the rising tide of deaths attributed to handguns and larger automatic and semiautomatic weapons already in the hands of criminals and mentally deranged people. The International Association of Chiefs of Police estimates that anywhere from 650,000 to 2,000,000 semiautomatic and automatic weapons “may be in the hands of criminals nationwide [U.S.A.]—an army of bad guys with the odds in a shoot-out almost always on their side,” reported U.S.News & World Report.

It is estimated that in the United States alone, nearly every other household has a gun. Although an absolute number of guns owned by Americans cannot be determined, recent estimates show that 70 million Americans own approximately 140 million rifles and 60 million handguns. “The nation’s private arsenal is big enough to supply one gun to nearly every man, woman and child in the country,” wrote U.S.News & World Report. Do you find this shocking?

In Europe too the citizenry has become like an armed camp. England is trying to come to grips with its weapon problem as more and more of the unsavory element are arming themselves to the teeth. In West Germany the illegal hoard of firearms is estimated to be more than 80 percent of all weapons in circulation. A number of these, according to reports, have been stolen from “armories of the German police, border police, German army and NATO stores.” Switzerland is reported to have the highest level of private firearms possession in the world. “Any law-abiding Swiss may own guns, and every male of military age must keep at home an assault rifle more powerful than that used in the Stockton [California] massacre,” reported The New York Times of February 4, 1989.

A few days earlier, The New York Times reported that in San Salvador, “guns are as common on men’s hips as wallets. Supermarkets, whose guards patrol the aisles with shotguns, require shoppers to check their weapons in lockers by the front doors.” According to Asiaweek magazine of February 1989, the Philippine government “concedes that the country is awash with at least 189,000 unlicensed firearms. That, plus the 439,000 with licences, means that weapons in the hands of private individuals far outnumber those held by the armed forces, which has some 165,000 regulars. And illegal arms shipments are confiscated weekly at the international airport and on the Manila waterfront.”

Peaceful Canada, where the Criminal Code severely restricts the possession and use of firearms, is seeing a steady rise in firearm-related offenses. At the end of 1986, there were about 860,000 registered restricted firearms in Canada. That did not include private collections of automatic weapons obtained before 1978. Said one veteran Canadian police official: “What I would like to know is why the people of Canada feel a need to have a handgun, a rifle or a shotgun.”

When the U.S. government recently placed a temporary ban on the importation of semiautomatic weapons, the results were unexpected. Frantic buyers waited long hours in lines to buy those already in gun shops around the country. “It’s like the Oklahoma land rush,” said one buyer who stood in line to buy one of the last ones in stock. These could be purchased for about $100 before the ban. On this day they were selling for as much as $1,000 each. “These guns are coming in and going out 30 a day,” said one happy store owner. “They’re buying them all, everything and anything they can get their hands on,” he said. “What they have done is put one in everybody’s home,” said another gun-shop owner.

A law in the state of Florida, United States, has permitted gun owners to walk in public with a gun strapped to their waist or concealed on their person. It is feared by some that this will result in street-corner shoot-outs, reminiscent of the wild West era. One Florida State representative said: “The message we’re sending out is, ‘We can’t protect you anymore, so go get yourself a gun and do the best you can.’” And judging by gun sales, thousands are doing just that.

Why this sudden craze for guns—some so powerful they can send bullets through concrete walls and fire 900 rounds a minute, designed for the sole purpose of battlefield combat? Some authorities say guns have a “sexy mystique” that makes them especially attractive to men. “There’s a machismo to carrying the biggest, ugliest and most powerful weapon available,” said one government official. “For men in particular, guns evoke a near mystical return to their youths,” wrote one reporter. Some banking institutions have picked up on this gun mystique by offering handguns in lieu of paying interest on certificates of deposit. Reports indicate that the promotion has become extremely popular with depositors.

Worldwide, gun sales are booming. Where will it end? When every male member of society owns at least one or more guns? Or are guns for men only? Consider some interesting facts in the next article.

Guns—Not for Men Only

IN THE world of advertising, the masculine image of a rugged man posed with a rifle cradled in his arms has been used to sell many things. They run the gamut—tobacco, automobiles, clothes, firearms and a host of other things, limited only by the advertiser’s imagination.

In the United States in particular, men have been portrayed as being inseparable from their guns. In town squares, statues have been erected of conquering heroes with a gun either in their arms or by their side. Even without captions, pictures depicting the wild West era are quickly identified by the low-slung six-shooter strapped to a man’s hip. Scores of movies have been made with the word “gun” in the titles. Television shows and theater box-office attractions are alive with the sound of rapid gunfire—good guys and bad guys shooting it out in every conceivable situation and location. Puny men made macho with a handgun or rifle in their hand, with realistic scenes of the dead lying at their feet.

But more women are now getting involved with guns. In the last score of years, television sets have come alive with women detectives and undercover agents shooting it out with unsavory elements and winning with deadlier aim and superior firepower.

They are flocking onto pistol and rifle firing ranges, squeezing off round after round of ammunition into life-size target posters of men and putting bullet holes between their eyes.

So it should not shock you to learn that handguns specially designed for women are already on the market and selling well. “Ladies, you wouldn’t use a man’s deodorant,” wrote one lady reporter, “so why use a man’s revolver? You want a revolver that’s lightweight, with no edges to catch your nails, a dainty revolver that still packs a punch. Maybe you want a .38-caliber LadySmith . . . in glossy blue, or frosted sterling, with your choice of barrel lengths.” An expert voiced his opinion on what women want in guns: “A woman wants the gun to look pretty. She wants it to be a nice-looking object that she puts in her purse. She doesn’t want it to clash with her compact and her mirror . . . A lot of women like things to be color coordinated and match. They don’t want it to look evil or vicious . . . She’s buying it for protection but, at the same time, she doesn’t want it to be ugly.”

