Basic HTML Version
That
reader voices an opm1on which •is
completely at odds with the truth, which is
the most charitable criticism we can make
ofone who writes without any basis in fact.
Every true American should educate
himself as to the true American position
which should be taken in this delicate and
controversia! matter since th is is a problem
which wiU e¡¡plode in the very near future
because of our flimsy, indefinite, wishy–
washy stand and the weak caliber of our
authorities and representatives dealing with
this importan! matter.
Arthur Leighton D.,
Coral Gables, Florida
You Can Ouit Smoking
In the October
1973
issue of your reli–
gious magazine
The Plain Truth,
1
read a
letter to you from one J . Todd, Bristol , that
he/ she quit smoking by reading a booklet
entitled:
You Can Quit Smoking.
In fact
1
have been an addict since 1was 15. There is
no herbalist in my community who has not
tried his very best to cure me of this smok–
ing habit. All in vain.
1
shall be the happiest
person if Mr. or
Mis.
Todd's story could be
proved for me also. Please kindly send me
this wonderful booklet.
Stephen K. M..
Acera, Ghana
Cover Picture
1
happened to read the November issue
of
The Plain Truth
at the Manila office of
Ambassador College. Being a printer and a
long time subscriber of the magazine.
1
was
very much impressed by its new formal, the
accentuated cover layout and its top qual–
ity.
The articles were superb, timely and
thought provoking. In fact,
1
wished this
particular edition had been sent out to the
Philippine readership. Being 80% a Catho–
Iic nation, the Filipino people would read–
ily grab anything written about the Pope.
This write-up would have left many edu–
cated Catholics thinking .. ..
Anyway in your future editioo of
The
Plain Truth,
please feature Presiden! Mar–
cos on the cover .... Obviously the Presi–
den! himself or those close to him are avid
readers of the magazine as shown in his
speeches, decrees and maoy other reforms
which are workiog well under the New So–
ciety.
We are a bit jealous that you have fea–
tured on [your] cover nearly all the leaders
of Southeast Asia - except our Presiden!
who has done his job as good if not better
than any ooe of them. Thank you. Aod
more power to
The Plain Truth
-
its stalf
and worldwide operations.
Napoleon P. A.,
Makati, Philippines
•
Patience has its reward - Herbert
W.
Arm–
strong
wi/1
be speaking in Manila in March
and another up-to·date story on the Philip–
pines
wi/1
be forthcoming.
Starving Twins to Death
Formerly my parents were pagans but
now they are Cbristians. This gives me
maximum happiness. The reason why
1am
happy is this. During the time they were
pagan, my mother gave birth to twins on
two occasions. The first set were both baby
girls. These girls were starved lo death to
32
respect local tradition and customs. On the
second occasion a baby girl and a baby boy
were born. By this time they were "Chris–
tia.ns." Because of the intervention of the
church, my parents casta lot on which child
should die and which shou ld live. The lot
fell on the baby boy to Iive, and the person
writing this is the baby boy. now a man .
Thanks to God for this. The baby girl was
starved to death as usual. Th is matter was
concealed from me until my first year in the
Secondary School in
1960.
When
1
heard
my Iife history.
1
asked my mother whether
what
1
heard was a fact. She owned up aftcr
crying. But latcr said, "My son Jonathan.
God saved you for something which
1
don't
know."
Jonathan C. O..
Nigeria
A Helping Hand in Lite
1
have been receiving your magazine
since 1 arrived in this country, almost a year
ago. When sending the coupon for it, 1 did
not realise that
J
was writing for a helping
hand in life - which is precise!y what
1
find
your wonderful magazine to be. At the age
of
16,
the tumiog point of life, life seems a
maze and one does not know what way to
tum.
1
find
The Plain Truth
to be an ex–
cellent guide. 1
am
a Hindu , but 1 find more
help and more truth in this magazine than
1
would have found in any scripture or reli–
gious books. My gratitude cannot be ex–
pressed in words.
B. M.•
London, England
1
am a teacher in an intemational school
which
is
prívate, and where the children a re
mostly from "privileged" bornes. The atti–
tude of most of these children is quite ap–
palling, and this is due to poor child
rearing.
