violence hurts us all

!"#2A U G U S T 2 0 1 2

WILL VIOLENCEEVER END?

!"#2AVERAGE PRINTING 41,042,000PUBLISHED IN 84 LANGUAGES

WILL VIOLENCEEVER END?

2 Violence Hurts Us All

4 Infatuated With Violence

6 Causes of Violence

8 You Can Learn to Be Peaceable

9 I Loved Violence

10 Where Money Walks on FourLegs

13 Was It Designed?The Propulsion Systemof the Jellyfish

14 The Bible’s ViewpointMust You Go to a Temple,Shrine, or Church to Prayto God?

16 The World’s Biggest Flower

18 The Bible—A Book ofAccurate Prophecy—Part 4

21 Young People AskWho Are My Role Models?

24 Gout—Causes and RiskFactors

26 Is It OK to Cheat to GetGood Grades?

29 Watching the World

30 For Family Review

32 When Should You StartTeaching Your Child?

WHO has not been affected by violence?We see it constantly in news reports. We

fear it on the streets and at work, and chil-dren face it from bullies at school. Even athome, where people usually feel secure behindlocked doors, millions—especially women—feelunsafe. In fact, depending on the country, up to70 percent of women report that they havebeen assaulted by an intimate partner.

In many countries, people fear violent politi-cal or social uprisings or even terrorism. Thesefears are reflected in the increased level ofelectronic surveillance evident in some lands,especially those that have been a target of ter-rorism.

Understandably, the video-surveillance in-dustry is booming—despite the global econom-ic downturn. Who pays for all of this? Ultimate-ly, we do, in the form of taxes and other fees.And such costs may well increase as securitymeasures become more invasive, pervasive,and expensive.

The disturbing effects of violence shouldmake us reflect on ourselves—our ethics andour beliefs. The following articles will considerthese questions: What part does the mediaplay in the spread of violence? What factorscan influence our attitude toward violence?How can we protect ourselves from negativeinfluences?

Awake! August 2012 3

!"#$ THIS JOURNAL IS PUBLISHED for theenlightenment of the entire family. It

shows how to cope with today’s problems. It reportsthe news, tells about people in many lands, examinesreligion and science. But it does more. It probes beneaththe surface and points to the real meaning behindcurrent events, yet it always stays politically neutral anddoes not exalt one race above another. Most important,this magazine builds confidence in the Creator’s promiseof 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 worldwide Bible educa-tional work supported by voluntary donations. Unless otherwise indicated, Scrip-ture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the HolyScriptures—With References.Awake! (ISSN 0005-237X) is published monthly by Watchtower Bible and TractSociety of New York, Inc.; L. Weaver, Jr., President; G. F. Simonis, Secretary-Treasurer; 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483, and by Watch Tow-er Bible and Tract Society of Canada, PO Box 4100, Georgetown, ON L7G 4Y4.Periodicals Postage Paid at Brooklyn, N.Y., and at additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Awake!, 1000 Red Mills Road,Wallkill, NY 12589-3299. � 2012 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsyl-vania. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada.

Vol. 93, No. 8 Monthly ENGLISH

4

THE world today is infatuated with vio-lence. To be sure, violence has always

been featured in entertainment. However, “inrecent years,” says the Media Awareness Net-work, “something about media violence haschanged. For one thing, there’s more of it.”For another, it is “much more graphic, muchmore sexual, and much more sadistic.” Con-sider the following.

Music: Songs featuring increasingly violentlyrics “have moved into the mainstream of themusic industry,” says the above source. Us-ing filthy language, some songs glorify mur-der and rape, even of wives and mothers.Video Games: “The uncomfortable fact is,videogames have an unhealthy obsession withbloodshed,” stated a British magazine forvideo-game enthusiasts. It added: “To some

INFATUATED WITH

VIOLENCE

LANGUAGES: Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Bislama, Bul-garian, Cebuano, Chichewa, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional)� (audioMandarin only), Chitonga, Cibemba, Croatian, Czech,� Danish,� Dutch,�� En-glish,�� Estonian, Ewe, Fijian, Finnish,� French,�� Georgian, German,�� Greek,Gujarati, Hebrew, Hiligaynon, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Igbo, Iloko, Indonesian,Italian,�� Japanese,�� Kannada, Kinyarwanda, Kirghiz, Kirundi, Korean,�� Latvi-an, Lingala, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malagasy, Malayalam, Maltese, Myan-mar, Norwegian,� Polish,�� Portuguese,�� Punjabi, Rarotongan, Romanian,Russian,�� Samoan, Sepedi, Serbian, Sesotho, Shona, Silozi, Sinhala, Slovak,Slovenian, Spanish,�� Swahili, Swedish,� Tagalog,� Tamil, Thai, Tok Pisin, Tongan,Tsonga, Tswana, Turkish, Twi, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Xhosa, Yoruba, Zulu

� CD also available. � MP3 CD-ROM also available.� Audio recordings also available at www.jw.org.

WOULD YOU WELCOME MORE INFORMATION OR A FREE HOME BIBLE STUDY?Please send your request to Jehovah’s Witnesses, using one of the addresses below. Fora complete list of addresses, see www.watchtower.org/address. America, United States of:25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483. Australia: PO Box 280, Ingleburn, NSW1890. Britain: The Ridgeway, London NW7 1RN. Canada: PO Box 4100, Georgetown, ONL7G 4Y4. Germany: 65617 Selters. Guam: 143 Jehovah St, Barrigada, GU 96913. Jamaica:PO Box 103, Old Harbour, St. Catherine. Japan: 4-7-1 Nakashinden, Ebina City, Kanagawa-Pref, 243-0496. Puerto Rico: PO Box 3980, Guaynabo, PR 00970. South Africa: Private BagX2067, Krugersdorp, 1740. Trinidad and Tobago: Lower Rapsey Street & Laxmi Lane, Curepe.


degree, a love of videogames demands a loveof violence.” For example, one popular gameenables players to simulate beating women todeath with baseball bats. Some authorities be-lieve that video games, being interactive, mayhave a more powerful negative influence onchildren than TV does.Movies: Studies show that violence, sex, andprofanity have increased significantly in mov-ies, and ratings may not be a reliable guide.Moreover, it is not just the “bad guys” who areviolent. Nearly half the violence depicted onTV, in movies, and in music videos is com-mitted by the “good guys,” according to onestudy.News: “If it bleeds, it leads” is the guidingprinciple for many TV-news producers. Newsis big business, and newsmen know that vi-olence attracts viewers and that high view-er ratings attract advertisers, who finance TVprogramming in many lands.Web Sites: Both virtual and real-life imagesof torture, dismemberment, mutilation, andmurder are available on the Internet. Manychildren visit these sites.

Can Media Violence Influence You?

Does violence in television, movies, books,music, and other forms of entertainment in-fluence people? Granted, those profiting

from media violence often argue that theirproducts do no harm. But consider this:To influence people’s thinking, the businessworld pays billions of dollars for commer-cials, each of which may be just 30 seconds inlength. Is it reasonable, then, to assume that a90-minute movie, the heroes of which may beimmoral and violent, will have little or no ef-fect, especially on the impressionable mindsof children?