Some of the handguns specially designed for the elegant lady are .38 caliber with five-shot capacity and are offered in a choice of two barrel lengths—two inches [5 cm] and three inches [8 cm]—to fit nicely in a purse. Some come with smooth, contoured rosewood grips, and others may be fitted with pastel-colored ones. “They’re very beautiful,” said one woman, “and, I would think, handy.” Then, too, there are new creations of purses with built-in compartments specially made for the lady’s handgun. “A woman handgun owner without a special purse is just asking for trouble,” said one woman. “You will end up with cracker crumbs and mints in the barrel, or tobacco, if you smoke, or anything else that accumulates in the bottom of a lady’s handbag.” Some foresee the time when a woman carrying a gun will be as commonplace as one carrying an umbrella.

Their Numbers Are Growing

A recent poll has shown that between 1983 and 1986, gun ownership among women in the United States “climbed some 53 percent to over 12 million.” The poll also showed that during those three years, “some 2 million additional women were considering the purchase of a firearm.” In some women’s magazines, subtle attention is drawn to a woman’s need for protection by depicting a woman returning home to find a window broken in her front door. Does she live alone? Does she own a gun to protect herself if she is met by an intruder? A toll-free number at the bottom of the advertisement turns out to be that of a gun manufacturer, now offering a new line of elegant handguns for women.

“These ads are like pouring salt in a wound,” said one woman. The reason is that since a great many women live alone or are single parents, they feel especially vulnerable to violent crime, often with good reason. In most large cities, rape is on the increase. Women are having their purses snatched—many at knife point. There are assaults on women on the streets, in parking lots, and in office buildings during daylight hours. Apartments and homes, residences of women who live alone, are being broken into while the occupant is asleep. “We’d better learn to take care of ourselves,” said one woman, “because as we become more mobile in an increasingly violent society, we’re going to have to take care of ourselves.”

“I was walking home from work,” said one woman interviewed on U.S. television. “Someone just grabbed me from behind. He had a knife and he pushed me down and he grabbed my purse. Right there and then, I said I have to do something.” After applying for a permit to carry a gun and taking target practice on a shooting range, what was her outlook? “I lost all sense of vulnerability. I thought to myself, I have a gun, I’m shooting this and it’s terrific, I don’t feel afraid. With this piece of metal in my hands, I could really protect myself.”

It is obvious that this is the thinking of over 12 million women in the United States, and who is to know how many more own illegal weapons? The numbers worldwide could be staggering. Is this thinking, however, the product of much research on what the facts show? Before you go out and purchase a weapon for self-defense, consider what police officials and statistics show.

Guns—A Way of Death

“THEY have this illusion,” said one prominent police official, “that they’re going to point the gun at someone and they’ll be in control and when it doesn’t work out that way, they hesitate, just as many police officers will hesitate a split second, and they pay for that with their lives.” There is also this observation from a noted U.S. public-safety commissioner: “Many people don’t come to grips with the fact that owning a handgun means being prepared to live with the aftermath of killing another human being. If you don’t actually shoot and a criminal fires at you, it is more dangerous to own a weapon than not to have it at all.”

Finally, there is this: “Even a little imagination ought to tell us that all this designer weaponry will lead to more, not less, trouble,” wrote a woman reporter—a member of a policeman’s family and herself an expert shot. “Have women who are buying ‘pretty’ guns confronted the aesthetics of blown-out brains? The result is not pretty. Ever seen a man with his face shot off?” Or, she asks, “could you aim for the heart?”

How quickly could you get to your concealed gun if you were suddenly accosted by an assailant? Consider her own experience: “When I was mugged—by a crazed addict with a butcher knife—the steel was at my throat before I saw or heard my attacker. If I’d gone for a gun, who’d have won a photo-finish?” Then she adds: “I would not dream of keeping a gun for personal protection. This is not a matter of morality; it is a matter of practicality.”

Now consider some overwhelming facts. In the “relatively rare shoot-outs between householders and burglars that do occur, it might easily be the burglar who proves more skilled in handling his gun and the householder who winds up in the morgue,” reported Time magazine of February 6, 1989. Whatever deterrence a gun might be in the prevention of a crime, it is more than offset by other devastating factors. Consider, for example, suicides. In the United States alone, in one 12-month period, over 18,000 people shot themselves to death.

How many of these were spur-of-the-moment acts that might not have been carried out if a gun had not been available in a purse or a dresser drawer cannot be determined. Surely, however, the ready access prevented some victims from having sufficient time to think rationally and perhaps save their lives. Add the number of U.S. suicides by guns to those of the rest of the world and the total would no doubt be shocking indeed.

Time magazine of July 17, 1989, reported that in the first week of May 1989, 464 people were shot to death in the United States alone. “This year more than 30,000 others will share their fate,” Time said. The magazine reported that “more Americans die of gunshot wounds every two years than have died to date of AIDS. Similarly, guns take more American lives in two years than did the entire Viet Nam War.”

Parents who own guns must bear the responsibility for their children who use them to take their own lives or the lives of others. “The rise in suicides by young people in 1988,” wrote one newspaper, “can be linked in part to easier access to guns as more homeowners stockpile weapons to protect their residences, police said. . . . If you have a weapon in the house, there’s just a chance a kid is going to get to it someday.” “Last year [1988], over 3,000 children shot other children,” reported a June 1989 U.S. television newscast.

