Awake!, June 8, 1997
Awake! — June 8, 1997
Source: jw.org
Contents
Page Two
Changing Attitudes Raise New Questions
What Shapes Your Attitude?
Facing the Challenge
Into the Ears of a Babe
Crossword Puzzle
Osteoporosis—The ‘Brittle Bone’ Disease
Why Control Your Anger?
Singapore—Asia’s Tarnished Jewel
From Our Readers
Watching the World
Attend a “Faith in God’s Word” District Convention Near You!
Page Two
Page Two
Sexuality—What Changing Attitudes Mean 3-10
Sex outside of marriage has always cost much in self-respect, health, and one’s relationship with God. But has the fear of AIDS changed people’s attitudes?
Why Control Your Anger? 18
Like an erupting volcano, uncontrolled anger may injure you and others too.
Singapore—Asia’s Tarnished Jewel 21
Does Singapore’s physical beauty match its record on human rights?
[Picture Credit Line on page 2]
Saul Attempts the Life of David/The Doré Bible Illustrations/Dover Publications, Inc.
Changing Attitudes Raise New Questions
Changing Attitudes Raise New Questions
“SEXUAL REVOLUTION,” “sexplosion,” “moral revolution.” Such terms heralded changing attitudes toward sexuality, especially in the mid-1960’s and thereafter. Many adopted the slogan “free love,” which characterized a life-style in which individuals rejected marriage and virginity.
Author Ernest Hemingway’s manifesto, “What is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after,” may well sum up the attitude of those caught up in promises of sexual freedom and fulfillment. Acceptance of this philosophy justified short-term sexual relationships with several partners through which the individuals, male and female, explored their own sexuality. Sexual “fulfillment” knew no bounds. The contraceptive pill, introduced in the same decade, contributed to further uninhibited sexual experimentation.
However, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases became the legacy of this promiscuous life-style. The sexual attitudes of a loose generation were shaken. Some years ago, Time magazine displayed the headline “Sex in the ’80s—The Revolution Is Over.” This proclamation was based primarily on the rampant sexually transmitted diseases that had affected many Americans. To date, the total number of AIDS cases throughout the world has reached a staggering figure of nearly 30 million!
The fear of sexually transmitted diseases prompted a further shift in the attitude of many toward short-term sexual relationships. A 1992 issue of US, an entertainment magazine, reporting on a government survey, stated: “About 6.8 million single women have made changes in their sexual behavior in response to AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.” According to the article, the message is clear: “Sex is serious business. Participate at your own risk.”
How have these turbulent decades affected attitudes toward sexual relationships? Have any lessons been learned from the reckless abandon characterized by the free love of recent decades and from the sobering realities of sexually transmitted diseases of the ’80’s? Has the introduction of sex education in the public schools helped young men and women cope successfully with their sexuality? What is the best way to face the challenge of today’s changed attitudes toward sexuality?
What Shapes Your Attitude?
What Shapes Your Attitude?
SOME 2,700 years ago, an inspired writer penned the thought-provoking proverb: “To the stupid one the carrying on of loose conduct is like sport.” (Proverbs 10:23) The truthfulness of this has been particularly evident since the sexual revolution. Before the AIDS scare, a prevailing attitude was that sex was a ‘participant sport’ and that the sex drive must be expressed ‘whatever the consequences.’ Has this attitude changed? Not really.
Today’s obsession with sex still produces “attraction junkies,” ‘serial polygamists,’ and “sexual predators,” who argue that morals are a private matter and that free love with multiple partners is normal. (See the box “Sexual Life-Styles,” on page 6.) They claim that ‘nobody gets hurt’ by casual sex, as long as it is between consenting adults. In 1964, State University of Iowa sociologist Ira Reiss labeled this “permissiveness with affection.”
The Anglican bishop of Edinburgh, Scotland, apparently feels the same way, for he said that humans were born to have many lovers. In a speech on sex and Christianity, he stated: “God knew when he made us that he has given us a built-in sex drive to go out and sow our seeds. He has given us promiscuous genes. I think it would be wrong for the church to condemn people who have followed their instincts.”
Is such a view a healthy one? What is the cost of free love? Do short-term relationships with a series of sexual partners bring fulfillment and happiness?
The global epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases and the reality of millions of pregnancies out of wedlock, especially among teenagers, testify to the failure of such a philosophy. According to Newsweek magazine, in the United States alone, sexually transmitted diseases strike an estimated three million teenagers every year. Furthermore, many of these “consenting adults” appear to have “no natural affection” or sense of responsibility toward the unborn child that often results, and they quickly seek an abortion. (2 Timothy 3:3) This costs the unborn child its life, as it is cruelly torn away from its mother. The cost to the young mother may be deep depression and guilt that can haunt her for the rest of her life.
In the mid-’90’s in Britain alone, the monetary cost of the effects of the sexual revolution was a staggering $20 billion annually, calculated Dr. Patrick Dixon. In his book The Rising Price of Love, Dr. Dixon arrived at this figure by documenting the cost of treating sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS; the cost of breakdowns in long-term relationships; the cost to the community of single parenting; and the cost of family and child therapy. As reported in The Globe and Mail, a Canadian daily newspaper, Dr. Dixon concludes: “A revolution in sexual relationships that promised us freedom has left many in chains, in a world destroyed by sexual chaos, tragedy, loneliness, emotional pain, violence and abuse.”
But why the continued obsession with sex, the preference for short-term relationships, and the insistence on unaccountable free love? With such obvious bad fruitage these past three decades, what fuels this destructive obsession?
Pornography Distorts Sex
Pornography has been cited as one factor in fueling the sex obsession. A self-confessed sex addict writes in The Toronto Star newspaper: “I quit cigarettes five years ago, alcohol two years ago, but nothing has been harder in my life to quit than my addiction to sex and pornography.”
He is also convinced that teenagers who are exposed to a steady diet of pornography develop a distorted view of sexual behavior. They live out sexual fantasies and find real relationships both complicated and difficult. This leads to isolation and other problems, not the least of which is difficulty in forming lasting bonds of love.
Entertainment World Exploits Sex
Promiscuous life-styles involving multiple sexual partners, with or without the legal trimmings, have been widely practiced and publicly paraded by the entertainment world. The loveless and degrading exhibition of sexual intimacies on the screen fuels the obsession with sex, giving this generation a distorted view of human sexuality. The entertainment media often falsely equate nonmarital sex with loving intimacy. Fans who idolize entertainment personalities seem unable to distinguish between lust and love, between short-term sexual flings and long-term commitment, or between fantasy and reality.