Our Creator, Jehovah God, knows humannature far better than we do. What has hetold us about associating with violent people—including, in principle, those who entertainus through the popular media? Consider thefollowing Bible texts:

˘ “Jehovah himself examines the righ-teous one as well as the wicked one, and any-one loving violence His soul certainly hates.”—Psalm 11:5.

˘ “Do not have companionship with any-one given to anger; and with a man having fitsof rage you must not enter in, that you maynot get familiar with his paths and certain-ly take a snare for your soul.”—Proverbs 22:24, 25.

Of course, we cannot cut ourselves offfrom exposure to all bad influences. But wecan choose our entertainment and the peo-ple with whom we socialize. So ask yourself,‘What sort of person do I want to be?’ Thenassociate with people like that, people whohave the same values and goals that you wantto have.—Proverbs 13:20.

While our choice of associates and enter-tainment may influence our attitude towardviolence, other factors may also influence us.What might these be?

% Our choice of entertainmentmay influence our attitudetoward violence

6 Awake! August 2012

Even though violence maybe triggered by a numberof elements, its primaryroots lie within ourselves.How so? Jesus Christ, whohad profound insight intothe human heart, stated:“Out of the heart of men,injurious reasonings issueforth: fornications, thiever-ies, murders, adulteries,covetings, acts of wicked-ness, deceit, loose conduct,an envious eye, blasphemy,haughtiness, unreason-ableness.” (Mark 7:21, 22)We feed such wrong inclina-tions when we repeatedlylook at, listen to, or thinkabout bad things.—James1:14, 15.

On the other hand,when we feed our mindwith wholesome things,such as those mentionedin the article on page 8,we starve and “deaden”bad desires and nurturegood ones. (Colossians3:5; Philippians 4:8) Godwill then help us “to bemade mighty in the man[we] are inside.”—Ephe-sians 3:16.

VIOLENCESTARTS WITHIN

THE roots of violence tend to be complex. And often,they cannot be attributed to a single factor, such as

associates, entertainment, or social environment. Manyelements may be involved, including the following.Desperation and despair. Sometimes people resort to vi-olence when they are oppressed, discriminated against,socially isolated, or economically deprived or when theyfeel that they have no control over their life.The mob spirit. As is often seen at sporting events, peo-ple in groups or mobs seem to have fewer inhibitionsagainst bad behavior. Why? They are “less aware of theirown moral standards and are much more likely to re-spond to violent or aggressive cues,” says the book So-cial Psychology. Such individuals, states another work,may become mindless puppets, losing “all the feelings ofsocial responsibility.”Hatred and jealousy. The first documented murder inhuman history was committed by a man named Cain.(Genesis 4:1-8) Inflamed with jealous hatred, Cain mur-dered his brother—even though God warned Cain tocontrol his emotions and promised to bless him if hedid. How true are the Bible’s words: “Where jealousyand contentiousness are, there disorder and every vilething are”!—James 3:16.

CAUSES OF

VIOLENCE

Alcohol and drug abuse. Substance abuse not only im-pairs physical and mental health but also inhibitscontrol centers in the brain. A result is that a personunder the influence may become more prone to vio-lent behavior and respond more aggressively to provoca-tion.Lax criminal-justice systems. “Because sentence againsta bad work has not been executed speedily, that is whythe heart of the sons of men has become fully set in themto do bad,” says Ecclesiastes 8:11. Weak, incompetent,or corrupt systems of justice directly or indirectly pro-mote violence.False religion. Religion is often linked to violence, in-cluding sectarian violence and terrorism. But it is notjust bigots, extremists, and fanatics who are to blame.During the two world wars, members of mainstream re-ligions—“Christian” and non-Christian—slaughtered oneanother, often with the blessing of their spiritual leaders.Such behavior offends God.—Titus 1:16; Revelation 17:5, 6; 18:24.

In view of the many forces that advocate or glorify vi-olence, is it possible to become a truly peaceable personin today’s world? Yes, as we shall now see.

Why do some countriesreport murder rates 60times higher than others?Why have wars and otherforms of violence been aconstant feature of humanhistory? Baffling questionsare many; convincing an-swers are few.

Some researchers holdthat poverty and inequalitytrigger violence. Accordingto some statistics, about90 percent of all violence-related deaths, includingsuicide, have occurred inthe world’s less-prosperousnations; and the poorerneighborhoods of citiesare often high-crime areas.But are poor people reallymore violent? Or do theysuffer more violence be-cause their communitiescannot afford good-qualitylaw enforcement? Thenthere are places like Cal-cutta, India, where millionslive in extreme poverty.Yet, Calcutta has one ofthe world’s lowest murderrates.

Others theorize that theready availability of gunsmakes a society more vio-lent. Certainly, guns makeviolent people more dan-gerous. But why do somesocieties have a higher pro-portion of violent people?Again, experts cannotagree.

VIOLENCEBAFFLES EXPERTS

ALTHOUGH we may be born with certainwrong inclinations, violent behavior is

usually learned. The same is true of peace-ableness. Who, though, can teach us the waysof true peace? Surely, the most authoritativeperson would be our Creator, whose wisdomis unsurpassed. Consider the following fivepoints and the associated gems of wisdomfound in the Bible.

1 “Do not become envious of the man ofviolence.” (Proverbs 3:31) Recognize

that real strength lies in such qualities as self-control and mildness. “He that is slow to an-ger is better than a mighty man,” says Prov-erbs 16:32. Like the strong wall of a dam, heis able to withstand the pressures of provoca-tion. In fact, he responds to anger with mild-ness, and thus “turns away rage.” (Proverbs15:1) A man disposed to wrath, however, ex-plodes at the slightest provocation.—Proverbs25:28.

2 Choose your associates wisely. “A manof violence will seduce his fellow,” says

Proverbs 16:29. On the other hand, “he that iswalking with wise persons will become wise.”(Proverbs 13:20) Yes, when we associate withpeaceable people who have self-control and amild spirit, we will most likely try to imitatethem.

3 Cultivate true love for others. The bestdescription of love ever written is found

at 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. In part, it reads:“Love is long-suffering and kind. . . . [It] doesnot become provoked. It does not keep ac-count of the injury. . . . It bears all things, . . .endures all things.” Godlike love, Jesus said,extends even to one’s enemies.—Matthew 5:44, 45.

4 Trust God to deal with the wicked. “Re-turn evil for evil to no one. . . . As far as

it depends upon you, be peaceable with allmen. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, . . .for it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine; I will re-pay, says Jehovah.’ ” (Romans 12:17-19) Whenwe have faith in God and in his promises, weenjoy an inner peace that people lacking faithcannot even begin to understand.—Psalm 7:14-16; Philippians 4:6, 7.

5 Look to God’s Kingdom to bring truepeace to the earth. God’s Kingdom is

a heavenly government that will soon eradi-cate all the wicked and take full control ofthe entire earth. (Psalm 37:8-11; Daniel 2:44) Under that Kingdom, “the righteous onewill sprout,” and there will be an “abundanceof peace until the moon is no more.”—Psalm72:7.

Such Bible teachings have helped millionsof people—including some with a violent dis-position—to become lovers of peace. Consid-er the example of Salvador Garza.

YOU CAN LEARN TO BE

Peaceable

WHEN I was a boy, I loved violence andfought anyone who made me angry. A localboxing champion noticed this and taughtme to box. In time, I was traveling aroundthe United States as a professional boxer.Later, I worked as a bodyguard for a gang-ster.

