Signs of the Times - March 2021 by Adventist Media

MARCH 2021

THE

DARK SIDE OF OnlyFans

THE FINAL DIVIDE: UNITING THE POLITICAL LEFT AND RIGHT?

WHERE DID LIFE COME FROM?

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY

IN THIS ISSUE

MARCH 2021

THE DARK SIDE OF ONLYFANS

The shady ethics of an amateur pornography website PAGE 32

CURRENT

4 6

WHAT IN THE WORLD THE FINAL DIVIDE Uniting the political left and right?

WELLBEING

12 BEAT BURNOUT BEFORE IT BEATS YOU 24 BETTER HEALTH FOR

EVERY BODY Health news that makes a difference 60 CAN EATING BREAKFAST MEAN BETTER GRADES?

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 2

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

FAITH

26 IS JESUS THE ONLY WAY

TO GOD? 40 GOD LOVES THE LEFTOVERS The ones who will make a stand 46 QUADRATIC EQUATIONS AND JESUS A life-saving formula

BIG QUESTIONS

18 WHERE DID THE

UNIVERSE COME FROM? Evolution debunked by science

/SIGNSMAG

SCIENCE & TECH

52 THE CUTTING EDGE Engineering, science

and technology news

CULTURE

54 THE GOOD PLACE:

GREAT QUESTIONS, MEDIUM ANSWERS Reviewing the afterlife

FUN

62 CROSSWORD & SUDOKU Have you been

paying attention?

THE TOUGH TOPICS Signs of the Times has always been about tackling tough topics and answering difficult questions— providing a "Christian perspective on the world today". The current state of the world is certainly difficult to navigate—all the social, political and environmental issues make reading or watching the news an anxietyinducing activity! During one of my media law and ethics lectures at the University of South Australia many moons ago, after exploring a whole plethora of current news topics, the lecturer finished on one thought: the world is in bad shape. A despondent conclusion, perhaps, but one that many people around the globe share. How interesting that all these years later I've been humbly involved in sharing a hopeful—not a hopeless—future. So as we navigate some heavy topics in this month's Signs magazine—the murky ethics of rising amateur pornography website OnlyFans (p32), increasing polarisation in worldwide politics (p6) or the big question "Where did life come from?" (p18)—we remember that, yes, there is a hope for an end point! We also remember that God loves—and even prefers— the outcasts (p40) and how explaning the journey to God has become unnecessarily complicated over the centuries (p26). On the practical front, we discuss overcoming burnout (p12) and the link between a healthy breakfast and one's academics (p60). Hopefully there's something in our March 2021 edition that will grab your attention and provoke some discussion too. Enjoy!

Daniel

DANIEL KUBEREK Assistant Editor

VOL 136 NO 3 ISSN 1038-9733 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Brad Kemp EDITOR Jarrod Stackelroth ASSISTANT EDITOR Daniel Kuberek COPYEDITOR Tracey Bridcutt GRAPHIC DESIGN Nerise McQuillan Theodora Pau'u Talia Valderrama 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

MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

R RENT

WHAT IN THE WORLD INDIGENOUS CHILD PROTECTION A new report by organisation Family Matters has warned rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in outof-home care may double by 2029. The rates are currently 37 per cent, even though Indigenous children only make up 6 per cent of the child population in Australia. Family Matters has called on the government to increase support for Indigenous families and outline a strategy to "close the gap". Currently, 81 per cent of Indigenous children are in state care and at risk of being separated from their families. —The Guardian

YOU'VE BIN GIVEN A STICKER NEW ZEALAND

Christchurch Council has been rewarding households with good recycling habits—with a gold sticker. The initiative is encouraging residents to be recycle-smart, and also rinse bottles and containers. Since lockdown, the council has reported elevated levels of contamination in recycling deposits. Households that don't follow recycling procedures are sent educational material.—Newstalk ZB 4

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

CONNER BAKER—UNSPLASH, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, DAMLA OZKAN—UNSPLASH, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

AUSTRALIA

ONLINE

PROSTITUTION CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION NORTH KOREA

Organisation Korea Future Initiative (KFI) has found widespread reports of Christian persecution in North Korea, including to children as young as three years old. Torture techniques revealed in the report include locking people in electric cages, body cavity searches and forced abortions. KFI reports Christians often receive the worst punishments in North Korea's reeducation camps.—The Sun

ON TRACK FOR CLIMATE GOALS INDIA

India is leading the world in renewable energy targets, as it has been revealed as the only country on track to meet climate change targets from the 2015 Paris Agreement. During the summit, India promised to reduce emissions by 35 per cent before 2030. Despite this, India still falls short of its 1.5 degree celsius target, with experts urging a switch from coal power to become a global eco-leader.—Forbes

ONLYFANS, launched in 2016 as a platform allowing explicit content, takes a 20 per cent cut of all earnings raised by its members.—Elle APRIL

In APRIL 2020, the pornography site saw a

75%

75 per cent increase in signups.—Elle

Since that time, the website is reporting 200,000 new users and

8000 new creators EVERY 24 HOURS.—Buzzfeed Research commissioned by BBC says a third of

Twitter accounts

were advertising the sale of UNDERAGE

NAKED PHOTOS,

and many were using OnlyFans to distribute content.—Refinery29 MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

R RENT

Divide

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

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THE FINAL

Bitter tensions between the political left and right are leaving people concerned about the future. Who can bring unity? BY DANIEL KUBEREK

MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

pledge to be a president who seeks at the time—was unavoidable due to not to divide, but to unify. Who Americans’ “cultural stubbornness” doesn’t see red and blue states, but rather than leadership's mishandling a United States.” Those were Joe of the crisis. The other side rebutted Biden’s words on November 8, 2020, that the economy was at its lowest after securing 270 electoral votes. point in years, and simple enforced After four years of bitter political measures like mask-wearing would’ve fighting within the United States potentially saved up to 100,000 lives. which saw division on issues like With both parties unable to find gun control, Black Lives Matter and common ground, the discussion Covid-19, Biden is charged with the ended without compromise. What hefty task of leading a divided nation forward. Many people around the world watched his inauguration curious 90 per cent of Americans to see how he will unite a political left were worried about the and right that seem country's political division, destined to move farther apart.

“

divided

and 60 per cent felt it was unlikely the issue could be fixed

Polarity is defined as the division between two groups. It’s absolutism between opposing ideas that are not magnetic, but rather repellent. A heated discussion in my own household raged one night in the midst of the United States election. A sight to behold: an Australian dinner table discussion involving strong views on two different sides of US politics. One side asserted that the United States economy was booming under President Trump and that the coronavirus death toll—235,000 stateside 8

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

was clear however, was that although thousands of kilometres away, people paid attention to the leader of the United States and that his actions— which influence international relations, trades and alliances—matter for everyone. This isn’t to say that the Trumpera of presidency is the first to invoke strong feelings in voters. America and many other democratic countries

inevitable

Earth’s history has plenty of examples where people have been divided into two groups, but the

Bible states it first began before Earth was even created. Lucifer (later called the “dragon”), the most beautiful and gifted angel in heaven chose disobedience towards God, creating division between angels in heaven. As a result, “war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough and they lost their place in heaven” (Revelation 12:7,8). This explains Satan’s presence in the Garden of Eden where he tempted Adam and Eve with a fruit; an act that Christians believe introduced sin and suffering into the world. Since then, the Bible says amidst all the various social, political and economic opinions that are being debated—and sometimes fought over—by millions of people around the world, ultimately all humans will be presented with a choice between allegiance to those two spiritual parties: Jesus Christ or Satan. At the close of earth’s history, MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

KOSHU - UNSPLASH

have usually been narrowed down to two-parties vying for the ballot paper tick. It’s the manner in which those two sides fail to agree on key issues that has political and social commentators concerned that the world is heading into uncertain waters. In fact, a 2020 study by psychologists Gordon Heltzel and Kristin Laurin found 90 per cent of American citizens were worried about the country’s political division, and 60 per cent felt it was unlikely the issue could be fixed. Additionally, unfavourable feelings towards the opposing political views has tripled since 1994. Heltzel and Laurin state that “polarised citizens more often vote, protest, and join political movements, all of which are necessary for functioning democracy”. However, this also leads to confirmation bias: “Americans have trouble critically evaluating the flaws and merits of policies. Instead, they seek information that confirms their partisan preferences and disregard facts that counter them.” But while statements like “You’re either with us, or you’re not” negate the grey area of swing voting that has often determined the outcome of elections, there is coming a time when all humans on earth will need to make a stand for one of two sides.

