34567JUNE 1, 2015

HAS SCIENCEREPLACED THE BIBLE?

34567JUNE 1, 2015

HAS SCIENCE

REPLACED THE BIBLE?

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THIS MAGAZINE, The Watchtower,honors Jehovah God, the Ruler ofthe universe. It comforts peoplewith the good news that God’sheavenly Kingdom will soon end allwickedness and transform theearth into a paradise. It promotesfaith in Jesus Christ, who died sothat we might gain everlasting lifeand who is now ruling as King ofGod’s Kingdom. This magazine hasbeen published continuously since1879 and is nonpolitical. It adheresto the Bible as its authority.

The Watchtower (ISSN 0043-1087) is publishedsemimonthly by Watchtower Bible and Tract Soci-ety of New York, Inc.; L. Weaver, Jr., President;G. F. Simonis, Secretary-Treasurer; 25 ColumbiaHeights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483, and by WatchTower Bible and Tract Society of Canada, PO Box4100, Georgetown, ON L7G 4Y4. Periodicals Post-age Paid at Brooklyn, NY, and at additional mail-ing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changesto Watchtower, 1000 Red Mills Road, Wallkill, NY12589-3299. � 2015 Watch Tower Bible and TractSociety of Pennsylvania. Printed in Canada.

This publication is not for sale. It is provided aspart of a worldwide Bible educational work sup-ported by voluntary donations. Unless otherwiseindicated, Scripture quotations are from themodern-language New World Translation of theHoly Scriptures.

How to Age Gracefully 8Life StoryA Legacy That Has Lasted Seven Generations 11

Who Is the Antichrist? 14

Bible Questions Answered 16

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Printing Each Issue:52,946,000 IN 240 LANGUAGES JUNE 1, 2015�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

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Vol. 136, No. 11 SemimonthlyENGLISH

Has Science Replaced the Bible?PAGES 3-7

How Science Affects Your Life 3Science Has Its Limitations 6

OTHER BIBLE QUESTIONSANSWERED

Is the Bible a Bookof Human Wisdom?(Look under BIBLE TEACHINGS ˛

BIBLE QUESTIONS ANSWERED)rDOWNLOAD THISMAGAZINE INVARIOUSFORMATS ONLINE

Science, according to one dictionary, is “the sys-tematic study of the nature and behaviour of thematerial and physical universe, based on obser-vation, experiment, and measurement.” To do allof that is hard, often frustrating, work. Scientistsstruggle with experiments and observations forweeks, months, or even years. Sometimes theirlabors lead to dead ends, but in many cases theydeliver benefits to mankind. Consider a few ex-amples.

A European company has combined strongplastic and advanced filters to produce a devicethat has made it possible for a person to avoid ill-ness from drinking contaminated water. Deviceslike that one have been put to use during naturaldisasters, such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

High above the earth, networks of satellitesmake up what is called the Global PositioningSystem (GPS). Originally designed for militaryapplications, the GPS helps motorists, airplanepilots, ship navigators, and even hunters and hik-ers to find their way. Thanks to the scientists whoinvented it, the GPS makes it easier to get towhere you want to go.

Do you use a cell phone, a computer, or the In-ternet? Have you seen that your health has im-proved or has been restored because of advancedmedicine? Do you travel by airplane? If so, you

are benefiting from some of the ways in whichscience has been a boon to humanity. Sciencehas affected your life in many positive ways.

THE REACH OF MODERN SCIENCEIn an effort to expand their horizon, modern

scientists are searching deep into the naturalworld. Nuclear physicists peer into the innerworkings of the atom, while astrophysicists traceback billions of years, in an attempt to under-stand the origin of the universe. As they probedeep and far, even into realms that are invisibleand untouchable, some scientists feel that if theGod of the Bible exists, they should be able tofind him.

Some prominent scientists and philosophersgo further. They carry on what science authorAmir D. Aczel called “a scientific argumentagainst the existence of God.” For example, aworld-famous physicist claimed that “the absenceof evidence for any God who plays an importantrole in the universe proves beyond a reasonabledoubt that such a god does not exist.” Others al-lude to the activity of the God of the Bible as“magic” and “supernatural shenanigans.”�

� Some people reject the Bible because of past and presentchurch teachings, such as the belief that the earth is the centerof the universe or that God created the world in six 24-hour days.—See the box “The Bible and Proven Scientific Facts.”