My love of violence continued even af-ter I married and had six children. By then,I was running a nightclub. Several timespeople tried to kill me, but I enjoyed theexcitement. I once shot two men in a fight,badly wounding them. Some friends and Ieven planned to kidnap a prominent politi-cian. But the police discovered the plotand arrested me. When the police caughtup with the others, there was a shoot-outand my friends were all killed. So I amglad that I was in prison at the time!

Years later, I was released and founda job. On my way home from work one day,I suffered a sudden, incapacitating head-ache. I was so worried that I prayed forhelp. My wife, Dolores, who had beenstudying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witness-es, had told me that God has a name—Jehovah. (Psalm 83:18) So I prayed spe-cifically to him.

Once I recovered, Dolores encouragedme to attend the meetings of Jehovah’sWitnesses at their Kingdom Hall. The kind-ness and genuine interest of the Witness-es brought tears to my eyes. As a result,

I too began to study the Bible and mywhole outlook on life began to change.I loved what I was being taught.

Learning to control my temper, how-ever, took a little longer. To illustrate, oneday while I was engaged in the house-to-house ministry with my friend Antonio, wemet a man who spoke abusively to us.I was incensed, so I lunged at him. Fortu-nately, Antonio restrained me. Later, hepatiently drew my attention to how Jesusendured much ridicule and abuse. Theapostle Peter, who worked closely withJesus, wrote: “When he was being reviled,he did not go reviling in return.” (1 Peter2:23) I took those words to heart.

Looking back at the changes I havemade over the years, I regularly thank Je-hovah for his holy spirit, which helps us toexercise self-control and to become trulypeaceable. (Galatians 5:22, 23) My familyis together and happy, and we enjoy aquiet, peaceful life. Moreover, I have theprivilege of serving as a full-time minister,helping others to find the peace of God.

I LOVED VIOLENCEAS TOLD BY SALVADOR GARZA

Studying the Bible helpedSalvador find peace



How did Enmarie care for her little pig?And why are pigs as important as money tothe people who live in rural Papua New Guin-ea? Here is what she told Awake!Please describe where you live.

Along with my parents and four youngersiblings—two girls and two boys—I live in asmall bush house with a thatched grass roofin a remote mountain village in the West-ern Highlands. The village has about 50 in-habitants, all of them my relatives, and welive beside a small river that winds its waythrough thickly forested rolling hills.

Most people in our village farm for a liv-ing. My family has a large vegetable garden,where we grow sweet potatoes, pumpkins,Where

Money Walkson Four Legs

“IN OUR area a pig is amajor family asset, so

raising one is a big respon-sibility,” says Enmarie Kani,a 17-year-old girl who livesin the highlands of PapuaNew Guinea. “When myfather asked me to lookafter a piglet, I was excitedbut anxious. It was so tinythat I thought it might die.”

Off to thegarden

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

IND

ON

ES

IA

WESTERNHIGHLANDS

PORT MORESBY

A U S T R A L I A

INDONESIAPAPUANEWGUINEA

A U S T R A L I A

cucumbers, coffee, and other crops. I lovegrowing vegetables and enjoy physical labor.I also care for other chores, such as cleaninghouse, washing clothes and, of course, look-ing after the family pig.How do you care for your pig?

When Dad bought our pig about a yearago, it was so tiny that I could hold it in myhands. Each day, I fed it a mixture of pow-dered fish mixed with mashed sweet pota-to, water, salt, and sugarcane juice. At night,when the highlands get quite cool, it slept inan empty rice bag that hung from the ceilingnear the fireplace in our house. I slept on thefloor near it. As a result, the pig not only sur-vived but also thrived!

I never gave our pig a novel personal name.I just called it Pig, and that became its name.I cared for Pig as if it were my own baby—feeding it, washing it, and playing with it forhours. Pig became fondly attached to me andfollowed me everywhere.

When Pig grew bigger, I introduced it to anew routine that we still follow. By means ofa rope, I lead the animal down to our vegeta-ble garden—a 15-minute walk from our house.There I attach the rope to a tree and let Pigdig around in the garden bed all day. Usingits powerful neck and leathery snout, it digsfor roots and worms, at the same time tillingand fertilizing the soil. At day’s end, I lead ithome, where I feed it raw and cooked sweet

Time forawash

Time forplay

potatoes before settling it down for the nightin its wooden pen.Why are pigs so important tohighlanders?

We highlanders have a saying, Money is pigand pig is money. Long before regular curren-cy arrived in the highlands, people used pigsfor money—a practice that continues to thisday. For example, a car dealership in the high-lands once offered a live pig with every newvehicle purchased. Tribes often settle theirdisputes by exchanging money and pigs. Andmany grooms give pigs to their bride’s parentsor clan as part of the bride-price.It sounds like eating a pig is likeeating an investment!

You are right! Since pigs are so valuable,we usually eat pork only on special occasions,such as funerals and other important cere-monies. That said, some highland tribes feaston hundreds of pigs at large ceremonies de-signed to show off the tribe’s wealth or to re-pay past favors.

What will your family do withyour pigs?

“Pigs” is correct, for Pig has had a numberof piglets, one of which we recently sold for100 kina (nearly $40 U.S.). We used the mon-ey to travel by bus to the annual district con-vention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the nearbytown of Banz. Dad will likely sell Pig’s oth-er offspring to care for our family’s everydayneeds.Why not raise more pigs so that youcan make more money?

Our goal is, not to get rich, but to havewhat we need in the way of food, clothing,and shelter. Our family is focused more onspiritual things. This includes serving ourGod, Jehovah; attending Christian meetings;helping other people where we can—material-ly or spiritually—and doing things together asa family. We live a simple life, but we are closeand happy.

Nowadays, in fact, I do secular work—gar-dening and raising pigs—but only part-time.My main occupation is serving as a Chris-tian evangelizer, sharing Bible truths with myneighbors. This work, which Jesus commis-sioned his followers to do, keeps me busy sev-eral days a week. (Matthew 28:19, 20) I hopeone day to work at the Port Moresby branchoffice of Jehovah’s Witnesses, where Bible lit-erature is translated into local languages. Buteven if I do not reach that goal, I know thatI will always find the greatest happiness inserving Jehovah and keeping spiritual thingsto the fore. And I am thankful for the materi-al support I have received from the moneythat walks on four legs.

˘ The island of New Guineais home to at least two milliondomestic pigs, about 1 for every3 inhabitants.

˘ More than half the ruralpopulation own pigs.

PIGFACTS

1.Thereisanappleonthefrontofthealtarinscene3.2.TheduckisbetweenAbelandthesheepinscene4.3.37,000.4.A.

ANSWERSTOPAGES30AND31


˘ Jellyfish are at least 95 percent waterand range in size from less than an inch(3 cm) to over six feet (2 m) in diameter.Muscles propel many species along byrhythmically contracting and relaxing theirbell-shaped body, somewhat like closingand opening an umbrella.

Consider: Scientists who study fluiddynamics have discovered that certainjellyfish, while not fast swimmers, havean intriguing method of propulsion. Witheach contraction of their body, the ani-mals create a doughnut-shaped vortex,like a smoke ring, which they push awayfrom themselves. The momentum ofthe rings creates an opposite reactionthat propels the jellyfish forward, some-what like a jet but with pulses of energyinstead of a constant thrust. “It soundssimple,” says New Scientist magazine.“But the act of forming a vortex ring hasproved very difficult to model mathemati-cally.”

