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The Truth About the Occult3 What Draws People to the Occult?

4 Who Is Really Behind the Occult?

7 A Sure Source of Guidance and Hope

8 Bible Truth Set Them Free

10 Young People AskWhy Won’t My Parents Let Me Have Fun?

13 Safety Tips for the Elderly

16 A Book You Can TrustPart 4—Medo-Persia in Bible History

19 In Search of Gold, They Found a Home

22 The Bible’s ViewpointAre Science and the Bible Compatible?

24 Was It Designed?The Bacterial Flagellum

25 I Have Led a Most Rewarding Life

28 Do You Have Realistic Goals?

29 Watching the World

30 For Family Review

32 They Are Not Too Young

Awake! February 2011 3

THE answer to that question may dependto a large extent on where a person lives,

as well as his or her religious beliefs and cul-tural background. In your area, what attractspeople to the occult? Perhaps they are enticedby one of the following.

˘ Curiosity Humans are innately curious,and the occult smacks of mystery. So somewonder if a hidden power is behind the oc-cult. Others might experiment with a Ouijaboard or read a horoscope to see if what itsays comes true. Still others might attend aseance or consult a psychic.

˘ Entertainment Recent years have seen asurge in entertainment—books, movies, andcomputer games—based on occult themesand ancient pagan religious superstitions.Some of this entertainment also containsgraphic violence and sex.

˘ Anxiety about tomorrow The Bible fore-told: “In the last days critical times hard todeal with will be here.” (2 Timothy 3:1) Dif-ficult times are indeed upon us, and manypeople are consulting occult practitioners—such as astrologers, clairvoyants, palm read-ers, and psychics—for guidance. “It’s one ofthe few businesses that is recession-proof,”said one psychic. “People don’t usually cometo see you when they’re happy.” A clairvoy-ant in Canada stated: “All of a sudden I’mhearing from business professionals callingon their private office lines or on their cell-phones in the hall whispering.” She added:“These are people who, in the past, were usu-ally skeptical and not really comfortable con-sulting a psychic.”

˘ Physical sickness In some lands peoplewho are seriously ill often give up on medicaldoctors and revert to traditional healers whouse occult methods. Their sicknesses may beblamed on a curse or a spell. In order to liftthe spell, friends or relatives of the ailing onemay seek help from a fetishist, or an occultpractitioner, who may demand a large pay-ment.

˘ Desire for protection and good luck

In some regions of Africa, villagers hire a“prophet” from a charismatic church to ex-orcise bad spirits from the community. Ritu-als involve drinking potions and “holy water.”Elsewhere, people consult spirit mediums inorder to invoke good luck on a new house ora grave.

˘ Threats to children In Papua New Guin-ea, a mother may refuse to go outside withher newborn at night. Why? She fears thatevil spirits might harm the infant. In Uganda,mothers routinely tie strings, sometimes withbeads and shells, to the wrists and ankles oftheir babies to shield them from harm.

˘ Loss of a loved one British authorSir Arthur Conan Doyle lost his son, brother,brother-in-law, and a nephew in World War I.Distraught and desperate, Doyle and his wifeattended seances, hoping to speak with theirdead son. Today, too, many consult spirit me-diums in an effort to speak with dead lovedones. In some lands, traditional religions andso-called Christian churches teach that deathis the result of a malevolent act by angryspirits. Several compulsory, expensive rituals

What Draws People to the

Occult?

4 Awake! February 2011

THIS JOURNAL IS PUBLISHED for the enlightenment of theentire family. It shows how to cope with today’s problems. It reportsthe news, tells about people in many lands, examines religionand science. But it does more. It probes beneath the surface andpoints to the real meaning behind current events, yet it alwaysstays politically neutral and does not exalt one race above another.Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator’spromise of a peaceful and secure new world that is about toreplace the present wicked, lawless system of things.

!"#$ This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwideBible educational work supported by voluntary donations. Unless oth-erwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-languageNew World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References.

Awake! (ISSN 0005-237X) is published monthly by WatchtowerBible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.; M. H. Larson, President;G. F. Simonis, Secretary-Treasurer; 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY11201-2483, and by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society ofCanada, PO Box 4100, Georgetown, ON L7G 4Y4. PeriodicalsPostage Paid at Brooklyn, N.Y., and at additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Awake!, 1000 Red MillsRoad, Wallkill, NY 12589-3299. � 2011 Watch Tower Bibleand Tract Society of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. Printed inCanada.

Vol. 92, No. 2 Monthly ENGLISH

may be performed in order toward off a chainof deaths in a community.

˘ Fear of the dead Beliefs regarding deathand the dead have profoundly influenced hu-mankind. Hence, in many lands people per-form all kinds of rituals, including self-injury,to appease the dead or to “prove” their lovefor them. Among some peoples of the Pa-cific islands, widows or widowers are forcedto wear black clothing and go into mourning

for months, locked up in a house where theymust refrain from eating the deceased per-son’s favorite foods. Individuals who practicethis custom can become depressed or sickfrom hunger or even die.

Clearly, there are many enticements luringpeople into the occult. How important, then,that we understand the true source of occultteachings! To that end, let us examine the Bi-ble, the only book that gives us the full picture.

CONCERNING our Creator, the Biblesays: “God is light and there is no dark-

ness at all in union with him.” (1 John 1:5)That is especially true in a spiritual sense. Socould the true God be the power behind theoccult? Or is there a sinister force involved?

Foremost among occult practices are divi-nation and spiritism, which include astrology,numerology, palmistry, and sorcery, as wellas communicating with the “dead” and cast-ing spells. These practices have a very longhistory, most dating back to ancient Babylon,

the ruins of which lie in Iraq. (Isaiah 47:1,12,13) From Babylon, occult practices spreadaround the ancient world and became deep-ly entrenched in many cultures and civiliza-tions.

Consider an event that occurred in the cityof Philippi in ancient Macedonia. There, asmall group of Christian ministers, which in-cluded the apostle Paul and the physicianLuke, encountered a girl who had occult pow-ers. Note how the Bible writer Luke revealedthe secret source of her powers. He wrote:

Who Is Really Behind the

Occult?

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Would you welcome more information or a free homeBible study? Please send your request to Jehovah’s Witnesses, us-ing one of the addresses below. For a complete list of addresses, seewww.watchtower.org/address. America, United States of: 25 Columbia Heights,

Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483. Australia: PO Box 280, Ingleburn, NSW 1890. Bahamas: POBox N-1247, Nassau, NP. Britain: The Ridgeway, London NW7 1RN. Canada: PO Box 4100,

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“A certain servant girl with a spirit, a demonof divination, met us. She used to furnish hermasters with much gain by practicing the artof prediction.”—Acts 16:16-18.

Yes, this girl’s powers did not come fromthe true God, Jehovah, but from a demon, anevil spirit. Hence, Paul and his companionsrefused to listen to her. Perhaps you are nowwondering: ‘Who are the demons? And wheredid they come from?’ Again, note the Bible’sanswers.

Who Are the Demons?

Long before Jehovah formed humans, hecreated an untold number of intelligent spirit“sons of God” in heaven. (Job 38:4, 7) Likehumans, they are free moral agents, and for along time, they all remained loyal to God. Butthat happy situation came to an abrupt end.How so?

After God created humankind, one spiritcreature began to covet something to whichhe was not entitled—worship. Using a serpentthe way a ventriloquist might use a puppet,this wicked angel seduced the first woman,Eve, into disobeying her Creator. (Genesis 3:1-6) The Bible calls that rebellious angel “theoriginal serpent, the one called Devil and Sa-tan.” (Revelation 12:9) Jesus described himas “a manslayer” who “did not stand fast inthe truth,” adding: “When he speaks the lie,he speaks according to his own disposition,because he is a liar and the father of the lie.”—John 8:44.

In time, other spirit “sons of the true God”joined Satan in his rebellion. (Genesis 6:

1, 2) They are later referred to as “the an-gels that sinned” and “the angels that didnot keep their original position but forsooktheir own proper dwelling place,” or their as-signed place in heaven. (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6)They came to be called demons. (James 2:19) Moreover, they are determined to turnas many humans as possible away from trueworship, as they did many Israelites in Bibletimes. (Deuteronomy 32:16, 17) Similarly to-day, as in the past, Satan and the demons clev-erly employ religious lies.—2 Corinthians 11:14, 15.

Shield Yourself!

