Signs of the Times - September 2021 by Adventist Media

TWENTY years on

A PERSONAL REFLECTION ON 9/11

WHY IT'S WORTH ASKING "R U OK?"

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY

IN THIS ISSUE

SEPTEMBER 2021

THE DAY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

9/11 changed us all and the

world will never be the same PAGE 32

12 CURRENT

WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPY FATHER'S DAY From a dad who learned to listen 24 TWENTY YEARS ON A personal reflection on 9/11 4 6

WELLBEING

12 WHY IT'S WORTH

ASKING "R U OK?" My personal battle with mental health 22 BETTER HEALTH FOR EVERY BODY Health news that makes a difference

54 6 STEPS TO FREEDOM Practical tips to find

emotional stability 60 THE LOWDOWN ON SALT

FAITH

18 LOOKING FOR A LOVING

FATHER One of the most important relationships 40 THE LAW OF GOD Understanding the 10 Commandments

BIG QUESTIONS

46 WHERE DID GOOD VS

EVIL COME FROM? Explaining morality in a broken world

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 2

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/SIGNSMAG

SCIENCE & TECH

52 THE CUTTING EDGE Engineering, science

and technology news

FUN

62 CROSSWORD AND

SUDOKU Have you been paying attention?

REMEMBERING 9/11 That day is vivid in my memory. Our normally jovial bus driver told us to quiet down as he turned up the radio. Kids whispered of a burning building, an attack— something was happening. I remember a group of us standing in the school library behind the librarian. The images on screen looked like a movie. We watched as the second plane smashed into the other tower. No-one could quite believe what they were seeing. I remember feeling certain that what I was seeing meant the world was about to be plunged into war. In some ways life didn't change too much after that event. But in other ways, it changed forever. Innocence was lost. Before 9/11, I remember my dad taking me up into the cockpit of a Boeing 747. While my dad went back to his seat, as a kid, I was allowed to stay with the pilots for landing into Adelaide. It was a once in my lifetime experience, something that won't be possible for children again, unless they become pilots themselves. Security tightened up at airports and borders around the world. Almost overnight, the world changed. In this issue, two friends of mine give their own thoughts on what happened that day as we remember the 20th anniversary of September 11—"Twenty years on" (p24), a personal reflection from someone with close ties to New York, and "The day that changed the world" (p32), a historian's look at some of the trends in world events since 9/11. This event reminds me of the significance of what Signs does—bringing the hope of Jesus to a troubled and broken world.

Jarrod

JARROD STACKELROTH Editor

VOL 136 NO 9 ISSN 1038-9733 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Brad Kemp EDITOR Jarrod Stackelroth ASSISTANT EDITOR Daniel Kuberek COPYEDITOR Tracey Bridcutt GRAPHIC DESIGN 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:

Cmart7327—Getty Images

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WHAT IN THE WORLD "STRIKINGLY POOR" HUMAN RIGHTS

SMOKE FREE BY 2025 NEW ZEALAND

Two proposals are being touted in New Zealand to curb smoking addiction, including raising the legal smoking age and banning cigarette sales to anyone born after 2004. The proposed laws are in response to the 4500 deaths attributed to smoking in the country each year. Eighty-five per cent of the population is currently smoke-free. —NZ Ministry of Health, Scoop 4

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PHILIPP KATZENBERGER—UNSPLASH, ADRIEN OLICHON—UNSPLASH, SEBASTIAN COMAN—UNSPLASH, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, STRECLIUC DUMITRU —GETTY

AUSTRALIA

The latest results in the Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI) found Australia had "strikingly poor" results. The country was found to be negligent in issues of education, health, food and work, while Indigenous Australians were identified as being at risk of arrest, detention and torture. HRMI co-founder Anne-Marie Brook called the findings "very disappointing", while also acknowledging how human rights across the globe have been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.—SBS

Day 2021 CHURCH WIPES MEDICAL DEBT UNITED STATES

St Bede's Episcopal church in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has cleared $A1.8 million worth of medical debt for 782 households. Through donations by its members, the church helped families which were identified as being on the poverty line. The church, parterning with charity RIP Medical Debt, purchased and cleared existing debts in more than six counties.—Episcopal News Service

Australia's Lifeline and Beyond Blue services recorded 10 and 27 per cent increases in calls and contact numbers respectively during the January 2020–2021 period. —AIHW

55 per cent of young people reported being concerned about their mental health as a result of the pandemic. —Foundation for Young Australians

A survey of adults in New Zealand after last year's alert level 4 lockdown found a third of the participants reporting mental distress. —Science Daily

POVERTY CRISIS WORLD

Global charity organisation Oxfam has declared 11 people die every minute from hunger, which has increased sixfold since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Numbers of people living in extreme poverty are expected to reach 745 million by the end of this year, an increase of 100 million since the beginning of 2020. The death rate is higher than for Covid-19 deaths—which stand at seven deaths each minute.—Sky

New Zealand's essential workers were also found to be exhibiting higher rates of distress. However, this was still lower than in other countries due to lower rates of Covid-19 community infection. —PLOS ONE

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FROM A DAD WHO LEARNED

GEORGIJEVIC—GETTY IMAGES

n e t s i l o t

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This father learned some important lessons from the stories he told, the stories he heard and the stories he lived. BY DAVE EDGREN

SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

want to talk to him alone!” the three-year-old girl demanded, pointing at her two-day-old brother who had just come home from hospital. Big sister continued, “In his room, with the door closed!” The parents weren’t sure what to make of this request. Was this sibling jealousy? Were her intentions good or bad? They tried to dissuade her but over the next few hours, her request only became more anxious. Finally, the parents decided to set up the baby monitor and listen. Once it was on and tested, to make sure the slightest sound could be heard, they told the girl she could talk to her brother alone. As the little girl shut the door of the baby’s room, the parents rushed to the monitor. Padding quietly over to the cot, the little girl said, “Quick, tell me about God. I’ve almost forgotten!”

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This story, retold by many, is attributed to author Peter Palmer. Parenting isn’t easy. Every day there are decisions. Some are more memorable than others! If your parenting journey is anything like mine, you have a collection of cherished stories you like to tell about your kids. The above story is one little girl’s legacy. She would have heard that story a thousand times. She was shaped by it, as was her brother and their family. “Babies are a gift from God,” she was no doubt told. She believed and acted on that wisdom. Because her parents listened, they heard her words and that moment became legend. My three children are all adults now. It is said that age comes with wisdom. But, given I have grey hair myself, I now realise it’s not age that brings wisdom but all the stories. Life

is lived. Stuff happens. Stories form and reform. Memories are made. In the repeated telling of those stories, wisdom is created. So, as a dad, here are a few of the stories that shape me.

listen to your children

son—maybe four years old—took me aside and said, “Dad, can you not be so funny around me? I like to be serious.” And he does, still. We have had amazing deep conversations over the years. Sometimes I still am a bit too silly. But I remember and I try!