COVER SUBJECT

How Science Affects Your Life

JUNE 1, 2015 3

4 THE WATCHTOWER

However, the question must be asked: Hasscience learned enough about the natural worldto be able to draw definitive conclusions? Thesimple answer is no. Science has made tremen-dous progress, but many scientists recognize thatthere are still many unknowns and perhaps un-knowables. “We will never get to the bottom ofthings,” said physicist and Nobel laureate Ste-ven Weinberg on understanding nature. Profes-sor Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal of Great Brit-ain, wrote: “There may be things that humanswill never understand.” The truth is that much ofnature, from the tiny cell to the vast universe, stillremains beyond the grasp of modern science.Note the following examples:

There are other unknowns that confoundscientists. Why is this important? A popularscience writer notes: “Our knowledge is vastlyoutstripped by our ignorance. For me, a life inscience prompts awe and exploration over dog-matism.”

So if you wonder whether science is about toreplace the Bible and dispense with belief inGod, consider this point: If brilliant scientistswith their powerful instruments have been ableto gain only limited understanding of the naturalworld, would it be logical to dismiss out of handthe matters that lie beyond the reaches of scienceto investigate? Quite to the point, at the end of alengthy article on the history and developmentof astronomy, Encyclopedia Britannica concludes:“After almost 4,000 years of astronomy, the uni-verse is no less strange than it must have seemedto the Babylonians.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses respect each person’sright to make a decision on this matter. We en-deavor to follow the Biblical guideline: “Let yourreasonableness become known to all.” (Philippi-ans 4:5) It is with that spirit that we invite you toexamine how science and the Bible harmonizeand complement each other.

˘ Biologists do notfully understand theprocesses that takeplace in living cells.How cells consumeenergy, how theyproduce proteins,and how they divideare questions sciencehas not yet completelyanswered.

˘ Gravity affects usevery second of everyday. Yet it is some-thing of a mysteryto physicists. They donot know fully howgravity pulls you downto the ground whenyou jump or how itkeeps the moon in or-bit around the earth.

˘ Cosmologists estimatethat about 95 percentof what makes upthe universe is invisibleand undetectable byscientific instruments.They divide thisstrange entity intotwo categories, darkmatter and dark energy.The nature of theseremains unknown.

The Bible and Proven Scientific FactsThe Bible does not claim to be a textbook of scientific knowledge. Its writers, however,did make accurate comments on matters that should interest scientists today. Here aresome examples.

The Bible information that you just read was written down many centuries ago. How didthose writers come up with such accurate information when even the most learned peopleof their time were ignorant of such things? The Bible’s Author answers: “As the heavens arehigher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts than yourthoughts.”—Isaiah 55:9.

Age of the earthand the universeScientists estimate that the earthis about 4 billion years old andthat the universe was born some

13 to 14 billion years ago. The Bible sets nodate for the creation of the universe. In noplace does it affirm that the earth is only a fewthousand years old. The very first verse in theBible reads: “In the beginning God created theheavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) That gen-eral statement allows scientists to determinethe age of the physical world according to soundscientific principles.

Preparation of the earthfor human habitationGenesis chapter 1 uses the term“day” to set out the stages in thepreparation of the earth for life

in all its diverse forms. The culminating event inthis simple description was the appearance ofhumans. The Bible fixes no duration for the sixcreative “days.” Instead, it opens the door formodern scientists to study them and assign ac-curate time spans to them. We know that thecreative “days” were much longer than 24-hourdays.

How the earthis suspendedThe Bible describes the earthas suspended “upon nothing.”(Job 26:7) There is no mention

of our planet resting on the shoulders of a giantor on the backs of elephants that stand on aturtle, as some popular myths of ancient timeshad it. Rather, the Bible leaves the door open toscientific discovery. In time, Nicolaus Copernicusand Johannes Kepler described how the planetsmove around the sun driven by an invisible force.Isaac Newton later showed how gravitation gov-erns the movement of all objects in space.

Instructions on diseasecontrol and hygieneThe book of Leviticus contains theinstructions given to the Israeliteson how they were to avoid out-

breaks of contagious diseases, including thepractice of quarantine. And regarding sanitation,the law recorded at Deuteronomy 23:12, 13 or-dered the Israelites to care for their waste in aprivate place outside their encampments. Theyhad to ‘cover their excrement’ in the ground. It isonly in the last 200 years that scientists and doc-tors have seen the need to set such standards.