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

will be taken to heaven, while the rest who had consciously rejected God are destined for destruction by hellfire. Instead, they will be “consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur” in what is described as “the second death” (Revelation 21:8). This event, described as the “eternal fire” (Matthew 25:41) because of its permanent ramifications will be a singular event rather than an ongoing process after Jesus' return. Death, as described in Revelation 21, is what will bring an end to the wicked, rather than eternal suffering; which itself is incompatible with the loving nature shown by God even to people who oppose Him.

your vote matters

Each time the public is called to submit their vote on election day, either by postal vote or in-person, they are siding with a politician who holds great power. That person can shape the course of the world—escalating or cooling international tensions, securing quality of life standards for millions, and deciding on rights to freedom of speech and religious freedom. Everyone on the planet is on a scale with these key issues and more—with their preference greatly influencing who they vote for. But while pledging allegiance to a cause has impact on how life on earth may look, it doesn’t impact the final

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on one side there will be those who have received the Seal of God; people who have expressed loyalty and commitment to Christ. Interestingly, the other side isn’t necessarily comprised of those who have chosen Satan, but instead everyone who has rejected God, whether it be publicly, through their actions or in their hearts. Jesus Himself said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). What’s important to God is allegiance; and while God’s followers worship Him, choosing not to worship God is described as choosing His adversary. In the final chapters of earth’s history, Jesus spoke of the increased polarisation that will occur as spiritual forces vie for the allegiance of every human on earth. “At that time, many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people” (Matthew 24:10,11). In that time, the Bible describes a period where people still have the chance to choose and make a stand. After a certain point, known as “the close of probation”, two camps of people will be left. Those who had chosen God (either dead or alive)

polarisation that will occur between Jesus Christ's and Satan’s followers. In fact, the Bible warns of following those who use the final polarisation as an excuse to gain followers—even if they profess to be chosen by God: “False messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). But the Bible also assures that “by their fruit you will recognise them” (7:16)—the fruit being “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22,23). While increasing division in politics is a sign of the times, it brings with it the hope for a future of unity with Jesus Christ in heaven. And while love for the neighbouring man and woman is becoming lost amidst the spite borne from political tension, this can only mean the end is near. Until that time, however, there remains a choice for Christ or His adversary—one that won’t last for four years, but for eternity. Daniel Kuberek is assistant editor for Signs of the Times magazine. He lives in Sydney, NSW, and enjoys fitness, film-making and the outdoors.

MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

ELL B EING

BEAT

BURNOUT

BEFORE IT

The seven stages to burnout, how to avoid it and how to recover. BY CAMERON JOHNSTON

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

BUNDITINAY - GETTY IMAGES

beats you

irst, what is burnout? The WHO’s International Classification of Diseases describes burnout in the following way: “Burnout is a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterised by three dimensions: 1. Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 2. Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; 3. Reduced professional efficacy. At highest risk of burnout are idealists, who approach their work with unrealistically high expectations; perfectionists, with unrealistic expectations of themselves and others; and helping professionals (teachers, nurses, social workers, pastors and so on), who face high demands on their emotional energy, but have limited control of the situation. One of the first concepts we need to understand is the difference between excessive stress and burnout. Excessive stress is the overuse of our coping capacities, caused by too much activity and change. Excessive stress results in fatigue, mild depression, physical illness, reduced mental alertness and other warning signals. Burnout, on the other hand, results in complete physical and mental exhaustion that leads to disillusionment, cynicism and self-deprecation. The individual is simply overwhelmed by life and can’t function normally.

Even the wise can burn out. King Solomon, the wisest king of ancient times, fully expressed the feelings and sentiments of those in advanced burnout: “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:1).

one man's story

I had worked too many 70 to 80-hour weeks during nearly 15 years in a helping profession and my body simply couldn’t take it any longer. I’d been experiencing serious stress warning signals for years but hadn’t recognised them. One night, I woke up and was itchy all over. There were no fleas, and the itch lasted for about an hour. A few months later, I had shingles, a disease related to stress. Yet I didn’t feel stressed or overworked. It was July 1, the beginning of an extremely busy couple of months. I was in a store when my entire body began to shake. By the time I got home, I was shaking uncontrollably. Reluctant to go to the hospital, I just lay down on the bed, and the whole bed shook. This lasted for about six hours, then stopped just as abruptly as it had begun. In the middle of September, we left on a two-month camping holiday. Our children were both pre-schoolers at the time. Stress can do some strange things. You can manage it quite well until you begin to relax and then it hits you . . . hard. We were less than three hours out of town when a depression settled over me that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I didn’t have a positive MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

the seven stages to burnout

We all face stress. We can’t avoid it. But as much as possible, we want to manage our stress effectively so that we don’t advance to burnout. The seven stages that we’re going to discuss now are not all bad. —this is a period of high energy and #1 satisfaction. You can work hard and THE HONEYMOON STAGE

long and use up a great amount of energy, but you never feel exhausted, just exhilarated! Any stress you feel is the type of stress that keeps you sharp and doesn’t wear you down. Here’s some especially good news for some of you. It’s also possible to be in serious burnout and yet return to and stay in the honeymoon stage. —this is where you have overdrawn #2 on your energy supply. There’s a THE TUNE-UP STAGE

vague feeling of loss and some of 14

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

the enthusiasm is gone. Challenge is beginning to be replaced by disillusionment. There isn’t total dissatisfaction. The exhaustion and depression doesn’t last long, but neither does that creative burst of energy that once got you through the day. The result is inefficiency. You accomplish less and with poorer quality.

#3 —now there are stress warning

EARLY WARNING STAGE

signals: headaches, indigestion or sleep difficulties. Emotional symptoms may or may not be recognisable at this stage— nervousness and anxiety for no good reason, boredom, edginess and so on. A good health check at this stage will prevent much grief later.

#4 —this could be called first-degree burnout. You know THE CHRONIC SYMPTOM STAGE

you’ve reached stage four when you’re just as tired in the morning as you were the night before. Your tiredness has turned into chronic exhaustion. The physical symptoms become more pronounced. You become irritable. Your skin breaks out in hives or eczema. Dizzy spells, shortness of breath, a pounding heart and changes in blood pressure may be common. Psychological symptoms also in-

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thought for at least three weeks. I couldn’t concentrate. I should have been under professional care but didn’t realise the seriousness of the situation. After the two-month break, I thought I was ready to get back to work. But, I finally went to see a physician and learned I was still experiencing serious depression. I slowed down and practised stress management principles. I was fortunate and recovered without having to take medication. The complete process, however, took about three years.

“

I was fortunate and recovered without having to take medication

crease. You’re emotionally exhausted and feel drained. You erupt in anger in situations that previously would only have caused minor irritation. Depression rolls over you like a tidal wave and you can’t escape. Get help immediately! Fortunate is the person who, at this stage, has a good friend who can tell them hard truths.

#5or what I call second-degree burnout. At this stage, you’re in deep

THE CRITICAL SYMPTOM STAGE

trouble and your symptoms have become critical. Chronic frustration and dissatisfaction rule your days. Both physical and psychological symptoms intensify. You may even visit a doctor and have a series of tests, but physically, little shows up wrong. At this point, you become obsessed with your problems.