Parents, do you know where your guns are? One parent did, but so did his ten-year-old son. “He loaded his father’s high-powered hunting rifle,” the August 26, 1989, New York Times reported, “and shot to death a girl who had bragged that she was better than him at video games.” Do you know what is in your child’s lunch box besides sandwiches and cookies as you send him or her off to school? Would you believe that it could be your gun? What were the parents of a five-year-old kindergartner to think when school officials notified them that they had taken a loaded .25-caliber pistol away from their son in a crowded cafeteria, while hundreds of students ate their sandwiches, milk, and cookies?

Later in 1989, a six-year-old first-grader was caught showing off a loaded pistol. That same month a 12-year-old was arrested for carrying a loaded pistol in school. All of this in the same school district. In Florida, a student was not fortunate enough to escape the disaster of a loaded gun in the hands of a child. She was shot in the back when an 11-year-old girl accidentally fired the gun she had brought to school to show her friends.

“Our little six-year-olds go home and almost all know there is a gun in their home,” said one school principal. “Many of them have seen the result of a gun,” said a teacher of a third-grade class. “Maybe a father, an uncle or a brother is no longer in their house as a result of a gun,” he said. Some school systems have even found the need to install metal detectors to ferret out guns brought in by the very young, not to mention the older students! Must not parents bear the responsibility for the actions of their children, especially parents who see fit to have guns in their homes where their children can find them?

Parents may comfort themselves that their guns are concealed where their children or others cannot find them. Unfortunately, however, dead children have proved their parents wrong. Also, consider the obvious. “Well, you can’t have it two ways,” said one police chief. “If you really safeguard your gun so that innocent people in your house, your children or visitors or someone else, can’t get hurt with it, then [you] won’t be able to get to that gun for the kind of emergency that [you] bought it for in the first place.”

Police estimate that if a household gun is ever used, “it is six times as likely to be fired at a member of the family or a friend as at an intruder,” reported Time magazine. “A wife or mother thinks she hears a burglar and ends up shooting a husband or son coming home late,” said one public-safety commissioner. ‘How, then, should people protect their homes?’ he was asked. “Perhaps the best way to protect yourself is by risking your property rather than your life. Most robbers and burglars are there to steal, not to kill. Most firearms deaths in homes are committed with the homeowner’s gun. In any case, urban residents should try to increase protection by forming anticrime ‘watch’ groups.” And, finally, the gun owners must ask themselves if they are willing to take another human’s life in order to protect the contents of a purse or wallet or a few valuables in a home.

If you are wise, you will not resist the one who threatens your life for your valuables. Your life is worth more than these.

Guns—A World Without Them

FROM the beginning of human history, man has resorted to violence in his dealings with his fellowman. Murder surfaced in the first family when Cain slew his brother Abel. The slaughter has continued ever since—within families, within tribes, and between nations. As the weapons became more powerful, the victims became more numerous. Stones and clubs gave way to spears and arrows, which were replaced by guns and bombs. The destruction of hundreds became thousands; today the thousands have become millions. And not just in war but also during peace. Not just by soldiers but also by private citizens. Not just by adults but also by children. Will the escalation of violence ever end? If it depends on people, the prospects are bleak.—2 Timothy 3:1-5, 13.

Christ Jesus foretold that this would be a time when nations would rise against other nations in horrendous wars, snuffing out the lives of millions. Pestilences and earthquakes would take a heavy toll in many places. Man would be polluting the earth to such an extent that its ability to sustain life itself would be threatened—many scientists are now voicing that fear. But man’s love of money causes him to plunge onward in his polluting rampage, and it will end only when Jehovah God himself intervenes “to bring to ruin those ruining the earth.”—Revelation 11:18.

Many scoff at such warnings and thereby fulfill another part of the foretold sign of the last days: “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.’”—2 Peter 3:3, 4.

But this dark cloud hovering over mankind has a silver lining. Jesus foretold that at his presence, there would be “on the earth anguish of nations, not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation, while men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth.” But he also said it would be a time to “raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.”—Luke 21:25-28.

The nations are in anguish, the masses are turbulent, and individuals are in fear of the things coming upon the earth, but it is a time of deliverance for those who are waiting for the coming Kingdom of God and the Thousand Year Reign of Christ Jesus. That will be the time for the fulfillment of Jehovah God’s promise of ‘new heavens and a new earth wherein righteousness is to dwell.’—2 Peter 3:13.

And no guns! None will be needed for war. “He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons [war-chariots, Rotherham] he burns in the fire.”—Psalm 46:9.

None will be needed for personal protection. “They will actually sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and there will be no one making them tremble; for the very mouth of Jehovah of armies has spoken it.”—Micah 4:4.

Only the upright, none of the wicked, will be there. “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) Then “the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”—Psalm 37:11.

In God’s eyes violence ruins the earth. In Noah’s day “the earth came to be ruined in the sight of the true God and the earth became filled with violence.” (Genesis 6:11-13) Hence, Jehovah ended that world with a global Flood. Jesus likened the end of this present violent world at his presence to the end of that ancient one: “For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.”—Matthew 24:38, 39.

In God’s new world everyone living will fulfill Mark 12:31: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” And Isaiah 11:9: “They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.” And also fulfilled in that new world of righteousness will be the glorious conditions described at Revelation 21:1, 4: “I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” Certainly, then no human societies bristling with guns!

None of these momentous changes for man’s blessing will be brought about by revolutionaries with their blazing guns mowing down the opposition. Rather, they will be brought about by Jehovah God through his Kingdom under Christ Jesus. So Isaiah 9:6, 7 says: “There has been a child born to us, there has been a son given to us; and the princely rule will come to be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. To the abundance of the princely rule and to peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom in order to establish it firmly and to sustain it by means of justice and by means of righteousness, from now on and to time indefinite. The very zeal of Jehovah of armies will do this.”