Even though wicked spirits have superhu-man powers, we can, with God’s help, ‘takeour stand against them’ and come off victori-ous. (1 Peter 5:9) In order to get that help,however, we need to learn God’s require-ments and act on them. Concerning theChristians in his day, the apostle Paul wrote:“We . . . have not ceased praying for you andasking that you may be filled with the accu-rate knowledge of his will in all wisdom andspiritual comprehension, in order to walkworthily of Jehovah to the end of fully pleas-ing him.”—Colossians 1:9, 10.

Those who gained that “accurate knowl-edge” included a number of people in thecity of Ephesus who practiced occult arts.Note how a knowledge of the truth affect-ed them. The Bible states: “Quite a numberof those who practiced magical arts broughttheir books together and burned them up be-fore everybody.” The books, incidentally,


were worth “fifty thousand pieces of silver,”which was no small amount! (Acts 19:17-19)This courageous example was recorded forour benefit.—2 Timothy 3:16.

Principles That Protect

There are other things that we can do toprotect ourselves from the demons. Considerthe following Bible guidelines.

“Do not believe every inspired expression, buttest the inspired expressions to see whether theyoriginate with God.” (1 John 4:1) Some state-ments made by astrologers, psychics, medi-ums, and witch doctors may indeed be true.For example, the demonized girl in Philip-pi spoke the truth when she said about Pauland his companions: “These men are slavesof the Most High God, who are publishing toyou the way of salvation.” (Acts 16:17) Never-theless, Paul and his companions did not ac-cept her into their company. Instead, Paul or-dered the evil spirit to come out of her. Testreligious statements by comparing them withwhat the Bible says.—Acts 17:11.

“Subject yourselves, therefore, to God; butoppose the Devil, and he will flee from you.”(James 4:7) The demons are God’s enemiesand yours too. Do not even become curiousabout their dark ways. Instead, subject your-self to God by heeding his loving command-ments, which are not burdensome. (1 John5:3) For example, God said to the ancient na-tion of Israel: “There should not be found inyou anyone who . . . employs divination, apracticer of magic or anyone who looks foromens or a sorcerer, or one who binds oth-ers with a spell or anyone who consults aspirit medium or a professional foreteller ofevents or anyone who inquires of the dead.For everybody doing these things is some-thing detestable to Jehovah.” (Deuteronomy18:10-12) God’s view has not changed.—Gala-tians 5:19, 20.

“There is no unlucky spell against [Jehovah’sservants].” (Numbers 23:23) All who want

to please God need not fear the demons. In-deed, those wicked spirits “shudder” be-fore God, aware of his overwhelming power,which he will eventually use to destroy them.(James 2:19) God will “show his strength inbehalf of those whose heart is complete to-ward him,” and he ‘will never allow the righ-teous one to totter.’—2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalm55:22.

“The living are conscious that they will die;but as for the dead, they are conscious of noth-ing at all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) God’s Wordteaches that the dead are just that—dead!They should not be feared, for they can nolonger harm anyone. (Isaiah 26:14) In orderto deceive people, the demons sometimesmasquerade as spirits of the dead, whichmay explain why people find that the “spirit”of a formerly kind person may seem differentfrom the person they knew.

“You cannot be partaking of ‘the table of Je-hovah’ and the table of demons.” (1 Corin-thians 10:21, 22) All who truly love Jeho-vah will stay away from books, movies, andcomputer games that are rooted in the occultor that promote occult practices and beliefs.�“I shall not set in front of my eyes any good-for-nothing thing,” says Psalm 101:3. What ismore, occult entertainment often glorifies vi-olence and immorality, which “lovers of Jeho-vah” repudiate.—Psalm 97:10.

The demons have always tried to hide theirtrue nature from humans. But they have notfully succeeded. By means of the Bible, Jeho-vah has exposed them for what they really are—malicious liars and vicious enemies of man-kind. What a contrast to our Creator, JehovahGod! As the following article shows, he lovesus, always tells us the truth, and wants us tolive happily forever.—John 3:16; 17:17.� Consciences vary in sensitivity, depending on one’s reli-

gious background and spiritual maturity. The important thingis that one maintains a clean conscience before God and doesnot offend the consciences of others, including family mem-bers. “We shall all stand before the judgment seat of God,” saysRomans 14:10, 12.


UNLIKE the demons, Jehovah God is all-wise and all-powerful. He is also the very

personification of love. (1 John 4:8) His ad-vice is always good, he offers it free of charge,and he has our best interests at heart. What acontrast to the advice of clairvoyants and psy-chics! “Hey there, all you [spiritually] thirstyones!” God says. “Come to the water. And theones that have no money! Come, buy and eat.Yes, come, buy wine and milk even withoutmoney and without price. Why do you peoplekeep paying out money for what is not bread,and why is your toil for what results in no sat-isfaction? Listen intently to me, and eat whatis good, and let your soul find its exquisite de-light in fatness itself.”—Isaiah 55:1, 2.

Because it was inspired by our loving Cre-ator, the Bible gives us hope, spiritual protec-tion, purpose in life, and the very best princi-ples to live by. Why not reflect for a momenton the following questions and the relatedpassages taken from the Bible?

A Sure

Sourceof Guidance

and Hope

˘ How can I find genuine inner peace?The Bible states: “This is what Jehovahhas said, your Repurchaser, the Holy Oneof Israel: ‘I, Jehovah, am your God, theOne teaching you to benefit yourself, theOne causing you to tread in the way inwhich you should walk. O if only youwould actually pay attention to my com-mandments! Then your peace would be-come just like a river, and your righteous-ness like the waves of the sea.’”—Isaiah48:17, 18.

˘ Will evil always exist? “The upright arethe ones that will reside in the earth, andthe blameless are the ones that will be leftover in it. As regards the wicked, they willbe cut off from the very earth; and as forthe treacherous, they will be torn awayfrom it.” (Proverbs 2:21, 22) Yes, wickedhumans, as well as the wicked angels, willbe destroyed everlastingly, as if by fire.—Revelation 20:10, 14.

˘ Will there be an end to sickness andsuffering? “Look! The tent of God is withmankind, and he will reside with them,and they will be his peoples. And Godhimself will be with them. And he will wipeout every tear from their eyes, and deathwill be no more, neither will mourning noroutcry nor pain be anymore. The formerthings [today’s many problems] havepassed away.”—Revelation 21:3, 4.

Unlike the demons, God never lies. Infact, he “cannot lie.” (Titus 1:2) Moreover,as the final article in this series will show,his truth is both liberating and life-giving.—John 8:32; 17:3.

˘ Susanna was a temple priestess in Brazil. She wanted to use herparanormal powers to help the needy. Additionally, she enjoyed “talk-ing with her dead mother.” In time, however, her “mother” pleaded withher to kill herself and live with her in the spirit world. This tormentedSusanna and gave her nightmares. Then Susanna and her husband be-gan studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. They had a hard fight‘opposing the Devil,’ but eventually he ‘fled from them.’ (James 4:7)Now they have peace, and Susanna no longer has nightmares. “I haveso many things to thank Jehovah for,” she wrote, “but I am most thank-ful that he led us out of spiritual darkness.”

˘ Timothy, who lives in West Africa,is deaf and mute.� Because regulardoctors could not help him, he wentto faith healers, but in vain. “Myheart was broken by the deception,”he wrote. Then Timothy studied theBible with Jehovah’s Witnesses,who explained to him God’s pur-pose to remove all sickness and dis-abilities. Timothy said, “I eagerlyawait the day in God’s new worldwhen ‘the very ears of the deaf oneswill be unstopped . . . and the tongueof the speechless one will cry outin gladness.’ ” (Isaiah 35:1-6) In themeantime, he enjoys using a porta-ble DVD player to share Bible truthswith other people who are hearingimpaired, helping them find truefreedom.

� Some names have been changed.

Pictures are reenactments

JESUS CHRIST said to a group of listeners:“You will know the truth, and the truth will

set you free.” (John 8:32) As the following exam-ples show, that freedom includes freedom fromthe demons, the liars and deceivers behind theoccult.—John 8:44.

Each of these experiences highlights the lib-erating power of Bible truth. Yes, it alone trulysets people free. Why not examine the Bible foryourself. You will not be disappointed.

Bible TruthSet Them Free

˘ Evelyn was deeply involved in theoccult in Estonia. Since Jesus cured peo-ple, she wanted to do the same. She es-pecially wanted to help her chronically illmother. Thus, in an effort to diagnoseand treat serious illness, she learned howto use pendulums. In time, she exam-ined the Bible. The result? “I came to un-derstand how deceived I had been,” shesaid. “So I burned my spiritistic literatureand pendulums.” She now teaches theBible’s liberating truths to others.

