Signs of the Times - Jan/Feb 2021 by Adventist Media

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WHERE IS GOD

in the pain of systemic injustice? WHERE DID THE UNIVERSE COME FROM?

WHICH "MILK" IS BEST FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY

IN THIS ISSUE

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WHERE IS GOD IN THE PAIN OF SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE? And what does the Bible say about the poor and suffering? PAGE 32

12 CURRENT

WHAT IN THE WORLD COMPETITION VS COOPERATION IN A CRISIS It’s time to make a choice 38 YOUR SAY Does God care about those who are suffering? 4 6

WELLBEING

12 10 SECRET

SUPERPOWERS OF

STRENGTH-BUILDING FOR

WOMEN 18 WHICH "MILK" IS BEST FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?

40 24 BETTER HEALTH FOR

EVERY BODY Health news that makes a difference 60 RECIPE: SESAME RAMEN NOODLES

FAITH

26 I WILL BE BAPTISED! The worst weather

of the season didn’t discourage her 46 YOU ARE NEEDED! Your church needs your unique talents

BIG QUESTIONS

40 WHERE DID THE

UNIVERSE COME FROM?

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 2

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

/SIGNSMAG

SCIENCE & TECH

52 THE CUTTING EDGE Engineering, science

and technology news

CULTURE

54 ANDROIDS LOVE THEIR

CHILDREN TOO Raised by Wolves

FUN

62 CROSSWORD & SUDOKU Have you been paying

attention?

NEW BEGINNINGS Well, we’ve consigned a troublesome 2020 to the annals of history and have cautiously cheered in 2021. But before we close the door on last year, let’s not forget the lessons we learned; insights we can take forward into the rest of our lives. We learned how flexible and adaptable we are. We can work from home. We can home-school our kids (kind of). We also learned that life is better together. Isolation can be crippling, but when we get to know our neighbours it makes such a positive difference. As you assemble your plans for 2021, do you have any sense that your expectations and priorities have changed? A sense of the preciousness of life; of those simple things we so often take for granted? I hope so, because growth is healthy. By the time you read this, I will have completed my time as editor of Signs of the Times. Last year threw up its challenges, but I’m grateful that it also provided time to reflect and re-prioritise. I’m taking up a role as a disability advocate for a community organisation, which will stretch and grow me in new ways. And that’s healthy. But I’ll miss my colleagues here at Adventist Media and I’ll miss the privilege of being able to connect with you each month. I’m deeply grateful for that opportunity. It’s a time of new beginnings. Going forward, Signs will grow and change, but some things will remain at the core: this magazine will continue to present Jesus to a world that so desperately needs to hear His message, and the priority will continue to be informing, inspiring and connecting more deeply with you, our valued reader. Happy New Year.

Kent KENT KINGSTON Editor

VOL 136 NO 1/2 ISSN 1038-9733 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Brad Kemp EDITOR Kent Kingston ASSOCIATE EDITOR Daniel Kuberek COPYEDITOR Tracey Bridcutt GRAPHIC DESIGN Nerise McQuillan Theodora Amuimuia PHONE +61 2 9847 2222 EMAIL info@signsofthetimes.org.au WEBSITE signsofthetimes.org.au ADDRESS Adventist Media PO Box 1115, Wahroonga New South Wales 2076 SUBSCRIPTIONS Kelli Geelan PHONE +61 3 5965 6300 Australia/New Zealand, $A26; South Pacific countries, $A41; Other countries $A51 Published since 1886, Signs of the Times is printed 11 times a year by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and is registered as a periodical. Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPD) Limited ABN 59 093 117 689 NOTE The inclusion of a person or their image within does not imply their endorsement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church or its beliefs. Unless otherwise stated, Bible verses are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, Anglicised. Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc®. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton. All rights reserved worldwide. COVER PHOTO: fanjianhua—Getty Images

@Kent_SignsMag JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

R RENT

WHAT IN THE WORLD LOGAN’S RECYCLED GROGAN AUSTRALIA

THE DOMESTIC CAT PROBLEM NEW ZEALAND

Conservationists are concerned about dwindling numbers of Banded Dotterel birds following domestic cats attacks. 17 of 22 nests were found destroyed, abandoned or with eggs eaten during the bird’s breeding season in Kaikoura’s South Bay. Local cat owners are being urged to keep their pets indoors, as research estimates 1.4 million felines kill 18.76 million animals each year.—RNZ, Forest & Bird 4

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, SHELLIE EVANS—FLICKR, PXFUEL, IAEA IMAGEBANK—FLICKR

Human excrement could soon be turned into energy, according to a plan by Queensland’s Logan City Council. A plant expected to cost $A17m will generate electricity by running faeces through a furnace and treating biosolids. The council believes the process will save ratepayers $500,000 each year, which is currently spent on running wastewater operations. The human waste energy initiative is part of the council’s plan to be carbon neutral by 2022.—ABC

MILKING PLANTS Experts say the PLANT-BASED

MILK INDUSTRY’S continual growth—

DAILY MICROPLASTIC CONSUMPTION

currently 7% of Australia’s

WORLD

Researchers in Ireland have found baby bottles made from polypropylene could be releasing up to 1.6 million microplastic particles each day that are then ingested by babies. Scientists have called for further research into microplastics and their long-term effects. They have also encouraged parents to rinse out sterilised bottles with room temperature water.—Wired

milk consumption— shows the public is

BECOMING MORE HEALTH CONSCIOUS.—Inside FMCG

What the SOY AND ALMOND MILK industries are WORTH in Australia, across 24 businesses. —IBISWorld

Almond milk demand HAS GROWN FROM 20% OF THE DAIRYFREE MILK

RADIOACTIVE WATER RELEASED? JAPAN

Reports suggest Japan could release 1.2 million tonnes of cooling water stored after the Fukushima disaster back into the ocean. The radioactive water has been stored since 2011, but the country is hoping to free up space and dismantle the inactive plant. Questions have been raised about Japan’s environmental commitment after the country also withdrew from international whaling agreements.—Forbes

industry TO ALMOST HALF within

five years. —IBISWorld New Zealand is launching PLANTBASED and 100%

RECYCLABLE PACKAGING

for milk, made from sugarcane.—Scoop NZ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

R RENT

COMPETITION

The natural human impulse is to bunker down and look out for Number One when times get tough. But is that actually the most effective response? BY MARK DELANEY

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

OZGURDONMAZ—GETTY IMAGES

Cooperation IN A CRISIS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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Organization, purportedly because it is too bureaucratic and hasn’t done enough to stop Covid-19 in the US.  Overriding of a commercial contract for face masks being delivered to Germany in order to keep the masks in the US.  Attempting to buy out a German pharmaceutical company to secure exclusive preferential access if their coronavirus vaccine succeeds. Here in Australia we are not immune to the “disregard thy neighbour” urge. Queensland senator Matt Canavan expressed similar anti cooperation sentiments last year when he said, “I made the mistakes too. I have been a supporter of the Paris Agreement because Australia has benefited from international agreements. But things have changed. With the need to secure our manufacturing industry and the clear breakdown of international cooperation, we must face the fact that era is over.

ERHUI1979—GETTY IMAGES

t school, I remember being put into “houses” for sport, after which teachers and older students would actively promote how good “our house” was compared to the others. The indoctrination of competition over cooperation had begun. In the years that followed, we were taught to compete with other students in exams, other candidates in job interviews and other companies in business. Jump forward a few years, and we see our learned-fromchildhood tendency to compete, rather than cooperate, playing out in dangerous ways with respect to the two biggest threats of our time, Covid-19 and climate change. “We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism!” President Trump derided the idea of global cooperation quite succinctly at a speech to the UN in 2018. Essentially, Trump opined, if agreements you make with others don’t benefit you (in this case agreements with the rest of the global community), get out. Fuelled by the joint stress of a climate emergency and a pandemic, recent years are awash with governments pursuing more isolationist and less cooperative policies. The US has led the way:  Announcing an intention to exit from the Paris Agreement on climate change, because it won’t allow the US to extract and sell as many fossil fuels as it desires.  Exiting from the World Health

“We should end our participation in the Paris Agreement, given the more immediate need to secure our manufacturing jobs. And we should rule out any moves to net-zero emissions or a future global agreement on carbon until other countries, much larger than us, demonstrate real reductions in their carbon emissions.” In other words, Canavan suggests that when things are difficult, and it seems no-one else is cooperating, we should look out for Number One. The logic seems compelling: if cooperation isn’t benefiting you, why do it?

why cooperation trumps competition in a crisis

Here are five reasons, despite the impulse to look after oneself during a crisis, that it is even more imperative to cooperate with others:

1scientists mapped the Covid-19 Chinese

SOLUTIONS ARE MORE LIKELY IF WE COOPERATE.

genome early in the pandemic

and placed that information in the public domain. That gave scientists the world over a head start on finding a vaccine, which will likely save hundreds of thousands of lives. The scientific community is now attempting to create an intellectual property regime so that any vaccine found will also be in the public domain.