I remember setting up camp one summer afternoon. Five-yearthey are also listening to you old Mikey stopped me. “Dad, my One night, before putting the kids tummy hurts.” I asked him if he was to bed, I told them a story about hungry. He was. I peeled a banana Elisha helping a woman who had no and gave it to him. A few minutes food (found in the Bible in 2 Kings later, “Dad, my tummy hurts.” I chapter 4). He told her to get as asked him if many jars as she he was thirsty. could find and put He was. I them in her house. opened a bottle She sent her two of water and sons around the gave it to him. village and they Water gone, he collected empty it's not age that brings returned, “Dad, jars. Her house my tummy full of empty jars, the wisdom but all the hurts.” Elisha told her to stories “Why does get an oil jar. She your tummy did. It only had a hurt, Mikey?” I few drops left. He asked, exaspertold her to pour oil into the jars. Acting in faith, she ated. began pouring the oil into one of He pulled up his shirt revealing a tummy covered in angry scratches. “I the empty jars. Soon the jar was full. She moved to the next and the next slid down the rocks,” he said matteruntil, as she reached the last jar in of-factly. the house, the oil stopped pouring. I’ve told that story many times Elisha told the woman to sell the oil over the years. And it has reminded and use the money to feed her family. me of some valuable lessons many I finished by telling my kids prayer times. Listen. Ask questions. Listen was like the oil. If we pray in faith, again. Then act. God will answer our prayers. Another time, having just As I tucked my youngest child laughed uproariously at one of my into her bed, she said, “God never own excellent dad jokes, my eldest

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gives me what I ask for.” Surprised, I asked her what she had asked God to give her. She shrugged her shoulders and said, “Nothing.” I asked it differently, “What do you want God to give you?” Again, she shrugged and said, “Nothing.” “Quick, fold your hands and close your eyes,” I said. She did and I prayed, “Dear God, Rachael really, really wants nothing. Please give her lots and lots of nothing! AMEN!” I clapped my hands and waved them around the room, “Look at it all! WOW! All that nothing!” “You’re weird, Dad.” Yep. A few days later Rachael and I were at a park. I lost my wallet but didn’t notice until hours later. After cleaning the car out and realising it had to be at the park, I told Rachael we needed to go back and look for my wallet. On the way to the park, I said, “We should pray about the wallet and ask God to help us find it.” Rachael said, “I’ve already prayed in my head. But if you want me to pray out loud, I can.” I smiled and said I would like that. So, she did. The wallet was under the bench where I had been sitting. Prayer answered. She had already prayed. That story still teaches me not to assume things. Not to worry. Not to fear.

listen to your body

On January 3, 2013 an acoustic neuroma was carved out of my head. 10

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As a result, I lost hearing on my left side. Permanently. I lost my ability to focus. Lost energy. Lost spatial awareness (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!). Lost focus. Oh, I said that. Before the surgery, the doctor told me I would need to set different expectations for myself after it. Some things would come back. Some wouldn’t. He was right. I am much slower now. Tired. But, in this new life, I see and hear more. Where once I saw people walking past, now I see individuals and think, What silent suffering are they going through right now? And now, because I have slowed down, I hear them when they speak to me. Even though I only have one working ear, I hear people better than I ever have before. Being truly heard is far too rare in today’s busy world. At some point, your body will tell you to slow down. Listen. Then, just do it. Rejig your priorities and put people first. You know the saying—nobody on their deathbed wishes they spent more time at work. Everyone wishes they spent more time with their family. Start now.

“I have no right to protect you from the consequences of your actions.” My mum speaks hope. She shaped my future: “God has a plan for your life.” She shaped my character: “My Davy never lies to me.” My wife speaks truth. “You’re not wearing that shirt today.” And a minute later, she’s right! “We are not buying a bigger TV.” Still true. “You should do some writing today.” Done! The world paints reality askew. Perfection is not the goal. Connection is. Value your family. Work on the relationships. Care for the wounded. Be there. Listen. Being a dad is all about shaping people with stories. Create memories. Speak wisdom. Tell stories. And then, tell them again! To connect with someone or for prayer, visit <signsofthetimes.org.au/help/>. Dave Edgren is a storyteller and freelance writer who lives in Melbourne.

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listen to loved ones

Relationships are the purpose of life. Cultivate them. My dad speaks wisdom. When I was a kid, he often said, “If it is to be it is up to me.” One of the hardest teachings (for which I am very grateful) he lived rather than spoke: SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

ELL B EING

WHY IT'S WORTH ASKING

"R U OK?" Mental health is being talked about more than ever before, but the stigma surrounding it still exists. This personal story helps break down misconceptions. BY ASHLEY STANTON

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my personal journey

I’ve been clinically diagnosed with anxiety and depression for six years now. At the peak of my depression, I wished I could cease to exist. I never fell so deep into my depression to try to follow through on that desire, but I can certainly see how someone could. The beginning of 2016 was smooth sailing, or so I thought. It seemed that my coping mechanism for dealing with my anxiety and panic attacks was working. But it wasn’t. I was just putting a Band-Aid on something that needed stitches. By the time I addressed it, I needed surgery. Midway through the year I broke down. My mental health spiralled into depression. I became desperate for love, desperate to be told that 14

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my life was worth living, because I certainly didn’t feel that way. I had suicidal ideations. It was a painful time. And that’s when I went to see a psychologist. It was difficult at first. I desperately needed help but I felt that by asking for help I had failed, that I wasn’t strong enough to cope on my own. I quickly learned otherwise.

what is mental illness?

At this point, it may be beneficial to define mental illness. According to the Australian Department of Health, “Mental illness is a health problem that significantly affects how a person feels, thinks, behaves and interacts with other people. It is diagnosed according to standardised criteria. The term mental disorder is also used to refer to these health problems.”1

understanding mental illness

I understand why it is so difficult for people who do not have mental illness or a mental disorder to grasp the concept. The solutions to mental illness seem obvious and easy to someone who hasn’t experienced it. “Are you depressed? Do things that make you happy!” “Anxious? Just chill out, learn how to relax.” It’s easy to blame the person experiencing mental illness for their situation. Unlike physical illness where we can often see the cause of the injury, without a proper understanding of mental health disorders, we blame people for their mental illness.

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was 18 years old the first time someone I knew committed suicide. She attended a neighbouring high school. We were both in Year 12, about to take our final HSC exams and she decided it was all too much. I remember going to her Facebook profile and scrolling through post after post dedicated to this seemingly happy, beautiful girl who was no longer with us. I was young and carefree. People my age weren’t supposed to die. The concept that someone would willingly choose to end their life was something I couldn’t fathom. Until I found myself entertaining the same thoughts.

“Why don’t they just snap out of it?” or “Stop being so negative” are sentiments shared by people who don’t understand mental illness. But just like physical illness can lead to death if untreated, so too can mental illness. While suicide is a taboo topic for most, it is a very real problem. And while death of any kind is upsetting, the truly devastating part about suicide is that it is preventable.2

the impact of mental illness

More than three million Australians are living with anxiety or depression.3 Over 65,000 Australians make a suicide attempt each year.4 Nine Australians die every day by suicide–that’s more than double the road toll.5 Indeed, 75 per cent of people who take their own life are male.5 New Zealand has the highest rate of youth suicide in the world

and data from the 2018/19 financial year shows 685 suspected suicides.6 But unlike car accidents, we have the power to change these overwhelming statistics. It starts by acknowledging mental illness, understanding it and working to remove the debilitating stigma. So what can we do?

we need a culture shift

We need to start treating mental illness the same way we treat physical illness. Just like we visit the doctor when we have broken a bone, it is important to seek help when experiencing mental illness. But currently, there is a stigma attached to having a mental illness which makes people hesitant to speak up and seek help. People with mental health problems say that the social stigma attached to mental illness and the discrimination they experience can make their

To learn more about anxiety, depression and suicide, check out Beyond Blue at <beyondblue.org.au>. For crisis support or suicide prevention, please call Lifeline AU on 13 11 14 or Lifeline NZ 0800 543 354.

difficulties worse and make it harder to recover.7 Further, embarrassment associated with accessing mental health services is one of the many barriers that cause people to hide their symptoms and to prevent them from getting necessary treatment for their mental illness symptoms. Research suggests that only 20 per cent of adults living with mental illness see a mental health provider.4 We need to tear down the idea that asking for help is a sign of weakness. This is especially a barrier for men, who feel like they should be “tough enough” to get through. In reality, asking for help takes a world of courage. We need to acknowledge that mental illness is real, it exists and ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. Expecting anyone to shoulder that alone is destructive, and the price much too high.