˘ Mary grew up on one of the islandsof Papua New Guinea, where people areafraid of the dead. When someone inher village died, Mary would sleep underanother person’s bed, fearing that thespirit of the deceased would harass herif she was alone. Then she learned fromthe Bible that the dead are asleep—theyare in the grave, awaiting a resurrectionto life in Paradise on earth. (Luke 23:43;John 11:11-14) As a result, she no longerfears the dead.

˘ Alicia, who was raised in a Chris-tian home in the United States, tookan interest in occult books and mov-ies. Then she began to think serious-ly about the Bible truths she hadlearned. Realizing that she had, inreality, been trying to ‘partake ofthe table of Jehovah and the table ofdemons,’ she changed her ways andnow has a clean conscience beforeGod.—1 Corinthians 10:21.

9


IS YOUR Monday morning at school sim-ilar? You might feel that there’s a world

of fun outside your door but that your par-ents have locked it tight—or as if you’re at anamusement park but you’re not allowed to geton any of the rides. It’s not that you want todo everything your peers do. You’d just like tohave fun once in a while! For example, whichrecreational activity would you most like toengage in this coming weekend?

M dancing

M music concert

M movie

M party

M other ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

You need recreation. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4)In fact, your Creator wants you to enjoyyour youth. (Ecclesiastes 11:9) And althoughyou may doubt it at times, your parents alsowant you to have fun. Likely, however, yourparents will have two legitimate concerns:(1) what you will do and (2) who will accom-pany you.

What, though, if you’re invited to go outwith friends but you aren’t sure how your par-ents will react? When you are faced with a de-cision, the Bible encourages you to considerthe options you have, good and bad, and toweigh the consequences. (Deuteronomy 32:29; Proverbs 7:6-23) With regard to the invita-

YOUNGPEOPLEASK

Why won’t my parentslet me have fun?

For Allison,� a teenager in Australia, Monday morn-ing at school is as stressful as it is predictable.

“Everyone talks about what they did on the week-end,” she says. “They tell stories that sound soexciting, like about how many parties they went to andhow many boys they kissed—even about running awayfrom the police . . . It sounds so scary, but fun! Theycome home at five o’clock in the morning, and theirparents don’t care. I have to be in bed before theyeven start their night!

“Anyway, after telling me their weekend action sto-ries, my classmates ask me what I did. And what did Ido? I went to Christian meetings. I engaged in the min-istry. I feel like I really missed out on a good time. So Iusually just tell them that I did nothing. Then they askwhy I didn’t come with them.

“Once Mondays are over, you’d think it would beeasier. But it’s not. By Tuesday, everyone is talkingabout the upcoming weekend! I usually sit and justlisten to them talk. I feel so left out!”

� Name has been changed.


tion you’ve received from your friends, whatoptions do you have?

OPTION A: DON’T ASK—JUST GO.

Why you might consider this option: Youwant to impress your friends with how inde-pendent you are. You feel that you know bet-ter than your parents, or you have little re-spect for their judgment.—Proverbs 15:5.

The consequences: Your friends will learnsomething about you—that you can be deceit-ful. If you’d deceive your parents, you mightbe willing to deceive your friends. If your par-ents find out, they’ll feel hurt and betrayedand you’ll likely be grounded! Disobeyingyour parents and going out anyhow is a fool-ish option.—Proverbs 12:15.

OPTION B: DON’T ASK—DON’T GO.

Why you might consider this option: Youthink about the offer and decide that the ac-tivity doesn’t measure up to your principlesor that some of those invited would not begood company. (1 Corinthians 15:33; Philip-pians 4:8) On the other hand, you might wantto go but don’t have the courage to ask yourparents.

The consequences: If you don’t go be-cause you know it’s a bad idea, you’ll bemore confident when answering your friends.But if you don’t go simply because you lackthe courage to ask your parents, you mightend up sitting at home brooding, feeling thatyou’re the only one who’s not having fun.

OPTION C: ASK—AND SEE.

Why you might consider this option: Yourecognize your parents’ authority over youand respect their judgment. (Colossians 3:20) You love your parents and don’t want tohurt them by sneaking out behind their backs.(Proverbs 10:1) You also have a chance to pre-sent your case.

The consequences: Your parents feel thatyou love and respect them. And if they viewyour request as reasonable, they might sayyes.

Why Parents Might Say No

What, though, if your parents say no? Thatcan be frustrating. However, understandingtheir point of view can help you cope with therestrictions. For example, they might say nofor one or more of the following reasons.

Greater knowledge and experience. If youhad a choice, likely you would prefer to swimat a beach that is manned by lifeguards. Why?Because while you’re in the water having fun,your awareness of danger is very limited. Butthe lifeguards have a better vantage pointfrom which to spot hazards.

Similarly, because of their greater knowl-edge and experience, your parents may beaware of dangers that you do not see. Like thelifeguards on the beach, your parents’ goal is,not to spoil your fun, but to help you avoiddangers that could rob you of enjoyment inlife.

Love for you. Your parents have a strongdesire to protect you. Love moves them to sayyes when they can but no when they have to.When you ask their permission to do some-thing, they ask themselves if they can grant therequest and then live with the consequences.They will only say yes to themselves—and toyou—if they are reasonably convinced that noharm will come to you.

“My parents trust me,largely because I have agood track record. I’mopen with them about myfriends. I’m also not afraidto leave a gathering if I’muncomfortable with what’sgoing on there.

”Kimberly


A lack of information. Loving parents willerr on the side of caution. If they don’t under-stand what you are asking for or if they feelthat vital facts are missing from your request,chances are they will say no.

How to Improve Your Chancesof Getting a Yes

Four factors come into play.Honesty: First, you need to ask yourself

honestly: ‘Why do I really want to go? Is itprimarily the activity that I enjoy, or is itthat I want to fit in with my peers? Is it be-cause someone that I’m attracted to will bethere?’ Then be honest with your parents.They were young once, and they know youwell. So they will likely discern your real mo-tives anyhow. They’ll appreciate your candor,and you’ll benefit from their wisdom. (Prov-erbs 7:1, 2) On the other hand, if you’re nothonest, you undermine your credibility andlessen the chances that you’ll hear a yes.

Timing: Don’t pummel your parents withrequests when they have just arrived homefrom work or when they are concentratingon other matters. Approach them when theyare more relaxed. But don’t wait until the lastminute and then try to pressure them for ananswer. Your parents will not appreciate hav-ing to make a rushed decision. Ask early, and

your parents will appreciate your consider-ation.

Content: Don’t be vague. Explain exactlywhat you want to do. Parents feel uncomfort-able with the answer “I don’t know,” especial-ly when they’ve asked: “Who will be there?”“Will a responsible adult be present?” or“When will the event end?”

Attitude: Don’t view your parents as ene-mies. View them as part of your team—be-cause all things considered, they are. If youview your parents as allies, you will be lesslikely to sound combative and they will bemore likely to be cooperative. If they say no,respectfully ask why. For example, if theysay no to your going to a concert, try to de-termine the reason for their concern. Arethey worried about the performer? the ven-ue? the company you will keep? the price ofadmission? Avoid such statements as “Youdon’t trust me,” “Everybody else is going,”or “My friends’ parents are letting them go!”Show your parents that you’re mature enoughto accept their decision and respect it. If youdo, they will respect you. And next time, theymay be more inclined to look for ways to sayyes.

WHY NOT ASK YOUR PARENTS?

Want to know where your parentsstand on the issues raised in this article?The only way to find out is to ask them!When the time is right, strike up a conver-sation about their concerns regardingyour having fun. Think of a question youwould like to ask them, and write it below.

˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

More articles from the “Young People Ask”series can be found at the Web sitewww.watchtower.org/ype

Like lifeguards on thebeach, your parents havea better vantage pointfrom which to warn youof potential danger


AGIRL skates around an ice rink. Sud-denly she slips and falls. Seconds later

she is on her feet again, suffering no morethan a little embarrassment. An elderly ladytrips and falls in her home, fracturing her hip.She undergoes surgery and spends months inrehabilitation. Now even more afraid of fall-ing, she avoids physical activity and growsweaker.

In one Western land, each year more thana third of the people 65 and older fall. What ismore, in that age bracket, falls are the leadingcause of injury-related death. With good rea-son the Bible says of older ones: “They havebecome afraid merely at what is high, andthere are terrors in the way.”—Ecclesiastes12:5.