Researchers are studying the jellyfish’spropulsion system in order to build moreefficient underwater vehicles. One re-searcher has already developed a four-

foot-long (1.2 m) submarine that createsa wake similar to that of the jellyfish.The vehicle uses 30 percent less energythan a conventional propeller-driven unit.Another possible application involves thehuman heart. Because the movement ofblood within a section of the heart gener-ates vortex rings, abnormal vortices mayreveal early signs of heart disease.

What do you think? Did the propul-sion system of the jellyfish come aboutby evolution? Or was it designed?

WAS IT DESIGNED?

ThePropulsionSystem ofthe Jellyfish

Jellyfish form a vortex ring and then push itaway to create propulsion

Photo: � JUNIORS BILDARCHIV/age fotostock;graphic: Courtesy of Sean Colin


MANY people regularly go to a religiousbuilding of some sort to pray to God.

Others make long pilgrimages to such places.Do you feel that you must go to a temple,shrine, or church to pray to God? Or do youfeel that you can speak to him at any time orat any place? What does the Bible say?

At the start of human history, there wereno religious buildings. A beautiful gardenwas the home of our original parents. (Gene-sis 2:8) From there they were able to com-municate with their Creator, Jehovah God.Later, as the human family grew in num-ber, righteous men, such as Noah, “walkedwith the true God”—all without the aid of re-ligious edifices. (Genesis 6:9) They were menof prayer who loved Jehovah and merited hisapproval.

God Does Not Dwell inHandmade Buildings

The faithful men of old knew that the Cre-ator of the earth and the vast universe doesnot dwell in handmade structures. “Will Godtruly dwell with mankind upon the earth?”asked wise King Solomon. “Look! Heaven,yes, the heaven of the heavens themselves,cannot contain you,” he rightly acknowl-edged. (2 Chronicles 6:18) Granted, the an-cient Israelites had a tabernacle and later atemple where they gathered for annual reli-gious festivals according to God’s Law. (Ex-odus 23:14-17) Yet, they could pray to God

at any time—when shepherding their flocks,working in their fields, spending time togeth-er as a family, or enjoying moments of soli-tude.—Psalm 65:2; Matthew 6:6.

Likewise, we can pray to God anywhereand anytime. Our model, Jesus Christ, oftenwent to quiet, private places for prayer. (Mark1:35) For example, on one occasion “he wentout into the mountain to pray, and he contin-ued the whole night in prayer to God.”—Luke6:12.

Of course, as a Jew, Jesus faithfully attend-ed religious festivals at the temple in Jeru-salem. (John 2:13, 14) Nevertheless, he fore-told a time when the temple would no longerbe the center of true worship. When talkingwith a Samaritan woman near a mountain inSamaria, where her people had a temple, Je-sus said: “The hour is coming when neither inthis mountain nor in Jerusalem will you peo-ple worship the Father.” Then he added thattrue worshippers would “worship the Fatherwith spirit and truth.”—John 4:21, 23.

Yes, Jesus’ focus was, not on structures ofbrick and mortar, but on true worship ren-dered from a sincere heart. But did that meanthat Jesus’ followers, who were later calledChristians, would worship God only in pri-vate? (Acts 11:26) No, and for good reasons.

God’s People Are a Spiritual Family

God’s true servants are a family—a spiri-tual family. (Luke 8:21) A good family does

THEBIBLE’SVIEWPOINT Must You Go to a

Temple, Shrine, orChurch to Pray toGod?


many things together, such as enjoying ameal, and this strengthens the family bonds.The same is true in a spiritual sense. Chris-tian meetings are like a spiritual feast in thatthey nourish the inner person and strength-en spiritual ties. The Christian apostle Paulwrote: “Let us consider one another to inciteto love and fine works, not forsaking the gath-ering of ourselves together, as some have thecustom, but encouraging one another.”—He-brews 10:24, 25.

True worshippers, therefore, recognizethat the congregation plays an importantrole, for it enables each member to devel-op spiritual qualities that cannot be fully de-veloped in isolation. These qualities includelove, forgiveness, kindness, mildness, andpeace.—2 Corinthians 2:7; Galatians 5:19-23.

Where did the early Christians gather forfellowship and worship? Often, they met inprivate homes. (Romans 16:5; Colossians 4:15) For example, when writing to a fellowChristian, the apostle Paul also addressedhis letter to “the congregation that is in yourhouse.”�—Philemon 1, 2.

Likewise today, God’s people do not needornate religious edifices but places that arecomfortable and able to accommodate allwho attend. Jehovah’s Witnesses have suchplaces, which they call Kingdom Halls. Infact, it is quite possible that there is a King-dom Hall in your area. These buildings arefunctional and modest, and the meetings heldthere are simple—they include song, prayer,and Bible discussions.

Jehovah’s Witnesses cherish their private,intimate moments with God. Hence, theyspend time each day in prayer, both as fami-lies and privately as individuals. “Draw closeto God, and he will draw close to you,” saysJames 4:8.� The original Greek word for “congregation” is rendered

“church” in some English Bibles.

HAVE YOU WONDERED?

˘ Does God dwell in handmade buildings?—2 Chronicles 6:18.

˘ Where did Jesus spend a night inprayer?—Luke 6:12.

˘ Why do true worshippers gathertogether?—Hebrews 10:24, 25.

Are your prayers morelikely to be heard incertain locations?


“COME with me, Sir, come, a flower, verylarge, beautiful, wonderful,” said Joseph

Arnold’s excited guide during a plant-collect-ing expedition on the Indonesian island of Su-matra. On following his guide, Arnold, a Brit-ish botanist, saw something he termed “trulyastonishing.” It was an amazing flower. Al-most 200 years later, the variety of flower hesaw during his 1818 expedition—the spectacu-lar rafflesia—is still recognized as the biggestflower in the world.

There are dozens of species of rafflesia, allof which grow only in the jungles of South-east Asia. New species, however, continue tobe identified. The variety that produces thebiggest bloom is Rafflesia arnoldii, named af-ter Joseph Arnold and his expedition partner,Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who was found-er and governor of Singapore. As beautiful asthis flower is, however, it is hardly one youwould pick for a bouquet.

First, consider its size. The rafflesia cangrow to about three feet (1 m) in diame-

ter—the size of a bus tire—and weigh some24 pounds (11 kg).� The flower has five thick,pinkish-brown fleshy petals covered with palewartlike spots. The petals converge in a largehollow that resembles a pot and that can holdup to 13 pints (6 liters) of water.

Second, give thought to its odor. Accord-ing to one candid description, the rafflesiasmells like a “buffalo carcass in an advancedstate of decomposition,” earning it the well-deserved alternative names corpse flower and� The flowers of some species of rafflesia measure only

four inches (10 cm) in diameter.

THE WORLD’S

BiggestFlower

stinking corpse lily.� Carrion-feeding flies arethe flowers’ main pollinators because theyfind the stench irresistible.