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Stop blaming those affected

The words anxiety, depression and psychologist should not make us cringe. In fact, seeing a psychologist was the best decision I made. She allowed me to see reason, to begin to think of my life as a work in progress rather than a failed finished product. I learned positive coping mechanisms so I could begin to re-train my brain. Crucially, I was prescribed antidepressants to help my brain when my best reasoning attempts weren’t cutting it. Slowly, I began to love and accept myself. In the depths of my darkest hours, I promised myself that if I SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

ever made it to a place where I could speak about my journey publicly, then I would. Ever since, I have been sharing openly about my journey with mental health. It probably comes as no surprise that since then, 2020 challenged me most. I had to start taking my anti-depressants that I had previously tried to wean off, and my working from home productivity was shot to pieces. I was back seeing my psychologist regularly, trying to figure out why nothing was bringing me joy and I couldn’t stop crying (common depression symptoms). And I shared the whole journey on social media. I didn’t do it for sympathy or accolades of “being brave”, but because it’s the sort of conversation I wish was commonplace. It’s the sort of conversation I wish I had seen happening around me the first time my mental health spiralled. Mental illness is a health condition

that needs treatment in the same way that physical illness needs treatment. As such, mental health care in Australia has a framework: there are Medicare-subsidised services and subsidised mental health prescriptions under the PBS and Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.8 Fighting mental illness is not simply about willpower, strength or determination. The mentality that someone needs to “toughen up” is not constructive, productive or useful. Rather, we need to approach the illness and those affected by it with love, compassion, empathy and understanding.

R U OK? Day

September 9 is “R U OK?” Day in Australia. It’s a national day to remind us that every day is a good day to ask, “Are you OK?” Some people are very good at hiding what’s really going on, and many people won’t be inclined to offer up infor-

mation. However, if asked, they may be more open to share their struggles. I would encourage everyone to do their own mental health check and seek professional help if needed. And more than anything, I encourage you to be part of a culture shift. To start normalising conversations around mental health and checking in with those around you. To see Signs “R U OK Day” video visit <signsofthetimes.org.au/r-u-ok-day-2021/>. Ashley Stanton lives in Sydney, where she works for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in the communication and marketing team. 1. Australian Government Department of Health. (2007, May). What is mental illness? Retrieved May 16, 2021, from <health.gov.au/internet/publications/ publishing.nsf/Content/mental-pubs-w-whatmentoc~mental-pubs-w-whatmen-what>. 2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2021, March 3). Deaths by suicide in Australia. Retrieved May 16, 2021, from <aihw.gov.au/ suicide-self-harm-monitoring/data/deaths-by-suicidein-australia>. 3. Beyond Blue. (2021). Beyond blue. Retrieved from <beyondblue.org.au/media/statistics>. 4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Association of County Behavioral Health & Developmental Disability Directors, National Institute of Mental Health, The Carter Center Mental Health Program. Attitudes Toward Mental Illness: Results from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Atlanta (GA); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2012 5. Lifeline. (n.d.). Data & statistics - Lifeline Australia. Retrieved May 16, 2021, from <lifeline.org. au/resources/data-and-statistics/>. 6. Mental health foundation of New Zealand, Suicide statistics: What’s behind the numbers? Retrieved from <mentalhealth.org.nz/suicide-prevention/ suicide-statistics>. 7. Mental Health Foundation. (2015, February 10). Stigma and discrimination. Retrieved May 16, 2021, from <mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/stigma-and-discrimination>. 8. Parliament of Australia. (2019, February 14). Mental health in Australia: A quick guide. Retrieved May 16, 2021, from <aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/ Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/ pubs/rp/rp1819/Quick_Guides/MentalHealth>.

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PHOTO SUPPLIED

looking for a 18

LOVING FATHER

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The relationship we have with our father impacts all our other relationships. It can also impact our relationship with God. BY JARROD STACKELROTH

athers are an important part of their children’s lives. Dads can provide stability, protection and love in a child’s life. Unfortunately, fatherhood is a role often downplayed by popular media, where dads are frequently portrayed as bumbling idiots (think Homer Simpson or the ads for most cleaning products). Fathers who are abusive, absent or apathetic can be incredibly damaging to a child’s view of themselves and their relationship with the world. A positive father figure, however, can provide a child with self-esteem, support and, importantly, love. In recent history, wars and work have disrupted traditional parental relationships, especially in Western societies. The world wars of the 1900s meant that a whole generation of children grew up fatherless. Those fathers who did come back were often unable to be present in a healthy way for their children as they were suffering from untreated post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health challenges. As industrialised nations became more information-based and material driven, men began working longer hours and had less to do with raising children. Instead of children reaching a certain age and working in the family business, they did other things and missed out on a chance to work with or learn from their fathers in close proximity. While some of this is thankfully changing, there is a danger in today’s world that children are raised by the TV or childcare as financial pressure means both parents work long hours SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

and extra-curricular activities fill children’s lives. Given some of this as background, it is little wonder that many people in today’s society have trouble relating to God. Jesus described God as His Father—an image that depicts close relationship and care. However, our perception of our earthly fathers can colour our perception of our heavenly Father. This can be positive, if we have good feelings towards our father, and can help us understand God’s love. But it can also be difficult. Let me give you a personal example.

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my dad

As a kid, Dad’s time and attention were like gold to me. The chance to throw a ball or kick the footy with him was a real highlight. We would watch sport together, and at holiday times he would play in the pool or jump through the waves with us: special memories. I remember getting a phone call from my dad soon after I had left home for college. One of our close family friends had lost their son. Dad finished the conversation by telling me how much he loved me and was proud of me. That one affirming act meant more to me at that moment than almost anything else. I’ve been lucky to have such a loving father. Even so, as I grew older, my relationship with my father changed as I tried to set out into my life and establish my independence. We think

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quite differently, have very different skill sets and proficiencies. I could never do what he does for a job and I think he would say the same for me. Living in different states meant that subconsciously, I slowly allowed distance to grow between us. Often, when we talked, he would ask me questions about things I didn’t want to talk about. So I would avoid calling him. What I’m learning as I grow older is while I resented the incursion on my freedom and the implications of the quesGod is love. tions—a reminder This is the of my picture the procrastination— world needs to Dad see asked out of love and genuine concern. He spoke from his knowledge and higher experience— something I could not see from my vantage point. I hated the distance and missed my dad, but found it hard to reconnect until I had dealt with things I knew he’d ask about.

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a Father in heaven

I’ve noticed my relationship with God the Father can be similar. We’re afraid of the kinds of questions God will ask us so we avoid having the

conversation. It can bring in guilt and we feel unworthy—try to fix things up in our lives so we can feel worthy to approach Him. The Bible describes a God who cares about each individual, who even knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30). God is described as one who wants what is best for us (Luke 11:13). This is important because what we believe (or don't believe) about God will inform every other part of

ourselves) with more compassion. The Bible describes humans as made in the image of God, or like copies of Him, which means that each person is valuable. A great theme explored by Jesus’ disciple and biblical author John is the idea that God is love. Simply that. This is the picture of God the world needs to see. Maybe your own father has fallen far short in your life. Maybe you’ve got painful memories and trauma.

our life and practice. Our perception of God can be incredibly uplifting or damaging for both ourselves and others, whether we claim to believe in Him or not. If we see God as strict, judgemental and austere then we will treat others in that way. If we see God as Father—loving, sustaining, life-giving and providing—whose motives and ways we don’t always understand, but who always has our interests at heart, then we will treat each other (and

You may think that God is distant and uncaring or that He is angry with you or wants to punish you. That has not been my experience of God. I believe God truly does love us and wants what is best for us. Unlike an earthly father, God will not let us down or abandon us. Give God a chance today. Invite Him to be your Father and He will be there. Jarrod Stackelroth is editor of Signs of the Times magazine and father of an energetic 15-month-old. He writes from Sydney, NSW, where he lives with his wife and daughter. SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

