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Insight on the News

Families Need to Talk

● Chancellor Helmut Schmidt of the Federal Republic of Germany observed: “I’ve had the impression for a long time that we don’t talk to each other enough, neither married couples, nor parents with their children, nor friends among themselves.” He added: “We have become speechless, and that frightens me.” Chancellor Schmidt suggested that once a week people should turn off their television sets and communicate with each other.

The good effect of proper family communication was noted by Walter Washington, the mayor of Washington, D.C. While visiting a convention of over 52,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses in that city this summer, he noted the presence of united family groups, and their discipline and cleanness. Mayor Washington commented on the need of such “moral fiber” in families, and that these families served as fine examples to other religious groups.

Families of Jehovah’s Witnesses have this success because parents take seriously the counsel of God’s Word to bring up their children “in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah.” This inculcates in the young the highest moral standards, obedience to law, respect for persons of all races, and faith in God and his purposes.​—Eph. 6:4; Deut. 6:4-7.

One way that these parents accomplish this is by having regular Bible discussions in the home. This affords them the opportunity to impart vital instruction to their children, and also allows the young to express what is in their hearts, including their questions and problems.

Teen-Age Pregnancy Epidemic

● “The United States, very simply, is in the throes of a teen pregnancy epidemic,” declared “Science News” recently. Government statistics for the latest year available, 1976, showed that illegitimate births rose to a record 468,000, more than double the figure of ten years ago. Half of these, 235,300, involved teen-age girls. In addition, an estimated 300,000 teen-age girls had abortions during the year.

Authorities say that the major reasons for this epidemic of pregnancies include: a loosening of family and religious ties; the huge rise in the number of broken families and divorces; and this world’s growing emphasis on sex and sexual freedom.

“Science News” also observed: “Probably the best solution to the teen pregnancy epidemic . . . is the strengthening of American family life, . . . since those girls who get pregnant usually come from homes where sexual values and guidance are lacking.”

Truly, there is no substitute for proper parental guidance for the young, especially where parents teach their young the Bible’s high moral standards.​—Prov. 22:6; Ps. 119:104, 105.

No Human Rights for Innocent?

● In England, a Cheshire housewife wanted an abortion, but her husband objected, appealing for a High Court injunction to restrain her. But the court ruled that the husband ‘has no legal right whatsoever . . . to stop his wife from having an abortion.’ She had the abortion. Thus, in the law’s eyes, the destroyed child had no legal rights either.

In Pennsylvania, a judge ruled that the stabbing death of a nine-month-old fetus still in its mother’s womb could not be considered murder, since the fetus ‘did not have a separate existence of his own.’ Yet, in a few days the child would have been born, and such a death then would be murder in the law’s eyes.

Those who condone the death of the unborn might ask themselves, how many of them do not rejoice that they themselves were not among the unborn who were aborted?

God’s law states the principle: “Do not kill the innocent.” (Ex. 23:7) Surely, the unborn could thus be designated. God does not view a human embryo or fetus as a mere piece of tissue, but as a developing human whose rights should be protected.​—Ps. 139:13-16.

The fact is that taking the life of the unborn innocent is condemned in God’s sight, and those who show persistent disregard for life will be accountable to him.