Awake!, June 8, 1994

Awake! — June 8, 1994

Source: jw.org

Contents

Page Two

Is Reincarnation the Key to Life’s Mysteries?

Reincarnation Phenomena Explained

Does God’s Word Teach Reincarnation?

I Learned to Hate What I Had Loved

Krakatoa—A Catastrophe Revisited

How Can I Stop Liking Someone?

Does the Bible Discourage Freedom of Thought?

Crossword Puzzle

Do You Suffer With Back Pain?

Watching the World

From Our Readers

Attend a “Godly Fear” District Convention Near You!

Page Two

Have You Lived Before? Will You Live Again? 3-10

Has this person lived all these lives? Many say that this has happened through reincarnation. Is there any truth to the belief?

How Can I Stop Liking Someone? 17

Some Christian youths find themselves infatuated with someone who does not share their beliefs. If this is true of you, how can you break off the relationship?

Do You Suffer With Back Pain? 23

Men and women, young and old, suffer with back pain. How can it be alleviated? Can it be prevented?

Is Reincarnation the Key to Life’s Mysteries?

Have you lived before?

Will you live again in some form of life after you die?

These questions may bring to mind the doctrine of reincarnation.

The New Encyclopædia Britannica defines “reincarnation” in the following way: “A belief in the rebirth of the soul in one or more successive existences, which may be human, animal, or, in some instances, vegetable.”

Reincarnation plays an important part in Eastern religions, particularly those that originated in India, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Among Hindus in India, for example, life is considered to be a continual cycle of death and rebirth.

In more recent times, however, the idea of reincarnation has come to fascinate many living in the Western Hemisphere, including a number of young people. According to a columnist writing in Canada’s Sunday Star, the reason for much of this interest “is the result of the impact of Eastern religious ideas upon our Western society, which began in the 1960s.”

Another reason for the interest in reincarnation is that certain celebrities have raised their voices and seriously asserted that they have lived one or more former lives. Also, radio, TV, magazines, and other news media have shown an interest in reincarnation, as have various professional people such as doctors and teachers.

All of this has aroused much curiosity. Thus, according to some polls, about a fourth of the people in Canada and the United States have professed some acceptance of reincarnation.

Claims of Former-Life Experiences

Actress Shirley MacLaine claimed in an interview with Phyllis Battelle in Ladies’ Home Journal that she has made several “trips” back in the stream of time. “I remember many of my past lives—sometimes I was a male, other times a female,” she said.

In the book Coming Back, Dr. Raymond Moody described experiments he conducted among his students and others. He said that through hypnosis he took them back to the time before their birth, and they claimed they had memories from former lives. One person said that he had lived as an Eskimo in an Eskimo community. Another asserted that he had lived during a ‘stone age,’ thousands of years ago.

Dr. Moody himself claimed that he had lived nine former lives. These varied from a life in the treetops as some kind of “prehistoric version of man” to a life in the days of the Roman Empire, when, he said, he was attacked and killed by a lion in the arena.

The use of hypnosis to take inquisitive people back to a supposed time before their birth has also been described as beneficial for others. Doctors have used it in treating emotional disorders. It is claimed that mysterious phobias have been relieved by tracing the problem back to some event in a former life. How valid is this idea?

Near-Death Experiences Related

Near-death experiences related by some people have served to popularize the idea of reincarnation. In the book Life After Life, Dr. Moody reports his findings about near-death experiences from some 50 people.

While their experiences have varied, Moody thinks that they form a pattern. These people had the feeling of journeying through a long, dark tunnel. They felt as if they were separated from their bodies, floating freely. They sensed that they were zooming up the tunnel toward a very bright light, and at the end of the tunnel, they saw long-dead family members. Finally, they awakened in their own bodies. However, not all have experienced each of these stages.

It is claimed that such experiences have had a positive effect on those who had them. If so, it should have helped them to lose their fear of death and should have given them the confidence that there is meaning to life. But that has not always been the case. Many continue to fear death and lack confidence in there being real meaning to life.

Those who believe in reincarnation say that they find in such experiences support for the idea that the human soul is reborn in different forms of life. But can any credibility be given to this doctrine? Does reincarnation really provide the key to life’s mysteries? Can we find any answer at all to the questions, Have you lived before? Will you live again? Do humans possess a soul that leaves the body at death? These questions will be discussed in the following articles.

[Blurb on page 4]

Reincarnation is fundamental to Eastern religions

[Picture on page 4]

Hindu wheel of life

Reincarnation Phenomena Explained

ONE of the objections to the theory of reincarnation is that the vast majority of people on earth have no recollection at all of having lived before. Furthermore, they do not even think that they could have lived earlier lives.

It is true that we sometimes have a strange feeling of recognizing a person that we meet for the first time. A certain house, town, or scenic area may seem familiar to us, although we know that it is the first time we have been there. However, these things can be explained without having to resort to the theory of reincarnation.

For example, certain places in widely separated areas may be somewhat alike, so that when we visit a new place, we may feel that we have been there before, though we have not. Many houses, offices, shops, towns, and scenic areas in some parts of the world bear a similarity to their counterparts in other places. That they seem similar to what we have seen before is not proof that we have been in those places in a previous life. They just resemble places we are familiar with.

This is also true regarding people. Some are quite similar to others in appearance, even having what has been called a double. A person may have mannerisms that remind us of someone else still living or even of one who has died. But we have known those people in this present life, not in some former existence. Similarity in looks or personality does not mean that these people were known to us in a previous life. No doubt all of us have at times mistaken one person for another. But both of those individuals have been alive at the same time as you and not in some former life. It has nothing to do with reincarnation.

The Influence of Hypnosis

Even experiences under the influence of hypnosis can be explained without having to resort to the theory of reincarnation. Our subconscious mind constitutes a storehouse of information much more comprehensive than we may imagine. Information reaches this storehouse via books, magazines, TV, radio, and through other experiences and observations.

Much of this information is stored away in some hidden corner of our subconscious mind because we have no direct or immediate use for it. Our subconscious mind is somewhat like library books for which there is little present demand and that have therefore been put away on a secluded shelf.

However, under hypnosis, the subject’s consciousness is changed so that forgotten memories can surface. Some people interpret these as being of a former life, but they are nothing more than present-life experiences that we had temporarily forgotten.