IF YOU TAKE COMPETITION TO ITS LOGICAL CONCLUSION, WE ALL LOSE. When we treat everyone

else as a competitor to be beaten, history and human nature teach us that things end very badly. Initially the strong people and nations (US,

“

we are not immune to the "disregardthy-neighbour" urge

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

China, Australia) may win, but, as they force their will on poorer nations and people, resentment builds and it’s only a matter of time before their power crumbles. By contrast, a much more cooperative and compassionate view was advocated by the great Mahatma Gandhi: “A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.” I suspect Gandhi would not mind extending his principle to: “The world’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest nations— especially during a crisis.”

IT’S SIMPLY NOT TRUE THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS STOPPED COOPERATING. Despite Senator

Canavan’s assertion that the bigger nations are not doing anything to reduce emissions, that is simply not true. Virtually every nation still holds to the Paris Agreement, and some, like Germany, are redoubling their efforts. Consequently, German and European emissions are falling as they embrace renewable energy, thus benefiting the whole world which shares their atmosphere. In fields other than climate change too, most nations are holding to global cooperation, knowing that the benefits far outweigh the costs. Most of western Europe, for example, is still in the EU, knowing that it has helped Europe achieve stability for the past 75 years.

4 Jesus taught us not to be served, IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

but to serve (Mark 10:45). Why? I suspect Jesus knew that dominating others leads only to pain, whereas compassion and cooperation create a much healthier, happier world. In fact, all major religions have a version of the golden rule: “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12). If we use our power to compete with and dominate others, the cycle of oppression, hatred and revenge goes on and on, ending in misery for both the oppressor and oppressed. However, if there is empathy, compassion and cooperation, the cycle is broken, which in turn proves good for us all.

5Canavan advises Australians Senator to

WHO IS "IN" AND WHO IS "OUT" IN A COMPETITIVE WORLD?

not cooperate with other countries because they’re not “pulling their weight”. However, by his logic, why stop at international competition?  At an intra-national (state) level, Queensland and New South Wales might have competed against Victoria during its second wave: You’ve got too many Covid infections. Don’t expect any medical or logistical help from us.  At an intra-state level, the urban population might compete with regional areas: You don’t pay as much tax as we city folk, so we’re not going to build any more roads for you.  At an intra-family level, the main income earner might compete

with the partner and children: Why should I support you? You’re not getting my money anymore. Once you start down the competitive path, where do you stop?

reforming ourselves

If cooperation works to create a better society, especially in dealing with an emergency like Covid-19

The popular Park Run is a lovely example. Each Saturday morning (prior to Covid), thousands of people around the world gathered together in their local neighbourhoods for a five-kilometre run in which there’s much encouragement of each other, the only competition being to beat one’s own personal best time. Now, in the age of Covid-19 and climate change, could we learn to

“

ECLIPSE_IMAGES—GETTY IMAGES

If there is empathy, compassion and cooperation, the cycle is broken

or climate change, then it calls into question the way we inculcate in ourselves and our children the value of competition. Instead of being put into “house” teams at school, and taught to compete against others to have a winner (and therefore a loser), could we instead encourage children to help each other achieve their personal best in sport and exams?

cooperate for the benefit of all, rather than compete to win, at any cost? Considering the crises our world is facing right now, thousands, if not millions of lives will depend on the choice we make. Mark Delaney is a lawyer by training. He and his family lived and worked with the poor in India for more than 20 years. Since returning to Australia in 2019, he has worked part-time for the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

ELL B EING

Weight-training—it’s not just for the boys. And you’ll be surprised at the range of health benefits that come from being stronger. BY LEESA BRIONES

SECRET SUPERPOWERS OF

G N I D L I U B H T G N STRE

fo r w o m e n

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

raditionally, weightlifting has been seen as a man’s activity. Many women shy away from it, worried that they will become too muscular and masculine. However, this is a misconception based on female athletes whose “fitness” regime involves extreme workouts or even performance enhancing drugs. Dr Darren Morton, internationally recognised lifestyle medicine expert, explains: “Men want to become ‘bulky’ and still find it hard, even though they have a lot more testosterone in their system! It isn’t something women normally need to worry about.” Strength-building through lifting weights can help women to reach their health goals, such as losing weight by reducing body-fat percentage, toning and shaping. Weightlifting—whether it involves free weights (barbells and dumbbells), fixed weight machines, or just lifting your own body weight—can increase both confidence and quality of life long-term. Ten benefits of strength training are explored below, including some that may be surprising—keep an eye out for the one on osteoporosis. Note that I’ve used terms interchangeably—weightlifting, strength building, resistance training. Same thing.

#1 You may have met “that” trainer at the gym who finds amusement

ANDRESR—GETTY IMAGES

HIGHLY EFFECTIVE FOR WEIGHT LOSS

in making you pay penance for your favourite treats by pushing you to run like a gazelle on the treadmill until your lungs feel like they’re going to burst and your muscles are screaming. My personal discovery was that I don’t run like a gazelle; when I tried the treadmill, I ran like a JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

#2 Resistance training improves every physical and movement IMPROVED MOVEMENT

related activity, increasing confidence and making daily tasks easier and more fun. In studies of elderly people who did regular strength training, it was found they were more likely to move spontaneously rather than worrying about injuring themselves every time they got up from a chair. Thinking long term, we imagine enjoying our retirement by travelling, spending time with loved ones or doing hobbies, not suffering from disabilities. Increased muscle tone reduces strain on joints and bones and increases our confidence to be playful and enjoy the moment.

#3 Who doesn’t need more energy? Ernestine Shepherd, one INCREASED ENERGY

of the oldest female bodybuilders, started training in her fifties and is still walking or cycling around two hours every morning, as well as 14

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

lifting weights. She’s now 84 years young! The ideal of a physically active woman, however, goes back many more years—millennia in fact! The reflections of King Lemuel on the value of a “virtuous and capable wife” include the descriptor that “she is energetic and strong”, or, as the New King James Bible translation renders it, “She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms” (Proverbs 31:10,17 NLT).

#4 Short bursts of stress are normal and no problem for our REDUCED STRESS

bodies to deal with, but long bouts of chronic stress without a stress release are damaging, as is often the case with the pressures of modern society. Resistance training is a great stress release as it helps to remove stress hormones from the body. It also requires so much energy and concentration that (at least while doing it) you may not have the energy to worry or feel upset about the rest of your life, because you need all of your energy and focus for your muscles. Research published in Psychology Today presented evidence that exercise can even reduce anger.

#5 According to Harvard Women’s Health Watch, women who REDUCED DEPRESSION

did two or more sessions of strength

FATCAMERA—GETTY IMAGES

drunken chicken on a rolling barrel, before taking a misstep and flying off the end! I wonder why that trainer never told me the sneaky secret of strength training? It is even better than cardio for weight loss, because it works for you even when you’re not working. One study in women around 60 years old who were put on a resistance training regime, showed they had a higher total energy expenditure and they were burning more calories even while resting.

“

Resistance training is a great stress release

training per week saw a significant fall in their symptoms of depression—those who most needed a lift seemed to see even more benefits.

#6 I had the privilege of seeing this in BUILDING BONE DENSITY AND REVERSING OSTEOPOROSIS

action, since I got to work out in the same gym as an elderly gentleman who was enthusiastic about his increased bone health. Recent studies have confirmed that even the elderly can increase their bone density, because the right type of resistance exercise—called “power training”— can even encourage new growth in bone cells.

RESISTANCE TRAINING HAS BENEFITS FOR CANCER PATIENTS

Resistance training has recently

been trialled on women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. They started the training within the first week of their treatment at three Swedish university hospitals. Their energy, stress and nausea improved significantly after resistance training.

