Jesus

!"#2O C T O B E R 2 0 1 2

HOW TO SUCCEED AT SCHOOL

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

How to Succeedat School

3 Get Motivated

4 Get Organized

5 Get Help

6 Stay Healthy

7 Have a Goal

8 What Parents Can Do

10 Winning the WarAgainst Obesity inthe Young

12 Face-to-Face WithLowland Gorillas

15 Was It Designed?The Sensors of theBlack Fire Beetle

16 Young People AskWhat Can I ExpectFrom Marriage?—Part 2

19 Disturbing NewsReports and YourChildren

22 The Bible’s ViewpointDo the Stars AffectYour Life?

24 Fulfilling Your Role as aParent

26 The Bible—A Book ofAccurate Prophecy—Part 6

29 Watching the World

30 For Family Review

32 To Help You Succeedat School

Which word would you use to

describe how you view school?

Boring or inspiring?

Frustrating or rewarding?

Stressful or enjoyable?

If your view of school is primarily negative,what can you do about it? If you have apositive view of school, how can you sharp-en your skills so that you get even moreout of your education? Using the Bible as aguide, on pages 3 through 7, we will outlinefive keys to success.

How to Succeedat School

Many of the principles discussed in this series applywhether you attend public school or private school orare homeschooled.

Awake! October 2012 3

WHAT is the practical value of school? It willhelp you acquire wisdom, and the Bible says

that “wisdom is for a protection.” (Ecclesiastes 7:12)How so? To illustrate: Imagine that you are walkingthrough a dangerous neighborhood. Which would youprefer—to be wandering alone or to be with a group offriends who could protect you if necessary? With agood education, you have several strong “friends” al-ways at your side. These include:

Thinking ability. Going to school can help you devel-op what the Bible calls “common sense and soundjudgment.” (Proverbs 3:21, Contemporary English Ver-sion) Acquiring these skills will help you to solve yourown problems instead of always having to rely on oth-ers to bail you out.

Social skills. The Bible admonishes Christians tocultivate such qualities as long-suffering and self-control. (Galatians 5:22, 23) Mixing with a variety ofpeople at school gives you plenty of opportunity tomaster those qualities, along with tolerance, respect,and empathy—traits that will serve you well in adult-hood.

Practical training. School can teach you the value ofhaving a strong work ethic, which will help you to geta job and keep it. Also, the more you learn about theworld around you, the better equipped you will be toknow who you are and what you believe. (Proverbs 14:15) Armed with such conviction, you will be able tostand up for your beliefs respectfully.—1 Peter 3:15.

The bottom line: Since you need an education, it willdo you little good to dwell on the things you dislikeabout school. Instead, get motivated by consideringthe incentives noted above. You may even be able tothink of a few more!

Why not get started? Think of your greatest incen-tive for succeeding at school.

Get MotivatedTo be motivated in any endeavor, you needto see its practical value.˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

Good teachers areappreciated!

“My high-school economicsteacher could have been workingat a financial institution, butinstead he chose to teach at ourinner-city high school—a placewhere most kids didn’t care abouteconomics. Still, he taught thesubject simply, with humor, and ina way that related to us. One timehe even called my mom to tell herhow well I did on an essay. Whenstudents asked him why he taughtat our school, he said it was thebest place he had ever worked. Heunderstood us, he was concernedabout us, and he commended us.He was the best teacher I everhad!”—Reyon, United States.

Thinkingability

Socialskills

Practicaltraining

!"#$ 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. 10 Monthly ENGLISH

4

IMAGINE that you walk into a store to buya single item, but all the merchandise is ran-

domly scattered about with no sense of order.How long will it take you to find what you arelooking for? Would you not find it easier ifthe items were neatly arranged and the aisleswere clearly labeled? You can take a similarapproach to your schooling. How?

Establish a schedule. “One time I complete-ly forgot about my homework—and neglect-ed my chores—because I was at a friend’shouse for the entire weekend,” says 18-year-old Zachary, from the United States. “OnMonday, I had to beg my teachers to let meturn in my work late. Now I make to-do lists,which help me to remember what I need toget done.”

Writing things down also helped Celestine,a young woman in Papua New Guinea. Re-flecting on her school days, she says: “I kept aschedule of all my activities, including home-work, exams, and social events. Doing thishelped me to set priorities and meet my dead-lines.”

Tip: Write your to-do list in a small note-book, or store it on your cell phone or otherelectronic device.

Do not procrastinate. It is easy to say, “I’lldo it later.” It is better to do things as soon aspossible—especially your homework.

Tip: Make it a point to do your homeworkas soon as you get home, before turning onthe TV or engaging in any other recreation.

Organize your gear. Have you ever arrivedat class only to discover that you forgot yournotepad, pen, or books? You can avoid thehassle! How? “I always packed my schoolbagin advance,” says Aung Myo Myat, a youngman in Myanmar.

Tip: Keep your schoolbag or backpack neatand orderly so that you can find things moreeasily.

The bottom line: Getting organized will saveyou the stress of forgetting things, runninglate, and never seeming to have enough timefor other priorities.

Why not get started? Think about one areain which you need to get organized. Then,with a parent or a friend, brainstorm someways that you can improve.

Get OrganizedThe small effort it takes to getorganized can lead to a huge payoff—more time, less stress,and better grades.˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

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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. For acomplete list of addresses, see www.jw.org/contact. America, United States of: 25 ColumbiaHeights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483. Australia: PO Box 280, Ingleburn, NSW 1890. Britain: TheRidgeway, London NW7 1RN. Canada: PO Box 4100, Georgetown, ON L7G 4Y4. Germany:65617 Selters. Guam: 143 Jehovah St, Barrigada, GU 96913. Jamaica: PO Box 103, Old Har-bour, St. Catherine. Japan: 4-7-1 Nakashinden, Ebina City, Kanagawa-Pref, 243-0496. PuertoRico: PO Box 3980, Guaynabo, PR 00970. South Africa: Private Bag X2067, Krugersdorp,1740. Trinidad and Tobago: Lower Rapsey Street & Laxmi Lane, Curepe.


WHO can help you in your efforts to suc-ceed at school?

Family. “When I needed help with myhomework,” says Bruna, an 18-year-old girl inBrazil, “my dad would explain the materialand ask leading questions. But he let me findthe answers myself.”�

Tip: To get started, ask your parent howwell he or she did with the subject that youfind challenging. If that parent did well, he orshe may be just the person to help you.

Teachers. Most teachers are happy to knowthat a student genuinely wants to succeed,and they would be glad to give assistance.

