A lot has changed in the last couple of years. At the same time, we are facing totally new challenges. The economic opening of the country creates as much new poverty as new wealth. The school situation is worse than ever. Many workers can hardly support their families on their wages.
Young people are downright overwhelmed with new Western values and consumer goods.
We have to provide new direction here. Right now we are working hard to get our young people ready to face these new circumstances. At the 32d general congregation in 1974, the Society committed itself to the struggle against atheism. I have to say, I find there are two kinds of atheism. But we now encounter another atheism that I think is far more dangerous, that of modern consumerism.