Fear and depression are constant companions. Action is needed immediately, and professional help may be required to break the cycle. At this stage, a good counsellor may be as helpful as a medical doctor. —people will continue to push #6 themselves when they can barely THE CRISIS STAGE

function. At this crisis stage, pessimism and cynicism develop, with a callous, insensitive disregard for people. Self-doubt and despair permeate your thinking. At this stage, you can be so negative and depressed that if someone comes on the television smiling and happy, you want to throw a rock at them. It’s almost impossible to be positive at this stage. This isn’t a time to make major, life-changing decisions like divorcing your spouse MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

or quitting your job. The problem is that at this stage, you feel like a trapped animal. An escape mentality develops: I’ve got to get out of this town, this job, this marriage; I’ve just got to get out of here! Getting help is critical because your physical and mental health are in serious jeopardy.

there. It’s possible to hit the wall and recover, but it isn’t probable.

recovering from burnout

If you’re suffering in the critical stages of burnout, remember to be patient in recovery. It took you several years to get to the crisis stage and it will take a minimum of a few months or even years to achieve HITTING THE WALL—this is a a complete phrase recovery. that comes I know we’d from the world like to blame of marathon someone or running, any number of when runners If you're working individuals, but experience a more than 50 the buck stops devastating with us. I can’t depletion of hours a week, you overemphasise the muscle that the primary fuel known are likely to have secret in preventas glycogen. poorer mental Muscle paralysis ing, and, yes, also can occur, in recovering, health with dizziness, from burnout is fainting and this: only you can complete take responsibility collapse, and it means having to for your life. drop out of the race. When people Here’s a list of six things for you to reach this stage of burnout, their take control of: adaptive energy is depleted just like the runner’s glycogen. They become PHYSICAL HEALTH—You can completely dysfunctional and do this by daily giving your experience a total breakdown. For body: some, it puts an end to their working  Good, balanced nutrition careers forever.  Physical exercise You meet some of these people  Plenty of water (6–8 glasses a day) homeless on the street, in prison or  Adequate sunshine (20 minutes a in mental institutions. Others end day) their lives in suicide. Now you have a  Practicing temperance (selfbetter understanding of why they’re control; ie, avoiding addictive

“

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

substances or overeating)  A good supply of fresh air  Adequate rest and relaxation  Trust in God

#2 —Various studies have demonstrated how our thoughts affect our behaviours and vice versa. Focusing on positive, uplifting thoughts will directly affect how you feel and act.

people, especially your family and fellow workers. Relationships don’t happen automatically. Positive and meaningful relationships with your spouse, children or parents require significant time and effort. A personal support system means that you have three to five people you can lean on when times get tough. If possible, some of these should be outside your immediate family and work group.

—Proper time management and planning #3 is a must. Allow yourself enough

—Take an honest assessment of your goals #6 and values, and develop a practical

THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIOURS

TIME

time for your priorities. Start each day slowly and positively with a good breakfast and with a realistic and practical plan for the day. If you need additional help with time management, the best book I know on the subject is First Things First by Steven Covey and Roger and Rebecca Merrill. —Cut back on excessive .work hours. Studies clearly #4 demonstrate that if you’re working WORK

more than 50 hours a week, you are likely to have poorer mental health, lower quality sleep and an increased risk of stroke. People who frequently work long hours have been shown to perform more poorly at work and to be less satisfied with their work, life and relationships.1

#5 —Learn how to deal with RELATIONSHIPS AND PERSONAL SUPPORT SYSTEM

FUTURE

life plan. This will take some time, but if you haven’t done this, now is the time. Earlier, I mentioned that even the wise can and do burn out, like King Solomon. After recovering from burnout and regaining the honeymoon stage, he made this comment: “It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. . . . This is indeed a gift from God” (Ecclesiastes 5:18,19). You need to make sure that you are making a life and not just a living. Cameron Johnston is a lifestyle consultant with qualifications in public health and theology. This article is adapted with permission from his latest book, Cooling Down Stress (2020, Signs Publishing). 1. L Sander (2019), “Go home on time! Working long hours increases your chance of having a stroke,” The Conversation, June 28, 2019, <http://theconversation. com/go-home-ontime-working-long-hours-increasesyour-chance-of-having-a-stroke-119388>.

MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

BIG

E S TI O N S

WHERE DID

LIFE

come from?

BY JOHN ASHTON

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

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Evolution says life came into existence from nothing. Though now commonly accepted in high schools and universities, it ignores a fundamental scientific principle—life must come from life.

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.

MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

ost of us think baby animals are cute and flowers are beautiful. Travel and nature documentaries show us some of the dazzling variety of plants, trees, animals, fish and creepy crawlies that exist on our planet. Science documentaries show reconstructions from fossils of weird and wonderful creatures such as dinosaurs that lived in the past. In biology classes, we learn that plants come from a “live” seed—if they have been killed by heat or chemicals they will not grow. Similarly, baby animals come from “living” parents. But everything comes from something, so how did the first life start? You may be thinking, “Didn’t I learn in biology class that the first living cells formed in a pond and then over thousands of millions of years slowly evolved as a result of mutations into all the different types of living things including humans?” Yes, that is what we are usually taught, but high school textbooks tend not to explain how the first life started. In fact, it may surprise you to learn that scientists still do not know how the first life started and there is a good reason for this. It is actually scientifically impossible for non-living chemical molecules in nature to somehow form a living cell capable of reproduction and this science—called “biochemistry”—is now well established. Let me explain.

In sync

To form the building block for

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

the first living cell, all the pieces have to form by chance in the same immediate location: including giant chemical molecules called biopolymers (ie. long chain peptides) to make proteins, long chain sugars and long chain fats, specific chemical compounds called enzymes, a special giant code molecule called DNA and a huge chemical code reader molecule called a ribosome. All those processes must happen at the same time. These molecules have to be assembled by random natural processes in nature into a very complex structure that protects the hundreds of different chemical reactions that constitute the metabolic processes; thereby sustaining life and reproduction in the cell. But there are insurmountable problems that prevent this from ever happening. Firstly, long chain biopolymers do not form by themselves in nature; they have to be synthesised by live organisms. The chemical reactions needed to form these compounds only work in the presence of special chemicals called enzymes that initiate the reactions. For example, the petrol in a lawn mower fuel container sits safely in the garage—it does not react with oxygen in the air and burn. But if you apply a high temperature from a burning match or a spark to the petrol, it will react with oxygen in the air and rapidly burn. The spark provides what we call “activation energy” for the chemical reaction to start. Similarly in nature,

only living systems provide the right tells molecular machines in a cell conditions to kickstart the activation what to do to keep the cell functionenergy for biopolymers to form. This ing. The sentence you have just read is a classic “which came first: the is written in a code we call English chicken or the egg” problem. language and uses 26 letters—a, b, But there is more. For a simple c, d, e . . . etc. Living organisms use cell to form, it’s not just one or a code which has only four letters to two biopolymer molecules which which we assign the symbols A, C, must form—but instead millions T and G. Instead of letters written of identical biopolymer molecules on paper or typed on a computer forming from dozens of different screen, this code uses small chemical types. Mathematical probability structures called nucleobases known calculations of the chemical reactions as adenine (A), cytosine (C), thymine involved tell us the probability of (T) and guanine (G). These are millions of idenchemically joined together so that tical just right they form long molecules sequences, like: forming altoCCTGTGTATgether is so low that it would TTCGTAC— Scientists still do never happen by which becomes chance. the coded not know how the Then there is instructions to the problem that make all the first life started many millions building blocks of chemical for the cell. molecules would Now imagine somehow have this task. I to be arranged by blind natural enwould like you to write this article in code using just the letters A, C, T vironmental forces to form the first and G. For example you might say functioning machine: a single-celled ACCCTA is the code for the word organism. Again, the probability of “where”, TATATATA is the code for this happening is so unlikely that it “did”, GTGTA is the code for “life”, would never happen by chance. GGGCTA is the code for “come”, ACCCTAAAG is the code for “from” the code and the code for “?” is GAT. So the But there is still more to this problem, and that is a giant molecule sentence “where did life come from?” becomes ACCCTATATATATAGTwe refer to as deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. It has to form by chance GTAGGGCTAACCCTAAAGGAT. in order to encode information that This code has a designer—me—I

“

MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

coincidence or not?

There is another issue as well. The DNA code is useless unless there is a code reading machine in the cell that can interpret the code and construct proteins. This molecular machine is a ribosome and is made up of more than 300,000 atoms. The scientists who worked out the exceedingly complex structure of the ribosome were awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Interestingly, 22

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

though the DNA code for a living cell contains the code to construct a ribosome, this code cannot be read unless one already exists. For me, the existence of the amazing DNA code and ribosome system clearly points to the existence of a super intelligent designer who created life. Also, based on probability calculations, we know that such an amazing code and reading system would never arise through blind-chance chemical reactions in nature. Even if all these random chemical reactions somehow did line up and form the cell, with all its component parts including enzymes, DNA and ribosomes, it would simply be a clump of dead chemicals. It would not be alive. For the clump of chemicals to become a “living” cell organism, hundreds of chemical reactions within a protected environment would have to be at just the right amount of “out-of-balance”, or dis-equilibrium. This would provide reactants for the neighbouring reaction to proceed at just the right rate, to be out-of-balance by just the right amount for the next reactions—and so on. These conditions for life are impossible to set up in a laboratory, which is why once a living organism has died it cannot be made alive again. This is why life only comes from life. Scientists and educators who do not wish to acknowledge that life came from the Intelligent Designer—a Creator God—have

