Awake!, December 8, 1997
Awake! — December 8, 1997
Source: jw.org
Contents
Page Two
What Is in the Child’s Best Interests?
Child Custody—Religion and the Law
Child Custody—A Balanced View
Should Christians Hate Homosexuals?
The French Bible’s Fight for Survival
Crossword Puzzle
The Pygmies—People of the Deep Forest
Jehovah Smoothed Our Way
Watching the World
From Our Readers
When Is a Bee Not a Bee?
His Skepticism Was Overcome
Page Two
Page Two
Child Custody—What Is the Balanced View? 3-12
When parents divorce, how is the custody of their children determined? Who decides their future religious training?
Should Christians Hate Homosexuals? 13
What is the Bible’s viewpoint?
The Pygmies—People of the Deep Forest 20
Who are they? What is their way of life?
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Punch
What Is in the Child’s Best Interests?
What Is in the Child’s Best Interests?
TO DIVORCE or not to divorce? That is a big question on the minds of many unhappily married people. Many years ago divorce was frowned upon, if not condemned, for moral and religious reasons. And any unhappily married parents usually stayed together for the sake of the children. However, this world’s standards have changed radically in more recent times. Today divorce is widely accepted.
Yet, despite the acceptance of divorce, more parents, judges, social scientists, and others are expressing concern about the bad effects of divorce on children. More voices of caution are now being heard. Growing evidence shows that divorce can have a devastating impact on a child. Parents are being urged to think of the consequences of divorce for themselves and for their children. Sociologist Sara McLanahan, of Princeton University, states that “between two-thirds and three-quarters of the families who divorce should probably give it more time and more thought about whether they’re doing the right thing.”
Recent studies show that children of divorce are at greater risk of teenage pregnancy, dropping out of school, depression, divorce in their own marriages, and joining the ranks of welfare recipients. In the Western world, 1 in 6 children is affected by divorce. Historian Mary Ann Mason, in her book on child custody in the United States, observed: “A child born in 1990 had about a 50 percent chance of falling under the jurisdiction of a court in a case involving where and with whom the child would live.”
Sadly, hostilities do not always end with the divorce, as parents may continue to fight in the courts over custody and visitation rights, inflicting further stress on their children. These emotionally charged encounters in the adversarial courtroom atmosphere test the children’s loyalty to their parents and often leave them feeling powerless and fearful.
A family counselor said: “Divorce does not rescue children. It does sometimes rescue adults.” The reality is that by divorcing, parents may resolve their own dilemmas, but at the same time, they can deliver a blow to their children, who may spend the rest of their lives trying to compensate for the damage.
Child-Custody Options
In the hostility and emotional stress of a marital split, it is extremely difficult to negotiate the future custodial placement of the children in a calm and rational way. To minimize parental confrontation and avoid adversarial litigation, some jurisdictions offer an alternative way to resolve disputes, such as out-of-court mediation.
When properly handled, mediation allows the parents to work out an agreement rather than leave the decisions for placement up to a judge. If mediation is not possible, parents may be able to work out an arrangement for custody and visitation through their lawyers. Once the parents come to an agreement and put it in writing, the judge can sign an order that contains their wishes.
When the parents cannot agree on a custody arrangement, the legal system in most lands will provide means to try to ensure that the children’s best interests are protected. The judge’s paramount concern will be the children, not the parents. The judge will consider many relevant factors, such as the wishes of the parents, the relationship of the child to each parent, the preferences of the child, and each parent’s ability to provide day-to-day care. Then the judge will determine where and with whom the child will live as well as how the parents will work out important decisions about the child’s future.
In a sole-custody arrangement, one parent may have the authority to make decisions. In a joint-custody arrangement, both parents must agree on significant decisions, such as the child’s health care and education.
Questions That May Be Faced
When faced with child-custody litigation, parents who are Jehovah’s Witnesses must also consider what is in the best interests of the children’s spirituality. For example, what if the non-Witness parent is against any Bible-based training for the children? Or what if the non-Witness parent has been disfellowshipped from the Christian congregation?
These scenarios can make decision-making more complex for Christian parents. They want to act in a wise and reasonable manner, and they also want to maintain a good conscience before Jehovah as they prayerfully consider the best interests of the children.
In the following articles, we will look at such questions as these: When awarding custody of children, how does the law view religion? How can I meet the challenge of a custody case successfully? How do I cope with losing custody of my children? How do I view a joint-custody agreement with a disfellowshipped parent?
Child Custody—Religion and the Law
Child Custody—Religion and the Law
IN DIVORCE and child-custody cases, religion can be an important factor—and a complex one. For example, questions such as the following may arise.
Should a judge consider testimony claiming that one parent is unfit to have custody of a child because that parent is a member of a certain religion, especially a minority religion? Should a judge consider testimony about the religious beliefs and practices of the parents so that he can determine which religion, in his opinion, would be best for the child? Should he then order that the child be raised in that religion and forbid the child’s exposure to other religions?
Today, more and more people marry outside their own religious and ethnic backgrounds. So when these couples divorce, the children may already have ties in two religious communities. Sometimes, a parent who is involved in divorce proceedings may have recently adopted a particular religion that is different from what that parent had before. The new religious association may be a stabilizing factor in the life of that parent and very important to him but unfamiliar to the children. So another question arises, Can the court forbid the parent to take the children to the religious services of this religion just because it is different from the religion that the parents practiced previously?
These are difficult questions. They require that a judge consider not only the needs of the child but the interests and rights of the parents as well.
Fundamental Rights of Parents and Children
It is true that judges may be influenced by their personal religious views. But in many lands it is not likely that the parents’ or child’s religious rights will be ignored. These lands may have constitutions that prohibit the judge from restricting the parents’ fundamental right to direct the upbringing of a child, including the child’s educational and religious instruction.
In turn, the child has the right to receive such training from his parents. Before a judge can lawfully interfere with the religious training of a child, the court must hear convincing evidence that “particular religious practices pose an immediate and substantial threat to a child’s temporal well-being.” (Italics ours.) Mere differences about religion or even hostility between the parents over religion is not sufficient to justify State intervention.