There are, though, a few cases that may be more difficult to explain in a natural way. An example is when a person starts to speak another “language” under the influence of hypnosis. Sometimes the language is comprehensible, but often it is not. Those who believe in reincarnation may say that this is a language the person spoke in an earlier life.

Yet, it is well-known that speaking in so-called tongues also occurs when people are in a state of mystic or religious ecstasy. Those having such experiences are convinced that it has nothing to do with a former life but that they are being influenced by some unseen power in the present life.

Opinions vary as to what power this is. In a joint declaration by the Fountain Trust and the Church of England Evangelical Council, it was stated with regard to speaking in tongues: “We are also aware that a similar phenomenon can occur under occult/demonic influence.” So to assume that such phenomena are proof that we have lived a former life would be jumping to a false conclusion.

Near-Death Experiences

What, then, of the near-death experiences that people say they have had? These have been interpreted by some as proof that a person has a soul that lives on after the death of the body. But such experiences are far better explained in several natural ways.

In the March 1991 issue of the French scientific magazine Science & Vie, the different stages of near-death experiences are called “a universal prototype of hallucination” that has long been known. Similar experiences have not been restricted to those in near-death situations. They can also occur in connection with “fatigue, fever, epileptic attacks, drug abuse.”

A neurosurgery pioneer, Wilder Penfield, who operated on epileptics who were under local anesthesia, made an interesting discovery. He found that by stimulating different parts of the brain with an electrode, he could cause the patient to have the feeling of being outside his own body, traveling through a tunnel, and meeting dead relatives.

An interesting detail in this respect is that children who have had near-death experiences meet, not their dead relatives, but schoolmates or teachers—those who are still alive. This indicates that such experiences have a certain cultural connection. What is experienced is connected with the present life, not with something beyond death.

Dr. Richard Blacher writes in the magazine The Journal of the American Medical Association: “Dying, or suffering a perilous physical situation, is a process; death is a state.” As an example, Blacher speaks of a person who for the first time is flying from the United States to Europe. “The plane flight is not [being in] Europe,” he writes. The tourist who departs for Europe, but whose plane turns around and returns some minutes after the start, can’t tell people more about Europe than anyone returning from a coma can tell anyone about death.

Those who have been near death have, in other words, never actually been dead. They experienced something while they were still alive. And a person is still alive even seconds before his death. They were near death but not yet dead.

Even those whose heart has briefly stopped and who have then been revived cannot really remember anything from those moments of unconsciousness when they could have been termed “dead.” What they remember, if anything, would be what happened at the time approaching that brief interruption, not during it.

The published near-death experiences are almost always depicted as being positive, although it is known that negative experiences also occur. The French psychoanalyst Catherine Lemaire explains it in this way: “Those who haven’t experienced a [near death] fitting the pattern imposed by IANDS [International Association for Near-Death Studies] have no interest in telling their story.”

No Memory

The fact is that we have no experience of life other than that which we now live, neither a former life nor a life beyond death. Hence, we have no legitimate memories of anything but the life we have actually lived.

Those who believe in reincarnation say that the very meaning of being reborn is to get a new chance to better our situation. If we really had lived earlier lives, yet had forgotten them, such a loss of memory would constitute a great handicap. It is by remembering our mistakes that we can profit from them.

Also, those who uphold so-called reincarnation therapy feel that you can better cope with present problems if, by means of hypnosis, you can remember earlier lives. The theory says that we are born again in order to better something, yet we have forgotten what that something is.

A loss of memory in the present life is considered a handicap. It must be the same in this case. Objecting by saying that such forgetfulness does not matter, since only good people are reborn as humans, is not a sound argument in this day and age when wickedness dominates the world scene more than ever. If only good people are reborn as humans, where did all the wicked people come from? Should not there be fewer and fewer wicked people? The truth is: Nobody, good or wicked, is ever reincarnated to begin another life as a human or anything else for that matter.

However, you may say, ‘Is not reincarnation a Bible teaching?’ Let us consider this question in the next article.

[Blurb on page 6]

Our subconscious mind is like a library of information that has been put away but may be recalled later

[Blurb on page 7]

“Death is a state,” not a process.—Dr. Richard Blacher in The Journal of the American Medical Association

Does God’s Word Teach Reincarnation?

ANYONE examining the Bible in hopes of finding support for the doctrine of reincarnation is bound to be disappointed. Nowhere will you find that humans have lived former lives. Furthermore, you will not find such expressions as “reincarnation” or “transmigration of the soul” or “immortal soul” in the Bible.

However, some who believe in reincarnation try to explain this lack of Biblical support by saying that the idea of reincarnation was so common in ancient times that any explanation would have been superfluous. True, the doctrine of reincarnation is very old, but regardless of how old it is or how common it was or was not, the question still remains, Does the Bible teach it?

At 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, the apostle Paul wrote: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.” Yes, the Bible is God’s inspired Word, his communication to the human family. And as Paul wrote, it enables the honest inquirer to be “fully competent, completely equipped” to answer all the important questions about life, including questions about the past, present, and future.

Paul also stated: “When you received God’s word, which you heard from us, you accepted it, not as the word of men, but, just as it truthfully is, as the word of God.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13) Since the Bible contains God’s thoughts, not those of imperfect man, it should not surprise us to find that the Bible frequently differs from man’s thoughts even if these have been popular throughout the years. But you may say, ‘Does not the Bible, in certain places, at least suggest reincarnation?’

Texts Wrongly Understood

Those who believe in reincarnation say that the Bible touches on the subject at Matthew 17:11-13, where Jesus connects John the Baptizer with the ancient prophet Elijah. This text reads: “‘Elijah, indeed, is coming and will restore all things. However, I say to you that Elijah has already come . . .’ Then the disciples perceived that he spoke to them about John the Baptist.”

In saying this, did Jesus mean that John the Baptizer was a reincarnation of the prophet Elijah? John himself knew that he was not. On one occasion when he was asked, “Are you Elijah?” John clearly answered: “I am not.” (John 1:21) It had, however, been foretold that John would precede the Messiah “with Elijah’s spirit and power.” (Luke 1:17; Malachi 4:5, 6) In other words, John the Baptizer was “Elijah” in the sense that he carried out a work comparable to that of Elijah.