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just made it up now. But it illustrates how a four letter code system can work. Scientists who believe that life on Earth arose naturally need faith that random blind chemical reactions formed a DNA code molecule—involving hundreds of thousands of nucleobases that just happened to be the code to build the same cell structure that was physically forming around it. Again, we know from mathematics and statistics that a complex code involving hundreds of thousands of letters, that provides the correct instructions for a complex molecular machine with millions of components is not going to happen by chance. It requires an intelligent programmer, just like the robots that assemble cars are controlled by a computer program written by an intelligent software engineer: one who knows what parts need to go where and when. Also, a fault or mutation in the program is not likely to produce a better car but rather one that doesn’t work properly.

to deny the impossible science of a living cell arising by chance from non-living chemicals.

explanation

The Bible explains that all life came supernaturally from a Creator God who made the heavens and the Earth. This fits the science that there is no natural explanation for life—it can therefore only be concluded that life must have started supernaturally. The Bible also tells us that humans were a special creation made in the image of God the Creator. This is why Jesus referred to God as our Heavenly Father. The Bible also tells us that God is Spirit: that is, not made up of molecules and matter. When you think about it, our mind is also not material. Our brain matter is material which can be weighed on a balance and its volume measured. But our thoughts cannot be weighed on a balance or put inside a measuring cylinder. It is our non-material mind or thoughts which constitute who we really are, our humanity, and it is also our mind and thoughts that

connect us with our Creator God. One day the biochemistry of our body will fail. Chemical reactions will come to equilibrium and we will be dead. The Bible explains how originally things were not meant to die, but evil arose and death was the consequence. God promises that if we choose to follow His ways with our mind, our thoughts—we will be preserved as though we are asleep to awake with new bodies and spend eternity with our Creator in a new heaven and new earth where there will be no evil. The Theory of Evolution not only offers no hope after death; it doesn’t fit in with the scientific evidence either. The Bible’s account of an intelligent designer and supernatural origin of life fits the science and gives hope for a supernatural life hereafter. To find out more, why not grab a Bible and read it. Dr John Ashton is an Australian scientist and author of numerous books on evolution, health and faith. Having taught for 14 years in tertiary science, he also performed industrial research for 26 years.

MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

ELL B EING

BETTER HEALTH for every body WITH

DR SIMONE KOOKE

FOCUS ON WELLNESS

We all know that eating well and exercising more are the cornerstones of good health. American researchers have suggested that focusing on the positive attributes of lifestyle, including enough sleep and good stress management—rather than only “lowering your cholesterol”—can help ward off chronic disease as we get older. This wellness-centred approach can also help women manage the menopause season with fewer complications. While wellness is hard to measure, the benefits are real.—Menopause.org

NOT ALL FAT IS CREATED EQUAL

While the obesity pandemic is not new, emerging research has continued to confirm that it is the fat around the organs that does the most damage. American researchers have demonstrated that fat around the heart can contribute to developing irregular heart rhythms, like atrial fibrillation. If unchecked this can cause heart attacks and strokes.—JACC Journal 24

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ENERGY DRINKS = CANCER?

Pause next time before you reach for an “energy drink”. Melbourne researchers have found levels of hydrogen peroxide (or bleach) in some of these drinks up to 15,000 times usually found in the body. Regular consumption of these drinks may be enough to contribute to an increase in cancer risk. —New Daily

BREAKFAST BEFORE COFFEE

If a poor night’s sleep has you reaching for the coffee cup—first thing, stop. British researchers have found that having a strong coffee on an empty stomach, after an interrupted sleep, had a significant negative impact on sugar metabolism, which could lead to diabetes in time. Improving sleep quality is a whole other topic, but “fixing” it with caffeine isn’t the best approach. —Cambridge Core

COVID-19 AGES THE BRAIN As we continue to live with Covid-19, research continues to emerge as to the longer term effects of the virus. UK researchers found that in recovered Covid-19 patients, effects on brain function were the equivalent of a mental “ageing” of 10 years. While we do not yet know if this is reversible, it adds further incentive to keep this virus well under control.—MedRxiv

IS "FANCY" SALT WORTH IT?

The past few years have seen a plethora of “special” salts hit the grocery market, with some claiming to have health benefits. Australian researchers have noted while some beneficial minerals were identified in pink salt, in order to gain any benefit you would need to consume six teaspoons of it per day. If you prefer the taste then carry on, but otherwise normal salt will do just fine.—Nutrition Research Australia

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. MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

FA IT H

y l n o the WAY TO GOD?

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IS JESUS

This seemingly innocent question has probably caused more unrest in the past 2000 years than any other. BY NICU BUTOI MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

s Jesus the only, exclusive way to God and salvation? Churches, cultures and peoples have been divided by this question—even history itself. Thus, for some, Jesus has been viewed as a figure that separates and antagonises. But this was not Jesus’ plan. He prayed “that all of them may be one” (John 17:21*) and acted to remove barriers between people, speaking out in defence of women and children, and treating people from other races and religions with respect. The words of Jesus in Matthew 5:44 were “love your enemies”.

So, is Jesus the only way to God? Many, citing Romans 10:14, respond with a firm yes: “Jesus is the only way; either you receive Jesus or you perish.” But they have lost sight of the fact that, throughout history, billions of people have never heard of Jesus’ name, or they have in some other way been denied the right to choose. Jesus asked the blind man He was to heal: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The answer was logical and mature: “Who is he, sir? Tell me so that I may believe in him” (John 9:35). The fact that this blind man did not know his Healer did not prevent Jesus from healing him. Jesus was the Way to the light, regardless of whether the blind man knew Him or not, whether He believed or not. So, is Jesus the only way to God? 28

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I can freely say a sincere yes. Jesus is the only and exclusive way to God. There is not and cannot be another way. Any person or institution, any philosophical system or any ideology that would take on this role, commits—consciously or unconsciously—a huge fraud. Jesus said of Himself, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). The same testimony was given by the apostles about Jesus: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

what about those who have not heard of Jesus?

Some people live in deliberate ignorance: “They deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the

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a meaningful question

earth was formed out of water and by water” (2 Peter 3:5). Or, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21). The writer, the apostle Paul, concludes that: “They are without excuse” (verse 20). But what about all those people who have not had the opportunity to know the only way to God? The answer is that Jesus was, is and remains the only way to God, with or without human knowledge or will. If you lose consciousness and are taken to the hospital and operated on in an emergency, you do not know who is operating on you and, although you do not know it, you might be dying. The doctor is not prevented from saving you by the fact that you do not know her. Whether you know her before or after your operation, you will finally know who your Saviour is and find out the history of your salvation. Only after you wake up—that is, after you are “resurrected” in a way—only then do you find out who operated on you, who is your saviour. Salvation does not depend, in the absolute sense, on the fact that you know God, but it depends entirely on the fact that God knows you. Our knowledge is deficient, especially when it comes to God. So, knowledge cannot be a means of salvation. Paul corrects himself, at one point, seeking a better expression of the

truth: “But now that you know God—or rather are known by God” (Galatians 4:9).

Jesus’ response to fundamentalism

Christian fundamentalism, which is too often a twisted caricature of consistency and faithfulness, condemns to destruction those whom Jesus came to save—“believe in Jesus or burn in hell! ” But Jesus receives every person who comes to Him, and goes to seek and to find each one where they are. Jesus’ humility moves me deeply. Some call Him a prophet, others a good man, others a deceiver, others a devil, others Elijah or John the Baptist, and some Christ, the Son of God. Jesus does not reject any of them, whether they come to curse Him or to worship Him, because, He says, “whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37). My niece, Haven, calls me by a name she invented. It’s not my real name, but the name she gave me goes straight to my heart. I’m not going to give her a lecture on my name or how to pronounce it correctly. I’m touched when she calls me this name, because I know how pure and loving her intention is. Similarly, somehow the true nature of God has been lost in history. But that does not change God: “He is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). As a young man, Paul persecuted those who followed the Way of Jesus, but he ended up pleading, MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

“Lord, what do you want me to do?” What would have happened if Paul had been struck down with lightning from heaven while he was persecuting? He would have been killed in his ignorance, believing that he was doing a service to God. Here is what Paul says about this: “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief ” (1 Timothy 1:13). God knew that a day would come when even the man who was persecuting His church would write 1 Corinthians 13—the ode to love. Just as God sends rain on both the good and the wicked, He makes Himself known to both the good and the wicked: “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” (John 1:9, italics added). God does not speak only in my or your language; He speaks sometimes in one way, sometimes in another. The problem is that we too often do not listen. Only He knows how to address each soul and what is the best way to make Himself known to each. With some people He will work directly, with others He will work from the shadows, but, in the end, there will be noone left with whom God has not worked in one way or another.