ELL B EING

BETTER HEALTH for every body WITH

DR SIMONE KOOKE

RAW BROCCOLI DIET CAUSES RHABDOMYOLYSIS

MASKS MADE A DIFFERENCE

OMEGA 3 RICH DIETS FOR MIGRAINES

For migraine sufferers, relief could be in your cupboard. Researchers from USA have identified that modifying one's diet to increase Omega-3 and reduce Omega-6 fatty acids can provide pain relief that is equivalent to medication. These dietary changes saw headache frequency reduced by up to 25 per cent. With flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, soy products and fish all being rich sources of Omega 3, why not open the pantry rather than the medicine cupboard.—BMJ 22

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Melbourne researchers have identified the single most important factor that brought the Covid-19 second wave in 2020 under control. Eight days after masks were made mandatory, case numbers dropped and continued to do so for the rest of the study period. —PLOS ONE

ANTHONY TRAN, JOHN CAMERON, JONATHAN BORBA, WHITNEY WRIGHT, YULISSA TAGLE, ERIK MCLEAN—UNSPLASH

A word of caution for those contemplating a raw food diet—make sure you get a checkup first. Indian doctors were initially stumped when a previously health young man presented with severe muscle pains (“muscle meltdown”). Upon further examination, it was his extremely large consumption of raw broccoli that unmasked a previously undiagnosed thyroid condition. Cooking the broccoli would have been a wiser (and likely tastier) move. —BMJ Journals

MILD COVID CAUSES LOSS OF BRAIN TISSUE

British researchers didn’t know that they would be contributing to a better understanding of how Covid-19 affected brain tissue when they performed brain scans on 40,000 volunteers prior to the start of the pandemic. Even in patients who only had mild Covid-19 symptoms, there was significant loss in brain tissue in the areas of the brain involved in smell, taste and emotional memory. There were no changes in brain tissue in those who did not contract Covid-19.—MedRXIV

MEN DO WORSE WITH COVID THAN WOMEN Covid-19 is showing to be increasingly indiscriminate in types of patients affected and how severely it impacts them. Analysis of demographics in New York of people who were infected in early 2020, found men were sicker at diagnosis, and required intensive care treatment more frequently than women, even if they were previously healthy. They also had a higher death rate, while women’s outcomes with Covid-19 were more influenced by their preinfection health.—Nature.com

TOPICAL MERCURY AND ILLNESS

What you apply to your skin can affect more than just you. German researchers identified a child who developed mercury poisoning after cuddling with his mother, who had applied a mercury-containing cream to her skin. Thankfully the child responded to treatment and recovered. With the skin-to-skin absorption of mercury not being identified until this particular case, it is a timely reminder to be careful of what goes both on and in your body.—SAGE Journals

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. SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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THINAS NARTINEZ—UNSPLASH

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One man’s personal account of how a normal day turned into a day no-one will forget. BY MARK KELLNER

SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

FRED MIOON—UNSPLASH

he truly odd thing about September 11, 2001—at least to this American, 20 years after the event—is how utterly normal the day began across the nation. The weather that day was pleasant, balmy, not too warm and certainly not too cold. Video footage from New York and Washington DC showed clear and sunny skies. It was the kind of day urbanites longed for, one where they could enjoy walking to work or stepping outdoors for a lunchtime break. New York City is my hometown. It’s where I was born some 44 years prior to 9/11. It’s where I went to school and it’s where I married my wife, Jean, some 18 years before that fateful day. We met and dated in New York City, and I proposed to her on a horse-drawn carriage ride on Fifth Avenue. If you said that New York is in my DNA, you wouldn’t be wrong. It’s the city where my parents lived, and where my mother passed to her rest some two months before that tragic Tuesday morning. It may sound odd, but in looking back on 9/11 and its proximity to my mother’s death from cancer, it seemed a blessing of sorts that she passed away when she did. I believe the shock of 9/11 would have severely damaged her emotional and physical health, because New York City was her hometown too. Ironically, during the days following my mother’s funeral and burial, Jean and I discussed a visit to the top

adjacent to Washington, DC— of the World Trade Center, where where the Pentagon is located. an indoor observation deck afforded We didn’t know it initially, but a an amazing view of the city. Because third hijacked aircraft was supposed of other tasks, I suggested we defer to strike the US Capitol where the that visit to another time; surely the United States Congress meets—one towers would always be there. of the most recognisable icons of the How little did I know. How little nation. That aircraft was brought did any of us know. down by brave resisters who comEight years before the 9/11 attacks, Jihadist terrorists detonated a bated the hijackers and crashed the truck bomb inside the North Tower's flight near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. basement carpark. They caused relaLed by Christian Todd Beamer, the tively minor damage; the perpetrators passengers who took on the terrorwere caught, tried ists reasoned and convicted; amongst themand life returned selves that they to its usual pace. could avoid The notion greater tragedy that someone— by rushing anyone—could the cockpit, If you said that New turn a jet aircraft given their lives into a flying were in peril York is in my DNA, you missile capable regardless of wouldn't be wrong of bringing the outcome. down massive Beamer’s skyscrapers and rallying cry: killing thousands “Let’s roll!” of innocents was beyond most of our Another Flight 93 passenger whose imaginations. sacrifice saved lives on the ground Until it happened, in real time, on was Mark Bingham. He was a public our television screens. relations advisor in the technology On the morning of September 11, industry, based in San Francisco but my wife and I were in our apartment flying from New York that day. He in Marina del Rey, California, on the was a professional contact of mine—I west side of Los Angeles, one block was a technology journalist at the from the Pacific Ocean. Jean was time—and a voicemail from him was up before me, but not for long. She on my phone on September 11. said I needed to see what was being There were, of course, a myriad shown on television: scenes of fire, other heroic acts that day. The panic and confusion in both New Reverend Mychal Judge, a Catholic York City and Arlington, Virginia, priest and New York Fire Depart-

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SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

WIKICOMMONS

ment chaplain, was struck by debris from the collapsing South Tower of the World Trade Center while he was praying for victims in the North Tower’s lobby. The photo of several firefighters and others carrying his lifeless body out shortly before the North Tower collapsed is one of the many infamous images from that day. At the Pentagon which had been struck by one of the hijacked planes, photos documented then-Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld, working to aid victims there, despite being in his late 60s at the time, and despite concerns for his own safety. Ironically, Rumsfeld’s death was announced on the day these words are being written. Countless others worked to clear rubble and debris to try and help find bodies and remains so as to give families of the victims closure. Still others worked to help families left without mothers and fathers because of the attacks. And during the 20 years since that day, countless efforts have been made—and more are likely to be renewed during this anniversary—to make sure none of the victims are forgotten. The other memory of that day for me in Los Angeles was the absence of people on the streets and highways. Roads that were normally jam-packed with traffic were all but empty. Understandably, air traffic in the United States—as well as inbound flights from overseas—were suspended. People didn’t know what other

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

“surprises” the day would bring, whether there was an actual state of war, whether we were under attack from a specific nation or what was happening. It turned out that the enemy was not a sovereign state, but rather terrorist organisation Al Qaeda. It would be a decade before Osama Bin Laden, a Saudi national who headed the group, would be tracked down and killed. It is said in the days following the attack that Americans turned to houses of worship more than at any other time in recent memory; churches, synagogues and even mosques were packed with congregants. Muslims in America—and those such as turban-wearing Sikhs mistakenly believed to be Muslim— were attacked in sporadic incidents of hatred. But the overwhelming attitude was turning to God, as each understood Him, for solace and guidance. For some, the 9/11 attacks were viewed as a sign of the apocalypse. Those who studied the Scriptures more carefully realised this was not the case, but it provoked a rash of prophetic speculation nonetheless. Sadly, that feeling of a need to turn to God did not last long. Once the shock wore off, once the debris fields were contained for cleanup, once life returned to “normal” for most of us, it was easy, perhaps necessary, to compartmentalise the experience and return to daily life. Such was not easily possible, of course, for the friends and relatives

New York Fire Department at Ground Zero SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

of those killed during the attacks. More than one survivor—who either escaped the World Trade Center or

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In the days following the attack . . . Americans turned to houses of worship more than any other

ERICSPHOTOGRAPHY-GETTY

time

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • AUGUST 2021

the Pentagon, or whose absence from their office spared their lives that day—had to deal with the emotional after effects. Still, after two decades of living “post-9/11”, one of the more remarkable things for this American observer is how ordinary and unspectacular that day began. Perhaps it will be similarly benign on that day when a small cloud, no larger than a man’s fist, is seen in the eastern sky, heralding the return of Jesus and a final, total, everlasting end to terror, heartache and grief. Mark A Kellner is a national reporter for The Washington Times and a former news editor of Adventist Review and Adventist World magazines. The author of three published books, he lives with his wife in Mesquite, Nevada, USA.