#8 According to the Victorian Cosmetic Institute, some popular COSMETIC BENEFITS

plastic surgeries include the “tummy tuck” and “Brazilian butt lift”, where fat is taken from unwanted areas via liposuction and injected into the buttocks. Many women are willing to go under the knife with dreams of becoming Barbie with a tiny waist and well-cushioned rear. Benign-sounding procedures can have deadly complications however, including lung and heart failure (not to mention the risk of death, which JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

for an unnecessary procedure should or carrying some weights while be a total deal-breaker). It’s time you do your daily walk. Dr Darren for us to remember that we’re not a Morton recommends two or three resistance sessions a week as a good surgeon’s guinea pig or “doll”, but goal, and says, “There are many something much more magnificent. benefits of resistance training for Why risk pain and death (or being women, including muscle and bone “botched”) and waste all that money strength. Obviously, it is important when we have vast potential to to be a little more conservative develop our body at little cost, with during pregnancy, but as long as the value-added benefits? In many cases, weights aren’t the reduced too heavy, and body fat and you remember to muscle tone breathe during achieved with the exercise, they strength training can be very safe. will do wonders Darren Morton I suggest only for common recommends lifting weights “problem areas”. that you could two or three perform at BENEFITS least 12 to 15 TO resistance repetitions with.” PATIENTS sessions a week Every pregnancy WITH EATING is different, of DISORDERS course, so it’s Strength wise to seek medathletes, such as fitness model ical advice before Imogen Parfitt, say that focusing on embarking on a strength-training becoming strong and healthy helped regime. them to beat anorexia—using natural Using our muscles as women can bodybuilding, not competitions that help us improve our quality of life. involve extreme diets and dehydraAnd, in fact, it seems that our bodies are designed in a way that requires us tion to look more “cut”. to challenge our muscles regularly for optimal health and wellbeing. KEEPING FIT DURING

“

#10 A good start is to modify what PREGNANCY

you already do by adding some bodyweight resistance training to your daily routine, using everyday objects such as cans or water bottles, 16

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Leesa Briones is a lifestyle medicine student with a background in education. She lives with her family in Melbourne. Please note that the advice given here is general and may not be suitable for your particular situation. If you have any doubts, consult a health professional first.

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ELL B EING

WHICH

‘‘MILK’’

environment ? SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

KLENOVA—GETTY IMAGES

IS BEST FOR THE

We compared dairy, nut, soy, hemp and grain milks. BY DORA MARINOVA & DIANA BOGUEVA

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

aking eco-conscious choices at the shops can be tricky when we’re presented with so many options, especially when it comes to milk. Should we buy plant-based milk or dairy? We’ve looked at the evidence to help you choose.

environmental footprint

VLADIMIR ZAPLETIN—GETTY IMAGES

Any plant-based milk, be it made from beans, nuts or seeds, has a lighter impact than dairy when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the use of water and land. All available studies, including systematic reviews, categorically point this out. A 2018 study estimates dairy to be around three times more greenhouse gas emission-intensive

than plant-based milks. In the case of cow’s milk, its global warming potential—measured as kilogram of carbon dioxide equivalent per litre of milk—varies between 1.14 in Australia and New Zealand to 2.50 in Africa. Compare this to the global warming potential of plantbased milks, which, on average, is just 0.42 for almond and coconut milk and 0.75 for soy milk. What’s more, dairy generally requires nine times more land than any of the plant-based alternatives. Every litre of cow’s milk uses 8.9 square metres per year, compared to 0.8 for oat, 0.7 for soy, 0.5 for almond and 0.3 for rice milk. Water use is similarly higher for cow’s milk: 628 litres of water for every litre of dairy, compared to 371

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

for almond, 270 for rice, 48 for oat and 28 for soy milk.

milks from nuts

Milk can be made from almost any nuts, but almond, hazelnut and coconut are proving popular. Not only do nut milks generally require smaller land areas, the trees they grow on absorb carbon and, at the end of their life, produce useful woody biomass. Still, there are vast differences in the geographical conditions where various nut trees are grown. ALMOND

“

California is the largest producer of almond milk in the world, followed by Australia. Compared to other

Dairy generally requires nine times more land than any plantbased alternatives

plant-based milk options, its water use is much higher and largely depends on freshwater irrigation. One kernel of California almond requires 12 litres of water, which raises questions about the industrial production of these nuts in water-scarce areas. However the biggest environmental concern with almond production in the US is the high mortality of bees, used for tree cross-pollination. This might be because the bees are exposed to pesticides, including glyphosate (Roundup is a popular brand name), and the intensive industrial agriculture which drastically transforms nature’s fragile ecosystems. In Australia, where almond orchards are smaller-scale and less industrialised, beekeepers do not experience such problems. Still, millions of bees are needed, and fires, drought, floods, smoke and heat damage can threaten their health. COCONUT

Generally, the environmental performance of coconut milk is good— coconut trees use small amounts of water and absorb carbon dioxide. Yet as coconuts are grown only in tropical areas, the industrial production of this milk can destroy wildlife habitat. Increasing global demand for coconut milk is likely to put further pressure on the environment and wildlife, and deepen these conflicts. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

HAZELNUT

Hazelnut is a better option for the environment as the trees are cross-pollinated by wind, which carries airborne dry pollen between neighbouring plants, not bees. Hazelnuts also grow in areas with higher rainfall around the Black Sea, Southern Europe and in North America, demanding much less water than almond trees. Hazelnut milk is already commercially available and although its demand and production are rising, the cultivation of the bush trees is not yet subjected to intensive large-scale operations.

milks from legumes

Soy milk has been used for millennia in China and has an established presence in the West, but the hemp alternative is relatively new. All legumes are nitrogen fixing. This means the bacteria in plant tissue produce nitrogen, which improves soil fertility and reduces the need for fertilisers. Legumes are also water-efficient, particularly when compared with almonds and dairy. SOY

Soy milk has a very good environmental performance in terms of water, global warming potential and land-use. The US and Brazil are the biggest suppliers of soybeans, 22

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

and the plant is very versatile when it comes to its commercial uses, with a large share of the beans used as livestock feed. However, a major environmental concern is the need to clear and convert large swathes of native vegetation to grow soybeans. An overall reduction in the demand for meat and animal-based foods could potentially decrease the need to produce large amounts of soybeans for animal feed, but we’re yet to witness such changes. HEMP

The environmental benefits of hemp milk make it a game-changer. Its seeds are processed for oil and milk, but the plant itself is very versatile—all its parts can be used as construction material, textile fibres, pulp and paper or hemp-based plastics. Its roots grow deep, which improves the soil structure and reduces the presence of fungi. It’s also resistant to diseases, and it produces a lot of shade, which suppresses the growth of weeds. This, in turn, cuts down the need for herbicides and pesticides. Hemp requires more water than soy, but less than almond and dairy. Despite being one of the oldest crops used, particularly in Europe, hemp is produced in very low quantities.

milks from grains

We can produce plant-based milk from almost any grains, but rice and oat are proving popular. However,

they require more land compared with nut milks. RICE

Rice milk has a big water footprint. More notably, it’s associated with higher greenhouse gas emissions compared to the other plant-based options because methane-producing bacteria develop in the rice paddies. In some cases, rice milk may contain unacceptable levels of arsenic. And applying fertilisers to boost yields can pollute nearby waterways. OAT

Oat milk has been becoming increasingly popular around the world because of its overall environmental benefits. But similar to soy, the bulk of oat production is used for livestock feed and any reduction in the demand for animal-based foods would decrease the pressure on this plant. Currently grown in Canada and the US, most oat operations are large-scale monoculture, which means it’s the only type of crop grown in a large area. This practice depletes the soil’s fertility, limits the diversity of insects and increases the risk of diseases and pest infection. Oats are also typically grown with glyphosate-based pesticides, which tarnishes its environmental credentials because it can cause glyphosate-resistant plant, animal and insect pathogens to proliferate.

the final message:

Diversify your choices. Organic versions of all these plant-based milks are better for the environment because they use, for example, fewer chemical fertilisers, they’re free from pesticides and herbicides, and they put less pressure on the soils. Any additives—be they fortifiers, such as calcium or vitamins; flavours or additional ingredients, such as sugar, coffee or chocolate—should be taken into account separately. Packaging is also very important to consider. Packaging contributes to 45 per cent of the global warming potential of California’s almond milk. And it’s worth keeping in mind that wasting milk has a much bigger environmental footprint and questions the ethics of how humans exploit the animal world. If, as a consumer you are trying to reduce the environmental footprint with the milk you drink, the first message is you should avoid dairy and replace it with plant-based options. The second message is that it’s better to diversify the plant-based milks we use. Shifting to only one option, even if it’s the most environmentally friendly one for the time being, means the market demand may potentially become overexploited. Dora Marinova and Diana Bogueva are sustainability researchers at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia. This article first appeared on The Conversation website and is reprinted under a Creative Commons licence.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