Tip: Simply tell your teacher, “I’m strug-gling with this class, but I want to succeed.What would you recommend?”

Mentors. Perhaps a trusted family friendcan help you. Such an arrangement can havea twofold benefit: First, you will get theassistance you need; and second, you willlearn to rely on support when necessary—apractice that will benefit you in adulthood.The fact is, success in most endeavors is ateam effort, not a solo performance.—Prov-erbs 15:22.� An older sibling might be able to help you as well.

Tip: Ask your parents about who might bea good mentor for you.

The bottom line: There is nothing wrongwith asking for help!

Why not get started? Make a list of two orthree role models—people whom you look upto. Would any of those individuals be in a po-sition to help you with your schoolwork?

Get HelpHaving a support system isnot only vital while you are at schoolbut also indispensable in your futureendeavors as an adult.˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

“My favorite teacher”

“My favorite teacher was really strict, buteveryone respected him. He was enthusiastic.He gestured and walked from one side of theroom to the other as he spoke. He got every-one involved in class discussions. If you didn’tunderstand a point, he patiently explained ituntil you did understand. He repeatedly toldus that he welcomed our questions. He saidthat questions would not only help him seewhat we didn’t understand but also help himbecome a better teacher. He took a personalinterest in everyone. Many students chose topursue a career in accounting—the field hetaught—after spending just one year in hisclass!”—Alana, Australia.

6 Awake! October 2012

IT ONLY makes sense to take care of thebody that God gave you. (Psalm 139:14) To

illustrate: Imagine that you own a car, butyou never take time to maintain it. The carwill only go so far before it breaks down. Thesame can happen to your body. What kind of“maintenance” do you need?

Rest. Skimping on sleep can make you lookhaggard and leave you feeling lethargic, con-fused, and even depressed. In contrast, get-ting sufficient rest will give you more energy.It can also accelerate your physical growth,improve your brain function, boost your im-mune system, and enhance your emotionalwell-being. That is quite a return for some-thing that requires so little effort!

Tip: If possible, try to go to bed at the sametime each night.

Nutrition. Teens grow rapidly. Between theages of 10 and 17, for example, most boys dou-ble their lean body weight. Girls experience agrowth spurt too. Growing bodies need plen-ty of raw materials and energy. Make sure thatyou give your body the nutrition it needs.

Tip: Do not skip breakfast. ‘Fueling up’ be-fore class can help you improve your concen-tration and your short-term memory.

Exercise. The Bible acknowledges that “ex-ercise is good for your body.” (1 Timothy4:8, Contemporary English Version) It canstrengthen your muscles and bones, improveyour stamina, control your weight, increaseyour mental capabilities, boost your immu-nity, alleviate stress, and lift your mood. Of

course, exercise can also be fun, since it caninclude activities you enjoy!

The bottom line: Adequate sleep, balancednutrition, and moderate exercise will helpyou keep your “engine” running. And that, inturn, will help you upgrade your performancein the classroom.�

Why not get started? Establish a reasonableexercise routine. Track your sleeping habitsand diet for a month, and note any improve-ments you need to make.

“When I go for a walk, I seem to get moreenergy—even if I was tired when I startedout.”—Jason, New Zealand.

“My thinking is, God made food to fuel ourbodies, and I want to put the best fuel in me!”—Jill, United States.

“I run three times a week, and I bike orwalk twice a week. Exercise gives me moreenergy and releases stress.”—Grace, Austra-lia.� For more information on your health, see chapter 10 of

the book Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, Vol-ume 1, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Stay HealthyTaking care of your healthcan improve yourperformance at school—and your quality of life.˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

GOING through school without a goal islike running a race on a track that has

no finish line. The Bible says: “Know whereyou are headed.” (Proverbs 4:26, Contempo-rary English Version) Having a goal will keepyou focused and make your transition to theworking world smoother. How can you set agoal?

Ask yourself, ‘How do I plan to earn a liv-ing?’ Do not put off answering that question.Instead, plan early. Why? Think of it this way:If you wanted to go on a trip, first you wouldneed to decide on your destination. Then youwould look at a map and determine the bestway to get there. You can take a similar ap-proach to your schooling. Think about whichoccupation you will pursue, and then choosecourses that will help you reach your destina-tion.

Caution: Many young people are so deter-mined to do only work that they feel most pas-sionate about—becoming a professional musi-cian, for example—that they find the thoughtof any other type of employment intolerable.What is a better approach?

1. Consider your abilities. For example, doyou enjoy service-related tasks or being help-ful to others? Are you good at mechanics?numbers? finances? fixing things?

2. Consider your options. Which occupa-tions are a good match for your abilities?Brainstorm several options rather than focus-ing only on your “dream” job. And think prac-tically. For example, will the field you want topursue be available in other locations, in case

you should move? Will the training that is re-quired put you in unreasonable debt?

3. Consider your opportunities. Once youknow which occupation you would like topursue, look at the market for that type ofwork locally. Do you know any potential em-ployers? If so, do they offer apprenticeships?Are there vocational training programs avail-able?

Tip: Consult your parents, teachers, andadult friends. Check out your local libraryand online resources.

The bottom line: If you have a goal, your ed-ucation will have direction and purpose.

Why not get started? Think now, while youare still in school, about the three points not-ed above. Write down your goals, and discussthem with your parents.

Have a GoalSchool becomes more meaningful—and more enjoyable—whenyou know where youreducation is taking you.˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝

You might have noticed that this seriesfrequently referred to the Bible when out-lining the keys to success at school. Thepublishers of this magazine, Jehovah’sWitnesses, believe that the Bible contains“instruction for right living.” (2 Timothy 3:16, Good News Translation) It is practicalfor everyday life—not only at school but alsoat work, in the family, and elsewhere.For more information on how the Biblecan help you, visit the Web site www.jw.organd see page 32 of this magazine.


AS THE statements above show, someschools are anything but a haven for

learning. As a parent, how can you help yourchildren get the most from their education de-spite the challenges? Here are some sugges-tions.

Show initiative. Instead of focusing on theproblems—many of which are likely out ofyour control—focus on what you can do. Ifyour child seems unable to master a certainsubject or is overwhelmed by the amount ofhomework he or she receives, try to brain-storm a few solutions together. For example,do you need to create a better study area athome? Does your child need help with set-ting up a schedule to get the most importanttasks accomplished? Would he or she bene-fit by having the assistance of a tutor? Forfurther suggestions, perhaps you could speakwith your child’s teacher and guidance coun-selor. View these people as your allies, notyour adversaries.

