Happiness-How to find it (1980)
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Happiness—How to Find It
Source: jw.org
Contents
Title Page/Publishers’ Page
Contents
Is a Happy Life Really Possible?
Does It Make Sense to Believe in God?
Where Can You Find Guidance?
Learning About What You Cannot See
You Can Cope with Life’s Problems
Money Problems—What Help?
Sex—Which Advice Really Works?
Family Life—How You Can Have Success
Youths—How Can YOU Be Happy?
Better Health and Longer Life—How?
Sickness and Death—Why?
Death Is Not an Unbeatable Enemy
Communicating with the Spirit Realm
Wickedness—Why Does God Permit It?
Is “the End of the World” Near?
A Government to Bring Earth-wide Peace
Whose Laws Will You Put First?
Is There Good in All Religions?
Will You Worship God in HIS Way?
What Kind of Life Do You Want?
Offer of Literature
Title Page/Publishers’ Page
Title Page/Publishers’ Page
Happiness—How to Find It
Most people fail to find happiness. But that need not be true in your case. The experience of persons around the globe proves that contentment and a rewarding life are within your reach. We publish this book to make available the valuable information you need to find happiness.
—The Publishers
Contents
Contents
PAGE CHAPTER
5 1 Is a Happy Life Really Possible?
10 2 Does It Make Sense to Believe in God?
21 3 Where Can You Find Guidance?
30 4 Learning About What You Cannot See
41 5 You Can Cope with Life’s Problems
51 6 Money Problems—What Help?
64 7 Sex—Which Advice Really Works?
75 8 Family Life—How You Can Have Success
86 9 Youths—How Can YOU Be Happy?
96 10 Better Health and Longer Life—How?
103 11 Sickness and Death—Why?
112 12 Death Is Not an Unbeatable Enemy
121 13 Communicating with the Spirit Realm
131 14 Wickedness—Why Does God Permit It?
140 15 Is “the End of the World” Near?
151 16 A Government to Bring Earth-wide Peace
161 17 Whose Laws Will You Put First?
168 18 Is There Good in All Religions?
176 19 Will You Worship God in HIS Way?
184 20 What Kind of Life Do You Want?
NOTE: Bible quotations in this book are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, revised edition of 1971.
In connection with dates, the abbreviation B.C.E. means “Before the Common Era,” and C.E. means “Of the Common Era.”
Is a Happy Life Really Possible?
Chapter 1
Is a Happy Life Really Possible?
“IT’S good to be alive!” That is the way a person feels when he is happy. But if we are realistic, we know that life is not always that way. There are problems. These may be so many and so weighty that real happiness seems just a dream. Need it be that way?
2 You know that a happy life is made up of various elements. To enjoy life we need enough to eat, and suitable clothing. We need a home where we can find protection and rest. Yet these are just the basics. Pleasant companionship and good health are also important.
3 But even those who have a measure of these things may still long for true happiness. The type of work a person does, or the conditions under which he must work, may rob him of contentment. Also, in many families there is conflict between husband and wife or between parents and children. Nor can we ignore that over all of us hangs the possibility of sickness or sudden death. Do you believe that it is possible to cope with these and other problems in such a way that we can find true satisfaction? There is reason to believe so. Yet for anyone to enjoy a happy life, he first needs something that not all have—a reason to live.
4 Your life must have meaning if you are to be truly happy. In his book The Transparent Self, Professor S. M. Jourard writes:
“A person lives as long as he experiences his life as having meaning and value and as long as he has something to live for . . . As soon as meaning, value and hope vanish from a person’s experience, he begins to stop living; he begins to die.”
This is now being recognized even in industry. A Canadian report on job absenteeism commented:
“People are looking for meaning in their lives and are no longer satisfied to be dispensable faceless cogs in the machinery of society.”—Atlas World Press Review.
5 This helps to explain why many of the wealthy are not really satisfied. Oh, yes, they eat, sleep, have a family and share some of life’s pleasures and comforts. But they may sense that the same could be said of many animals. There must be more to life.
6 Nor is just long life the answer. Many elderly persons know from experience that a long life without a feeling of accomplishment or of being needed is wearisome. Have you seen that?
7 The lack of an ennobling reason to live is not confined to persons up in years. A survey conducted by Japan’s Daito Bunka University revealed that, of 1,500 high school students, 50 percent of the girls and 34 percent of the boys had already considered suicide. Why? First among the reasons given was “the meaninglessness of life.” And is it much different in Europe, in the Americas and in Africa? The worldwide rise in suicide shows that more and more persons are unhappy and have given up on life.
8 We ourselves may not feel so desperate. We may find that some happiness is possible despite our problems. Still, we cannot escape asking, Does life have real meaning? How can I be lastingly happy?
9 Centuries ago a king surveyed many of life’s pursuits—having a family, gaining wealth, improving one’s education, enjoying good food and constructing impressive buildings. Such things may sound pleasurable. Yet he found that they can also bring much vexation. He asked:
“What does a man come to have for all his hard work and for the striving of his heart with which he is working hard under the sun? For all his days his occupation means pains and vexation, also during the night his heart just does not lie down. This too is mere vanity.”a
10 The vanity of it was underscored later when he described what awaits a person after not many years of life—failing vision, weak arms and legs, decayed or missing teeth, troubled sleep and finally death.b
11 So, even if we feel that there is happiness to be found in life, there are also puzzling questions that touch all of us. Especially so now. Why? Well, editor Vermont Royster commented that in little more than 50 years men have greatly expanded their knowledge and technical ability, but then he adds:
“Here is a curious thing. In the contemplation of man himself, of his dilemmas, of his place in this universe, we are little further along than when time began. We are still left with questions of who we are and why we are and where we are going.”—Science Digest.
12 Of course, one might just try to pass off such questions and ‘enjoy life.’ Much can be said for finding pleasure in life despite its problems. But it is not realistic to live a life of make-believe.c Our lives would have real meaning and the basis for happiness if we could begin to understand, “who we are and why we are and where we are going.” Can we do that?
13 Serious thinkers have often concluded that the answers depend on the fundamental question, ‘Does God exist?’ If there is a God, it is logical that he would know where we came from, why we are here and where we are going. He would also know why evil exists, if it will end, and, if so, how. And he would know what we can do to make our lives happier and more meaningful. So, then, ‘Does God exist?’