At John 9:1, 2, we read: “Now as he [Jesus] was passing along he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him: ‛Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, so that he was born blind?’” Some who believe in reincarnation suggest that since this man was born blind, his sin must have occurred in a former life.

But whatever it was that gave rise to the disciples’ question, the answer Jesus gave must be the deciding factor. He declared: “Neither this man sinned nor his parents.” (John 9:3) This contradicts reincarnation, which implies that disabilities depend on sins from a former life. The point that nobody can sin before being born was also made by Paul when he wrote about Esau and Jacob that “they had not yet been born nor had practiced anything good or vile.”—Romans 9:11.

Resurrection, Not Reincarnation

Although the Bible does not support the reincarnation doctrine, nobody needs to feel disappointed. The Bible’s message offers something far more comforting than the idea of being reborn in a world filled with sickness, sorrow, pain, and death. And not only is what the Bible offers comforting but it is the truth, God’s own Word.

Paul expressed the encouraging doctrine in this way: “I have hope toward God . . . that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” The word “resurrection,” or some form of it, occurs over 50 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, and Paul speaks of it as a primary doctrine of the Christian faith.—Acts 24:15; Hebrews 6:1, 2.

Resurrection from the dead means, obviously, that death exists. Nowhere in the Bible will you find any hint that man has an immortal soul. If man had an immortal soul that separated from the body at death and went to an everlasting destiny in heaven or in hell or was reincarnated, then there would be no need for a resurrection. On the other hand, some one hundred Bible texts show that the human soul is, not immortal, but mortal and destructible. The Bible consistently speaks of death as being the opposite of life, that is, nonexistence as contrasted with existence.

Death, or nonexistence, was the punishment for Adam and Eve’s sin against God. It was a punishment, not an entryway to an immortal life somewhere else. God clearly declared that they would go back to where they came from—the dust of the ground: “Out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19) They had no immortal soul before they were created by God and put on earth, in the garden of Eden, and they had none after they died.

Resurrection from death is likened to awakening from sleep, or rest. For example, Jesus said of Lazarus whom he was going to resurrect: “Lazarus . . . has gone to rest, but I am journeying there to awaken him from sleep.” (John 11:11) Concerning the prophet Daniel, we read: “You will rest, but you will stand up for your lot at the end of the days.”—Daniel 12:13.

Eternal Life on Earth

What will be the lot of those who are resurrected from death? The Bible speaks of two kinds of resurrections—a heavenly one and an earthly one. The earthly resurrection is going to be the lot of the vast majority of those who have ever lived and died. Very few have a heavenly resurrection, to reign with Christ in the heavenly Kingdom of God. (Revelation 14:1-3; 20:4) When will the earthly resurrection begin? It will begin after this present wicked system is destroyed by God and “a new earth,” a righteous new human society, has become a reality.—2 Peter 3:13; Proverbs 2:21, 22; Daniel 2:44.

In the “new earth,” there will be no more sickness or suffering. Even death will no longer exist but will be replaced by the prospect of eternal life. “[God] 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.” (Revelation 21:4) Also, the psalmist foretold: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.” (Psalm 37:29) Similarly, Jesus stated: “Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.”—Matthew 5:5.

Compare those grand promises of God with the doctrine of reincarnation. According to that idea, it is assumed that you return time after time to live in this same corrupt old system of things. That would mean you would continue to be surrounded by wickedness, suffering, sickness, and dying in an almost endless cycle. What a hopeless outlook that is!

Thus, the Bible answers the questions, Have you lived before? and, Will you live again? in this way: No, you have not lived any life other than the present one. But it is possible for you to make your life a lasting one, indeed, an eternal one. Today, in these “last days” of this present system, you can have the hope of surviving this world’s end and gaining entry into God’s new world without dying. (2 Timothy 3:1-5; Revelation 7:9-15) Or if you die before God’s new world arrives, you can have the hope of being resurrected to eternal life on a paradise earth.—Luke 23:43.

If you exercise faith in Jesus, no matter what may happen, Jesus’ words to Martha when her brother Lazarus died apply also to you: “I am the resurrection and the life. He that exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life; and everyone that is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all.”—John 11:25, 26.

[Blurb on page 8]

Adam did not have an immortal soul but returned to the dust when he died

[Picture on page 9]

God’s Word teaches resurrection, not reincarnation

I Learned to Hate What I Had Loved

Fighting was my life. I enjoyed being able to punch my opponent with all my strength and see him fall at my feet. It thrilled me to stand in the middle of the boxing ring and hear the announcer shout my name as the winner of the bout. I loved boxing! Yet, now the very thought of violence upsets me. I have learned to hate what I now call the criminal sport of boxing.

IN 1944, when I was seven, I was living in Lares, Puerto Rico, where I was born. It was then that I received the terrible shock of losing my mother in death. She died of cancer at the age of 32. The pain became unbearable when a short while later, I came home from school and saw a woman sitting on my father’s lap. She became my stepmother.

Sensing my disapproval, my stepmother treated me harshly. So I ran away from home. I sneaked into a truck loaded with coal and oranges and fell asleep. What a surprise when I woke up and found myself in the city of San Juan, on the other side of the island!

The Street Fighter

For eight months I lived on the streets of San Juan. Other kids would constantly harass me. I concluded that I had to fight in order to survive. After eight months the police found me and sent me home. I never adjusted to the idea of having a stepmother and spent most of my time on the streets. Just about every day, I would get involved in a fight. When I turned ten years old, I ran away again.

After a few weeks, the police picked me up again. This time I refused to tell them my name and where I was from. After failing to locate my family, they sent me to a government-run orphanage in the city of Guaynabo. There I donned my first pair of boxing gloves. It was there also that for the first time in my life, I saw the name Jehovah on a sign. I asked about it, and I was told that Jehovah was the God of the Jews. I never forgot that name.

After I turned 15, I walked out of the orphanage, never to return. To support myself I began to sell newspapers. However, every street was on somebody else’s route. There was only one way to establish my own route: fighting! And fight I did.

Two years later I joined the U.S. Army and received basic training in Arkansas, U.S.A. Soon I became a member of a boxing team. Then I was transferred to the Special Services unit. My duties were in the gymnasium, and my sergeant was a boxing trainer.