ELL B EING

BETTER HEALTH for every body WITH

DR SIMONE KOOKE

YOU BOOZE, YOU LOSE

BABIES AND GLUTEN

When deciding on what to first feed your baby, it may be worth considering foods high in gluten. Researchers from the UK have suggested that introducing gluten-containing foods from four months could reduce the risk of developing coeliac disease later in life. Given the many long-term effects of this condition, prevention may be the best cure.—JAMA Pediatrics 24

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

American researchers found that consumption of more than eight alcoholic drinks per week increased the risk of diabetics developing high blood pressure. While it’s hard to stop being diabetic, reducing alcohol consumption can have a positive impact on your blood pressure.—American Heart Association

STEVE BUISSINNE—PIXABAY, ROMRODINKA, MARCOS CALVO—GETTY IMAGES, DENISE JANS RQ0, ARTHUR SAVARY, ALEKSANDRA KHOROSHYKH—UNSPLASH

UNHEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

Several nutrients and supplements have been suggested to help childhood autism, but there is one that should definitely be avoided. Manasmithra Vatika is an ayurvedic (traditional Indian) preparation used for improving memory and concentration, but it has been found to contain lead, among other heavy metals. If taken at high doses or for long periods, this could cause lead poisoning.—Vic Health Alerts

SLEEP WELL

Not getting a good night’s sleep could have longer term implications than just being tired. Australian and Icelandic researchers have found the same types of changes in the brains of those who have sleep apnoea as Alzheimer’s sufferers. While the links are not fully understood, the connection between sleep quality and brain function highlights the importance of proper shuteye.—Sleep

COULD MOZART HELP? Listening to music is a favourite pastime for many, but Italian researchers have found a new benefit. Listening to Mozart—both as a one-off and long term—has been shown to reduce seizure frequency. While the most research has been done on “Sonata for Two Pianos” (K448), Mozart’s music as a whole has been shown to have a similar positive effect. —Science Direct

SOLAR DEFENCE

A healthy dose of sunlight could do more than just boost your mood, with US researchers finding that people with low vitamin D levels were twice as likely to test positive for Covid-19 than those with enough of the vitamin. With this being a safe-to-take vitamin that has many other health benefits, there is a building case for supplementing with this nutrient.—JAMA Network Open

Dr Simone Kooke is a Sydney general practitioner and mum of two who loves to help her patients and family make simple, practical lifestyle improvements that will increase their longevity and quality of life. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

FA IT H

I WILL BE

Baptised!

How far would you be willing to walk to be baptised? How about in the middle of the winter with chest-deep snow on the ground? BELTERZ—GETTY IMAGES

BY JERIS BRAGAN

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n Friday, March 16, 1956, Edie Hall, age 12, pressed her nose against the window and tried to see whether the storm had stopped. In the background, she heard her mother, Elsie, shuffling through a collection of music albums. Soon Del Delker’s gospel hymns flowed from the battered record player. Edie took a deep breath, savouring the fragrance of dinner cooking. Briefly, the sweet scent of wood smoke and tomato stew overpowered the anger, hatred and violence that smouldered inside the cluttered and dilapidated farmhouse. Edie scrambled into her boots and jacket, lit the old kerosene lantern hanging by the door and pushed the front door open for a better look at the snow. A blast of Arctic air sliced through her jacket as she stepped out into a blizzard. All month long it had snowed, covering the village of Lisbon Falls, Maine, with more than a metre of snow. Edie could barely see her father’s truck parked a few metres away. Blown by fierce winds off the North Atlantic, snowdrifts climbed higher and higher. Inside, she could hear her father, Charley, screaming at her brothers. “I’ll put this stick upside your head!” he roared. Two contradictory experiences framed Edie’s life. First, there was violence, seizing her like a steel bear trap. Her father was an angry, vicious man. He beat his farm animals with clubs, particularly the horses, until they screamed. Worse, he beat her three older brothers with anything handy—if he could catch them. Half blind and increasingly crippled JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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the steep stairs to her attic bedroom. The only heat radiated from the chimney, which ran from the basement up along one wall of her room. Her bed pressed against the bricks. Quickly, she climbed into bed with her gooseneck reading lamp and Bible and pulled the covers over her head. Heat from the bulb kept her warm and provided light for her to read. A year earlier she had decided to read through the entire Bible. She loved the stories and doggedly read through the difficult parts that she didn’t understand. Opening to Romans 5, she started to read. The words jumped off the page: “We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (verses 3–5). Hope never disappoints, she thought. I hope I can be baptised tomorrow, she prayed before falling into a deep, contented sleep. Edie awakened before dawn, excited that the day of her baptism had finally arrived. She dressed quickly and rushed downstairs, nearly tripping over the cat sleeping at the bottom of the stairs. It was still black as midnight, so she lit the lantern and hurried outside. Her heart sank. Menacing drifts blocked her view of the winding country road 50 metres south of the house. And snow was still falling.

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with arthritis, he was usually easy to dodge. He didn’t physically abuse Edie’s mother. For her, he reserved venomous words, talking to her as if she were the scrapings from the bottom of his boots. A timid, nervous woman, she rarely smiled. At the age of 40, her shoulders sagged in utter defeat. Edie shivered again. This chaos and violence, however, was countered by another experience. This one surrounded her with an embracing warmth: hope rooted in faith. Edie had an unshakeable trust, a conviction that God loved her and cared about her struggles—no matter how things appeared. This trust freed Edie from the violence and despair that dominated her home, filling her with a spirit of hopeful optimism that defied logic. Tomorrow was supposed to be a milestone. After months of attending baptismal classes and learning Christian doctrines from Pastor Reese Jenkins, he would baptise her, along with others in her class, during worship service at the church. She tilted her head up toward the sky. Snowflakes and shadows from the kerosene lantern danced around her face. She knew it would be late the following day before the council snowploughs reached their property. Her mother would never be able to drive her to church. Dear Jesus, she prayed, how can I be baptised tomorrow if it keeps snowing? Later that evening Edie climbed

A sullen light pushed through the slate grey sky and crept over the snow-covered landscape. Edie continued getting ready for church, stubbornly refusing to accept the possibility that she might not go. Her older brother Melvin offered to help her shovel a path to the road so they could check on conditions. After an hour of furious shovelling, they reached the road. Towering drifts blocked any sign of the street. Edie knew the snowplough wouldn’t come for hours. Nothing was moving. Her world was blanketed in total silence. “I guess that’s it,” Melvin said. Edie wasn’t listening. She waded through the hard packed snow to the other side of the road. “Look, Melvin!” she cried.

“There’s a little path.” Melvin climbed over to where she was standing. The wind, blowing from the south overnight, had cleared the snow down to the pavement on the south side of the road. Huge drifts covered 90 per cent of the highway, leaving a narrow footpath on the edge of the road as far as they could see. Her mother, Elsie, wasn’t thrilled with the idea of Edie walking five kilometres to Lisbon Falls to catch a bus to Lewiston. “What if the streets aren’t cleared in town and the bus isn’t running?” she asked. “You can’t walk 25 k’s to Auburn!” “The snowplough will clear the road,” Edie insisted. Finally, Elsie agreed on the condition that Melvin went with her.

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Edie had an unshakeable trust, a conviction that God loved her

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE

with time to spare. Later, as Edie climbed down into the baptismal tank, she barely noticed the chilly water. She held a handkerchief over her nose, just as Pastor Jenkins had instructed. And then he spoke the words that Edie had been longing to hear: “I now baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” As he dipped her under the water, Edie pushed against his arm to make sure she was plunged deep, totally submerged. I don’t want to be half baptised, she thought. Later that night, safely back in her

SAY ABOUT

BAPTISM? Earliest mention.The Gospel of Mark tells how a man came out of the desert where he’d been living and eating wild foods. He began preaching a message of “repentance for the forgiveness of sins” and baptising people in the Jordan River. See Mark 1:2–6. Historical/symbolic context. To the Jewish mind, the Jordan River is the beginning of the Promised Land. It is a place of miracles, healing and a fresh start. See Joshua 3, 2 Kings 2:1–18, 2 Kings 5:1–16, 2 Kings 6:1–6.

