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employer-employee relations, cor–
porate competitiveness, berating
relatives, congested traffic, mount–
ing bills-you name it-little won–
der nearly every country is plagued
with drug abuse and alcoholism as
forms of escapism.
"Reality is for people who can't
handle drugs," goes the poignant
and twisted reasoning that seems to
express a prevalent attitude of
despair.
Perhaps many of you who pick
your copy of this magazine off the
newsstands are disenchanted with
reality, i n despair about the
future, confused about values,
bereft of a sense of purpose, or
searching for further meaning in
life. We hope by reading this arti–
cle you will discover there is gen–
uine hope of lasting contentment
and fulfillment both now and in
years to come.
Other people will spend a life–
time in search of something to alle–
viate the despondency and depres–
sion in their lives. They don't real–
ize that within the physical realm
alone true fulfillment will always
remain elusive. They will always
find that pleasures only lift their
burdens temporarily. It's wrong
medicine for the sickness.
Rather, the only permanent pur–
suit, in place of the
get way
of plea–
sure seeking, is the
give way
of life.
When will people finally learn "it is
more blessed to give than to
receive"?
Mad Craze to Escape
Twenty years ago
The Plain Truth
reported that Americans alone
were spending $41 bill ion annually
on fun or leisure-time activities.
Today that figure is about six times
as large and three times as much as
the United States spends for
national defense!
At least one entertainment mag–
azine has a special category titled
"Escape" in its classified directory.
Many see this as an innocent escape
valve.
Twenty years ago we also
reported: " Mere escapism, drifting
away from reality, is bad enough,
but human nature is never satisfied
with time-killing fantasy ... de–
sires that constantly demand newer
and more exciting thrills."
Sorne seek new limits in life-
10
risking activities. High risk "sure
beats the boredom of a desk job,"
said one such seeker.
Of course, there's nothing wrong
with living a balanced, activity–
packed, goal-oriented life. Enter–
tainment, recreation, athletics, in
themselves, are not wrong! Far
from it!
Wholesome family entertain–
ment and outings, whether picnics,
softball games or a host of other
activities, are necessary parts of a
well-balanced life.
Balance is a necessary ingre–
dient. Many take part in recreation
to fill empty, boring lives, instead
of doing something that could be
used to directly improve their
capacity to contribute to the well–
being of themselves and others. To
participate in sports and other
diver s ions exclusively to test
extremes and limits is to miss the
point.
Filling Empty Lives
Severa! years ago a metropolitan
newspaper carried an advertise–
ment by a man disenchanted with
pleasure seeking . The advertise–
ment read: "J've tried a dozen ways
of being happy-some of the finest
pleasure 1 know: hunting, sailing,
travel, marvelous restaurants, thea–
ter, ball games, races- the works.
But they' re nothing. 1 feel lik,e a
free loader. 1'11 never get a kick out
of those pleasures. .. ."
T ravel, of itself, can be educa–
tional and beneficia! too, but too
many feel a nagging urge to travel
just for the sake of escaping.
Others seek a way out in gam–
bling casinos, or hedonistic living
rife with rich food , plenteous drink
and sexual skylarking.
Afterward, these same indulgent
persons are as unhappy as before,
none of their revelries having pro–
duced any genuine gratification or
satisfaction . But isn't there any–
thing tangible that
can
bring last–
ing fulfillment and peace of mind, a
true escape from daily pressures
and world problems?
T he answer líes not in solely
accumulating material possessions.
A former governor of California
correctly said: "Our values are out
of kilter if we think that just pro–
ducing two or three cars apiece, an
economy of obsolescence and
increasing mobility and material
accumulations is the good
life. . .. Every civilization that has
gone to a sensate, sensual culture
has fallen ."
Finding "t.he Way Out"
The Creator of mankind knows it is
innately human to be dissatisfied
with a material existence. The Cre–
ator also knew that mankind would
live in fear's grip because humans
refuse to acknowledge the only way
to a rewarding peace of mind
revealed by the Creator.
"So will I choose their delusions,
and bring their fears on them;
because, when 1 called, no one
answered, when 1 spoke they did
not hear; but they did evil before
My eyes, and chose that in which I
do not delight" (J sa. 66:4, RAV
throughout).
"But God is unreal," millions
insist. "He is an elusive, ambiguous
figure lost in a mythological laby–
rinth ." Of course God is unreal to
those who look only to the physical
realm for answers to their prob–
lems.
Humans have forgotten God and
put pleasures of this world in place
of God . Jt was prophesied! "But
know this, that in the last days
perilous times will come: for men
will be ... lovers of pleasure rather
than lovers of God" ( 11 Tim. 3:1-
5).
Don' t you think it's time you
claimed the promise in Isaiah 59: 1:
"Behold, the Lord's hand is not
shortened, that it cannot save; nor
H is ear heavy, that it cannot
hear"?
God is conscious of and fully
able to fill the human need for
security, peace and fulfillment.. But
God has conditions that must be
met before he makes that fulfill–
ment available.
The first step is admitting you
have been wrong. No one can have
peace of mind until he or she
admits to contention, resentment,
jealousy, anger, greed and a host of
other causes (Gal. 5:19-21) that
have led to the general misery and
unhappiness in the individual. The
world's inhabitants have gone
directly opposite to God's way of
give, outgoing concern, joy and
peace that are only truly possible
(Cont i nued on
page
31)
The
PLAIN TRUTH