Keep your child focused on the goal of edu-

cation. Education should equip your child togrow into a well-rounded, responsible adult.

The goal should not be merely to learn howto acquire wealth. Yet, research shows thatmany young people pursue education withthat very goal in mind—to get rich. The Biblepromotes a balanced view of material things.

While it acknowledges that “money is for aprotection,” it also warns that “those who aredetermined to be rich” will not find real hap-piness.—Ecclesiastes 7:12; 1 Timothy 6:9.

Let your child learn through adversity. Manyschoolteachers say that as difficult as theirstudents can be to deal with, parents can beeven worse. Some parents are quick to inter-vene and protest when their son or daughtergets in trouble or performs poorly on a test.For example, a Time magazine report tells ofone college professor who has had studentswho “call their parents from the classroom on

What Parents Can Do

“Too many studentswere crammed intoa classroom! Therewere no fans, and theheat was suffocating.”—Luis, Bolivia.

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

“Our school had fewteachers, so studentsdidn’t get personalattention. The schoolhad no maps, no labequipment, no library.”—Dorcus, Myanmar.

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

“Most of my teachersstruggled to controlthe class. At times,students were veryunruly, which madestudying that muchmore difficult.”—Nina,South Africa.

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

Education should equip yourchild to grow into a well-rounded,responsible adult


a cell phone to complain about a low gradeand then pass the phone over to her, in themiddle of class, because the parent wanted tointervene. And she has had parents say theyare paying a lot of money for their child’s ed-ucation and imply that anything but an A isan unacceptable return on their investment.”

Such parents are doing their children no fa-vors. In fact, instead of “rescuing” their chil-dren, they are preventing them from “havingreal experiences of decision making, failing,and cleaning up their own messes,” writesPolly Young-Eisendrath in her book The Self-Esteem Trap. She adds: “If parents run too

much interference in problem solving fortheir children while the children sit back anddo nothing, the parents will get stronger, butthe children get weaker and fall over whenthey try to run on their own.”

Be reasonable with regard to how much edu-

cation to pursue. As mentioned earlier, educa-tion can help prepare your child for responsi-ble adulthood. (Genesis 2:24) But how muchschooling does reaching that goal require?

Do not assume that your child must attenda university to make a decent living. There areother options that are less costly. In fact, insome cases those with trade skills can makeas good a living as university graduates.

The bottom line: Schools are not perfect,and children face challenges today that wereunheard of just a few decades ago. But withyour support, your child can succeed atschool! As a family, why not discuss the sug-gestions found on pages 3 through 7 of thismagazine?

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

Many schoolteachers say thatas difficult as their students canbe to deal with, parents can beeven worse

View your child’s teacher as yourally, not your adversary


When did your problem withfood begin?

When I graduated from highschool. About that time, I be-gan eating out a lot. Therewere two fast-food restaurantsnear the place where I worked,so I ate lunch at one or theother almost every day. I foundit much easier to go to a fast-food restaurant than to pre-pare my own lunch.

What about when you movedaway from home?

My eating habits got worse.I didn’t know how to cook,and I didn’t have much money;but my favorite fast-food res-taurant was just two blocksaway. Eating there seemed likethe easiest and cheapest op-tion. In addition to eating thewrong kind of food, I ate waytoo much food. I wasn’t satis-fied with a standard fast-food

ACCORDING to the U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services, between 1980 and 2002, the num-

ber of overweight adolescents tripled and the number ofoverweight preteens more than doubled. Long-term in-creased risks associated with childhood obesity includehigh blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease,and several types of cancer.�

Childhood obesity may be related to a number of fac-tors, including a sedentary lifestyle, advertising cam-paigns directed at young people, and the availability andaffordability of unhealthy foods. The U.S. Centers forDisease Control says: “Childhood obesity is the result ofeating too many calories and not getting enough physi-cal activity.”

Children, adolescents, and adults would do well totake a close look at their eating habits. Without goingto extremes, a few simple measures can make a differ-ence. Consider, for example, a young man named Mark,who found that adjusting his eating habits brought enor-mous benefits to his health and well-being. “At one timeI was a junk-food junkie,” Mark admits. Awake! spokewith Mark to find out how he changed.� The term “childhood obesity” refers to a medical condition that affects

children and adolescents. Experts say that young people who are overweighthave a 70 percent chance of being overweight as adults.

Winning the War AgainstObesity in the Young

meal. I ordered more Frenchfries, a larger soft drink, andan extra hamburger—whateverI could afford—in the largestsize available.

What was the turning pointfor you?

When I was in my early 20’s,I started thinking more seri-ously about my health. I wasoverweight. I felt sluggish allthe time, and I lacked self-confidence. I knew that I need-ed to make changes.

How did you get your eatingunder control?

I took a gradual approach.First, I reduced the amount offood I ate. I would tell myself,“This isn’t my last meal; I canalways eat again.” At timesI literally had to walk awayfrom the dinner table. But Ifelt good afterward, as if I hadwon a victory.

Did you have to make anydrastic adjustments?

Some things I gave up com-pletely. For example, I elimi-nated soft drinks and drankonly water. That was difficult.I loved soft drinks, and I hatedwater. After I drank a glass ofwater, I would take a couple ofsips of juice, which put someflavor on my palate. After awhile, water itself becamemore appealing.

What did you do besideseliminating unhealthy foods?

I replaced them with betteroptions. I started with fruits—apples, bananas, straw-

berries, blueberries, raspber-ries, and melons. I also addedlean proteins to my diet, suchas chicken or tuna. In time,those foods became some ofmy favorites. I try to eat morevegetables and less of therest of the main course. I findthat I’m less likely to overeatat mealtime if I have healthysnacks between meals. Overtime, my craving for junk foodhas diminished.

Did you completely give upeating out?

No, I still do go out to eatoccasionally. But when I do,I control how much I eat. If theportion I’m served is too big,I ask for a take-out box. ThenI put half of the meal in thebox before I start eating. Thatway, I consume a reasonable

portion instead of eating more,simply because I feel guiltyabout leaving food on my plate.

How have you benefited fromthe adjustments you havemade?

I’ve lost weight, and I havemore energy. I feel betterabout myself. Best of all, I’mhappy to know that by takingcare of my health, I’m honor-ing the God who gave me thegift of life. (Psalm 36:9) I usedto think that living a healthylifestyle would be boring. Butnow that I’ve started to eatright, I wouldn’t trade it for theworld!�

� Awake! does not endorse any particulardiet. Each individual should carefully eval-uate options and consult a physician beforemaking personal decisions regarding nutri-tion. Avoid fad diets that are potentially dan-gerous.