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THE DAY THAT

changed SOUTH AGENCY—GETTY IMAGES

THE WORLD

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

Looking back at 20 years of changes after one of the most defining moments of the 21st century. BY MATTHEW LUCIO SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

THOMAS MARTINEZ—UNSPLASH

was at work on 9/11, replacing a few pieces of concrete in front of a time-worn smoothie shop. A co-worker and I walked inside just after nine for a second breakfast—we were teenagers, after all. The walls were yellow and happy, but the only employee there wasn’t. He ignored us as we came through the door. He was staring at something toward the back of the store. Rude, I thought. I turned to see what he was looking at. A TV was hanging high in the back corner like a spider. I don’t remember what news channel it was but it wouldn’t have mattered. They were all showing the same thing. I could see smoke billowing from a building on the

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

screen. I remember being painfully slow at putting the pieces together: There must have been a fire in an office building. OK, it was clearly New York City. But they’re talking about a plane crash. Wait, they got the Pentagon, too? And then I saw the second plane hit the South Tower. All I could do was stare. I understood that New York City had been attacked. I understood that people were dying. But it was impossible to make sense of it. Why would someone do this? What does this mean? What’s going to happen next? Some pointed out America’s long history of interference in global affairs, but the questions came from a place of injured innocence. The

world’s last colossus, with its head in the clouds, didn’t often notice the effect of its steps upon the earth.

innocence lost

That innocence made room for indignation as war clouds gathered low over America. Someone had to pay and no nation dared to stand in the way. It felt like having a blank cheque. It was not a time for nuance. A few days after 9/11, a Sikh petrol station owner in Arizona was killed by an American too blinded by anger to tell the difference between the innocent and guilty, let alone the Sikh and Muslim faiths. President Bush called the attacks “acts of war”

and America’s gaze, like the lidless eye of Sauron from Lord of the Rings, was fixated on Afghanistan, believed to be harbouring Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. A country singer crooned about how “this big dog will fight when you rattle his cage” and that “we’ll put a boot in your a** it’s the American way” to hysterical crowds. The rage helped Americans feel in control again. Airstrikes began a few weeks later. The show 24 aired a few weeks after that. Though written and shot before 9/11, 24 captured the spirit of post9/11 America. The action-packed television show followed Jack Bauer, a counter-terrorist agent SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

HOSTORY IN HD—UNSPLASH

whose clinical ruthlessness and grim patriotism matched the mood of the country. The Atlantic’s summary of the show rightfully saw in Jack Bauer a messianic figure: “24 consistently created situations that required Jack to do terrible things for the greater good, and dared us to argue with them. In doing so, 24 made Jack a Job-like figure, a hero who bore all of America's darkest sins on his freckly back and suffered endlessly to protect our freedom.” As the show went on, we began to see the psychological cost of Bauer’s endless battles against evil, just as Americans were beginning to consider the many costs of their own wars. While Jack Bauer was still on his holy crusade against the heretics, another show aired in Canada. Little Mosque on the Prairie was a risky proposition in years when anti-Muslim sentiment ran hot in North America. It followed a young imam who moved to Saskatchewan (ie, “the prairie”) to shepherd a little congregation that happened to be meeting in the back of an Anglican church. The notion of a show about Muslims and Christians figuring out how to share a space in peace was ahead of its time. That “outside” perspective helped me realise just how deeply I had been shaped by my American context. I hadn’t been especially political before the attacks, but as I watched the administration ham-fistedly attempt to convince the world that Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s strongman, was some-

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

how also complicit I thought, Sure, might as well get rid of these corrupt guys. Wasn’t 9/11 a good excuse to scrub the world clean of tyrants? If the logic for the Iraq war had been lacking, that 9/11 anger made up the difference for many Americans.

a line in history

A generational line has been drawn in America between those who remember the attacks of 9/11 and those who don’t. That generational line separates my brother and I; it’s a line that seems to separate reality. Even though I remember air travel from the 1990s, those memories no longer feel real. When I see a movie with a man running through an airport to catch the woman he loves before she boards a plane, it might as well be about a man wanting to swim to the moon. Post-9/11 conventional wisdom tells me that anyone running through an airport, shouting “stop that plane” is destined for a date with a phalanx of security. This omnipresence of security is one of the most visible changes in the post-9/11 world. Security became an axiomatic good. Churches hired off-duty police officers. Police officers bought US military equipment. The US military became virtually omnipresent themselves, boasting an immediate response force that can drop a combat team roughly the size of a Roman legion anywhere in the world within 18 hours. The thirst for greater security has made itself known in America’s

immigration policies as well. On May 25, 2001, President George W. Bush (pictured) called Mexican president Vincente Fox to offer condolences over the deaths of 14 Mexicans migrating through the Arizona desert. According to records in a CRS report for Congress, both presidents met a few months later agreeing to respect “the human dignity of all migrants” and that “migration-related issues are . . . vital to our prosperity, well-being and the kind of societies we want to build”. Fifty-two thousand Mexicans legally immigrated into the United States that year as permanent residents. Five days after the presidents agreed that immigration is good for their respective countries, 9/11 happened. According to the Department of Homeland Security, in 2018 just 12,568 Mexicans were permitted to become permanent

residents. Immigrants were no longer “vital to our prosperity,”—they were all potential threats.

a weary world

These were not just strategic changes, but also spiritual ones. Post-9/11 Americans don’t bother to pay lip service to poet and author Emma Lazarus’ aspirational vision of America as “a mighty woman with a torch” whose name is “Mother of Exiles” and who calls out “with silent lips, ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’” Ronald Reagan’s notion of America as a “city on a hill” in a weary world (a reinterpretation of a 1630 sermon by John Winthrop) is over. Americans have largely lost faith in the meaning of America. Looking back these 20 years, what strikes me is how easily 9/11 shaped

AUGUST 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

my own spirituality. Seeing the world as President Bush described it—“You are either with us, or with the terrorists”—was a rather cynical way to live. 9/11 showed me how sticky our political identities were. They shape us more than we are perhaps willing to admit. But another, stronger source of identity began shaping me again: my faith. Reading the Bible helped me keep cynicism in check because it reminded me that all people are struggling with the same condition. I began praying for my nation’s enemies as people who God loves. That faith helped me appreciate that human justice is always imperfect; that we need divine justice to truly set things right. Jack Bauer isn’t the man for that job. I’ve got a better Messiah in mind.

WIKICOMMONS

Matthew J Lucio is husband to a formidable wife, Laura, and together they parent two amazing girls: Aerith and Arwen. Matthew pastors in Peoria, Illinois, where he is director of their innovative digital church on YouTube, Peoria Adventists. Matthew is also the host of the Adventist History Podcast.

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FA IT H

Ten divine rules for success and happiness in life.

