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Is Religion a Force
for Peace?
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Is Religion a Force
for Peace?
3 Is Religion a Force for
Peace?
4 Is Religion to Blame?
6 The Problem With Religion
7 Will Religion Ever Be a Force
for Peace?
“The Rev. Dr. Charles A. Eaton, pas- “He was one of a dozen clergymen in
tor of Madison Avenue Baptist Church, the city who preached war sermons at
announced from his pulpit yesterday their regular Sunday morning services,
that the parish house of the church and who urged the men and women
was to be turned into a recruiting sta- to attest their loyalty to the nation and
tion for men desiring to enlist in either democracy by offering their services in
the army or navy. the war at the earliest opportunity. Flags
decorated many churches.”—“The New
York Times,” April 16, 1917.
Languages: Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Would you welcome more information or a free home
Bislama, Bulgarian, Cebuano, Chichewa, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese Bible study? Please send your request to Jehovah’s Witnesses, us-
(Traditional)7 (audio Mandarin only), Chitonga, Cibemba, Croatian, ing one of the addresses below. For a complete list of addresses, see
Czech,7 Danish,7 Dutch,67 English,67 Estonian, Ewe, Fijian, Finnish,7
French,687 Georgian, German,67 Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hiligaynon, www.watchtower.org/address. America, United States of: 25 Columbia Heights,
Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Igbo, Iloko, Indonesian, Italian,67 Japa- Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483. Australia: PO Box 280, Ingleburn, NSW 1890. Bahamas: PO
nese,67 Kannada, Kinyarwanda, Kirghiz, Kirundi, Korean,67 Latvian, Lin- Box N-1247, Nassau, NP. Britain: The Ridgeway, London NW7 1RN. Canada: PO Box 4100,
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Norwegian,67 Polish,67 Portuguese,687 Punjabi, Rarotongan, Roma- Barrigada, GU 96913. Guyana: 352-360 Tyrell St, Republic Park Phase 2 EBD. Jamaica:
nian, Russian,67 Samoan, Sepedi, Serbian, Sesotho, Shona, Silozi, Sin-
hala, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish,67 Swahili, Swedish,7 Tagalog, Tamil, PO Box 103, Old Harbour, St. Catherine. Japan: 4-7-1 Nakashinden, Ebina City, Kanagawa-
Thai, Tok Pisin, Tongan, Tsonga, Tswana, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Viet- Pref, 243-0496. Puerto Rico: PO Box 3980, Guaynabo, PR 00970. South Africa: Private
namese, Xhosa, Yoruba, Zulu Bag X2067, Krugersdorp, 1740. Trinidad and Tobago: Lower Rapsey Street & Laxmi Lane,
6 CD also available. Curepe.
8 MP3 CD-ROM also available.
7 Audio recordings also available at www.jw.org. Awake! January 2011 5
The Problem With
Religion
O SAY that religion is the principal cause long-standing history of religion meddling in
T of all conflict implies that there would be
few wars if religion did not exist. Is that ar-
politics.
In a recent report referred to in the pre-
gument feasible? Could we eliminate war by ceding article, a group of historians noted
merely eliminating religion? However you an- that “religion is more likely to be a cause of
swer, one fact is undeniable: Religion has not war when religion and the state authorities
united mankind. Consider some of the rea- become closely allied or intertwined.” And
sons why this is true. therein lies another undeniable reality: Reli-
Divided by Religion gion has been, and is to this day, tightly inter-
The human family is divided by religion, locked with political and military entities.
with several major religious powers locked An Explosive Mix
in perpetual rivalry. Is there any reason to In many lands, predominant religions have
believe that Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, become symbols of patriotic and racial iden-
Jews, and Muslims will ever exist together tities. As a result, the lines between nationalis-
peacefully? tic hatred, racial prejudice, ethnic rivalry, and
Another sad reality is the fragmentation religious enmity are virtually indistinguish-
that exists within each of those principal re- able. This explosive cocktail has the neces-
ligious blocks. For instance, according to sary ingredients to tear our world apart.
one estimate, Christendom is broken up into The perplexing paradox in all of this is that
more than 30,000 denominations. Islam is much of religion claims to represent the God
also divided by conflicting beliefs. Accord- of the Bible, the Creator. Does it make any
ing to a Middle East news agency, a Mus- sense that an almighty, all-wise, loving Cre-
lim scholar, Mohsen Hojjat, recently ac- ator would have anything to do with divisive
knowledged that “disunity among Muslims and bloodguilty religions?
is the root cause of problems in the Islam-
ic world.” Other influential religions, such as
Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism, are like-
wise fractured into many conflicting sects.