[Footnotes]
Ecclesiastes 2:22, 23, in the Bible.
Ecclesiastes 12:1-7.
Compare Ecclesiastes 7:2-6.
[Study Questions]
What is needed to be happy in life? (1-10)
What questions do we face about life, and how is belief in God involved? (11-13)
[Box on page 7]
‘IS LIFE WORTH LIVING?’
Michele, a Frenchwoman, relates that she deserted home and community “to escape from the hypocritical world and from disappointment over those around me.” Then—
“I came in contact with immorality, drugs and dangerous associates. The police and Interpol were after me. I very nearly became a victim of the white slave trade. Traveling from place to place seeking an explanation for our existence, I contacted different sects. But life did not seem worth living. I felt useless and only thought of dying.”
[Box on page 9]
A PERPLEXED MAN
A man in Japan named Yamamoto relates:
“While preparing for college entrance examinations a few years ago, I spent much of my time contemplating the meaning and purpose of life. The more I studied books on philosophy, the more disappointed I was. After passing my examination I joined a political party. But seeing all the badness around me, I again faced the question, ‘What is the purpose of life?’”
He did not find satisfying answers in the philosophies of men, who clearly have not solved mankind’s problems. Nor did his study of history or his experience with politics indicate that any human government holds the answer. Men have tried all sorts of governments, yet the question regarding the meaning of life persisted. The Japanese man adds:
“I began to live a pleasure-seeking life, doing so half out of despair. But I soon sensed the folly of that. I finally came to the conclusion that the answer to my long-perplexing question regarding the reason or purpose for life depended upon whether God exists or not.”
[Full-page picture on page 4]
Does It Make Sense to Believe in God?
Chapter 2
Does It Make Sense to Believe in God?
ONE of the most important questions you will ever face is, ‘Does God exist?’ The conclusion you reach can affect your view of your family, work, money, morality and even life itself.
2 If asked, ‘Does God exist?’ many persons would reply by repeating what they have read or heard from others. However, you personally should give thought to the question. In his book Man, God and Magic, Dr. Ivar Lissner observes that a “fundamental difference between man and beast” is that “man is not content merely to sleep, eat and warm himself.” Man has a “strange and inherent urge” that can be called “spirituality.” Dr. Lissner adds that ‘all the civilizations of mankind have been rooted in a quest for God.’ So your coming to grips with the question, ‘Does God exist?’ is an evidence that you have not neglected an important attribute—your spirituality.
3 How could you go about determining whether there is a ‘maker and ruler of the universe, a Supreme Being,’ as one dictionary defines “God”? Well, reason indicates that if there is a ‘maker of the universe,’ there should be indications of its beginning, also evidence of design and order. In your examining whether there are such, we invite you to consider what biologists have found about life and what has been learned about our universe by physicists and astronomers using telescopes and space probes.
YOUR LIFE—IS CHANCE RESPONSIBLE?
4 Why not begin with yourself? Where did your life come from? True, it was passed on by your parents. But how did life on earth originate?
5 In an effort to produce life in a laboratory and thus explain how it began, chemists have sent sparks through mixtures of special gases. One result has been some amino acids (molecules of the sort that are the ‘building blocks’ of living things). Those amino acids, though, were not living. Furthermore, they were not the result of mere accident; they were produced by trained scientists under controlled conditions in modern laboratories.
6 There are more than 200 natural amino acids, yet only a special 20 in the proteins of living things. Even if some amino acids could result from lightning, who selected just the right 20 found in living matter? And how were they guided into the exact sequence necessary in protein? Research analyst Dr. J. F. Coppedge calculated that ‘the probability of just one protein molecule resulting from a chance arrangement of amino acids is 1 in 10287.’ (That is a figure with 287 zeros after it.) Additionally, he points out that, not one, but ‘a minimum of 239 protein molecules are required for the smallest theoretical form of life.’ Do you think that such evidence points to life as resulting from blind chance, or is it from intelligent design?
7 Consider also another type of laboratory experiment that has been publicized in newspapers as “creating life.” With complex equipment scientists have taken a virus produced by a living organism and separated the components. Later they have taken these components and reunited them into a virus. However, biologist René Dubos explains in the Encyclopœdia Britannica that it is really a mistake to call this feat “creating life.” Neither these scientists nor others have been able to make new life from inanimate material. Rather than suggesting that life comes from chance, this experiment showed that “all the biological machinery” needed for life “had to be provided by preexisting life.”
8 Even if scientists could produce living protein from inanimate matter, it would simply confirm that preexisting intelligent life was needed as a directing force. Obviously, humans were not here to begin life on earth. Yet life was created, including human life. Who is responsible? Bible writers long ago came to a conclusion that merits serious consideration. One said: “The breath of the Almighty gave me life.” Another added: “[God] is himself the universal giver of life.”a
9 A closer look at your body will help you to reason further on this.
YOUR CELLS—YOUR BRAIN—YOU
10 Life throbs in your body, made up of about 100,000,000,000,000 tiny cells. The cell is the basic component of every living thing on earth. The more carefully it is studied, the more complex it is seen to be.
11 Each of your body cells can be likened to a microscopic walled city. The cell contains parts that are like power plants to generate energy. “Factories” in the cell make proteins as well as hormones for shipment to other parts of the body. There is a complex network of channels to transport chemicals into the cell and out of it. “Sentries” stand guard to control what is brought in and to battle invaders. The key to all of this is the nucleus, the cell’s “city hall.” It directs all cell activities and contains the genetic blueprints. Some of the cell parts are so tiny that their details cannot be clearly seen even with a 200,000-power electron microscope. (An ant magnified that much would, in effect, be over one-half mile, or 0.8 km, long.) What can explain such amazing complexity and organization in each of your 100,000,000,000,000 tiny cells?
12 At one time you were a single fertilized cell in your mother’s womb. That cell divided to become two cells, then four, and so on. Later, some of those cells became muscle tissue. Others formed your eyes, bones and heart. How was it that the cells formed each of your body parts at the right time and location? Why, for example, did cells develop into ears where they belonged, and not on your knee or your arm?