when complicated questions have simple answers

Is Jesus the only way to God? Yes. Will He be revealed by the same method and means to all? No. Will 30

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people be saved who worship and serve Jesus without knowing it is Him? Yes. Will there be any among them whom Jesus did not know? No. Salvation is accomplished not on the basis of what we know about God, but on the basis of what He knows about us. Today, being known by God may seem like a nuisance for some, a kind of invasion or interrogation. But the “research” God is doing on us should be compared to a thorough investigation by the greatest medical doctor. “Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind,” was David the psalmist’s invitation (Psalm 26:2). “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts” (Psalm 139:23). He knows us from eternity and in the light of eternity. We know Him in part, but He knows us fully. He is not a way, but the Way. He is not a truth, but the Truth. Not just a lifestyle, but Life itself. Nicu Butoi became a Christian as a young man in Communist Romania, where his passion for sharing the message of Jesus with others resulted in arrest, imprisonment and mistreatment. After the fall of Nicolae Ceausescu’s regime in 1989, Butoi began preaching publicly around Romania and, later, internationally. He now pastors the Dublin Seventh-day Adventist Church in Georgia, USA. The original version of this article appeared on the st.network website. Reprinted with permission. * Bible verses in this article are taken from Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used with permission.

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R RENT

THE OF

OnlyFans

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DARK SIDE

The subscriber-only website is best known for its amateur pornography content. But, as people sell their naked photos for large sums of money, they’re also selling themselves short. BY CAITLIN JANKIEWICZ MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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But in the midst of this online viewing boom, a dark industry has quickly risen to disturbing heights. As more people lost jobs, women— who, according to the National Women’s Health Network, Network, the pandemic affected disproportionately—began turning to the online sex industry as a way to maintain economic stability. The Economist reported that due to the closing of traditional sex-work outlets and with many people being stuck at home in isolation, the demand for online pornography has soared. Unfortunately, we live in a world where sex (and the degradation that goes with it) sells, and the internet

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n March 2020, the world crumbled in the grip of Covid-19. As shops and cafés shut and workplaces closed their doors, millions of people across the world found themselves jobless—their steady income gone and with it, the ability to put a roof over their heads. However, in the wake of this destructive economic tsunami, one industry was booming. According to Media Play News, News, video streaming consumption in the United States doubled between March and August of 2020, with Forbes reporting Netflix added 25.86 million new users in the first six months of the year.

“

This "harmless" money-making scheme hides some devastating consequences

is more than happy to oblige. In particular, the social media site OnlyFans, launched in 2016, has provided an easy and “safe” way for industry amateurs to market themselves. Similar to popular social media network Instagram, OnlyFans allows users to access their favourite content creators’ pages, including photographs, videos, direct messages and video calls—albeit with an attached fee. While all types of creative content is shared, OnlyFans is perhaps best known for its often amateur (and sometimes underage) pornography. As the pandemic struck and millions filed for unemployment,

according to Elle Elle,, OnlyFans reported a 75 per cent increase in signups with 150,000 new accounts created daily. As prominent blogger Thomas from xsrus.com writes, “OnlyFans has benefited massively from the coronavirus crisis. Search activity has doubled since the lockdown . . . their traffic has surged.” OnlyFans, along with other forms of internet porn and webcam content, lure new contributors with the promise of a quick, sexy and seemingly safe way of making money fast. Women on social media revel in huge earnings from their OnlyFans accounts, and endorsements by celebrities and influencers— including Caroline Calloway and Beyoncé— make a successful account seem like the ultimate hallmark of beauty and success. However, this “harmless” money-making scheme hides some devastating consequences. The emotional consequences of casualising sex, whether real or virtual, producer or consumer, run deep and are long lasting, and the protection of a computer screen only extends so far. While OnlyFans claims to be secure against hackers, nothing prevents individual subscribers from compiling and sharing the content they have paid to access. Many women report being harassed by fans for increasingly disturbing sexual acts and risk losing clientele if they do not oblige. In an article for The Spectator, Spectator, Julie Bindel, a campaigner against MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

“

God created sex as a way for a man and woman to fully, intimately know each other

to meet up in real life. ‘He ended up tracking down my real name and mobile number,’ she told me, ‘and put up a fake advert . . . on a porn site.’ The young woman was soon deluged with dozens of calls and messages from men before she was forced to change her number.” It was never meant to be this way. The human body was created by God—our sexuality is not something to be ashamed of, nor is it dirty 36

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or somehow unholy in its proper context. Michelangelo, the Italian Renaissance painter and sculptor, understood this. His famous sculpture of David and the glorious paintings that deck the Sistine Chapel all portray the nude human body. But these artworks are not designed for sexual gratification—they point to the intricacy and marvel of God’s creation. Furthermore, according to the Genesis account of human intimacy, sex was part of God’s creation, which He pronounced in Genesis 2 as being “very good”. God created sex as a way for a man and a woman to fully, intimately know each other—to form a bond meant to last a lifetime. It’s no mistake that the Bible refers to Adam “knowing” Eve, as sex involves becoming intimately known in a place of absolute safety and trust. However, the key to accessing this powerful experience lies with the phrase “in its proper context”. As Andy Stanley writes in The New Rules for Love, Sex and Dating, “Sex is a bit like glue. You shouldn’t apply it until you’re absolutely sure you’re ready to stick two things together permanently.” The more sexual partners a person has, the less effective the bond becomes in the model of completeness God designed for marriage relationships. Thus, it should come as no surprise that research has shown a direct correlation between the number of sexual partners and rate of divorce. Furthermore, Verily Mag reports

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sexual abuse, writes: “Subscribers [become] obsessed with and [go] on to stalk the women they follow on [OnlyFans]. Last month it was reported that a 21-year-old woman in Australia who posted explicit content on OnlyFans was followed and harassed by a man who went on to leak her personal information online. I heard from another woman about being sexually harassed by a subscriber after she rejected his pleas

roughly 60 per cent of 350 surveyed divorce attorneys reported that internet porn plays a significant role in divorces. Both the production and consumption of pornography and commercial sex (virtual or otherwise) pries away the soul intimacy of sex, leaving behind only hollow, fleeting pleasure and creating a culture where both women and men are used as nothing more than a means to an end. This then carries over from the internet to real-life partners and creates unrealistic expectations of what sex is and is not. Additionally, consumption of sexual content undercuts faithfulness in a relationship, causing feelings of insecurity, jealousy and betrayal. A

woman will wonder why she isn’t enough for her partner, and struggle when he pushes her to participate in degrading and sometimes violent acts portrayed by porn or “cam girls”. A man will doubt himself and his manhood, comparing himself and his sexual performance to that of a pumped-up “sex-god” on a screen. An OnlyFans star will become numb to the emotional glue of sex as she sells herself in desperation to put a roof over her head. All of these scenarios reduce sex to an act—a performance—robbing individuals of the powerful and beautiful emotional ties sex was intended to create. Sexual immorality has been around as long as time itself.

MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

OnlyFans is not the first and definitely won’t be the last avenue through which selling sex has been made to look alluring and profitable. The supply remains only as long as the demand remains, and, in some cases, women seemingly feel they have no other choice. However, it is our responsibility to do what we can to make sure that these women don’t get taken advantage of and become the subject of abuse. It’s too easy to condemn sex workers while doing nothing to help them provide for themselves in other ways, or to use them to satiate our lust while alone in the quiet of our rooms late at night. The rise of OnlyFans is clearly a reflection of the moral compass of our society. However, our individual actions are a part of society, and if a change is to happen, it needs to start with us.

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Caitlin Jankiewicz is a secondary teaching student from Avondale University College, NSW. She is a passionate advocate for women’s rights and pornography awareness.