Even though old age often brings physicalchallenges, you can take practical steps to en-hance your personal safety and the qualityof your life. For one thing, you can strive tomaintain reasonable health and strength. Foranother, you can make your home safer.

Maintain Your Health and Strength

As we age, our coordination may sufferand we may have trouble with our eyesightand sense of balance. We may also become

more frail as our muscles and bones weaken.However, regular physical activity and goodeating habits can slow this decline. “It is im-portant to do exercises that improve balance,posture, strength, and flexibility,” says Nita, aphysical therapist.

A publication of the U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services states: “Re-gardless of their health and physical abili-ties, older adults can gain a lot by stayingphysically active. Even if you have difficul-ty standing or walking, you can still exerciseand benefit from it. In fact, in most cases, youhave more to lose by not doing anything.”�Among other things, physical activity canhelp you to combat heart disease, joint pain,osteoporosis, and depression. It can improveyour circulation, digestion, and sleep, and itcan enhance your self-confidence and alert-ness.

If you are not used to doing physical exer-cise, you would be wise to see your doctorfirst. Also, consult him or her if you feel faintor experience chest pain while exercising. Infact, in such a situation, you may be wise tocall the emergency telephone number. Do not� The May 22, 2005, issue of Awake! examined in more de-

tail the benefits of regular exercise.

SAFETYTIPSfor the Elderly


treat such potentially dangerous symptomslightly! And it is recommended that you haveyour eyes checked by an eye doctor once ayear.

In regard to diet, avoid meals that lack vi-tamins and minerals, even if they are quickand easy to prepare. Older people especial-ly need food high in vitamin D and calcium,both of which can help to maintain bonemass or at least slow the loss of it. So tryto eat meals that include whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and fresh fruits and veg-etables. Check with your doctor before youmake major changes in your eating habits. Heor she may suggest useful dietary options orfoods to avoid because of certain health fac-tors.

Additionally, try to stay well hydrated. De-hydration, which is common among olderpeople, especially those living alone or innursing homes, can predispose one to falls,confusion, constipation, poor skin elasticity,infection, and even death.

Make Your Home Safer

Most falls occur at home. Yet, by taking afew practical precautions, you can significant-ly reduce that risk. Think about your home asyou read the following.Bathroom:��

˘ The floor should provide good footingwhen wet.

˘ The shower or tub should have a non-slip mat or finish, and if you have a showerchair, it should allow easy access to the fau-cets. It may also be helpful to have a handheldshowerhead so that you can remain seatedwhen bathing.

˘ It is good to have grab bars for supportwhen you step into or out of the bathtubor use the toilet. These supports should bestrong and firmly mounted. Also, make surethat the toilet seat is high enough for you tosit and stand without too much exertion.

˘ Keep night-lights on, or use a flashlight.

Stairs:��˘ Stairways should be uncluttered, in good

condition, and well lit.˘ Stairways ought to have stable handrails

on both sides if possible as well as nonslipstrips and light switches at both the top andthe bottom.

˘ Walking up and down stairs can helpolder ones to maintain leg strength. If youhave balance problems, however, you shouldtry to avoid negotiating stairs alone.Bedroom:��

˘ Allow sufficient space for you to movearound the bed and other furniture safely.

˘ Have a chair where you can sit to dress.˘ Keep a lamp or a flashlight within reach

when you are in bed.Kitchen:��

˘ Countertops should be uncluttered sothat you can easily set down groceries andother items.

˘ The kitchen floor ought to be nonslipand low glare.

˘ Items in the cupboards should be neithertoo high nor too low but easy to access with-out assistance. Try to avoid the use of laddersand step stools, and never climb up on a chair!General:��

˘ Have night-lights that illuminate the wayto the bathroom and other areas you may goto at night.

˘ It can be helpful to use a cane or a walk-er at night when you are not fully awake oralert.

˘ Your chairs should be stable (nowheels), have armrests, and be the rightheight for easy sitting and standing.

˘ To prevent tripping, you should repair,replace, or remove frayed carpets, lifted lino-leum, or broken tiles. Lay all electrical cordsalong walls and not across walkways.

˘ Throw rugs can be a trip hazard andshould be removed from carpeted areas. Ifthey are placed on a smooth floor, such as tileor wood, they should be firmly anchored witha nonslip backing.

˘ Avoid wearing slippers that are loose orworn out or do not have backs or nonskidsoles. And do not wear high-heeled sandals orshoes.

˘ Some medicines can make people feelfaint or unsteady. If you ever feel like that af-ter taking medication, be sure to tell your doc-tor. He or she may change the dosage or themedication itself.

If you notice anything that needs attentionthat you cannot safely attend to yourself, whynot seek the help of family members, friends,or those who may be responsible for buildingmaintenance? And try not to procrastinate.

What Others Can Do

If you have aged parents, grandparents, orfriends, what can you do to help them avoidpotentially harmful falls? For one thing, youcan tactfully go over the aforementionedchecklist with them and help make arrange-ments to correct problem areas. Dependingon the need, perhaps you could prepare awholesome meal or two for them each week.Older people also need regular exercise. Canyou take them for a walk, perhaps in conjunc-tion with your other activities? Many olderones would be glad to get out of the house ifthey had a trusted companion to accompanythem. In some lands the government offers as-sistance in the way of home nursing, physi-cal or occupational therapy, and home safety.Your physician should be able to refer you tosuch services.

Our Creator, who himself is called “the An-cient of Days,” requires that we show respectfor the elderly, especially aged parents. (Dan-iel 7:9) “Honor your father and your moth-er,” he commands. (Exodus 20:12) He also di-rects: “Before gray hair you should rise up,and you must show consideration for the per-

son of an old man, and you must be in fearof your God.” (Leviticus 19:32) Yes, respectfor older ones actually reflects a wholesomefear of God! In turn, when older people aregenuinely thankful for help given them, theyinvite loving, respectful consideration. Assist-ing such ones is anything but a duty. It is apleasure!

In some lands seniors can obtain asmall electronic device that they can useduring an emergency, such as a nastyfall, to summon assistance with the pushof a button. These devices may be hungaround the neck or attached to the wrist.If this service is available in your area,perhaps you could consider taking advan-tage of it—especially if you live alone.

ELECTRONIC HELPIN AN EMERGENCY


THE ruins of palaces and royal tombs pro-vide only a glimpse of the grandeur, pow-

er, and wealth of the ancient dual empire ofMedia and Persia. Before the two kingdomsunited, Media was the dominant kingdom.But in 550 B.C.E., the Medes came under thecontrol of Persian King Cyrus II, who there-after ruled over the kingdom of Medo-Persia.Centered in the region north of the Per-sian Gulf, this vast realm eventually stretchedfrom the Aegean Sea to Egypt to northwest-ern India and included Judea.

Medo-Persia ruled over the Jewish nationfor more than 200 years—from the overthrowof Babylon in 539 B.C.E. until Medo-Persia it-self was defeated by the Greeks in 331 B.C.E.Numerous Bible books comment on signif-icant events that occurred during that time.

Trustworthy History

The Bible tells us that King Cyrus II freedthe Jews held captive in Babylon, allow-ing them to return to Jerusalem and rebuildGod’s temple, which the Babylonians had de-stroyed in 607 B.C.E. (Ezra 1:1-7; 6:3-5) Cor-roborating this account is a clay documentknown as the Cyrus Cylinder, discovered in

1879 in the ruins of ancient Babylon. The in-scription identifies Cyrus by name and de-scribes his policy of returning previouslycaptured peoples and their religious objectsto their native lands. The Bible writer Isa-iah recorded Jehovah’s prophetic words con-cerning Cyrus: “ ‘All that I delight in he willcompletely carry out’; even in my saying ofJerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of thetemple, ‘You will have your foundation laid.’ ”—Isaiah 44:28.

In fact, Cyrus ordered that funds for tem-ple reconstruction “be given from the king’s

A BOOK YOU CAN TRUST

Part 4

Medo-Persia in Bible HistoryThis is the fourth in a series of seven articles in consecutive issues of “Awake!” thatdiscuss the seven world powers of Bible history. The objective is to show that the Bibleis trustworthy and inspired of God and that its message is one of hope for an end tothe suffering caused by man’s cruel domination of his fellow man.

house,” says Ezra 6:3, 4. This amazing state-ment harmonizes with secular history. “It wasa consistent policy of Persian kings to helprestore sanctuaries in their empire,” says thebook Persia and the Bible.