6 THE WATCHTOWER

In recent times, a number of books setting outthe views of the so-called new atheists havecome into circulation. These publications havecaught the attention of many and have broughtabout no little discussion and debate. Regard-ing this, neuroscientist David Eagleman wrote:“Some readers walk away. . . with the impressionthat scientists think they have the big picturesolved.” Then he added: “But good science is al-ways open-minded, and the history of science isone of surprises.”

Down through the ages, talented scientistshave indeed made surprising breakthroughs intheir search for answers to puzzling questionsabout nature. Some, however, have also made se-rious errors in the process. Isaac Newtonwas oneof the greatest scientists of all time. He showedhow the force of gravitation binds the planets,stars, and galaxies into one universe. He invent-ed calculus, a branch of mathematics used incomputer design, space travel, and nuclear phys-ics. However, Newton also pursued alchemy, apseudoscience that used astrology and magicalformulas in attempts to turn lead and other met-als into gold.

Over 1,500 years before Newton, the Greekastronomer Ptolemy explored the heavens withhis eyes alone. He tracked the planets acrossthe night sky and was skilled as a mapmaker.But he believed that the earth was the center of

everything. Astrophysicist Carl Sagan wrote ofPtolemy: “His Earth-centered universe held swayfor 1,500 years, a reminder that intellectual ca-pacity is no guarantee against being dead wrong.”

Today scientists face similar challenges in theirpursuits. Will they ever find a complete explana-tion of the universe? While it is proper to ac-knowledge the progress science has made andthe benefits it has brought us, it is also essential tobear in mind its limitations. Physicist Paul Daviesobserved: “The search for a closed logical schemethat provides a complete and self-consistent ex-planation for everything is doomed to failure.”Those words state an undeniable truth: Humanscannot completely understand the natural world.So when assertions are made about the potentialof science to provide an explanation of every-thing that exists, it is only reasonable to take suchassertions with reservations.

The Bible speaks of the wonders of nature inthese words: “Look! These are just the fringesof [God’s] ways; only a faint whisper has beenheard of him!” (Job 26:14) There remains a vaststore of knowledge that is beyond humanpercep-tion and understanding. Admittedly, the wordsof the apostle Paul, written nearly 2,000 yearsago, still hold true: “O the depth of God’s richesand wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchablehis judgments are and beyond tracing out hisways are!”—Romans 11:33. ˇ

Science Has Its Limitations

Guidance That Science Cannot ProvideWhile science offers knowledge of the natural world,the Bible provides principles and guidance that lead topeaceful human relations and a happy, satisfying wayof life. Consider the following examples.

Clearly theBible fills ourneeds in waysthat sciencecannot

CrimePrevention

Have regard for life“You must not murder.”—Exodus 20:13.“Everyone who hates hisbrother is a murderer.”—1 John 3:15.

Make and keep peace“Turn away from what is badand do what is good; seekpeace and pursue it.”—Psalm 34:14.“The fruit of righteousness issown in peaceful conditionsfor those who are makingpeace.”—James 3:18.

Shun violence“Jehovah examines therighteous one as well as thewicked one; he hates anyonewho loves violence.”—Psalm11:5.“Do not envy the violent mannor choose any of his ways,for Jehovah detests a deviousperson.”—Proverbs 3:31, 32.

FamilyHappiness

Obey your parents“Children, be obedient to yourparents in union with the Lord,for this is righteous. ‘Honoryour father and your mother’is the first command with apromise: ‘That it may go wellwith you and you may remaina long time on the earth.’ ”—Ephesians 6:1-3.

Teach your children properly“Do not be irritating your chil-dren, but go on bringing themup in the discipline and admo-nition of Jehovah.”—Ephesians6:4.“Do not be exasperating yourchildren, so that they do notbecome downhearted.”—Co-lossians 3:21.

Love and respect yourmarriage mate“Each one of you must lovehis wife as he does himself;on the other hand, the wifeshould have deep respectfor her husband.”—Ephesians5:33.

Protection ofthe naturalworld

Regarding polluters of variouskinds in ancient Israel, theBible stated: “The land hasbeen polluted by its inhabi-tants . . . Those inhabiting itare held guilty.” (Isaiah 24:5, 6) God will hold wanton de-stroyers of the environmentaccountable. He will “bring toruin those ruining the earth.”(Revelation 11:18) They willnot get away with their actions.