DEEP in the equatorial rain forestof the Central African Republic

lies a natural treasure that few haveever seen. We endured a 12-hourdrive over rough trails to reach theDzanga-Ndoki National Park, a pris-tine wildlife reserve in the southwestcorner of the country, between Cam-eroon and Republic of the Congo.Our goal was to meet Makumba, awestern lowland gorilla, and Makum-ba’s family.

Our guide told us to stay togeth-er and to be on the lookout for ele-phants, since we would be hiking ontrails that they used daily to searchfor food. But elephants weren’t ouronly concern. “If a gorilla chargesyou,” our guide warned us, “standstill and look at the ground. He won’thurt you; he’ll just make a lot ofnoise. Don’t make eye contact withhim. In fact, I find it helps just toclose my eyes.”

Along with our guide, we were ledby a tracker from the BaAka people,considered a Pygmy group because oftheir physical traits and short stature.

Face-to-FaceWith LowlandGorillas

� N A Planken-Kooij/YAY Micro/age fotostock

AFRICA

Dzanga-Ndoki National Park

CENTRAL AFRICANREPUBLIC

12

Gorillas build their ponderous bodies oneshoot, branch, and leaf at a time, our guideexplained. They also eat insects and sea-sonal fruits and can travel up to 2.4 miles(4 km) a day in search of food. The familymay sleep on the ground or build nests intrees. The dominant male is called a silver-back, since the fur on his back grays withage. The silverback usually sleeps on theground to protect his family.

To help the gorillas become accustomedto humans, trackers visit them every dayfor at least five years. Habituated gorillas,as they are called, may then be visited bytourists, whose park entry fees help pay forresearch and for the conservation of this en-dangered species.

GORILLA LIFE

Actual size of anadult gorilla’s hand.How does the size ofyour hand compare?

A western lowland gorilla cangrow to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall andweigh over 440 pounds (200 kg)

� Juan Carlos Mu˜noz/age fotostock

13


By means of the faintest sights, smells, andsounds, the skilled native tracker can detectthe presence of the most elusive animals.Swarms of maddening sweat bees surroundedus. We struggled to keep up as he strode withease through the dense vegetation.

Soon our tracker was taking us through vir-gin forest where few Westerners have evertrod. Then, abruptly, he stopped and wavedhis arms over a large area near our path.There we could see crushed bushes and mat-ted grass where young gorillas had been play-ing, as well as broken and stripped branches—the remnants of a midmorning snack. Ouranticipation mounted as we continued on.

After about two miles (3 km), the track-er slowed his pace. To avoid startling the go-rillas, he made a clack-clack noise with histongue. Close by, we could hear deep gruntspunctuated by snapping branches. Our guideslowly waved us forward. With a finger to herlips, she indicated absolute silence. She toldus to crouch and pointed through the trees.About 26 feet (8 m) ahead, we saw him—itwas Makumba!

The once boisterous forest was now quiet,and all we could hear was the beating of ourhearts. Of course, the question on our mindswas, Would Makumba charge? Makumba

turned his leathery face in our direction and,after what seemed to be a casual evaluation,welcomed us with a yawn. Needless to say, wewere relieved!

Although in the Aka language the nameMakumba means “Speedy,” during our timetogether, Makumba simply enjoyed a leisure-ly morning meal. Nearby, two juveniles wres-tled and tickled each other. Sopo, a saucer-eyed ten-month-old, played near his mother,Mopambi, who gently pulled him back when-ever his boundless curiosity led him out ofarm’s reach. The rest of the family eitherstripped leaves and pith from branches orfrolicked in groups, briefly glancing at us be-fore losing interest and resuming their play.

After an hour, our time was up. Makumbaseemed to feel the same, and with a singlegrunt, he hoisted himself up with his massivearms and moved off into the forest. Withinseconds, the entire family vanished. Thoughwe could spend only a short time with thesemagnificent creatures, the experience willstay with us for many years to come.

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ANSWERSTOPAGES30AND31

˘ Forest fires repel most animals, but theyattract black fire beetles. Why? Becausenewly burned trees are an ideal place forthese insects to lay their eggs. Further-more, fire drives away predators, leavingthe beetle free to eat, mate, and lay eggssafely. But how do black fire beetles findforest fires in the first place?

Consider: Next to its middle legs, thefire beetle has sensors called pit organsthat can detect infrared radiation from aforest fire. The radiation generates heatin the pit organs and then directs the bee-tle to head for the flames.

But these beetles have other sensors intheir fire-detection tool kit. When their fa-vorite trees burn, the beetles’ antennasdetect minute quantities of certain chem-icals that fires release into the air. Accord-ing to some researchers, black fire beetlescan use their “smoke detector” antennasto find a single smoldering tree over half amile (0.8 km) away. As a result of thecombination of their abilities, these bee-tles appear to sense and find forest firesfrom a distance of more than 30 miles(48.3 km)!

Researchers are looking to the blackfire beetle’s pit organs and antennas toimprove devices that detect infrared radia-tion and fire. Traditional high-resolution

infrared sensors must be cooled, so thebeetle may help scientists to develop bet-ter sensors that will function at room tem-perature. The beetle’s antennas have in-spired engineers to develop fire-detectionsystems that are more sensitive and candistinguish between the by-products of for-est fires and other chemical compounds.

Researchers are astounded by the blackfire beetle’s unique way of finding a placeto lay its eggs. “How did these beetlesdevelop their ability to lay eggs this way?”asks E. Richard Hoebeke, a beetle expertat Cornell University, in the United States.“Think about how little we know of insectswith incredibly sensitive and complex sen-sory mechanisms.”

What do you think? Did the black firebeetle’s ability to detect forest fires comeabout by evolution? Or was it designed?

WAS IT DESIGNED?

The Sensors of the

Black Fire Beetle

The beetle’sinfraredreceptors

Photo of beetle: � Stephen Luk; infrared receptors:� Volker Steger/Photo Researchers, Inc.


YOUNGPEOPLEASK

What can I expect frommarriage? PART 2

IN OUR PREVIOUS ISSUE, weconsidered some of the benefitsand challenges you can expectfrom marriage.

IN THIS ISSUE, we’ll discusswhy you need to expect theunexpected.

Put a O next to any boxes thatapply, and then number thosethat you checked in the order oftheir importance to you.

I expect my future spouse to . . .

Obe physically

attractive

make me feel good

about myself

have the same goals

that I have

enjoy the same type of

recreation that I enjoy

WHAT YOUR PEERS SAY

Sirvan—Sometimes people who date choose to overlook redflags about their prospective mate. That’s dangerous. Youcould end up married and unhappy and left with the feelingthat the only way to be happy again is to divorce the personyou once thought you couldn’t live without.

