Signs of the Times - May 2022

SOCIAL MEDIA TRUTH

ANGER MANAGEMENT

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY

IN THIS ISSUE

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

MAY 2022

BECOMING TRUTH-TELLERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

With the rise of fake news and political divisiveness, how can we stand for truth?

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18

CURRENT

HOW TO VOTE IN AN ELECTION SEASON Knowing which party to vote for can be tricky.

How can we navigate elections wisely?

40 THE ARMY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD How a pawnbroker's apprentice went on to impact millions around the world 6

WELLBEING

12 THEY CALL IT POPPY

LOVE

Exploring the realities of opioid addiction

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 2

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MAY 2022

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26 ANGER MANAGEMENT

POST–COVID

Dealing with your anger healthily is incredibly important 60 BOOST YOUR MOOD

WITH GUT-LOVING FOODS

Your body will thank you!

CULTURE

54 WHICH MULTIVERSE ARE YOU FROM? The wild world of Dr Strange and multiverse theory

SCIENCE & TECH

52 THE CUTTING EDGE Engineering, science

and technology news

FAITH

18 TRUSTING THE SAFETY

LINE

How to fully trust God 24 ASK PASTOR JESSE Pastor Jesse answers your questions 46 WHAT IS THE CHURCH? Building, organisation, or group of people?

FUN

62 CROSSWORD AND

SUDOKU Have you been paying attention?

My daughter has just turned 2. She was a child we waited and prayed for, for seven years. So when she arrived, I was waiting for that emotional connection.

Driving home from the hospital I was hit by a tsunami of emotions. Love, pride, guilt at leaving them at the hospital (I had to go home and sleep. I’d been awake for more than 24 hours), and sweetest of all, connection . . . It’s been a rollercoaster since, growing as parents while navigating the pandemic and all its isolation and upheaval.

I’ve always heard parents talking about the unconditional love they’ve learned from having a child.

And how they understand God’s love more. In my scenario I’d always imagined myself as understanding God’s love because I was like God, the one who gave the love to my child. Yet she’s the one I’m learning from.

I get impatient, I expect things done in my way. I get frustrated when things happen more slowly or messily than I wish they would. My daughter is full of joy, exploring the world and learning with wonder every day.

And while she may get upset if she falls or if she is told to stop doing something that will put her in danger, or break something, she is so forgiving. Within moments, she has forgotten my parenting misstep and is loving, laughing and hugging me. Her love is truly unconditional and comes with none of the expectations that my love does. I’m learning from my daughter, just as I’m learning from God. With Jesus as my example, I hope to get better at this love thing. And as you read this month’s magazine, I hope you commit to loving well too. God is ready to love you and to help you love others.

Jarrod

JARROD STACKELROTH Editor

VOL 137 NO 5 ISSN 1038-9733 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Brad Kemp EDITOR Jarrod Stackelroth ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jesse Herford COPYEDITOR Tracey Bridcutt GRAPHIC DESIGN Theodora Pau'u Talia Valderrama Nerise McQuillan 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 ILLUSTRATION:

Talia Valderrama, Pexels

/SIGNSMAG MAY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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Breakthroughs

WHAT IN THE WORLD

IN WEIGHT

ONLY HALF OF GOLDMAN SACHS' WORKERS SHOW UP TO PHYSICAL OFFICE

AUSTRALIAN CASH RATE TO STAY PUT

AUSTRALIA

The Reserve Bank has made the decision to keep the cash rate at 10 basis points and official interest rate at 0% due to uncertainty fuelled by the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The Reserve Bank will reassess this decision later 2022.

—Philip Lowe, Governer | RBA

Goldman Sachs' CEO David Solomon made a point in demanding his employees return to in-person work when their New York City offices opened up in February. To his surprise, of their 10,000 workers, only around 5000 actually returned. Goldman Sachs represents a group of organisations taking a hardline stance on in–person working conditions, with other companies such as Citigroup and UBS instead opting for a more permanent hybrid approach.—Yahoo Finance

ALCOHOL-FREE BAR FUELS GROWING “SOBER CURIOUS” MOVEMENT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Sans Bar in Austin, Texas is part of a new movement. Dubbed the “sober curious” movement, its participants are promoting sobriety without the loss of social interaction. Whilst alcohol is the draw for many pubs and bars, community is why people stay. The Sans Bar and others like it are creating community without the negativity of alcohol abuse.—ABC News 4

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MAY 2022

FERRANTRAITE—GETTY IMAGES, ADAM WILSON—UNSPLASH, MELISSA WALKER HORN—UNSPLASH, STOCK DEPOT—GETTY IMAGES

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

SWISS BANK'S EMBARRASSING LEAK LEAVES IT EXPOSED

LOSS People who are financially incentivised to lose weight are far more likely to follow through than those who have no financial incentive.—CSIRO The health and wellness industry is one of the most profitable in the world— generating more than US$4.5 trillion in 2020. It's predicted to grow to almost $8 trillion by 2030.—Precedence Research

SWITZERLAND

Credit Suisse (one of the world’s largest private banks) has had more than 30,000 clients exposed in a leak totalling around 100 billion Swiss francs. Despite repeated claims that the bank has been banning clients who make their money from dubious sources, the leak has revealed that Credit Suisse continues to be the bank of choice for human traffickers, people ordering hit jobs and politicians caught taking bribes, to name a few.—The Guardian

People who undertake low-carb diets often don't lose much more weight than those on balanced-carb diets.—Cochrane If you own a VR headset, you'll soon be able to do almost anything you can do at the gym, at home.—Wired

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HOW TO

VOTE n

in a Election Season

When election season comes around, every party claims to be the best for the country and for you. In the midst of the confusion, how can you make your vote count?