8 THE WATCHTOWER

HOW do you feel when the thought of agingcomes up? It fills many with concern, anx-

iety, and even dread. This is because aging isusually associated with negatives, such as di-minished looks, a frail body, memory loss, andchronic diseases.

However, the fact is that people differ great-ly in the way they age. Some enjoy relativelygood health, physically and mentally, in their lat-er years. Advances inmedicine have enabled oth-ers to treat or control chronic illnesses. As a re-sult, in some lands more and more people areliving longer and healthier lives.

Nevertheless, whether confronted with age-related problems or not, most people wish to beable to age gracefully. How can this be done? Inpart, doing so depends on our attitude and ourwillingness and ability to adapt to this new phasein life. To help in these areas, let us considersome simple and practical Bible principles.

BE MODEST: “Wisdom is with the modest ones.”(Proverbs 11:2) In this context, “the modestones” can refer to elderlyones who recognize andcome to terms with the limitations of their age,not trying to deny or ignore them. Charles, 93, inBrazil, is realistic when he says: “If you live long,you will have to age. There is no way to turn backthe clock.”

Being modest, however, in no way meansadopting the defeatist attitude “I am old, andthere is nothing more for me.” Such an attitudecan sap one of enthusiasm. “If you become dis-couraged in the day of distress, your strength willbe meager,” says Proverbs 24:10. Instead, a mod-est person shows wisdom, making the best of asituation.

Corrado, 77, in Italy, wisely says: “When youdrive uphill, you just change gears and avoidstalling the engine.” Yes, adjustments need to bemade when someone grows older. Corrado andhis wife have developed a balanced approach todomestic chores, following a moderately relaxedschedule to avoid feeling completely drained of

How to AgeGracefully

BE MODEST

JUNE 1, 2015 9

energy at the end of the day. Marian, 81, in Bra-zil, also has a down-to-earth approach to aging.“I have learned to pace myself,” she says. “I takeshort breaks between tasks when necessary. I sitdown or lie down to read or listen to music. I havelearned to recognize and respect my limits.”

BE BALANCED: “Women should adorn them-selves in appropriate dress, with modesty andsoundness of mind.” (1 Timothy 2:9) The expres-sion “appropriate dress” denotes balance andgood taste. Barbara, 74, in Canada, says: “I try tolook neat and clean. I don’t want to look dowdywith that ‘I’m old; I don’t care what I look like’ at-titude.” Fern, 91, in Brazil, says: “I buy some newclothes once in a while to boost my spirits.”Andwhat can be said about older men? “I try my bestto look smart, wearing clean and fresh clothes,”says Antonio, 73, in Brazil. Regarding personalhygiene, he adds: “I shower and shave daily.”

On the other hand, it is important to avoid be-coming concerned about your personal appear-ance to the point of failing to exercise “soundnessof mind.” Bok-im, 69, in South Korea, has a bal-anced view about clothes. She says: “I am quiteaware that it is not appropriate for me to wearsome of the clothes that I wore when I was young.”

BE POSITIVE: “All the days of the afflicted one arebad, but the one with a cheerful heart has a con-tinual feast.” (Proverbs 15:15) As you age, youmay experience negative feelings when you re-member your youthful vigor and the many thingsyou were once able to do. This is understandable.However, make an effort not to be overcome bythose negative feelings. Dwelling on the past canmake your days gloomy and discourage you fromdoing what you are still able to do. Joseph, 79, inCanada, thinks positively: “I try to enjoy doingthe things I can do and not cry over the thingsthat I used to do but can’t do now.”

Reading and learning can also make you feelmore positive, broadening your horizons. Thus,to the extent possible, be alert for opportunitiesto read and learn new things. Ernesto, 74, in thePhilippines, goes to the library and checks out in-teresting books to read. He says, “I still enjoy thethrill of adventure, the joy of traveling beyondthe confines of home through the written word.”Lennart, 75, in Sweden, even took on the daunt-ing task of learning a new language.

BE GENEROUS: “Practice giving, and people willgive to you.” (Luke 6:38) Make it a practice toshare some of your time and resources with

BE BALANCED BE POSITIVE BE GENEROUS

others. This will give you a feeling of accomplish-ment and happiness. Hosa, 85, in Brazil, makesit a point to help others despite her physical lim-itations. She says: “I call friends who are sickor discouraged and write letters to them. Some-times I send them little gifts. I also like to cook ameal or make a dessert for sick ones.”