Religion in Politics Thousands of
Religion seems to influence nearly every Jehovah’s
Witnesses have
aspect of secular life. The news magazine been imprisoned
The Economist observes that “religious people for choosing
are getting more vocal in all sorts of fields, the course of
including business. Religion is also crop- neutrality
ping up in economics.” This results in divid-
ing people rather than uniting them. But a
more damaging influence has to do with the
6 Awake! January 2011
Will Religion Ever Be
a Force for Peace?
ET’S make the world a better place. Let’s How do Christendom and the true religion
“L get rid of religion.” That is what Dutch
philosopher Floris van den Berg recom-
established by Jesus Christ differ? In many
ways. Let us consider one of them.
mends in his published lecture entitled “How “No Part of This World”
to Get Rid of Religion, and Why.” Around the The first Christians did not take sides in
world experts in various fields of knowledge political issues. This is in harmony with the
are likewise promoting the abolition of reli- neutral stand that Jesus himself took. The Bi-
gion. ble reports that on at least two occasions, Je-
“The world needs to wake up from its long sus firmly refused offers to become a political
nightmare of religious belief,” declares No- ruler. (Matthew 4:8-10; John 6:15) Jesus even
bel laureate and physicist Steven Weinberg. rebuked his disciples for wanting to use vi-
The idea that the evils of this world could be olent means to prevent his arrest.—Matthew
greatly minimized by eliminating religion has 26:51, 52; Luke 22:49-51; John 18:10, 11.
been loudly articulated in recent years. Books When the Roman governor of Judea asked
against religion proliferate and are quite pop- specific questions about Jesus’ alleged politi-
ular. cal ambitions, Jesus set the record straight by
Leading scientists have gathered to discuss saying: “My kingdom is no part of this world.
what they consider to be the urgent need If my kingdom were part of this world, my
to eradicate religion. An emerging wave of attendants would have fought that I should
atheists is flooding the media with their un- not be delivered up to the Jews. But, as it is,
apologetic hatred of religion. Are these well- my kingdom is not from this source.” (John
respected thinkers on the right track? 18:36) Clearly, Jesus would not get involved
with the political and military structures of
True Religion? his day.
If all religions were false and there was no Jesus’ disciples followed the same pattern.
God, then it might seem reasonable to elim- A study on the role of religion in war com-
inate religion. But what if there is a God? piled by the team of researchers referred to
What if there is a group of people on earth earlier in this series explains: “Early Chris-
who rightfully represent God—a true religion? tians believed in nonviolence. . . . Most Chris-
A careful study of the history of religion tians refused to join the army and fight.”
points to one form of worship that stands out The teachings of Jesus and his apostles em-
as very different from all other religions. It is phasized love of neighbor, including strang-
a form of worship practiced by relatively few ers and those of different ethnic backgrounds
people today. This religion was established by and races. (Acts 10:34, 35; James 3:17) This
Jesus Christ and his apostles. But it is not rep- religion was indeed a force for peace.
resented by what Christendom has practiced Eventually the original concepts of Chris-
for many centuries. tianity became contaminated by the divisive
Awake! January 2011 7
Jehovah’s
Witnesses
are united
by love
A Serb, a Bosnian,
and a Croatian
forces of philosophy, tradition, and nation- activity” and are “law-abiding citizens of their
alism. The previously mentioned histori- country.”
cal review of the role religion plays in armed Professor Wojciech Modzelewski, from the
conflicts states: “[Roman Emperor] Constan- Warsaw University in Poland, wrote in his
tine’s conversion led to the militarization book Pacifism and Vicinity: “Jehovah’s Wit-
of the Christian movement—no longer guid- nesses make up the largest community in the
ed by the compassionate teachings of Christ, world today that objects to wars.” Because
but rather spearheaded by the Emperor’s they closely follow the pattern of first-century
goals of political and geographical conquest. Christians, it could be said that Jehovah’s
Christians, including the Emperor were com- Witnesses have successfully reinstated the
pelled to find religious justifications for war.” form of worship that was established by
A counterfeit version of Christianity was Christ and his apostles. That is the kind of
born. Christianity that is indeed a force for peace.
A “Distinctive” Group
—See the box on the next page.
Is original Christianity lost forever? By no A Bright Future
means. There is one group today that de- Granted, many sincere worshippers—and
serves special consideration. Jehovah’s Wit- even a number of religious leaders—are ap-
nesses emulate the first Christians like no oth- palled by the hypocrisy of their own religions.
er religious people. They are not linked to any Due acknowledgment must be given to the
religion in Christendom. The Encyclopedia of many religious people who are devoted to
Religion describes them as “distinctive,” be- the promotion of peace and harmony in the
cause they base all their beliefs on “the au- world.
thority of the Bible, which entirely supplants Still, as sincere as they may be, humans are
tradition.” limited in their power to fix the world’s prob-
Like the first Christians, Jehovah’s Wit- lems. The ancient prophet Jeremiah wrote:
nesses do not take sides in political conflicts. “To earthling man his way does not belong. It
A paper published by the National Acade- does not belong to man who is walking even
my of Sciences of Ukraine states that Jeho- to direct his step.”—Jeremiah 10:23.
