From Our Readers
Getting Along With Others
Thank you for the article “Young People Ask . . . Why Is It So Hard to Get Along With My Brother and Sister?” (July 22, 1987) I’m 16 years old, and I’m often in difficulties with my sisters. A few days ago I had a fight with one of them, and I felt like attacking her. I did give her a hard push but managed to control myself. I know Christians should not fight as we do. Your article helped me to see how to control the situation and keep peace in the family. I’m going to do all I can to put the suggestions into practice and contribute to our family unity.
R. A. G., Brazil
Africa’s Wildlife
I thoroughly enjoyed your articles on Africa’s wildlife. (September 22, 1987) The articles made me laugh, and also at times I felt deep sorrow for the terrible slaughter of these different animals for commercialism. Thank you for these enlightening facts about what is happening to animals.
S. R., Virgin Islands
Ice for Headaches
I was reading your September 22, 1987, issue and began getting a headache after reading “Watching the World.” I flipped to page 31. My headache was getting worse, but there was the article “When Your Head Aches” telling about how crushed ice helps headaches. So I went downstairs and got some ice. This is one way Awake! has helped me, and there have been many more. I am nine years old. Keep up the good work.
M. M., United States
Speaking in Tongues
I have received copies of your article where I was grossly misquoted. (April 8, 1987, “Speaking in Tongues—Is It From God?”) You misconstrued my words to make it appear that I am embarrassed by speaking in tongues, when that is definitely not the case. In truth I was quoting C. S. Lewis, who said that tongues were an embarrassment. Then I proceeded to tell the mighty importance of tongues in church history, i.e. why it should not be an embarrassment to the church. . . . This misquotation actually makes it seem that I oppose tongues, which I certainly do not.
Vinson Synan, United States
We regret that we inadvertently attributed the statement of C. S. Lewis, “Speaking in tongues is an embarrassment to us,” to Vinson Synan. However, we correctly quoted Dr. Synan’s statement appearing in the publication “One in Christ”: “Embarrassing as it may be, glossolalia is the gift that God has chosen at strategic points in history to expand and renew the Church.” We did not quote Dr. Synan to indicate that he was opposed to speaking in tongues but to show that he acknowledged that the matter of speaking in tongues could be a dilemma for some sincere worshipers today. In that article Dr. Synan indicated a possible dilemma for some: “I agree with Larry Christenson who stated . . . ‘God has sovereignly chosen to use the gift of tongues as a catalyst for renewal . . . it may not make sense to our own reason . . . but he comes knocking where he chooses . . . ’” We hope that this clarifies Dr. Synan’s position with regard to speaking in tongues, which differs from ours.—ED.