Generosity begets generosity. “When youshow love to others, they respond by giving youtheir love and affection,” says Jan, 66, in Sweden.Yes, a generous person creates an atmosphere ofwarmth and appreciation that others find enjoy-able.

BE FRIENDLY: “Whoever isolates himself pursueshis own selfish desires; he rejects all practicalwisdom.” (Proverbs 18:1) While there are timeswhen you may want to be alone, avoid becom-ing isolated and withdrawn. Innocent, 72, in Ni-geria, enjoys the company of friends. “I joyfullyassociate with people of all ages.” Borje, 85, inSweden, says: “I strive to be around young peo-ple. Their vitality makes me feel young again—atleast on the inside.” Take the initiative to invitefriends over occasionally. Han-sik, 72, in SouthKorea, says: “My wife and I like to invite friendsof all ages—elderly ones and teenagers—for a get-together or dinner.”

Friendly people are communicative. But sincecommunication is a two-way street, you need tomake it a point to be good company. Show per-sonal interest in others. Helena, 71, in Mozam-

bique, says: “I am friendly and treat others withdignity. I listen to what they have to say in or-der to find out what they think and what theylike.” Jose, 73, in Brazil, says: “People enjoy be-ing around good listeners—those who show em-pathy and interest in others, who give a word ofcommendation at the right time, and who have asense of humor.”

When expressing your thoughts, take care to‘season your words with salt.’ (Colossians 4:6) Bethoughtful and encouraging.

BE THANKFUL: “Show yourselves thankful.” (Co-lossians 3:15) When receiving help, show appre-ciation for the attention. Expressions of thank-fulness help to cultivate good relationships. “Myhusband and I recently moved from a house to anapartment. We had dozens of friends helping us.We could not thank them enough. We sent per-sonalized thank-you cards and have had some ofthem over for a meal since then,” says Marie-Paule, 74, in Canada. Jae-won, 76, in South Ko-rea, appreciates the rides she gets to the King-dom Hall. She says: “I am so grateful for all thishelp that I make a point of offering some moneyfor the gas. I sometimes prepare small gifts withthank-you notes.”

Above all, be thankful for life itself. “A live dogis better off than a dead lion,” wise King Solo-mon reminded us. (Ecclesiastes 9:4) Yes, with theright attitude coupled with willingness to adapt,it is possible to age gracefully. ˇ

BE FRIENDLY BE THANKFUL

JUNE 1, 2015 11

On January 20, 1815, my ancestor Thomas 1 �

Williams was born at Horncastle, England. Hismother died two years later, so he and his threesiblings were raised by their father, John Wil-liams. John trained Thomas to be a carpenter, butThomas aspired to a different career.

A religious revival was then sweeping throughEngland. Preacher John Wesley had split offfrom the Church of England to form the Soci-ety of Methodists, a group that emphasizedpersonal Bible study and evangelism. Wesley’steachings spread like wildfire, and the Williamsfamily firmly embraced them. Thomas becamea Wesleyan preacher and promptly volunteeredfor missionary work in the South Pacific. InJuly 1840, he and his bride, Mary, 2 landed at La-keba Island,� Fiji, a volcanic isle then inhabitedby cannibals.

LIVING AMONG CANNIBALSDuring their early years in Fiji, Thomas and

Mary endured severe hardships. They labored

� The number corresponds to the individual in the pictures onpages 12 and 13.� Formerly called Lakemba Island, it is located in Fiji’s eastern

Lau Group.

long hours in primitive conditions and tropicalheat. They also confronted unspeakable horrors—tribal war, strangling of widows, infanticide,and cannibalism—and the local people gener-ally resisted their message. Mary and her first-born son, John, fell sick and nearly died. In 1843,Thomas wrote: “My heart was overwhelmedwithin me. . . . I was on the edge of desperation.”Yet he and Mary persevered, drawing strengthfrom their faith in Jehovah God.

Thomas, meanwhile, put his carpentry skillsto good use by building the first European-stylehouse in Fiji. The dwelling featured a ventilatedraised floor and other innovations that arousedgreat curiosity among the local Fijians. Just be-fore the house was completed, Mary gave birth toher second son, Thomas Whitton3 Williams, mydirect ancestor.