13 Look even more closely. In every cell you have tens of thousands of genes and the vital DNA, which tells the cell how to function and reproduce. It is said that the DNA in each cell contains enough information to fill an encyclopedia of 1,000 volumes. It determined the color of your hair, how fast you grew, the width of your smile and countless other details about you. All of that was ‘written down’ in the DNA of one cell in your mother’s womb.
14 In the light of even these few points about the cell, we ask: Since our parents did not consciously prepare the incredible genetic blueprint or the cell, who did? Can it reasonably be accounted for without an intelligent Designer?
15 Of all your organs, probably the most amazing is one that you will never see—your brain. It is made up of some 10,000,000,000 nerve cells, more than twice the number of people on the face of the earth. Each of these cells, in turn, may have thousands of connections with other nerve cells. The total number of connections is beyond imagination!
16 You have stored in your brain hundreds of millions of facts and images, but it is not merely a storehouse of facts. With it you can learn how to tie a knot, to speak a foreign language, to bake bread or to whistle. You can imagine—what your vacation will be like or how a juicy fruit will taste. You can analyze and create. You can also plan, appreciate, love and relate your thoughts to the past, present and future. The One who designed the brain obviously has wisdom far greater than that of any human, because scientists admit:
“How these functions are carried out by this magnificently patterned, orderly and fantastically complex piece of machinery is quite obscure. . . . human beings may never solve all the separate individual puzzles the brain presents.”—Scientific American.
17 In reflecting on whether there is a Creator who is the Supreme Being, do not overlook the rest of your body. Your eyes—more precise and adaptable than any camera. Your ears—able to detect a variety of sounds and to give you a sense of direction and balance. Your heart—a magnificent pump with capabilities that the best engineers have not been able to duplicate. Your tongue, digestive system and hands, to name a few more. An engineer hired to design and build a large computer reasoned:
“If my computer required a designer, how much more so did that complex physio-chemical-biological machine which is my human body—which in turn is but an extremely minute part of the well-nigh infinite cosmos?”
“FIRST CAUSE” OF THE UNIVERSE
18 Some 3,000 years ago a Middle Eastern man named Elihu said: “Look up at the sky and then consider.”b
19 Have you done that on a clear, dark night? Everyone should. Only about 5,000 stars can be detected with the unaided eye. Our Milky Way galaxy, however, contains more than 100,000,000,000 stars. And how many galaxies are there? Astronomers say that there are thousands of millions—not of stars, but of galaxies, each with its billions of stars! How small humans are in relation to all of this! Where did it all come from?
20 Scientists have discovered that the galaxies seem to be flying away from a central point. The theory of many astronomers is that thousands of millions of years ago, a tremendous explosion, a “big bang,” started energy and matter spreading out to form the universe as we know it. Their theory does not explain what caused that to occur. But it does have an interesting implication, namely, that there was a beginning point, a moment when the universe was born.
“Today one can feel the scientific world tremble at the accumulating evidence for a ‘big bang’ origin of the universe. It raises the question of what came before, and scientists’ most fundamental faith is shaken by being brought face to face with their inability to answer ultimate questions.”—The Wall Street Journal.
21 Yes, for persons who do not believe in God, there are puzzling questions: What or who put matter into the universe? Was the universe created out of nothing? Since matter is considered a form of energy, what is the source of the energy?
22 Dr. Robert Jastrow, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, observed: “In the face of such evidence, the idea that there is a God who created the universe is as scientifically plausible as many other ideas.”
23 Well-informed persons in every generation have concluded that there must be an intelligent First Cause, a creator who is the Supreme Being. The Bible expresses how they felt, when it says: “The heavens are declaring the glory of God; and of the work of his hands the expanse is telling.”c
24 Whether you have yet concluded that God exists or not, what we have considered about life, about ourselves, and about the universe should help to explain why many thinking persons are convinced there is a God. That leads us to a related matter: If the Creator does exist, is it not logical that he would communicate with his creatures, and answer our questions: Why are we here? Why does wickedness abound? What does the future hold? How can we find happiness?
[Footnotes]
Job 33:4; Acts 17:25, New English Bible.
Job 35:5, New English Bible.
Psalm 19:1.
[Study Questions]
Why should we consider,‘Does God exist?’ (1-3)
To what does life on earth point? (4-9)
What can we learn about our cells that helps when considering the existence of God? (10-14)
How does the human brain give evidence of design? (15-17)
What leads many persons to conclude that the universe was created by God? (18-24)
[Box on page 13]
“Today at least 80% of the scientists who deal with biology would probably admit that biology and life are regulated by some higher power.
“The superb order and regulation in various manifestations of life and in the basic processes at the cellular and molecular levels have strong influence on the belief that a higher power exists.”—“Journal of the American Medical Association.”
[Box on page 19]
ORDER FROM WHERE?
Dr. Paul Davies, lecturer in applied mathematics at King’s College, London, writes in “New Scientist”:
“Everywhere we look in the Universe, from the far flung galaxies to the deepest recesses of the atom, we encounter order. . . . If information and order always has a natural tendency to disappear, where did all the information that makes the world such a special place come from originally?”
Sir Bernard Lovell, of England’s famed Jodrell Bank Observatory, writes that his feelings are the same as those of Albert Einstein:
“A rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law, which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection.”—“Centre of Immensities.”
[Picture on page 13]
YOUR CELLS
MITOCHONDRIA produce chemicals to generate energy
NUCLEUS directs all cell’s activities
NETWORK OF CHANNELS transport chemicals into and out of cell
RIBOSOMES manufacture proteins and hormones for shipment to other parts of body
MEMBRANE and PROTEINS control what is brought in and battle invaders
[Picture on page 15]
HER BRAIN
enables her to—
Balance the bicycle
Hear approaching cars
Smell the flowers
Feel the breeze
Watch the dog
Remember the way home
[Picture on page 17]
WHO DESIGNED THE HUMAN BODY?
BRAIN: Far more than a computer, with capacity estimated at a billion times as much as used in present human lifetime.
EYE: A fully automatic, self-focusing, nonblurring color motion-picture camera.
HEART: A pump far more efficient than any machine devised by man. Pumps 1,500 gallons (5,700 L) or more daily.