A Cruel Sport

I received training on how to use my fists to harm my opponents. I was trained to ignore friendships in the ring. At the sound of a bell, a friend became an enemy to be knocked down and preferably knocked out.

I wanted to remain in the army, but my sergeant told me: “Retire from the army as soon as you can. Become a professional boxer, and in a few years, I will see you on television fighting in Madison Square Garden in New York City.” This was hard to believe! Me—the poor and homeless boy—become a famous boxer?

After two years I left the army and moved back to Puerto Rico. One day in 1956, I saw an advertisement for an amateur boxing tournament, the Golden Gloves. I entered the tournament and became the Golden Gloves welterweight champion of Puerto Rico. Then I was flown to New York City to compete in the Golden Gloves national tournament. I fought my way into the semifinals, but I was not able to win the championship. Nevertheless, soon there were offers from prospective managers and trainers. So I accepted an offer to stay in New York City and train to become a professional.

In 1958, I became a professional boxer. And my sergeant was right. In 1961, five years after leaving the army, I appeared on national television, boxing in Madison Square Garden. Many of my fights were held in that famous sports arena.

My punches ended the careers of several boxers. One boxer from Mexico completely lost his sight as a result of my brutal punches. Another fight that also became a heavy burden on my conscience was with the middleweight champion of the Dominican Republic. Before the fight he made a big issue over the fact that I was one pound [0.5 kg] heavier than he was. His attitude enraged me. Never had I objected when an opponent held such an insignificant weight advantage over me. I told him: “Well, get ready because tonight I’m going to kill you!” When I went into the ring, one newspaper noted that I had “a satanic appearance.” In less than two minutes, the man lay unconscious on the canvas. His inner ear was so severely damaged that he never fought again.

How I Learned to Hate Boxing

My popularity attracted the attention and friendship of actors and musicians. Once I even had the former world heavyweight champion Joe Louis promoting one of my fights. I did a lot of traveling, had nice cars, and enjoyed other material things. However, as with most boxers, my success was short-lived. In 1963, I was badly hurt in several fights and could not fight again.

About this time I read in a newspaper article that a famous boxer had become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. For some reason, after reading the article, I was left with the impression that the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses was only for rich people.

Over the next few years, I experienced a number of medical problems. I also suffered periods of severe depression. During one such bout, I placed a gun to my heart and shot myself. The bullet was diverted by a rib, sparing my life. I was alive, but I was very unhappy and very sick. No more money, no more fame, no more boxing!

Then, one day my wife, Doris, told me that she was studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses and that she wanted to attend meetings at the Kingdom Hall. “I don’t know, Doris,” I said. “We are poor people, and Jehovah’s Witnesses are rich and important people.” She told me that this was not true and that the Witness who was studying with her lived in our own neighborhood. So I agreed with her decision to attend meetings. On one occasion while I waited for her outside the Kingdom Hall, a Witness invited me to come in. I was wearing dirty work clothes, but he insisted. I was welcomed in spite of my appearance. The friendly atmosphere made a deep impression on me.

Soon I began studying the Bible with the Witnesses. I learned that Jehovah is not simply the God of the Jews, as I had been told, but that he is the only true God, the Almighty, the Creator of all things. I also learned that Jehovah God hates violence. At Psalm 11:5 the Bible says: “Jehovah himself examines the righteous one as well as the wicked one, and anyone loving violence His soul certainly hates.” So I broke away from everything connected with boxing. I knew firsthand how violent a sport it was. After learning how God views it, there was no doubt in my mind that boxing was a wicked, criminal sport. Yes, I learned to hate the sport I had loved.

The Greatest Privilege

In 1970, I made the decision to dedicate my life to Jehovah. Doris and I got baptized in October of that year. Since then I have enjoyed the privilege of preaching to others. As a full-time evangelizer, I have had a share in helping some 40 persons to become Jehovah’s worshipers.

Regrettably, I am now suffering because of the injuries that I sustained during my violent years. I received hundreds of punches to my head, causing permanent damage to my brain. I have problems with my short-term memory and with my inner ear, affecting my balance. If I move my head too fast, I can get dizzy. Also, I have to take medication regularly for my problems with depression. My fellow Christians understand, though, and help me to cope. I am so thankful to Jehovah for giving me the strength to share regularly in declaring his name and purposes to others.

I enjoy the greatest of all privileges—that is, to have a personal relationship with Almighty God, Jehovah. When I was a boxer, I saddened Jehovah’s heart with every fight. Now I can make his heart rejoice. I feel as if he were talking to me personally when he says: “Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me.”—Proverbs 27:11.

Soon Jehovah will put an end to Satan’s works, including all violence and those who promote it. How grateful I am to Jehovah for teaching me not only to love what is good but also to hate what is bad! That includes hating the criminal sport of boxing. (Psalm 97:10)—As told by Obdulio Nuñez.

[Picture on page 13]

Obdulio Nuñez

Krakatoa—A Catastrophe Revisited

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN INDONESIA

CARITA BEACH seems such a peaceful place. Nothing about it suggests a troubled past. To all appearances it is a placid resort in Java, about a hundred miles [150 km] west of the city of Djakarta and located in the Sunda Strait, which separates the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. The crowds and traffic jams of Djakarta seem very far away, and the atmosphere feels calm and restful. Native houses stand confidently right near the water’s edge.

But that name—Carita Beach—is a subtle clue to a turbulent history. “Carita” is an Indonesian word meaning “story,” and this place, like so many others in the area, is a virtual repository of tragic stories—all stemming from a single cataclysm that tore through this region and made itself felt around the world.

Looking out across the calm, blue waters of the Sunda Strait from Carita Beach, one can see a group of small islands. From one of them—Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatoa)—smoke still rises. The ominous-sounding name is reminiscent of its angry “father,” Mount Krakatoa, most of which disappeared beneath the waters of the Sunda Strait after erupting in the greatest explosion of all modern history on August 27, 1883.

A group of 17 of us set out from Carita Beach to visit the island group. We hired a boat to make the 25-mile [40 km] journey across the strait. As the Java coast receded into the mist, I thought back on Krakatoa’s violent past.