In 1843, Thomas senior helped to translatethe Gospel of John into Fijian, a task that hefound particularly challenging.� He was, how-ever, a gifted anthropologist with keen powers of

� Missionary John Hunt translated most of the Fijian New Tes-tament, which was published in 1847. The translation is note-worthy in that it uses the divine name, “Jiova,” at Mark 12:36,Luke 20:42, and Acts 2:34.

LIFE STORY

A Legacy That Has LastedSeven GenerationsAS TOLD BY KEVIN WILLIAMS

People say I am much like my father. My posture,my eyes, and my sense of humor have all come fromhim. But he has also passed on something else—a legacy treasured by seven generations ofmy family. Let me explain.

Learning about our family legacy,with my father

12 THE WATCHTOWER

observation. He carefully recorded his researchin his book, Fiji and the Fijians (1858), a classic ac-count of 19th-century Fijian life.

As a result of his 13 years of toil in Fiji, Thom-as’ health finally broke down, and he and hisfamily moved to Australia. After a long and dis-tinguished career as a clergyman, Thomas diedat Ballarat, Victoria, in 1891.

“GOLD” IN THE WESTIn 1883, Thomas Whitton Williams and his

wife, Phoebe, 4 moved their young family toPerth, Western Australia. Their second-oldestchild, Arthur Bakewell 5 Williams, my next directancestor, was then nine years old.

When Arthur was 22, he sought his fortuneat Kalgoorlie, a gold-mining boomtown some370 miles (600 km) east of Perth. There he readsome literature published by the Internation-al Bible Students, as Jehovah’s Witnesses werethen known. He also subscribed to Zion’s WatchTower. Fascinated by what he read, Arthur be-gan sharing his newfound knowledge with oth-ers and holding meetings for Bible study. Fromthose humble beginnings sprang the modern ac-tivity of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Western Austra-lia.

Arthur also told his family about what he waslearning. His father, Thomas Whitton, supportedArthur’s association with the Bible Students but

died soon afterward. His mother, Phoebe, andhis sisters, Violet and Mary, also became BibleStudents. Violet became a full-time evangelizer,or pioneer. Arthur said that she was “the finestand the most zealous and earnest pioneer West-ern Australia produced.”Arthur was probably bi-ased, but Violet’s zealous example greatly influ-enced the next Williams generation.

In time, Arthur married and moved to Donny-brook, a fruit-growing town in southwest West-ern Australia. There he was nicknamed “OldMad 1914!” because of his zealous proclama-tion of Bible prophecies pointing forward to thatyear.� The teasing stopped when World War Ibroke out. Arthur regularly witnessed to custom-ers in a store that he owned, where he displayedBible literature prominently in the window.The window also displayed a sign that offered100 pounds to anyone who could prove the Trin-ity—an unscriptural doctrine that Arthur firmlyrejected. No one ever collected the money.

The Williams’ home became a focal point forgroup Bible study and congregation meetings inDonnybrook. Later, Arthur built a Kingdom Hall,or meeting place, in town—one of the first inWestern Australia. Well into his 70’s, he would

� See the appendix topic “1914—A Significant Year in BibleProphecy” in the book What Does the Bible Really Teach?published by Jehovah’s Witnesses and available online atwww.jw.org.

1

Thomas Williams,a Wesleyan minister

(1815-1891)

2 Mary Williams(1816-1890)

3

Thomas WhittonWilliams

(1841-1902)

4

Phoebe Williams(1850-1926)

Kingdom Hall,Donnybrook,Australia, 1947

5

Arthur BakewellWilliams

(1875-1959)

JUNE 1, 2015 13

don a suit and tie, saddle up his old horse namedDoll, and go preaching far and wide throughoutthe Donnybrook district.

Arthur’s children were deeply affected by theirfather, who was quiet and dignified, yet zealous.His daughter Florence 6 served as a missionaryin India. His sons, Arthur Lindsay 7 and Thomas,like their father, served as longtime congregationelders.

SWEET LADY WILLIAMSArthur Lindsay Williams, my great grandfa-

ther, was known and loved for his kind disposi-tion. He always had time for people and treatedthem with respect. He was also a champion ax-man, winning 18 regional wood-chopping eventsin 12 years.