Likewise, all too often the advertising world has exploited sex as a marketing tool. It has become “an impersonal commodity whose purpose is to entice attention to a product,” said a sex therapist. Advertisers have exploited sex and associated sexual expression with the good life, yet this is another 20th-century “distortion of sexual perspective,” as the journal Family Relations observed.
Changing Roles Twist Attitudes
The changing social environment and the introduction of the birth-control pill onto the market in 1960 transformed the sexual behavior of millions of women. The Pill gave women a perceived sexual equality with men, a sexual freedom or independence never before realized. Like men, they could now experiment with short-term relationships, uninhibited by the fear of unwanted pregnancies. Reveling in their sexual liberation, male and female alike pushed natural family and sexual roles to the very edge of extinction.
A first-century Bible writer said of such people: “They have eyes full of adultery and unable to desist from sin . . . They have a heart trained in covetousness. . . . Abandoning the straight path, they have been misled.”—2 Peter 2:14, 15.
Sex Education in Schools
A U.S. study of some 10,000 never-married females of high school age revealed that “knowledge, as measured by sex education courses and self-reported birth control knowledge,” had no effect on unwed teenage pregnancy rates. Nevertheless, some public schools are responding to the epidemic by offering their students free condoms, although this practice is hotly debated.
A 17-year-old high school student interviewed by the Calgary Herald newspaper stated: “It’s a fact that the majority of teenagers in high school are having sex . . . , even some 12-year-olds.”
What Is Love and Commitment?
Love, trust, and cherished togetherness are not the automatic by-products of either spontaneous sexual attraction or the satisfying of sexual impulses. Sexual intercourse alone cannot create true love. Love and intimacy are generated in the hearts of two caring individuals who are committed to building a permanent relationship.
Short-term relationships eventually leave one insecure, alone, and perhaps afflicted with a sexually transmitted disease like AIDS. Advocates of free love may well be described by the words found at 2 Peter 2:19: “While they are promising them freedom, they themselves are existing as slaves of corruption. For whoever is overcome by another is enslaved by this one.”
The Church of England’s board of social responsibility released its report in June 1995, entitled “Something to Celebrate.” In sharp contrast to the Biblical counsel, the board urged the church to “drop the phrase ‘living in sin’ and scrap its judgmental attitude towards those who cohabit without marrying,” according to The Toronto Star. The report recommended that “congregations should welcome cohabitees, listen to them, learn from them, . . . so that all may discover God’s presence in their lives.”
What would Jesus have called such religious leaders? No doubt “blind guides.” And what about those who follow such guides? He reasoned: “If, then, a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Make no mistake about it, Jesus clearly stated that “adulteries” and “fornications” are among “the things defiling a man.”—Matthew 15:14, 18-20.
With these various factors that distort and exploit sex, how can a person, and youths in particular, break free from being obsessed with sex? What is the secret to joyful, long-term relationships? The next article will concentrate on what parents can do to help youths prepare for the future.
[Blurb on page 5]
In the United States alone, sexually transmitted diseases strike an estimated three million teenagers every year
[Box on page 6]
Sexual Life-Styles
Attraction junkies: They love falling in love, so they go from affair to affair as soon as the excitement of infatuation fizzles. The term was coined by Dr. Michael Liebowitz, of the New York State Psychiatric Institute.
Serial polygamists: People who go through a succession of love affairs involving the legal procedures of marriage, divorce, and remarriage are identified this way by sociologists.
Sexual predators: They seek to demonstrate their sexual prowess by having multiple partners, observes Luther Baker, a professor of family studies and certified sex therapist. The term is now also used for child molesters.
[Picture on page 7]
Pornography is addictive and leads to a distorted view of sexual behavior
Facing the Challenge
Facing the Challenge
THE assault on sexual morality starts early in life with the availability of television, books, magazines, movies, and music that feature sex. Youths are pushed into adult sexual behavior patterns without the safeguard of emotional stability. Some parents even add to the sexual pressure by allowing dating at a young age. Peer pressure encourages dating, and many youths who have a steady boyfriend or girlfriend soon let their guard down and become sexually active. “How common it is . . . for a young teenage girl who feels unloved by her parents . . . to fall into a sexual embrace with her boyfriend in the mistaken belief it will bring love and intimacy,” observed Luther Baker, a professor of family studies.
Youths tend to live their adolescent years as their last fling in life instead of as a preparation for life. “Enamored with their new capacity and convinced by peers that sexual prowess is the way to be a man, many youths become sexual predators” in their adolescence, said Professor Baker. Some 30 years ago, historian Arnold Toynbee bemoaned this treachery perpetrated on our youth, as he believed history has shown that part of the modern West’s creative energy has sprung from the ability to postpone adolescents’ ‘sexual awakening’ to let them concentrate on the acquisition of knowledge.
Parents Who Are a Positive Influence
Parents who do not allow adolescents to date for recreation show genuine concern for the future health and happiness of their children. By having high moral standards and maintaining good communication, they can be influential in the lives of their children. Research into the sexual behavior of youths indicates that “this influence may lead the children to delay sexual activity,” according to the Journal of Marriage and the Family.
Parents who instill a strong sense of self-discipline and responsibility in their children get the best results. “When adolescents and their parents hold values that stress responsibility, the adolescents’ chances of experiencing an out-of-wedlock childbirth are significantly reduced,” testifies one study. This entails a sensitive involvement in children’s activities—monitoring their homework; knowing their whereabouts and their associates; setting realistic educational goals; and sharing spiritual values. Children growing up with this intimate parental interaction will feel better about themselves and will feel comfortable with their sexuality.
The best advice for both parents and children is the wisdom found in the Bible. Parents in Israel were commanded to teach proper moral values to their children. Jehovah asked them: “What great nation is there that has righteous regulations and judicial decisions like all this law that I am putting before you today?” It was these “righteous regulations” that they were to teach their children in the warmth and intimacy of the family setting. “You must inculcate them in your son and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.” Children were admonished: “Observe . . . the commandment of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother.” Such warm, intimate communication and instruction from both father and mother are the building blocks of a balanced attitude toward life and sexuality, which “will stand guard over” a youth throughout his life.—Deuteronomy 4:8; 6:7; Proverbs 6:20, 22.