The Bible tells us that opposers of the Jewslater wrote to Darius the Great (also calledDarius I) challenging the Jews’ claim that Cy-rus had authorized the reconstruction of thetemple. Darius commanded that a search bemade for the original written decree. The out-come? A scroll containing Cyrus’ decree wasfound at Ecbatana, the capital. In response,Darius wrote: “I, Darius, do put through anorder. Let it [temple reconstruction] bedone promptly.” Opposition to the work thenceased.�—Ezra 6:2, 7, 12, 13.

Secular history supports these details. Forone thing, Ecbatana was the summer resi-dence of Cyrus, and he may have issued hisdecree from there. Also, archaeological dis-coveries show that Medo-Persian kings tooka keen interest in religious matters affectingtheir realm and wrote letters to resolve dis-putes.

Trustworthy Prophecy

In a divinely inspired dream, the proph-et Daniel saw a series of four beasts risingout of the sea, each representing a succes-sive world power. The first beast, a winged� The name Darius is applied to at least three kings.

lion, represented Babylon. The second was“like a bear.” The account continues: “This iswhat they were saying to it, ‘Get up, eat muchflesh.’ ” (Daniel 7:5) The fearsome bear pic-tured Medo-Persia.

True to Daniel’s prophecy, Medo-Persiadisplayed a voracious appetite for conquest.Not long after Daniel’s vision, Cyrus de-feated the Medes and then waged war againstneighboring Lydia and Babylon. His sonCambyses II conquered Egypt. Later Medo-Persian rulers expanded the empire even far-ther.

How can we be sure of this interpretation?In a separate but related vision, Daniel saw aram “making thrusts to the west and to thenorth and to the south.” The prophecy wasfulfilled when Medo-Persia made “thrusts”against other nations, including mighty Bab-ylon. An angel of God interpreted this vision,saying to Daniel: “The ram that you saw pos-sessing the two horns stands for the kings ofMedia and Persia.”—Daniel 8:3, 4, 20.

Furthermore, some two centuries beforeBabylon’s defeat, the prophet Isaiah foretoldboth the name of the conquering Persianking—who was not yet born—and his strate-gy for taking Babylon. Isaiah wrote: “This iswhat Jehovah has said to his anointed one, to

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Cyrus’ tomb can stillbe seen in the ruins ofancient Pasargadae,in present-day Iran

Cyrus, whose right hand I have taken hold of,to subdue before him nations, . . . to open be-fore him the two-leaved doors, so that eventhe gates will not be shut.” (Isaiah 45:1) BothIsaiah and Jeremiah foretold that Babylon’s“rivers,” or canals fed by the Euphrates Riv-er, which served as a protective moat, wouldbe dried up. (Isaiah 44:27; Jeremiah 50:38)The Greek historians Herodotus and Xeno-phon confirm the Bible’s prophetic accuracy,including the fact that the Babylonians werereveling on the very night that Cyrus took thecity. (Isaiah 21:5, 9; Daniel 5:1-4, 30) Havingdiverted the Euphrates River, Cyrus’ armiesentered the city through open gates along theriver, encountering little resistance. In onenight mighty Babylon fell!

This event, in turn, led to the amazing ful-fillment of another prophecy. The prophetJeremiah had earlier foretold that God’s peo-ple would be exiled in Babylon for 70 years.(Jeremiah 25:11, 12; 29:10) That prophecywas fulfilled right on time, and the exiles wereallowed to return to their homeland.

A Hope You Can Trust

Shortly after Medo-Persia conquered Bab-ylon, Daniel recorded a prophecy that shedslight on a most important event in the accom-plishment of God’s purpose for mankind.The angel Gabriel informed Daniel precise-ly when the Messiah—the “seed” promisedat Genesis 3:15—would appear! God’s angelsaid: “From the going forth of the word torestore and to rebuild Jerusalem until Messi-ah the Leader, there will be seven weeks, alsosixty-two weeks,” a total of 69 weeks. (Dan-

iel 9:25) When did this prophetic period be-gin?

Although Cyrus permitted the Jews to re-turn to their land soon after the fall of Bab-ylon, many years later Jerusalem and its wallswere still in disrepair. In 455 B.C.E., King Ar-taxerxes granted permission to his Jewishcupbearer Nehemiah to return to Jerusalemand take the lead in the rebuilding work. (Ne-hemiah 2:1-6) This marked the start of the 69weeks.

The 69 weeks, however, were not literalweeks of seven days but weeks of years. Infact, some Bible translations render the ex-pression “weeks” as “weeks of years.”� (Dan-iel 9:24, 25) The Messiah would appear aftera period of 69 “weeks” of 7 years each—a to-tal of 483 years. The prophecy was fulfilled in29 C.E. when Jesus was baptized, exactly 483years from 455 B.C.E.�

The precise fulfillment of Daniel’s proph-ecy adds to the abundant evidence confirm-ing Jesus’ identity. This evidence also con-firms our hope for the future. Jesus, as Kingof God’s heavenly Kingdom, will bring an endto harsh human rule. Thereafter, he will fulfillmany more Bible prophecies, including thosepointing forward to a resurrection of the deadto endless life in Paradise on earth.—Daniel12:2; John 5:28, 29; Revelation 21:3-5.� Among the Bible translations that use the phrase “weeks

of years” are the following: Tanakh—A New Translation of theHoly Scriptures, The Complete Bible—An American Translation,and The Bible—Containing the Old and New Testaments, byJames Moffatt.� For a detailed discussion of the prophecy, including a dia-

gram setting out the 69 weeks of years, see pages 197-199 of thebook What Does the Bible Really Teach?

455 B.C.E. 29 C.E.

From the time the command was given torebuild Jerusalem until the appearance of theMessiah was exactly 483 years


CHINATOWN. In many cities around theworld, this word evokes vibrant images

of Chinese shops, restaurants, festivals, anddragon dances. Yet, each Chinatown hasits own history. Those in Australia todayowe much to earlier generations of intrep-id Chinese immigrants who came to thesesouthern shores, hoping to strike it rich in thenewly discovered goldfields.

New Gold Mountain

What had been a light rain of Chinese mi-gration to Australia turned into a downpourwhen gold was discovered in 1851. Thousandsof men left the Pearl River delta in Guang-dong Province of China to make the arduoussea voyage south. Gold had been discoveredearlier in California, U.S.A., and the Chinesewho spoke Cantonese had called those gold-fields Gold Mountain. The Australian gold-fields, therefore, became New Gold Moun-tain.

It was not just the prospect of finding goldthat moved the men to leave their homeland.

China had experienced civil war, natural di-sasters, and poverty, which led to much hard-ship.

Tragically, some of the pioneers bound forAustralia did not live to see its shores. Theydied of diseases that swept through over-crowded ships on the long voyage. As for thesurvivors, life was anything but easy whenthey finally reached the new land.

Toiling in the Goldfields

Loneliness soon became a constant com-panion, for tradition required that wives andchildren stay in China to keep their place inthe ancestral family lineage. In 1861, morethan 38,000 Chinese men lived in Australia

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but only 11 Chinese women. Few, however,had planned to settle there. Most were deter-mined to return to their homes and familieswith wealth and honor.

This ambition drove them in their searchfor gold. The miners lived in tents and toiledfor long hours in the hot sun. Some, at leastinitially, were afraid to mine underground be-cause of certain superstitions. Hence, theystarted off digging and panning for surfacegold, rinsing their tailings in wooden sluices.Their efforts bore fruit. Records show thatbetween 1854 and 1862, just under 600,-

000 ounces (18,662 kg) of gold found in thestate of Victoria were sent to China.

Sadly, some of this newfound wealth waseaten up by gambling and opium addiction—vices to which the lonely were more vulner-able. All too often, the consequences were ru-ined health and the loss of both earnings andthe prospects of returning home. Some re-ceived help from Chinese organizations andfrom benevolent individuals, but others diedprematurely, impoverished and alone.

The Chinese also had to endure the jeal-ousy and suspicion of non-Chinese miners,

To avoid paying a landingfee, or tax, Chinese passen-gers would disembark alongthe Australian coast awayfrom major ports and hun-dreds of miles (km) from thegoldfields. Robe, South Aus-tralia, proved to be one suchlanding place. Robe had apopulation of between 100and 200, and in the span ofjust five months in 1857, at

least 12,000 Chinese passedthrough it.