The rafflesia flower has no stem, leaves, orroots and grows as a parasite of certain vineson the jungle floor. When a new rafflesia budbreaks through the bark of a host vine, thebud takes about ten months to balloon, of-� The titan arum flower (Amorphophallus titanum) is also

nicknamed the corpse flower and is sometimes confused withthe rafflesia.—See Awake! June 22, 2000, page 31.

ten growing to the size of a large cabbage.Then, in a process that takes several hours,the fleshy lobes unfold, revealing their fullglory. Inside the central opening are a num-ber of spiky protrusions called processes.Their function is still little understood, al-though some researchers think that the pro-trusions may serve to distribute heat and thusintensify the stench.

The flower’s odd beauty is short-lived,though. After just a few days, the bloom diesand begins to rot, leaving behind a slimyblack mass.

The Rafflesia arnoldii is rare and endan-gered. Why? Male and female flowers mustbloom close to each other to cross-pollinate,yet most buds never reach maturity or bloom.The reason for this is that many buds areharvested to be used in traditional medicineor to be eaten as a delicacy. This has great-ly reduced the number of plants growing inthe wild. Ongoing destruction of the flower’stropical rain-forest habitat poses another seri-ous threat.

Seeing a rafflesia is a unique experience.Its size is impressive. Its smell is memorable,to say the least. And its form and color arestriking. Of course, the world’s largest floweris just one of our Creator’s countless aston-ishing works. Says Psalm 104:24: “How manyyour works are, O Jehovah! All of them in wis-dom you have made. The earth is full of yourproductions.”

M A L A Y S I A

SU

MA

TR

A

A rafflesia budabout to open

°



WHEN Jesus Christ was on earth some2,000 years ago, he knew that he would

die a cruel death at the hands of his enemies.Why did Jesus know this? He was thorough-ly acquainted with the prophecies concern-ing himself in the Hebrew Scriptures, or the“Old Testament.” A number of those predic-tions were written by the prophet Isaiah morethan 700 years before Jesus was born. Howcan we be sure that Isaiah’s words were writ-ten aforetime?

In 1947, in the West Bank, a Bedouin shep-herd found scrolls hidden in a cave at Qum-ran, on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea.Those scrolls, along with others found innearby caves, came to be called the Dead SeaScrolls. They include a copy of the entirebook of Isaiah.� This copy has been dated toabout the second century before Jesus’ birth.Therefore, what Isaiah wrote was, in fact,� The only complete scroll contains the entire book of Isa-

iah. The other scrolls are fragments.

THE BIBLEA BOOK OF ACCURATE PROPHECYP

ART

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The BibleForetold Thatthe Christ WouldSuffer and Die

This eight-part series in “Awake!” isexamining an outstanding feature of theBible—its prophecies, or predictions. Thearticles will help you to answer thesequestions: Are Bible prophecies merelythe work of clever humans? Do theybear the hallmark of divine inspiration?We invite you to weigh the evidence.


prophecy. What did he foretell about the suf-ferings of the Christ, or Messiah?� Considertwo of Isaiah’s prophecies.

Christ’s Sufferings Foretold��

Prophecy 1: “My back I gave to the strikers.”—Isaiah 50:6.��

Fulfillment: In the year 33 C.E., Jesus’ Jew-ish enemies brought him before Roman Gov-ernor Pontius Pilate for trial. RecognizingJesus’ innocence, the governor tried to re-lease him. However, because the Jews re-lentlessly clamored for Jesus’ death, Pilate“gave sentence for their demand to be met”and handed Jesus over to be impaled. (Luke23:13-24) First, however, “Pilate took Jesusand scourged him,” or had him severelyflogged. (John 19:1) As Isaiah foretold, Jesusoffered no resistance but ‘gave his back to thestrikers.’

What history reveals:

˘ History confirms that the Romans com-monly scourged their victims before execut-ing them. According to one reference work,“flogging was done with a whip made of anumber of leather strips weighted with piecesof lead or sharp metal. The victim was . . .beaten on the bare back . . . until the flesh wastorn open. Sometimes death resulted.” Jesus,however, survived this initial ordeal.

Christ’s Death Foretold��

Prophecy 2: “He poured out his soul to thevery death.” (Isaiah 53:12)� Adding more� See the July 2012 issue of Awake! to learn of additional Bi-

ble prophecies that help to identify the Messiah.� The context indicates that the “I” in this prophecy refers

to Christ. For instance, verse 8 states: “The One [God] declar-ing me [Jesus Christ] righteous is near.” When on earth, Jesusalone was righteous, or without sin, in God’s eyes.—Romans 3:23; 1 Peter 2:21, 22.� Isaiah 52:13–53:12 contains many prophetic details about

the Messiah. For example, Isaiah 53:7 states: “He was beingbrought just like a sheep to the slaughtering . . . He also wouldnot open his mouth.” Verse 10 adds that he presented his soul“as a guilt offering.”

information, Psalm 22:16 states: “A band ofevil men has encircled me, they have piercedmy hands and my feet.”—“New InternationalVersion.”��

Fulfillment: “After having Jesus whipped,[Pilate] handed him over to be impaled,” saysMark 15:15. In Jesus’ case, this cruel formof capital punishment involved nailing hishands and feet to a stake. (John 20:25) Somehours later, “Jesus let out a loud cry and ex-pired.”—Mark 15:37.

What history reveals:

˘ Although secular accounts say littleabout the nature of Jesus’ death, respectedRoman historian Tacitus, born about 55 C.E.,wrote that “Christus, from whom the name[Christians] had its origin, suffered the ex-treme penalty during the reign of Tiberiusat the hands of one of our procurators, Pon-tius Pilatus.”� Tacitus’ words fully harmonizewith the Gospel accounts, which also men-tion Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, and oth-er officials.—Luke 3:1; 23:1-33; John 19:1-24.

History also confirms that the Romans im-paled slaves and people they viewed as de-spised criminals. Sometimes the Romans tiedtheir victims to a stake. At other times theyused nails. “Nails were driven through thehands and feet,” says a reference work, “andthe victim was left hanging there in agony,”experiencing “insufferable thirst, and excru-ciating convulsions of pain.”

As mentioned earlier, Jesus knew wellahead of time that he would die a cruel death.Hence, as his end drew near, this courageousman could say to his loyal followers: “We aregoing up to Jerusalem, and the Son of manwill be delivered up to the chief priests andscribes, and they will condemn him to death,� Other ancient chroniclers also mention Christ. These in-

clude respected Roman historian Suetonius (first century);Pliny the Younger, governor of Bithynia (early second centu-ry); and Jewish historian Josephus (first century), who refersto “James, the brother of Jesus who was called the Christ.”


and will deliver him up to men of the nationsto make fun of and to scourge and to impale.”(Matthew 20:18, 19) But why, some ask, didJesus have to die? The answer to that questioninvolves us all, and it provides the very bestnews we could ever receive!

“Crushed for Our Errors”

As imperfect humans, we often do wrong.The Bible calls this sin. Sin might be likened

to grit in an engine. Eventually, grit will causethat engine to wear out and stop. Similarly,sin causes us to grow old, get sick, and die.“The wages sin pays is death,” says Romans6:23. Christ’s death, however, makes it possi-ble for us to be set free from this tragic con-dition. How so? In another amazing prophe-cy, Isaiah wrote concerning the Christ thathe would die “for our transgression,” or be“crushed for our errors,” and that “because ofhis wounds there has been a healing for us.”�—Isaiah 53:5.