Arthur, however, was less than impressedwhen his two-year-old son, Ronald 8 (my grand-father), took an ax to a small apple tree next tothe family home. Ronald’s mother carefully ban-daged the tree, and it eventually bore apples ofexceptional sweetness. Dubbed the Lady Wil-liams apple, the new variety became a forebearof the Cripps Pink apple, one of the world’s mostpopular apple varieties.

Ronald, or Gramp, as I call him, later turnedto more constructive pursuits. He and Grandmaserved for years as volunteer workers on Witnessconstruction projects in Australia and the Solo-

mon Islands. Now nearly 80 years old, Grampstill serves as a congregation elder and helps tobuild and renovate Kingdom Halls in WesternAustralia.

HONORING MY HERITAGEFollowing our family legacy, my parents, Geof-

frey 9 and Janice 10 Williams, worked hard to raisemy sister, Katharine, 11 and me 12 to value Chris-tian principles. At age 13, I made those valuesmy own. While attending a Christian assembly, Iheard John E. Barr, a member of the GoverningBody of Jehovah’s Witnesses, urge young onesin the audience: “Do not waste the most pre-cious thing you have—the opportunity to knowand love Jehovah.” That night I dedicated my lifeto Jehovah. Two years later, I started pioneering.

Today, I enjoy preaching full-time with mywife, Chloe, in Tom Price, a remote mining townin the northwest of Western Australia. We workpart-time to care for our needs. My parentsand my sister, Katharine, and her husband, An-drew, pioneer in Port Hedland, some 260 miles(420 km) to the north. Dad and I also serve ascongregation elders.

Seven generations ago, my ancestor ThomasWilliams determined to serve Jehovah God. Thatlegacy of faith and service has been passed downto me. I feel truly blessed to have such a rich spir-itual heritage. ˇ

In India

6

Florence Williams(1911-2003) 7

Arthur LindsayWilliams

(1904-1984)

In theSolomon Islands

8

Ronald Williams(1935-)

9

Geoffrey Williams(1962-)

1011

12

Kevin Williams(1986-)

14 THE WATCHTOWER

SINCE the term “antichrist” has long beenused as a label for everything from mon-

archs to movies, it is only natural to ask: Who isthe antichrist? Does this term have anything todo with us today? Surely the logical place to be-gin when searching for the identity of the anti-christ is in the Bible, where the term appears fivetimes.ANTICHRIST EXPOSED

The only Bible writer to use the word “anti-christ” is the apostle John. How did he describethe antichrist? Note these words in the first let-ter bearing his name: “Young children, it is thelast hour, and just as you have heard that theantichrist is coming, even now many antichristshave appeared, from which fact we know that itis the last hour. They went out from us, but theywere not of our sort . . . Who is the liar but theone who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This isthe antichrist, the one who denies the Father andthe Son.”—1 John 2:18, 19, 22.

What do we learn from those words? Johnmentioned “many antichrists,” indicating thatthe antichrist is, not an individual, but a col-lective term. People or organizations making upthe antichrist spread lies, deny that Jesus is theChrist, or the Messiah, and try to distort the rela-tionship between God and His Son, Jesus Christ.Those who make up the antichrist claim to be

Christ or his representatives, but since “theywent out from us,” they deviated from true Bibleteachings. Furthermore, this group was presentat the time when John wrote his letter, in “thelast hour,” presumably the end of the time of theapostles.

What else did John write regarding the anti-christ? Speaking about false prophets, hewarned: “Every inspired statement that ac-knowledges Jesus Christ as having come in theflesh originates with God. But every inspiredstatement that does not acknowledge Jesus doesnot originate with God. Furthermore, this is theantichrist’s inspired statement that you haveheard was coming, and now it is already in theworld.” (1 John 4:2, 3) Then, in his second letter,John reiterated this point: “Many deceivers havegone out into the world, those not acknowledg-ing Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This isthe deceiver and the antichrist.” (2 John 7) Clear-ly, John understood the antichrist to be all whodeliberately spread religious deception about Je-sus Christ and Jesus’ teachings.“FALSE PROPHETS” AND “THE MAN OFLAWLESSNESS”

Long before John wrote about such religiousdeceivers, Jesus Christ advised his followers: “Beon the watch for the false prophets who come toyou in sheep’s covering, but inside they are rav-

Who Is the Antichrist?