Youths, why ruin your future by giving in to sexual impulses? The teen years are about seven in number. They should be used to grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually and to develop a balanced attitude about sexuality, in preparation for the next 50 or 60 years of life. Parents, take your God-given responsibility seriously, and safeguard your children from the vexation of heart brought on by sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. (Ecclesiastes 11:10) Let your children see in your daily lives how love and consideration for others builds lasting relationships.
Successfully Facing the Challenge
Do not allow the contemporary obsession with sex to distort your view of life and spoil your opportunity for a full and happy future. Meditate on the numerous examples of human relationships in the Bible. Be assured that life and love remain vibrant and meaningful well after the teen years. When this reality is thoughtfully addressed in harmony with the divine will for Christian men and women, then the foundation is laid for an intimate and lasting union of two people in love.
As you examine Bible couples such as Jacob and Rachel, Boaz and Ruth, and the shepherd boy and the Shulammite maiden, you will see an element of sexual attraction in their relationships. However, as you carefully read Genesis chapters 28 and 29, the book of Ruth, and The Song of Solomon, you will notice that there are other important elements that enrich such relationships.a
Accept Jehovah’s Provisions for Life
Jehovah, the Creator of the human race, understands human sexuality and the impulses involved. Lovingly, he has created us in his image, not with “promiscuous genes,” but with the capability to control our emotions in harmony with the divine will. “This is what God wills, . . . that you abstain from fornication; that each one of you should know how to get possession of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in covetous sexual appetite such as also those nations have which do not know God; that no one go to the point of harming and encroach upon the rights of his brother in this matter.”—1 Thessalonians 4:3-6.
This is demonstrated by Jehovah’s Witnesses throughout the world. They respect God’s high standards for Christian men and women. Older men are looked upon as fathers, “younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters with all chasteness.” (1 Timothy 5:1, 2) What a wholesome environment for young men and women to enjoy as they reach their full potential, unencumbered by pressures to date and marry prematurely or by sexually transmitted diseases! The active Christian family, strengthened by the Christian congregation, is a safe haven in a sex-mad world.
Applying Bible principles in their lives, Christian youths are free from a compulsion for sex and find joy in paying attention to the admonition given in God’s Word: “Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart do you good in the days of your young manhood, and walk in the ways of your heart and in the things seen by your eyes. But know that on account of all these the true God will bring you into judgment. So remove vexation from your heart, and ward off calamity from your flesh; for youth and the prime of life are vanity.”—Ecclesiastes 11:9, 10.
[Footnote]
See page 247 of the book Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
[Blurb on page 10]
Do not allow an obsession with sex to spoil your opportunity for a full and happy future
[Picture on page 9]
Youths involved in family activities are less likely to seek sexual intimacy
Into the Ears of a Babe
Into the Ears of a Babe
ONE day, when I was a little girl, a gentleman called at our home in Coeburn, Virginia, U.S.A., and while he talked with my father, his companion spoke to me to keep me occupied. His words painted a picture of a paradise earth, where I would be able to play with wild animals that would not hurt me. (Isaiah 11:6-9) He explained that I would not even have to die but could live forever right here on earth. The future sounded wonderful! What the man said about living on earth made a deep impression on me.—Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 21:3, 4.
A Religious Yearning
My parents, who had many marital problems, were divorced a couple of years later, and I lived with Mother. She had no interest at all in religion. So by myself I would go to Sunday school at any church that was within walking distance of our home. Soon Mother remarried, and we moved with my stepfather to Indiana. Each summer, however, I returned to Virginia to visit my father.
Father became a Mormon soon after the divorce, and he tried to instill his newfound religion in me. During the summer of 1960, when I was eight, he baptized me. Yet, when I was in Indiana, I attended any church that was near home. All of them taught that if we were good, we would go to heaven and if we were bad, we would go to hell where we would be tormented. Since I didn’t think anyone would understand my feelings about wanting to live on earth rather than in heaven, I never told anyone about them.
When I was 11, Father moved to Oregon. I was devastated and very resentful. My stepfather was an atheist and an alcoholic, and he gave me a hard time about my faith. He called me little Miss Pious, and when I started to cry, he would say: “Why don’t you call on your God to help you?” No one at home seemed to care about God. Those were dark, difficult years. I was abused physically, verbally, and sexually. I took comfort in talking to God because many times I felt that he was the only one who cared about me.
Mother left my stepfather, and the abuse stopped. Yet, we were very poor, and it was hard for Mom to make ends meet. When I was 13, we went back to Virginia to visit my aunt. She was a kind, sincere Baptist woman. I loved her dearly. When she asked me to accompany her to church, I accepted. Mom even went along, and I remember how wonderful it felt to have my family there with me. By the end of our visit, I dreaded going back home. I was afraid that if I did, I would become involved in immorality. So I begged my aunt to take me in, and Mother let me stay.
My aunt bought me a King James version of the Bible. I was very proud of it and read part of it every night. I read in the last chapter of the Bible that “if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18, 19, King James Version) So I reasoned, ‘How can I believe that the Book of Mormon is part of the sacred Scriptures?” Therefore, I decided to become a Baptist.
Although I’m sure Father was hurt when I wrote and told him about my decision, his only comment was that he was glad I was going to church. I often accompanied our Baptist minister to the homes of the people to invite them to our tent revivals. I felt that I was doing God’s will by calling on people in their homes and talking to them the way Jesus did.
Yet, I was still haunted by my desire to live in an earthly paradise rather than in heaven. But then I read the following Bible passage, and it gave me hope: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”—Matthew 7:7, 8, KJ.
Marriage and a Family
The following year I moved back to live with Mother in Indiana. When I was still only 15, I was married, pregnant, and on my way by bus to southern California. I didn’t know my husband’s family well, but I wanted to be accepted by them. They were Pentecostal, and my husband’s sister told me about the gift of speaking in tongues. So when I went with them to their prayer service one night, I prayed that I be allowed to speak in tongues.
Suddenly, at the service a strange feeling came over me. I began to shake all over, and my tongue began to babble uncontrollably. The preacher shouted that the spirit was coming through me, and he began patting me on the back. Afterward, everyone hugged me and told me how wonderful it was that God had used me in this way. But I felt confused and scared. I had no idea what I had said.