In Nebraska, U.S.A., the reasonable position taken by a mother who is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in a custody dispute illustrates how these legal provisions protect both the parents and the children. The non-Witness father did not want their daughter to attend the religious services of Jehovah’s Witnesses at the Kingdom Hall. A lower court agreed with the father.
The mother then appealed to the Supreme Court of Nebraska. The mother argued that there was no evidence of immediate or substantial threat to the well-being of the child in any of the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The mother testified “that attendance and participation in the religious activities of both parents would . . . provide a basis for the child to determine which religion she would prefer when she reaches a sufficient age of understanding.”
The higher court reversed the lower court’s decision and held that “the [lower] court abused its discretion in placing limitations on the custodial mother’s right to control the religious upbringing of her minor child.” There was absolutely no evidence that the child was being harmed by attending religious services at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Rights of Noncustodial Parents
Sometimes, divorced parents try to use disputes about religious training as a means of gaining control of the children. For example, in Khalsa v. Khalsa, a case in the state of New Mexico, U.S.A., both parents had practiced the Sikh religion during their marriage. But shortly after they divorced, the mother converted to Catholicism and began to discourage the children from practicing Sikhism.
The father was upset and took the matter to court in an attempt to obtain more authority to direct the children’s religious training toward his Sikh religion. How did the trial court respond to the father’s request? It refused his request. The trial court ordered that “when the children were with [him], they could not voluntarily or involuntarily participate in any Sikh activity, including any church activity, Sikh camp or Sikh day care center.”
The father appealed this decision to the New Mexico Court of Appeals. This higher court agreed with the father and reversed the trial court’s decision. The appeals court stated: “Courts should adhere to a policy of impartiality between religions, and should intervene in this sensitive and constitutionally protected area only where there is a clear and affirmative showing of harm to the children. Restrictions in this area present the danger that court-imposed limitations will unconstitutionally infringe upon a parent’s freedom of worship or be perceived as having that effect.”
Such a decision follows a long line of principles that are well established in many lands. A reasonable parent will consider these principles. In addition, the Christian parent will carefully reflect on the child’s need for interaction with both parents, as well as the child’s obligation to show honor to both mother and father.—Ephesians 6:1-3.
Out-of-Court Mediation
Although out-of-court mediation may be less formal than a hearing before a judge, a parent should not approach it casually. Any mutual agreements or stipulations reached in this custody process can be made binding by subsequent court orders. Therefore, it would be advisable for a parent to consult an experienced family law attorney to ensure that all matters pertaining to custody are handled properly and fairly.
Each parent should take time to prepare for the mediation process. A parent’s demeanor and conduct during the mediation process can greatly influence the outcome. Too often, divorcing parents are so emotionally involved in the divorce action that they lose sight of the important issues: What is in the best interests of the child? What does the child need so that he can develop mentally, emotionally, and physically?
Remember that from the legal point of view, the primary issue in mediation is, not religious or other personal differences, but how the parents can find common ground and work out an agreement for the good of the children. A parent will perhaps face religious or other prejudices, unexpected questions, or manipulations designed to agitate and fluster. Each parent’s shortcomings may be exposed or even exaggerated. When those involved remain reasonable, however, a resolution can be reached.
At times, the mediation process may seem prolonged and frustrating. The alternative is extended court action with its embarrassing publicity, financial burden, and damaging effect on the child. That is certainly less desirable. As with all serious problems in life, a Christian parent will want to approach the mediation process prayerfully, remembering the inspired invitation to “roll upon Jehovah your way, and rely upon him, and he himself will act.”—Psalm 37:5.
But what if a solution cannot be reached and the judge awards custody of the child to the other parent? Or what if one of the divorcing parents is disfellowshipped from the Christian congregation? Also, how should one view joint custody and sole custody? These questions and related Bible principles will be discussed in the following article.
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Three Important Qualities
A family-court judge interviewed by Awake! said that among the important qualities he looks for in a parent are the following three:
Reasonableness—a willingness to grant maximum access to the child by the other parent (where there is no physical or moral threat to the child)
Sensitivity—an awareness of the child’s emotional needs
Self-control—a balanced homelife that would contribute to a calm atmosphere in which the child could flourish
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Judicial Guidelines
By setting guidelines, some judges have tried to avert needless disputes over a parent’s religious values. For example:
1. A meaningful relationship should be encouraged between a child and both parents. Canada’s Supreme Court Justice John Sopinka noted that each parent should be allowed “to engage in those activities which contribute to identify the parent for what he or she really is [including the practice of his or her religion]. The access parent is not expected to act out a part or assume a phony lifestyle during access periods.”
2. To prohibit the access parent from teaching the child his/her religious beliefs is a violation of the parent’s freedom of religion, except where there is clear, affirmative evidence of imminent and substantial harm to the child.
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Judges bear a heavy responsibility in custody cases
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A mediator can help parents resolve differences without lengthy court proceedings
Child Custody—A Balanced View
Child Custody—A Balanced View
OFTEN, the real challenge comes after the divorce, in a struggle for the affection and control of the child. The saying “It takes two to fight” is not always true. It may take only one domineering parent who wants his or her own way. A family attorney in Toronto, Canada, observed: “In family law, everything is very emotionally charged and close to the heart.”
Instead of thinking of the child’s best interests, some parents keep the dispute going by filing motions on irrelevant issues. For example, some have tried to prove that custody should be changed because the other parent is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and will deprive the child of a ‘normal way of life.’
The non-Witness may make an issue of celebrating birthdays, Christmas, or even Halloween. Some may complain that the child’s association and social adjustment would be restricted if the child decided not to salute the flag. Or some may suggest that the child would be psychologically damaged by accompanying the parent in talking to others about the Bible. Some non-Witness parents have even alleged that the child’s life would be endangered because the Witness parent would not give consent for the child to receive a blood transfusion.