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BY OMAR MIRANDA

THE

LAW OF GOD

SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

can’t believe I passed! There I was, as I sat in my driveway, with hands shaking, my heart beating, with flushed cheeks and feeling sick to my stomach. I had just successfully completed the second part of my two-part driver’s licence examination. Initially I had been overwhelmed with the amount of study, understanding and memorisation I had to complete in order to even get to the point of being solely responsible for two-tonnes of steel, glass and rubber. It had taken me over one full year of difficult and serious study and focus. During that year I had experienced the full spectrum of emotions: from anger, rage and frustration to what I initially felt were a boatload of useless and restrictive rules. However, in the end, there I was in my driveway. Only then did I realise that all that I had learned was to keep me—and others, by extension—safe, happy and healthy.

the ten commandments: God’s driver’s licence—for life

INARIK—GETTY IMAGES

Because God values, loves and cares for all humanity, He has taken the time to give us all the same thing: a cosmic and comprehensive set of 10 rules. Only 10? you might be thinking, but the fact is that if you endeavour to keep these 10 rules for success and happiness in life, then you will, in fact, be both loving and valuing God and others. The simple fact is this: there is a direct correlation between how much you obey God’s Ten Commandments to the amount of success and joy in

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • AUGUST 2021

life. Let me put it another way: if you decide to live your life your way and ignore God’s Ten Commandments, it’s guaranteed that your life . . . won’t be much of a life.

“it’s written in stone!”

When I was a child, the words “It’s written in stone!” were not words I particularly wanted to hear. On many an occasion, these words were my mother’s simple reminder to me of a hard and fast family rule that my God is love father had made. Regardless of all God is love and therefore, it’s logical to deduce that His law reflects my reasoning or arguing, I couldn’t wiggle out of the consequences of who He is. In fact, anyone who the rule I’d broken. Judgement was has flown commercially, although swift and decisive, and sentencing they don’t think much about it, is was applied to thankful for the seat of my the volumes knowledge with and volumes of the paddle of safety regularemembrance. tions and the The fact is hundreds or If you endeavour that we all live even thousands in a world where of hours of to keep these 10 we think that training that many things are pilots and techrules for success open to internicians must and happiness in undergo before pretation—howthey are allowed ever, God’s Ten life, then you will, in to work on and Commandments pilot aircraft are not. It’s fact, be both loving that carry the been said that and valuing God and most precious God gave us all cargo: humans! His Ten Comothers The same is true mandments, of God’s Ten not His “Ten Commandments. Suggestions”. God Himself wrote The great principles of God’s these commandments down with law are embodied in the Ten ComHis own finger on tablets of stone (Exodus 31:18) and He did it for a mandments and are most clearly purpose—to remind us that, even lived out in the life of Jesus. They express God’s love, will and purposes in a rapidly changing world, society and culture, He does not change and concerning human conduct and relationships and are necessary for all neither does His law. people in every age.

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SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

PAULCALBAR, D-KEINE, ANASTASIIA STIAHAILO—GETTY IMAGES

the ten commandments

1. You must not have any other god but me. 2. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. 3. You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. 4. Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no-one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. 5. Honour your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 6. You must not murder. 7. You must not commit adultery. 8. You must not steal. 9. You must not testify falsely against your neighbour. 10. You must not covet your neighbour’s house. You must not covet your neighbour’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbour (Exodus 20:2–17, NLT). SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

the breakdown

The Ten Commandments are listed in a logical order. The first four commandments have to do with humanity’s relationship with God, then the last six have to do with humanity’s relationships with others. God is all about relationships—in fact the entire Bible is the story of humanity’s rebellion from God and our rejection of God . . . and God doing what it takes to restore that relationship with us all. Ultimately, the Ten Commandments are all about preserving and optimising relationships (Matthew 22:36-40).

what will you choose?

In fact, God makes it clear that to consistently live a life that ignores or purposefully breaks these commandments will only lead to brokenness— broken relationships, broken people and broken lives (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Conversely, purposefully choosing to live a life that consistently recognises the priority of God will lead us all to a more peaceful, power-filled and joyful life. Jesus noted: “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10, NLT). So which will you choose today? Choose God and choose to follow His Ten Commandments. Omar Miranda is a regular writer for Signs of the Times and lives with his family in Georgia, USA.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

BIG

E S TI O N S

WHERE DID

GOOD VS EVIL GEORGECLERK—GETTY IMAGES

COME FROM?

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

tion and want an Puzzled by a "big picture" ques s magazine answer? In 2021, Signs of the Time life’s most on ives pect pers h fres ing will be shar ors each auth new with s, terie contentious mys ence to present a month examining objective evid case for Christianity.

Great stories always have a good guy and a bad guy. But what about the story of everything? How do we explain morality and love in a broken world? BY MATTHEW HUNTER SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

WIKICOMMONS

am a huge fan of science fiction movies. I grew up watching Star Wars and imagining being on the bridge of the Millennium Falcon as it entered hyperspace. As I have gotten older, I have become a huge fan of what Marvel has done with its slate of interconnected movies and TV shows in what they call the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I hope my introduction doesn’t put you off if you are not a fan of this media, but for me, my connection to this material has always seemed to go beyond the thrill of fast-paced action and great visual effects. George Lucas’s motivation to create Star Wars was more than to develop a hit movie franchise; it was far more philosophical. He was fascinated in representing what he called the universal conflict of good versus evil. Through the medium of storytelling, using the central characters, he wanted to explore the question, “Am I a good person?” In an interview with Senator Bill Bradley on the American Voices podcast in 2015, Lucas said, “To me it’s really about a compassionate person as opposed to a person who is consumed with self-interest. We all have good and evil in us, because we all have the selfish side in us and we all have the compassionate side within us.” Almost every great story—historical, mythological and everything in-between—seems to pit two opposing sides against each other, good and evil. But the question is,

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

where did this idea come from? If we were just creatures evolved to the rule of “survival of the fittest”, wouldn’t compassion make us weak and less likely to survive? Doesn’t pure logic dictate that the selfish ones are “good” because they have a better chance of survival?

origins of good and evil

Where does morality, the belief that some things, traits, choices or actions are inherently good or bad,

come from? How do we explain why we determine some things to be good and others bad? Secular scientists have suggested many reasons for this framework of assessment. Some suggest religion has created a beliefs-based framework of what is good and bad based on what the religion dictates. Some say it arises as a social construct in order to keep our brutish nature under control. This

social construct also results in positive outcomes: When I am kind and co-operate with my neighbour, we can plant and care for a bigger crop. We both end up with more of what we need to survive than if I just worked on my own. Some suggest it is a purely logical framework based on rational choices. We determine if something is good or bad purely on the merit or harm of the outcome. For example, speeding through a red light is bad because

“

What we consider to be morally good and bad is not and has never been consistent you might die or kill others. One interesting piece of research by philosopher Patricia Churchland, published in the journal Nature, even suggests that morality is genetic in nature. She uses the example of mammals whose genes produce the chemical oxytocin and vasopressin, which prompt them to care for their young. This means when they do something that is good for their species’ survival, their genetic make-up

will release brain chemicals which make them feel good and hence reward that behaviour. The reality is that all of these probably work together to provide a framework of what is right and wrong. The only problem is that in history, the definition of good and evil has not been consistent. In their book What if Jesus had Never Been Born? D James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe state: “It was a dangerous thing for a baby to be conceived in classical Rome . . . children who outlived infancy—approximately two-thirds of those born—were the property of their father; he could kill them at his whim. Only about half of the children born lived beyond the age of eight, in part because of widespread infanticide, with famine and illness also being factors. Infanticide was not only legal; it was applauded. Killing a Roman was murder, but it was commonly held in Rome that killing one’s own children could be an act of beauty.” In Aztec culture, public human sacrifices were a common practice and well-accepted as they believed it secured the favour of the gods, thus avoiding drought and securing crops. These are brutal and extreme examples, but they show that even in highly civilised cultures, what we consider to be morally good and bad is not and has never been consistent. If morality is purely determined by objective variables such as genetic make-up, evolutionary outcomes SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

and environmental factors, these wide variations cannot be adequately explained. I believe that the concept that good and evil exists has been built into our genetic make-up, but the Bible also gives me the only explanation that adequately addresses both the origins of good and evil, and why we see so much variance over their definition.