In an amazing feat ofendurance and cooperation,hundreds of men at a timemade their way inlandthrough sparsely inhabitedcountry toward the goldfields.However, it was much fartherthan they thought, and thetrek took up to five weeks.The immigrants harvested

seaweed for the journey andate kangaroos and wombatsen route. They also dug wellsand left a trail for others tofollow.

Wearing traditional pigtailsand coolie hats, the men of-ten jogged single file, chantingas they went. Chinese coin-age has been found along theroute. The new arrivals dis-carded the money when theylearned that it was valuelessin Australia.

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who saw the foreigners as a tightly knit andsuccessful competitive mining communi-ty. This ill will led to riots and assaults onChinese. Their gold was looted, and theirtents and provisions were burned. Eventu-ally this hostility eased. Still, about 50 yearsafter gold was discovered, the ImmigrationRestriction Act of 1901 shut the door onAsian immigration into Australia—a doorthat was not reopened until 1973.

When the Gold Ran Out

When the mines ceased to produce,some Chinese chose to remain in Austra-lia. As a result, gold-rush towns saw thespawning of Chinese laundries, restau-rants, and market gardens, or truck farms.The Chinese also developed a good nameas furniture manufacturers and marketersof fresh fruit and vegetables. As a result, bythe end of the 19th century, Chinese com-munities, or Chinatowns, could be foundin many cities in Australia, including Ath-erton, Brisbane, Broome, Cairns, Darwin,Melbourne, Sydney, and Townsville.

Because few Chinese-born women cameto Australia, a lot of the men remainedsingle. Some, though, married Australianwomen, despite local prejudice againstsuch unions. In time, descendants of thesemixed marriages became an integral partof Australian society.

Nowadays, more Chinese immigrantslive in Australia than ever before. Most ar-rive in search of higher education and busi-ness opportunities. What is more, the im-migrants now include many women. Andin an odd twist resulting from the changingworld economy, many male breadwinners,after settling their families in Australia, flyback to Asia to work in China, Hong Kong,Singapore, or Taiwan.

Yes, times have changed. But for immi-grants the world over, the basic goals re-main much the same—to find security andsuccess in a foreign land.

Wayne Qu worked as an environmentalscientist for the Academy of Sciences inChina. To advance his career, he and his wife,Sue, went to Europe in the 1990’s, whereWayne pursued higher education. Whilethere, the couple met Jehovah’s Witnessesand discussed the Bible with them. In 2000,Wayne and Sue moved to Australia, whereboth continued their secular studies—Sue inmolecular biology. They also resumed their Bi-ble study.

Wayne explains: “We had spent decadesgetting advanced university degrees. Yet,I would say to myself: ‘In the end, we allgrow old, get sick, and die. Is that the purposeof life?’ It all seemed to be in vain. The Bible,however, gave Sue and me logical, satisfyinganswers to life’s most important questions.

“Our study of the Bible also made us exam-ine a concept we had never considered before—the existence of a Creator. I read the Wit-nesses’ publication Life—How Did It Get Here?By Evolution or by Creation? as well as a workby Charles Darwin on evolution. This reading,along with my own scientific research, con-vinced me that there is a Creator. Sue cameto the same conclusion.

“Another thing that convinced us that thereis a God is the power of the Bible to changelives for the better. Indeed, this amazing bookhas given us not only a hope for the futurebut also genuine friends and a stronger mar-riage. Sue and I were baptized in 2005, gladthat we had found something of much great-er value than higher education and ‘gold thatperishes.’”—1 Peter 1:7.

SOMETHING BETTERTHAN GOLD

SCIENCE does much to help us under-stand the natural world, revealing a lev-

el of order, precision, and sophistication thatpoints, in the eyes of many, to a God of in-finite intelligence and power. In their view,science reveals not just details of the naturalworld but also facets of the mind of God.

That point of view finds abundant supportin the Bible. Says Romans 1:20: “[God’s] in-visible qualities are clearly seen from theworld’s creation onward, because they areperceived by the things made, even his eter-nal power and Godship.” Likewise, Psalm 19:1, 2 states: “The heavens are declaring the glo-ry of God; and of the work of his hands theexpanse is telling. One day after another daycauses speech to bubble forth, and one nightafter another night shows forth knowledge.”Despite all its wonders, however, the naturalworld reveals only some aspects of our Cre-ator.

Where Science Is Limited

Many truths about God are beyond thescope of science. To illustrate, a scientist maybe able to describe every molecule in a choc-olate cake, but will his analysis reveal why thecake was made or for whom? For answers toquestions like that—which most people wouldregard as the more important ones—he needsto consult the person who baked the cake.

Similarly, science “gives a lot of factual in-formation,” wrote Austrian physicist and No-

bel laureate Erwin Schrodinger, “but it isghastly silent about all . . . that is really near toour heart, that really matters to us.” This in-cludes, he says, “God and eternity.” For exam-ple, only God can answer such questions asthe following: Why is there a universe? Whydoes our planet have an abundance of life,including intelligent life? If God truly is al-mighty, why does he permit evil and suffer-ing? And is there hope beyond the grave?

Has God answered those questions? Yes,in the pages of the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:16)‘But how,’ you may ask, ‘can I be sure that theBible really is from God?’ From a scientificpoint of view, what the Bible says about theworld around us must harmonize with scien-tific fact, for God does not contradict himself.Does the Bible reflect such harmony? Consid-er a few examples.

Scientifically Ahead of Its Time

When the Bible was being written, manypeople believed that various gods inhabit-ed the world and that those gods, not natu-ral laws, controlled the sun, the moon, theweather, fertility, and so on. But that was notthe case with the ancient Hebrew prophets ofGod. Of course, they knew that Jehovah Godcould directly control the natural world andthat he did so on specific occasions. (Josh-ua 10:12-14; 2 Kings 20:9-11) Nevertheless,John Lennox, professor of mathematics at theUniversity of Oxford, England, observed that

THEBIBLE’SVIEWPOINT Are Science and the

Bible Compatible?

“The significance and joy in my science comes in the occasional moments of

discovering something new and saying to myself, ‘So that’s how God did it!’ ”

—HENRY SCHAEFER, PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY.



those prophets “did not have to have theiruniverse de-deified [of mythical gods]. . . ,for the simple reason that they had never be-lieved in the gods in the first place. What hadsaved them from that superstition was theirbelief in One True God, Creator of heavenand earth.”

How did that belief protect them from su-perstition? For one thing, the true God re-vealed to them that he governs the universe byprecise laws, or statutes. For example, morethan 3,500 years ago, Jehovah God askedhis servant Job: “Have you come to knowthe statutes of the heavens?” (Job 38:33) Inthe seventh century B.C.E., the prophet Jere-miah wrote about “the statutes of heaven andearth.”—Jeremiah 33:25.

Hence, all who lived in ancient times andhad faith in the writings of the Bible proph-ets could know that the universe was gov-erned, not by mythical, temperamental dei-ties, but by rational laws. As a result, thoseGod-fearing individuals neither bowed downto created entities, such as the sun, the moon,or the stars, nor did they have a superstitiousattitude toward them. (Deuteronomy 4:15-19)Rather, they saw God’s works as objects ofstudy that reveal his wisdom, power, and oth-er qualities.—Psalm 8:3-9; Proverbs 3:19, 20.

In harmony with the views of many scien-tists today, the ancient Hebrews also be-lieved that the universe had a beginning.

“In the beginning God created the heavensand the earth,” says Genesis 1:1. Also, some3,500 years ago, God revealed to his servantJob that the earth ‘hangs on nothing,’ or issuspended in space. (Job 26:7) And finally,more than 2,500 years ago, the prophet Isaiahwrote that the earth is a circle or sphere.—Isa-iah 40:22.�

Yes, the Bible does harmonize with scien-tific truths about the natural world. In fact,the two fields of study are more than compati-ble—they beautifully complement each other.To disregard either one is to leave unopeneda door to the knowledge of God.—Psalm 119:105; Isaiah 40:26.� For a more extensive discussion on the existence of God

and the accuracy of the Bible, please read the brochure WasLife Created? and the book Is There a Creator Who Cares AboutYou? published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

HAVE YOU WONDERED?

˘ What can creation tell us about God?—Romans 1:20.

˘ What truths about God are beyond thescope of science?—2 Timothy 3:16.

˘ Why did the ancient prophets of thetrue God not have a superstitious viewof creation?—Jeremiah 33:25.