Krakatoa’s Violent History

Today, Krakatoa refers to a group of four islands: Rakata, Panjang, and Sertung, with young Anak Krakatau in the middle. Rakata was long the center of volcanic activity. It grew immensely centuries ago when two more volcanic cones pushed up from the sea nearby and gradually merged with Rakata to form ferocious Mount Krakatoa. Fortunately, it seems that all this activity kept the island uninhabited.

Although there are some reports of a moderate eruption in 1680 that destroyed all vegetation, by 1883, Krakatoa was again covered with lush tropical vegetation. But the island rumbled to life on May 20, 1883, with explosions and ejections of pumice, ash, and clouds of steam. This uproar continued through June and July. By mid-August, all three main craters were throwing up great columns of vapor, dust, pumice, and ash. Ships passing through the strait had to plow through great rafts of pumice, while ash showered down on their decks.

As we navigated through these same waters, the only thing raining down on our deck was the occasional flying fish that couldn’t quite leap all the way over the boat. It was hard to imagine a time when so much gloom and destruction hung over these calm waters. But the cataclysm had barely begun.

The end approached on August 26, as explosion after explosion merged into a continuous roar. Finally, on August 27, four major detonations—at 5:30, 6:44, 10:02, and 10:52 a.m.—rocked the volcano. The climactic third blast was greater by far than the one at Hiroshima and any subsequent atomic explosions. In fact, some say it had the power of 100,000 hydrogen bombs. It was heard in Australia, Myanmar, and Rodrigues, an island 3,000 miles [5,000 km] away in the Indian Ocean. The pressure waves in the atmosphere circled the earth seven and a half times before fading away. As far away as the English Channel, boats were rocked by the fading seismic waves.

An ash cloud rose to an estimated height of 50 miles [80 km] and mushroomed out. Darkness blanketed the entire region for two and a half days. The New York Times on August 30, 1883, quoting Lloyd’s of London, warned all ships to avoid the Sunda Strait. It was dangerous for navigation because all lighthouses had “disappeared.” The volcano’s dust reached high into the atmosphere, where air currents spread it around the planet within weeks. One result was a year or two of brilliant sunrises, sunsets, sun halos, and other atmospheric phenomena.

The Devastation to Life

The explosion caused huge seismic waves, called tsunamis, reaching a height of 50 feet [15 m] in the open sea. As one wave swept up the narrowing bay into the Javanese town of Merak, the onrushing wall of water is believed to have pushed up to a height of 135 feet [40 m]. It crashed down on the town, completely destroying it. Several other towns along the Java and Sumatra coasts suffered similar fates. Almost 37,000 people were drowned by tsunamis that day. One warship was found stranded two miles [3 km] inland!

What, exactly, had happened? The fearsome Krakatoa had spewed out nearly five cubic miles [20 cu km] of debris, draining its huge underground chamber of magma. The empty chamber collapsed, thereby plunging two-thirds of the island into the sea. Land that had towered 1,000 feet [300 m] above sea level sank to 1,000 feet [300 m] below sea level. Only half of the tallest cone, Rakata, remained.

What was left of Rakata, along with the islands of Panjang and Sertung, was covered with a hundred feet [30 m] of hot, sterile ash. All life was believed to have been destroyed. When a survey was made nine months later, only one tiny spider was found spinning a web. In the years that followed, Krakatoa became something of a research laboratory as scientists documented the return of life to the three islands. The nearest land from which life could come was 25 miles [40 km] away.

A little more than 60 years ago, a new volcanic cone pushed up out of the sea in the middle of the three islands. This Child of Krakatoa (Anak Krakatau) continued to erupt and grow as the years went by. Today it is about 650 feet [200 m] high, 1.2 miles [2 km] wide—and very active! It was this tantrum-prone child that we visited first.

A Visit to Krakatoa’s Child and Neighbors

We pulled in close to the shore of Anak Krakatau, and with some difficulty we clambered off the boat onto the brilliant black sand of the beach. The eastern tip of the island was well forested with casuarina trees, some with trunks up to 24 inches [60 cm] in diameter. There was a surprising variety of other plants and flowers. Many species of birds flitted through the trees, and bats hung upside down in a fig tree. Lizards scuttled through the undergrowth. The forested part of the island was alive with insects and butterflies.

However, Anak Krakatau’s rebirth has been hindered by numerous eruptions over the years; plant life still covers only about 5 percent of the island. As we trudged our way through the deep black ash toward the volcano’s summit, we saw that already a variety of plants were starting to colonize these barren slopes, creeping ever upward until the next eruption forces a retreat.

Steam seeped from cracks in the volcano’s side. Looking down into the inferno from the crater’s edge, we could see firsthand the turbulence of this fiery child. It was not hard to imagine the vast tectonic plates slowly grinding together far beneath the Sunda Strait, making this the most active volcanic region in the world.

Reforestation has made steadier progress on the nearby islands of Sertung, Rakata, and Panjang, which surround Anak Krakatau. They have been free of eruptions themselves since the unforgettable blast of 1883. In little more than a century, they have healed and regenerated, transformed again into peaceful islands luxuriant with tropical growth. In fact, within just 20 to 40 years after the eruption, these islands were already reforested and colonized by a variety of birds, lizards, snakes, bats, and insects. Since then, the resurgence of life has continued apace.

Did some forms of life survive Krakatoa’s terrible heat and falling ash? Many botanists and zoologists believe not, though some question this conclusion. Generally they presume that seed-carrying birds and drifting debris from flooded rivers in Sumatra and Java have borne the returning tide of living things.

As our boat headed out of the calm blue waters within the circle of islands for our return journey to Java, I could not help reflecting on our planet’s remarkable ability to heal. When left alone, the earth can rehabilitate itself. I found that to be a comforting thought, especially in view of the fact that mankind is wreaking a catastrophe of global proportions on this planet right now. Today, man is gradually doing damage that dwarfs even the Gargantuan upheaval of Krakatoa. But when he stops—and stop he will—the earth will heal. As we plowed through the azure waves of the Sunda Strait, I looked back at the green islands, alive again after the demise of Krakatoa. Yes, the earth can heal. How wonderful it will be to see that happen on a global scale!—Isaiah 35:1-7; Revelation 11:18.

[Picture on page 15]

Anak Krakatau in the distance

How Can I Stop Liking Someone?

Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Stop Liking Someone?