vah’s Witnesses aim to overcome “racial, na- But there is a bright future. God’s Word
tional, religious, social, and economical teaches that a peaceful new human society will
differences.” The study explains that Jeho- be established on earth. This new society will
vah’s Witnesses do not engage in “anti-state be a veritable brotherhood. All races will live
8 Awake! January 2011
in harmony, and mankind will not be divided The Bible long ago foretold that God
by territorial borders, ethnic hatreds, or reli- would “certainly render judgment among the
gious ideologies. The one uniting element will nations and set matters straight.” This proph-
be the pure worship of Jehovah God. ecy also says that people will “beat their
The Bible also foretells the demise of reli- swords into plowshares and their spears
gion that dishonors God. Jesus said: “Every into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up
kingdom divided against itself comes to deso- sword against nation, neither will they learn
lation, and every city or house divided against war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4) This prophecy is
itself will not stand.” (Matthew 12:25) In undergoing fulfillment today. True religion, as
time, God will make sure that those words practiced by Jehovah’s Witnesses, is already a
come true regarding all false religion. force for peace.
STRUCTURE DOCTRINE
˘ They have no clergy class. ˘ They believe that there is only one true
˘ Their elders, teachers, and missionaries God, whose name is Jehovah.
are unsalaried. ˘ They do not believe that Jesus Christ is
˘ They neither tithe nor take up money Almighty God, nor do they believe in the
collections at their places of worship, Trinity doctrine.
known as Kingdom Halls. ˘ They follow the teachings of Jesus and
˘ All their activities are supported by honor him as the Son of God.
anonymous donations. ˘ They do not venerate the cross, nor do
˘ They remain neutral with regard to they use idols in their worship.
politics. ˘ They do not believe in a fiery hell where
˘ They advocate peace and do not partici- all bad people go after death.
pate in warfare. ˘ They believe that God will bless obe-
˘ They are globally united in their faith dient mankind with perfect everlasting
and Bible-based beliefs. life in an earthly paradise.
˘ They are fully integrated, with no social,
ethnic, racial, or class divisions. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that they
˘ They are not affiliated with any other have successfully reestablished first-century
religion, whether Catholic, Orthodox, or Christianity, the form of Christianity that
Protestant. Jesus’ apostles practiced.
Part 3
ITUATED on a fertile plain some world power of Bible history. (Isaiah 47:5)
S
´
impregnable. The city was renowned for its what secular sources say.
majestic temples, hanging gardens, and tem-
ple towers. As one of the greatest cities of Trustworthy History
the ancient world, Babylon has recently been The Bible book of Daniel tells us that a
dubbed the city of wonders. man by the name of Belshazzar once ruled as
In the Bible, it was named “Mistress of king in Babylon. (Daniel 5:1) However, some
Kingdoms” and was the capital of the third secular sources have stated in the past that
10
Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum
Belshazzar, though power-
ful, was never king. Was the
Bible wrong? Archaeologists
have uncovered a number of
clay cylinders in the ruins of
Ur in Mesopotamia. The cu-
neiform inscription on one
cylinder included a prayer
by Babylonian King Nabo-
nidus for “Bel-sar-ussur, my
eldest son.” Later findings
confirmed that Belshazzar Clay cylinder containing
had “acted as regent for more the name Belshazzar
than half his father’s reign,”
states the New Bible Dictio-
nary, “during which time he was Trustworthy Prophecy
to all intents and purposes king.” How would you respond if someone told
History also shows that ancient Babylon you that a major capital—such as Beijing,
was an extremely religious city, rife with as- Moscow, or Washington, D.C.—would be-
trology and divination. For example, at Eze- come an uninhabited ruin? You would right-
kiel 21:21, we read that the king of Babylon ly be skeptical. Yet, that is what happened
resorted to divination in order to deter- with ancient Babylon. Some 200 years in ad-
mine whether to attack Jerusalem. The king vance, about the year 732 B.C.E., Jehovah
“looked into the liver,” the Bible says. Why God inspired the Hebrew prophet Isaiah to
the liver? The Babylonians used this or- put in writing a prophecy about the demise
gan in quest of omens. The book Mesopota- of mighty Babylon. He wrote: “Babylon, the
mian Astrology tells us that at just one site decoration of kingdoms, . . . must become as
when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
She will never be inhabited, nor will she re-
“I have excavated for thirty years side for generation after generation.”—Isaiah
13:19, 20.