The universe is governed byprecise laws—“the statutes ofheaven and earth.”— JEREMIAH 33:25

˘ Even under a powerful microscope,it appears tiny and insignificant. It hasbeen compared to a powerful outboardmotor attached to a boat. What is thebacterial flagellum?

There are different kinds of flagella,but the bacterial flagellum (Latin,“whip”) is probably the most studied.Attached to the cell wall of bacteria, theflagellum rotates, enabling the micro-organism to go forward, stop, move inreverse, and change direction. It is esti-mated that half of all known bacteriaare equipped with variations of flagella.

The DNA in the bacteria or micro-organism contains the “drawings” of theflagellum and its propulsion unit. Theentire assembly consists of about 40proteins, which can be compared to theparts in a motor. Amazingly, it builds it-self in only 20 minutes!

The publication The Evolution Contro-versy states: “The bacterial flagellum in-cludes a rotary motor that spins aroundat speeds of 6,000 to 17,000 rpm.Even more remarkable, it can changedirection in as little as a quarter turn,and then spin 17,000 rpm in the otherdirection.” New Scientist magazine callsthe bacterial flagellum “a prime exampleof a complex molecular system—anintricate nanomachine beyond the craftof any human engineer.”

Scientists are baffled by the factthat the tiny bacterial flagellum self-assembles in the exact order that isneeded for all 40 parts to fit togetherproperly and function correctly.

What do you think? Did the bacterialflagellum come about by chance, orwas it designed?

WAS IT DESIGNED?

The BacterialFlagellum

Magnifiedview of abacterium

Flagella

Propeller

Universal joint

Bushing

RotorBacterium inset: � Scientifica/Visuals Unlimited, Inc.; flagellumdiagram: Art source courtesy of www.arn.org


IN 1962, when I was ten years old, my moth-er started studying the Bible with Jehovah’s

Witnesses. In time, she and my father, whoare both Indonesian-born Chinese, as well asfive of their children, including me, becameWitnesses.

Our home was always open to missionariesand traveling overseers, who visited our con-gregation to give spiritual encouragement.Their fine example and upbuilding conver-sation made a big impression on me. WhenI was 19, I decided to take up the full-timeChristian ministry. About a year later, I mar-ried Josef Neuhardt, a German missionarywho had arrived in Indonesia in 1968. Afterour honeymoon, we moved to Sumatra, thesecond largest of Indonesia’s more than 17,-000 islands. There I joined Josef in his workas a traveling overseer, which involved visitingcongregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Preaching in Sumatra

Our circuit, or assigned area, stretchedfrom the hot, bustling city of Padang, in WestSumatra, to beautiful Lake Toba, a large vol-canic lake nestled in the highlands of NorthSumatra. Later we covered the south of the is-land. We were continually on the move in ourold Volkswagen Beetle, bumping along pot-holed jungle roads, crossing rickety bridgesmade of coconut trees, and skirting by tower-ing volcanoes—some dormant, others active.At night we slept on the floor in simple bushhouses that had no electricity, plumbing, orbathrooms. We washed in lakes and rivers. Itwas a simple life, and we loved the people.They warmly welcomed us and fed us, andmany showed an interest in the Bible.

Around Padang, the Minangkabau people,mostly Muslims, were surprised and pleasedwhen we showed them from the Bible that

I Have Led a MostRewarding Life

AS TOLD BY HERAWATI NEUHARDT

I was born in Cirebon, Indonesia, a city

famous for its ornate batik cloth, which is

dyed with vivid, hand-drawn motifs. In some

ways my life as a missionary has been like

that batik—rich in colorful encounters with

diverse cultures in Southeast Asia and the

South Pacific. Let me explain.

Lake Toba

Padang

Sumatra

Borneo

I N D O N E S I A

JAKARTACirebon

JavaPAPUA NEW GUINEA

Daru

PORT MORESBY SOLOMONISLANDS

God is one—not a Trinity, as the churchesof Christendom claim. (Deuteronomy 6:4)Many people happily accepted the Watch-tower and Awake! magazines, and some in-terested ones later made fine spiritual prog-ress. At Lake Toba, the Batak people, most ofwhom profess Christianity, knew God’sname, Jehovah, because of seeing it in theirBatak Bible. (Psalm 83:18) Yet, they neededa clearer understanding of God and his pur-pose for mankind. Many of them accepteda Bible study and became zealous Christianevangelizers.

Opening Hearts in Java

In 1973, Josef and I were assigned to Java,an island half the size of Great Britain, withover 80 million inhabitants.� We shared thegood news with the Javanese, Sundanese, andChinese ethnic groups.

As a result of my Chinese-Indonesian up-bringing, I spoke a number of languages, in-cluding Javanese, Sundanese, and Indone-sian, as well as English. Consequently, Ienjoyed many interesting Bible discussionswith people in their native language.� The population of Java today exceeds 120 million.

In the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, locatedon Java, I shared the hope of everlasting lifein Paradise on earth with a dejected-looking19-year-old girl. As I read from the Bible, sheburst into tears. “Thank you, Auntie, for tell-ing me these things,” she said, using a term ofaffection and respect. She added: “By tomor-row, I will need another 1.5 million rupiah[$160, U.S.] to pay for my university fees, andI was thinking of selling my virginity to get themoney. Before you came I was praying for di-rection. Now I have the answer. I am deter-mined to postpone my studies and stay mor-ally clean.” This girl was delighted to receivefurther spiritual help.

Since that encounter, many more Javanese,including Sundanese and Chinese, havebrought their lives into harmony with thewholesome standards in God’s Word. This, inturn, has brought them genuine inner peaceand happiness, just as God promised.—Isaiah48:17, 18.

Kalimantan—Home of the Dayak

From Java, Josef and I moved to Kaliman-tan, an Indonesian province of Borneo, thethird-largest island in the world (after Green-

Herawati with Bible students in theSolomon Islands

With Josef in Holland,just before his deathin 2005


land and New Guinea). A land of thick jun-gles, rugged mountains, and mighty rivers,Borneo is home to Chinese, Muslim Malays,and the indigenous Dayak—a largely river-dwelling people who were at one time fierceheadhunters.

To reach remote Dayak communities, wetypically traveled by boat or canoe along un-spoiled, jungle-lined rivers. Huge crocodilesbasked on the banks, monkeys stared down atus from the trees, and birds flaunted their col-orful plumage. Yes, missionary service therewas an adventure!

Most Dayak families lived in stilt housesbuilt with bush materials. Some dwellingswere small; others were longhouses that ac-commodated a number of families. Manypeople had never seen a European, so Jo-sef proved to be quite a celebrity. Childrenwould run through the village shouting, “Pas-tor! Pastor!” Everyone then flocked to hearwhat the white minister had to say. Josefwould speak through local Witness interpret-ers, who would then arrange to conduct Biblestudies with the many interested ones.

Off to Papua New Guinea

Because of mounting pressure from reli-gious opposers, the government of Indonesiabanned Jehovah’s Witnesses in Decem-ber 1976. As a result, Josef and I were as-signed to Papua New Guinea.

After arriving in Port Moresby, the capital,we completed a two-month language coursein Hiri Motu, a local trade language. Thenwe moved to Daru, a tiny island in a remotewestern province. There I met Eunice, a big,strong, lovable woman, whose teeth werestained red-black from years of chewing betelnut. When Eunice learned that God wants hisservants to be clean physically as well as mor-ally and spiritually, she gave up her addictivehabit and became a faithful Christian. (2 Co-rinthians 7:1) Each time we saw such humbleindividuals apply Bible truth, we grew to ap-

preciate all the more the words of Psalm 34:8:“Taste and see that Jehovah is good.”

In time, Josef was made a traveling over-seer once again, and we visited almost everypart of Papua New Guinea, a nation of some820 languages. So that we could speak tomore people, we added another of thoselanguages to our repertoire—Tok Pisin, the lo-cal lingua franca. To get to the various townsand villages, we traveled by foot, car, boat,canoe, and light aircraft and endured stiflingheat, mosquitoes, and regular bouts of ma-laria.

Then, in 1985, we accepted yet another mis-sionary assignment—to the Solomon Islands,east of Papua New Guinea. There we workedat the local branch office of Jehovah’s Wit-nesses and also traveled throughout the ar-chipelago to encourage congregations andattend Christian assemblies. Again, we had totackle a new language—this time Solomon Is-lands Pidgin. But what a joy it was to con-verse with Bible-loving Solomon Islanders!