Danielle—Many people get married simply because theythink it’s expected of them to marry by a certain age. On theother hand, I’ve heard people say that there’s wisdom in wait-ing, since young people change in many ways. Even happilymarried people have said that they wished they had waiteda little longer.

If you’re looking for a marriage mate,there’s nothing wrong with having the expec-tations noted on the previous page. You mighteven find someone who meets all of them. Re-alistically, though, over time people change—and so do circumstances.

The bottom line: To make a success of mar-riage, you must expect the unexpected.

The good news. Some unexpected aspectsof marriage may come as a pleasant surprise.

“Now that we’re married, I see Maria’s�sense of humor in a way that I never fully ap-preciated while we were dating. Because wedon’t take ourselves too seriously, even the prob-lems we’ve encountered seem less significant.”—Mark.

The not-so-good news. Some unexpectedaspects of marriage may be unpleasant. Con-sider an example.� Some names in this article have been changed.

˘ Suppose you and your future spousehave a goal to do missionary work in a for-eign land. But what if, after marriage, yourmate develops a serious health problem thatputs the goal out of reach? Realistically, that’spossible, as the Bible says that “bad thingshappen to everyone!” (Ecclesiastes 9:11, HolyBible—Easy-to-Read Version) No doubt you’dbe distressed over your mate’s condition—anddisappointed over not reaching your goal. Ifsuch an unexpected circumstance arose, how-ever, you’d simply have to accept reality andadjust. After all, you married a person, not agoal.

The bottom line: As the Bible states, thosewho marry will have a measure of “tribula-tion.” (1 Corinthians 7:28) Sometimes thattribulation comes from unexpected circum-stances.

How can you prepare for the unexpected?If you get married, you’ll need two things.


1. A REALISTIC OUTLOOKNo matter how compatible you and your

future spouse may be, you should expect that˘ you will not always agree on everything.˘ you will not always have the same

priorities.˘ you will not always enjoy the same

activities.˘ you will not always feel euphorically

in love.Situations such as those listed above are

common. But they will not ruin your mar-riage unless you let them! Remember, the Bi-ble says that love “endures all things” and“never fails.”—1 Corinthians 13:4, 7, 8.

Fact of life: In the end, it’s not the problemsyou encounter but how you deal with themthat will make or break your marriage.—Co-lossians 3:13.2. A SENSE OF COMMITMENT

If you and your spouse are determined tostay together, come what may, you’ll be betterable to weather the unexpected storms.—Mat-thew 19:6.

Some claim that commitment makes amarriage burdensome. Really, though, it doesthe opposite! Commitment gives your rela-tionship stability. When the unexpected oc-curs, you and your spouse will look for solu-tions, not for the nearest exit.

To cultivate a spirit of commitment, you’llneed to think about marriage rationally rath-er than idealistically. To illustrate the differ-ence, try the following exercise.

1. Imagine that you have a free airline tick-et to travel anywhere in the world. Which des-tination would you choose, and why?

Destination: ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝Reason:

�� scenery �� culture

�� climate �� recreation �� other ��2. Imagine that your airline ticket is one-

way and that your destination will be yourpermanent residence.

Now which destination—if any—would youchoose?

Destination: ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝or

�� I would stay where I am.

In the above exercise, your first and seconddestination choices probably differ. Even ifthey’re the same, likely you had to think differ-ently about your second choice. Rather thanimagine yourself as a vacationer who’s loung-ing on a beach or hiking in the mountains,you had to think of yourself as a resident whois facing both the benefits and the challengesof daily life.

That’s how you need to think about mar-riage. After all, with the passing of time, cir-cumstances may change. No doubt you andyour spouse will too. Much of your successwill depend on your ability to expect the un-expected and to deal with it when it arises.

To think about: How well do you deal withunexpected situations in life right now, as asingle person?

WHY NOT ASK YOUR PARENTS?

What unexpected blessings and chal-lenges did you face when you were newlymarried? How can I prepare for the un-expected if I get married? Find more help for teens at the Web site

www.jw.org


DO NEWS reports frighten your child? Inone survey, nearly 40 percent of parents

said that their children had been upset bysomething they saw in the news and that, asa result, the children had feared that a similarevent would happen to them or their lovedones.

Why? One factor is that children often in-terpret the news differently from adults. Forexample, small children may believe that atragedy that is broadcast repeatedly is reallyhappening repeatedly.

A second factor is that daily reports ofdisturbing events can distort a child’s viewof the world. True, we live in “critical timeshard to deal with.” (2 Timothy 3:1) But re-peated exposure to disturbing news reportscan cause children to develop immobilizingfears. “Children who watch a lot of TV newstend to overestimate the prevalence of crimeand may perceive the world to be a more dan-gerous place than it actually is,” observes theKaiser Family Foundation.

DisturbingNews Reportsand Your Children

“My 11-year-old daughterdoesn’t like watching the news.She often has nightmaresabout what she has seen. Onetime, she watched a reportabout a person who decapitat-ed a family member. That nightshe dreamed that she too wasbeing decapitated.”—Quinn.

“My six-year-old niece sawreports of tornadoes fromelsewhere in the country. Forweeks afterward, she wasterrified. She would call me onthe phone, convinced that atornado was coming her wayand that she was going to die.”—Paige.


If disturbing news reports are affect-ing your children, what can you do?Here are a few suggestions.Protect them. Based on the age, ma-turity, and emotional makeup of yourchildren, consider setting limits on theamount of exposure they have to thenews. Of course, in our informationage, children are not ignorant of cur-rent events. Even little children maysee or hear more than you realize.Therefore, be alert to any signs of fearor anxiety that your children may dis-play.Educate them. As your children getolder, consider watching the news withthem. In that setting, you can use thenews as an opportunity to teach. Tryto emphasize any positive aspects ofa report—for example, relief efforts be-

ing made to help victims of some disas-ter.Reassure them. When a disturbingevent is reported, draw out your chil-dren to find out how they feel aboutwhat happened. “My wife and I takethe time to explain to our son, Nathan-iel, what he has seen on the news, aswell as what precautions we’ve taken toavoid the same tragedy ourselves,” saysa father named Michael. “One time,when Nathaniel saw news footage of ahouse burning to the ground, he fearedthat our home would be next. To com-fort him, we showed him all the smokealarms in our house. He knows wherethey are and why they’re there. Thathelped him feel secure.”Maintain perspective. Researchershave found that people tend to judge

PROTECT

EDUCATE

the likelihood of an event by the easewith which examples of that eventcome to mind. For instance, if you re-cently heard that a child was abduct-ed, you are likely to conclude that thethreat to your child is greater than itis. Of course, it is good to be awareof potential dangers. Nevertheless,experts say that media reports canmake us fear events that will prob-ably never happen to us.—Proverbs 22:3, 13.