Five Common Fallacies—Don’t Be Fooled by Them!

“LET no man deceive you with empty words.”a This advice was given nearly 2,000 years ago and still rings as true as ever. Today, we are bombarded with persuasive voices: movie stars peddling cosmetics, politicians promoting policies, salesmen pushing products, clergymen expounding doctrine. All too often the persuasive voices prove to be deceptive—little more than empty words. Yet, people in general are easily mislead by them.

Often this is because people fail to distinguish truth from fallacy. Students of logic use the word “fallacy” to describe any departure from the path of sound reasoning. Simply stated, a fallacy is a misleading or unsound argument, one in which the conclusion does not follow from preceding statements, or premises. Fallacies may, nevertheless, be powerfully persuasive because they often make a strong appeal to the emotions—not to reason.

A key to avoiding deception is knowing the workings of fallacy. Let us therefore take a look at five common ones, with a view to sharpening our God-given “power of reason.”—Romans 12:1.

FALLACY NUMBER 1

Attacking the Person This type of fallacy attempts to disprove or discredit a perfectly valid argument or statement by making an irrelevant attack on the person presenting it.

Consider an example from the Bible. Jesus Christ once endeavored to enlighten others regarding his coming death and resurrection. These were new and difficult concepts for his listeners. But rather than weigh the merits of Jesus’ teachings, some attacked Jesus himself, saying: “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to him?”—John 10:20; compare Acts 26:24, 25.

How easy it is to label someone “stupid,” “crazy,” or “uninformed” when he or she says something we don’t want to hear. A similar tactic is to attack the person with a subtle dose of innuendo. Typical examples of this are: “If you really understood the matter, you wouldn’t have that point of view” or, “You only believe that because you’re told to believe it.”

But while personal attacks, subtle and not so subtle, may intimidate and persuade, never do they disprove what has been said. So be alert to this fallacy!

FALLACY NUMBER 2

Appealing to Authority This form of verbal intimidation is accomplished by invoking the testimonials of so-called experts or famous people. Of course, for advice it is only natural to look to people who know more about something than we do. But not all appeals to authority are based on sound reasoning.

Suppose your doctor tells you: “You have malaria.” You reply: “How do you know, doctor?” How unreasonable it would be for him to say: “Look, I am a doctor. I know far more about these things than you do. Take my word for it, you have malaria.” While his diagnosis is likely correct, reasoning that you have malaria simply because he says so is fallacious. It would be far more advantageous for him to discuss the facts: your symptoms, blood-test results, and so forth.

Another example of an intimidating appeal to authority is described at John 7:32-49. There we learn that police officers were sent to arrest Jesus Christ. They were so impressed by his teaching, however, that rather than arrest him, they told their superiors: “Never has another man spoken like this.” In reply, Jesus’ enemies said: “You have not been misled also, have you? Not one of the rulers or of the Pharisees has put faith in him, has he?” Note that no attempt was made to refute Jesus’ teaching. Rather, the Jewish leaders appealed to their own authority as “experts” in the Law of Moses as the reason to disregard whatever Jesus said.

Interestingly, clergymen today are known to resort to similar tactics when unable to prove from the Bible such teachings as the Trinity, the immortality of the soul, and hellfire.

Invalid appeals to authority also abound in advertising, where celebrities commonly give testimonials in fields far removed from their area of expertise. A successful golfer encourages you to buy a photocopying machine. A professional football player promotes refrigerators. An Olympic gymnast recommends a certain breakfast cereal. Many do not stop and think that such “authorities” probably know little or nothing about the products they peddle.

Realize, too, that even legitimate experts—like everyone else—may be biased. A highly credentialed researcher may claim that smoking tobacco is harmless. But if he or she is employed by the tobacco industry, is not such “expert” testimony suspect?

FALLACY NUMBER 3

‘Join the Crowd’ Here the appeal is to popular emotions, prejudices, and beliefs. People generally like to conform. We tend to shrink at the thought of speaking out against prevailing opinions. This tendency to view the majority opinion as automatically correct is used with potent effect in the ‘join-the-crowd’ fallacy.

For example, an advertisement in a popular U.S. magazine showed a number of smiling people, each enjoying a glass of rum. Accompanying the picture was the slogan: “It’s What’s Happening. All across America, people are switching to . . . rum.” This is a blatant appeal to ‘join the crowd.’

But while others may think or do something, does that mean you should? Besides, popular opinion just isn’t a reliable barometer of truth. Over the centuries all kinds of ideas have been popularly accepted, only to be proved wrong later. Yet, the ‘join-the-crowd’ fallacy persists. The rallying cry, ‘Everybody is doing it!’ moves people to take drugs, commit adultery, steal from employers, and cheat on taxes.

The fact is, everybody doesn’t do those things. And even if they did, that would be no reason for you to do so. The advice given at Exodus 23:2 thus serves as a good general rule of conduct: “You must not follow after the crowd for evil ends.”

FALLACY NUMBER 4

Either/Or Reasoning This fallacy reduces what may be a wide range of options to only two. For example, a person may be told: ‘Either you accept a blood transfusion or you will die.’ Jehovah’s Witnesses often run into such reasoning because of their Bible-based decision to ‘abstain from blood’ in any form. (Acts 15:29) The weakness of this line of reasoning? It excludes other valid possibilities. The facts show that there are alternative treatments, and most operations can be performed successfully without blood. Skilled doctors often operate with a minimal loss of blood. Another possibility is the use of nonblood fluids, plasma volume expanders.b Furthermore, many have taken blood transfusions and died. By the same token, many have refused blood and lived. The hole in the either/or reasoning is thus a gaping one.