Shortly afterward, there were complications during my labor with our first child. The pastor of the church told my husband that God was increasing my birth pains because he was not a Christian. My husband came to me with tears in his eyes and said that if I thought it would help, he would be baptized. I told him I was quite sure that God does not blackmail people into serving him.
Leaving the Church
One Sunday, after his sermon, the pastor asked the congregation for contributions. The church was in need of repair because of damage caused by a recent earthquake. When the collection plate was passed, I put in all the money I had. After counting the money, the pastor, instead of thanking the congregation, admonished them to open their pockets and their hearts for this worthy cause. He then passed the plate again. I didn’t have any more money, so with great embarrassment I hastily passed the plate on. The pastor quickly counted the money once more and, again without thanking them, said it simply was not enough. “Surely no one will leave until we get the money needed to do God’s work,” he said.
My husband was waiting outside, and I knew he was getting impatient. He was not the only one. I became impatient with the pastor’s lack of gratitude. So with my baby in my arms and tears streaming down my face, I walked out of the church in front of everyone. I vowed then that I would never again get involved with a church. Although I quit going to church, I did not quit believing in God. I still read my Bible and tried to be a good wife.
Learning Bible Truth
After our second child was born, friends of ours who were moving to Texas talked their landlord into renting us the house they lived in. As my friend Pat was leaving, she said that a woman owed her money and would come by with it. Pat asked me to mail it to her in Texas. A few days later, two women knocked on the door. Thinking they were there with the money, I immediately invited them in. I explained that Pat had moved but that she had told me they would be stopping by. “Well, that was nice of Pat,” Charlene Perrin, one of the women, said. “We really enjoyed studying with her.”
“What?” I asked. “Studying? You must be mistaken.” Charlene explained that they had begun a Bible study with Pat. After learning that Pat had moved, Charlene asked me if I would like to study the Bible. “Sure,” I replied confidently. “I’ll teach you anything you want to know.” I was proud of the Bible reading I had done, and I felt that I could encourage them.
Charlene showed me the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, and we read Psalm 37:9: “Evildoers themselves will be cut off, but those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth.” I was shocked. There, in my own Bible, it said that people would possess the earth. After that, many questions bubbled out, all at once. Charlene smiled and said: “Hey, slow down! We’ll take things one step at a time.” She explained the need for a regular, systematic Bible study. Right away, she invited me to the Kingdom Hall, the name of the meeting place of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
I told Charlene about my experience with the collection plate and that I didn’t want to go back to church. She shared Matthew 10:8 with me, which says: “You received free, give free.” She explained that no collection plate is passed at the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses and that all donations are voluntary. She also said that there is a contribution box in the hall and that people who wish to can put contributions in it. I decided to give religion one more try.
As I studied, I learned why I had felt so uncomfortable when I spoke in tongues at the Pentecostal church. God’s gift of speaking in different languages was granted to early Christians to provide evidence that they had his holy spirit. This miraculous gift also served the practical purpose of making Bible truths available to people of different lands who were gathered together at Pentecost 33 C.E. (Acts 2:5-11) However, the Bible states that God’s gift of speaking in tongues would cease, which it evidently did after the death of the apostles. (1 Corinthians 13:8) But to blind the minds of people, Satan and his demons have caused some to babble incoherently, in a way that has caused many to believe that these have God’s holy spirit.—2 Corinthians 4:4.
Family Opposition
Soon, I came to understand God’s purpose for the earth and that I must be no part of the wicked world. (John 17:16; 18:36) I also learned that I had to cut off all ties with Babylon the Great, which is a symbol used in the Bible for the world empire of false religion. (Revelation 18:2, 4) When I told Father that I was getting baptized, this time as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, he was devastated. He begged me not to become a Witness. It was the first time I had ever seen him cry. I cried with him, for I truly did not want to hurt him. But I knew that I had found the truth and that I could never turn my back on Jehovah.
My entire family was opposed to my becoming one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. For a while I stopped attending meetings. This relieved the opposition from family members, but I was miserable. I knew that I would never be at peace until I was doing Jehovah’s will. On my lunch hour one day, I stopped by Charlene’s house and told her that I needed to get baptized. “Don’t you think you need to start coming back to meetings first?” she asked. I told her that I was determined this time that nothing would come between me and Jehovah. I was baptized on September 19, 1973.
That was over 23 years ago now. Thankfully, my family has since come to respect my decision, and none of them pressure me to leave the truth, which I appreciate very much. Yet, my oldest daughter, Kim, is the only one who thus far has become a Witness. Her loyal service to Jehovah has been a great source of encouragement to me through the years.
A Memorable Meeting
In 1990, when I returned to Coeburn, Virginia, for a visit, I asked Mother to stop at the Kingdom Hall so that I could see what time the meetings would start on Sunday. As we pulled into the driveway, she said that we used to live in a house right behind the hall, across the railroad tracks. The house had long since burned down, and only a brick chimney remained. “You were just a little girl then,” she said, “not more than three or four years old.”
On Sunday I was warmly welcomed at the Kingdom Hall. When I spoke with Stafford Jordan, I casually mentioned that as a child I had lived in the house that once stood behind the Kingdom Hall. He looked at me intently. “I remember you!” he exclaimed. “You were a towheaded little girl about this tall [he measured with his hand]. We were working this territory when my companion got into a conversation with your father. I tried to keep you occupied by talking to you about Paradise.”
I was speechless. My voice choked as I told him about my search for Bible truth. “When I was only a babe, you planted the seeds of truth in my little heart!” I said. He then told me that I had a relative on my grandfather’s side, Stephen Dingus, who had been a faithful Witness. The family had never spoken of him, for they were very opposed. “He would have been real proud of you!” Brother Jordan said.
As I look back over my years in Jehovah’s organization, I’m truly grateful for the love and kindness that has been shown to me. Yes, there are still times when I am at the Kingdom Hall that seeing families serving Jehovah together makes me feel a little sad, for often I am there alone. But I quickly remember that Jehovah is with me. He was always watching, and when my heart was able to handle the truth that had been spoken into the ears of a small child so many years ago, he allowed it to sprout and blossom.
“Thank you, Brother Jordan,” I said, “for taking the time to talk about Paradise to a rambunctious little girl!”—As told by Louise Lawson.
