From Our Readers

Supportive Parents A very special thank you for the series “Parents​—Be Supportive!” (August 8, 1994) Recently, the principal of my youngest daughter’s school discussed the matter of good parent-​teacher communication with a group of parents. I took the magazine to the principal, and she read it immediately. Two weeks later my daughter brought me the monthly school newsletter. The portion of the article on good communication had been reprinted so that the whole community could benefit from the information.

W. B., United States

Wholphins I enjoyed the article “A Whale? A Dolphin?​—No, It’s a Wholphin!” (February 22, 1994), about the dolphin/​whale hybrid. At the end you call this a “glimpse into the astonishing potential for variety that God has built into his creation.” I took exception to this because the mating would not have occurred in their normal environment.

K. G., United States

We did not mean that such a mating was normal or that God was responsible for it. Nevertheless, man cannot be given the credit for the existence of such a fascinating creature. Hybrids exist only because of the “potential for variety that God has built into his creation.” Our article thus gave God due credit.​—ED.

Thrill Sports In the article “Young People Ask . . . Thrill Sports​—Should I Take a Chance?,” you did well in warning youngsters of the possible dangers of bungee jumping. (July 8, 1994) Less than a week after I read it, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported that four youths suffered severe eye damage because of bungee jumping. Thank you for your wonderful magazine.

D. F., England

The article on death-​defying sports left me feeling wide awake! I once climbed a steep rock cliff and found myself unable to go backward or forward. To this day I shudder at how close I came to dying. What a stupid waste it would have been!

L. T., United States

I appreciated the article very much. Where I live, the kids participate in many of these thrill sports. They are always trying to get me to join them. In the news, though, I often see reports of people dying or getting seriously hurt from the same supposedly fun sports that they tell me about. After reading the article, I realized that it would be unwise for me to endanger my life, which Jehovah God gave me, for just a short-​lived thrill.

J. S., United States

AIDS For over three years I served as a full-​time evangelizer. Now, however, I cannot. I have AIDS. Thank you for openly dealing with this difficult subject in the article “Helping Those With AIDS.” (March 22, 1994) I can see that you have everyone’s interests at heart. It seems, though, that many have missed the parts of the article that encouraged sympathy for the afflicted and have focused on the mentioned “reasonable precautions.” It’s as if the article gave some a license to be standoffish. I can’t help but wonder what will happen when I’m much worse and really need the love and support of my brothers. Will some refuse to visit me because they’re afraid of contracting the virus?

M. N., United States

We appreciate these candid comments. It was not our intent to discourage the giving of support to AIDS victims. Indeed, we stated: “Based on the current consensus, casual contact does not transmit AIDS. . . . One need not be unduly fearful of being around people with AIDS.” The suggested precautions can help others to feel a measure of protection as they deal compassionately with AIDS victims.​—ED.