“I AM 20 years old and a baptized Witness of Jehovah. But I began dating a 28-year-old [unbeliever]. I loved him, and I believed that he loved me. My parents didn’t know about it, for I knew they would not approve. When they did find out, they were hurt and shocked. They could not understand how I could be emotionally involved with a worldly man.”

So wrote one Christian young woman we will call Monique.a Sad to say, a number of young people have found themselves in similar predicaments—infatuated with or romantically attached to an unbeliever, someone who does not share their Christian beliefs and moral standards. The preceding article in this series (Awake! of May 22, 1994) showed that such a relationship is not only displeasing to God but also a serious threat to one’s happiness and well-being. Young Ruth came to realize this fact. “I became quite close to a guy who was not a believer,” she confesses. “I realized, though, that if I was to have any kind of relationship with Jehovah, I had to cut off the relationship with him.”

If you are a Christian, you can probably quote the Bible’s words at James 4:4: “Do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.” But if you are emotionally involved with an unbeliever, these words may not be so easy to apply. Indeed, the idea of breaking off the relationship may overwhelm you. You may feel virtually torn apart inside. ‘How can I stop liking—or loving—someone?’ you may ask.

The apostle Paul once said: “I really delight in the law of God according to the man I am within, but I behold in my members another law warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to sin’s law that is in my members. Miserable man that I am!” (Romans 7:22-24) Like Paul, you may be experiencing a struggle with your feelings. Yet, a number of Christian youths have won this battle and have been, as it were, ‘snatched out of the fire.’ (Compare Jude 23.) How? By ending destructive relationships before irreparable damage was done.

Getting Help

Mark, for example, developed what he calls “a serious crush” on an unbeliever when he was only 14 years old. Rather than seek help, he tried to keep his feelings secret. But his feelings for the girl only grew stronger. Soon he was making secret telephone calls to her. When she started calling back, it was just a matter of time before his parents figured out what was going on.

Don’t make the same mistake of trying to solve the problem on your own. Proverbs 28:26 says: “He that is trusting in his own heart is stupid, but he that is walking in wisdom is the one that will escape.” Really, would you be in this situation in the first place if your judgment wasn’t somewhat impaired? At times our emotions overcome reason, and we need the help of someone more clearheaded and objective. Your parents are probably in the best position to help you, especially if they are God-fearing. Likely, they know you better than anyone else does. They were young once and can be helped to understand what you’re going through. At Proverbs 23:26, the Bible writer Solomon exhorts: “My son, do give your heart to me, and may those eyes of yours take pleasure in my own ways.” Why not give your heart to your parents, and let them know you need help?

Young Jim did that very thing. He was in the throes of a strong infatuation with a girl at school. He says: “I finally asked my parents for help. This was a key to my overcoming these feelings. They helped me a lot.” Having experienced his parents’ loving support, Jim gives this advice: “I think other young Christians should not hesitate to talk to their parents. Communicate with them. They will understand you.”

In a similar situation, a youth named Andrew availed himself of yet another avenue of help. Regarding his attendance at a local circuit assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses, he says: “One of the talks hit me. The circuit overseer gave strong counsel against developing relationships with members of the opposite sex who are not Christians. I knew I had to correct my thinking right away.” So what did he do? First he talked to his mother, a single parent, and benefited from her advice. Then he also approached an elder in the local congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who was able to render follow-up assistance. Congregation elders can be “like a hiding place from the wind and a place of concealment from the rainstorm” for distressed ones. (Isaiah 32:2) Why not approach one of them, and let him know what is troubling you?

Making a Clean Break

When Mark’s parents discovered his secret relationship, they reacted immediately. “They were very direct in telling me to stop this relationship,” says Mark. “My initial reaction was rebellious. We exchanged words loudly, and I shut myself in my room. But soon reality set in, and I realized the girl and I had different goals. It was not going to work.” Yes, meditating on the realities of the situation can help cool off your feelings. Ask yourself: ‘Does this person share my goals, my convictions, my moral standards? Were we to marry, would this person support my efforts to worship God? Does this person share my enthusiasm for spiritual things? Really, what harmony could there be in such a relationship?’—Compare 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

Making a clean break will not be easy, though. Monique, mentioned at the outset, admits: “I tried on two occasions to break off the relationship but unsuccessfully. I didn’t want to let him go completely. I tried witnessing to him, hoping he would accept Jehovah. He even came to a Sunday meeting once. But he had no real interest in Jehovah. I realized that the proper course was to let him go completely.”

This reminds us of Jesus’ words at Matthew 5:30. There he spoke about things that could hinder one’s entrance into God’s Kingdom—things that might be as dear as a right hand. Even so, Jesus advised: “Cut it off and throw it away from you. For it is more beneficial to you for one of your members to be lost than for your whole body to land in Gehenna [a symbol of eternal destruction].” In harmony with this principle, courageously approach the person with whom you are involved and “speak truth.” (Ephesians 4:25) In a public setting—not alone or in a romantic situation—let him or her know in no uncertain terms that the relationship is over. Young Sheila recalls: “What worked for me was taking definite action. No more lunches together. No more seeing each other during study periods. I made my position clear to him.” A Christian girl named Pam was equally blunt: “I finally told him to leave me alone, and I just ignored him.”

Getting Over the Pain

In the aftermath of such a breakup, you may feel like the psalmist who said: “I have become disconcerted, I have bowed low to an extreme degree; all day long I have walked about sad.” (Psalm 38:6) Some period of grieving is only natural. The Bible acknowledges that there is “a time to weep.” (Ecclesiastes 3:4) But you need not grieve forever. The pain will diminish in time. “Yes,” admits Mark, “I did go through a grief period. My parents sensed this and increased my associations with other Christian youths. This was very helpful.” Andrew, who similarly felt depressed after his breakup, says: “The elders helped. I also got more involved in the preaching work and got close to some Christian brothers with whom I had a good rapport.” Yes, get busy in spiritual works. (1 Corinthians 15:58) Some physical activity or exercise may also help. Avoid solitude. (Proverbs 18:1) Keep your mind on things that are cheerful and upbuilding.—Philippians 4:8.