[Picture on page 13]
With Stafford Jordan when I met him again in 1990
Crossword Puzzle
Crossword Puzzle
Clues Across
1. A promontory on the east coast of Crete that Paul sailed past on his way to stand trial at Rome (Acts 27:7)
4. What Moses was doing when discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:6)
9. How many Jesus said would find the road leading to life (Matthew 7:14)
10. What God’s active force was doing over the surface of the earth after its creation (Genesis 1:2)
11. To give or grant (John 4:14)
12. Mary used her hair to do this to Jesus’ feet (John 12:3)
13. What the Hebrew Scriptures call husbands in relation to their wives (Esther 1:20)
15. The largest Hebrew unit of weight and monetary value (2 Kings 23:33)
17. Made by Moses to keep people from dying, it was destroyed by King Hezekiah because it was being worshiped [2 words] (2 Kings 18:4)
21. A son of the Edomite sheikh Dishon (Genesis 36:26)
23. She had difficulty resolving a matter with her Christian sister Syntyche (Philippians 4:2, 3)
25. What Moses constructed at God’s command to hold the stone tablets of the Law (Deuteronomy 10:1-5)
26. A deity worshiped by the Avvites, whom the king of Assyria settled in Samaria after taking the Israelites captive (2 Kings 17:31)
28. One who “says a greeting” to an apostate becomes this “in his wicked works” (2 John 11)
30. Paul said that the faithful Corinthians were “a letter of Christ” inscribed on hearts, but not with this (2 Corinthians 3:3)
31. The city near which Samson was first impelled by God’s spirit and later buried (Judges 13:25; 16:31)
32. This priest of “the sons of Pashhur” was among those who heeded Ezra’s exhortation to dismiss their foreign wives (Ezra 10:22)
Clues Down
1. One of the eight sons of Harim who heeded Ezra’s call to dismiss pagan wives and sons (Ezra 10:31)
2. Because the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees had a corrupting effect, Jesus likened it to this (Matthew 16:11, 12)
3. John wept when he found that no one was worthy to do this to the scroll with the seven seals (Revelation 5:1-4)
5. The secondary name by which Esau, Jacob’s twin brother, was known (Genesis 36:1)
6. By making childish cross marks and dribbling on his beard, David convinced King Achish of Gath that this was his condition so that he could escape (1 Samuel 21:13)
7. What a native of Gath is called (2 Samuel 15:22)
8. David lauded Jehovah because in this way he was wonderfully made [2 words] (Psalm 139:14)
14. The rear end of a boat (Mark 4:38)
15. The number of months Moses’ parents were able to conceal him after his birth (Hebrews 11:23)
16. Satan is called the father of it (John 8:44)
18. Haman had this cast to determine the auspicious day to destroy the Jews in the Persian Empire (Esther 3:7)
19. Along with the olive tree and the grapevine, it is one of the most prominent plants of the Bible [2 words] (John 1:48)
20. A land that incurred Jehovah’s displeasure, resulting in a pronouncement of doom (Zechariah 9:1)
22. The site where Saul’s son Jonathan acknowledged that David would be the next king of Israel (1 Samuel 23:16-18)
24. The Persian ruler who uncovered the document by Cyrus and allowed the temple to be rebuilt (Ezra 6:1-12)
27. Space (Numbers 8:2)
29. Closely related to but larger than the rabbit (Leviticus 11:6)
Crossword Solutions Page 25
Solutions Across
1. SALMONE
4. WEEPING
9. FEW
10. MOVING
11. IMPART
12. DRY
13. OWNERS
15. TALENT
17. COPPER SERPENT
21. ITHRAN
23. EUODIA
25. ARK
26. TARTAK
28. SHARER
30. INK
31. ESHTAOL
32. ELEASAH
Solutions Down
1. SHIMEON
2. LEAVEN
3. OPEN
5. EDOM
6. INSANE
7. GITTITE
8. FEAR INSPIRING
14. STERN
15. THREE
16. LIE
18. PUR
19. FIG TREE
20. HADRACH
22. HORESH
24. DARIUS
27. AREA
29. HARE
Osteoporosis—The ‘Brittle Bone’ Disease
Osteoporosis—The ‘Brittle Bone’ Disease
“Osteoporosis is a condition in which the amount of bone tissue is so low that the bones easily fracture in response to minimal force. A person with osteoporosis can fracture a wrist or hip from a fall on the ice or receive a broken rib from an affectionate hug. . . . In fact, the amount of bone tissue may be so low that a person fractures the spine simply by carrying the weight of the body.”—“Osteoporosis—A Guide to Prevention & Treatment,” by John F. Aloia, M.D.
DO YOU suffer from osteoporosis? This bone thinning disorder is common among postmenopausal women. Yet, it can develop in younger women as well as in men. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, osteoporosis affects “as many as 15-20 million individuals in the United States.” Each year in the United States, osteoporosis is blamed for about 1.3 million fractures in people aged 45 and older. This costs $3.8 billion annually.
Health Tips, a publication of the California Medical Education and Research Foundation, explains: “Although the symptoms of osteoporosis are most visible in the later years, the process that weakens bones actually begins 30-40 years before the first fracture occurs. After age 35 both men and women begin to lose bone mass. As the bones become lighter and thinner, fractures can occur more easily and may heal slowly because the body is not able to form new bone as easily as it once was. The precise cause of osteoporosis is not known, but inadequate calcium and vitamin D in the diet, reduced estrogen levels in women and insufficient exercise may all contribute to its development.”
The book Understanding Your Body—Every Woman’s Guide to a Lifetime of Health notes that one of the common symptoms associated with menopause is bone strength loss. It states: “Osteoporosis, literally porous bones, is a common and important health problem for women after menopause.”
Research suggests that osteoporosis may be both preventable and treatable. A preventive measure is to see that the body has the proper amount of calcium along with vitamin D, which is essential for calcium absorption. Another preventive measure is regular weight-bearing exercise, such as walking or jogging.
Dr. Carol E. Goodman said in Geriatrics: “Postural correction and strengthening exercises should be prescribed—and we must be as particular about these prescriptions as we are about those for drugs. An ideal exercise program for an older osteoporotic patient can be easy to understand, simple to carry out, and safe.”
Although osteoporosis cannot be cured, new medications for it are becoming available. Furthermore, it may be prevented by proper nutrition, adequate exercise, and for some, hormone replacement therapy. To be most effective, these measures must be undertaken before bone loss begins and must be continued for life.