How does a Christian meet the challenge of such emotionally charged arguments? An emotional response—“fighting fire with fire”—will not be effective. If the matter is taken before a judge, each parent will have an opportunity to be heard. It is most important to keep in mind the Bible counsel: “Throw your burden upon Jehovah himself, and he himself will sustain you. Never will he allow the righteous one to totter.” (Psalm 55:22) By meditating on this and by applying Bible principles, parents can, with Jehovah’s help, cope with any eventuality involving child custody.—Proverbs 15:28.
Reasonableness
The best interests of the child are the key issue. If a parent is overly demanding, he may lose custody and even find his visitation privileges restricted. The wise parent conducts himself in a peaceable manner, keeping in mind the Bible counsel: “Return evil for evil to no one. . . . Yield place to the wrath . . . Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.” (Romans 12:17-21) Whether in court, in a lawyer’s office, or with a child-custody evaluator, parents need to “let [their] reasonableness become known to all men.”—Philippians 4:5.
Sometimes an estranged spouse will try to deceive others by introducing misleading and speculative problems. It is wise to fight the human tendency to overreact to these verbal attacks. Health, religion, and education are favorite subjects that estranged spouses use to fabricate mischief at a custody-dispute hearing.—Proverbs 14:22.
Reasonableness includes the ability to consider the facts and negotiate a fair agreement. No parent should forget that even after divorce, the child still has two parents. The parents have divorced each other but have not divorced the child. Therefore, except in extreme circumstances, each parent should have the freedom to act as a parent when he or she has the child. Each should have the freedom to express his or her feelings and values and have the child share in the parent’s lawful activities, religious or otherwise.
Let us consider the possible outcomes of a hearing: (1) joint custody, (2) sole custody, and (3) limits on visitation privileges. What is the difference between joint custody and sole custody? How can you cope when you lose custody? What if one parent is disfellowshipped?
Joint Custody
Some judges feel that it is important to maintain contact between the child and both parents. Their reasoning is based on research studies showing that children may suffer less stress and emotional harm after divorce if the parents are able to share custody. Rather than feeling abandoned by one parent, the child would have a sense of being loved by both parents and of being involved in both households. “Joint custody is a way of keeping both parents involved,” says a family law attorney.
However, Dr. Judith Wallerstein, executive director of the Center for the Family in Transition, in Corte Madera, California, warns that to make joint custody work, you need parents who are cooperative and a child who is flexible and gets along with people. These qualities are essential because in joint custody both parents retain the legal right to share decision-making on major issues involving the health, education, religious upbringing, and social life of their child. But this works only if both parents remain reasonable in considering what is in the best interests of their child rather than what is in their own personal interests.
Sole Custody
The court may award sole custody to the parent who, in its opinion, is better equipped to provide for the needs of the child. The judge may decide that the custodial parent be the sole decision-maker regarding important issues concerning the child’s well-being. Often, the court arrives at the decision after listening to the findings of assessors—these are usually psychologists, psychiatrists, or social workers.
Proponents of sole custody feel that the arrangement gives the child more stability. When parents are unable or unlikely to communicate effectively with each other, many trial judges prefer this custodial arrangement. Of course, the noncustodial parent is not cut out of the child’s life. Visitation rights are generally awarded to the noncustodial parent, and both parents can continue to provide the child with needed guidance, love, and affection.
Visitation Privileges
It is unrealistic for parents to view child custody as having a “winner” and a “loser.” Parents are successful and “win” when they see their children grow into mature, competent, respectable adults. Success in child rearing is not directly tied to legal custodianship. By heeding court-ordered conditions in child-custody matters, even when these appear to be unjust, a Christian shows “subjection to the superior authorities.” (Romans 13:1) It is also important to remember that this is no time to vie for the affection or loyalty of your children by belittling the other parent in an attempt to destroy his or her relationship with them.
There are Bible examples of God-fearing parents who, for various reasons, were separated from their children. For example, Amram and Jochebed, the parents of Moses, acting in the best interests of their child, placed him in a little floating ark “among the reeds by the bank of the river Nile.” When the infant was retrieved by Pharaoh’s daughter, they maintained their trust in Jehovah. These wise and faithful parents were rewarded with generous “visitation” privileges that they effectively used to train the boy in Jehovah’s way. Moses grew up to be an outstanding servant of the true God.—Exodus 2:1-10; 6:20.
What, though, if one of the parents is disfellowshipped? Should the Christian parent make the child available for visitation? The disfellowshipping process of the congregation only alters the spiritual relationship between the individual and the Christian congregation. In fact, it severs the spiritual bonds. But the parent-child relationship remains intact. The custodial parent must respect the disfellowshipped parent’s visitation rights. However, if the noncustodial parent poses an imminent and substantial threat to the child’s physical or emotional welfare, then the court (not the custodial parent) may arrange to have visitation with the child supervised by a third party.
You Are Never Alone
Divorce proceedings and subsequent child-custody disputes are emotionally draining experiences. A union that started so promisingly has been shattered along with the couple’s dreams, plans, and expectations. For example, infidelity or extreme abuse may force a loyal wife to seek legal protection for herself and her child. Yet, feelings of guilt and inadequacy may persist as she contemplates what went wrong or how the matter could have been handled more effectively. Many couples worry about their children’s reaction to the family breakup. The court struggle for custody may become an emotional roller-coaster ride that not only tests one’s integrity as a caring parent but also tests one’s faith and trust in Jehovah.—Compare Psalm 34:15, 18, 19, 22.
When an innocent mate chooses to take action because of child abuse or extreme spousal abuse or to protect his or her health against the risk of sexually transmitted diseases from an unfaithful spouse, there is no need for that innocent mate to feel guilty or to feel abandoned by Jehovah. (Psalm 37:28) The unfaithful or abusive spouse is the one who has violated the sacred contract of marriage and “dealt treacherously” with his or her mate.—Malachi 2:14.
Continue to “hold a good conscience” before man and Jehovah by applying Bible principles, treating your estranged spouse honestly, and showing flexibility in your custody agreements. “It is better to suffer because you are doing good, if the will of God wishes it, than because you are doing evil.”—1 Peter 3:16, 17.