. . . , and in matters of historical
perspective I have never found But why would God foretell Babylon’s de-
struction? In 607 B.C.E., Babylonian armies
the Bible to be in error.” destroyed Jerusalem and took the survivors
—Nelson Glueck
off to Babylon, where they were treated cruel-
ly. (Psalm 137:8, 9) God foretold that his peo-
ple would have to endure this bitter treat-
in ancient Babylon, archaeologists found ment for 70 years because of their own wicked
“32 [clay] liver models, all inscribed” with deeds. Then God would deliver them and let
omens. them return to their homeland.—Jeremiah 25:
Noted archaeologist Nelson Glueck once 11; 29:10.
said: “I have excavated for thirty years with a True to God’s prophetic Word, in
Bible in one hand and a trowel in the other, 539 B.C.E.—just as Judah’s 70-year exile was
and in matters of historical perspective I have about to end—the seemingly invincible city
never found the Bible to be in error.” of Babylon was overthrown by Medo-Persian
Awake! January 2011 11
armies. In time, the city became a heap of ru- and thighs, the legs, and the feet—each one
ins—just as predicted. No human could fore- with a different metal composition. (Daniel
tell such a striking achievement. Without a 2:31-33) These metal parts stood for a suc-
doubt, the act of prophesying, or foretelling cession of governments, or kingdoms, that
events in advance, sets the Author of the Bi- started with Babylon and continues down to
ble—the true God, Jehovah—apart from any the Anglo-American World Power, the sev-
other god.—Isaiah 46:9, 10. enth of Bible history.—Daniel 2:36-41.
Daniel discloses that in the feet and toes
A Hope You Can Trust of the image, there was a noteworthy change
Yet another prophecy is having a remark- of materials. How so? Pure metal was re-
able fulfillment in our day. The prophecy placed with a mixture of iron and moist
involves King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon clay. By way of explanation, Daniel told
and a dream that he had about an immense Nebuchadnezzar: “Whereas you beheld iron
image. The body was divided into five parts mixed with moist clay, they will come to be
—the head, the breasts and arms, the belly mixed with the offspring of mankind; but
Babylonians worshipped
triads of deities. Symbols
of one such trinity—Sin,
Shamash, and Ishtar—are
shown here
13
WATCHING THE WORLD
Light
Pigment
epithelium
Light
Retina
Optic nerve
˘ The human eye contains a retina—a ed retina are ideally placed next to the
membrane with approximately 120 million pigment epithelium—a cell layer that pro-
cells called photoreceptors, which absorb vides oxygen and nutrients vital to keen
light rays and convert them into electric sight. “If the pigment epithelium tissue
signals. Your brain interprets these signals were placed in front of the retina, sight
as visual images. Evolutionists have con- would be seriously compromised,” wrote
tended that where the retina is placed in biologist Jerry Bergman and ophthalmolo-
the eyes of vertebrates, creatures with a gist Joseph Calkins.
backbone, proves that the eye had no de- The inverted retina is especially advan-
signer. tageous for vertebrates with small eyes.
¨
Consider: The retina of vertebrates is Says professor Ronald Kroger, of the Uni-
inverted, placing the photoreceptors at the versity of Lund, Sweden: “Between the lens
back of the retina. To reach them, light of the eye and the photoreceptors, there
must pass through several layers of cells. must be a certain distance to get a sharp
According to evolutionary biologist Kenneth image. Having this space filled with nerve
Miller, “this arrangement scatters the light, cells means an important saving of space
making our vision less detailed than it for the vertebrates.”
might be.” Additionally, with the nerve cells of the
Evolutionists thus claim that the inverted retina tightly packed and close to the
retina is evidence of poor design—really, photoreceptors, analysis of visual informa-
no design. One scientist even described it tion is fast and reliable.
as a “functionally stupid upside-down ori- What do you think? Is the inverted
entation.” However, further research re- retina an inferior structure, a product of
veals that the photoreceptors of the invert- mere chance? Or was it designed?
The
Amazing
Process of
Childbirth
HE nine-month wait is finally over, and
T the baby so longed for is about to be
born.1 The expectant mother’s cervix has re-
mained firmly shut, keeping the fetus safely in
the womb. But now her cervix thins, softens,
and relaxes. The miracle of birth begins.
What is behind the marvelous process of
childbirth? Of the several factors involved,
two are especially amazing. First, oxytocin, a
hormone produced in the brain, is released.
Both men and women produce this sub-
stance, but a great quantity of it is released in
the pregnant mother when labor begins, caus-
ing the cervix to dilate and the uterus to con-
tract.
1 Gestation usually lasts between 37 and 42 weeks.
Childbirth Process 1
1 Fetal position before labor
2 Movement of fetus toward the
birth canal
3 Dilation of the cervix
vagina
4 Expulsion of fetus placenta
4
The Miniature
Mansions of
Istanbul
˘ Wooden birdhouses are seen in many parts side of the building that got the most sun and
of the world. They are ideal places for birds to provided the best shelter from the wind—far
feed, keep warm, make a nest, raise young, away from the reach of cats, dogs, and people.
and gain protection from predators and the Sometimes these features were added not just
elements. In Istanbul, birdhouses have been for the sake of the birds but to decorate the
designed to look like full-size structures. Some building as part of its overall design. Birdhous-
resemble mansions; others mosques or pal- es can be seen on the sides of mosques, large
aces.1 They are known as pigeonries, bird man- and small, as well as on public drinking foun-
sions, and even sparrow palaces. tains, libraries, bridges, and private homes.