Isaiah’s prophecy calls to mind Jesus’words found at John 3:16: “God loved theworld so much that he gave his only-begottenSon, in order that everyone exercising faith inhim might not be destroyed but have everlast-ing life.”

How can you develop faith in Jesus? Bylearning about him. Jesus said in prayer:“This means everlasting life, their taking inknowledge of you, the only true God, and ofthe one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”(John 17:3) That precious knowledge is foundin the Bible.—2 Timothy 3:16.

Understandably, Jesus wants as many peo-ple as possible to gain everlasting life. Accord-ingly, he made this remarkable predictionshortly before his death: “This good news ofthe kingdom [God’s government, which willadminister the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice]will be preached in all the inhabited earth fora witness to all the nations.” (Matthew 24:14)As we shall see in the next two articles in thisseries, that prophecy also proved to be mostaccurate.� Jesus “committed no sin” and thus did not forfeit his life.

(1 Peter 2:22) Instead, he gave it for us, paying the penaltyfor our sins and redeeming us from death’s grip. Thus, Je-sus’ death is called a “ransom” sacrifice. (Matthew 20:28) Formore information on this topic, see the book What Does the Bi-ble Really Teach? accessible at the Web site www.jw.org.

CHRIST’S SACRIFICIALDEATH FORESHADOWED

God’s Law to the nation of Israelincluded regulations that foreshadowed,

or served as a model of, what the Mes-siah would later do. For example, after

an Israelite sinned, or disobeyed God,he had to offer up a sound animal.

(Leviticus 17:11; 22:21) Could sacrificialanimals fully atone for sin? No. (Hebrews

10:4) But they could, and did, prefigure thesacrifice that would cover sin—the sacrifice

of “the Lamb of God that takes away thesin of the world.” (John 1:29; Hebrews 10:

1, 5-10) All who exercise faith in that figura-tive Lamb, Jesus Christ, have the precious

hope of everlasting life.—John 6:40.


FACT OF LIFE: You tend to become like the people youadmire. That can be good—or bad—depending on whomyou admire.

What you need: Role models who are worthy ofimitation.—Philippians 3:17.

The problem: Many people look up to individualswho are famous—musicians, sports heroes, or moviestars—even if these have sordid reputations.

To think about: The Bible compares our person-ality traits to a garment. (Colossians 3:9, 10) If youwere shopping for clothes, would you let a poorlydressed salesperson tell you what to wear? Why, then,let some shady celebrity dictate the kind of personyou should be? Instead of doing that or just followingthe crowd, choosing good role models will help you to(1) select the traits you want to acquire and (2) imi-tate people who excel in displaying those traits.

YOUNGPEOPLEASK

Who are my role models?

In this article, youwill learn

WHY you need role models

WHERE to find them

HOW to follow their example

WHY you need them

Why let some shadycelebrity dictate thekind of person youshould be?

Answers��1. False. You can even choose role models from the an-

cient past. The best of these can be found in the Bible. For in-stance, if you read chapter 11 in the Bible book of Hebrews,you’ll find that the apostle Paul names 16 men and womenwhose faith was exemplary. Most important, in the next chap-ter, Paul urged Christians to “look intently” at Jesus and fol-low him. (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus is our best role model.—John13:15.��

2. False. Other than Jesus, Adam had no perfect descen-dants. (Romans 3:23) Even the heroic prophet Elijah was“just as human as we are.” (James 5:17, Contemporary EnglishVersion) The same may be said of such people as Miriam, Da-vid, Jonah, Martha, and Peter. The Bible candidly reveals theerrors of those men and women. Still, they were exemplary inmost aspects of life, and thus they can be good role models.��

3. True. You can have as many role models as you want.One might be especially hardworking, while another mayexcel at being patient. Perhaps a third maintains a positiveoutlook in the face of problems. (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephe-sians 4:11, 12) Look for the good in others, and you’ll findqualities they have that are worthy of imitation.—Philippians2:3.� Of course, many people of the present can also serve as good role models. These

might include a parent, a sibling, a spiritually mature member of the Christian con-gregation, or another exemplary person you know or have read about.

WHERE to find them

Mark the followingstatements true or false.��1. A role model must besomeone you have metface-to-face.

True False

��2. A role modelmust be perfect.

True False

��3. You can havemany role models.

True False

WHAT YOUR PEERS SAY

Layla—My friend Sandra looksat the positive side of things.She is also very familiar withher Bible. Because of that, shealways seems to have at herfingertips the solutions to prob-lems. I can confide in her when-ever I have problems, big orsmall.

Terrence—My friends Kyleand David never minimizethe feelings of others.They are always availableto help people with theirproblems, while they puttheir own anxieties on theback burner. I view them asgreat examples.


1. Observe your role models. The apostle Paul told first-century Christians: “Learn by watching those who are liv-ing the way we showed you.”—Philippians 3:17, Holy Bible—Easy-to-Read Version.

2. Connect. If possible, spend some time with those youhave chosen as modern-day role models. The Bible says: “Hethat is walking with wise persons will become wise.”—Prov-erbs 13:20.

3. Reflect your role models’ praiseworthy traits. Hebrews13:7 says: “As you contemplate how their conduct turns outimitate their faith.”

Ready to get started? Fill out the role model action planbelow.

Action PlanPick a trait that you would like to acquire. (Would you like

to be more outgoing? generous? hardworking? resilient? de-pendable? trustworthy?)˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

Pick a person who demonstrates the quality you would liketo develop.�˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

When you choose a good role model, your goal isn’t to be-come that person. You’ll still have your own unique good qual-ities. Nevertheless, having good role models will help bringout your best as you grow to adulthood. Not only that, by fol-lowing their example, you will become a good role model forothers.� You can also do this exercise in reverse. First, pick a person whom you look up

to. Next, ask yourself, ‘What particular quality makes that person admirable?’ Then,using that person as a role model, strive to imitate the quality you identified.

HOW to follow their example

Emmaline—My role modelis my mom. She knows herBible like the back of herhand, and she always looksfor opportunities to talk topeople about her faith. Shefully believes that the minis-try is a privilege, not a chore.I admire her for that!

Do you need help findinggood role models? ReadHebrews chapter 11 andpick one of the men orwomen named there. Starta study project with thegoal of imitating that one’sadmirable traits.

You can find more Biblicalrole models in Volumes 1and 2 of Questions YoungPeople Ask—Answers thatWork, published by Jeho-vah’s Witnesses. See the“Role Model Index” on theinside back cover of eachbook.

READ MOREABOUT IT!

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

WHY NOT ASK YOUR PARENTS?

Talk to your parents about their rolemodels—the ones they had when theywere your age and the ones they havenow. How have your parents benefitedfrom having role models in their life?


GOUT is one of the most common formsof arthritis and can be extremely pain-

ful. “Gout is a disorder of the metabolism ofuric acid,” says the book Arthritis. What ismore, it “is a disorder with a clearly identifiedcause—the presence of uric acid crystals inthe synovial fluid of a joint . . . , particularlyin the big toe.”

Uric acid is a waste product circulating inthe blood, and it results from the breakdownof substances called purines. When uric acidbuilds up, usually from insufficient elimina-tion in urine, needlelike crystals can form inthe joint at the base of the toe, although itmay strike other joints. The joint may becomeinflamed and swollen, hot to the touch, andexcruciatingly painful.� “Even just a slighttouch causes an unbearable stabbing pain,”says a sufferer named Alfred.