BY BRADEN BLYDE

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we’ve got the key to the door—and if we do, how to use it.

How do I vote? Who do I vote for? What am I going to base my decisions on?

These were all questions I—and many like me, I am sure—had to face as a young adult.

Now, more than a decade on, and with another Australian federal election looming, I am faced with similar questions.

So, I recently set out to discover a little more about how I, as a Christian, should vote this election.

I didn’t want an answer to the

unanswerable question of “Who should Christians vote for?” but rather, “How can Christians best prepare and cast their vote?” Even if you’re not a Christian, some of what I discovered might help you to think through your voting process.

what does the Bible say?

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F

or most Australian school students, a trip to Parliament House in Canberra is an event long remembered.

Its grand architecture, and a growing understanding of the decisions that are made within those walls leave a lasting impression. I, and many 12-year-olds like me, stood in awe of this, Australia’s “home of democracy”.

Fast forward a few years, and at 18 we are finally granted the privilege to cast our own votes. But on reflection, the years b etween often leave us unprepared for the moment. We’ve seen the house, but are unsure whether

As the foundation of Christian faith and practical living, the Bible seemed like a good place to start my journey towards polling day.

But, it was quickly apparent that the Bible definitely does not make it clear who to vote for. It does, how-

ever offer some useful insights into how we should approach elections:  Be a good steward: One of the most fundamental values given to humans by God in the Bible is that of stewardship—we are to look after the things that God has given us. Reading 1 Peter 4:10 highlights that as citizens of a free, democratic country which allows us to vote for our leaders, we can—and should—exercise our stewardship by using our vote well.  Promote respect: We should honour and respect our leaders—even MAY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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I sent an email

Within about 10 minutes of sitting at my laptop one evening, I had gathered the names and contact details of every candidate running in my electorate. Then, I sent each of them an email asking a fairly simple question: “As a voting Christian in your electorate, what should I know in the lead-up to this election?”

Making an enquiry like this to any of your local candidates is easy, and one I would encourage you to do yourself.

A week or so later, I had replies from every candidate. Some were clearly copy-and-paste responses, but all had obviously taken the time to read and understand my email.

Unfortunately, I was unable to get clearance to use any of these responses in this article—but in reality, the process is just as, if not more important, than the result.

If all I had to do was send an email to engage meaningfully with those I was soon to vote for, so can you. And, without the need to seek permission for publication, their insights would no doubt be more meaningful than what I can offer today.

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policy vs personality

The most helpful way I have found to create an effective policy vs personality filter is to remove myself from the news cycle, and take the time to read and understand the policy documents available on candidate and party websites.

It’s often dry and occasionally boring (at least in comparison to the razzle dazzle of television news), but if we are going to be good stewards of our vote and ensure we are voting for the policies we most believe in and not the person we most like, it's an important step to take.

As I read the emails I had received from my local candidates, and tuned in to the media appearances and campaign emails of more public politicians, I quickly realised the huge role that personality was playing.

In their correspondence and media presence, some candidates presented a strong sense of confidence and dealt easily with curly questions; some had a manner of speaking that I instantly warmed too; and others told stories of family and life I could empathise with.

But then I realised—though I am voting for a person, I’m not voting for a personality. My choices on polling day are about policies that will influence those our nation employs in the years to come. Whether they have a personality that holds my attention is irrelevant.

single issue is an issue

Diving into the policy platforms of each party is an enlightening experience. Sometimes, because you find the pool is next to empty.

In many cases, candidates had no outline or explanation of how

they would use their position in parliament to influence a whole range of policy concerns—many of them which would impact the majority, if not all Australians (things including the budget, borders and immigration, social services and many others).

This concerns me.

With more and more candidates speaking vocally on hot-button topics, or single issues, but offering no clarity where they stand on other broader issues, we open ourselves to our votes being used in ways we never intended.

Many of these candidates tap into the concerns and cares of voting Christians, but when we cast our vote for them, we will be expressing a view on every other issue as well.

I realised that if I want to vote responsibly, I better know what the

“

Though I am voting for a person, I'm not voting for a personality

CEMILE BINGOL—GETTY IMAGES

if we don’t agree with their politics.

In Romans 13, Paul writes to the early Church in Rome, reminding them of God’s ultimate control, the role of government and how a respectful response by Christian citizens will continue to reflect the character of God.