The oldest of these birdhouses date at least Sadly, many of those miniature mansions
as far back as the 15th century, and they in- have deteriorated under the constant barrage
corporate Ottoman architecture. They are sim- of the elements, while others have been inten-
ple structures, but starting in the 18th century, tionally destroyed by people who did not recog-
birdhouses became grand, luxurious resi- nize their value. Birdhouses are seen less and
dences. Some had receptacles for food and less. However, if you visit Istanbul and you have
water, walkways, and even balconies where a taste for historical architecture, see if you
the birds could, as it were, take in the view. can spot these delicate little structures nestled
These houses were usually positioned on the in the eaves. Now that you know what they
1 Although realistic, these birdhouses are not usually modeled
are, noticing these miniature mansions will en-
after specific buildings. rich your visit to the city.
Sleep
30 miles (48 km) an hour and experiencing a
ten-second microsleep. During that time, you
would have traveled more than the length of
a football field. Additionally, sacrificing need-
ed sleep can weaken your immune system,
How Important for it is during sleep that the body produces
T cells that fight against pathogens. During
Is It? sleep our body also produces the hormone lep-
tin, which helps to regulate appetite. Indeed,
the body needs sleep as much as it needs
˘ Current studies show that the average proper exercise and nutrition.
North American now gets between seven and Is extra work robbing you of much-needed
seven and a half hours of sleep a night.1 How sleep? How about anxieties of life and worries
important is sleep? While asleep, you go about what you have stored up for the fu-
through phases of sleep called rapid eye move- ture? The wise King Solomon once observed:
ment every 60 to 90 minutes throughout the “Sweet is the sleep of the one serving, regard-
night. During these phases, the brain is most less of whether it is little or much that he
active, and researchers believe that it is per- eats; but the plenty belonging to the rich one
1 See “Sleep Debt—Are You a Victim?” in the February 8, 2004,
is not permitting him to sleep.”—Ecclesiastes
issue of Awake! 5:12.
OYCE suffers from migraine, a condition Although most people have occasional ten-
J that differs from simple headache in sev-
eral ways. For example, unlike random head-
sion headaches, only 1 person in 10 suffers
from migraine. More women are affected
aches, migraines follow a recurring pattern. than men. Some cases are more severe than
Also, the condition is severe enough to make others, but most victims lose several days of
the sufferer abandon normal activities. work each year. Migraine causes loss of in-
The symptoms of migraine? The pain come and can adversely affect family and so-
throbs and may affect only one side of the cial life. Thus, the World Health Organization
head. The sufferer may also become nauseat- ranks it among the world’s 20 leading causes
ed and unable to bear bright light. The attack of disability.
can last anywhere from several hours to sev- Shortly before a migraine attack, some vic-
eral days. tims have such symptoms as cold hands,
Awake! January 2011 21
fatigue, hunger, or mood changes. Then, just immediately provoke a migraine attack, so
before the headache starts, there may be diz- I avoid them.”
ziness, a buzzing sound in the ears, a pins- Identifying triggers is not easy because sev-
and-needles sensation, double vision, speech eral factors usually combine to produce an at-
difficulty, or muscle weakness. tack. For example, on one occasion you may
The causes of migraine are not completely eat chocolate with no ill effect, but at another
understood, but it is thought to be a disor- time it gives you migraine, perhaps because
der of the nervous system that affects blood of an additional contributing factor.
vessels in the head. The throbbing nature Even if you are unable to identify or avoid
of the pain apparently corresponds to blood things that trigger your migraine, there are
going through irritated vessels. The journal other ways to reduce the possibility of an at-
Emergency Medicine says: “Patients with mi- tack. Experts recommend trying to maintain
graine inherit a uniquely sensitive nervous a regular pattern of sleep seven days a week.
system, which can be disrupted by numerous If you want to sleep later on the weekend,
life events, such as sleep deprivation, strongthey recommend that you get up at the usu-
odors, traveling, skipping meals, stress, and al time, do something for a few minutes, and
changes in hormone levels.” People who suf- then return to bed. A change in caffeine con-
fer from migraines may also be susceptible sumption can trigger a migraine, so try limit-
to irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety attacks, ing yourself to two cups of coffee or two cola
and depression. drinks per day. Since hunger can provoke mi-
graine, avoid skipping meals. Stress, so often
How Can You Relieve Migraine? a factor in migraine, is not easy to avoid, but
You cannot change the nervous system you you may be able to find ways to relax, perhaps
have inherited. But you may be able to pre- by adjusting your schedule, reading the Bible,
vent migraine attacks from being triggered. or listening to soft music.