the biblical origin of good and bad

The Bible describes a spiritual realm in which God and the beings He created (called angels) live. It mentions that originally, this was a place where no evil existed, until one of God’s angels—the Bible calls Lucifer, the Devil or Satan—decided he didn’t want to live under God’s government or by His rules anymore. The Bible says he rebelled against God (see Ezekiel 28:12–19 and Isaiah 14:12–14). How a “good” being living in a place devoid of evil became evil is hard to comprehend, however we find some clues in these passages. Ezekiel tells us that Satan was “blameless” yet Isaiah says that he wished to “raise his throne above the stars of God” and wished to “make [himself ] like the Most High [God]”. In essence he wanted to dipose God and conduct a heavenly coup d’etat. The term the Bible uses to explain this rebellion or betrayal is “sin”. This word indicates two main ideas: firstly the breaking of a relationship of trust and the second, desiring not to live under someone else’s rules. The 50

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Bible describes this second concept as lawlessness (1 John 3:4). This angel, Satan, then spread his ideas of rebellion against God among the other angels in heaven. This resulted in one third of God’s angels deciding to follow Satan in his rebellion against God as described in Revelation 12:3,4 where Satan is pictured as a dragon and the angels are symbolised as stars. Because God chose to give both His angels (and us humans) free agency or choice, they were always free to choose to either remain faithful or turn on Him. God chose to allow this because He wanted to gain influence through love rather than control (1 John 4:10). Consider that some things are inherently good and others bad. Satan didn’t so much create evil as he chose it. This doesn’t mean evil existed before Satan but the potential for it did. This is because it comes down to free will: you can respond to God’s love by following His purpose and will for you, or you can reject Him and try to live according to your own way of doing things. Ultimately it is choosing to determine what is good and bad based on our own desires and purposes, or choosing to trust that God sees a bigger picture than we ever can and knows what is best for everyone. Satan began this conflict between his way and God’s way, but every being in God’s creation has the free will to choose which way they want to follow. It’s how this conflict came

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to earth, as the Bible describes in Genesis 3. God created a perfect world for humanity to live in. He provided all we needed to live fulfilled lives. He also gave us the option to choose to follow Him or to follow our own way. The biblical story describes God placing the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the garden. He gave our first parents, Adam and Eve, a clear rule that we were not to eat from its fruit. He told them the natural outcome of choosing to separate ourselves from God, the Lifegiver, would be that they experience death. According to the Bible, Satan used this tree to tempt Adam and Eve—telling them that God was withholding the knowledge of good and evil from them and that by eating the fruit, “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). They took what God called bad and chose to call it good. It led to this entire world coming under Satan’s influence, and death, sickness and suffering came as a result. Why do we have this innate

sense that there is a good and evil? Because it is a basic inherent part of the make-up of the universe and how God made us. Why is there so much variance over what people call good and evil? The Bible suggests it depends on whether we try to determine what is good and bad based on our own terms and frame of reference, or whether we look to what God has shown us is right and wrong. The question is, what will you use to determine right from wrong? How can any of us be sure that if we only use our understanding and the information available to us, that we will make the right objective decision which is the best choice for everyone? If that is impossible, then is there a being in the universe who has enough knowledge to make this decision based on every consideration? And if that Being wanted to connect with you personally and guide you in your life, would you choose to seek His guidance? To read more of our "Big Questions" series, visit <signsofthetimes.org.au>. Matthew Hunter is a Seventh-day Adventist minister in South Australia. SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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LUNG CANCER RISK A new study published in Radiology reports that artificial intelligence is able to use a CT scan to predict when lung nodules become cancerous. The AI studied 16,000 nodules and its results compared favourably to diagnoses by 11 clinicians.—Sci Tech Daily

EARLY DETECTION FOR PROSTATE CANCER A new AI program developed by RMIT University also analyses CT scans which can lead to incidental detection. The AI was logged as detecting cancer growths faster and more accurately than radiologists. The AI was also able to adapt and spot small irregularities. —RMIT

ANTHROPOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR THE BIBLE 52

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REPURPOSED PASTRY AI An AI system in Japan designed to identify baked goods at a patisserie has been found to be adept at studying cancer cells. The "AI Scan" system has a 99 per cent accuracy rate at detecting cancer cells, due to bread texture bearing resemblance to cancer cell structure.—Input

HUOER-BY-JOSHUA0EARLE, ISSAC-IBBOTT, JOHANNES-DALENG, JOSE-LEBRON, JOSHUA-HOEHNE, THE-BLOWUP—UNSPLASH

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND CANCER

A GREAT FLOOD? Ancient rock samples from the West Australian outback have scientists claiming the entire earth was once covered by water. The rock samples contain oxygen isotopes often found in ocean minerals; with scientists also concluding the body of water was also higher in isotope Oxygen-18.—Inverse

ENTERING SPACE FLYING IN HIS OWN SHIP Billionaire Richard Branson, 71, became the first person to reach space in his own company's rocket ship. Joined by five crew from Virgin Galatic, a space tourism company, Branson's rocket reached a height of 88km where the crew were able to experience zero-gravity for a few minutes. Branson labelled the trip "the dawn of a new space age", with commercial flights for passengers beginning next year. 600 people have already reserved their spot.—ABC OLDEST PERSON TO REACH SPACE Another space flight by Jeff Bezos and his space company Blue Origin only days later had an unlikely passenger—an 82-year-old female pilot. Wally Funk was part of the NASA space program in the 1960s, one of 13 women who passed necessary tests but was unable to become an astronaut because of her gender. She was also the first female flying instructor at a US military base and has worked as an air safety investigator.—Reuters NEW CHINESE SPACE STATION China has successfully sent astronauts up to Tiangong, the country's first space station. The three-person astronaut team were jetted up to the station in June, with a mission scheduled to last three months. In July, two of the astronauts also conducted a space walk, the first since the station opened. The landmark achievements are part of the country's ambitious space program, which will include another 11 launches by the end of 2022.—The Guardian

CANAANITE DESCENDANTS A study by Cell has found the DNA of the Canaanite civilisation described in the Bible continues in modern day Arabs and Jews. The conclusions were based off recent exhumations and DNA testing at Canaanite sites in both Israel and Jordan.—National Geographic

DEAD SEA SCROLL AUTHORS New artificial intelligence research found one of the Dead Sea scrolls— parchments discovered in 1947 cited as confirming the Bible—was written by more than one scribe. The handwriting detection system is considered a revolution in understanding Bible context through text analysis.—ABC SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

ELL B EING

6 STEPS TO FREEDOM

PIXDELUXE—GETTY IMAGES

ARE YOU EMOTIONALLY IMPRISONED?

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

Are you emotionally imprisoned? Find the secret to freedom with these simple, practical steps. BY VICTOR PARACHIN

SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

e all want freedom, but we are not always so sure about what it is or how to attain it. If freedom were merely a matter of not being in a prison cell, then the vast majority of us should be free, but we often find ourselves imprisoned by internal anxieties, worries, habits, compulsions, fears, depression, addictions and false assumptions. That wisdom is offered by Dr Craig Hassed, professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Monash University in Melbourne. Hassed has acutely described the dilemma of many people in our culture who feel emotionally imprisoned. Here are six effective ways to have more freedom.

1. EXERCISE

It’s not only challenging but impossible to feel free if your body is damaged and diseased. Caring for your body isn’t merely about beauty and appearance but also to prevent illness and injury. If you become unhealthy and sick, freedom disappears. So discipline yourself to move your body daily for a prolonged period of time with whatever form of activity appeals to you.