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

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FA IT H

loves

GOD THE

LEFTOVERS God is on the lookout for those who are ready to make a stand for Him. How can one become a part of this group? BY JUSTIN BONE

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

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always been my favourite. It’s the food that’s judged to be unworthy of the main meal plate, but when left in the fridge overnight it takes on an extra something that makes it more delicious than the original serve. Curry flavours deepen, soups grow richer and rissoles more savoury. Which explains why there was high drama in the morning when I woke up. Someone had gotten up in the middle of the night and sneakily ate the last of the leftovers. They were all gone! Who could’ve eaten the leftovers? No-one would confess to it; my dad and uncle were two chief suspects but they both flatly denied it. We all rolled our eyes and packed up for the trip home.

the leftovers

Turns out I have something in common with God, because it turns out that God likes the leftovers too. There’s nothing worse than being the last one to be chosen for a group activity. We used to choose teams at school for our lunchtime games. The two most popular kids would be the captains, of course, and they would pick their teams one by one from the nervously assembled kids before them. The worst fate possible was to be the last chosen on the team,

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hen I was 14 my parents took my brother and I on a family holiday. Not just us, but my mum’s brother, his wife and kids were coming too. I was so happy. They were my favourite cousins, and we were going away for a week to Halls Gap in the Grampians National Park in western Victoria. We had rented a holiday house and there was a paddock right next to it full of cows. Even the fact that my brother and I had to share a bed couldn’t dampen my excitement. His smelly feet in my face were a small price to pay for the fun. And it was fun! It was the 1980s and it was glorious. Foggy mornings gave way to sunny mountain reaches full of koalas and birdsong. To celebrate our holiday, the final night’s meal was a grand BBQ with plenty of snags and rissoles for all. We cooked so much food that there were leftovers safely tucked away in the fridge for whoever was lucky enough to get them in the morning. The leftovers have

or the odd one out once the teams were even. The Bible tells us that God really likes the "left alone" kid. He has a special spot in His heart for the ones who are the leftovers.

remnant

Does God really choose only a few people? That sounds a bit biased of Him doesn’t it? That is not what the remnant means. The remnant are the people who have chosen God in return, and keep choosing God, and when things get hard still choose God, and then keep choosing God over and over again, even when it looks like the craziest decision imaginable. The remnant are the ones who no-one else chose for the games, but they are determined to be on God’s team. God wants everyone in the world to join Him of course (John 3:16), but there are people who stick with God and choose Him even when others have given up. Malachi 3:16 says God has a list of those people and they are the ones who respect God and who honour His name. They are the people who do what God says and believe in Jesus and what He says (Revelation 12:17). God says He will bless the remnant and through them will bless the whole world. (Zechariah 8:12, 13). They will try to be a blessing to those around them by sharing the message about God but won’t be thanked for it (Revelation 14:6-12). In fact, the remnant are not usually very popular with other people. But they are God’s favourites!

promise You might expect God to choose the strongest and best humanity has to offer, but often He chooses people who we might think are strange to choose. He sees qualities that are inside. He chose a young peasant girl to bear Jesus as her son rather than choosing a princess. He chose Paul, someone who persecuted Christians, to become one of His greatest missionaries. He has “chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:26,27). In choosing people, God makes a promise to them. He assures them when they go through hard times, He will reach out to save them and return them to prosperity (Isaiah 11:11). We can see this happen several times in the Bible. God’s people are saved from Egypt and taken to Canaan. God’s people are brought out of captivity in Babylon and returned to Israel where they prosper. Most of us don’t like to admit when we need help. God’s promises to the remnant tell me that even though I might feel lost, even though I might be struggling, He will not forget me and will reach out to save me.

intervention

We see an amazing example of this in history. God intervened in 700BC when the Assyrian king came to Jerusalem after conquering most MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

of Israel and Judah. Hezekiah, the incumbent king of Judah, was afraid. There was a fearsome army camped outside the walls. Hezekiah had a choice. The enemy commander was calling out for their surrender, but Isaiah, a prophet from God, had told Hezekiah not to fear, that God was on his side (2 Kings 19:6). In the face of imminent slaughter, Hezekiah prayed to God for deliverance (2 Kings 19:19). The odds seemed insurmountable. The Bible tells us that God heard his prayer and an angel went out that night and defeated the entire army single-handedly. It was a miraculous intervention that only God could provide. Interestingly, the Clay Prism of Sennacherib supports this, “as for Hezekiah, he did not submit to my yoke”. The only way one city could have withstood the might of Assyria was with divine intervention! While we might not have Assyria camped on our doorstep, the world has seen enough trouble lately to remind everyone that we all need help sometimes. In the same way that Hezekiah was told not to fear, God tells us many times not to fear as well. That’s one of the identifiers of the remnant, of the leftovers. They are the ones who trust and listen to God when things are difficult. Isaiah 41:10 is one of my favourite promises like that. It says “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right 44

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hand.” That’s important because the Bible talks about a time when it will be tempting to give up on God. Matthew 24:10 says “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.” I see a lot of that hate in the world today.

the happy ending

The Bible says that in the same way God has kept His promise to the remnant in the past, He will also keep His promise to that remnant now and will also come and bring them back to safety and prosperity in the future. He will gather them together in His final kingdom and promises that there will be no more tears, no more death, no more mourning and no more pain because that has all been finished (Revelation 21:4). The best part is that He is looking for those that others have overlooked. The leftovers. I want to be one of those leftovers! Which reminds me of that holiday home in the Grampians National Park. It’s been more than three decades, but to this day no-one knows who took the leftovers from the fridge on that trip to Halls Gap. My father and uncle still deny all knowledge of who took it. But I know one thing, I bet those leftovers were delicious! Justin Bone supports and trains pastors and congregations around Victoria for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He is passionate about helping people understand the Bible better.

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QUADRATIC EQUATIONS &

Jesus

BY JOSH WOOD

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Jesus' life + Death = Being saved. It's a formula we often speak about, yet one that is incomplete.

MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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aspect—Jesus’ resurrection. Yet the resurrection is often talked about less than those other elements. Now I’m not suggesting the whole world is forgetting about the resurrection—it may just be assumed knowledge. But I’m a bit of a stickler for the rules, so I can’t understand why people would abbreviate the beauty found in the full expression of this belief. One of the risks of not verbalising this belief in full is that, over time, by omission, a new “doctrine” or teaching is created that “cheapens” the full beauty of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It’s like the old adage that “if you tell someone something often enough, then soon enough they’ll believe it”. The resurrection is (in my mind) the key aspect to this equation, yet is often the missing part of the formula. The formula simply doesn’t make sense without it. If Jesus was a man who lived, so what? If Jesus was a man who died, so what? But if Jesus was the Man/God who was resurrected . . . wow!! Now that’s something to talk about. That’s something God-like, the ultimate clickbait. There is a song titled “Man of Sorrows” by Hillsong Worship that shows this wonderfully. The final verse of the song is often sung with much more passion, emotion and joy—the music peaks as the narrative of the lyric reaches its turning point, the reason for the story. The former verses speak of the life and death of

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hen I walked out of my Year 12 maths exam I was feeling confident. I certainly wasn’t the smartest in the class, but there was one particular type of equation that I knew back-to-front, upsidedown and inside out. Quadratic equations were the one thing I was the best at (at least in my class). Every time we ran through these problems in class I was able to solve the equation quicker than anyone else. But more than that, I managed to do so almost by looking at the equation and instinctively knowing the answer. My teacher at the time said he had never seen someone so proficient in solving them, yet he cautioned me not to rely solely on my instinctive knowledge and that I should ensure I follow the steps we learned in class. When it comes to many people’s expression and understanding of Jesus it, too, can be a thing of beauty, something some people just instinctively “get”. Yet it’s often presented, taught and expressed in an incomplete way. The problem is, sometimes data is missed and the “equation” simply doesn’t make sense without it. You might have seen an idea or equation like the following. It looks right but it’s missing a key component that makes it incomplete. Let’s see if you can pick it up. Jesus’ Life + Death = Salvation The truth of the Christian faith cannot be adequately expressed in this manner. One key aspect is missing: Perhaps even the key