LIVER: A chemical laboratory with more than 500 functions. Manufactures over 1,000 enzymes.
BONES: A structural frame weighing only 20 pounds (9 kg), yet strong as iron girders.
NERVOUS SYSTEM: A communications network that receives and/or acts on 100,000,000 sensations a second.
[Picture on page 20]
How did the universe with its billions of galaxies come to be?
Where Can You Find Guidance?
Chapter 3
Where Can You Find Guidance?
WHAT stands between you and happiness? The problems you face? These may be of a personal nature—involving health, money, sex, your family. They may include the danger of crime, the shortages of life’s necessities, job frustration, prejudice, the threat of war. Yes, most persons have problems that interfere with happiness.
2 Despite efforts by the most educated and experienced humans, the problems continue and get worse. What was written long ago has proved to be true: ‘The way of man is not in himself, it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.’a Is it not plain that we need guidance from a source wiser than man if we hope to find lasting happiness? But where is such guidance available?
3 Many persons believe that the universe is, in a sense, a ‘book of creation’ that testifies about a Creator. An ancient Hebrew king agreed, writing: “The heavens are declaring the glory of God.” He also stated that the Creator has provided information in an actual written book that can ‘make the inexperienced one wise’ and joyful.b
4 Since humans have the ability to communicate—even sending messages to earth from outer space—is it not logical that man’s Creator could also? Moreover, since there are many things about the earth that give evidence of His interest in mankind, it is understandable that he would want to help humans. His doing so would agree with what we see in loving families: parents pass on knowledge and guidance to their children. But how would man’s Creator do this for our benefit?
5 Writing has long been an excellent means for conveying information accurately and with much permanence. A written record is much less likely to contain errors than is a message widely spread only through word of mouth. Also, a book can be reproduced and translated so that persons using any language can read its message. Does it not seem reasonable that our Creator has used such a means to provide information?
6 More than any other religious writing the Bible has been viewed as a communication from our Creator, and for that reason it has had an extraordinary circulation. This is significant. If mankind’s Creator were to provide a book containing his message for all men, we would expect it to be made widely available. The Bible is. It can be read in the languages of 97 percent of the world’s population. No other religious book has been produced and distributed in so many hundreds of millions of copies.
7 Truly the Bible is the religious book for all mankind. Why? The writing of it began near the cradle of civilization. It is the only sacred book that traces the history of all mankind back to its beginning. Also, it tells of God’s purpose to give opportunity for people of “all nations of the earth” to enjoy lasting blessings.—Genesis 22:18.
8 The Encyclopædia Britannica calls the Bible “the most influential collection of books in human history.” It has had the widest influence and effect on history of any sacred writings. Hence, it is fair to say that no person can be viewed as completely educated if he has not read the Bible.
9 Yet some persons have avoided the Bible. Why? Often it is because of the conduct of people and nations that supposedly follow the Bible. In certain lands it is said that the Bible is a book that leads to war, that it is a book of colonialism, or that it is a ‘white man’s book.’ But these are mistaken views. The Bible was written in the Middle East. It does not approve of the colonial wars and greedy exploitation that have been carried on in the name of Christianity. To the contrary, in reading the Bible you will see that it strongly condemns selfish warring, immorality and the exploiting of others. The fault is with greedy people, not with the Bible. (James 4:1-3; 5:1-6) So do not let the misconduct of selfish people who live contrary to the Bible’s counsel prevent your benefiting from its treasures.
WHAT WILL YOU FIND?
10 Many are surprised when they first read the Bible. They find that it is not primarily a book about religious observances or creeds. Nor is it a collection of vague sayings or philosophies that have little meaning to the average person. It deals with real people who had concerns and problems like ours. Also, by presenting God’s dealings with mankind in the past, it offers insight as to his will for us today. We encourage you to read Genesis, the opening book of the Bible. From the interesting accounts in it you will be able to learn much about God’s purpose for all mankind. You will find lessons as to what can spoil a person’s happiness. Also, you will learn about traits and actions that bring success and that please God.
11 Some of the Bible’s 66 individual books deal with the history and religious activities of ancient Israel. (Exodus, Joshua and First Samuel are a few examples you are sure to enjoy.) That history was written down so that we can benefit from it. (1 Corinthians 10:11) Hence, even though God is no longer directing one particular nation, nor expecting everyone to keep the laws he gave only for ancient Israel, we can learn much from such Bible books. And, as we will later see, what God did for the Israelites (as well as the animal sacrifices that they offered to him) has meaning for our lives.
12 For a rounded-out view of the Bible, you should also read at least one of the accounts of the life of Jesus. The brief Gospel of Mark is a good example. After that, enjoy the exciting record of the founding of Christianity set out in the Acts of the Apostles. Then sample the Bible’s practical counsel for Christians, as found in The Letter of James. Getting a basic taste of all the various parts of the Bible will help you to see why it has been so highly regarded over the centuries.
13 If a few things you read in the Bible perplex you, be patient. It contains many deep things, as we would expect of a book provided by the Creator for mankind’s study over the centuries. (2 Peter 3:15, 16) In time you will find answers to many questions, for the Bible accounts are interrelated. Questions that come up about one passage will be answered by other scriptures. The more you read the more helpful and satisfying you will find the Bible to be. Also, you will soon see that what the Bible says is very different from the teachings and practices of most churches. This will move you to want to read all the Scriptures, and you may find yourself returning to them again and again.
THE BIBLE—FROM WHAT SOURCE?
14 You likely know persons who respect the Bible as literature or as ancient wisdom, but who feel that it is a product of men, not the Word of God. What are the facts?
15 As you read the Bible you will see that various men did write down what it contains. Moses was the first, starting in 1513 B.C.E. The last man was Jesus’ apostle John, writing near the end of the first century C.E. In all, some 40 men wrote the various Bible books. What sort of men were they? They were humble men, who were willing to expose both their own shortcomings and those of their nation. Their honesty is noteworthy, for they also said that they were writing what God told them to write. You can note examples of this at 2 Samuel 23:1, 2; Jeremiah 1:1, 2 and Ezekiel 13:1, 2. Should not this move us to consider seriously the Bible’s assurance that “all Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial”?—2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21.