[Box on page 17]
Protection Against Osteoporosis
1. Calcium
2. Vitamin D
3. Sunshine
4. Good posture
5. Back-care precautions
6. Exercise
7. Nonsmoking
[Box on page 17]
Calcium in Common Foods
Food Calcium (milligrams)
Nonfat milk, 1 cup [2.4 dl] 300
Cheddar cheese, 1-inch [2.5] cube 130
Yogurt, 1 cup [2.4 dl] 300
Beef, chicken, fish, 6 ounces [170 g] 30-80
Canned salmon, 3 ounces [85 g] 170
Bread, grains, rice, 1 cup [2.4 dl] 20-50
Tofu (soybean curd), 4 ounces [100 g] 150
Almonds, 1/2 cup [1.2 dl] 160
Walnuts, 1/2 cup [1.2 dl] 50
Broccoli, 1 stalk 150
Spinach, 1 cup [2.4 dl] 200
Turnip greens, 1 cup [2.4 dl] 250
Most other vegetables, 1 cup [2.4 dl] 40-80
Apricots, dried, 1 cup [2.4 dl] 100
Dates, pitted, 1 cup [2.4 dl] 100
Rhubarb, 1 cup [2.4 dl] 200
Most other fruits, 1 cup [2.4 dl] 20-70
From Understanding Your Body, by Felicia Stewart, Gary Stewart, Felicia Guest, and Robert Hatcher, page 596.
[Box on page 17]
Some Osteoporosis Risk Factors
Hereditary Factors
Female
Nonblack
Northern-European ancestry
Fair complexion
Slender
Small (five feet two inches [157 cm] or less)
Life-Style Factors
Outdoor sunlight, less than three hours a week
Low calcium intake
High caffeine and/or phosphate intake
Medications
Antacids containing aluminum
Thyroid or levothyroxine
Steroid (cortisone)
Dilantin (prolonged treatment)
Furosemide (diuretic)
Medical Problems
Early or premature menopause
Amenorrhea (absence of menses)
Anorexia nervosa
Hyperthyroidism (excessive thyroid)
Kidney disease or stones
Diabetes
Lactase deficiency (milk intolerance)
Bowel disease (colitis, ileitis)
Alcoholism
Bed rest or immobilization longer than three weeks
Rheumatoid arthritis
Why Control Your Anger?
The Bible’s Viewpoint
Why Control Your Anger?
IT WAS an ominous beginning. “Now that I am the head of this house, you are not going to embarrass me by being late,” shouted John at his new bride, Ginger.a For over 45 minutes, he yelled at her while demanding that she remain seated on the couch. Abusive speech became the norm in their marriage. Sadly, John’s angry behavior escalated. He would slam doors, pound on the kitchen table, and drive wildly while banging on the steering wheel, thus endangering the lives of others.
Unfortunately, as you no doubt well know, such scenarios are repeated all too often. Was this man’s anger justified, or was he losing control? Is all anger wrong? When is anger out of control? When has it gone too far?
Controlled anger may be justified. For instance, God’s anger blazed against the ancient, immoral cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 19:24) Why? Because the inhabitants of those cities engaged in violent and depraved sexual practices, as was well-known throughout the region. For instance, when angelic messengers visited the righteous man Lot, a mob of young men together with old men attempted to gang rape Lot’s guests. Jehovah God was justifiably angered over their gross immorality.—Genesis 18:20; 19:4, 5, 9.
Like his Father, the perfect man Jesus Christ had occasion to be angry. The temple in Jerusalem was supposed to be the center of worship for God’s chosen people. It was to be “a house of prayer,” where individuals could present personal sacrifices and offerings to God and where they could be instructed in his ways and have their sins forgiven. At the temple they could, as it were, commune with Jehovah. Instead, the religious leaders in Jesus’ day turned the temple into “a house of merchandise” and “a cave of robbers.” (Matthew 21:12, 13; John 2:14-17) They personally profited from the sale of animals to be used as sacrifices. In a very real sense, they were fleecing the flock. Thus, the Son of God was perfectly justified when he drove those swindlers out of his Father’s house. Jesus was understandably angry!
When Imperfect Humans Get Angry
Imperfect men can also at times be rightly incensed. Consider what happened to Moses. The nation of Israel had just been miraculously delivered from Egypt. Jehovah had dramatically demonstrated his power over the false gods of Egypt by smiting the Egyptians with ten plagues. He then opened the way for the Israelites to escape, by parting the Red Sea. Subsequently, they were led to the foot of Mount Sinai, where they were organized into a nation. Acting as mediator, Moses went up into the mountain to receive God’s laws. Along with all the other laws, Jehovah gave Moses the Ten Commandments, written by “God’s finger” upon stone tablets that God himself had carved from the mountain. However, when Moses descended, what did he find? The people had turned to worshiping the image of a golden calf! How soon they forgot! Mere weeks had elapsed. Rightly, “Moses’ anger began to blaze.” He shattered the stone tablets and proceeded to destroy the calf image.—Exodus 31:18; 32:16, 19, 20.
On a later occasion, Moses lost his temper when the people complained about the shortage of water. Exasperated, he momentarily lost his renowned meekness, or mildness of temper. This led to a serious mistake. Instead of magnifying Jehovah as Israel’s Provider, Moses spoke harshly to the people and directed attention to his brother Aaron and himself. Thus, God saw fit to discipline Moses. He would not be allowed to enter the land of promise. After this incident at Meribah, no further mention is made of Moses losing his temper. Apparently, he learned his lesson.—Numbers 20:1-12; Deuteronomy 34:4; Psalm 106:32, 33.
Thus, there is a difference between God and man. Jehovah can ‘check his anger’ and is rightly described as being “slow to anger” because love, not anger, is his dominant quality. His anger is always righteous, always justified, always controlled. (Exodus 34:6; Isaiah 48:9; 1 John 4:8) The perfect man Jesus Christ was always able to control the display of his anger; he was described as being “mild-tempered.” (Matthew 11:29) On the other hand, imperfect men, even men of faith like Moses, have had difficulty controlling their anger.