As for the children, they need reassurance that the breakup of the family was not their fault. Sometimes things just do not work out as planned. But the application of Bible principles can soften the impact of divorce by encouraging open and understanding dialogue between parents and children. For example, this can be done by letting the children have an active part in planning for postdivorce family life. By being patient and kind and by being interested in the children’s feelings and listening to their expressions, you will do much to help them adjust to new schedules and living arrangements.
Others Can Help
Parents are not the only ones who can help a child who experiences the breakup of a family. Family members, teachers, and friends can do much to support and reassure children of divorce. In particular, grandparents can do much to contribute to the children’s stability and emotional well-being.
Christian grandparents may offer the children spiritual instruction and wholesome activities, but they must be respectful of the parents’ decisions about religious training, for it is the parents, not the grandparents, who hold the moral and legal authority to make these decisions.—Ephesians 6:2-4.
With such support, children of divorce can survive the breakup of their parents’ marriage. And they can continue to look forward to the blessings of God’s new world, where all families will be free from “enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God.”—Romans 8:21; 2 Peter 3:13.
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Correcting Misunderstandings
“The tongue of wise ones does good with knowledge,” and a Christian parent has a fine opportunity to correct misunderstandings or half-truths. (Proverbs 15:2) For example, as to the health care of their children, “Jehovah’s Witnesses accept medical and surgical treatment,” but when designated as the custodial parent, a Witness reserves the right of informed consent for any procedure.a—The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Jehovah’s Witnesses take their religion, which is based on God’s Word, the Bible, seriously. This makes for better fathers, mothers, children, friends, neighbors, and citizens. Christian parents administer discipline in love, building respect for authority and equipping their children with a set of sound values for life.b—Proverbs 13:18.
Secular education is an important part of a child’s upbringing, and Jehovah’s Witnesses want their children to have the best that is available.c—Proverbs 13:20.
[Footnotes]
See the brochure How Can Blood Save Your Life?, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
See the book The Secret of Family Happiness, chapters 5-7, 9, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
See the brochure Jehovah’s Witnesses and Education, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
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A custodial parent should listen patiently when a child tells about his or her visit with the noncustodial parent
Should Christians Hate Homosexuals?
The Bible’s Viewpoint
Should Christians Hate Homosexuals?
IN 1969 a word describing an irrational fear of or aversion to homosexuals was coined in the English language. The word is “homophobia.” Many languages do not have such a specific word, yet for thousands of years, people of many nations and tongues have evinced a dislike for homosexuals.
In more recent times, though, homosexuality has been widely promoted as merely an alternative form of sexual expression. Historian Jerry Z. Muller recently wrote of a “rising demand for public recognition and respect for homosexuality as such.” He explained that homosexuals “have increasingly banded together to proclaim their practice as praiseworthy, and to demand that others do so as well.” This is seen especially in Western countries. However, in most parts of the world, even in so-called liberal lands, many still condemn and spurn homosexuality.
Homosexuals and those suspected of homosexuality are often singled out as targets of scornful remarks, harassment, and violence. Even religious leaders have manifested such hatred. Some have started what may seem to be their own private wars against homosexuals. Take, for instance, the comments made by a bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church that were broadcasted recently on Greek national radio. He stated: “God will burn homosexuals forever in the fiery pitch of hell. The screams of their filthy mouths will resound to all eternity. Their perverse bodies will experience unbearable torment.” Is this really true? How does God feel about homosexuals?
God’s View
The Bible does not call particular attention to homosexuals as a group to be ostracized or hated by Christians. Moreover, it does not teach that God will punish homosexuals—or any of his creatures—by burning them in a fiery hell forever.—Compare Romans 6:23.
However, the Scriptures do set forth the moral standards of our Creator, which oftentimes run counter to modern-day mores. Homosexual acts, heterosexual sex between unmarried persons, and bestiality are all condemned in the Bible. (Exodus 22:19; Ephesians 5:3-5) God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of such sexual practices.—Genesis 13:13; 18:20; 19:4, 5, 24, 25.
Regarding acts of homosexuality, God’s Word pointedly says: “This is a hateful thing.” (Leviticus 18:22, The New Jerusalem Bible) God’s Law to Israel stipulated: “When a man lies down with a male the same as one lies down with a woman, both of them have done a detestable thing. They should be put to death without fail.” (Leviticus 20:13) The same punishment was prescribed for those committing bestiality, incest, and adultery.—Leviticus 20:10-12, 14-17.
The apostle Paul was inspired to describe homosexual acts as expressions of “disgraceful sexual appetites” and as “contrary to nature.” He writes: “That is why God gave them up to disgraceful sexual appetites, for both their females changed the natural use of themselves into one contrary to nature; and likewise even the males left the natural use of the female and became violently inflamed in their lust toward one another, males with males, working what is obscene and receiving in themselves the full recompense, which was due for their error. And just as they did not approve of holding God in accurate knowledge, God gave them up to a disapproved mental state, to do the things not fitting.”—Romans 1:26-28.
The Scriptures offer no apologies, no concessions, no ambiguity; homosexual practices, adultery, fornication, are all repulsive in God’s sight. Accordingly, true Christians do not water down the Bible’s position on “disgraceful sexual appetites” merely to become more popular or more acceptable to modern culture. Nor do they agree with any movement dedicated to the promotion of homosexuality as a normal life-style.
“Hate What Is Bad”
The Bible admonishes: “O you lovers of Jehovah, hate what is bad.” (Psalm 97:10) Hence, Christians are expected to hate every practice that violates Jehovah’s laws. Some people may even react with stronger feelings of aversion or disgust toward homosexuality than toward other types of immorality, viewing homosexuality as an unnatural sexual perversion. However, should Christians hate the individuals who practice such things?
The psalmist sheds some light on this issue at Psalm 139:21, 22: “Do I not hate those who are intensely hating you, O Jehovah, and do I not feel a loathing for those revolting against you? With a complete hatred I do hate them. They have become to me real enemies.” Our loyalty to Jehovah and his principles should generate in us a strong dislike of those who deliberately revolt against Jehovah and who take a stand as God’s enemies. Satan and the demons are among such confirmed enemies of God. Some humans also likely fall into this category. Yet, it may be very difficult for a Christian to identify such people from outward appearances. We cannot read hearts. (Jeremiah 17:9, 10) It would be wrong to assume that one is an unreformable enemy of God because he or she is practicing wrong. In many cases wrongdoers simply do not know God’s standards.