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HOW NOT TO VOTE:

“

 The same way you

Our influence on polling day should be to contribute positively to others



 

vote for others

An “appeal to voters” is a phrase you’ll hear regularly in any election cycle. They are promises and commitments political parties and local candidates make in order to sway the opinion of voters.

Most often, these appeals are designed to be seen as beneficial to the voter themselves—reduced taxes, increased spending or new local infrastructure for example.

But is this really “appealing”?

Following another night of policy review, I opened Philippians 2:3, 4 which reads, “In humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.”

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Instead of standing in line on election day in my own shoes, I was challenged to put my feet in the shoes of others—the single father; the asylum seeker; the business owner; the retiree.

Our influence on polling day should be to contribute positively to others. If Jesus gave everything up for me, surely I can put my own interests aside and use my vote as an act of service.

While every party and candidate would suggest their policy is the “best way for the common good” of the country and that helping the underprivileged in Australian society is an important part of their policies, as a faithful voter I need to be discerning about how my vote is really going to benefit others.

the power of prayer

SDI PRODUCTIONSfiGETTY IMAGES , MACROVECTORfiFREEPIK

consequences of my vote would be across the board—not just for high-profile, single issues, no matter how important they might be to me.

I’ll admit that throughout this journey I’ve often found myself conflicted. No doubt, you’ve felt the same in the lead up to elections, whether this year or in the past.

There is no perfect party and certainly no perfect candidate. All I can do is my best—and as with the rest of life, my best is often found when my eyes are closed.

In his first letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul offers a timely reminder, writing, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

So, what will the end of the election look like for me? I’m hoping you’ll join my commitment to ensure polling day is preceded by many, many praying days.

always have, because it’s the way you always have For a candidate just because they are a Christian (see Romans 13 for the way God can use all leaders) To benefit your own backpocket (see 1 Timothy 6:10) Avoiding or carelessly casting your vote (no donkey votes please)

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 52.1 per cent of Australians identify as Christian.

This is down from 70.9 per cent 20 years prior. It is a number that still represents a very large voting block.

However, thoughtful and informed Christians support almost all the parties represented on our electoral ballot (almost all, as there are some more extreme parties whose policies stand in distinct opposition to some of the Christian principles I’ve mentioned).

Despite our differing opinions, I believe we can all use our votes faithfully. A vote that we cast in prayer, by making efforts to be informed and taking time to consider how our vote can create a place that is better for all residents.

Braden Blyde is a freelance writer based in Adelaide, South Australia. When not writing, Braden can be found riding bikes or getting outdoors with his family.

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ELL B EING

I

They call it

POPPY LOVE

The face of drug addiction is changing. From the seedy associations of the '70s and '80s, today thousands of people are dependent on prescription medication. What can be done in the face of this growing epidemic?

AH_DESIGNSGETTY IMAGES

BY NIGEL BYNG

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have an acutely vivid memory which triggered this article. It was a wet day in London in the winter of 2002. My 145kg frame was squished in the front seat of a tiny blue Fiat Punto with two colleagues in the parking lot of a Burger King.

At some point in our wait for another colleague to arrive with lunch, a distinctive scent invaded our very confined space. Pritesh, my significantly smaller colleague who was in the back seat with his earphones on, had removed a small foil package from his pocket and proceeded to smoke heroin. The driver, who was his dealer, proceeded to drop the windows to let the scent out and the cold air in. It was just another casual lunch break.

The disinterest I had to someone using an illegal substance like heroin in that parking lot seemed to me no different to the governmental and corporate indifference to systematic opioid over-prescription that at the time was on the rise. Fast forward nearly 20 years, and the toll of corporate drug pushing on society is finally revealing itself. In the US, an average of 128 people die every day from opioid overdose.1 In Australia, 882 died in 2021 alone:2 a number that is far smaller but no less sobering. That large pharmaceutical companies have been complicit in facilitating what has become a global epidemic is highlighted by the fact that according to a report published by the Penington Institute, 3 million Australians are on prescription MAY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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No”, back in the mid-’80s. At the time, America was being ravaged by another drug epidemic, partly self-inflicted by the same corporate greed and gluttony that preceded our current situation. Back then, crack cocaine was the problem, as nearly 6 million Americans were daily users.

Substantial amounts of money was

synthetic heroin to their patients for maladies ranging from mild backaches to post-cancer treatment. Some doctors surely had pure intentions, but it's difficult to really know how many truly understood the risks. As families and neighbourhoods today are being ravished by this man-made plague, crying out for help, the cynic

substance abusers are all members of our society. Before we turn and walk the other way, we should all remember: it could have been me in that position. Not everyone in such circumstances has made the choice to be there. Once again, organisations that always respond to crises have stepped into the gap. Churches,

in me is asking: whatever happened to “Just Say No”?

In this instance, cynicism is a pleasure that can only be enjoyed by the cold-hearted. The fallout from this crisis has placed the burden of recovery on ill-prepared communities and struggling families. Street dwellers, people who may be forced to sleep in their cars, and yes, even

non-profits and individuals have all been finding ways to remedy a problem they did not create.