Also, men generally fail to give due regard to consequences. There can be a price to pay for losing control of one’s anger. For instance, what are the obvious consequences if a husband loses his temper with his wife to the point that he punches a hole in the wall with his fist? Property is damaged. His hand may be hurt. But more than that, what effect will his tantrum have on the love and respect his wife has for him? The wall may be repaired in a few days, and his hand may heal in a few weeks; but how long will it take for him to regain the trust and respect of his wife?
Actually, the Bible is filled with examples of men who failed to control their anger and who suffered the consequences. Consider but a few. Cain was banished after he slew his brother Abel. Simeon and Levi were cursed by their father for killing the men of Shechem. Jehovah struck Uzziah with leprosy after Uzziah became enraged with the priests who were trying to correct him. When Jonah “got to be hot with anger,” Jehovah reproved him. All of them had to answer for their anger.—Genesis 4:5, 8-16; 34:25-30; 49:5-7; 2 Chronicles 26:19; Jonah 4:1-11.
Christians Are Accountable
Similarly, Christians today must render an account for their actions both to God and, to some extent, to their fellow believers. This can readily be seen from the Bible’s usage of the Greek terms denoting anger. One of the two words most frequently used is or·geʹ. It is generally translated “wrath” and contains an element of awareness and even deliberation, frequently with a view to taking revenge. Thus, Paul urged Roman Christians: “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath [or·geʹ]; for it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says Jehovah.’” Rather than harboring ill will toward their brothers, they were encouraged to “[conquer] the evil with the good.”—Romans 12:19, 21.
The other frequently used term is thy·mosʹ. The root word “originally denotes a violent movement of air, water, the ground, animals, or men.” Thus, the word is variously described as a “passionate outburst of hostile feeling,” “bursts of temper,” or “turbulent passions, disturbing the harmony of the mind, and producing domestic and civil broils and disquietudes.” Like a volcano that may erupt without warning and spew forth hot ash, rock, and lava, which may injure, maim, and kill, so is a man or a woman who cannot control his or her temper. The plural form of thy·mosʹ is used at Galatians 5:20, where Paul lists “fits of anger” along with other “works of the flesh” (Ga 5 verse 19), such as fornication, loose conduct, and drunken bouts. Surely, the behavior of John—described at the outset—well illustrates “fits of anger.”
Therefore, how should the Christian congregation view individuals associated with it who engage in repeated acts of violence against the person or property of another? Uncontrolled anger is destructive and easily leads to violence. With good reason then, Jesus stated: “I say to you that everyone who continues wrathful with his brother will be accountable to the court of justice.” (Matthew 5:21, 22) Husbands are advised: “Keep on loving your wives and do not be bitterly angry with them.” One who is “prone to wrath” does not qualify as an overseer in the congregation. Hence, individuals who cannot control their anger should not be considered an example to the congregation. (Colossians 3:19; Titus 1:7; 1 Timothy 2:8) In fact, after the attitude, the pattern of behavior, and the severity of damage to the lives of others have been considered, a person who gives in to uncontrolled fits of anger could be expelled from the congregation—a dire consequence indeed.
Did John, spoken of earlier, ever bring his emotions under control? Was he ever able to check his swift, downhill plunge to disaster? Sad to say, shouting escalated into pushing and shoving. Finger pointing led to literal, painful, bruising pokes of the finger. John was careful to avoid bruising areas that were easily visible and tried to hide his conduct. Eventually, though, he resorted to kicking, punching, hair pulling, and worse. Ginger is now separated from John.
This did not have to happen. Many in similar circumstances have been able to tame their anger. How vital it is, therefore, to imitate the perfect example of Jesus Christ. He was never guilty of even one fit of uncontrolled rage. His anger was always righteous; he never lost control. Wisely, Paul advised all of us: “Be wrathful, and yet do not sin; let the sun not set with you in a provoked state.” (Ephesians 4:26) Modestly recognizing that we have limitations as humans and that we will reap what we sow, we have good reason to put the brakes on anger.
[Footnote]
Names have been changed.
[Picture Credit Line on page 18]
Saul Attempts the Life of David/The Doré Bible Illustrations/Dover Publications, Inc.
Singapore—Asia’s Tarnished Jewel
Singapore—Asia’s Tarnished Jewel
CLANG! Ominously, the heavy steel doors of Singapore’s Changi Women’s Prison slammed shut behind a frail 71-year-old widow, a Christian. One of Jehovah’s Witnesses, she had tried to explain her position to the presiding judge: “I’m no threat to this government.”
Clang! She was followed by a 72-year-old grandmother, another Christian. Her offense? Possession of four Bible publications of the Watch Tower Society, including her personal copy of the Holy Bible itself.
In all, 64 Singapore citizens, aged 16 to 72, were arrested and convicted. Forty-seven refused on principle to pay fines and were imprisoned for various periods ranging from one to four weeks. How could this happen in a city-state described as one of the best places to live in the entire world? How could this happen in a city-state famed the world over for its economic stability, phenomenal development, and modern buildings as well as its claimed religious tolerance?
A Modern City-State
First, a brief history. The modern-day story of Singapore began in 1819 with the arrival of Britain’s Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. Raffles, a representative of the East India Company, was looking for a base of operations in the Eastern world. He decided to consider Singapore. So began a trading base that has had an impact on the development of East Asia to this day.
Preindependence Singapore has been described as a scruffy city. Today, no one would describe Singapore as scruffy. The opposite is true. Over the past 30 years, the city has been almost entirely rebuilt, retaining where possible the character of the old either by preserving the facade of older buildings or integrating entire historical structures into modern buildings. Singapore has become a crossroads of maritime traffic in the East, often counting as many as 800 ships in port at one time. Modern high-tech equipment allows a huge container ship to be unloaded and reloaded in a matter of hours. The city’s financial core demands and gets real estate prices in the range of $5,000 or more per square foot.
The population of approximately 3,400,000 is composed of a broad mix of Chinese, Malays, Indians, Europeans, and others. Among the languages they speak are Mandarin, Malay, Tamil, and English.
Fifty-two miles [83 km] of above- and below-ground rapid transit gives Singapore one of the most modern, efficient transportation systems in the world. Green parks are scattered liberally throughout the city, punctuating the towering landscapes of modern construction. A “must-see” for the first-time tourist is the completely refurbished Raffles Hotel, now designated a national monument because of its 1889 origins. A second is the 128-acre [52 ha] botanical and horticultural center, ten acres [4 ha] of which are preserved jungle, where tigers once roamed.