Hence, generally speaking, Christians are slow to hate fellow humans. Even if they have strong feelings of abhorrence toward certain life-styles, they do not seek to inflict injury on others, nor do they harbor spite or malice toward them. Rather, the Bible counsels Christians to “be peaceable with all men.”—Romans 12:9, 17-19.
“God Is Not Partial”
Jehovah will grant forgiveness to the person who truly repents, no matter what immorality that person may have been committing. There is no evidence that Jehovah views one form of immorality as worse than another. “God is not partial.” (Acts 10:34, 35) Consider, for example, the case of the first-century congregation in Corinth. The apostle Paul wrote to them: “Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit God’s kingdom.” Then Paul acknowledged that some former fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals, and thieves had been accepted into the Christian congregation in Corinth. He explained: “And yet that is what some of you were. But you have been washed clean, but you have been sanctified, but you have been declared righteous in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.”—1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
Of course, Jehovah does not tolerate any continued and persistent violation of his perfect moral standards. He definitely hates the obstinate disregard of his principles. However, he keeps the door for reconciliation open. (Psalm 86:5; Isaiah 55:7) In harmony with this, Christians do not make homosexuals, or anyone else, the target of ill will, ridicule, or harassment. True Christians view their fellow humans as potential disciples of Christ, treating them in a respectful and dignified manner. The Bible says: “This is fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God, whose will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.”—1 Timothy 2:3, 4.
Christians Welcome the Repentant
Time and again, the Bible declares that God is forgiving. It describes him as “a God of acts of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness.” (Nehemiah 9:17; Ezekiel 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9) The Bible further likens him to the father in Jesus’ parable about the prodigal son who had squandered his inheritance on debauchery in a distant land. The father waited with open arms to welcome back his son when the son finally came to his senses, repented, and returned to his family home.—Luke 15:11-24.
Yes, it is possible for a wrongdoer to change. The Scriptures acknowledge this by encouraging people to strip off the old personality and put on the new one and to ‘be made new in the force actuating the mind.’ (Ephesians 4:22-24) Those who practice what is bad, including homosexuals, can make radical changes in their pattern of thinking and behavior, and many have indeed been successful in making this transformation.a Jesus himself preached to such ones; and on showing repentance, they became acceptable to him.—Matthew 21:31, 32.
Christians welcome repentant people from diverse walks of life. After leaving behind immoral practices, whatever they might have been, all can enjoy the full benefits of God’s forgiveness because “Jehovah is good to all, and his mercies are over all his works.”—Psalm 145:9.
Christians are ready to offer the needed spiritual support, even to those who are still struggling with homosexual inclinations. This is in harmony with God’s own manifestation of love, for the Bible says: “God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”—Romans 5:8.
[Footnote]
See the article “How Can I Make These Feelings Go Away?,” in the March 22, 1995, issue of Awake!
[Blurb on page 14]
Christians do not water down the Bible’s view of homosexuality
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Punch
The French Bible’s Fight for Survival
The French Bible’s Fight for Survival
BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN FRANCE
OVER one hundred million people in the world speak French. Even if you are not one of them, the French Bible’s fight for survival makes fascinating reading, partly because of its connection with religious freedom. Over the centuries many French Bibles met a cruel end at the hands of enemies and false friends. Against intimidating odds, translators and printers risked their lives to win the fight.
During the 12th century, translations of parts of the Bible were available in a number of vernacular tongues, including French. Groups considered to be heretics by the Catholic Church encouraged their use. But it was not until the 19th century that the Bible started to be distributed widely in French. This long lapse of centuries reflects the perilous trials that the French Bible went through to see the light of day.
One of the first books in French was a Bible dictionary published about 900 C.E. It was designed to help readers understand the Bible in Latin, the language used by the Catholic Church. But by that time Latin was no longer spoken by the common people, who used a number of dialects. Thus they were denied access to the Word of God. This remained the prerogative of the Latin-versed clergy, who could read it.
In 842 C.E., the first official state document in French made its appearance. This was tacit recognition that the majority of the people were no longer speaking Latin. Religious poems in the common tongue started to appear in France around 880 C.E. Bible translations, however, did not appear for another two centuries. Among the earliest were the Norman-French translations of parts of the Bible, produced at the beginning of the 12th century.
The Battle Begins in Earnest
The first sustained effort to make the Holy Scriptures available to the people of France in a form that they could read came from Peter Waldo, a 12th-century merchant from Lyons, in central France. Waldo commissioned the translation of parts of the Bible into Provençal, a dialect spoken in southeastern France. In 1179, at the Third Lateran Council, he had his partial Bible translation presented to Pope Alexander III.
Later on, the church condemned Waldo and his followers as heretics, and monks burned the translations he had commissioned. From then on, the church resisted every effort to put the Word of God into the hands of the common people.
The church made its strategy clear in 1211 by burning Bibles in the city of Metz, in the east of France. In 1229 the Council of Toulouse expressly forbade the use by the laity of vernacular Bibles in any language. This was followed in 1234 by the Council of Tarragona, Spain, which forbade possession of Bibles in any Romance language (language derived from Latin), even by the clergy.
Despite such relentless opposition, the first complete French-language translation of the Bible appeared in the second half of the 13th century. Translated anonymously, this Bible received only scant distribution. At this time the Bible was not available to the common people in any form. Copies were made by hand. The high price and limited availability restricted possession of the Bible almost exclusively to the nobility and the clergy.
