From Our Readers
Hearing Loss I read your item about hearing loss in “Watching the World.” (October 22, 1989) It is true that turning music up to high decibels damages the hearing. I didn’t listen when people told me to turn my music down. Now I am paying the price for not listening. I am 19 years old and going deaf very painfully.
K. G., United States
Astrology Your article on astrology (November 22, 1989) claimed that Eastern and Western astrology both divide the zodiac into 12 regions and name each month after an animal. This is incorrect. Western astrology assigns one sign of the zodiac per month. But in the East, the signs apply to the whole year.
C. B., France
It is true that a cycle of 12 animals (each animal representing one year) is commonly used among the Chinese to designate the year of one’s birth. It is thus popular custom for a Chinese person to speak of himself as belonging to the ‘year of the ox’ or whatever symbol was current the year he was born. However, as stated in our article, these same 12 animals are also used to designate astrological cycles of 12 hours, days, and months.—ED.
Reader Reactions to “Satanism” Issue In the February 22, 1990, issue, a reader expressed shock over the cover for the magazine on Satanism. (October 22, 1989) When I was a child, my parents involved us in Satanism in its worst and most violent aspects. That memory was buried, repressed in me until this year, and I’m only now coming to grips with it. That magazine really helped me. And I appreciated the cover. Awake! is supposed to wake people up! When offering the magazine in our preaching work, we found no one who turned that issue down. We could have placed hundreds more!
L. H., United States
I am very grateful for the information you published on Satanism. I too was involved in Satanism as a child. The horrors I have lived through are unspeakable. But it is comforting to know that I do not need to deny my past as a victim of ritual abuse and that I am not beyond gaining God’s approval. The articles did not gloss over reality. Children are being tortured, raped, and murdered. People need to know this is out there!
P. M., United States
Puberty Thank you for the article “Young People Ask . . . What Is Happening to My Body?” (January 22, 1990) My mother died when I was two, and when my menstrual cycle started, I didn’t have anyone to talk to about it. My father was too shy, and I was too proud to listen to my big sister. I’m a little older now, but I still don’t know a lot. Your article explained it to me better than most books. Thank you for understanding what we go through.
D., United States
In-Laws Since my husband and I married over ten years ago, it’s been one battle after another with my in-laws. As Jesus predicted, the problems increased after my dedication to Jehovah nearly five years ago. (Matthew 10:35) In the past month, the friction increased to the point where I felt ill at times. But words cannot express my appreciation for the articles on in-laws. (February 22, 1990) So much insight was provided regarding the mother-in-law’s feelings and fears that I am beginning to understand why some things were said and done in the past. With much more hard work on my part, perhaps we can all be friends someday.
J. P., United States