16 What the Bible writers penned is different in many respects from most ancient records. As any student of ancient history knows, the records from Egypt, Persia, Babylon and other ancient nations included mythology and gross exaggerations about the rulers and their exploits. The Bible, in contrast, is marked by truth and accuracy. It is filled with specific names and details that can be confirmed, even dated. For example, Daniel chapter five has information about a Babylonian ruler named Belshazzar. For a long time critics claimed that Belshazzar never existed, but was invented by Daniel. In recent years, however, clay-tablet records have been unearthed and translated that agree with the details in Daniel’s account. For this reason, Professor R. P. Dougherty (Yale University) wrote that the Bible is more accurate than other writings and proves that the book of Daniel was written when the Bible indicates it was.—Nabonidus and Belshazzar.
17 If you travel to Jerusalem you can wade through an ancient water tunnel cut through solid rock. This lengthy tunnel was discovered and cleaned out only within the last century. Why is this of interest? Because it confirms what was recorded in the Bible more than 2,000 years ago about King Hezekiah’s bringing water into Jerusalem.—2 Kings 20:20; 2 Chronicles 32:30.
18 The above are just two of many examples proving the Bible to be historically and geographically trustworthy. But more than mere accuracy is involved, for some modern history books are accurate. The Bible contains things that could not be explained if it were a book of mere human origin. These have convinced many careful examiners that the Bible is from a Supreme Being.
19 Though the Bible is not written as a science textbook, when it touches on scientific matters it is accurate and reflects knowledge that was not available to humans at the time it was written. For instance, Dr. Arno Penzias (1978 Nobel Prize winner) said about the origin of the universe:
“My argument is that the best data we have are exactly what I would have predicted, had I had nothing to go on but the five books of Moses, the Psalms, the Bible as a whole.”
Further, Genesis lists the progressive appearance of life forms in the very order now generally accepted by scientists. (Genesis 1:1-27) And, whereas other nations taught myths such as that the earth is supported by elephants or a giant, the Bible correctly indicates that it hangs upon nothing and that the earth is round. (Job 26:7; Isaiah 40:22) How did the Bible writers know things that have been “discovered” by scientists only in recent times? The information must have come from a source greater than themselves.
20 There is something even more significant that sheds light on the Bible’s origin. It is prophecy. Humans can guess about coming events, but they cannot consistently foretell the future with any degree of accuracy. (James 4:13, 14) Yet the Bible does. Long before Babylon became a world empire and desolated Jerusalem, God caused the prophet Isaiah to foretell that Babylon would be brought down in defeat. About two centuries in advance, God named Cyrus as Babylon’s conqueror and told how the city would be captured. Isaiah also recorded precise details concerning Babylon’s final desolation, when such calamity was then more than 1,000 years in the future. (Isaiah 13:17-22; 44:24–45:3) It all came true. And so did the Bible’s prophecies about Tyre and Nineveh. (Ezekiel 26:1-5; Zephaniah 2:13-15) You can visit ruins in the Middle East and see the proof for yourself.
21 Far in advance the Bible book of Daniel explicitly foretold other international developments. Babylon would be conquered by Medo-Persia, which, in turn, would be defeated by Greece. After Greece’s prominent leader (Alexander the Great) would fall in death, four of his subordinates would take over rulership of the former empire. (Daniel 8:3-8, 20-22) That was long-range history written in advance, and it actually came about as foretold. How did Daniel know? The only satisfactory answer is stated in the Bible itself: “All Scripture is inspired of God.” This concerns us, for as will be considered in a later chapter, the Bible has prophecies about things that have occurred in our time. Further, it describes vividly things that are still in the future.c
22 In addition to dealing with the future, the Bible helps us to cope successfully with the present. It explains why so much suffering exists, and it helps us to understand the purpose of life. It offers guidance from the Creator on how we personally can overcome problems and find the greatest happiness in life, now and in the future. Later chapters will consider some of the problems of life, as well as the Bible’s realistic advice. First, however, we should get better acquainted with the One who has provided this advice.
[Footnotes]
Jeremiah 10:23, Revised Standard Version.
Psalm 19:1, 7, 8.
If you would like to study more about the Bible as a book of Divine authorship, please obtain the volume entitled “Is the Bible Really the Word of God?” published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
[Study Questions]
Why is it reasonable that God has provided a book of guidance? (1-5)
What reasons are there to consider the Bible? (6-9)
What sort of information is found in the Bible? (10-13)
What evidence indicates whether the Bible is just from men? (14-19)
What is significant about Bible comments on future events? (20-22)
[Picture on page 22]
Man’s satellites can send messages to earth. Cannot the Creator do more?
[Picture on page 23]
Is it not logical that God would provide a book for mankind?
[Picture on page 27]
HEZEKIAH’S TUNNEL
You can wade through this ancient water tunnel in Jerusalem. It confirms the Bible’s accuracy.
Learning About What You Cannot See
Chapter 4
Learning About What You Cannot See
MANY of the most fascinating things we cannot see. For example, because the marvel of a baby developing in the womb was long an unseen “miracle,” the first photographs of it were most amazing.
2 There are other important things that we cannot possibly see, such as the forces of magnetism and gravity. Yet they are real. We can learn much about them by observing the effects they produce. It is similar with God. However, if we are interested in learning about our Creator—which we should be—we have to apply ourselves.—Compare John 3:12.
3 Primarily, there are two means of learning about God, whom we cannot see. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, mentioned one, writing: “His invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship.” (Romans 1:20) Yes, creation testifies about the existence of a Supreme Being. In addition, it gives indication of his qualities, what he is like. The second means is far more important, for it provides more exact information about God. It is the written revelation found in the Bible.
WHAT IS HE LIKE?
4 As recorded in the Bible, Jesus said that “God is a Spirit.” (John 4:24) That means that the Creator does not have a physical body of flesh as we do. This should not be difficult to accept for persons who are acquainted with such unseen realities as gravity, magnetism and radio waves. A major distinction with God, however, is that he is a living, intelligent Person with qualities that we can discern. What are some of these?
5 Have you ever watched huge waves crashing against a rocky coast? Or have you observed the tremendous force of a volcano? These are but small-scale indications of the power that the Creator must possess, for he made the earth and its forces.