So when presented with either/or reasoning, ask yourself, ‘Are there really only two possible choices? Might there be others?’

FALLACY NUMBER 5

Oversimplification Here a statement or argument ignores relevant considerations, oversimplifying what may be a complex issue.

Granted, there is nothing wrong in simplifying a complicated subject—good teachers do it all the time. But sometimes a matter is simplified to the point of distorting truth. For example, you may read: ‘Rapid population growth is the cause of poverty in developing countries.’ There’s an element of truth in that, but it ignores other important considerations, such as political mismanagement, commercial exploitation, and weather patterns.

Oversimplification has resulted in many misunderstandings when it comes to God’s Word, the Bible. Consider, for example, the account at Acts 16:30, 31. There a jailer asked a question about salvation. Paul answered: “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will get saved.” Many have concluded from this that simple mental acceptance of Jesus is therefore all that is required for salvation!

This is an oversimplification. True, belief in Jesus as our Ransomer is essential. But it is also necessary to believe what Jesus taught and commanded, to acquire a full understanding of Bible truths. This is shown by the fact that Paul and Silas subsequently “spoke the word of Jehovah to [the jailer] together with all those in his house.” (Acts 16:32) Salvation also involves obedience. Paul later showed this when he wrote that Jesus “became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those obeying him.”—Hebrews 5:9.

An ancient proverb says: “Anyone inexperienced puts faith in every word, but the shrewd one considers his steps.” (Proverbs 14:15) So don’t fall for fallacies. Learn to differentiate between legitimate attacks on what is said and cheap attacks on personalities. Don’t be fooled by invalid appeals to “authority,” urgings to ‘join the crowd’, either/or reasoning, or gross oversimplifications—especially when something as vital as religious truth is involved. Check all the facts, or as the Bible puts it, “make sure of all things.”—1 Thessalonians 5:21.

[Footnotes]

Taken from the Bible at Ephesians 5:6.

See the booklet Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Question of Blood, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

Point Lobos—Dramatic Meeting of Land and Water

NOT just dramatic. At times this meeting of land and water at Point Lobos is downright violent! When it’s high tide and strong winds blow in off the ocean, giant waves build up and come rolling in for a crash landing against rocky cliffs. With a resounding boom, they shoot 40 or 50 feet [12-15 m] into the air. When this happens, visitors hurry out to Sea Lion Point to see the show. They line up as close as they dare, gasping in awe as each wave slams into the cliff. Fascinated by this display of power as tons of water are hurled skyward, they ignore the showers of spray that sweep over them. As long as the waves are wild, the audience is reluctant to leave.

But leave they must, for there is much more to see at Point Lobos. Its attractions are legion, which is one of the reasons the State of California bought it in 1933 and made it a state reserve. The other reason, the primary one, was to preserve the lovely Monterey cypress. It grows naturally only on Point Lobos and nearby Monterey Peninsula. Along the edge of these bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Monterey cypress is now making its last stand.

Before becoming a state reserve, Point Lobos had had a colorful history. For centuries Indians collected shellfish and camped on its headlands. In the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, it became a pasture for livestock. The Portuguese had a whaling station there from 1861 to 1884. After that, Japanese fishermen became involved in an abalone cannery that shipped hundreds of thousands of abalones to the Orient. Ownership of the land changed frequently—once, we are told, during a card game.

The Trails

Entry to Point Lobos State Reserve is from Pacific Coast Highway 1, ten miles [16 km] south of Monterey, three miles [5 km] below Carmel. Roads in the reserve are few. They lead to three main parking areas, and from there trails fan out to wind through pine woods and cypress groves. One trail six miles [10 km] long follows the coastline of the reserve, alternately hugging the edge of high bluffs to give spectacular views of a churning sea far below, and then descending to the water’s edge to put you by tide pools packed with life—sea anemones, urchins, crabs, starfish, shellfish, green and red algae, and many other creatures. Pause and kneel to peer into these fascinating little rock-bound worlds. But be alert! Sneaky waves love to give you a soaking!

Walking along the trail en route to Bird Island, look down on the jade-green waters of China Cove, nestled below like a gemstone surrounded by steep cliffs. Waves lazily plop up on the small sandy beach at one end, where waders and swimmers enjoy the chilly water and later bask in the warm sun of the sheltered beach. Others also relish this luxury—harbor seals sprawl on the rock ledges to soak up sun.

The trail continues until you are alongside Bird Island, where seabirds gather by the hundreds. When it is nesting time, the cormorants are busy flying in with strands of seaweed swinging from their beaks, building nests so close together you’d think they were developers jamming in houses. Pelicans come and go on their fishing forays, diving into the sea when they see their dinner swimming below. Seagulls soar and wheel in the wind so gloriously free that you get jealous because you’re earthbound.

Cypress Grove Trail, winding through one of the two remaining naturally growing stands of Monterey cypress on earth, is the favorite of many visitors. From its bluffs, spectacular seascapes are visible. Red algae cover rocks and tree trunks exposed to the moist sea air. Lace lichen drapes from the boughs of pine and cypress. In the woods, black-tailed deer may be seen—often mothers with fawns browsing on the shrubbery. From the tip of this peninsula, 40-ton gray whales may be seen spouting and sometimes breaching as they pass Point Lobos on their ten-thousand-mile [16,000 km] round-trip migration to Baja California in December and January to mate and give birth, returning to the Bering Sea in March and April for feeding.

