Insight on the News

Compensating Crime Victims

● According to a United Press International dispatch of March 7, 1977, during 1976 crime victims in Colorado, U.S.A., received $658,717 from persons who had assaulted or robbed them. The New York “Times” stated: “The restitution programs were imposed by courts as a condition for probation or deferred prosecution. The money went for unrecovered stolen items, damage to property and hospital bills.”

This method of dealing with wrongdoers may seem to be quite an innovation. However, in God’s law to ancient Israel, compensation was required in cases of injury or loss. For instance, if a person injured someone by striking him during a quarrel, the assailant had to make compensation to that person for time lost from work until the individual completely recovered. (Ex. 21:18, 19) A thief was to make double compensation if he was caught with a stolen animal, money or other things. But if he had slaughtered or sold the stolen animal, heavier compensation was required. For a stolen bull he had to compensate with five of the herd, and for a sheep, four of the flock. (Ex. 22:1, 3, 4, 7) The Law deterred crime and recompensed the victim. It required that the thief work to pay for his wrongdoing, rather than sitting in prison as an economic burden to the community while the victim was left uncompensated for his loss.

Deep Regard for the Bible

● The Swedish periodical “Sökaren” (“The Seeker”) recently published an interview with Bertil Persson, a clergyman, author, editor and teacher of religion. He remarked that “the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses is castigated in the most diversified ways,” and that their Scandinavian critics range from religious historians and Bible scholars to ordinary people. However, Persson stated: “Behind the faith being preached by Jehovah’s Witnesses there is an amazing high-class and internationally oriented Bible science.” He then referred to the 1,700-page reference work “Aid to Bible Understanding,” prepared by Jehovah’s Witnesses and published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.

“Only a few months ago,” remarked Persson, “I had some Christian and Jewish Bible scholars in the Middle East examine its presentation of facts that concern Oriental Bible science, and they are compelled, against any negative reports they may have heard, to acknowledge the enormous correctness with regard to the facts presented by Jehovah’s Witnesses. They say that there is nothing corresponding to this fact certainty in the Bible dictionaries of the West.”

There is an underlying reason for this unparalleled “fact certainty.” Jehovah’s Witnesses have deep regard for the Bible and a sincere desire to learn and apply its message. Whereas present-day scholars generally view the Bible as a mere literary work, or consider much of it to be allegorical, the Witnesses have the same respect for it as did the apostle Paul, who declared: “All Scripture is inspired of God.”​—2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 1 Thess. 2:13.

‘Abstain from Blood’

● The Brazilian newspaper “Folha de S. Paulo” reports: “Various infections can be transmitted through transfusions of blood and plasma. . . . Virus hepatitis, syphilis, malaria and Chagas’ disease are the most common. Chagas’ disease caused by blood transfusion is not an exception but is regularly reported in medical journals. . . . many cases of this nature are not communicated for various reasons, such as indifference, cover-up, lack of diagnosis. However, the subject is now getting emphatic attention, at least in São Paulo, since there is ample evidence that infection through blood transfusion occurs in a significant number of persons.”

When the parasite causing Chagas’ disease settles in the muscular fiber of the heart, it may cause a fatal inflammation of the myocardium. Death may be sudden, but, if it is not, the infected person seldom lives beyond fifty years of age.

True Christians do not abstain from blood principally for medical reasons. They do so because of divine command. (Gen. 9:3, 4) Nevertheless, there is the associated benefit of protecting one’s health by obeying God’s law to “keep abstaining from . . . blood.”​—Acts 15:28, 29.