From Our Readers

Article Saves Life We called on a man named Lenny who said that the article “Dengue—A Fever From a Bite” (July 22, 1998) saved the life of his niece. She had been running a fever for days, and rashes had developed; but her parents dismissed it as measles. Remembering the article, Lenny found the magazine and reread the section describing the symptoms of dengue. He then talked his niece’s parents into taking her to the hospital. Doctors there confirmed that she indeed had dengue hemorrhagic fever. Lenny praised Awake! for helping him to save his niece, and he later agreed to a home Bible study.

J.M.L., Philippines

Marfan’s Syndrome In the article “Coping With Marfan’s Syndrome—When Joints Dislocate” (February 22, 2001), Michelle says that she takes morphine daily. How can an addictive drug be used by a Christian?

S. D., United States

It would be wrong for a Christian to use drugs simply for the thrills or the highs they produce. However, one who accepts a painkilling narcotic under the direction of a physician because of some medical problem could hardly be called a thrill seeker. Of course, even in circumstances like that, a Christian must carefully weigh the possibility of addiction and other harmful side effects from taking such a medication.—ED.

Michelle’s experience has encouraged me. Although she is in constant pain, I admire the fact that she doesn’t allow her circumstances to stop her from serving Jehovah wholeheartedly.

J. G., Guam

Radioactive Fallout I was disappointed with your article “Radioactive Fallout—A Matter of Concern.” (February 22, 2001) You should not, in an effort to promote your view of the Bible, use fearmongering tactics to scare people. Risks should be presented in their proper context. For example, electricity can be relatively safe if handled with care. Yet, many people are electrocuted every year. Does this mean that we should all get paranoid and live in fear of electricity? The fact is, all countries will need much more electricity in the future, and nuclear reactors are emerging as the cleanest and safest method to supply it. We do not need to fear nuclear energy.

R. S., Canada

These are complex issues, and we appreciate this reader’s candor. Nevertheless, we do not feel that our article used “fearmongering tactics.” No attempt was made to terrify our readers. Nor did we condemn nuclear energy. Instead, we highlighted the legitimate concerns that many have regarding nuclear power, pointing to God’s Kingdom as the ultimate solution to the energy shortage.—ED.

Insurance As an insurance agent, I really appreciated the featured series “Insurance—Do You Really Need It?” (February 22, 2001) For most consumers, insurance can be very confusing. It is difficult to understand why you pay for something you may never use. I therefore appreciated your illustration regarding carrying a spare tire. Thank you for this well-written information.

C. P., United States

Sneaking Out Thank you for your article “Young People Ask . . . What’s So Bad About Sneaking Out?” (February 22, 2001) It saddens me to see how naive some young Christians are. One young girl sneaked off to go to a party and was raped. No one came to her assistance. Please keep warning our youths!

J. N., United States