Religious Freedom Guaranteed
As a complement to its unparalleled economic progress, Singapore promises religious freedom to all residents. Regrettably, Singapore has not fulfilled its promise. Particularly have people who associate with the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses found that to be true.
The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, in Article 15(1), provides the basic guarantee of freedom of worship: “Every person has the right to profess and practise his religion and to propagate it.”
Article 15(3) of the Constitution guarantees: “Every religious group has the right—
(a) to manage its own religious affairs;
(b) to establish and maintain institutions for religious or charitable purposes; and
(c) to acquire and own property and hold and administer it in accordance with law.”
As early as 1936, Jehovah’s Witnesses were part of the Singapore community. For many years they carried on regular congregation meetings in their own Kingdom Hall located at 8 Exeter Road, just opposite a busy market. The congregation flourished, at the same time making its own unique contribution to the stability of community life.
Jehovah’s Witnesses Banned
All of this changed on January 12, 1972. An expulsion order was issued under the Government Banishment Act, chapter 109, ordering Christian missionary Norman David Bellotti and his wife, Gladys, 23-year residents of Singapore, to leave the country. This was quickly followed by an order deregistering the Singapore Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Within hours the Kingdom Hall was seized by police who smashed their way through the front door. Following almost immediately was an official ban on all literature of the Watch Tower Society. Thus began a period of suppression of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The Kingdom Hall was subsequently sold by the government as part of their arbitrary action, all of this without notification—no hearing, no trial, no opportunity to respond.
The government of Singapore has repeatedly cited the nonparticipation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in military service as justification for the total ban. As recently as December 29, 1995, Mr. K. Kesavapany, Singapore’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, in a letter addressed to H. E. Ibrahim Fall, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, of the United Nations in Geneva, stated the following:
“My Government’s ban on the Jehovah’s Witnesses movement emanates from considerations of national security. The continued existence of the movement would be prejudicial to public welfare and good order in Singapore. A necessary corollary to the de-registration of the Jehovah’s Witnesses was that all their publications be prohibited so as to reinforce the ban on the movement and to curb the dissemination and propagation of their beliefs.”
In view of the protest of risk to the national security of Singapore, it should be noted that the number of young men who refuse military service is approximately five persons per year. Singapore maintains a military force of about 300,000. The government of Singapore has refused to even discuss civilian national service for the small handful of people involved.
Undisguised Suppression
After several years of uneasy tolerance, a new chapter of undisguised suppression of human rights began to unfold in 1992 when several people were arrested—charged with possession of literature prohibited under the Undesirable Publications Act. In 1994 the Watch Tower Society dispatched to Singapore 75-year-old W. Glen How, Q.C., a lawyer and one of Jehovah’s Witnesses all his life. His status as Queen’s Counsel gave him recognition that allowed him to appear before the Singapore courts. In view of the religious guarantee of the Constitution, an appeal was presented to the High Court of Singapore, including a challenge to the validity of the arrests and the 1972 ban. On August 8, 1994, the appeal was dismissed by Chief Justice Yong Pung How, of the High Court of Singapore. Additional efforts to appeal the decision were unsuccessful.
By early 1995 it appeared that the legal challenge based on the Constitution of Singapore had triggered even more repressive measures. Under a military-style plan called Operation Hope, undercover officers from the Secret Societies Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department swooped down on several small groups of Christians meeting in private homes. Approximately 70 officers and support staff conducted the commando-type raids, resulting in the arrest of 69 persons. All were transported to interrogation centers, some were questioned throughout the entire night, and all were charged with attending meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses and possession of Bible publications. Some were held incommunicado for up to 18 hours, unable even to telephone their families.
Charges against foreigners were dropped. But 64 who are citizens of Singapore were tried in court in late 1995 and early 1996. All 64 were found guilty. Forty-seven, between the ages of 16 and 72, did not pay the fines of thousands of dollars and were sent to prison for from one to four weeks.
Before being sent to their cells, men and women were stripped naked and searched in front of several people. Some women were told to stretch out their arms, squat five times, and open their mouth and lift up their tongue. At least one woman was told to use her fingers to open her anus. In prison, some of the men had to drink water out of toilet bowls. Some young women were treated like dangerous criminals, held in solitary confinement for their entire sentence, and given half rations. Some prison wardens even denied the Witnesses their Bibles.
But let us look at a few comments from some of the imprisoned women. What their firsthand reports revealed was in sharp contrast with the pristine facade of this modern city.
“The cell was dirty. The washbasin and toilet were in a deplorable state. They were slimy and dirty. Beneath the bench that I sat on were cobwebs and dirt.”
“I was told to strip naked, and I was given a set of prison attire, a soap dish (without soap), and a toothbrush. I was told by the other prisoners in my cell that short-term prisoners did not receive toothpaste or toilet paper.”
“There were 20 of us in one cell. The toilet is the squatting type with the wall up to my waistline. The bathroom had only one shower and one washbasin with a tap. We had to bathe in batches of six—all of us in the cell had to shower within a half hour in the morning.”
Despite the trauma of the imprisonment, all considered it a privilege to serve God—whenever, wherever, and whatever the circumstances. Observe the following comment from a teenage girl:
“From the moment I stepped into the prison, I always reminded myself of the purpose for which I was there. Every day I prayed to Jehovah that he would listen to my prayer and not desert me. I felt that he answered my prayer because it was his holy spirit that helped me endure. Only then did I realize the closeness I had with him, and it has strengthened me greatly, knowing that he is watching over us. I feel privileged to be able to go through this trial for his name’s sake.”
Newspapers around the world quickly picked up the story. The press in Australia, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the United States, and other places echoed and reechoed the events. The Toronto Star, of Canada, summed up the outrage of the moment with its heading “Granny Convicted for Owning Bible.” Admittedly, the world has many serious problems involving far more people, but in this case the question asked by astounded people everywhere is the same. “In Singapore?”
It is difficult to understand why a religion that functions openly with the full protection of the law in more than 200 lands around the globe should be made the target of persecution in Singapore. It becomes still more difficult to understand when we consider that no other religion in Singapore has been dealt with so unreasonably and arbitrarily.
Indeed, an assistant superintendent of police who led a raiding party on Jehovah’s Witnesses admitted to the court that this was the only time that he and his officers had been ordered to break up a religious meeting. The following quotes are from the transcript of evidence:
…