Remember, too, that Jehovah will be pleased with your courageous stand. Feel free to go to him in prayer for help and support. (Psalm 55:22; 65:2) “I engaged in a lot of prayer,” recalls young Sheila. No, it is not easy to end a harmful relationship. Admits Sheila: “Even though it’s over, I sometimes think about him and wonder what he is doing. But you stick to your resolve, knowing you are pleasing Jehovah.”

[Footnotes]

The names have been changed.

[Picture on page 18]

Let the person know in no uncertain terms that the relationship is over

Does the Bible Discourage Freedom of Thought?

The Bible’s Viewpoint

Does the Bible Discourage Freedom of Thought?

THE flames leap heavenward as the bonfire devours precious books fed to it by German officials. A scene from Nazi Germany? Yes, but it could also be a scene from the year 1199, when a Roman Catholic archbishop ordered all German-language Bibles burned.

Actually, incidents of book burning—a universal symbol of the suppression of freedom of thought and speech—have occurred in many countries and in many centuries. Often, it has been instigated by religious leaders who feared the effect that freedom of thought would have on the common man.

No wonder that many today assume that the Bible mandates rigid restrictions against open intellectual inquiry. But does it really? Does the Bible encourage restraints on freedom of thought?

‘Love Jehovah With Your Whole Mind’

The Bible does not discourage the use of the mind. In fact, Jesus encouraged each of us to ‘love Jehovah with our whole mind.’ (Mark 12:30) His ministry shows that he had a keen interest in current events (Luke 13:1-5), biology (Matthew 6:26, 28; Mark 7:18, 19), agriculture (Matthew 13:31, 32), and human nature (Matthew 5:28; 6:22-24). His illustrations indicate that he clearly understood the principles in God’s Word and the background and thinking of his listeners and that he thought carefully about how to bring the two together.

Paul entreated all Christians to render their service to God with their “power of reason.” (Romans 12:1) He encouraged the Thessalonians not to let misleading ‘inspired expressions shake them from their reason.’ (2 Thessalonians 2:2) He had some knowledge of Greek and Cretan poetry (Acts 17:28; Titus 1:12) and military equipment and procedures (Ephesians 6:14-17; 2 Corinthians. 2:14-16). And he was observant of local customs.—Acts 17:22, 23.

Although Jesus and Paul enjoyed so much freedom of thought, they did not view themselves as the sole authority on right and wrong. Rather than reject the Bible in favor of his own reasoning, Jesus repeatedly quoted from the Scriptures. His swift and severe reply when Peter urged him to consider a course different from the sacrificial death that was God’s will for him shows that he would not even contemplate that line of thinking. (Matthew 16:22, 23) Similarly, Paul told the Corinthians: “When I came to you, it was not with any show of oratory or philosophy, but simply to tell you what God had guaranteed.” (1 Corinthians 2:1, The Jerusalem Bible) Like Jesus, his reasoning was based solidly on the Scriptures.—Acts 17:2

The Bible encourages the use of one’s mental faculties to the full but not without all restraint. However, the burden of responsibility for keeping our thinking in harmony with that of Jehovah is placed on the individual Christian, not the congregation. Thus, when a number of Ephesians publicly renounced their practice of spiritism and became Christians, Paul did not take it upon himself to burn their books, but “a number of them who had practised magic collected their books and made a bonfire of them in public.” (Acts 19:19, JB) Why did these Christians feel it necessary to burn their own books?

The First Line of Defense

Consider this illustration. A successful military defense often involves several lines of defensive bulwarks. No successful general would feel that any one of these is unimportant and should be given up without a fight. In a Christian’s fight against sin, there are several lines of defense as well.

James 1:14, 15 states that “each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire. Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to sin.” The first step toward sin is the cultivation of a wrong desire in the mind. Thus, the first line of defense is to refrain from cultivating the desire—to control one’s thinking.

It is because of this link between thoughts and actions that the Bible warns us: “Keep your minds fixed on the things above, not on the things upon the earth.” (Colossians 3:2) When Christians refuse to dwell mentally on immorality, spiritism, or apostasy, they make this decision, not because they fear that these ideas might prove superior to Bible truths, but because they wish to avoid anything that could draw them into a sinful course.

‘All Things Are Openly Exposed’

Another important reason why we should control our thinking is our love for Jehovah and a respect for his ability to know our thoughts. Imagine that you had a cherished friend or a close relative who was particularly sensitive to dirt or dust. Would you stop inviting your friend into your home, unwilling to do the extra cleaning that your house would require? Would love not move you to make the needed extra effort to keep things clean? Jehovah’s sensitivity to our innermost thoughts is shown at Psalm 44:21: “He is aware of the secrets of the heart.” Paul said we are accountable for those thoughts: “There is not a creation that is not manifest to his sight, but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of him with whom we have an accounting.”—Hebrews 4:13; Psalm 10:4; Proverbs 6:16, 18.

Job acknowledged man’s responsibility to God for his thoughts. “Job . . . offered up burnt sacrifices . . . ; for, said Job, ‘maybe my sons have sinned and have cursed God in their heart.’” (Job 1:5) Willful contemplation of a wrong course could in itself be viewed by Jehovah as a sin.—Compare Exodus 20:17.

True Freedom of Thought

The Bible encourages each Christian to set as a goal the bringing of “every thought into captivity to make it obedient to the Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5) This is achieved, not through restrictions placed by religious leaders, but through an individual’s exercise of self-control and through his love for and understanding of Jehovah and His principles. With the achievement of this goal comes true freedom of thought, limited only by godly standards and enhanced by the joy of knowing that, even in our thoughts, we are pleasing to Jehovah.

[Picture Credit Line on page 20]

From the book Bildersaal deutscher Geschichte

Crossword Puzzle

Clues Across

1. During this time period, the land was not cultivated, and fellow Hebrews were not pressed for payment of debts [2 words] (See Leviticus 25:4.)