6 With Einstein’s famous equation E=mc2, scientists explain that all matter is nothing more than energy locked up in the basic atoms. Men have shown this to be true with the explosion of their atomic bombs. Yet did you know that such tremendous explosions release less than one percent of the potential energy of the atoms? Imagine the awesome power of the Creator who put together all the atoms in the universe. Thousands of years before Einstein was born, the Scriptures acknowledged that the Supreme Being is the source of tremendous energy. (Isaiah 40:29) With good reason the Scriptures repeatedly call him “God Almighty.”—Genesis 17:1; Revelation 11:17.
7 God has often used his power in ways that directly affected humans. An example is the Exodus, when God delivered Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt. You may want to read aloud the brief account in Exodus 13:21–14:31. Picture yourself among those being protected by an awesome pillar of cloud by day and by a blazing pillar of fire at night. How would you have felt when it seemed that the pursuing army had you trapped against the Red Sea? Imagine, though, watching as God used his power to form the water into towering walls on both sides so you could escape. What a God he is!—Exodus 15:1, 2, 11; Daniel 4:35.
8 The Exodus also showed God’s ability to accomplish things from a distance. To do this, he uses his invisible active force, his spirit, or holy spirit. Though this active force is impersonal, it can, like a powerful breath of air, exert power. God used his spirit in creating the material universe. (Psalm 33:6; Genesis 1:2) But he can also use it to strengthen and help persons.—Judges 14:5, 6; Psalm 143:10.
9 One who designs and then makes some machine certainly has knowledge of its structure and functions. Hence, does not what we see on earth and in the heavens assure us that God has vast knowledge? Chemists spend a lifetime seeking to understand the makeup of natural substances. What knowledge the One who created these substances must have! Also, scientists are studying the cell and minute forms of life. The Creator had to know these fields thoroughly in order to produce life in the first place!
10 God’s knowledge extends over the whole range of the universe. He can call by name all the billions of stars that he created. (Isaiah 40:26) After just some of God’s vast knowledge was recounted, a man named Job humbly confessed: “I have come to know that you are able to do all things, and there is no idea that is unattainable for you.” (Job 42:2) Do we not have ample reason to feel similarly?
11 God is also the embodiment of wisdom, because he successfully applies his knowledge. For example, he designed plants so that they are able to combine water and carbon dioxide from air to form sugars and starches, which are needed as food for humans and animals. Plants can also make complex fats, proteins and vitamins that we use to keep healthy. All our food depends on an amazing cycle that involves the sun, rainfall, lightning and bacteria in the soil. (Jeremiah 10:12; Isaiah 40:12-15) As a person learns of God’s dealings, he comes to appreciate in his heart why one Bible writer exclaimed: “O the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge!” (Romans 11:33) Is that not how you would want to feel about a God receiving your worship?
AN APPEALING PERSONALITY
12 It is easy to see that the Creator is a considerate and an abundant provider. We already mentioned some things about his arranging for food. But a writer of Bible psalms said:
“You set springs gushing in ravines, running down between the mountains, supplying water for wild animals, . . . You make fresh grass grow for cattle and those plants made use of by man, for them to get food from the soil: wine to make them cheerful, oil to make them happy and bread to make them strong.”—Psalm 104:10-15, Jerusalem Bible.
God prepared the earth in such a way that there can be more than enough food for all mankind. The tragic food shortages that cause so much suffering usually come from man’s greed or mismanagement.
13 Our Creator does more than abundantly supply what is needed to sustain life. He also makes it enjoyable. God could have provided nourishing food that was all tasteless. Instead, we have an endless variety of delightful flavors in healthful foods. Also, let us not overlook that God made us so that we can enjoy the beauty of colors, such as those of flowers and fruits. And he gave us the ability to enjoy the sound of music. How does all of this make you feel about God?
14 Thinking on this, many persons have been moved to conclude that God must be very loving. They are convinced that he is. The Bible agrees, for the apostle John wrote: “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) The Creator is the very personification of love; it is his dominant quality. If someone asked you what God is like, that would likely be your first reply. He lovingly expresses warm affection toward humans. God is no abstract idea nor a remote deity. He is a warm person with whom we can have a loving relationship. Jesus said that his followers could pray to God as their Father, someone close to them and interested in them.—Matthew 6:9.
15 If you truly love someone, you want to see good come to that one. God feels that way toward humans. Out of love he warns us of things that would cause harm. These warnings are a protection. Also, they help us to understand God’s standards and how he will act or react. For example, the Bible tells us that he hates lying. (Proverbs 6:16-19; 8:13; Zechariah 8:17) This assures us that God himself cannot lie; we can believe completely everything he says. (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18) So when we encounter Bible statements that a person might view as restrictive, we should recognize them as reflecting God’s loving, righteous personality and his interest in us.
16 Further helping us to view God as a person to whom we can relate, the Bible shows that he has feelings in addition to love. For instance, he was “pained” when man rebelled against his righteous ways. (Psalm 78:8-12, 32, 41) He ‘rejoices’ when humans uphold what is right. (Proverbs 27:11; Luke 15:10) When we make mistakes, he is sympathetic, merciful and understanding. You will find it encouraging to read about this at Psalm 103:8-14. And the Creator is impartial, providing the sun and rain for all, and accepting worship from persons without regard for race or nationality.—Acts 14:16, 17; 10:34, 35.
17 Happiness is something that most of us want. Thus we have reason to come to know the Most High. The Bible describes him as “the happy God” and it shows that he wants us to be happy. (1 Timothy 1:11; Deuteronomy 12:7) He is ever a rewarder of those showing faith in him. (Hebrews 11:6; 13:5) And God has made a way for humans to be healthy and happy endlessly, as we will discuss in later chapters.
“THE” GOD
18 Another important thing that the Bible reveals about the Creator is that he has a personal name. In Hebrew it was written with four consonants, like this: יהוה. Most modern languages have a common rendering of this distinctive name. In English it is Jehovah. Psalm 83:18 tells us that people should “know that you, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth.” (Compare John 17:6) Note that he alone is the Most High. There is but one Supreme Being. The ancient Israelites often expressed it this way: “Jehovah our God is one Jehovah. And you must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your vital force.”—Deuteronomy 6:4, 5; compare John 17:3.