One such church in Connecticut, USA, had the problem literally dropped on their doorstep. Pastor Rochelle Stackhouse had no choice but to become part of the solution when someone addicted to opioids overdosed at the entrance to her

“

Some doctors surely had pure intentions, but it's difficult to really know how many truly understood the risks

budgeted for another “war on drugs”, educating young people on the dangers of drug use and substance abuse, but most of it was used in the pursuit, prosecution and incarceration of hundreds of thousands of young men and women who needed help, not the long arm of the law.

Less than a generation later we saw doctors “strongly recommending”

PIXELFIT—GETTY IMAGES

opioids.3 The same report revealed 2022 marks the sixth consecutive year that over 2000 Australians have died from an overdose. Asia has its own looming crisis with prescription meds like Tramadol being smuggled and sold without any oversight, and there is mounting evidence that the illegal sales of synthetic heroin are used to finance terror outfits like Boko Haram and ISIS. If you’ve watched the Netflix series Narcos, you would recognise a pattern there, but that’s an entirely different story for another time.

Not everyone struggling with substance abuse shoots up in a dark alley, or from the back seat of a car.

Neither are they all procuring their fix illegally. A problem currently facing many families is prescription misuse. As the term implies, prescription misuse involves but is not isolated to: taking someone else’s medicine; taking medicine to get high; mixing medicine with alcohol or other substances; or using medicine in a way other than prescribed.

Two years ago, nearly 3 million people between the ages of 12 and 25 reported misusing prescription pain medications. There is no need for them to purchase the narcotic from a drug dealer, as studies have revealed that more than 50 per cent of those who obtain the medication did so from either a friend or a relative.

I am old enough to remember Nancy Reagan, the former first lady and wife to US President Ronald Reagan, telling us to “Just Say

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“

Good Samaritans

everywhere have been trying their best to put their communities back together one life at a time

church. In an article for Christian Century she wrote that “The challenge for all of us in this ministry comes in taking seriously Jesus’ model of reaching out to people we might fear to touch. People who are addicted to drugs certainly fit the category of modern lepers.”4 Realising they were unprepared, they took it upon themselves to get trained for the role thrusted on them. Good Samaritans everywhere have been trying their best to put their communities back together one life at a time.

While it would be imprecise to place the blame squarely on the shoulders of pharmaceutical companies for the hundreds of people who die daily from opioid overdoses, it would also be equally disingenuous to exonerate them for the role they have played in making opioid dependency an epidemic. “Get in the Swing with Oxycontin” was only 16

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part of the promotional drive led by Purdue Pharma and its international arm MundiPharma to recruit doctors to misinform the public about the dangers of the highly addictive synthetic heroin, and ultimately incentivising its widespread distribution.5 This was happening right at the time I was sitting in that parking lot watching my colleague get his daily dosage, albeit from the more illegal and much cheaper source.

My food eventually did arrive and this other colleague promptly joined Pritesh in the back seat enjoying his heroin. His story, however, did not end well. A week later when he never arrived for work, we were informed he had been found dead from an apparent overdose in his apartment.

Such is the crisis many communities are facing now.

Nigel Byng is a freelance writer based in West Palm Beach, Florida 1. Understanding the Epidemic: cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html 2. The Aussie problem: Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2021: penington.org.au/publications/australias-annual-overdose-report-2021/ 3. Surging prescriptions, deaths: Australia faces opioid crisis: abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/ australia-familiar-grim-path-opioid-crisis-65400370 4. When the opioid crisis shows up at our church’s doorstep: christiancentury.org/article/first-person/ when-opioid-crisis-shows-our-church-s-doorstep 5. The Promotion and Marketing of OxyContin: Commercial Triumph, Public Health Tragedy: ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2622774/

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EFLAL BI TEHI N G

Maybe you’ve heard the word salvation before but you don’t know what it means. Karen breaks down her experience with salvation and conquers her fear of heights along the way.

BY KAREN COLLUM

I

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TRUSTING THE Safety LINE 18

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can tell you the exact moment I regretted my decision. A few weeks prior, my daughter had announced that she wanted to go to a high ropes and zipline course with friends for her 11th birthday. I thought it would be a great activity; that is, until the moment I found myself three metres above the rainforest canopy on a platform with no railings, hugging a tree trunk.

I was fine during the safety briefing, and when the instructor fitted me with a harness and a special clip-and-release system that would ensure I was always connected to the safety line. I was even fine when I donned my hard hat and gloves and practised clipping on and off the fence line. It was only when I left the ground that I realised I was definitely not fine.

My daughter and her friends went first. They clambered up the ladder, transferred their safety clip to the overhead wire and skipped across the wobbly wooden bridge (with every second plank missing) with ease. Then it was my turn. Internally, I was conflicted. This was a major tourist attraction at a well-known wildlife park. Their risk assessment was thorough, with thousands of people going through the course every year. Psychologically, I knew I was safe, but I didn’t feel safe. At more than double the weight of the girls, I felt sure the wire wasn’t strong enough to hold me. The ground was so far away. I was going to lose my balance and fall. There was no way I could do this!