My Most Difficult Journey

In 2001, the ban on Jehovah’s Witnessesin Indonesia was lifted, and Josef and I re-turned to Jakarta. Soon afterward, however,my dear husband was diagnosed with malig-nant melanoma, an aggressive form of skincancer. We traveled to Josef’s homeland, Ger-many, for treatment. But sadly, in 2005, onour 33rd wedding anniversary, he fell asleepin death, awaiting a resurrection to life in theParadise new world. (John 11:11-14) He was62 years old and had spent 40 years in the full-time ministry.

I remained in Jakarta, where I continueto serve as a missionary. I miss my hus-band dearly. But teaching others the precioustruths found in God’s Word helps me to cope,for the ministry gives me a feeling of deep sat-isfaction and purpose in life. Yes, I can saywithout a doubt that Jehovah has granted mea most colorful and rewarding life.


1.Couch.2.Table.3.Chair.4.2,000.5.A.

ANSWERSTOPAGES30AND31

˘ What do you want out of life? Do youhave reasonable expectations, or do you fan-tasize about things that may be beyond yourability or means? A keen observer of humannature gave this wise advice: “It is better tobe satisfied with what is before your eyes thangive rein to desire; this too is emptiness andchasing the wind.”—Ecclesiastes 6:9, The NewEnglish Bible.

“What is before [our] eyes” refers to ourpresent circumstances and realities. To besure, there is nothing wrong with trying to im-prove our lives. The point the Bible makes,however, is that the wise do not pursue unreal-istic goals. These may be for fame, riches,the ideal marriage mate, or perfect health.

Moreover, those who attain a certain goal,such as material riches, may still crave more.“A mere lover of silver will not be satisfied withsilver, neither any lover of wealth with income.

This too is vanity,” the Bible frankly states.(Ecclesiastes 5:10) The spiritually wise, there-fore, try to be content with what they have,“what is before [their] eyes.” Yes, they acknowl-edge this truth: “We have brought nothing intothe world, and neither can we carry anythingout.”—1 Timothy 6:7.

Human nature is such that the greatesthappiness comes to those who satisfy theirspiritual needs. (Matthew 5:3) How can wedo that? Jesus Christ said: “Man must live,not on bread alone, but on every utterancecoming forth through Jehovah’s mouth.”(Matthew 4:4) Those precious utterances arefound in the Bible, and they are free for thetaking.

One such utterance is found at Psalm 37:4.It reads: “Take exquisite delight in Jehovah,and he will give you the requests of yourheart.” As God Almighty, Jehovah will grant hisfaithful worshippers things that no humancan give: perfect health, material security, andeverlasting life in Paradise on earth. (Luke 23:43; Revelation 21:3, 4) Trusting in these wordsis not being unrealistic.

Do You Have Realistic Goals?

Few True Friends“The average Briton has only three true

friends [he or she] can rely on,” says Lon-don’s Daily Telegraph. According to onestudy, among the reasons that cause a typicalperson to lose touch “with an average of 36friends over the years” are a “busy lifestyle,”‘just drifting apart’ and, in the case of 43 per-cent of those polled, “falling out . . . and de-ciding never to speak again.” Nearly one fifthconfide in colleagues, having “no-one elseto whom they can turn.” A poll spokesmancommented: “It takes something special to betrusted and relied upon.”

Drug-Running SemisubmersiblesThe methods used by Colombian drug

traffickers to smuggle cocaine into Cen-tral America, Mexico, and the United Statesare becoming more and more sophisticated.Since 1993, at least 42 drug-running semi-submersibles have been intercepted andseized by the Colombian authorities. A num-ber of workshops where such vessels are as-sembled have also been discovered. Although

these diesel-powered vessels cannot dive, theyare very difficult to detect by radar. Somehave a range of 2,000 miles (3,200 km), arecapable of carrying between six and ten tonsof cocaine, and probably cost up to $1 million(U.S.) to build.

Benefits of Family MealsFewer than half of the Finnish 14- to 16-year-olds in-

terviewed in a recent survey eat with their family. Thestudy revealed that in many homes no meals are actuallyserved. Yet, youths yearn for these regular, relaxed mo-ments with their family. When asked what they wantedfrom their parents, the message was clear: “Warm meals,eating together as a family, and someone who listensand has time for you,” reports the newspaper Helsin-gin Sanomat. Family meals have an impor-tant impact on a youth’s mental health.According to the article, “youths whotake part in family meals are usually do-ing well in school, they seldom smoke,drink, or use drugs, and they are lessfrequently depressed.”

WATCHING THE WORLD

Fewer than a quarter of Germans underthe age of 40 are in favor of daily prayerwith children, and among church members,only 4 in 10 consider it important.—APOTHEKEN UMSCHAU, GERMANY.

A sperm donor with an undetectedgenetic mutation linked to heart dis-ease transmitted the same condition to 9 ofthe 24 children known to be his offspring.Of these, one died from heart failure at theage of two.—JAMA, U.S.A.

“Over 50% of Russians believe that corrup-tion is an unavoidable and perma-nent fact of life.”—RIA NOVOSTI, RUSSIA.


FOR FAMILY REVIEW

What Is Missing From ThisPicture?Read 2 Kings 4:8-10. Now look at the picture. Whatfeatures are missing? Write your answers on the linesbelow. Connect the dots to complete the picture, andthen color it in.

1 ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

2 ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

3 ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

˘ Answers to pages 30 and 31 on page 28

FOR DISCUSSION: Whatkindness did this womandisplay? How did Jehovahbless her kind acts in supportof his prophet? CLUE: Read2 Kings 4:32-37. How couldyou show kindness to servantsof Jehovah today? CLUE: ReadRomans 12:13; Galatians6:10.

FAMILY ACTIVITY: Withoutspeaking, one family membercould act out the part of oneof the characters in the aboveBible account. The rest of thefamily should try to guessthe identity of that character.

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Collect and Learn Cut out, fold in half, and saveD

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D A N I E L

PROFILE Likely a prince, born into thetribe of Judah. He was a faithful prophetwho was inspired to write the Bible bookthat bears his name. Daniel was possiblyin his teens when he and other royal familymembers and nobles were taken captiveby Nebuchadnezzar and moved to Babylon.

QUESTIONS

A. Why was Daniel thrown into thelions’ pit?

B. What were the Hebrew names ofDaniel’s three friends?

C. Under which two foreign powers didDaniel serve?

ANSWERS

A. He prayed to Jehovah although orderednot to.—Daniel 6:6-17.

B. Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah.—Daniel 1:6, 7.

C. Babylon and Medo-Persia.—Daniel 5:30; 6:8.

Peoples and Lands4. Our names are Jorge, Nicolas, and Priscilian.We live in Belize, which is in Central America.About how many of Jehovah’s Witnesses live in Belize?Is it 600, 2,000, or 3,500?

5. Which dot shows where we live? Circle it,and draw a dot where you live, and see howclose you are to Belize.

Children’sPicture SearchCan you find these pictures inthis issue? In your own words,describe what is happening ineach picture.

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˘ That is what a mother from California, U.S.A., wroteregarding a matter discussed in the book Learn Fromthe Great Teacher. She explained: “Just last week whenour son Javan, aged 3, saw his pediatrician, she askedif my husband and I had discussed safety with Javan re-garding private parts of the body. I was so happy to tellher about the Teacher book, which explains that it wouldbe wrong for anyone to play with ones’ private parts. Thedoctor was very impressed that we had discussed this.”

The mother added: “The way in which these things arediscussed in the book is perfect.” The chapter she wasreferring to is entitled “How Jesus Was Protected.” It de-scribes how Jesus’ heavenly Father protected his Sonfrom being hurt by wicked King Herod when Jesus wastoo young to protect himself. (Matthew 2:7-23) The bookthen shows how even young children can be taught toprotect themselves if someone tries to molest them.

You may request a copy of this 256-page, beautifullyillustrated book, which has the same page size as thismagazine. Simply fill in the accompanying coupon, andmail it to an appropriate address listed on page 5 of thismagazine.

They Are Not Too Young

Q Without obligation,I request a copy of thebook shown here.

Indicate which language.

��

Q Please contact meconcerning a free homeBible study.

Name ��

Address ��

��

City ��

Province/State �� Postal/ZIP Code ��

www.watchtower.org

LEARN FROM THE

GREAT TEACHER

Documents

The Truth OccultAbout theda-ip.getmyip.com/PDF/Publications/Awake PDF's/2011-02_g_E - The Truth About the Occult...16 A Book You CanTrust Part 4—Medo-Persia in Bible History 19 In