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2. MOVE FROM FEAR TO FAITH

Fear is highly constrictive. Faith is greatly expansive. Moving from fear to faith can be surprisingly simple. Therese J Borchard, author of Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety And Making The Most Of Bad Genes, tells of suffering a massive nervous breakdown and being rushed to hospital by her husband. “Fear consumed me. Until I saw Jesus.” In the hospital was a three-metre

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

marble statue of Jesus. “His arms extended toward those in desperate need of healing,” she noticed. On the pedestal was this inscription: “Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (from Matthew 11:28, KJV). Weeping before the image of Jesus, Borchard spoke quietly: “I believe, Jesus. I believe.” Her fear disappeared.

3. MANAGE YOUR MIND

Are you managing your mind or is your mind managing you? is a common contemporary proverb. Many people are unaware of the dangers that lurk when the mind is unhinged. That’s likely why the apostle Paul cites the importance of mind management: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). “Whether we use our life to benefit or to harm self and others depends upon the state of our mind,” says author Glenn Mullin. Here’s an unfortunate example of a mind causing self-harming. In the days before World War II, a widow in America had a small cleaning business. One day during her absence, the shop caught fire and when she returned, only smoke and ashes remained. In shock, she was seen walking in circles around the ruins. Three days later, she was discovered dead. Sadly, the distraught woman had taken her own life. Those who knew her said she had a huge distrust of banks and likely had cash hidden inside

the laundry, which, of course, was destroyed with the building. Though the death certificate cited “suicide” as her cause of death, a closer examination could conclude her cause of death was weak mind management. Her thoughts focused entirely on loss and destruction leaving no opening for thoughts of rebuilding and restoration. Many others experienced complete financial devastation—forced to file for bankruptcy—but managed to survive and come back from their losses. It all comes down to skilful mind management.

4. FOLLOW YOUR OWN PATH

Too often, our life direction is placed before us by others. If you’re not doing what you feel is meaningful and important, then any sense of freedom will be absent. Consider this woman's experience: “I remember being in school and the pressure that was put on you to get good grades so you could go to a good college, get a degree and get a good job. At the time I didn’t really question the truth of why any of that was important. I just believed that I had to because that’s what everyone was telling me and that’s what was expected of me. “It wasn’t until I had my spiritual awakening that I realised life is so much more than that, and good grades and having a ‘respectable’ profession were pretty

meaningless to me and the type of life I wanted to lead for myself. I wanted to forge my own path, and I wanted the freedom to follow my own intuition and creativity.” Consequently, she left her job, became a successful blogger and has written several books.

5. RECITE THIS STATEMENT: “NOT SO BAD!”

Author Natalie Goldberg shares about a grandmother in her family. When she was 26 and living in France, the Nazis came to Paris and one of the first things they did was take the woman’s parents. The Nazis explained they were going to work camps to help the war effort. Then the Nazis came and took all the men in the family so soon the woman’s husband and brother were gone as well. Again, the Nazis came, this time taking women and children. The woman realised that everyone was being taken and she understood that nobody was coming back. So, before they came for her and her five-year-old daughter, she made contact with resistance movements

SEPTEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

who helped them go into hiding for three years. The woman worked with the underground, hiding out in small French towns and villages doing whatever she needed to survive. Goldberg says the woman made her way to the United States and today is in her late 80s. Whenever any of her grandchildren or great-grandchildren come to her with an issue saying, "My workplace was downsized today and I lost my job", the grandmother listens quietly, carefully, respectfully, and then simply says, “Not so bad!”

6. DEFUSE ANGER

Those prone to anger generate additional stress in their lives as well as in the lives of others. It doesn’t have to be that way. “Anger doesn’t just happen to us. If we’re able to catch an angry thought as it’s budding, we can let it go,” is a reminder from author John Daido Loori. Here’s a story that’s instructive for defusing anger. With permission from the monastery, Abbott, a monk, borrowed an old boat and rowed out into the middle of a lake for his afternoon meditation time. It was a truly peaceful place to meditate as the boat gently floated. After more than an hour of undisturbed silence, he felt the bump of another boat bang against his. With eyes still closed, he could feel anger swelling within himself at the careless boatman who didn’t prevent the lake collision. Upon opening his eyes, all he saw was an empty boat which he realised had obviously become untied from the dock and merely drifted out into 58

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the lake bumping up against his. Immediately, the monk experienced a flash of enlightenment, one which would serve him well for the rest of his life. The anger is within me, he thought to himself. All anger needs is a bump from the outside to be triggered and provoked out of me. From that moment on, whenever another person irritated him and he could feel even the slightest anger rising, he gently reminded himself, The other person is an empty, floating boat. The anger is within me. Finally, trust yourself and your intuition about the way you need to live your life. Be motivated and guided by this wisdom from psychiatrist author Judith Orloff: “You possess an intuitive intelligence so powerful it can help you heal, relieve stress and find emotional freedom.” Visit <signsofthetimes.org.au/help/>. Victor Parachin is an ordained minister, bereavement educator and author of several books about grief. He lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.

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ELL B EING

THE LOWDOWN

on salt

EXPLORING WHETHER BEING TOO GENEROUS WITH THE MINERAL IS DETRIMENTAL

t’s likely that you’ll find a stash of salt in almost any given kitchen. But what actually is salt and sodium for that matter? Do you need it?

SVETLANAANGELUS—GETTYIMAGES

ARE SALT AND SODIUM THE SAME? Salt is a mineral made up of about 40 per cent sodium and 60 per cent chloride. It’s made either by evaporating salt water, or by extracting solid salt from underground salt mines. Sodium is a mineral that can occur naturally in foods such as celery, beets and even milk and is also added to foods during manufacturing.

DO WE NEED SALT? No, we don’t need salt, but we do need sodium because our bodies can’t produce it. The sodium from salt performs

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2021

essential functions including helping our bodies maintain fluid balance and helping with nerve function and muscle contraction. We only need 1–2 grams per day, and shouldn’t eat more than 5 grams of salt a day as eating too much has health risks. THE IMPACT OF SALT ON HEALTH Over time, eating too much sodium can increase your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Although some salts like Himalayan rock salt or sea salt are marketed as healthier alternatives, they contain very similar amounts of sodium and therefore should also be limited. The Heart Foundation recommends eating less than 2000mg of sodium—5g or less than a teaspoon of salt a day.

Article courtesy of Sanitarium Health Food Company. Visit sanitarium.com. au or sanitarium.co.nz and subscribe to Recipe of the Week for weekly recipe inspiration in your email inbox.

FUN

CROSSWORD

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

CAROL M. HIGHSMITH—PICRYL

Hint: 5 Across

EDUCATION.COM

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • AUGUST 2021

CROSSWORD CLUES

ACROSS 2 Synonym of "burdened" 3 Small bed designed for babies 4 Thickening of nerve tissue 5 Meeting place of United States Congress 10 Hormone that regulates body fluid tonicity 11 A shape with five sides 13 When something has a negative reputation or connotations DOWN 1 To be sent back to one's own country 3 Ancient Greek word meaning statue 6 Greek philosopher born in 384BC 7 Travelling at light speed as depicted in Star Wars 8 When a collection of music notes lack harmony 9 Legal process when someone cannot repay debt 12 Rapid movements from side to side

SUDOKU EASY

4 2 3

6 7 9

9 2

3 7

HARD

4 7

5 1

9 4

5 4

5 9

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

Signs of the Times radio is being enjoyed all across Australia and New Zealand on Faith FM and online. The Signs of the Times team discuss the latest in current world events, faith and wellbeing with experts and guests. Ready to feel informed and inspired?

Signs of the Times - September 2021

Articles inside

6 STEPS TO FREEDOM

WHY IT'S WORTH ASKING "R U OK?"

LOOKING FOR A LOVING FATHER