19 Our God, Jehovah, is timeless, as reason would indicate. Scientists say that the universe is thousands of millions of years old. So the Creator of the universe obviously must already have existed before that. This agrees with the Bible’s calling him the “King of eternity,” without beginning or end. (1 Timothy 1:17; Revelation 4:11; 10:6) Man’s few thousand years on earth are a brief moment compared to Jehovah’s timelessness.—Psalm 90:2, 4.
OTHER BEINGS WE CANNOT SEE
20 The Bible reveals that there are also created persons who are spirits. After the Almighty had existed alone for a long time, he chose to create other spirit persons. Initially, he produced “the firstborn of all creation” and “the beginning of the creation by God.” (Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14) This firstborn was with the Almighty God in the beginning of creation. Jehovah would later use him also as a spokesman, or Word, in communicating with others. (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16, 17) Eventually, this firstborn Son was sent to earth to become a man. He is known as Jesus Christ.—Galatians 4:4; Luke 1:30-35.
21 Working through this first created Son, God made other spirit creatures, commonly known as angels. These serve God as messengers and perform duties in the universe, including services in behalf of humans.—2 Peter 2:11; Hebrews 2:6, 7; Psalm 34:7; 103:20.
22 Both logic and the Bible indicate that the firstborn Son who was both created and sent to earth by God would not be equal to his Father. Some persons who claim belief in the Bible teach that Jesus and his Father are equal parts of a composite deity. This is not a new idea, for many ancient religions worshiped groups of gods. But contrary to this, the Bible clearly says that Jesus, as a separate person, received power from his almighty Father. It assures us that the Almighty knew things that Jesus did not, and that neither when on earth nor afterward was Jesus Christ ever equal to his Father.—John 5:30; 8:28; 14:10, 28; Mark 13:32.
23 For thousands of years in heaven, the Son had a close relationship with Almighty God, so that he could learn from God and imitate his ways. Thus when a disciple asked, “show us the Father,” Jesus replied: “He that has seen me has seen the Father also.” (John 14:8, 9; 1:18) By our studying the Bible account of Jesus’ earthly life we can learn much about the Father, such as why God does things and what he expects us to be like. Jesus once said: “I am the way and the truth and life.” (John 14:6) It is vital for us to come to know him better, and thus also to know the Father. Reading the Gospel of John is an excellent aid. In doing so, do not concentrate on mere facts or details, but try to absorb the spirit of what Christ was like. He was the most important human you can learn about.
WE NEED GOD
24 As we learn about the Almighty through our observing creation and reading the Bible, it becomes evident that humans were not created to live independent of him. We were created to have a relationship with God, from whom we have received life and whose daily provisions sustain our lives. Trying to be independent of him and his Word, the Bible, may be compared to a person’s trying to find his way through an unknown wilderness without a good map. In due course he may get completely lost and die for lack of provisions to sustain life. It is similar when humans omit God and his guidance from their lives. The Bible and history assure us that to enjoy the best life we need more than food, clothing and shelter. For us to be truly happy, we need guidance and help from our Maker.—Matthew 4:4; John 4:34.
25 Many other persons know little about the Creator. As you come in contact with such persons and as opportunity allows, why not pass on some of the good things we have here considered? It is a fine thing when persons are inclined to share with others the important truths they have come to know about Jehovah, our loving heavenly Father.—Psalm 40:5.
[Study Questions]
How is it possible to learn about an unseen God? (1-3)
Why can you be sure of God’s awesome power and his ability to use it? (4-8)
What should we know about God as to knowledge? And wisdom? (9-11)
How do you benefit from displays of God’s personality? (12-14)
How does God show his loving interest in you? How do you feel about this? (Psalm 30:4, 5) (15-17)
What can we know about God’s name and life-span? (18, 19)
Why is God not alone in heaven? (20, 21)
What is the relationship between the Father and the Son? (22, 23)
Why should God be important in your life? (24, 25)
[Picture on page 33]
God’s power parted the Red Sea
[Picture on page 36]
What do the sun, rain and productive soil indicate about God?
Is he not an abundant and a loving Provider?
You Can Cope with Life’s Problems
Chapter 5
You Can Cope with Life’s Problems
“LIFE is full of problems,” people say. You may agree.
2 Money troubles plague many—bills, inflation, job insecurity, or finding decent housing. Serious marriage and family problems are common. Sex, alcohol or drugs are problems with many young persons. For the elderly, failing health brings difficulties. All these things give rise to damaging emotional tension or stress.
3 How well are you coping with life’s problems? News reports of widespread depression and of suicides clearly indicate that many persons just cannot cope. But there are millions who do not lose their balance when faced with adversity. Why?
4 These latter ones have learned to rely on the advice of mankind’s Creator as found in the Bible. No psychologist, no marriage counselor, no writer of a newspaper advice column knows more about life than God does. He created the first humans, so he has a thorough knowledge of our physical, mental and emotional makeup. (Psalm 100:3; Genesis 1:27) Better than any short-lived human, Jehovah knows what is going on inside us and why we do the things we do.—1 Samuel 16:7.
5 Furthermore, he is better acquainted with the problems that confront us in this world than any of us are. Not for just a few years, but since the time of the first man, Jehovah has observed the problems of humankind—all of them. The Bible tells us: “From the heavens Jehovah has looked, he has seen all the sons of men. . . . He has gazed at all those dwelling on the earth. . . . He is considering all their works.” (Psalm 33:13-15) That means that he knows what succeeds and what does not succeed in coping with whatever problems we have.
6 Generously, he makes it possible for us to benefit from his knowledge and experience. The Bible contains his counsel, set out in such a way that it fits our needs no matter what our circumstances in life, regardless of where we live. As Psalm 19:7-11 says: “The law of Jehovah is perfect, bringing back the soul. The reminder of Jehovah is trustworthy, making the inexperienced one wise.”
7 Let us consider briefly how those reminders can help a person to cope with two serious personal problems, namely, severe stress and loneliness. After considering the Bible’s practical help on these, we will examine other common problems—involving money, marriage and drugs.
HOW CAN YOU COPE WITH STRESS?
8 Few people would say that they never experience severe stress. The more that our individual troubles grow—over money, the family, sex, crime—the more severe the stress becomes. A recent newspaper report commented that what best characterizes our times is not a way of acting or a style of dress. It is “the terrible feeling of tension.”