What Jesus said and did. Jesus was baptised in the Jordan at the beginning of His public ministry. As He travelled around, His disciples baptised those who accepted His message. The resurrected Jesus gave His disciples the “Great Commission” to continue to baptise and make new disciples. See Matthew 3:13–17; John 4:1,2; Matthew 28:16–20. 30

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GUZALIIA FILIMONOVA—GETTY IMAGES, PEXELS—PIXABAY, FREPIK

The two started walking at 7.45am. A ferocious wind kicked up the snow around them, stinging their faces. Occasionally, the path narrowed to a mere strip. Their legs and lungs ached from the exertion, but they kept plodding on. Just outside town, Edie stopped. “Can you hear it?” she cried. Over the wind, they heard the growl of powerful engines and the sound of a steel plough scraping against the asphalt. The streets had been cleared of snow as they had walked into town. The bus was late, but only by 30 minutes, getting them to church

attic bedroom, Edie wondered if God had performed a miracle by blowing a path through the snow. What if she hadn’t shovelled a path to the road? The path on the far side would still have been there, but she wouldn’t have known about it—except for her stubborn hope that God would make “something good” happen. Even at the age of 12, Edie knew she wouldn’t get everything that she specifically hoped for, because everybody faces many disappointments, regardless of their hopes. So, what did the Bible mean by claiming that “hope does not put us to shame”?

Suddenly, at some deep intuitive level, she captured a fleeting glimpse of what it meant: hope, rooted in faith in a loving God, is a choice and an orientation toward life as it comes, be it ugly or beautiful. She understood that she was free to choose hope and faith—or cynicism and despair. Each choice paid its own reward. It’s really true, she decided as she drifted off to sleep. No matter what happens, hope never disappoints. Jeris Bragan lives in Antioch, Tennessee with his wife, Edie, who shared her childhood experience in helping to prepare this article.

The early church. Jesus’ first followers continued to share the message of new life in Jesus and baptise those who accepted it. They were challenged to widen their definition of “God’s chosen people” when He led them to baptise people they’d previously viewed as outsiders. See Acts 2:41; Acts 8:5–13, 36–38; Acts 10:34–48. Method of baptism. The New Testament describes people being baptised in the water, reflecting the literal meaning of the original Greek baptizo, which is to immerse, submerge, wash or overwhelm. This is different from the sprinkling or pouring rites practised by some churches today. Also, while parents sought for their babies to be consecrated or blessed in biblical times, the mentions of baptism in the Bible are always in the context of adults or, at least, people of an age able to comprehend and accept the gospel message. See Mark 1:5,9,10; Acts 8:38,39; Matthew 19:13,14; Luke 2:21–24; Acts 2:38,41; Acts 8:12. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

R RENT

WHERE IS GOD

IN THE

pain

SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE?

If your perception of the church is gilded cathedrals and televangelists fundraising for an upgrade to their private jet, you might wonder whether the God of the Bible really cares about those who are forgotten and abused.

SRDJANNS74—GETTY IMAGES

BY AMY ORR-EWING

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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in poverty, human suffering is rife. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who experienced Stalin’s tyranny in the Soviet Union and was sent to the Gulag, wrote, “Unlimited power in the hands of limited people always leads to cruelty.” Where is God? Does God have any relevance in the face of great mountains of human degradation and pain.

searching for answers

The Bible explores the human experience of being caught up in systemic suffering. The Old Testament

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hat does it feel like to be caught in a systemic cycle of suffering? In Peckham, south-east London, where I lived for seven years, many families have experienced five generations of unemployment, neglect, illiteracy and poverty. To be in pain because you are stuck in a faceless, impersonal system that grinds on and on is hard to imagine if you have not experienced it personally. When Chinese workers in the main iPhone factory in China began killing themselves in large numbers in 2010, it became a story in the Western press. The corporation went so far as to install large nets outside many of the buildings to catch falling bodies. The company hired counsellors, and workers were made to sign pledges stating they would not attempt to kill themselves. The popularity of the iPhone continued to increase. Britons were shocked in December 2018 to hear that a 43-year-old homeless man had died from cold outside Parliament while MPs debated legislation inside the chamber. The man, Gyula Remes, was found by British Transport Police outside Westminster Underground Station, directly opposite the Houses of Parliament. A woman who knew him told the BBC, “He was blue last night, and everyone was just walking past him like he didn’t matter.” In countries where corrupt and privileged elites hold down the vast majority of the population

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Unlimited power in the hands of limited people always leads to cruelty

devotes an entire book—Exodus—to the experience of an enslaved people and their journey from slavery in Egypt to the challenges of being a nomadic people on the way to their Promised Land. Later, the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah writes of his people exiled and oppressed by a foreign power. The generational oppression of invasion and foreign rule is articulated by an unknown lyricist who laments, “by the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept” (Psalm 137). There is a whole book of the Bible devoted to an exploration of grief and lament for a people ravaged by war, violence and death— it is called Lamentations. The four Gospels were written about the life of Jesus Christ, Himself born as a Jew into an occupied territory, the Child of a refugee teenage mother. Jesus goes on to be unjustly accused and tried by a powerful and corrupt system of collaborators and Roman oppressors.

The pain of systemic injustice is not ignored or swept over by the Bible. It is a prominent concern in both Old and New Testaments, and a significant focus of the ministry of Jesus.

teaching that endures

Early Christian faith was indistinguishable from practical love for the poor and for those who were suffering. By the fourth century, Christianity had gained serious ground in the Roman Empire. But when the Emperor Constantine’s nephew Julian wanted to take the empire back to its pagan roots, he found that Christian charity towards the poor was a significant obstacle. He wrote a letter to the pagan high priest Arsacius saying that it was disgraceful that Jews and Galileans (Christians) never had to beg because they and anyone else in poverty were supported by Christian communities. He urged his fellow pagans to JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

follow this example if they were to have any hope of resisting the growth of Christianity: “Teach those of the Hellenic faith to contribute to public service of this sort.” Jesus’ teaching has inspired Christians to work for the good of those suffering from systemic injustice. Since then, William Wilberforce, with his vision to see the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade in his lifetime, or the Earl of Shaftesbury, who worked for child labour and factory law reform, seeking better conditions for human beings caught up in the Industrial Revolution, are well-known examples of this impetus for social justice. The truth is that Christians have often been on the wrong side of justice issues in the past 2000 years. While Wilberforce campaigned for the abolition of the slave trade, Church of England bishops owned slaves, and many of the worst perpetrators of slavery called themselves Christians. While many of the earliest suffragettes in the UK drew inspiration from biblical imagery and were inspired by their faith, many in the institutional church sought to hold on to male dominance and resisted the impetus of votes for women. The institutional churches in America and Britain have too often not responded justly to the survivors of child abuse who have called for justice. The first abuses by priests or clergy are reinforced when 36

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survivors’ reports are subsequently ignored, denied or downplayed by bishops and elders. We cannot skirt over this truth lightly: the church has done much that is good in social justice terms, but there have been many instances of individual Christians and of the institutional church failing dismally to represent Christ and His ethic. For me, the key question when trying to make sense of such a confusing mixture of good and evil is this: What is the basis for those actions and positions? When we read the Old Testament or look at the example and teaching of Jesus, the clear and logical conclusion is that the Christian worldview places a value on our neighbour and gives

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on the wrong side

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Christians have also often been on the wrong side of justice issues in the past 2000 years

a practical imperative to care for the poor. Hence the inspiration to start schools and hospitals, to fight for decent living conditions for children or to care for the dying has been a driving force of Christian mission in spite of all the entanglements of colonialism and empire. Jesus’ ethic still calls His followers to demonstrate the love of God in practical ways in this pain-filled, systemically unjust world. Where is God in the systemic suffering of people? He is present in His followers, who are working to overturn such systems in the very midst of the darkness of the world and to bring the love, light and truth of God’s presence to all who will receive it. He is present in the intuition

of both sufferer and observer that this is not how things are meant to be. He was willing to be subjected to systemic injustice Himself: to stand trial and be unjustly sentenced to death. A God who suffers and challenges systemic injustice is not remote or distant from this world. In fact the Bible describes a place that brings God’s involvement into clearer focus. On a cross at a place called Calvary. Amy Orr-Ewing has dialogued on faith, culture and theology all over the world for the past 20 years. She is the director of OCCA, the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, and the senior vice-president of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. This article is an adapted extract from Amy Orr-Ewing’s book Where Is God in All the Suffering? (thegoodbook.com, 2020). Used with permission.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Your