Defense of the Bible Mobilizes
With the invention of the printing press and movable type by Johannes Gutenberg about 1450, France was swept along by the printing revolution in Europe. Three French cities—Paris, Lyons, and Rouen—became important centers of printing, bulwarks in the defense of the Bible.a
Until this stage of the struggle, French Bible translations had been based on the Latin Vulgate. The Latin text had become tainted with numerous errors after a thousand years of repeated copying, but the church clung to the Vulgate. However, French Catholic Jacques Lefèvre d’Étaples decided to make the Bible accessible to the people. In 1530 he translated the Vulgate into French, correcting some of its errors by referring to Hebrew and Greek manuscripts that had recently become available. He also removed the confusing doctrinal explanations that the church had inserted into the text.
Lefèvre’s translation quickly came under attack. Some versions had to be printed outside France. These were put on the list of books banned by the church. For a time Lefèvre had to seek refuge in Strasbourg, then a free imperial city to the east of France. Nevertheless, his translation was a success.
The first French translation of the Bible based on the original language texts was published in 1535. The translator was French Protestant Pierre-Robert Olivétan, a cousin of Reformer John Calvin. Because of the opposition of the church, it could not be printed in France, so this translation was printed in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, a fledgling Protestant community. Olivétan’s French Bible translation served as the standard for many subsequent revisions and Bible translations into other languages.
A Perilous Fight
In France some brave printers, like Étienne Dolet in 1546, were burned at the stake for printing the Bible. The Council of Trent, in 1546, reaffirmed the “authenticity” of the Vulgate, despite its errors, and from then on the church took an increasingly firm position against vernacular translations. In 1612 the Spanish Inquisition embarked on a fierce campaign to eradicate vernacular Bibles.
Persecution at times led to ingenious innovations. “Chignon,” or “bun,” Bibles were produced, which were small enough to be hidden in the bun of a woman’s hair. And in 1754, extracts of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures were printed in a book measuring only one and one quarter inches by two inches [3 x 5 cm].
Counterattacks
In time, though, the tide changed. After the Bible had withstood centuries of vicious attacks, decisive blows were delivered in its favor. New ideas and freedom of worship, granted following the French Revolution, struck at the heart of the church’s opposition. Thus, in 1803 a Protestant New Testament was printed in France, the first in 125 years!
Help also came from Bible societies. In 1792 the French Bible Society was formed in London, England, “to obtain, to the extent possible, French Bibles for the French who do not possess this divine treasure in a language understandable to them.” Other Bible societies joined the fray. Their goal of producing and distributing the Bible in French enjoyed success.
The Coup de Grace
The Catholic Church resisted any change in its tactics, but it was fighting a losing battle. Throughout the 19th century, popes issued a series of decrees relentlessly opposing vernacular Bibles. As late as 1897, Pope Leo XIII reaffirmed that “all versions of the Holy Books made by any non-Catholic writer whatsoever and in any common language are prohibited, especially those published by Bible societies, which have been condemned by the Pontiff of Rome on several occasions.”
However, because of the availability of inexpensive Protestant Bibles published by the Bible societies, the Catholic Church allowed Catholic scholars to translate the Bible into French. Augustin Crampon’s translation, first published in seven volumes (1894-1904) and then in one volume (1904), was the first French Catholic translation based on the original texts. Noteworthy were the numerous scholarly footnotes and the fact that Crampon used Jéhovah, the French form of God’s name, extensively.
Making an about-face, the Vatican, in its encyclical Divino Afflante Spiritu, of 1943, finally set the rules for translation of the Bible into vernacular languages. Many Catholic translations have been published since then, including the popular Jerusalem Bible, first published in French and later translated into several other languages, including English.
One Bible that has helped French-speaking people the world over is the French edition of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. First published in its complete form in 1974, it was revised in 1995. In the many languages in which it has thus far been published, the New World Translation gives credit to the Bible’s Author by restoring his name, Jehovah, in the Hebrew Scriptures and, where appropriate, in the Greek Scriptures. To date, over five million copies of the French edition have been printed. Undoubtedly, the Bible has won its fight to survive in French.
[Footnote]
So successful was French printing that when the Spanish Inquisition ordered the roundup of foreign Bibles in 1552, the tribunal of Seville reported that some 90 percent of those confiscated had been printed in France!
[Picture on page 16]
Lefèvre d’Étaples’ 1530 Bible
[Picture on page 16]
Olivétan’s 1535 Bible
[Picture on page 17]
A rare example of the “13th-Century Bible”
[Picture Credit Line on page 17]
Bibles: Bibliothèque Nationale de France
Crossword Puzzle
Crossword Puzzle
Clues Across
2. Father of Zechariah, who Jesus said was “murdered between the sanctuary and the altar” (Matthew 23:35)
6. Benjamin’s firstborn son (Genesis 46:21)
7. Aaronic priest who was a noted copyist and teacher of the Law (Nehemiah 8:1, 2)
8. Relating to a line of descent (Exodus 12:3)
10. What a person must become in the eyes of the world in order to be truly wise (1 Corinthians 3:18, 19)
11. The pendant part of an ear (Leviticus 14:14)
12. One of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:32)
16. There is a time to do this as well as a time to laugh (Ecclesiastes 3:4)
18. The origin, or source (1 Timothy 6:10)
19. What the “floor” of the celestial chariot in Ezekiel’s vision resembled (Ezekiel 1:22)
20. The gulf where sailors feared their ship would be run aground when taking Paul to Rome as a prisoner (Acts 27:17)
21. The tree from which Aaron’s rod came (Numbers 17:8)
22. To protect his guests, he offered his daughters to the mob (Genesis 19:6-8)
23. A great distance (Luke 16:23)
24. The Bible name for the Egyptian city of Memphis (Isaiah 19:13)
25. Enjoyed an elaborate meal (Job 1:4, King James Version)