The Sea Otters

But the most popular animals are not these seagoing behemoths traveling offshore. The question the rangers hear most is: “Where are the sea otters?” They are usually among the strands of floating kelp in the sheltered coves. Visitors with binoculars scan these areas to spot them, then watch them dive for their dinner. On the menu are such delicacies as clams, crabs, mussels, squid, octopuses, abalones, and sea urchins. Their table is a rock they put on their chest, against which they bang their shellfish entrées to get at the meat inside. If not dining, they may be sleeping, wrapped in kelp to keep from drifting. Or there may be a mother with a baby on her chest, grooming or feeding it. The baby is born in the water, lives in the water, yet has to learn to swim. But it cannot drown—baby sea otters have a natural buoyancy.

The chocolate-brown fur of the sea otter—often gray or white around the head in adults—is fine and thick. At the information station near Sea Lion Point, there is a sea otter pelt. Run your fingers through it. Feel its silky softness. It is this superfine fur that almost brought the otter to extinction. Twice as dense as that of the fur seal, his fur has 650,000 hairs per square inch [100,000 per sq cm], some 800 million in all. The otter does not, however, keep warm from the fur alone. It spends long hours grooming to trap air in its fur, and it is this air that insulates the otter’s skin from the cold water. Unique, gentle, nonaggressive—no wonder the sea otter is the favorite of visitors!

The Underwater Reserve

These trails give you access to the 554 acres [224 ha] of Point Lobos. But these acres are not all of Point Lobos State Reserve. They are not even half of it. Seven hundred and fifty acres [300 ha] are underwater. Take the road that branches off to the Whalers Cove parking area, where you will very likely see divers in wet suits and scuba gear entering the first underwater reserve in the United States. Established in 1960, it is one of the richest underwater habitats in California and is fully protected by state law. Unfortunately, the wonders of this underwater world are not for you—unless you are certified to don a wet suit and scuba gear to explore its depths.

A folder given to you at the entrance of the reserve hints at what you are missing: “In the subdued light of the 100-foot-high [30 m] kelp forests, animals without backbones and plants without roots create a world of vibrant color. Lingcod, cabezone and rockfish swim in and out of view. The unexpected appearance of a seal, an otter, or a whale quickens the heart.” One inhabitant of these depths that might make your heart skip a beat is the world’s largest starfish, the bat star [Pycnopodia], as large as four feet [1.2 m] across! Just as you have a trail guide when you walk the paths of the land areas of Point Lobos, divers have a submersible book with 38 colored photos to identify the marine life.

Point Lobos is a place for quiet reflection. With its more than 300 plant species and 250 bird and animal species, there’s no shortage of material: long strands of brown kelp curving gracefully over the surface of the sea in Bluefish Cove. Lilacs adding their fragrance to the salty sea air. Sage leaves crushed between your fingers releasing their pungent aromas. Shun doing this with the shiny leaves of the poison oak that lines the trails. Why is poison oak left here? It’s the habitat that suits small birds and animals. Lobos is their home, not ours.

The plaintive song of the white-crowned sparrow, softly repeated as it sits on the topmost twig of a sagebrush. The high-pitched cry of the black oystercatcher as it scampers over shoreline rocks, its bright red beak flashing in the sun. On the rocky offshore islands, the barking of sea lions sets up a din not to be ignored. And there’s always the tool-using sea otter’s whacking of shells on the rock on its chest. And savor again the muted sounds of a quiet surf or its ragings among the rocks when its mood is wild.

It’s a place for contemplation. Breathe deeply of the sea breezes. Walk the trails slowly. Take the time to absorb the atmosphere. Store up memories. Soak up its spirit.

You may dismiss as extravagant praise the description of Point Lobos by landscape artist Francis McComas as “the greatest meeting of land and water in the world.” But after a few days of walking its trails, breathing deeply of its salty sea air, listening to its sounds, seeing its sights, absorbing the overall serenity of its pristine beauty, you may not think his praise quite so extravagant.

Undeniably, Point Lobos is a tonic for jangled nerves, a soothing balm for the spirit, a tribute to the artistry of its Maker, Jehovah God.

[Pictures on page 16, 17]

Top Left: The Pinnacle

Top Right: Southern sea otter

Center Left: The jade-green waters of China Cove

Center Right: Half-moon fish in the kelp forest

Bottom Right: Wind and water have left their etchings in sandstone

When Fire Threatens a Crowd

FIRE is an ugly word to public-event organizers. Each year, fires cause thousands of deaths and horrible injuries. The danger is especially grave when throngs gather in an enclosed space. What can those in charge of concerts, plays, conferences, and other large gatherings do to minimize the risk of fire? What can those who are part of such a crowd do to keep things safe? And if a fire does actually break out, what can be done to increase the chances of survival?

To get some information on these matters, Awake! interviewed a fire official in Ireland. He trains firemen and has had much experience with fires.

When crowds are expected for an event, what can those in charge do to make things safe?

The first step is to make sure that the building you expect to use is safe. There must be enough exits for all in the building to escape quickly if the need arises. Also, each exit must be clearly marked and be free of any obstructions. All corridors and stairways must be kept free of obstacles at all times. Emergency doors should open outward and do so easily.

Seating arrangements may present a challenge in buildings that do not have fixed seats. It is vitally important to arrange the chairs in accord with local fire regulations. Be sure all attendants and ushers know what to do in case of an emergency. Those responsible for safety should know where all the fire extinguishers are and how to use them. It is too late to read instructions after a fire breaks out. Keep in mind, too, that the first priority after initiating evacuation procedures is to call the fire department.

Is there anything those who attend such events can do to improve safety?