SAY

I think we forget He gave everything He had including His only Son . . . why would you do that?—Jenny Hewkin

"God doesn't care about those who are suffering". Agree or disagree? I honestly don't believe there is a God. But honestly, if I was God I would be exploring the universe like it's off roading. Why answer the prayers of apes when I can literally be anywhere else in the universe?—u/ReverendPalpatine

Believing in God isn't going to change the world . . . You should appreciate you're not one of the 4 billion human beings alive for no other reason but to support the greed of the top half. Rice farmers, factory slaves, ideological soldiers. That's the reality of the human condition . . . God doesn't exist and your existence is a detriment to those that do.—u/KingOfTheSandmich

The best indication . . . of God's caring attitude . . . is our own attitude. The principle that the poor, the grieving, the orphan . . . is the prime concern of our God is His repeated challenges to His representatives . . . us. —Brendan James

I would say . . . "how can the God of suffering not care about the suffering of the very people He created?"— Matthew David Smith

I totally understand where it is coming from (I once thought this myself), now I feel as though He does care! . . . We may not understand everything God does or even what goes on in our lives, but I feel like we don't have to.—u/Meowlodie

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BIG

E STI O N S

h e r e di d WTHE universe COME FROM?

Why the Big Bang eventually goes bust, universe-sized bubbles pop and string theory has cosmologists tangled up.

he cosmic home that we live in is astonishingly beautiful and vast. Just think of the pictures of exquisite planets, galaxies and nebulae that NASA has beamed home for us. Pause for another moment to reflect on the fact that the observable universe is 93 billion light years across. The reality, though, is that there

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

is a vast realm of cosmic space and time beyond the observable universe which we will never be able to peer into, even with the most powerful telescopes that we could ever build.

a brief history of cosmology

For thousands of years, some of the greatest minds in the world

GREMLIN—GETTY IMAGES

BY SVEN OSTRING

Puzzled by a "big picture" question and want an answer? In 2021, Signs of the Times magazine will be sharing fresh perspectives on life’s most contentious mysteries, with new authors each month examining objective evidence to present a case for Christianity.

believed that the universe has always been here. This included the Greek philosopher Aristotle, but goes back even further to Babylonian and Hindu myths. If the universe has always been here, it seems fairly easy and straightforward to conclude that the universe did not need to have a cause. Problem solved. But is it really

that easy? Doesn’t your curiosity invite you to dig deeper? In 1714, it was this curiosity that led German mathematician Gottfried Liebniz to mull over the fundamental question: Why is there something rather than nothing? Surely it is possible that, at some point, the universe did not exist. But JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

if that is the case, then where did it come from and why is it here? Let’s wind the clock forward 110 years to 1824, when French engineer Nicolas Carnot was learning how heat engines work. He discovered one of the most fundamental properties of nature, the second law of thermodynamics. This law tells us that things in nature, when they are left alone, slowly wind down to an equilibrium where all of the energy has been spread out evenly. So, if there are things that still have more highly concentrated, useable energy, like the sun, we have not yet reached a state of equilibrium. This provides powerful scientific support for the reality that the universe has not always been here. A century later in 1917, German-born cosmologist Albert Einstein was working on his general theory of relativity. He was unnerved and then irritated to find that his theory pointed to a universe that could change its size and shape over time. Within a decade, two fellow scientists, Alexander Friedmann and Georges Lemaitre, had used Einstein’s work to show that the universe has indeed changed over time and, in fact, had a beginning. This became known as the Big Bang theory. In spite of persistent unresolved problems with the Big Bang theory, which means that it may ultimately be discarded, cosmologists have consistently been confronted with the reality that the universe is gradually expanding 42

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and, therefore, had a beginning, no matter what other models of the universe they explore. The scientific confirmation that the universe had a beginning really brings to the forefront the question of its origin. We can no longer ignore this question simply by assuming that it has always been here. So, where did the universe come from?

a universe from nothing?

There are scientists who believe that the universe did, indeed, come from nothing. This idea is quite mind-boggling; could an entire universe—quarks, quasars and quokkas—come into existence from literally nothing? No matter how implausible this may seem, there are some very high-profile scientists who claim that this is what actually happened. For example, Lawrence Krauss wrote a book which had the title, A Universe from Nothing: Why There is Something Rather than Nothing. The famous cosmologist Stephen Hawking made the remark in his book The Grand Design, “Because there is a law like gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing.” The proposal that the universe came from nothing defies not only logic, but also physics. If things like universes can just appear out of nothing, why don’t we see less grandiose things like Volvos, gorillas and jumbo jets just appearing out of nothing before our eyes? While it may sound rather exciting if these

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COFFEEKAI—GETTY IMAGES

things do not appear out of literally nothing

sorts of things could suddenly just appear, we just don’t experience that happening. It would also be rather confusing, inconvenient and even dangerous if they did. It is much better to recognise the metaphysical truth that things do not appear out of literally nothing. If you read Krauss and Hawking’s books really carefully, what you will suddenly realise is that they are not really talking about the universe coming from literally nothing. Their “nothing” is actually something, what physicists call a quantum vacuum. Even though we ordinarily think of a vacuum as empty space, a quantum vacuum is filled with a fluctuating sea of energy. This means that a quantum vacuum is, as physicists need to remind us, “by

no means a simple empty space”. So Krauss and Hawking haven’t really answered the question of how the universe could come from literally nothing—they have simply dodged the fundamental question by making a quantum vacuum sound as if it is nothing.

bubble universes

One of the things that can happen in a quantum vacuum is that particles, like small bubbles, suddenly appear and then disappear. If particles can pop into existence like this, what about little bubble universes that keep growing and expanding? This idea opened up a whole new vista of possibilities for cosmologists. Perhaps there is a much bigger universe that has been JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

here for all eternity, within which our together into one single Theory of universe is just a quantum bubble Everything, scientists have proposed that just popped into existence that, at its most fundamental level, billions of years ago. our world is made up of tiny vibrating The problem with this idea is strings. String theory suggests that that these bubble universes could particles are more like tiny little balls pop into existence anywhere, and of thread. Scientists are using the just like the bubbles your kids blow, concept of strings to try to unify all these bubble universes would start of the fundamental physical forces of to bump into each other and maybe matter, gravity and electromagnetism. merge together in larger and larger String theory has been used to clumps. If the explain two bigger universe aspects of the was infinitely universe. First, old, then all of scientists believe these bubble that string theory universes would could explain God must be the have merged why the universe ultimate Uncaused together by now, is very finely and we should tuned so that cause . . . be observing an stable structures infinitely old such as stars, He exists outside universe. But, galaxies and even of time and space, again, that is intelligent life not what we can exist. The and without observe. Even if other way string our universe did theory has been beginning or end suddenly appear used to describe as a bubble our universe is to in a quantum suggest that our vacuum—which is actually very universe exists within an even higher speculative since we have never dimensional space. Our universe can observed universes beginning as bub- then bump into other “things” in the higher-dimensional space. These bles—the fact is that the proposed interactions may be the cause of quantum vacuum itself would have contractions and expansions in our had a beginning. Then the follow-up own universe, one of which was the question has to be, Where did the proposed Big Bang itself. quantum vacuum come from? While these ideas coming from string theory may sound rather string theory exciting, especially the possibility In order to try to pull all of reality

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SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

of arriving at a grand Theory of Everything, the reality is that such a theory still would not solve the fundamental question. At a cosmology conference at the University of California, Davis, Stephen Hawking admitted as much: “Even when we understand the ultimate theory, it won’t tell us much about how the universe began.” Also, where did the strings come from, if they even exist at all, and why do they have the qualities that they apparently have?

the supernatural reason

There is another reason for the existence of the universe, and that is that God created it. This is the conclusion reached by Gottfried Liebniz, who originally voiced the question, Why is there something rather than nothing? If an all powerful, all-knowledgeable Creator exists, then He has the capacity and the knowledge to create the universe that we live in. His creative power would explain why there is something rather than nothing. His knowledge and intentionality would also explain why our universe has been so finely tuned so that we could live in it. Since it would not be possible to have infinite chain of causes that depend on other causes, God must be the ultimate Uncaused Cause, which means that He exists necessarily, outside of space and time, and without beginning or end. Finally, the facts that the universe had a beginning at a particular point in time and also

has very carefully selected physical parameters means that the ultimate Uncaused Cause has intelligence and the power of choice. In other words, God is a Person. After all of the exertions of cosmologists to try to understand and describe the universe, God remains the best and only explanation. The American astronomer Robert Jastrow puts it well: “For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance, he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.” If God is not only all-powerful and all-knowledgeable but also loves us with an everlasting, self-sacrificing love, as the Bible vividly portrays, then the story will not end like a bad dream. The story will end the way the Bible describes—with a new heaven and a new earth where there is no more pain or crying or death, and where we get to live with this amazing God forever. Dr Sven Östring is the director of Church Planting at the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s North New South Wales Conference. He has university degrees in engineering and philosophy, and often writes and speaks publicly on science and faith.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

FA IT H

YOU ARE

Needed!