28. A female of the red deer (Proverbs 5:19)
30. Insects called “a people” because of their relatively complex social organization (Proverbs 30:25)
31. To come upon face-to-face (Mark 14:13)
32. Canaanite father of Judah’s wife (Genesis 38:2)
33. If the gender of the parents were reversed, this animal would be called a hinny (2 Samuel 13:29)
34. These are “detestable to Jehovah” (Proverbs 12:22)
Clues Down
1. What blind ones could expect from Jesus [3 words] (Luke 4:18)
2. Elijah was told that 7,000 in Israel had not bowed to this false god (1 Kings 19:18)
3. Incubate (Isaiah 34:15)
4. This word has been used to translate the Hebrew and Greek words for Sheol and Hades, resulting in confusion over what happens to the dead (Acts 2:31, KJ)
5. Hiram, the skilled artisan who made many of the temple’s furnishings, was the son of a widow of this heritage [3 words] (1 Kings 7:14)
9. He misjudged righteous Hannah as being drunk (1 Samuel 1:13)
13. A time to relax (Ecclesiastes 3:4; Acts 17:21)
14. Paul called this Christian in Rome “the approved one in Christ” (Romans 16:10)
15. Blow softly (Song of Solomon 4:16)
17. This apostle had more of his statements recorded in the Gospels than any of the other 11 (Matthew 15:15)
18. Paul escaped being scourged by declaring that he was this (Acts 22:25-29)
26. One of two spices that Nicodemus used in preparing Jesus’ body for burial (John 19:39)
27. The number of leprous men that Jesus healed, after which only one returned to thank him (Luke 17:12-19)
29. The Law proscribed calling down evil upon people with this affliction, as they could not defend themselves (Leviticus 19:14)
30. Weapons (Ezra 4:23)
Crossword Solutions Page 27
Solutions Across
2. BARACHIAH
6. BELA
7. EZRA
8. ANCESTRAL
10. FOOL
11. LOBE
12. ELIAHBA
16. WEEP
18. ROOT
19. ICE
20. SYRTIS
21. ALMOND
22. LOT
23. AFAR
24. NOPH
25. FEASTED
28. HIND
30. ANTS
31. ENCOUNTER
32. SHUA
33. MULE
34. FALSE LIPS
Solutions Down
1. RECOVERY OF SIGHT
2. BAAL
3. HATCH
4. HELL
5. TRIBE OF NAPHTALI
9. ELI
13. LEISURE
14. APELLES
15. BREATHE
17. PETER
18. ROMAN
26. ALOES
27. TEN
29. DEAF
30. ARMS
The Pygmies—People of the Deep Forest
The Pygmies—People of the Deep Forest
BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
COME and meet the BaBingas, the Pygmies of Central African Republic, our home. You have likely heard and read something about Pygmies, but you may never have met any of them. When you visit Bangui, the capital, a trip of less than two hours will take you right into their territory.
Jehovah’s Witnesses have an important message for all nations, tribes, races, and ethnic groups. In our Christian activity, we preach to all kinds of people. This includes the Pygmies.—Revelation 14:6.
So please join us and see how they live and how they respond to the good news of God’s Kingdom, which will bring Paradise to the earth. It will be a pleasant and fascinating day for you.
Subject of Research
Before going, it is appropriate for us to do some research about the people we will be visiting. Books are available that have been written by men who lived for months among the Pygmies, studying their culture, religion, and habits.
Reading about these peaceful and friendly people and then visiting them will answer a number of questions, such as: Where did the Pygmies come from? What can we learn from them? Where do they live? What makes them different from other African groups? How do they blend in with the rest of the population?
Webster’s Third New International Dictionary states that Pygmies are “a small people of equatorial Africa ranging under five feet [1.5 meters] in height, . . . using the languages of their nearest neighbors.” The Pygmies of Africa are thought to be independent in origin from the Negritos (meaning “Little Negroes”) of Oceania and the southeastern part of Asia.
The term “pygmy” comes from a Greek word meaning “distance from the elbow to the knuckles.” Pygmies are known as hunters and gatherers. The total Pygmy population in the world is estimated at little more than 200,000.
Serge Bahuchet and Guy Philippart de Foy give us more interesting details in their book Pygmées—peuple de la forêt (The Pygmies—People of the Forest). The Pygmies, they say, occupy the deep forests of the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, and Central African Republic and can be found even far east in Rwanda and Burundi.
Nobody knows exactly where the Pygmies came from or when they arrived. They never use “pygmy” to identify themselves. In Central African Republic, they are generally called BaBinga, but in other countries they are known as BaKola, BaBongo, BaAka, BaMbènzèlè, BaTwa, and BaMbuti.
The First Visit
We leave Bangui in a Land Cruiser early in the morning, at about seven, to go south to M’Baiki/Mongoumba. The road is paved only for the first 60 miles [100 km]. It is good to have a car with four-wheel drive, since the road is slippery after last night’s rain.
We drive through lush green countryside with immense forests and through small villages where people offer bananas, plantains, pineapples, manioc, corn, squash, and peanuts by the roadside on little tables. Famine is unknown here. The good soil and humid climate produce a variety of foods in abundance. Then, suddenly, we are at the first BaBinga “village” or, rather, camp.
They live in surprisingly small dome-shaped huts with one opening big enough to crawl through. Using sticks and leaves from the forest nearby, women build the huts. About 10 to 15 huts are arranged in a circle. These serve only as sleeping quarters or for protection from heavy rain. Daily life is in the open.
We step out of the car to greet some women, each carrying a baby on her hip. Having heard our car, some men come running to see who we are and what we want. They are escorted by a number of dogs, each with a little bell tied around its neck.
We remember from our research that the only domestic animals the Pygmies keep are dogs. They are their companions for hunting. And, from the soil to the treetop, there is much to hunt. As the book Pygmées—peuple de la forêt explains, this includes birds, monkeys, elephants, buffalo, rats, antelope, wild hogs, squirrels, and many others. A faithful dog is a must for every hunter.
In talking to these people, we use the book My Book of Bible Stories and the brochure Enjoy Life on Earth Forever!a These illustrate that soon the earth will be a paradise with beautiful forests, where there will be no sickness or death. (Revelation 21:4, 5) Both publications are printed in Sango, the language spoken by more than 90 percent of the population, including the Pygmies. These peaceful people, wherever they live, adopt the language of their African neighbors. This is necessary because they are trading partners.