“

The resurrection is (in my mind) the key aspect to this equation Jesus, but all of this was just building to the apex of the story . . . the resurrection. See the stone is rolled away Behold the empty tomb Hallelujah God be praised He’s risen from the grave* This single aspect, the resurrection, is the thing that truly sets Jesus apart. It tells us something extraordinary happened in and through His life. It tells us that if He was able to “defeat death” then surely there is something special about Him and the way He lived. The resurrection makes the investigation of His life even more important. It makes the investigation of His death more urgent. When we recognise that it is claimed that

this Man defeated death it makes us wonder who He really was, it encourages us to go further into the story, further into the history, further into the man Himself. And on that journey we find this Man was not simply a man but He was God . . . the promised and prophesied Messiah; the one John the Baptist spoke about when he said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). By pointing to Jesus and proclaiming Him to be the “Lamb of God”, John was pointing toward the role Jesus would play according to the sacrificial system practiced by Jews at that time. John was letting his readers know that this Man was the promised Saviour they had all been waiting for. The phrase itself is found uniquely in the gospel of John and people often skim over it. Yes, Jesus is the Lamb of God. Yet He is more than that: He is God—the only One who could defeat death. MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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than five centuries before it was to even take place right down to the very timing of the sacrificial death of this “lamb”. I couldn’t deny it any longer. The life and ministry of Jesus gave me direction; the death of Jesus restored me; but the resurrection of Jesus gave me hope that forevermore I can be counted as a child of God. Unfortunately, sometimes we “exit” our “exam” thinking we’ve done well when in actual fact our “knowledge” has let us down and we’ve unintentionally misrepresented the beauty of the life, death and resurrection of Christ. You see, when I exited my mathematics exam, ecstatic I had done so well, it was only after some quiet reflection and discussion with others I realised my mistake. In using the “Josh method” of solving the equations I realised I had skipped a crucial step in the process, resulting in the wrong answer to each and every equation. That’s why I prefer to write this out and express this most wonderful truth in full, so I don’t make another mistake—this time a fatal one. Salvation doesn’t come through just the life of Jesus. It doesn’t come through just the death of Jesus. Rather, it is present because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Life + Death ≠ Salvation Life + Death + Resurrection = Salvation What an exciting idea—why would we even want to try to “simplify” this, the most perfect of

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As we investigate the life of Jesus we find One who not only “knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21), but we find in Him One who clearly stood out from the crowd, who not only communicated with God but walked with Him daily and exampled for us the type of life a follower of God is called to live. We find One whose life so exemplified the desire God had for His people that we can’t help but question what was special about Jesus. As we understand the nature of Jesus (as if we ever really can!) and begin to investigate the predictions pertaining to Him, the plan of God from the Garden of Eden in the book of Genesis right through the Old Testament history, we come to recognise that this Jesus came at the perfect time in history (Daniel chapters 8 and 9) to fulfil a specific purpose. When I studied these predictions, these prophecies of Daniel in my early 20s and began to get my head around the specificity of this prophecy in Daniel 8 and 9 and came to understand the accuracy of it (not so much in relation to the birth of Jesus but the death and resurrection of Jesus), my mind was made up . . . there simply was nothing that could convince me otherwise as to the truth of this Jesus and the task He accomplished for my salvation. There was no changing my mind that this good news, this gospel and the gift offered to me through Jesus was a plan set in place by God Himself, a plan so perfect He revealed it to Daniel more

equations with absolutely no errors to be found! Perhaps you’ve been considering who this Jesus is and uncertain as to the validity of the claims of Christianity in relation to Him. If you want to find out more, the “Steps to Spiritual Freedom” Hope Channel online course might be for you. Visit signsofthetimes.org.au/ spiritualfreedom. Josh Wood is a pastor in Melbourne, Australia. * The same could be said for a range of songs on this theme both traditional and modern: "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" (Wesley), "In Christ Alone" (Getty), "Because He Lives" (Gaither), "Forever" (Jobe) et. al.

MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

IE N

CE/ TE

YOUTUBE CONSPIRACY

Virginia Tech University researchers have found YouTube algorithms suggested more conspiracy videos after a viewer watched one. YouTube has since reduced recommending them by 70 per cent, but reports say less mainstream topics, like climate change denial, are still drawing mass viewership.—Wired

ALGORITHMS "MORE LIKE PUBLISHERS"

Former United States president Barack Obama has called for heavier regulation of social media, claiming "They are making editorial choices". President Joe Biden has also stated the need to changed the Communications Decency Act to hold social platforms accountabe. —CNBC

UNCONVENTIONAL

MEDICINE

DISCOVERIES 52

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AI JESUS Quantum researcher George Davila Durendal has programmed an AI—trained algorithm to create prophecies and new Bible verses. "AI Jesus" has been created to read a King James Bible thousands of times, and write verses replicating its style.—NY Post

KAITLYN BAKER—UNSPLASH, DAN ASAKI—UNSPLASH, MACAU PHOTO AGENCY—UNSPLASH CHRISTIAN WIEDIGER—UNSPLASH, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, MICHAEL DZIEDZIC—UNSPLASH

CHANGING WHAT YOU SEE, THINK & FEEL:

EAR WAX AND STRESS HORMONES Scientists are creating an ear wax test to check cortisol levels, making it easier to track stress-related conditions. The new method will also be cheaper than testing blood or urine samples.—The samples.—The Guardian

NATURE AND MENTAL HEALTH LIFE AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD

UBC researchers have found mental health in teenagers, especially females, improves when they spend more time away from a screen. More time with recreational activities and in nature is deemed to significantly increase life satisfaction, while less than two screen time hours each day is found to decrease anxiety and depression symptoms. —University of British Columbia

WINDOW TO A CLEAR MIND

Research of mental health during Covid lockdown shows that nature surrounding and visible from homes greatly improved residents' self-esteem and satisfaction; reducing loneliness and depression. It also found when a person's senses are engaged in nature—including smelling flowers and hearing birds—it can also improve a person's life outlook. Scientists have recommended creating new urban nature spaces.—Ecological Society of America

AIR POLLUTION CONSEQUENCES

While clean air quality is found to improve mental health, scientists have also established a link between pollution and depression. Women aged 80 and over were found to be at most risk of experiencing depressive symptoms after exposure to unclean air. Researchers have narrowed the cause down to nitrogen dioxide, a gas exuded by diesel engines. Long-term exposure was also found to affect memory storage 10 years later. —The Guardian

BREATHING OUT ALCOHOL POISONING Canadian researchers have found alcohol poisoning may be diminished by breathing fast into a carbon-dioxide controlling mechanical device. Excess alcohol droplets are then evaporated out of the lungs. —Global News

SMALL HANDSHAKES ... IN YOUR EAR New atomic mapping of inner-ear filaments could help scientists learn more about hearing loss. Scientists are studying how proteins interact, described as "molecular handshakes".—Ohio handshakes". —Ohio State News MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

LT U R E

THE

PLACE: d Goo

GREAT QUESTIONS,

The popular NBC comedy series, The Good Place, tackles the big questions—ethics, philosophy and destiny. But, chuckles aside, how accurate was its depiction of the afterlife? Warning: Spoilers ahead. BY NATHAN BROWN 54

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MEDIUM ANSWERS

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able—writing jokes on religious themes is stepping into fraught and contested territory—but is also the largest gap in any serious themes the series might have been seeking to explore. Perhaps this is why the first two-and-three-quarter seasons were more successful in their storytelling. It is much easier to ask questions, challenge assumptions and mock our common human fallibility. The greater challenge for the series came when the story demanded that the characters begin to discover answers. But with The Good Place now complete, it’s interesting to reflect on some of the important things that its characters discovered—and a few of the things they might have missed. Perhaps these are a few insights the show might have benefitted from if the writers had considered the insights the Bible offers.

WHAT THE GOOD PLACE GOT RIGHT We don’t know much about the afterlife While speculation around the afterlife has occupied a lot of space in Christian tradition, the Bible is sur-

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n the opening scene of The Good Place, celestial being Michael (Ted Danson) explains that most world religions and philosophies get their respective understandings of the afterlife only about five per cent right. Only Doug, a 1970s high-schooler, under the influence of magic mushrooms, got anywhere close. Of course, we also discover by the end of the first season of this clever NBC comedy series that Michael is a demon and that much of what he’d said to the recently deceased Eleanor (Kristen Bell) and her friends in the Disney-fied afterlife he’d designed for them were lies intended to torture them in new and creative ways. Four seasons and 53 episodes later, The Good Place wrapped up earlier this year, culminating with a redrawing of the pre-existing afterlife system of judging humanity, which placed them in either heaven (“the good place”) or hell (“the bad place”). As a TV series, it did a remarkable job of making entertainment out of ethical discussions, with each of the primary characters bringing their different philosophies and life experiences to wrestling with the complexities their bizarre afterlife revealed. Of course, there were startling plot twists, evolving romances, and a few too many jokes about lurid forms of torture and demonic flatulence. Remarkably—or not—the philosophical sources for the discussions in The Good Place avoided those of most of the dominant world religions. This is understand-

recognise that same impure motivation in even the best things we might do. The Bible goes further, reminding us that nothing we do is “good enough” (see Isaiah 64:6) and “none is righteous, no, not one; no-one understands; no-one [truly or purely] seeks for God” (Romans 3:10).