But then I took my first wobbly step onto the bridge. I may have MAY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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the experience of salvation

One of the most fundamental pillars of the Christian faith revolves around a big word: salvation. Simply put, it is the process by which we become aware of a dark, corrupting influence that degrades the beauty of both the world and us. We then recognise the solution to that problem: Jesus. By putting our trust in Him, we accept Jesus as our Brother, and are welcomed into the family of God. The cost of this corruption (called sin by Christians) was paid in full by Him, on our behalf. Through Jesus’ sacrificial life and death, we are made right before God, adopted as His sons and daughters, and rescued from the slavery of sin. As a result, you and I can live today as brand– new humans.

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“

I've heard God's grace is for everyone, but after all the things I've done, does that really include me?

This is, of course, wonderful news! But it’s one thing to know the process by which we are saved. It’s an entirely different thing to feel like we are saved. Many Christians around the world are comfortable talking about the sacrificial death of Jesus and the way His life and death provides redemption for all, but do we really believe it? Just like me clinging to the tree trunk high above the ground, life has a way of making us question whether what we believe is true. Can I really trust the safety line of salvation by faith? I’ve heard that God’s grace is for everyone, but after all the things I’ve done, does that really include me?

Thankfully, we’re not the first to wrestle with these questions. The Bible is full of people who were equally awed and perplexed by the process of salvation. Moses doubted

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clung to the safety line above my head for dear life, but step-by-careful-step I made my way to the other side. I did it! I celebrated, possibly too enthusiastically given the relative low height of the bridge. Crucially though, it gave me confidence to finish the course. And you know what? I had an absolute blast in the end.

So, what was the secret to my success? How did I go from a quaking bundle of fear to a carefree, adventure seeker? Was it that I’d suddenly transformed into a balancing, light-footed, tree-climbing ninja? In reality, the transformation had nothing to do with my skill level or capability. It came down to one simple fact: I trusted the safety line.

his calling and insisted God find an alternative. Peter was sure he’d blown it when he denied he even knew Jesus. The apostle Paul wrestled with his violent past throughout his life.

Having once been a persecutor of followers of Jesus, Paul experienced radical transformation that could only be the work of God. But it’s almost like he needed to regularly remind himself of that fact. Consider Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” There used to be condemnation. For sins. For transgressions. For selfishness. For deceit.

For destructive anger. But now? If we are in Christ Jesus; if we accept His life and death as a substitute for our own—there is no condemnation!

It’s such a simple concept and yet it’s so hard to fully embrace. In a society that celebrates self-made

millionaires and idolises personal growth, it’s hard to escape the DIY approach. In case you need more evidence that this is a gift and not something we do ourselves, consider Titus 3:4,5: “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (NRSV).

It’s the mercy of God, through the life and death of Jesus, that saves us and changes our hearts. The truth is that salvation is your safety line, if you accept it. If you do, it’ll be the thing that keeps you from falling.

You might stumble and trip. You might even lose your footing and feel like you can’t hold on. The good MAY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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“

When you truly understand what Jesus did for you, you are released to become all He has called you to be

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line gives you a new perspective. It allows you to take risks, enjoy the scenery and encourage others on their journey.

When we learn to trust the saving power of the infinite love and mercy of God, it won’t matter how high or low life takes us. It won’t matter if there’s only a single wire to cling to.

It won’t matter if the steps move, or our footing is uncertain. Our security won’t come from anything we do but from what Jesus has already done for us. If you believe in Jesus, you are saved. It’s that simple.

Now trust the safety line and go become who He has called you to be!

Karen Collum is an Australian children’s author, chaplain and theology student. She lives on the Gold Coast, Queensland.

Titus 3:4, 5 are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

IMGORTHAND—GETTY IMAGES

news is that your safety line—the grace of God—is holding you. You can know with certainty that you are saved, not because of anything you have done but because of everything that Jesus has done for you. You don’t have to work towards your own rescue; rather, you can live a life of joy and freedom right now, with the future promise of eternal life.

Understanding salvation is one of the most profound and life-changing journeys you can go on. When you truly understand what Jesus did for you, you are released to become all He has called you to be. By staying connected to Him, your entire being will be transformed. The things that matter to God’s heart will matter to you. You’ll see the world the way God sees it. The way you treat people will reflect the way Jesus treated people. Just as I soared through the rainforest canopy, trusting the safety

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With this in mind, it could be wise to rephrase the question this way: “When you’ve had doubts, how have you dealt with them?” Simply put: I’ve had to learn to rest in the contradictions.

There are some questions that won’t go away easily and when faced with paradox, we can either ignore it, run away from it or learn to coexist with it, albeit with unease. I’ve not perfected it, but I do think we in the church should be more honest about our doubts, embracing them rather than hiding them.

Hi! I’m Jesse, and I don’t have all the answers. As a pastor, there are questions I’ve encountered over and over. They’re sometimes about theology and the Bible, but more often they’re about everyday life, and they can’t be answered easily or quickly. If you’ve never had the opportunity to ask a pastor tough questions this is the place to ask them, and I’ll do my best to respond honestly, authentically and biblically.