1
cannot further e¡¡press my views
on this now but wish to seize the opportu–
nity to ask for your booklets on marriagc
and dating. Once again accept my thanlcs
for your worthy services to mankind.
1
pray
that your work be blessed and that it
achieves its aim.
What You Can Do
Augustina A.,
Acera, Ghana
1
very much enjoy reading your publica–
tion.
1
read with great interest your sugges–
tions on teeth published in the November
1973
issue.
As
a practicing dentist, 1 would like to
suggest sorne corrections in the article by
Patrick Pamell. Pyorrhea may be com–
monly caused by a number of reasons, as
you have stated. It is most commonly
caused by bacteria! plaque, and not calcu–
lus or tartar as your article suggests. The
calculus or tartar forms by the soft bacteria!
plaque, becoming calcified, or hardened. l t
is the bacteria that cause the reactioo of
bleeding and inflammation and not the
hardened deposits. The last line of your
article states that "if gums bleed slightly
when brushed, this may be a sign of exces–
sive buildup of calculus or tartar." Blecding
of the gums is a sign of inflammation which
is caused by the soft bacteria! plaque
buildup and not by the hardened deposits.
1
feel that it would be of great service to
your readers to ma.ke this distinction clear,
and emphasizing lhat the most importan!
dental care is done by the patient at home
with thc use of the floss and the toothbrush
in removing the soft bacteria! plaque accu–
mulations. even more so than anything
done in the dentist's office to mechanically
remove the hardened deposits.
Morton Silverberg, D.D.S..
Toronto. Ontario
1 read with a great deal of interest the
page entitled "What You Can Do" in
The
Plain Truth.
Regarding caulking the cracks
in the home. 1would like to suggest avoid–
ing the use of inexpensive caulking com–
pound
(25~-75~
a tube) and using the best
available. Since ordinary caulking hardens
and falls off within a few years, the work
must be done over again. Even before it
falls off. cracks form in it, defeating the
purpose . ...
Also,
1
would like
10
comment oo the
article by Mr. Pamell on pyorrhea. He has
listed the classic cause. calculus or tartar. as
being the cause of gum damage. The infor–
mation coming most recently. from Cornell
University, suggests that bone degeneration
around the tooth is also very importan!.
This bone degeneration is likely due to (ac–
cording to Comell resources) an imbalance
in the minerals of the American diet - too
much phosphorus (in a high meat diet) and
too Jiule calcium (insufficient milk and mil k
products in the average diet).
Crisis in Religion
A.
J. J .,
Dodge. Nebraska
Author Knedel. while being a propbet of
gloom. is not necessarily one of doom as he
observes: "The Calholic Church is down
but not out."
1
concur with this statement
allhough
1
do not necessarily agree with his
conclusion. As has occurred many times in
the history of the Catholic Church, why
shouldn't she once again arise like a phoe–
ni¡¡ out of the ashes'?
Claude K..
Plaquemine. Louisiana
The Catholic Church would never deny
the disagreements, dissent, and factions that
e¡¡ist within it. However, although such
things as the so-called Protestan! Reforma–
tion have appeared as
hu~e
crises, "frag–
menting" (as you put 1t) the church
membership. this has failed totally to de–
stroy or
10
change.
in essence,
the Catholic
Church . . ..
The mention you malee of Pope Paul's
statement that the devil caused trouble may
be embarrassing to "progressive" Catho–
lics; but to those who remain true to the
Church. the statement is serious aod true.
Brenda N..
Vancouver, British Columbia
1
enjoy this magazine very much.
1
am
a
conservative Catholic. and the article, "The
Continuing Crisis in the Catholic Church"
to my thinking is good and the way 1 always
figured it out - eh! This new deal is noth–
ing more than jazzing up Calvary. lt's em–
barrassing and insulting. 1 hope Pope John
can look down on earth and see the terrible
mess he started. 1want to send this issue
10
a few of my friends as
1
won't part with
mine.
Mrs. Robert H.,
Williston, North Dakota
PLAIN TRUTH March 1974