9 Did you know that stress can even shorten your life? Note:
“Dubbed the ‘Twentieth Century Killer,’ stress arises mainly from the psychological demands of contemporary life. The physical ills it generates now contribute to a vast number of hospital cases and deaths each year—at least tens of millions.”—To the Point, African news magazine.
“Severe or prolonged stress can make the body more vulnerable to ailments ranging from skin rashes and the common cold to heart attacks and cancer.”—The Wall Street Journal, U.S.A.
Even the unborn are affected. Stress on pregnant women, such as from marital discord or the fear of unemployment, can cause physical, mental and emotional damage to children in the womb.
10 Stress also does damage in that it creates other problems. Because of it many lose work time, increasing their money troubles. It gives rise to violence, even in marriage. One husband wrote:
“Each day I get more uptight and nervous. I feel like lashing out at everybody and my wife usually gets it. I feel like getting stoned, but it doesn’t do any good.”
11 Some stress is normal in life, and not necessarily bad. Getting out of bed in the morning involves stress, as does watching an exciting ball game. It is the severe, prolonged stress (or, distress) that is damaging. Of course, many of the pressures on us may seem unavoidable, involving other people or circumstances in our own life. Is there, nonetheless, something that we can do about harmful stress? If we could better cope with stress, it might lessen other problems, such as those affecting our health.
12 A key to coping with stress was given by a man recognized world wide as one of the greatest teachers who ever lived, Jesus Christ. When asked which was the most vital of all of God’s commands, Jesus replied, ‘You must love Jehovah with all your heart, soul and mind. And you must love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37-39) Apply that and you will be helped to cope with stress.
13 For example, as you deal in a loving way with your mate or relatives, it is very likely that peace will increase. An atmosphere of warmth and happiness will develop. Tension will diminish. Yes, this Scriptural counsel can be followed with positive results in reducing stress.
14 Nor is it limited to the family. As you apply the Bible’s advice to show love—including the ‘golden rule’ of doing to others as you would like them to do to you—people will like you more. (Luke 6:31) That has proved true on the job, at school, in the community. Oh, there may be some friction, but certainly less. It is easy to see that, as a result, you will face less stress.
15 Even in scientific circles it is being appreciated that what the Bible recommends will help persons to reduce stress and cope with it. Professor Hans Selye (University of Montreal), one of the foremost authorities on the effects of stress, advised:
“Rather than relying on drugs or other techniques, I think there’s another, better way to handle stress, which involves taking a different attitude toward the various events in our lives.”
He emphasized the need for a “philosophy of behavior by which people could live,” which would “do much more for humanity in general than any discovery.” What? After 40 years of studying stress, he said that the solution essentially came down to—love.
16 Why is it that, even in day-to-day life, showing love as the Bible recommends is so practical? Why does it work? Dr. Selye said:
“The two great emotions that cause the absence or presence of stress are love and hate. The Bible makes this point over and over again. The message is that if we don’t somehow modify our built-in selfishness, we arouse fear and hostility in other people. . . . The more we can persuade people to love us rather than hate us, the safer we are, and the less stress we have to endure.”
17 Anger is another cause of stress. We all get angry at times, as the Bible acknowledges. Yet it counsels: “He that is slow to anger is better than a mighty man, and he that is controlling his spirit than the one capturing a city.” (Proverbs 16:32; Ephesians 4:26) So if we become angry, God’s warning is to avoid flying into a fit of rage or ‘blowing our top.’ Often those who ignore that advice let out a burst of vicious words or get into violent fights. The results sometimes are physical harm or ill will, with lasting stress. Hence, to the extent that you can follow the Bible’s wise and practical advice about anger, you will be helped in coping with stress.
18 As another example, the Bible also helps us to reduce stress by encouraging a varied and balanced life. Some persons are always frantically working, others seldom work. Some persons are always serious, others never. Any such extreme almost invariably causes problems and results in stress. However, read the comments in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, where God says there is a time for every activity. You see, the Bible presents a realistic as well as a more balanced view of life. Work is good, as opposed to laziness. The Bible also urges people to relax some and enjoy the fruits of their labor. (Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13; 10:18; Proverbs 6:9-11) There is benefit to be gotten from some time spent in serious thought about what life means and how we should live it. Yet there is also value in relaxing with one’s family and friends. To the extent that we can apply the Bible’s counsel about balance, we will have less of a problem with stress.
COPING WITH THE AGONY OF LONELINESS
19 “Loneliness is universal,” said Toronto social worker Henry Regehr. “Stop anyone on the street and say ‘tell me about your loneliness’ and you will get story after story after story.” In a poll of 52,000 persons, over 40 percent said that they “often feel lonely.” It was the feeling that most consistently brought discomfort, spoiling happiness. Nor is it a respecter of persons, it strikes old and young, male and female. Though we might think of a single person, such as a widow, as the typical lonely one, some of the most desperately lonely are married persons who cannot communicate.
20 Many persons try to block out loneliness with illicit sex, or to drown it with alcohol or to deaden it by compulsive eating. But the causes remain. One factor is the growth of large cities, where you can be surrounded by people yet feel extremely alone. The breakup of marriages has increased the problem. Even television seems to add to loneliness by cutting down conversation.
21 What can be done to help to cope with loneliness? While not wanting to oversimplify the problem, it may be said that the Bible can help anyone to cope better with loneliness. Why is that? For one thing, loneliness often leads to depression and loss of self-respect. Cultivating a good relationship with one’s Creator can help to restore such a person. He can develop a greater sense of worth, appreciating that God is interested in him, which can lead to a more positive view of life. (Matthew 18:10) Furthermore, the Bible outlines for Christians a way of life that can help to relieve loneliness.
22 Lonely persons are often told to “keep busy.” This has some value. But the Bible offers more realistic and practical advice. It urges Christians to be active in doing good for others, which also produces happiness. (Acts 20:35) We have an example in Dorcas, who spent time making things for other Christians, many of whom were widows. Her efforts helped them materially, and likely also helped them to overcome loneliness. At the same time Dorcas herself was not lonely but loved. You may enjoy reading about her in Acts 9:36-42.
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