prisingly short on detail, more often describing life after this by what is not there—for example, “no more death or sorrow or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4)—than the specifics of what will be. Death is a mystery to us and we simply cannot see beyond it, whether for ourselves or those we love. Either we somehow accept the inevitability of our non-existence or we try to have faith that somehow death will be defeated (see 1 Corinthians 15:26). Beyond that, there is so much we don’t know. What we do isn’t good enough to get us into “the good place” Seeking to understand the afterlife judicial systems depicted in The Good Place, the four humans discover that no-one has been admitted to “the good place” in more than 500 years. While there have been good people, great leaders and noble humanitarians throughout history, the increasing complexity of modern life and the mixed motivations that we all live with undermine our ostensibly good actions. When we are honest with ourselves, we can

Rejecting “the bad place” Many of the jokes in the series are uncomfortable, but creative, descriptions of the physical and psychological tortures of “the bad place” and the demonic delight taken in the suffering inflicted. It mocks and undermines the legitimacy of the traditional understanding of hell—and deservedly so. As the character Chidi (William Jackson Harper) states explicitly in one of the final episodes: “Live anything less than the most exemplary life and you are brutally tortured forever, with no recourse—the cruelty of the punishment does not match the cruelty of the life that one has lived.” This is one of the characters’ key arguments for overhauling the afterlife. The teaching of everlasting torture in hell is also illogical, unbiblical and something we need to continue to reject from Christian tradition. An afterlife perspective offers different values to those we see now In a way, Jesus told a similar story—a parable—about a rich man and the beggar who lived at his gate (see Luke 16:19–31). After death, the two men were treated in ways MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

sleep peacefully, awaiting a resurrecthat largely reversed the fortunes they had experienced on earth, with tion that is yet to come. the heartless rich man punished and the former beggar comforted. We can work our way back into “the Jesus wasn’t so much depicting good place” the afterlife as urging that we live The solution offered by the four differently today, caring more for humans at the end of the final series the needs of others and keeping the is “the medium place” in which all eternal consequences of our choices but the worst of humanity have the and priorities in mind. Similarly, the opportunity to take a series of tests main story arc of The Good Place is how each of the central characters became better people through the course of confronting big ethical questions The ultimate promise of the and the lives they Bible is that God will re-create had lived previously. and restore our world, as it

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was originally created and WHAT THE GOOD PLACE GOT intended to be. WRONG Our immediate passing to another conscious existence is not automatic. and learn to be better people, until Again belying much of Christian they ultimately qualify for “the good tradition—and the entertaining place”. In the Bible, eternal life is a premise of The Good Place—the gift from God that is offered through Bible’s most common description of responding to the invitation that death is sleep (see Ecclesiastes 9:5; comes to us in Jesus (see Ephesians John 11:11–15; 1 Thessalonians 2:4–10). If we choose to follow Jesus, 4:13). Those who have died are not we can begin to live an eternal kind being tortured in hell, still trying of life now and He will care for our to get into “the good place”, or eternal destiny (see John 3:16). trying to solve existential and ethical puzzles. The Bible suggests that they 58

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The ultimate “Good Place” is our world re-created and restored—so it isn’t boring The Good Place depicted “the good place” as endless pleasure, which over time becomes meaningless and ultimately tiresome. But the ultimate promise of the Bible is that God will re-create and restore our world, as it was originally created and intended to be (see Revelation 21:1). There are suggestions that the best of human culture will also be restored: “And all the nations will bring their glory and honour into the city” (Revelation 21:26). With all humanity who have chosen to be on the right side of this history, following Jesus and His ways, we will work to build, grow and learn, creating and caring for the good world that God has made and re-made. God was missing—and God is the point The Good Place had a number of characters with supernatural roles—architects who built and administered their respective neighbourhoods, ever-present personal assistants who could respond to any request and a judge who arbitrated the objections of afterlife participants. But in the series’ exploration of the afterlife, God was sorely missing. The grand story of the Bible is the story of how the relationship between God and humanity was broken. It is God who has moved through time and space to seek to restore that relationship, with the

ultimate goal of making us and our world anew. And the central reality of the Bible’s depiction of the afterlife is proclaimed with a shout: “God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them” (Revelation 21:3). However little we might know about our future, the Bible assures us that God will be there with us. The Good Place was a clever and creative way to question and even challenge some of the assumptions of religious and popular traditions about the afterlife, as well as asking what it means to be good and to live well. But it is easier—and more within the reasonable expectations for a TV comedy series—to make jokes and ask questions than it is to find answers and offer hope. Both the questions and the answers matter, because what we believe about our eternal future directs our priorities, choices and values today. The Good Place is a prompt to ask ourselves those questions again—and to look beyond ourselves in search of better answers. Nathan Brown is book editor for Signs Publishing Company in Warburton, Victoria. Please note that discussion of a media product in Signs of the Times does not imply an endorsement or recommendation. The Good Place is rated M for crude humour and drug use.

MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

ELL B EING

CAN EATING BREA MEAN BETTER GR Research shows feeding the brain is essential for cognitive function. BY SANITARIUM HEALTH FOOD COMPANY

s well as giving you energy to start the day, breakfast plays a crucial role in powering your brain. So it adds up that a healthy breakfast habit can help children and teens do better at school. CAN YOU EAT YOUR WAY TO BETTER GRADES? An Australian study of 824 children in grades three to seven found breakfast was critical for school performance. Specifically, it showed the combination of regularly eating breakfast—especially a good quality breakfast—and being active boosted both literacy and numeracy skills. It also helps kids to beat the “fuzzies” that can set in with the mid-morning hunger pangs. WHAT TO EAT BEFORE EXAMS? If you have teens who are heading

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into exam time, be sure to keep up good breakfast habits. Feeding the brain is essential for good cognitive function and has been shown to help with attention, memory and recall, as well as academic performance. The trouble is that, as kids get older, they are more likely to skip breakfast, missing essential nutrients that become even more important during puberty when rapid growth spurts kick-in. A recent UK study of teens looked at their breakfast habits and their exam results. It found students who rarely ate breakfast achieved nearly two grades lower than those who rarely missed brekkie. So what’s the best breakfast before an exam? There’s emerging evidence a low GI breakfast helps provide a slow release of energy and steady blood sugar levels for optimal cognitive function.

AKFAST RADES?

KIDS' BREAKFAST TIPS GOOD QUALITY BREAKFAST Think well-balanced, nourishing and delicious. Try wholegrain cereal with dairy or soy milk topped with fruit or blended together as a smoothie, wholegrain toast with peanut butter, baked beans and avocado on toast with a grilled tomato, or a berry breakfast trifle.

STAY HYDRATED Don’t forget the drinks! This is just as important as the food. Evidence suggests dehydration impairs cognitive function leading to poor exam performance. Water is always a winner.

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SIMPLE BREAKFAST GETS THE TICK A bowl of cereal before your child rushes off to school is a great start! A study of Australian data showed children who started their day with breakfast cereal had the highest intakes of dietary fibre and nutrients, including calcium and iron—key nutrients Australian and New Zealand children fall short on.

LOW GI A low GI brekkie with slowrelease energy could include low GI breakfast cereal topped with unsweetened yoghurt and berries, bircher muesli topped with canned fruit and nuts, avocado and eggs on sourdough toast, or chia pudding made with soy milk and topped with sliced banana and cinnamon.

Article courtesy of Sanitarium Health Food Company. Visit sanitarium.com. au or sanitarium.co.nz and subscribe to Wholicious living for more great health and nutrition info each month. MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

FUN

CROSSWORD

HERBERT2512—PIXABAY

Hint: 13 Across

EDUCATION.COM

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CROSSWORD CLUES

ACROSS 4 Sharp weapon historically used in combat 5 When describing something annoying 7 When confidential information is released online without consent 9 The means of voting in an election 10 When glucose is stored in connected molecules 13 Savoury pastry with patty centre 14 Mistrusting others and their motives DOWN 1 A person who is divinely inspired 2 Sport where opposite parties attempt to physically pin each other down 3 Ancient Greek city demolished by Romans in 146 BC 6 Seven odourless gases on periodic table 8 A supporter of a party or cause 11 Car engine chamber where petrol is turned into power 12 American business magazine with focus on economics

SUDOKU EASY

4 9 3

9 4

7 2

8 3

3 2 5

8 6

HARD

7 7

9 3

How closely have you been 9 2 reading? Each keyword in this 1 contained 3 7 within puzzle 8 is also this edition of Signs of the Times. 3 7 6 Happy digging!

SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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Signs of the Times - March 2021

Articles inside

CAN EATING BREAKFAST MEAN BETTER GRADES?

WHERE DID THE UNIVERSE COME FROM?

GOD LOVES THE LEFTOVERS