By keeping a diary, some have been able to What Treatment for Migraine?
identify certain foods or circumstances that A wide range of options are available to
provoke attacks. help treat migraine.1 For example, sleep is
Each person’s case is different. Lorraine one of the best remedies. Nonprescription
discovered that her migraine attacks matched painkillers may bring sufficient relief for the
her monthly cycle. “Around mid-cycle,” she sufferer to be able to sleep.
says, “any excess activity or stimulus—hard In 1993, triptans, a new class of prescrip-
work, heat or cold, loud noise, even spicy tion medicines, became available, specifically
food—would bring on a migraine attack. So for treating migraine. The Medical Journal of
I aim for calm and moderation during this Australia called this “a major advance in ther-
time.” Joyce, who has endured migraine at- apy,” adding: “The advent of the triptans . . .
tacks for more than 60 years, states, “I have was to migraine and cluster headache almost
found that oranges, pineapples, and red wine the equivalent of penicillin to bacterial infec-
tion!”
Migraine is not life threatening. So the cure
be two fishes. 4. 75,000. 5. C. for migraine does not save lives, as did the
loaves of bread. 3. Instead of two corncobs, there should
cure for infections. Nevertheless, triptans
food supply. 2. Instead of five apples, there should be five
1 Awake! does not endorse any particular method of treat-
1. There should be a little boy, not a girl, holding the
ANSWERS TO PAGES 30 AND 31 ment. Each person should carefully evaluate his or her options
before making a decision.
dia?
How much time do your parents think you
should spend?
What is the total amount of time each day
“ I used to feel
that I had to check
the Internet for mes-
sages every time it
was available. I was
that you actually spend texting, watching
neglecting my home-
TV, uploading pictures and comments onto
work and other
a Web site, playing electronic games, and so
studies. Now that I’ve
on?
cut back, it’s like a
After looking at your answers above, would tremendous weight
you say that your use of electronic media is has been lifted off my
excessive? Q Yes Q No Mariah
shoulders. Modera-
Unable or unwilling to stop. “My parents tion is the key.
see me texting all the time and tell me that
I’m doing it too much. But compared to other
kids my age, I hardly text at all. I mean, com-
pared to my parents, sure, I text more than
”
It was all I did. It damaged my relationship
they do. But that’s like comparing apples to with my family and even with some of my
oranges—they’re 40 and I’m 15.”—Alan. friends. Now I notice that when I’m out with
Have your parents or friends said that you my friends and talking to them, they constant-
spend too much time on some form of elec- ly interrupt and say: ‘Oh, hold on. I have to
tronic media? Q Yes Q No answer a text message.’ That’s one reason I’m
Have you been unwilling or unable to not closer to those friends.”—Shirley.
control your use of that form of media? Do you ever read text messages or
Q Yes Q No send them while driving or during class?
Harmful consequences. “My friends text Q Yes Q No
all the time—even while driving. How unsafe When you are conversing with family or
is that!”—Julie. friends, do you constantly interrupt to an-
“When I first got my cell phone, I was al- swer e-mails, phone calls, or text messages?
ways calling someone or texting someone. Q Yes Q No
Awake! January 2011 25
Is your use of electronic media stealing How to Be Balanced
time from needed sleep or distracting you If you use some form of electronic media
from studying? Q Yes Q No —whether a computer, a cell phone, or anoth-
er device—ask yourself the four questions be-
low. Applying the Bible-based advice and fol-
lowing a few simple dos and don’ts will help
“I WAS A SOCIAL- you to stay safe and in control.
NETWORKING-SITE ADDICT” 1. What is the content? “Fill your minds
with those things that are good and that de-
“A few years ago, my family moved. serve praise: things that are true, noble, right,
I wanted to keep in touch with my friends, pure, lovely, and honorable.”—Philippians
and they invited me to join a photo-sharing 4:8, Today’s English Version.
site. That seemed like a great way to
Do keep in contact with friends and fami-
stay connected. I would be talking only to
people I knew, not strangers, so what could
ly, and share upbuilding news and viewpoints.
possibly go wrong?
—Proverbs 25:25; Ephesians 4:29.