“Without treatment, a gout attack usual-ly lasts about one week,” states an informa-tion sheet published by Arthritis Australia.“Another attack may not happen for monthsor even years. If gout is not managed well,the time between attacks may get shorter, the� Similar symptoms may occur when calcium pyrophos-

phate crystals form in the joints, in particular the smooth car-tilage lining the ends of bones. However, this “pseudogout” is adifferent ailment and may require different treatment.

attacks [may become] more severe and thejoints can be permanently damaged. Some-times gout can progress into a chronic (longterm) condition.”

Gout is one of the most treatable formsof arthritis. The treatment usually focuses onnonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs or, inrecurrent or very severe attacks, on allopuri-nol, which helps to prevent the formation ofuric acid. Can recurrence of gout be prevent-

GoutCAUSES ANDRISK FACTORS

Inflamedjoint

Synovium

Accumulateduric acid crystals


ed? Possibly, if the sufferer is aware of the riskfactors.

Risk Factors for Recurrence

The primary risk factors are age, gender,and genetics. According to some authorities,more than 50 percent of sufferers have a fam-ily history of the disease. “Both my father andmy grandfather had gout,” says Alfred, quot-ed earlier. Moreover, gout mainly affects men,targeting especially those between the ages of40 and 50. In fact, men are three or four timesmore likely to get the disease than women,who rarely develop it before menopause.

Obesity and diet: The Encyclopedia of Hu-man Nutrition states: “Dietary managementof gout no longer seems to be focused on re-striction of foods with a high purine contentbut, rather, on the treatment of metabolic dis-orders commonly associated with gout: obe-sity, insulin resistance syndrome, and dyslip-idemia,” or abnormal blood levels of lipids,such as cholesterol.

Nevertheless, some authorities also recom-mend cutting back on foods that contain highamounts of purines, such as yeast, certainfish, and various red meats.�

Drink: Excess alcohol consumption can in-hibit the excretion of uric acid, causing abuildup.

Medical conditions: According to the MayoClinic, in the United States, gout may betriggered by certain medical conditions,including “untreated high blood pressure(hypertension) and chronic conditions suchas diabetes, high levels of fat and cholester-ol in the blood (hyperlipidemia), and narrow-ing of the arteries (arteriosclerosis).” Gout isalso linked to “sudden or severe illness or in-jury, and immobility due to bed rest,” as wellas kidney disease. Evidently, the big toe isa prime target of gout because of its poorer� According to an article published in Australian Doctor, the

consumption of purine-rich mushrooms and vegetables, suchas beans, lentils, peas, spinach, and cauliflower, “has not beenshown to be associated with a similar increased risk of acutegout.”

circulation and lower temperature—two con-ditions that can promote the buildup of uricacid.

Medications: Products that increase therisk of gout include thiazide diuretics (drugsthat promote the release of water from thebody, commonly used to treat high bloodpressure), low-dose aspirin, antirejectiondrugs given to transplant patients, andchemotherapy drugs.

Five Keys to Reducing the Riskof Recurrence

Because gout attacks have been linked tolifestyle factors, the following suggestionsmay help sufferers reduce their risk of furtherattacks.�

1. Because gout is a metabolic disorder,sufferers should strive to maintain a healthyweight by limiting their calorie intake. More-over, excess weight adds stress to weight-bearing joints.

2. Beware of crash diets and rapid weightloss, which may temporarily elevate uric acidlevels in the blood.

3. Avoid excessive amounts of animal pro-tein. Some recommend a limit of six ounces(170 grams) of lean meat, including poultryand fish, a day.

4. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do soin moderation. If you have a gout attack, itmay be wise to avoid alcohol altogether.

5. Drink plenty of nonalcoholic liquids.These help dilute uric acid and flush it out ofthe body.�

The preventative measures above may re-mind us of the Biblical injunction that we be“moderate in habits” and not given to “a lotof wine.” (1 Timothy 3:2, 8, 11) To be sure,our loving Creator knows what is best for us.� This article is not intended to be a medical guide. Each

sufferer may require personalized medical management. Also,he should not stop taking prescribed medications or make ma-jor dietary changes without first consulting his doctor.� This information is based on recommendations provided

by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

ARE you a student? If so, likely you knowof fellow students who cheat in class to

get good grades. Indeed, the problem is verywidespread. In 2008, the Josephson Institutesurveyed nearly 30,000 high school studentsin the United States, and 64 percent admit-ted to cheating on a test that year. The actualfigure, however, is estimated by others to beeven higher—more than 75 percent.

In Europe too cheating has become a se-rious problem, especially plagiarism. “Web-sites that sell student essays, master’s the-ses and doctoral dissertations as ready-madecommodities are a new and increasingly wor-rying problem,” says an article published inthe e-journal Digithum.

Why has cheating become such a majorconcern? Does cheating really benefit those

who do it? Is honesty—even if it means lowergrades—still the best policy?

Why the Plague?

An erosion of ethics. “Many educatorssay the rise in cheating is due to an erosionof ethics in a self-centered culture,” says theAmerican School Board Journal. Concern-ing those in her high school honors classes,one student admitted: “All of us . . . cheat-ed; we needed the grades to get into goodschools. We were good, moral students; weweren’t like unethical people . . . We justneeded to get into good universities.” Evensome parents have “caught” the plague. Anx-ious to see their offspring “succeed,” they ei-ther approve of cheating or turn a blind eye toit, thus further undermining their children’sethics.

Is It OK to CHEATto Get Good Grades?



The pressure to succeed. According to Don-ald McCabe, founder of the InternationalCenter for Academic Integrity, students whocheat believe that honesty puts them at a dis-advantage compared with others who cheatand get away with it.

The help of technology. Modern technologyenables students to cheat with new levels ofease and sophistication. They can downloadterm papers and answers for their homeworkfrom the Internet and share them with others.Often, only a small percentage get caught,and this emboldens others.

The influence of bad examples. Cheatinghas become commonplace in the adult world—in big business corporations, in politics, insports, and often even at home, where parentscheat on income tax or insurance claims. “If

people in positions of authority or role mod-els are cheating,” says David Callahan, authorof The Cheating Culture, “then I think it sendsa signal to young people that cheating is OK.”But is it? Does the pursuit of better gradesreally justify cheating?

Why Choose Not to Cheat?

Ask yourself this, ‘What is the goal of agood education?’ Is it not to equip studentsfor many of life’s responsibilities, such as an-alyzing problems in the workplace and solv-ing them? Students who get into the habitof cheating may fail to learn those valuableskills. Thus, people who habitually cheatmask their weaknesses and undermine theirchances for success in many areas of life.

What is more, “people who cut cornersearly in life—such as cheating a lot in

Modern technology enables students to cheat withnew levels of ease and sophistication

school—may bring that habit to the work-place,” says Callahan. In a way, such ones arelike a fake brand-name garment or wristwatchthat looks genuine but eventually disappoints.

Of course, cheaters also risk getting caughtand suffering the consequences. At the veryleast, this may involve embarrassment andshame. But it may also lead to expulsion fromschool or even more severe discipline. The Bi-ble frankly warns: “Whatever a man is sow-ing, this he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)Fear of getting caught, however, should not bethe main reason for being honest. There arefar more noble reasons.