Yes indeed! People panic more easily in unfamiliar surroundings. So familiarize yourself with the general layout of the building where the gathering is to be held. Note where the exits and emergency doors are located. Don’t panic. Maintain discipline. Listen carefully to any directions given and follow them. In vacating the building, walk rapidly, but do not run or push.

I cannot overemphasize the need to get out quickly. Most people do not realize how fast fire can spread. Help the elderly and weaker ones if you see that they are having difficulty. Once out of the building, get clear of the exits so as not to block the way for those coming behind you, and after you are out, never try to reenter the building until it is declared safe.

What advice do you have for parents?

In large crowds parents should always keep their small children with them or make sure that they are in the charge of an older, responsible person. During a fire emergency, distraught parents looking through the crowd for their missing children can cause all kinds of problems.

Is the fire danger limited to just its intense heat?

No. Usually it is smoke and toxic gases that kill in a fire. Even in less than lethal concentrations, superheated gases will attack the respiratory organs and nervous systems of those breathing them. This can cause people to act in an irrational manner. When smoke is heavy, cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief. It will not protect from poisonous gases, but it will help keep out larger smoke particles that may cause nausea.

If the smoke is very dense, try to stay by a wall to avoid becoming disoriented. If you cannot see or feel a wall, walk in one direction until you come to one; then follow it until you come to a door or a window. Also, remember that in a smoke-filled room, there is more breathable air near the floor, and you will see better there too.

What can be done if a person’s clothes catch fire?

The worst thing you can do is run. This will only fan the flames. Rather, drop to the ground and roll. This will keep the flames away from your face and hopefully smother the fire.

Any final word for our readers?

I hope you are never in a fire. It is a frightening experience. But if you are caught in one, these few rules will prove helpful. And remember, take the danger of fire seriously. Do not treat it lightly or as a joke. It isn’t.

[Blurb on page 20]

When staying at a hotel, do you always find out where the nearest emergency exit is before retiring for the night?

When Will My Parents Let Me Wear Makeup?

Young People Ask . . .

When Will My Parents Let Me Wear Makeup?

Awake!: “How old should a girl be before she’s allowed to wear makeup?

Juliea: I’d say 13 years old.

Awake!: Why?

Julie: I don’t know.

Awake!: Twelve is too young?

Julie: Yeah.

Awake!: But 13 is old enough?

Julie: Yeah.

Sallie: I think that if a girl knows how to apply it right and not make it look as if she’s in a rock band or something, she should be allowed to wear it.

John: I think they should wear it only if they don’t look good without it.

Gloria: Yes, makeup enhances your natural features.

Larry: But why should anybody want to ‘enhance her features’ at 13? I mean, they don’t have to yet! I think girls should be about 18 before they start wearing makeup.

IN THE United States, teenagers spend over five thousand million dollars a year on beauty aids and cosmetics. Quite understandably, then, you may feel you also have a right to wear lipstick, blush, or eyeshadow if you so desire. However, your parents may see things quite differently.

“I asked my mother if I could wear it when I was 13,” recalls 17-year-old Nina. “She said, ‘Nina, you don’t need it now.’” Young Shelly got a similar reaction from her parents. “I asked for permission when I was about 13, and they told me I couldn’t wear it until I was 15. I said, ‘Why not?’”

Makeup—Why It’s Important to Girls

As the opening dialogue illustrates, there is a wide range of opinions on this subject even among teenagers. Little wonder, then, that you and your parents may have trouble seeing eye to eye! Still, getting a blanket no from your parents may seem unreasonably strict. “You look at the girls in school,” recalls a young woman named Monica, “and they’re all wearing it.” You may also wonder how it can be OK for your mom, but not OK for you! Furthermore, you are getting older, and how you look is more important to you than ever.

Puberty has triggered changes in your height, weight, and shape. As the book The Secret of a Good Life With Your Teenager observes, “these transformations leave [youths] worrying about their attractiveness more than ever before . . . They are also concerned to have their sexual identity affirmed. They want to be found womanly or manly.” Or as one writer puts it, you want to “start shaping a style that will be yours . . . [that] expresses the you you like best and are most comfortable with.”—Changing Bodies, Changing Lives, by Ruth Bell.

For many girls, makeup is one way of establishing that individual style and feeling more womanly or attractive. “When I have makeup on, I feel more confident,” explained one teenage girl. Nina, quoted earlier, adds: “There are a lot of pretty girls, and wearing makeup makes me feel better about myself.”

Wearing makeup is also a sort of rite of passage to adulthood. As one teenager put it: “You don’t want to be thought of as a kid anymore.” Some hope that a more grown-up appearance will gain them more respect—or even attract older boys. For others, wearing makeup is simply a way to fit in with one’s peers. Says Diane: “The older you look, the cooler the other kids think you are.”

But many youths want to wear makeup for purely practical reasons: to even out uneven skin tones, to cover a bad complexion or a scar, to highlight attractive facial features, or to downplay not-so-attractive features. Even at that, a request for permission to wear makeup may well ignite a family controversy. Why do parents often react in such a negative manner?

Why They May Say No

It is true that parents at times have a hard time dealing with the fact that their children are growing up. Some may thus tend to hold on a bit too tight. Nevertheless, most parents simply want the best for their children. That is why the Bible exhorts: “Listen, O sons, to the discipline of a father and pay attention, so as to know understanding.” (Proverbs 4:1) Your parents may not be adept at putting their feelings into words. (“My parents wouldn’t let me wear mascara,” recalls one teenage girl, “but they didn’t give me a reason.”) Likely they have good reasons for feeling uneasy about the matter.