Don’t spread harmful gossip, share immor-
“At first, all worked well. I would go on-
line once a week to look at my friends’
al text messages or pictures, or watch moral-
pictures and post comments and read
ly degrading video clips or programs.—Colos-
their comments on my pictures. But I soon sians 3:5; 1 Peter 4:15.
became obsessed. Before I knew it, I was 2. When am I using it? “For everything there
on the site all the time. Since I was online is an appointed time.”—Ecclesiastes 3:1.
that much, people who are friends of Do set a limit on how much time you will
friends began to notice, and they invited spend sending and receiving calls and text
me to be their friends. You know how it messages, watching programs, or playing
is—a friend says that this person is good games. Out of respect, turn off your device
fun, so you accept. Before you know it, you while at important events, such as meetings
have 50 online friends. for worship. You can always respond to mes-
“Soon, I found that I was constantly sages later.
thinking about being online. Even when Don’t allow your use of electronic media
I was on the Web site, I was thinking about to interrupt time you have set aside to spend
when I could get back to check it next
time and that I needed to post new pic-
tures. I’d read a comment here, post a vid- WHY NOT ASK YOUR PARENTS?
eo there, and before I knew it, hours would Sometimes you might be surprised
fly by. when you strike up a conversation with
“It took about a year and a half, but your parents about entertainment. “Once
I eventually realized that I was an addict. my dad suspected that one of my music
Now, though, I tightly control my use of the CDs was bad,” says a girl named Cheryl.
Internet and focus on making friends face- “I asked him if we could sit down together
to-face with people who I know share my and listen to the entire CD. He agreed.
moral standards. Some of my friends don’t Afterward, he told me that he found noth-
understand my actions, but I’ve learned ing objectionable in it!”
my lesson.”—Ellen, 18. Below, write a question you would
like to ask your parents about electronic
media.
˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝˝
26 Awake! January 2011
Do you control your choose to socialize with through e-mail, text-
electronic devices, or do ing, TV, video, or the Internet.—Proverbs
they control you?
13:20.
4. How much time am I spending? “Make
sure of the more important things.”—Philippi-
ans 1:10.
Do keep track of how much time you spend
using electronic media.
Don’t ignore the comments of your friends
or the direction of your parents if they say
that you’re spending too much time with
with friends and family, to study, or to engage some form of media.—Proverbs 26:12.
in spiritual activities.—Ephesians 5:15-17; Phi- Speaking of using electronic media in
lippians 2:4. a balanced way, Andrew, quoted earlier,
3. With whom am I associating? “Do not be sums up the matter well: “Electronics are
misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits.” fun, but only for a brief amount of time. I’ve
—1 Corinthians 15:33. learned not to allow technology to become a
Do use electronic media to strengthen the wedge that separates me from my family and
ties you have with people who encourage you friends.”
to develop good habits.—Proverbs 22:17.
More articles from the “Young People Ask”
Don’t fool yourself—you will adopt the stan- series can be found at the Web site
dards, language, and thinking of those you www.watchtower.org/ype
A NOTE TO son to do so—why not use this my use of texting, even when
as an opportunity to train your my parents aren’t there to
PARENTS son or daughter to use elec- monitor me.”
Does your adolescent spend tronic media wisely and with What if your son or daugh-
too much time online, send moderation? How can you do ter reacts defensively? Do not
and receive too many text that? conclude that your counsel
messages, or have a better re- Sit down and discuss the has fallen on deaf ears. In-
lationship with his MP3 play- matter with your adolescent. stead, be patient and give
er than he has with you? If so, First, state your concerns. Sec- your adolescent some time to
what can you do? ond, listen to what he or she think about the matter. Chanc-
has to say. (Proverbs 18:13) es are, he or she already
You could just take the de- Third, work out practical solu- agrees with you and will make
vice away from your child. But tions. Do not be afraid to set needed adjustments. Many
do not write off all electronic firm limits, but be reason- youths are similar to a teen
media as evil. After all, likely able. (Philippians 4:5) “When I named Hailey, who says: “At
you use some form of elec- had a problem with texting,” first I was offended when my
tronic media that was not says Ellen, mentioned earlier, parents told me I was addict-
available to your parents. So “my parents didn’t take away ed to my computer. But later,
instead of simply confiscating my phone; they set guidelines. the more I thought about it,
your adolescent’s device—un- The way they handled it has the more I realized that they
less there is compelling rea- helped me to be balanced in were right.”
AITH is a negation of reason,” writes on solid principles of logic will come up with
“F British philosopher A. C. Grayling. His
words sum up the feelings of countless writ-
some very strange conclusions if they are fed
inaccurate data. Likewise, the quality of your
ers and philosophers who over the centuries faith will depend greatly on what you hear or
have claimed that faith and reason are incom- on how dependable the information you feed
patible. your mind proves to be. Appropriately, the Bi-
Some religious beliefs do fly in the face ble says that “faith follows the thing heard.”
of all reason. But consider this: Many strong- —Romans 10:17.
ly held scientific beliefs have proved to be A fundamental requirement for faith is “an
wrong. Does that mean that all scientific be- accurate knowledge of truth.” (1 Timothy
liefs are wrong or are not based on reason? 2:4) Only “the truth,” says the Bible, “will set
Why view religious beliefs any differently? In you free,” free from misleading beliefs, wheth-
fact, the faith described in the Bible does not er they are scientific or religious. (John 8:32)
exist without knowledge but is, instead, solid- The Bible warns you not to put faith “in every
ly based on knowledge and sound reason. As word.” (Proverbs 14:15) Rather, it says that
you review the evidence, see how true faith you should “make sure of all things”—or test
and reason are compatible. out the things you hear before believing them.