What do you do well? What do you especially enjoy doing? Most importantly, how can you use these gifts to make your church even better?

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BY NANCY CANWELL

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

understand what my sister was going through.

you are part of a body

The apostle Paul likens the church to the human body. In 1 Corinthians 12:12, he said, “A body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,” and in verse 27, he said, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” So, when you become a Christian, you also become a part of the body of Christ, His church. You belong and you are needed! “Me, needed?” you may ask. “I’m not needed! There are plenty of talented people who can do much more than I can.” But, according to

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The group of people you worship with every week is Christ's body

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y sister broke her wrist a while back. She had a cast on her right arm that started at her fingers and ended above her elbow. She had no idea how important her right arm was until she couldn’t use it! She told me, for example, that on one occasion she couldn’t grasp the cap on her water bottle to twist it open. “And since I can’t bend my elbow,” she said, “something as simple as getting dressed is a challenge—not to mention curling my hair, driving, cooking, typing and all the other daily tasks I’ve always taken for granted. I had no idea how much I need my right arm!” If you’ve ever had a part of your body immobilised, then you’ll

the Bible, every person is a vital part of Christ’s body, and the Holy Spirit has given each of us gifts to use for the benefit of the church as a whole. So, what is the body of Christ? According to Paul, it’s the church. In Colossians 1:18, he said that Jesus is “the head of the body, the church”. So, the group of people you worship with every week is Christ’s body, as is the larger, worldwide church. The question we’re dealing with here is, What part do you play in the life of your church? The answer is simple: your part is to serve both inside and outside of your church. And you do that by using the unique gifts that God has given to you. Paul explained it clearly when he wrote, “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:4–8). You may think that you can’t serve because you aren’t perfect, but none of us are perfect. Even a casual reading of the Gospels will reveal that Jesus’ original 12 disciples certainly weren’t perfect!

You may think you can’t serve because you don’t have any gifts to offer the church. But you do! Stop and think about what your passion is. What do you especially enjoy doing? Why not use those abilities within your church and the community outside the church? You may think that your gift isn’t important. But all the gifts God gives to His people are needed in order for the body of Christ to function well. You may think that someone else can do a better job than you can. But if we all thought that way, nothing would get done!

a unique orchestra

There’s a private school in Oregon, where I live, that has a unique orchestra. What makes this orchestra special is its purpose. “We use our orchestra to demonstrate the body of Christ—the church,” the school’s principal told me. “The students have learned that everyone has to do his or her own part or the entire orchestra suffers. All must do their own job, yet they must also look out for each other. We teach our kids that when they see someone struggling, they can serve by encouraging that person to keep trying.” The principal went on to explain that the orchestra focuses on 1 Corinthians 12:21–23: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

orchestra but also sharing his story publicly during concerts! He was a shrivelled-up onion when he came to us, but Garrett realised that he had a gift to contribute, and he found a place where he belonged.” Imagine what our world would be like if each person felt that they were a part of the larger body and if they were using the gifts that God had given them!

no gift too small

The Bible says that we all “have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (Romans 12:6). And that’s true of you too. You have

VORDA—GETTY IMAGES

parts that we think are less honourable we treat with special honour.” The principal said, “Garrett is a perfect example of how we help each student find their unique gift and use it to make up one body.” Garrett’s mum had heard that this small school specialised in finding each student’s unique contribution and making them a part of the larger school body. That was exactly what her son needed! Garrett was born with a major problem with his cleft palate. By the time he was in the fifth grade, he had undergone 15 major surgeries. He had been the victim of severe bullying at his previous school, so his mum called this principal, begging her to accept Garrett as a student. “When I met Garrett, he wouldn’t even look at me,” the principal said. “He constantly had his face to the floor. He walked through the halls that way, ate his lunch that way and sat in class that way. He felt that he was absolutely ugly, because that’s what he’d been told.” The school decided to see how Garrett would do playing the cello. It would be a big instrument for a boy with such little self-worth. Amazingly, after he was made a part of the school body, he gained a sense of pride. And the rest of the body—the other students—encouraged him and built him up. “Almost instantly, Garrett began to look up,” the principal told me excitedly. “And within just a few months, he was not only touring with the

“

In God's eyes, there are no insignificant gifts

a gift. If you aren’t sure what your gift is, ask God to make it clear to you. And don’t be afraid to ask other people what gifts they see in you. Never think that your gift is unimportant or insignificant. Everyone is needed. In God’s eyes, there are no insignificant gifts. I know a pastor who offered a workshop for church members who wanted to learn how to share their faith with others. Several sessions into the workshop, one of the exercises was to go to a willing church member’s home and practise telling that person about Jesus. One woman, a shy but dedicated member, attended the classes and eventually felt that she was ready to try sharing her faith. The pastor accompanied her to the home of one of the members. In this particular home, only the wife was a Christian. She’d tried for years to get her husband to come to church, but he never would. When the pastor and the shy woman entered the house, the hus-

band moved to the farthest corner of the living room. The woman’s effort to witness to this man’s wife didn’t go well. In fact, it was almost embarrassing. The pastor silently hoped that she wasn’t offending the woman’s husband! Then it came time for the shy woman to ask the church member, “Do you want to accept Jesus as your Saviour?” The pastor was shocked when, from across the room, the husband exclaimed, “I do!” He’d been listening the whole time, and although this woman didn’t appear gifted in sharing her faith, the Holy Spirit used her to touch this man’s heart! Using our God-given gifts is never about us. It’s about being a part of the body. It’s about doing what we can to change the world around us. And it’s about giving back to Jesus, who gave His all for us. Nancy Canwell is an associate pastor of the Milton and Blue Mountain Valley Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Oregon, USA. She is an occasional contributor to Signs of the Times. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

IE N

CE/ TE

THE CUTTING EDGE SCIENCE IN

2021

James Webb Telescope launch Touted as an “extremely large telescope”, it is scheduled to launch this year; exploring planets that orbit stars outside the solar system. Scientists hope it will discover new signs of life.—Cornell Chronicle Launching DART NASA is planning to launch their Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) this year, which they’ll collide with an asteroid moon to gather kinetic data. The probe will be launched with the SpaceX Falcon 9 this July.—Space News

WHAT’S NEW WITH

FACEBOOK?