You may tend to view wearing makeup as some sort of right, something to be automatically conferred upon you when you reach some “magic age,” like 13. But as columnist Elizabeth Winship points out: “There’s no rule about the exact age at which make-up is permissible. It depends on family and community traditions.” Your parents may feel that wearing makeup at your age would be frowned upon in the community or by fellow Christians. Your parents will be particularly concerned along these lines if they are Jehovah’s Witnesses, as they will not want your grooming to detract from your Christian ministry.—2 Corinthians 6:3.

Your parents may also feel that wearing makeup would simply be unnecessary and inappropriate at this time in your life. After all, youth has its own beauty, a glory that is quite fleeting. (Psalm 90:10; Proverbs 20:29) They might reason, ‘Why should she do something that would disguise or alter her youthful appearance?’

Your parents may also know from personal experience just how misleading “the desires incidental to youth” can be. (2 Timothy 2:22) They may even fear that you might repeat some of the mistakes they made when they were young, and they want to protect you. One teenage girl recalls: “Mom started wearing makeup when she was very young. She became very wild and used to wear miniskirts and gobs of makeup. She didn’t want me to be like that.”

Not that you will become a loose woman simply because you apply a dab of lipstick. However, they may rightfully fear that wearing makeup could expose you to pressures you are not ready for. A father of two teenage girls is quoted by writer Ruth Bell as saying: “It’s exciting to see children turn into adults. . . . But when I look at them and see my little girls, when I say to myself, ‘Those are my children and they’re becoming adults and they’re going to have to deal with that outside world without me along to protect them,’ that’s when I get emotional. . . . This world is rough and they could get hurt.”

It is one thing to look adult. But to act adult and deal with adult pressures can be quite another thing. Are you really prepared to deal with attention from older teenage boys—or even older men—that might be aroused if makeup made you appear to be older than you really are?—Compare Genesis 34:1, 2.

Making the Best of the Situation

All things considered, you may still feel that you are ready to wear makeup, and perhaps you are. What should you do? One teenage girl confessed: “I just started wearing it. I put on a little eyeshadow, and Mom thought it looked good.” Wearing makeup without permission, however, is risky business! Warns Proverbs 13:10: “By presumptuousness one only causes a struggle.” As one girl admitted: “I knew my parents would get mad if I just all of a sudden came out with makeup on.” So, what can you do? That Bible verse continues: “But with those consulting together there is wisdom.”

Yes, choose a “right time” to talk matters over with your parents. (Proverbs 25:11) Calmly explain your feelings in this regard. Explain why this is important to you, and outline exactly what you have in mind. Assure them that you do not want to look faddish or far-out in your appearance and that you value their opinions and judgment. Perhaps they will change their minds or at least meet you halfway.

On the other hand, they may rightly conclude that you are simply not ready for makeup. But this is not the end of the world. Do what you can to make the most of your looks under the circumstances. For example, proper skin care can minimize complexion problems. “If your skin is broken out,” advises beauty consultant Jane Parks-McKay, “draw attention away from it by . . . dressing in something that makes you look terrific—anything to bring attention away from the negative.” Good posture, well-manicured nails, clean, shiny hair—all these things can help you look your best with or without makeup!

What, though, if your parents give you the go-ahead to wear makeup? A future article will discuss its proper use.

[Footnotes]

Some of the names have been changed.

[Picture on page 23]

“She’s wearing makeup. When can I?”

The Haida—A Unique People of the “Misty Isles”

By Awake! correspondent in Canada

SOME two hundred years ago, European explorers and traders were both delighted and surprised at their first encounters with the Haida people, the unique inhabitants of a newly discovered group of islands off the western coast of Canada.

These initial contacts were both dignified and friendly. Sleek, hand-hewed cedar canoes full of men and women, sometimes dressed in the finest sealskin robes, swarmed out to greet each trading ship. On one occasion, the occupants of a canoe began to sing, and in a friendly gesture, a man stood up to scatter feathers on the water. (Eagle down was symbolic of friendship and welcome.) On another occasion, a chieftain approached and sang solo a song of welcome, as two hundred voices on the shore joined in the choruses.

Haida Gwaii, or the homeland of the Haida, consists of a dagger-shaped archipelago of 150 islands, lying about 60 miles [100 km] west of Canada’s British Columbia coast. This group of misty islands is now named the Queen Charlotte Islands, often called the Queen Charlottes. The warm ocean current from Japan, the Japan Current, moderates the climate of the islands. However, despite the mild temperatures, the islands can be buffeted by strong winds and squalls.

Who Are the Haida?

Little is known about the origin of the Haida or about their arrival on the Queen Charlottes, as no written record of their history or culture has ever been kept. Like the mist-laden isles themselves, their past is shrouded in the mists of time. Some think that the Haida arrived from Asia by way of the Bering Strait, while others argue that they came by canoe on the Japan Current. However, all we have is a collection of oral traditions that intertwine fact and fiction. According to one tale, Haida people emerged from a large clamshell, opened by a raven, at Rose Point on the northeastern tip of Graham Island—the largest of the Queen Charlottes.

These numerous myths and legends throw little or no light on the origin of the Haida, but, interestingly, various stories do tell of a great flood that covered the highest peaks, and only by building a big log raft and loading it with supplies did anyone survive. One Haida elder from Skidegate testified: “Many of our people know this story of the Flood, for it is the truth. It really happened, a great many years ago.”

The Haida, confident, resourceful, and highly creative, had established a rich and complex social structure long before 1774, when the Europeans arrived. The nation was divided into two basic parts, the Eagle clan and the Raven clan, determined at birth through the mother’s line. In this matrilineal society, the children were always of the mother’s clan. Marriage mates were to be chosen only from the opposite clan, and the engagement was often arranged by the mother when her son or daughter was still very young.

…

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Awake!, May 22, 1990