7. Mount Carmel was the site of a showdown between Jehovah and this god (1 Kings 18:21-40)

8. Corrupt, immoral professors of Christianity were likened to waterless ones (Jude 12)

9. Part of the foretold enemy forces that would assault unfaithful Jerusalem and Judah (Ezekiel 23:23)

10. The Israelites insisted on one so that they could be like the other nations (1 Samuel 8:5)

14. The type of rope that Samson tricked Delilah into thinking would subdue him (Judges 16:11)

16. Jeremiah made two copies of this when he purchased a field (Jeremiah 32:14)

18. Sarah, Rebekah, Samson’s mother, Hannah, and Elizabeth all had this problem before Jehovah intervened (Luke 1:7)

19. Father’s brother (2 Kings 24:17)

20. One of the men appointed by Jehovah to divide the Promised Land (Numbers 34:21)

21. To have an outward aspect (Matthew 23:27)

22. Can be forgiven by Jehovah (Psalm 25:11)

23. Wrapped around on itself (Luke 4:20)

25. Solomon had him killed for murdering “two men more righteous and better than he was” (1 Kings 2:31, 32)

26. The shape of a rainbow

28. Jesus used it to drive the “sheep and cattle out of the temple” (John 2:15)

33. A stage of life (Genesis 15:15)

34. One of Haman’s ten sons (Esther 9:9)

35. The first and most frequently mentioned metal in the Bible (Genesis 2:11)

36. A mountain range (Song of Solomon 4:8)

Clues Down

1. God reveals it only to those whom he chooses [2 words] (Ephesians 1:9)

2. Name of the marriage custom that ensured a continuing family line (Genesis 38:8)

3. A son of Caleb the son of Hezron (1 Chronicles 2:18)

4. Jesus said that his was “kindly” (Matthew 11:30)

5. Tribe of unusually tall men (Numbers 13:33)

6. The office at which Levi was sitting when called by Jesus to be his follower (Luke 5:27)

7. Levite musician who accompanied the ark of the covenant when it was moved to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:18)

11. It was said that this Jairite “became a priest of David” (2 Samuel 20:26)

12. The most celebrated park in history [3 words] (Ezekiel 36:35)

13. Money or assistance given (Philippians 1:5)

15. Escaped

17. Open dislike and disrespect (Ezekiel 28:24)

18. Porter (1 Samuel 17:7)

24. One of the last words Jesus uttered before dying (Mark 15:34)

27. When starving, the prodigal son wished he could eat these pods that the pigs were eating (Luke 15:16)

29. What Jesus did to escape being stoned (John 8:59)

30. Jehovah does not add it to his blessing (Proverbs 10:22)

31. The name Leah gave her third son with the hope that his birth would mean a new bond of affection between her and Jacob (Genesis 29:34)

32. Though voluntarily made, fulfillment was compulsory (Numbers 30:2)

Crossword Solutions Page 27

Solutions Across

1. SABBATH YEAR

7. BAAL

8. CLOUDS

9. KOA

10. KING

14. NEW

16. DEED

18. BARREN

19. UNCLE

20. ELIDAD

21. APPEAR

22. ERROR

23. ROLLED

25. JOAB

26. ARC

28. WHIP

33. AGE

34. ARIDAI

35. GOLD

36. ANTI-LEBANON

Solutions Down

1. SACRED SECRET

2. BROTHER-IN-LAW

3. ARDON

4. YOKE

5. ANAK

6. TAX

7. BEN

11. IRA

12. GARDEN OF EDEN

13. CONTRIBUTION

15. ELUDED

17. SCORN

18. BEARER

24. ELI

27. CAROB

29. HID

30. PAIN

31. LEVI

32. VOW

Do You Suffer With Back Pain?

“The pain was horrible. It felt as if someone had taken a match and set my back on fire! All I remember was bending down to move my small nephew away from some broken glass, and suddenly my whole back ignited, as it were. I remained in that position for days, unable to straighten up. I never experienced pain like that before,” relates Karen, 32, a housewife and mother of two.

BACK pain ranks second to headache in the number of people it affects in the United States. It is the leading cause of long-term disability in people younger than 45 and the third leading cause among those older than 45. Sufferers spend some 24 billion dollars a year seeking relief—four times what was spent on AIDS treatment in 1991.

According to Dr. Alf L. Nachemson, a scientific researcher in back problems, two billion patients worldwide have suffered from low back pain in the past decade. “Sometime during our active lives 80 percent of us will experience back pain to some extent,” he said.

A Cycle of Pain

Back pain does not discriminate. Both blue-collar and white-collar workers are prone to back injuries. Men and women, young and old, can fall victim to this pain. When the pain is recurrent and unremitting, it can affect employment, income, family, and one’s role in the family, producing emotional suffering as well. How?

People find themselves in a pain cycle, notes the book The Fight Against Pain. Physical pain induces anxiety and depression that may in turn lead to even more intense and persistent pain. For example, a young parent or breadwinner may have to deal with pressure from job, family, and friends because of the disability that can result from back problems.

“I find the biggest problem to be a lack of understanding and empathy on the part of my family and friends. People tend to minimize the pain, not understanding how much you are really suffering,” said Pat, 35, a secretary who had her first of many attacks of back pain in 1986. “Since you do not know when or where the pain will flare up, you tend not to make a lot of plans. You can appear to be quite unsociable, not accepting invitations, not picking up someone’s newborn baby, not smiling, all because you’re hurting. The pain, if you let it, can control you.”

Why the Back Hurts

Is back pain inevitable? What can you do to alleviate it or to prevent it? When should you seek medical help for your back? Although back pain that is persistent can signal many internal diseases, this discussion will focus on two sources of back pain—herniated disks and muscle spasms.

Herniated disks are a major cause of back disease among young and middle-aged adults. Such disks are often referred to as “slipped disks,” a misnomer, since they cannot be slipped in or out of place.

By the time a person reaches his 20’s, the spongy interior of the disks begins to lose its elasticity and moisture, causing the disk to shrink. But this does not usually result in pain. For some people, however, intense pain occurs when part of the spongy interior herniates, or bulges, through the outer ring of fibrous tissue.

Fortune magazine comments regarding the disks: “Once they’ve degenerated past a certain point, the slightest stress—something as trivial as a sneeze or bending over to move a stereo—can be the straw that breaks them.”

Disks act as shock absorbers between the first 24 vertebrae, or bones of the spine. These bones are stacked atop one another and form a vertical tunnel, the spinal canal, through which the spinal cord runs. Between each pair of vertebrae, there is a small opening through which a bundle of nerves, called a nerve root, leaves the canal, one bundle on either side. A disk may herniate and press against a particular nerve. This pressure can interrupt nerve signals that convey sensations to and from other parts of the body.

…

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Awake!, June 8, 1994