ˇ A recent horror film was entitled Antichrist.ˇ A popular music group named one of its albums Antichrist Superstar.ˇ Friedrich Nietzsche, 19th-century philosopher, named one of his works The Antichrist.ˇ Kings and emperors in the Middle Ages often called their opponents antichrists.ˇ Martin Luther, German Reformation leader, labeled Roman Catholic popes as antichrists.

JUNE 1, 2015 15

enous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15) The apostle Paullikewise warned Christians inThessalonica: “Letno one lead you astray in any way, because it [theday of Jehovah] will not come unless the aposta-sycomes first and the man of lawlessness gets re-vealed, the son of destruction.”—2 Thessalonians2:3.

Hence, in the first century, false prophets andapostates were already at work, endeavoring toweaken the Christian congregation. All those in-volved in spreading lies and religious deceptionabout Jesus Christ and his teachings were includ-ed in John’s term “antichrist.” Jehovah’s view ofthem was revealed when Paul described them as“the son of destruction.”

BEWARE OF ANTICHRIST’S ACTIVITIES TODAYWhat about today? People and organizations

making up the antichrist still oppose Christ andhis teachings. They deliberately spread lies anddeceptions with the intent of confusing the iden-tity of the Father, Jehovah God, and of His Son,Jesus Christ. We have good reason to beware ofsuch religious deceptions. Let us look at two ex-amples.

For centuries, the churches propagated thedoctrine of the Trinity, claiming that the Fatherand the Son are part of the same entity. The anti-christ thus shrouds in mystery the identity ofJehovah God and Jesus Christ. This mystery hin-ders sincere people from imitating Jesus Christand drawing close to God, as the Bible encour-ages them to.—1 Corinthians 11:1; James 4:8.

The churches add to the confusion by promot-ing the use of Bible translations that omit God’spersonal name, Jehovah, from the text. They dothis despite the fact that the name Jehovah oc-

curs some 7,000 times in the original text of theBible. The result? The identity of the true Godbecomes even more shrouded in mystery.

On the other hand, knowing God’s name, Je-hovah, has helped many honesthearted worship-pers to draw closer to God. That was the experi-ence of Richard, who recalls a conversation withtwo of Jehovah’s Witnesses. “They showed mefrom the Bible that the name of the true Godis Jehovah,” explains Richard. “I was fascinatedby the thought that God has a personal name,something I had never heard before.” From that

point on, he made changes in his life to conformto Bible standards and to please Jehovah. “Learn-ingGod’s name has helped me to develop a closerelationship with him.”

For centuries, the antichrist has kept millionsin spiritual darkness. But by studying God’sWord, the Bible, we are able to learn the trueidentity of the antichrist and be set free from theantichrist’s religious lies and deceptions.—John17:17. ˇ

The apostle John understood the antichrist to beall who deliberately spread religious deception aboutJesus Christ and Jesus’ teachings

Jesus warned thatfalse prophetswould come as‘ravenous wolves insheep’s covering’

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What Does the

Bible Really Teach?

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Bible availableonline in over100 languages

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What makes a good parent?A home in which parents love and respect each oth-er is an excellent environment for a child to grow upin. (Colossians 3:14,19) Good parents love their chil-dren and commend them, just as Jehovah God com-mended his Son.—Read Matthew 3:17.

Our heavenly Father listens to his servants, andhe pays attention to their feelings. Parents do well tolearn from him and listen to what their children haveto say. (James 1:19) They should acknowledge theirchildren’s feelings, including negative expressions.—Read Numbers 11:11, 15.

How can you raise responsiblechildren?As a parent, you have the authority to make rules.(Ephesians 6:1) Learn from God’s example. He ex-presses love for his children by clearly defining therules and the consequences of disobeying them.(Genesis 3:3) But rather than force people to obey,he teaches them how to benefit from doing what isright.—Read Isaiah 48:18, 19.

Make it your goal to help your children to love God.Then they will act wisely even when they are not withyou. Just as God teaches by example, teach your chil-dren to love God by your example.—Read Deuteron-omy 6:5-7; Ephesians 4:32; 5:1.

BIBLE QUESTIONS ANSWERED

READ ANSWERS TO MOREBIBLE QUESTIONS ONLINE

DO YOU TEACH YOUR CHILDTO LOVE GOD?

For moreinformation,see chapter 14of this book,published byJehovah’sWitnesses

Also availableat www.jw.org

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