(1 Thessalonians 5:21) Why should you do re-
Faith Firmly Based on Reason search and test out your beliefs? Because faith
The Bible says, for example, that if your based on falsehood is only a delusion. Some
worship is to be “acceptable to God,” it must noble-minded people from the ancient city of
be “a sacred service with your power of rea- Beroea set a fine example in acquiring prop-
son.” In other words, you must worship God er faith. Even though these individuals really
“in a way that is worthy of thinking beings.” wanted to believe what Christian missionar-
(Romans 12:1; The Jerusalem Bible) So the ies taught them, they made a point of “careful-
faith described in the Bible is not something ly examining the Scriptures daily as to wheth-
blind and irrational, or a leap of faith, as er these things were so.”—Acts 17:11.
some have called it. And it is not creduli- Building Faith in the Bible
ty. Rather, it is something you have thought What, though, if you are unsure of the reli-
through carefully—resulting in trust in God ability of the Bible? How can you build your
and his Word, which is firmly based on rea- confidence in it as a source of accurate knowl-
son. edge? Well, how do you build your confidence
Of course, if you are to reason properly, in people? Surely, it is by getting to know
you need accurate information. Even the them—by watching how they behave over a
most powerful computer programs designed period of time and seeing how their conduct
28 Awake! January 2011
God rewards an
earnest quest
for truth
turns out. Why not do the same with the Bi- of faith do you have? Many people have “in-
ble?1 herited” their religious beliefs and have never
The Bible describes true faith as “the as- seriously examined them in the light of rea-
sured expectation of things hoped for, the ev- son. Yet, it is not a sign of disrespect to exam-
ident demonstration of realities though not ine what you believe so as to ‘prove to your-
beheld.” (Hebrews 11:1) Clearly, far from be- self’ that your thinking is in harmony with
ing naive, a person with real faith has based God’s Word. (Romans 12:2) The Bible ad-
his beliefs on a careful scrutiny of all avail- monishes us to “test the inspired expressions
able data. Reasoning on such information to see whether they originate with God.”
produces the conviction that even things that (1 John 4:1) If you do that, you will be in a po-
cannot be seen with the literal eye are, none- sition, even when your beliefs are challenged,
theless, realities. to “make a defense before everyone that de-
What, though, if what you learn seems to mands of you a reason for the hope in you.”
contradict some of your deeply held beliefs? —1 Peter 3:15.
Should you just ignore it? Of course not.
There may well be times when it is eminent-
HAVE YOU WONDERED?
ly reasonable to consider powerful evidence
that appears to contradict what you believe. ˘ Does the Bible discourage the use of
In the Bible, God promises to reward sincere reason?—Romans 12:1, 2.
individuals who search for truth by granting ˘ What kind of knowledge is vital if you
them knowledge, discernment, and thinking are to develop true faith?—1 Timothy 2:4.
ability.—Proverbs 2:1-12.
˘ What can be learned from the Bible’s
The kind of faith built on what the Bible definition of faith?—Hebrews 11:1.
teaches is compatible with reason. What kind
1 If you need help to find reliable information about the
Bible, write to the publishers of this magazine.
book written
Last Bible
98 C.E.
EGYPT
Moved from
Egypt to the
1 C.E.
Promised Land
J O S H U A
JOSHUA
1500’s B.C.E.
Lived circa
Joshua 1:1, 2) Joshua fearlessly led God’s
people into the Promised Land. He trusted
Jehovah’s promises, obeyed his direction,
and served him faithfully.
1
C. Joshua had been known by what other C. Hoshea and Jehoshua.
created
4026 B.C.E.
Adam
Children’s
Picture Search B
Can you find these pictures in
this issue? In your own words, A
describe what is happening in
each picture.
C D
“I Cried When I Read It”
˘ The above is what a woman in Illinois, U.S.A., wrote
about reading the book The Greatest Man Who Ever
Lived. She explained in her letter to the book’s publish-
ers, “I just hope and pray that more people will enjoy
reading about Jesus as much as I do.”
The Greatest Man book gives an account of the
life of Jesus based on the inspired writings of four of his
contemporaries, namely, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John. Matthew and John were apostles and traveling
companions of Jesus. Mark was a close friend of Peter,
one of Jesus’ apostles. And the physician Luke was a
traveling companion of the apostle Paul.
If you would like to receive a free copy of this fully
illustrated book, please fill in the accompanying coupon,
and mail it using an appropriate address found on
page 5 of this magazine.
THE
Q Without obligation, GREATEST Name
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