If parents fail to maintain a bal-anced perspective of the news, theycould take fears to an extreme. Socould their children. For example, in2005 an 11-year-old boy got lost inthe mountains of Utah in the Unit-ed States. He was so afraid of kidnap-pers that he hid from his rescuers for

four days. When rescue workers final-ly found the child, he was weak anddehydrated. Even though the odds ofbeing taken by a stranger were about1 in 350,000, the boy’s fears led himto risk starvation rather than accepthelp.

The lesson? Make sure that you andyour children maintain a balanced per-spective of the news. The fact is, manycalamities are viewed as newsworthybecause they are relatively rare—not be-cause they are common.

Crime, violence, and natural disas-ters are tragic realities of our times.As we have seen, however, your effortsto protect, educate, reassure, and pro-vide a balanced perspective will helpyour children cope with disturbing re-ports.

“Children ages 3-7 are morefrightened by stories of naturaldisasters and accidents, whereasolder children ages 8-12 aremore scared by stories aboutcrime and violence.”—KaiserFamily Foundation

REASSURE



TO ANSWER questions such as thoseabove, many turn to astrology.� But do

the stars really affect your life? Can they helpyou learn about your future, or about your-self ? What does the Bible say?

Can the StarsInfluence Our Future?

Some people believe that we cannot es-cape our destiny. The future has already been� Astrology is the study of the sun, moon, planets, and stars,

with the belief that these heavenly bodies have an influence onus and can help us to understand ourselves.

written, they say, and the stars can reveal it.But the Bible indicates otherwise. It tells usthat God gives people a choice, which im-plies that they have a certain degree of con-trol over what happens to them. For exam-ple, he told the Israelites: “I have put life anddeath before you, the blessing and the male-diction; and you must choose life in order thatyou may keep alive, you and your offspring.”—Deuteronomy 30:19.

With those words, Jehovah God made itclear to his people that they had a large degree

THEBIBLE’SVIEWPOINT Do the Stars

Affect Your Life?

Does he love me? Should I travel today? Will I get that job?

of control over their future. If they obeyed hiscommands, they would experience blessings.If they disobeyed, they would bring hardshipupon themselves.

Consider: If the future of each Israelite hadalready been written in the stars, would itmake sense for God to urge them to chooselife? Would it even be fair for God to holdthem accountable for actions over which theyhad no control?

The lesson from the Bible is clear: Our lifecourse depends on the choices we make—noton the stars.—Galatians 6:7.Can the Stars Influence Our Personality?

Most astrologers downplay the idea of pre-destination. “We control our own destiny,”claims one, but he adds: “On the other hand,the time of our birth has an influence onthe structure of our personality.” Many peo-ple believe similarly. They feel that since thestars and planets exert a physical influenceon our earth, why would they not also have ametaphysical effect? What does the Bible in-dicate?

The Bible is not a scientific textbook, spell-ing out every detail about the human bodyand the universe. However, it does explainthe purpose for which Jehovah created theheavenly bodies. Genesis 1:14, 15 states: “Godsaid, ‘I command lights to appear in the skyand to separate day from night and to showthe time for seasons . . . I command them toshine on the earth.’ ”—Contemporary EnglishVersion.

Consider: If God had designed the stars toinfluence our personality, would he not havetold us so?

What can we conclude? That the stars arepart of God’s creative work but do not influ-ence our personality.

A Better Approach

If we desire to learn about our future orunderstand ourselves, that is commendable.

But there is a better place to look than to thestars.

The Bible describes Jehovah God as “theOne telling from the beginning the finale.”(Isaiah 46:10) He has a purpose, which hewill bring to success. (Isaiah 55:10, 11) Wecan learn about God’s purpose by reading theBible. This ancient sacred book also explainswhy we suffer and how God will bring an endto the very conditions that plague mankind.�—2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-4.

When it comes to learning about and im-proving ourselves, the Bible is the best placeto look for guidance. Why? Because readingit helps us to take an honest look at ourselves.For example, the Bible states that JehovahGod is “merciful,” “slow to anger,” and “readyto forgive.” (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 86:5) But arewe like that? The Bible can expose our erro-neous thinking and help us see where we needto improve.

Therefore, we do not need to look to thestars to learn about our future or about our-selves. A better approach is to look to the Bi-ble, which is “inspired of God and beneficialfor teaching, for reproving, for setting thingsstraight.”—2 Timothy 3:16, 17.� For more information on God’s purpose, see chapter 3 of

the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? published by Jeho-vah’s Witnesses.

HAVE YOU WONDERED?

˘ Why did God create the heavenlybodies?—Genesis 1:14, 15.

˘ How can you take a more objectiveview of your personality?—Hebrews 4:12.

˘ How can you know for sure what thefuture holds?—Isaiah 46:10.



WHILE the role of a parenthas always been challeng-

ing, it is especially so today.Why? Because the world is morecomplex than it was when youwere a child. Some of the mor-al challenges children confront—when using the Internet, for ex-ample—did not even exist just afew decades ago.

How can you help your childto deal with the moral pitfallsof this modern world? Followingare three suggestions.

1Clearly state your values. As children grow, they areburied in an avalanche of misinformation aboutmorals—some of it from their peers and much of itfrom the media. Such negative influences become

especially evident when children enter the teen years.However, research shows that when it comes to majordecisions in life, many adolescents place higher value ontheir parents’ viewpoints than on those of their peers.

What you can do. Parents in ancient Israel were en-couraged to talk with their children frequently in orderto inculcate upright values in them. (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7) Do the same with your child. For example, if youlive by the Bible’s moral standards, tell your child whyyou feel that adhering to those standards leads to thebest way of life.

Fulfilling YourRole as a Parent

Do you remember the momentwhen you held your newbornfor the first time?

Before long, you may have felt

overwhelmed, realizing that your child’s

need for guidance would continue for

many years. The enormity of your

responsibility quickly sank in.

2Help your child understand consequences. The Biblestates: “Whatever a man is sowing, this he will alsoreap.” (Galatians 6:7) The principle of cause and ef-fect can be observed in virtually every aspect of life.

Think back to your own childhood. No doubt the most mem-orable lessons you learned were those in which you had toface the consequences of your actions.