As a pastor, have you ever had doubts about your faith or the church system?—Josh, NZ Anyone who says they’ve never doubted their faith, God or the church isn’t telling the truth. I’m no different.

I can recall countless private conversations with pastoral colleagues who have shared with me their personal struggles with their religion and the church, and I’ve certainly been in that position myself many times. Pete Enns remarks in his book The Sin of Certainty, “church is too often the most risky place to be spiritually honest”.

Everyone has doubts, including pastors.

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Are all Adventists vegan? Do I need to be vegan to be an Adventist?—Anonymous, NSW No and no. While you will find that many Adventists are vegan, it’s not mandatory.

What is true is that health is important to the church. What you eat, how much exercise you get and how much time you spend outside all affect your physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. The healthier you are, the better your life will be and that will inevitably overflow into your faith journey. Of course, God meets us wherever we are, but if we can help it, we should do everything in our power to eat a healthy, balanced diet. I say this as someone who doesn’t always get it right, and could certainly benefit from eating more salad and fewer chocolate bars. It’s just such a shame chocolate is so delicious.

Is God a man, a woman, both or neither?—Anonymous, NSW Genesis 1:27 reads: “in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” From the beginning of the biblical story, this combination of masculine and feminine represents the fullness of the image of God. Though God is typically referred to with masculine pronouns, there are passages in both Old and New Testaments that attribute feminine attributes to God (Isaiah 42:14, Hosea 13:8, Matthew 23:37 for example).

In a literary sense, one of the most commonly used names for God: YHWH (or Yahweh) is made up of “yah” (which is feminine) and “weh” (which is masculine).

We should of course also recognise that even Jesus refers to God as His Father (Matthew 12:50), while also insisting that God is Spirit (John 4:24).

So where does this leave us? Is God a man, a woman, both or neither?

Perhaps this question provides us with an opportunity to stretch our categories.

As Augustine of Hippo once said: “If you have understood, then what you have understood is not God.” God is mysterious, transcendent and beyond our comprehension as mortal beings.

And yet, we are made in His image, designed to reflect His glory. Whatever your gender, God’s image can be found every time you look in the mirror.

Got a question? Ask it here: SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU/ASKJESSE MAY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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ELL B EING

An ge r

MANAGEMENT POST–COVID

BY EDYTA JANKIEWICZ

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LJUBAPHOTO—GETTY IMAGES

Many of us struggle with anger, and the Covid-19 pandemic has only made it worse. How can you and I learn to express our anger constructively?

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is child psychiatrist Dr Ross Campbell’s “anger ladder”, which outlines concrete steps for learning how to grow toward maturity in handling anger. While it is primarily intended as a parenting tool, it is also helpful for adults who are still maturing in this area, as it describes what “in your anger do not sin” might look like. Dr Campbell suggests that, when angry, your goals should be as follows:

1 Think logically rather than allowing emotions to cloud your judgement 2 Focus on the primary complaint rather than expressing unrelated complaints 3 Focus on the source of your anger rather than displacing it on someone else 4 Be pleasant in words and actions

While these might seem like unrealistic goals if you struggle with anger management, a concept that helped me work towards these goals was the idea that anger is a secondary emotion. In other words,

“

Anger is a normal human emotion, but there are both appropriate and inappropriate ways of expressing it

5 Seek to resolve the problem

PSH.VECTOR—FREEPIK

gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22, 23). A passage of Scripture that I’ve found particularly insightful is found in Ephesians 4:26, where Paul states: “In your anger do not sin”.

These words reflect the social science perspective that anger is a normal human emotion, but that there are both appropriate and inappropriate ways of expressing it.

Ideally, we should begin to learn how to “be angry without sinning” during childhood, because a child’s anger is so unpleasant. Think hitting, biting, head-banging and screaming.

Because anger is generally thought of as wrong or sinful, many parents (and I am no exception) try to suppress their child’s anger rather than teaching appropriate ways of expressing it. Consequently, many of us arrive in adulthood without the skills required for expressing anger “without sinning”.

A resource that I’ve found helpful

PCH.VECTOR—FREEPIK

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hile the slower pace of social distancing and self-isolation has created opportunity for families to spend quality time together—time for board games and jigsaw puzzles, bike rides and stories—living together 24/7 can also give rise to negative emotions, particularly anger. Thankfully, at this point, much of the world is opening up again, and many of us are returning to our schools and workplaces.

Nevertheless, the world we are now living in is looking more hybrid than ever before. To put it simply, more of us are spending more time working from home than we ever have before. This creates obvious tension for all of us as we struggle to adapt to this “new normal”.

As someone who struggled to learn how to express anger in constructive ways, I know the feeling of anger bubbling up and being expressed in unconstructive ways; and I know the feelings of remorse and shame that follow. But I also know that, with the help of God, it is possible to learn effective anger management. So, if frustration and anger are more frequent emotions during this time of stress and social isolation, you may find some of what I’ve learned over the years helpful.