Honesty—The Real Key to Success

Wise young people strive to develop quali-ties that will stand them in good stead, notjust for exams but for the rest of their life.Hence, they work hard at school and striveto nurture values that foster self-respect, thatwill earn the gratitude of future employers,and that will lead to lasting happiness.

Those values can be found in the Bible, andyoung people who live by them are not dis-advantaged. On the contrary, as 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 states, they become “fully competent,completely equipped for every good work.”A ninth grader named Jorge says: “My class-mates cheat because they want to get goodgrades without any effort. But I want toplease God. At Proverbs 14:2, the Bible statesthat ‘the one walking in his uprightness isfearing Jehovah, but the one crooked in hisways is despising Him.’ I know that we can’thide anything from God. So I don’t cheat, andI don’t help others to cheat.”

Students who strive to live in harmonywith Bible principles may or may not be thebrightest students in class. But they are thewisest, for they are building a rock-solid foun-dation for lasting success in life. (Psalm 1:1-3;Matthew 7:24, 25) What is more, they canbe assured of the Creator’s approval and sup-port.

Students who cheat are like a fake brand-namewristwatch that only looks good

˘ “It is the lip of truth that will be firmly established forever, but the tongueof falsehood will be only as long as a moment.”—Proverbs 12:19.

˘ “A man of faithful acts will get many blessings.”—Proverbs 28:20.

˘ “The true God himself will bring every sort of work into the judgment inrelation to every hidden thing, as to whether it is good or bad.”—Ecclesiastes 12:14.

˘ “We wish to conduct ourselves honestly in all things.”—Hebrews 13:18.

PRINCIPLES TO THINK ABOUT


Self-Control Is a Key to Stability“Research suggests that a lack of self-control dur-

ing youth may predict health problems, less financialstability and a criminal record by adulthood,” saysTime. Over 1,000 people were studied from birth toage 32. By adulthood, “those who [as children] weremore impulsive and easily frustrated and had themost trouble with delaying gratification or waitingtheir turn” were about three times as likely to reportthat they had poor health, had low incomes, weresingle parents, or had committed a crime. Yet, “self-control can be learned,” says the magazine, adding:“School and family interventions that teach kids toself-regulate early on may lead to healthier and morestable adults.”

Teaching Bad Drivers a LessonAuthorities in India are trying new ways to deal

with the worst traffic offenders by making them workas traffic police. The goal is to help drivers grasp whatit means to manage the kind of chaos they cause.Now, instead of just pulling over offenders and finingthem, police in Gurgaon, northwestern India, are alsorequiring drivers to join the constables in directingtraffic for a half hour or more. Some drivers admitthat the lesson has changed their attitude. “We issue athousand [fines] for traffic offences in Gurgaon everyday,” says Bharti Arora, the local deputy commission-er of police. “We could have 1000 extra ‘constables’every day.”

WATCHING THE WORLD

In the Republic of Georgiain southeast Europe, “thenumber of divorces hasnearly doubled in thelast ten years.” Most ofthose getting divorced are un-der 20 years of age.—FINANCIAL,

GEORGIA.

In Ireland, 17 percent of11- to 16-year-olds “havegiven their full name tosomeone online whomthey had never met.”Ten percent also gave their“email address, mobile num-ber or photo.”—THE IRISH SOCIETY

FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO

CHILDREN.

Only about 4 percent offorest fires worldwidehave natural causes. In allother cases, the fires are startedby man—either negligently orwillfully.—PRESSEPORTAL, GERMANY.

“Nearly one in 10 Americans[aged 12 or over] reportregularly using illegaldrugs, including marijuana,cocaine, heroin, hallucino-gens, inhalants or prescrip-tion drugs used recreationally.”—USA TODAY, U.S.A.

FOR FAMILY REVIEW

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM . . .

Cain and Abel?HAVE YOU EVER BECOME ANGRY ANDWANTED TO HIT YOUR BROTHEROR SISTER?

˙ Color the pictures. ˙ Read the Bible verses, andsummarize them as you fill in the missing dialogue.˙ Find the hidden items: (1) an apple and (2) a duck.

˘ “FOR FAMILY REVIEW” answers on page 12

GENESIS 4:2

GENESIS 4:3

GOD LOOKEDWITH FAVOR ON ABEL

AND HIS OFFERING.—GENESIS 4:4

GENESIS 4:5

GENESIS 4:8 ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

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

LATER, GOD ASKED CAIN: “ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

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

˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ?”

—GENESIS 4:9

GENESIS 4:10-12

Why should you control your temper?CLUE: Proverbs 14:29; Ephesians 4:26, 27, 31.

What can help you to control anger?CLUE: Proverbs 14:30; 19:11; Ephesians 4:32.

What have you learned from this account?

What do you think? Read Genesis 4:7. Howshould Cain have reacted when God correctedhim? CLUE: Luke 14:11; 1 Peter 5:5, 6.

To print out additional copies of “ForFamily Review,” go to www.jw.org


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PROFILE He taught his family to obeyJehovah’s instructions. In obedience toGod, he built an ark to preserve hisfamily and the animals through a greatflood. (Genesis 6:5-22) Despite ridicule,he faithfully endured as “a preacher ofrighteousness.”—2 Peter 2:5; Hebrews11:7.

QUESTIONS

A. Noah lived to be �� years old.

B. What were the names of Noah’sthree sons?

C. Complete this Bible verse: “Noahproceeded to do according to . . . ”

ANSWERS

A. 950.—Genesis 9:29.

B. Shem, Ham, and Japheth.—Genesis6:10.

C. “. . . all that God had commandedhim. He did just so.”—Genesis 6:22.

Peoples and Lands3. Our names are Andres and Ana. We are both11 years old, and we live in El Salvador. About howmany of Jehovah’s Witnesses live in El Salvador?Is it 10,000, 20,700, or 37,000?

4. Which dot shows where we live? Circle it, drawa dot where you live, and see how close you are toEl Salvador.

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

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“The ark came to rest onthe mountains of Ararat.”—Genesis 8:4

ARARAT MOUNTAINS

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˘ A man in Summerville, SouthCarolina, U.S.A., wrote that start-ing when his wife was only threemonths pregnant, he would lie closeto her each night and read fromthe Bible study aid My Book of BibleStories. “After our baby girl, Bethiah,was born,” said the father, “we con-tinued in this same routine—onestory per night, until we had readthe book through three times.”

He continues: “When Bethiahcould barely talk, she was alreadyable to identify many of the Biblecharacters and reenact several ofthe Bible accounts discussed in thebook. She had also learned to reciteseveral Bible stories from memory.”

The 116 stories in this beauti-fully illustrated, large-print publica-tion appear in the order in whichthe many Bible characters lived,thus also giving the reader insightinto the Bible’s chronology. If youwould like to receive this 256-pagebook, fill in the accompanyingcoupon and mail it to an appropri-ate address listed on page 5 of thismagazine.

When Should YouStart TeachingYour Child?

Q Without obligation,I request a copy of thebook shown here.Indicate which language.��

Q Please contact meconcerning a free homeBible study.

Name ��

Address ��

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City ��

Province/State �� Postal/ZIP Code ��

My Book of

BIBLESTORIES

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