What you can do. Using real-life examples, explain to yourchild how those who adopted a wrong course suffered or howthose who did the right thing benefited. (Luke 17:31, 32; He-brews 13:7) Also, do not shield your child from the conse-quences of his or her own mistakes. Suppose, for example,that your son carelessly breaks a toy belonging to another boy.You could require that your son give one of his own toys tohim. Your child will not quickly forget this lesson on respect-ing the belongings of others.

3Build positive traits. A Bible proverb states: “Childrenshow what they are by what they do; you can tell ifthey are honest and good.” (Proverbs 20:11, Good NewsTranslation) As children grow, they develop a pattern

of conduct that characterizes them. Sadly, some becomeknown for their negative traits. (Psalm 58:3) But others builda solid, praiseworthy reputation. For example, the apostlePaul wrote to a congregation regarding the young man Timo-thy: “I have no one else of a disposition like his who will genu-inely care for the things pertaining to you.”—Philippians 2:20.

What you can do. In addition to emphasizing conse-quences, as mentioned earlier, help your child think about thecharacter traits for which he or she would like to be known.When faced with a challenge, young people can learn tomake good decisions by asking themselves the following ques-tions:

˘ What type of person do I want to be?—Colossians 3:10.˘ What would a person like that do in this situation?—Prov-

erbs 10:1.The Bible contains many true-life examples of men and

women whose actions defined them as being either good orbad. (1 Corinthians 10:11; James 5:10, 11) Use these examplesto help your son or daughter build positive character traits.

The publications of Jehovah’s Witnesses can help you seehow to apply Bible principles in your family and how to helpyour children do the same.

To Help YourFamilyFor young children:My Book of Bible Stories

My Book of

BIBLESTORIES

For preteens:Learn From the Great Teacher

LEARN FROM THE

GREAT TEACHER

For teenagers:Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work,Volumes 1 and 2

Questions

young people askanswers that work

VOLUME 1

Questions

young people askanswers that work

VOLUME 2

For adults:The Secret ofFamily Happiness

The Secret of

FAMILYHAPPINESS


WE LIVE in difficult times. From all partsof the earth, we hear a steady stream of

news describing calamities and social unrest.Is there any special significance to the currentworld situation?

Some 2,000 years ago, the Bible foretoldthat the world’s troubles would climax in “theconclusion of the system of things.” (Mat-thew 24:3) This does not mean “the end ofthe world” as people fear it. Rather, the Bibledescribes a pattern of events and attitudes, ora sign, that would occur during a time periodcalled “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) Jesustold his followers that when they saw “thesethings occurring,” relief would soon follow.(Luke 21:31) Consider some of the prophe-cies that mark our time as unique.��

Prophecy 1: “Nation will rise against nation.”—Matthew 24:7.��

Fulfillment: In the early years of the20th century, many were expecting contin-ued peace. The start of World War I shockedthe world and began an era of unprecedentedwarfare. As the Bible book of Revelation fore-told, peace was taken “away from the earth sothat they [mankind] should slaughter one an-other.”—Revelation 6:4.

What the evidence reveals:˘ “The outbreak of the First World War in

1914 still seems to mark the end of an era andthe beginning of a new one.”—The Origins ofthe First World War, published in 1992.

˘ Although the catastrophic death toll ofWorld War I cannot be precisely determined,one encyclopedia estimates that militarydeaths alone totaled 8,500,000.

˘ World War II was far more deadly, withfigures varying from some 35 million to60 million soldiers and civilians killed.

THE BIBLEA BOOK OF ACCURATE PROPHECYPA

RT

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

“The Last Days”

This eight-part series in “Awake!” isexamining an outstanding feature ofthe Bible—its prophecies, or predictions.The articles 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.


˘ Between the end of the second worldwar and 2010, there were 246 armed conflictsin 151 locations worldwide.��

Prophecy 2: “There will be food shortages.”—Matthew 24:7.��

Fulfillment: Famine caused more than70 million deaths in the 20th century andcontinues to be a global problem.

What the evidence reveals:

˘ According to the United Nations, hun-ger is the world’s greatest health risk, and1 in 7 people worldwide currently do not haveenough to eat.

˘ “Today’s food shortages are not the re-sult of one-time, weather-driven crop failuresbut rather of four critical long-term trends:rapid population growth, loss of topsoil,spreading water shortages and rising temper-atures.”—Scientific American.��

Prophecy 3: “There will be great earthquakes.”—Luke 21:11.��

Fulfillment: Because more people live inearthquake-prone areas, the number of liveslost or disrupted as a result of earthquakeshas sharply increased.


˘ The World Disasters Report 2010 says:“Of all large disasters, seismic events havekilled the greatest number of people in recentyears.”

˘ Each year, from 1970 to 2001, there wasan average of 19 earthquake disasters� report-ed, with an average death toll of 19,547. In theten years before 2012, the average increasedto 28 earthquake disasters per year, with anaverage death toll of 67,954.� The Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters

defines an earthquake “disaster” as a seismic event that resultsin at least one of the following: 10 or more people killed, 100or more people affected, the declaration of a state of emergen-cy, or a call for international assistance.

��

Prophecy 4: “In one place after anotherpestilences.”—Luke 21:11.��

Fulfillment: Despite medical advances, mil-lions still die each year as a result of infec-tious diseases. International travel and theworld’s growing urban population have in-creased the likelihood that disease outbreakswill spread rapidly.


˘ Smallpox killed an estimated 300 mil-lion to 500 million people in the 20th century.

˘ The Worldwatch Institute reports thatduring the past three decades, “more thanthirty previously unrecognized diseases suchas Ebola, HIV, Hantavirus, and SARS haveemerged as new threats.”

˘ The World Health Organization haswarned of the rise of drug-resistant germs,saying: “The world is heading towards a post-antibiotic era, in which many common infec-tions will no longer have a cure and, onceagain, [will] kill unabated.”��

Prophecy 5: People will “betray one anotherand will hate one another. . . . The love ofthe greater number will cool off.”—Matthew24:10, 12.��

Fulfillment: Hate-fueled genocide hasclaimed the lives of millions. In numerouscountries, armed conflicts and crime have ledto cycles of increasing fear and violence.


˘ The Nazi regime killed six million Jewsand millions of others. Regarding the reactionof ordinary citizens, author Zygmunt Bau-man observes: “Mass destruction was accom-panied not by the uproar of emotions, but thedead silence of unconcern.”

˘ According to BBC News, it is estimatedthat some 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutuwere killed within just a few months. One

researcher estimates that some 200,000 peo-ple participated in the mass murder.