Soon, a number of men and women are standing around us, looking excitedly at one picture after another as they listen to the explanation given. From former visits over the years, they know us as Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are happy to obtain copies of the publications. However, the problem is that they can’t read. Over the years efforts have been made by the government and other institutions to teach them reading and writing, but in vain. Schooling was arranged for their children. The schools functioned for a time, but most children dropped out sooner or later. A teacher who has worked with Pygmies stated that while in class they demonstrate remarkable learning ability, but after several months of attending school, they just disappear. However, efforts to provide formal instruction continue by the local authorities and others.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are known to call back on people who show interest in God’s Word. But we do not expect to meet the same BaBingas the next time we come around, as they are constantly on the move all year long. They disappear into their deep forest home for months at a time. Efforts to settle them permanently have met with very little success. Really, they are the people of the deep forest. Moving around and hunting is their way of life, and nothing holds them back.
Daily Life, Marriage, and Family
Basically, men do the hunting and women do the gathering, collecting just about everything the forest produces: mushrooms, roots, berries, leaves, nuts, insects, termites, wild honey, and, not to be forgotten, their beloved caterpillars. All these items are needed for food and for trade. The Pygmies’ African neighbors, often called les grands noirs (the tall blacks), largely depend on them for these items. In exchange, they provide pots, pans, machetes, tools like axes and knives, salt, palm oil, manioc, plantains, and also, unfortunately, tobacco, locally made alcohol, and cannabis. The last three items are a tremendous problem for these humble people. Often they go into debt to obtain them, and little by little their lives are ruined.
Men are usually monogamous. However, they readily divorce or separate to live with another partner. The father or the oldest in the camp is the most respected. He does not give orders, but his counsel is usually followed. You will see that Pygmies love their children. The mother and the father frequently carry their baby. These little ones are in constant contact with both parents wherever they go and whatever they do, be it working, hunting, or dancing.
At night the baby sleeps between the parents. In the daytime, parents, brothers, sisters, uncles, and grandparents watch over the little ones, and besides that, they have the attention of the whole camp. Visits among parents and relatives are very frequent. All of this keeps family ties close. In Western civilization family ties are often loose or broken, but here things are very different.
While the Pygmies live apart from their African neighbors, they have economic relations with them. Besides having regular contact through trade, they are frequently asked to work as farmhands on the coffee and cocoa plantations. They may work for a few weeks, get paid, and then disappear into the deep forest for a long period. Who knows? The coffee you enjoyed this morning may have passed through the hands of Central African Pygmies.
Religion
BaBingas are religious people, but superstition and tradition govern their religious life. They practice their rituals accompanied by music, singing (yodeling), and dancing. The book Ethnies—droits de l’homme et peuples autochtones (Ethnic Groups—Human Rights and the Autochthon People) gives the following explanation: “For the people of the deep forest, God created the world, meaning the forest. After creating the first human couples . . . , he retired to heaven and lost interest in human affairs. Now a supreme spirit, the god of the forest, acts for him.” Of course, this is greatly at odds with the explanation of God and his purpose that is found in the Bible—Genesis, chapters 1, 2; Psalm 37:10, 11, 29.
An Intelligent People
It is not uncommon for some people to ridicule or even look down on Pygmies, considering them to be inferior and less intelligent. But Patrick Meredith, professor of psychophysics at Leeds University, England, said: “If you see pygmies in their natural environment making bridges out of fibre and living life successfully you might ask what you mean by intelligence.”
We know that all mankind are descendants of the first human pair, Adam and Eve. Acts 17:26 says: “[God] made out of one man [Adam] every nation of men, to dwell upon the entire surface of the earth.” And Acts 10:34, 35 states that “God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” Therefore, we want to take Bible truths to these people so they too can have the hope of living at the time soon when the whole earth will be transformed into a beautiful paradise with many deep forests.
[Footnote]
Published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
[Pictures on page 23]
1. Sharing the Bible’s message with the Pygmies; 2. Pygmy wood-carver; 3. typical Pygmy dwelling
Jehovah Smoothed Our Way
Jehovah Smoothed Our Way
I WAS born in 1924, near Cham, a town in the Swiss canton of Zug. My parents had 13 children—10 boys and 3 girls. I was the firstborn, a boy. Two boys died when they were very young. The rest of us received a staunch Catholic upbringing on a farm during the Great Depression.
Dad was an honest, good-natured man, but he was subject to spells of rage. On occasion, he even battered Mother when she unjustly reproached him because of her jealousy. She could not tolerate his chatting with the women of our neighborhood, although she had no reason to doubt his fidelity. This would distress me very much.
Mother was very superstitious. She would interpret even minor events as a sign from “the poor souls in purgatory.” I hated such credulity. But the priests would feed her superstitious beliefs with reading material that supported her false religious thinking.
I Had Questions
From my boyhood on, questions regarding God and man’s destiny occupied my mind. I tried to reach logical conclusions, but there were so many contradictions! I read Catholic publications regarding the saints, miracles, and so forth. However, these did not satisfy my sense of reason. I felt as though I were groping in the dark.
The local priest admonished me not to ponder over the questions I had. He said that wanting to understand everything was a sign of pride and that God resists haughty ones. The teaching that was especially repugnant to me was that God would eternally torment in a burning hell any who died without confessing their sins. Since this meant that most humans on earth would be tormented forever, I often wondered, ‘How could this be harmonized with God’s love?’
I also questioned the Catholic practice of confession. I was scared when we were told at Catholic school that unchaste thoughts were a grave sin that required confession to a priest. I would wonder, ‘Did I remember to confess everything? Or had I forgotten something, causing my confession to be invalid and my sins unforgiven?’ Thus doubts were sown in my heart regarding God’s mercy and his willingness to forgive.
For about three or four years, I fought depressing thoughts that wore me down. I considered abandoning all faith in God. But then I would think, ‘If I persevere, I will doubtless find the right way.’ In time, I developed confidence in the existence of God, but I was plagued by uncertainty about my religious beliefs.
As a result of my early indoctrination, I believed that Jesus Christ had the Roman Catholic Church in mind when he said to the apostle Peter: “Upon this rock I will build my church.” (Matthew 16:18, Catholic Douay Version) I came to believe that eventually the good elements in the church would triumph, and with that end in view, I wanted to cooperate with the church.
…