First and foremost, as a Christian, I’ve found it imperative to daily ask God to help me so that I might live in ways that evidence love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

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“

We have the freedom to choose our words and actions—words and actions that build others up or. . . that tear others down

about what it is that you’re really feeling. It may take several attempts to look beneath the surface of the anger iceberg—many of us don’t know how to articulate our feelings beyond mad, bad, sad or glad—but I encourage you to persist. You might be surprised by what you discover. And you might be surprised by how much more manageable your anger is once you realise that there’s an underlying feeling that is driving it.

Another passage of the Bible I’ve found helpful is Ephesians 4:29, where Paul writes: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit

PSH.VECTOR—FREEPIK

when we are angry, there are usually other feelings hidden under the surface. Relationship researcher Dr John Gottman compares anger to an iceberg, only 10 per cent of which is visible above the surface, with the rest hidden below the water.

Similarly, when we are angry, there are often other emotions that we are experiencing, some of which we would prefer to hide, such as feeling disrespected or rejected, shamed or embarrassed, fearful or insecure; or maybe just tired or hungry. Consequently, one way to learn to manage anger is to look beneath the surface and identify what might be triggering the feelings of anger.

When I first learned to look beneath the surface of my anger iceberg, I realised that, more often than not, I tended to feel angry when I was hungry. This is so common it even has a name: hangry. Now that I know that hunger is a trigger for me, I find (1) self-talk, (2) deep breathing and (3) intentionally keeping my mouth closed helpful in those moments, usually before mealtimes when I’m hangry. My husband has learned that when I’m super quiet and focused on preparing a meal it’s not a good time to make jokes or have an important conversation. Instead, he just asks, “Are you hungry?” and when I nod, he knowingly says, “Ahh,” and focuses on helping me prepare something to eat.

The next time you feel anger rising up, try to stop and think

those who listen.” For me, the most important word in this verse is let.

“Do not let” implies that we have control over what comes out of our mouths.

I was confronted by this reality during a sermon, many years ago, in which the pastor spoke about anger management. He said something along these lines: “Imagine that you’re speaking angrily to your spouse or child when the phone rings. You pick up the phone, and instantly your tone of voice changes from harsh to polite.” Most of us in the audience smiled sheepishly, as we recognised the truth of what he was saying.

As human beings, created in the image of God, we have the free-

dom to choose our words and actions—words and actions that build others up or words and actions that tear others down. So if you find that this time of social isolation leads to more frequent episodes of anger rising up, try to take a few deep breaths (or maybe even a walk outdoors), identify what you’re really feeling and remember that, because you have control over the words that you let out of your mouth, you can be intentional in saying nothing until you’re able to “be angry without sinning”.

Edyta Jankiewicz is currently serving as Associate Ministerial Secretary at the South Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists. She has a MMin in Family Life and a PhD in Religious Education. She is married to Darius and has two daughters, Caitlin and Ashley.

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CU

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BECOMING

TRUTH

TELLERS

Misinformation and fake news are everywhere on social media. How can we learn to be wise and thoughtful in this strange world?

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a i d e M l a i c o S on

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had gained more than 20,000 views. To be fair, the vaccination drive did happen. The actual number of students vaccinated was 15,390, but no-one actually died.

Then there was the claim that 1.5 million people marched on Australia’s national capital, Canberra, on February 12, 2022, for a “Freedom March” mainly against vaccine mandates. For starters, 1.5 million from a population of 26 million is about 5 per cent of the population, and an incredible feat when 94.3 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over are fully vaccinated.

Police estimated the crowd at about 10,000. This was contradicted by a Facebook user who posted an aerial photo of a much larger crowd—closer to a million. However, there was a problem. Anyone who knows anything about Canberra (I lived there for four years) would recognise the photo as being nowhere near Parliament House where the protest was held. In fact, it was a photo of the 1969 Woodstock Festival in the United States.

had increased by 2000 per cent over the previous year.

Post-truth is: “Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.”

Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Dictionaries, recalled the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom and the election of Donald Trump in the United States as the cause

“

”Post-truth” was announced in 2016 as Oxford Dictionary's word of the year

living in a post-truth world

We live in what has been called a post-truth world. In 2016, “post-truth” was announced as the Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year. Its usage

RICHVINTAGE—FREEPIK

A

merican President Joe Biden was obviously upset with Meta when, in mid2021, he accused it of “killing people” for its seeming tolerance of so much Covid-19 misinformation. He backed down a little by clarifying that he wasn’t blaming Facebook itself, but the “bad information” they allowed on the site.

Meta reported, perhaps in response, that it had removed more than 20 million posts on Facebook and Instagram for “violating rules on Covid19 misinformation since the beginning of the pandemic”.

Social media often portrays the unbelievable as fact. Two Covid-related stories from Australia had worldwide impact after turning up on social media.

On August 18, 2021, American broadcaster Stew Peters and Republican candidate DeAnna Lorraine posted a video to Instagram titled: “2 Kids DEAD after 24,000 children herded into stadium for JAB!” Peters claimed a former member of the Australian military told him that two students had died in a vaccination drive in Sydney, Australia.