˘ Each year, more than 740,000 people dieas a result of crime and armed conflict.��

Prophecy 6: “Men will be lovers of themselves,lovers of money, . . . having no natural affec-tion.”—2 Timothy 3:2, 3.��

Fulfillment: Our era is one of greed and alack of moral restraint. Such attitudes havefostered numerous social problems.


˘ A UNICEF UK report on child welfaresays that parents and children in the UnitedKingdom “seemed to be locked into a com-pulsive consumption cycle.” Families buy ma-terial goods “in an attempt to compensate forrelationship problems and social insecurity.”

˘ An estimated 275 million children world-wide are exposed to domestic violence in thehome.

˘ “In the United States alone, over 500,-000 older adults are believed to be abusedor neglected each year.”—Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention.��

Prophecy 7: “This good news of the kingdomwill be preached in all the inhabited earth.”—Matthew 24:14.��

Fulfillment: The Bible teaches that God’sKingdom is a real government, ruling fromheaven with Jesus as King. This heavenlyKingdom will “crush and put an end to all[human governments], and it itself will standto times indefinite.”—Daniel 2:44.

God’s Kingdom—both what it is and whatit will do—is the central message taught by Je-hovah’s Witnesses earth wide.


˘ Worldwide, Jehovah’s Witnesses, num-bering more than seven million in more than230 lands, teach others about God’s King-dom.

˘ In print and online, Jehovah’s Witnesseshave made Bible-based information availablein over 500 languages.

The Sign and Your Future

After examining the evidence, millionshave concluded that the Bible’s sign of thelast days is now being fulfilled. As the firstsix articles in this series have shown, historyproves that the Bible is indeed a book of un-erring prophecy.

You can also have confidence in what theBible foretells for the future. These prophe-cies will affect you, for God promises to bringan end to these traumatic last days. The re-maining two articles in this series will explainhow “the last days” will end and will also tellof the wonderful future ahead for the earthand mankind.

In fulfillment of Matthew 24:14,Jehovah’s Witnesses preach the

good news of God’s Kingdom

The Stresses of City LifeResearch indicates that “city dwellers respond

more violently to stress than do people from smalltowns,” says the Polish magazine Przekroj. “Cities areplaces of exposure to an excessive number of stim-uli,” explains psychotherapist Mieczysław Jaskulskiof Warsaw’s Psychoeducation Laboratory. “For citydwellers, the risk of anxiety attacks is 21 percent high-er than for those living in the countryside, and formood disorders, 39 percent higher.” How can citydwellers cope? “Do not get upset about things that arebeyond your control,” “leave work at work,” “go outfor a walk,” and “do not be afraid to take a vacation,”suggests Przekroj.

How Much Does Facebook Retain?An Austrian law student wanted to know how

much data about him had been stored by the world’slargest social network during his three-year member-ship, so he requested a copy. Facebook sent him a CDcontaining 1,222 pages of data. As reported by theGerman newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, the student said:“Everything had been stored—every message, everychat, including sensitive information about friends.”Included was information that he was sure he haddeleted!

WATCHING THE WORLD

“Nearly half of cancers diag-nosed in the [United Kingdom]each year—over 130,000 in to-tal—are caused by avoid-able life choices includingsmoking, drinking and eatingthe wrong things.”—BBC NEWS,

BRITAIN.

“An immense, increasingly so-phisticated illegal trade in wild-life parts conducted by orga-nized crime [is] decimatingthe world’s most belovedspecies . . . on a scale neverbefore seen.”—WILDLIFE CONSERVA-

TION SOCIETY, U.S.A.

People who on average spendsix hours each day watchingTV can expect to live 4.8 yearsless than those who watch noTV. Put another way, everyhour of TV reduces asedentary adult’s lifeexpectancy by about22 minutes.—BRITISH JOURNAL

OF SPORTS MEDICINE, BRITAIN.

In Germany, over 90 percentof women whose unborn childis diagnosed with Downsyndrome opt for anabortion.—DER TAGESSPIEGEL,

GERMANY.


FOR FAMILY REVIEW

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM . . .

Noah?HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOWIMPORTANT IT IS TO OBEY GOD?

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

˘ “FOR FAMILY REVIEW” answers on page 14

GOD TOLD NOAH: “MAKE

˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ”

—GENESIS 6:14

GOD GAVE SPECIFICINSTRUCTIONS.—GENESIS 6:15, 16

GENESIS 6:19, 20

GENESIS 6:22

NOAH “ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ˝ ”

GENESIS 7:17, 23

Why was Noah’s obedience to God important?CLUE: Jeremiah 7:23; 2 Peter 2:5.

What will help you to obey God?CLUE: 1 Chronicles 28:9; Isaiah 48:17, 18;1 John 5:3.

What do you learn from this account?

What do you think? In order to obey God,to whom else must you be obedient?CLUE: Ephesians 6:1-3; Hebrews 13:7, 17.

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


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N E H E M I A H

PROFILE He temporarily left a promi-nent job in order to do Jehovah’s work.As governor of the Jews, Nehemiah tookthe lead in rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls,which were put up in only 52 days. (Ne-hemiah 6:15) His example of courageand prayer teaches us to trust in Jeho-vah in any situation.—Nehemiah 2:3-8.

QUESTIONS

A. Nehemiah served as �� to PersianKing ��.

B. What does Nehemiah’s name mean?

C. He prayed: “Do remember me,O my God, ��.”

ANSWERS

A. cupbearer, Artaxerxes.—Nehemiah 1:11; 2:1.

B. “Jah Comforts.”

C. “. . . for good.”—Nehemiah 13:31.

Peoples and Lands3. Our names are Taonga, aged 6, and Mwelwa, aged 8.We live in Zambia. About how many of Jehovah’sWitnesses live in Zambia? Is it 90,000, 152,000,or 196,000?

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

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

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˘ How can I cope with classroom stress?

˘ How can I improve my grades?

˘ How can I get along with a difficultteacher?

˘ How can I reach my goals?

Those are just some of the topicsdiscussed in Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, Volumes 1 and 2.

In these books you will also find Bible-based advice on your friendships, youremotions, and your relationships with thoseof the opposite sex.

You may request a copy by filling out thecoupon below and mailing it to an appropri-ate address on page 5 of this magazine.

To Help YouSucceed at School

Q Without obligation, I request a copy ofYoung People Ask, Volume 1.Q Without obligation, I request a copy ofYoung People Ask, Volume 2.Indicate which language.��

Q Please contact me concerning a free homeBible study.

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