RECORDING THE POLICE

A 17-year-old high school student in New Jersey has created an Android app that allows recording of interactions with police. Aaditya Agrawal designed the app to automatically share interactions to Facebook, citing as motivation his AfricanAmerican friend being questioned without cause by a traffic officer. —Business Insider 52

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WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, IBID, COXINHAFOTOS—PIXABAY, STOCKSNAP—PIXABAY, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, TENTENUK—FLICKR

Perseverance Mars touchdown Launched in July 2020, the unmanned space probe will likely land in Mars’ Jezero crater this month. It will search for ancient microbial life, as well as assess the planet for potential habitation.—NASA

STEWARDS OF THE EARTH THROUGH

RENEWABLES

POCKETABLE TURBINE Wind-powered chargers may soon fit in your pocket and charge your phone. Researchers in China have created a coin-sized generator that attaches to your arm and catches the breeze, acting as a turbine. While still in development, the generator can currently power 100 LED lights. —New Daily

PLASTIC BREAKDOWN Scientists have created a “super enzyme”, PETase, that can break down plastics six times faster than previous enzymes. Rather than the years it takes for polyethylene terephthalate to naturally degrade, the enzyme can do it in a matter of days.—CNN

A GOOD IKEA

The Swedish icon is turning its Australian stores into power stations by installing rooftop solar panels. Ikea also aims to have on-site electric vehicle chargers, as well as supporting the power grid. The Adelaide store is the first to adopt the changes.—9News

AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY During an interview with popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee in September 2020, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg signalled the company’s intention to invest in screenless technology. Additionally, he predicted that once augmented reality glasses become mainstream technology, traditional screens will be replaced by holograms. The company has announced Ray-Ban branded smart glasses for release this year without AR features.—BGR

NEW TRANSLATION ALGORITHMS Facebook users are likely to get more accurate language translation in the future, thanks to a new artificial intelligence feature named M2M-100. Direct translations between 1100 languages are now possible, rather than using English as an intermediary, as most translations services do. This is touted to significantly increase accuracy, with Facebook engineers focusing on language combinations that will most likely be used.—Technology Review JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

LT U R E

ANDROIDS

love THEIR CHILDREN TOO The Binge series Raised By Wolves forces us to ask hard questions about our prejudices, the way we so easily take up the sword in polarised debates and how we can see the good in our enemies. HBO MAX

BY MARK HADLEY

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

foot in this international war. On the other side are believers in a higher power, led by the worshippers of Sol, clothed in white and determined to cleanse the world of their ice-cold enemies. The damage is so extensive though that both sides realise there will be no winner. They each make plans to travel to the uninhabited world of Kepler 22b to rebuild their versions of civilisation. It’s in this context, on a barren rock with little to offer but desert and a breathable atmosphere, we meet two androids: Mother and Father. They have been entrusted with 12 embryos who they will raise as complete atheists. As Mother says, “It was belief in the unreal that destroyed the earth.” And their maker didn’t design them to repeat that mistake here. However,

HBO MAX

idley Scott is a name that rings in the annals of science fiction history. He’s directed film after film that has produced new benchmarks for the genre—Alien, Blade Runner, The Martian—and that would probably be enough for anyone. But for the first time he has decided to take his director’s chair to a high-concept television series. The result? An epic battle between atheists and people of faith. Raised by Wolves is set in a dystopian future where ecological disaster and a polarised conflict have devastated the earth. Both sides are technologically advanced, but divided by how they see the world. On the one side the atheists are vehemently opposed to anything but cold, hard fact—they’re on the back

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

their abilities to care for the children are far from successful and only a single boy survives. Young Campion’s life is complicated still further when a ship carrying hundreds of Sol worshippers arrives. Scott’s division of humanity into atheists and believers is deliberate and stark. From the outset, Mother, the female android, is presented as a heartless killing machine who dispatches her victims with shrill screams. She gives her name as Lamia, a woman from Greek mythology who became a child-eating monster after the gods destroyed her offspring. On the other hand, the followers of Sol, the Mythraics, are presented as a peaceful community who love their children and are determined to rescue Campion from

“

Scott's division of humanity into atheists and believers is deliberate and stark

his soulless android parents. But as the series progresses it becomes clear that there are problems on both sides of this spiritual divide. Scott begins to mix up the black and white hats he’s given his characters to wear. Mother displays a capacity for remorse and a mothering instinct; loving her child Campion and doing anything to see him thrive. Likewise, Father has a wisdom and gentleness that would do any parent proud. On the other side of the divide, it becomes clear that the Mythraic community contains a caste system that delivers privilege to some while enslaving others. Its leaders are often corrupted by self-interest, and one is even responsible for the sexual assault of numerous young women. Even two of the best believing parents turn out to be atheists who’ve disguised themselves in order to flee their dying planet. After a few episodes it’s certainly unclear who the “wolves” are in the show’s title. Raised by Wolves’ creators are clearly trying to convey that there is good and bad on both sides. What Christians might need to hear in particular, though, is that atheists love their children too. It’s very easy as believers to picture those who preach a godless universe to be as cold as the rhetoric they espouse. But in so neatly categorising them as the “enemy”, it allows us to forget our responsibility to them as Jesus’ representatives: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

“

What Christians might need to hear . . . is atheists love their children too

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

human child’s mind that assumes the young mind is blank slate just waiting to be filled in. . . . [But] those of us who study religious thought and action—scientists and scholars—do not see religious ideas as intruders into human nature, but as a wholly expected extension of the way humans are naturally put together.” And so Campion grows up holding rational thinking in tension with his faith, realising there are things he doesn’t know that rest in the hands of an omnipotent God. Mark Hadley is a media and cultural critic who lives with his family in Sydney. Raised by Wolves is available on the Binge streaming service. It is rated MA15+ for strong violence. Signs of the Times includes this review not as a recommendation, but as a comment on how popular culture is contributing to the conversation on issues of deeper importance.

HBO MAX

and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’” (Matthew 28:18,19). “All nations” includes atheists, of course. And it seems Scott also believes it’s possible to be strengthened in faith without losing love for those who might think differently. The androids’ ward, Campion, undergoes a spiritual transformation as the series unfolds. Even before he meets the children of the Mythraic, he learns to pray to whoever it is that directs his universe. This ties in with the findings of developmental psychologist and anthropologist Dr Justin Barrett, author of Born Believers. His research demonstrates that, contrary to popular belief, children enter this world with an intuitive knowledge of the divine: “[Richard] Dawkins has suggested a view of the developing

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Can knowing the past help you understand the future? We know that the future can sometimes be a scary thing. That’s why we would like to invite you to discover the words that predicted 2,500 years of history. Could these words still impact your life today? Decide for yourself. Visit hopeoffer.com/future to begin this free series online, or return this card by mail to receive your first booklet.

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R E CI P E

Sesame ramen noodles A light, gluten-free and vegan meal for a hot summer’s day PREPARATION TIME: 5 mins COOKING TIME: 10 mins SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS

TIP:

Ramen is a Japanese cl ear soup full of colourful vegetables , some protein an d noodles.

2 tsp sesame oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tsp minced fresh ginger 5 cups reduced salt vegetable stock 1 tbsp miso paste 1 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce (or gluten-free soy sauce) 180g flat rice noodles 1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks 1 bunch broccolini, cut into flowerets 200g japanese tofu, sliced 2 baby bok choy, chopped 1 sheet nori, roughly broken 1 tsp black sesame seeds

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan. Add garlic, ginger and saute for 30 seconds. 2. Stir through stock, miso and soy sauce. Bring mixture to the boil. 3. Add noodles, carrot, broccolini and tofu. Simmer for 5 minutes. 4. Add bok choy. Divide mixture evenly between four bowls. 5. Serve topped with nori and black sesame seeds. Nutrition Information PER SERVE: Energy 622 kJ; 158 Cal; Protein 2.2g; Fat 7.9g; Saturated fat 3.9g; Carbohydrate 20g; Sugars 11.8g; Fibre 0.7g; Sodium 149mg; Potassium 64mg; Calcium 26mg; Iron 0.5mg. 60

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Recipe courtesy of Sanitarium Health Food Company. Visit sanitarium.com.au or sanitarium.co.nz and subscribe to Recipe of the Week for a delicious plant-powered recipe in your inbox each week. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

FUN

CROSSWORD

EDUCATION.COM

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

ERIKAWITTLIEB—PIXABAY

Hint: 3 Down

CROSSWORD CLUES

ACROSS 5 International economic connections and systems 7 To travel and live without a home 10 Herb which has longest and strongest plant fibers in the world 11 Small particles that are impossible to see, even with instruments 12 Cosmetic surgery to remove fat 13 Flammable, pale liquid used as fuel 14 When a building is falling apart due to age DOWN 1 State of an unborn child from contraception until week 7 2 Synonym for landscape view 3 Fashion doll launched in 1959 4 A passionate expression of grief 6 Key ingredient in Nutella 8 Birth defect—when a baby's mouth doesn't form correctly during pregnancy 9 Greek philosopher who studied logic and rhetoric

SUDOKU EASY

5 8

6 8

3 7

9 3

1 9

5 7

2 4

6 5

HARD

2 5 8

7 1

9 6

6 4

How closely have you been 2 6 1 8 5 reading? Each keyword in this puzzle 5 is also contained within this edition of Signs of the Times. 2 3 1 Happy digging!

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Signs of the Times - Jan/Feb 2021

Articles inside

ANDROIDS LOVE THEIR CHILDREN TOO

COMPETITION VS COOPERATION IN A CRISIS

WHICH "MILK" IS BEST FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?