“Two kids already dead, subsequent to this injection, in the stadium where they were ushered in and assured everything would be okay,” he said. Within 24 hours the video

and added, “I wouldn’t be surprised if post-truth becomes one of the defining words of our time.”

For Trump, the Washington Post Fact Checker claims that he made 30,573 “false or misleading” claims as president—almost half in his final year. More significant was a response from Scottie Nell Hughes—a Trump spokesperson—when she was asked about his claim on Twitter that he would have won the popular vote in 2016 if millions of immigrants had MAY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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not voted illegally.

Her response? “There’s no such thing, unfortunately, anymore, as facts.”

She argued that it isn’t whether his fraud claim is true, but who believes it: “Mr Trump’s tweet[s], amongst a certain crowd . . . are truth . . . and people believe they

#1 In May 2019, a video on social media showed Nancy

fair and balanced?

You can also do your own research about posts that seem suspicious. factcheck.afp.com is a trusted source for journalistic fact-checking, as is Politifact.com. I found both helpful in researching for this article—and there are others. Of course, fact checkers don’t have instant responses because it takes time to work through the process. This calls for patience.

BE CRITICAL

Pelosi, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, stammering and slurring her speech, causing many to question her mental aptitude—or that she was drunk.

The reality was that the video had been doctored to give that appearance—and that Pelosi does not drink alcohol.

In this case, any who have seen her in action would find it difficult to match the video with reality. No matter what your politics, she’s a sharp woman and a strong leader. This was so out of character and needed critical investigation to find out if there was an explanation.

When we accept a post like this at face value—and like or forward it—we become part of the problem.

from the News Literacy Project.

That calls for us to be aware of our emotions and slow down to make sure we don’t send or click on a post we regret later. We know there’s pressure to be the first to pass on something that’s outrageous, but when dealing with people, we need thought and compassion.

#2 Before you pass on that unbelievable post, wait. There’s an

#3 Do you know the person who sent the original post? If yes,

have facts to back that up. Those that do not like Mr Trump, they say that those are lies, and there’s no facts to back it up.”

If there is no such thing as objective truth or facts, that is scary.

So, how do we become truth-tellers in the social media world? Here are five suggestions: 36

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old saying that a lie can travel halfway around the world while truth is putting its shoes on.

Waiting gives truth a chance to get its shoes on and you the chance to mull over what to do. Passing it on could perpetuate a harmful lie. Weigh up your responsibility for good or for evil before passing on a post.

“Misinformation flourishes most when people are fearful, angry and uncertain,” says Suzannah Gonzales,

HAVE YOUR OWN DEPENDABLE NEWS SOURCE

radio or television source or the now old-fashioned kind, newsprint, you

THINK LIKE A JOURNALIST

STORYSET—FREEPIK

WAIT

#4 Whether it’s an online source, a

are they trustworthy? If not, what can you discover about them? Is

there a particular bias on their site?

Does the style come across as

should have a dependable news source. A good guide is if it will tell you when they get something wrong.

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37

way: “News sources develop reputations based on the quality and consistency of their news reporting, particularly when it comes to fact-checking and presenting a balanced perspective of issues. There are both reliable and unreliable news sources, and it’s important to assess the credibility of a source when trying to determine the verisimilitude (truth) of its content.”

#5 If you are a follower of Jesus—the Way, the Truth and the BE CHRISTIAN

Life (John 14:6)—you are called to be like Him—truthful. In contrast, the devil has no truth in him (John 8:44). In the Ten Commandments we’re called to not “testify falsely” against our neighbour (Exodus 20:16, NLT). This includes our digital neighbour. We should know the truth before commenting. Then there’s: “Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them” (Ephesians 4:29, NLT).

Social media can be a useful connecting tool. It can be playful and entertaining. It can be inspirational. It can be positive. Yet there’s also much that’s questionable. For the questionable, we can make a difference—by not rewarding it with clicks and shares. The best response to the negative and questionable is often no response.

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saying, “Yes, I saw that, but I think it made that individual look foolish and I didn’t want to share something they may later regret.” That has heart—more heart than counting the number of clicks you get from a response.

Bruce Manners is an author, retired pastor and former editor of Signs of the Times based in Lilydale, Victoria.

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CU

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THE ARMY THAT

CHANGED

THE WORLD

Some 157 years ago, a different ”William and Catherine“ captivated Britain and changed the world.

SUPPLIED

BY MARK KELLNER

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that continues to this very day.

The Reverend and Mrs Booth were Methodists who believed in public preaching. William, tall, quick-walking, with an intense manner that tolerated little nonsense, roved the streets of East London, looking for the “least” among those lost to sin and degradation.

The district he combed was populated by those struggling to endure grinding poverty. Flour was adulterated with chalk powder or talc; milk was watered down and other foods were unreliable as well.

Beer was common for adults and even children, though not usually as

PHOTOS.COM, BEELDBEWERKING—GETTYIMAGES

M

ention the names “William and Catherine” to most in our modern age and thoughts turn to a high-profile London-based couple in line for a royal destiny.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who will eventually follow Prince William’s father, Charles, Prince of Wales, to the British throne in the line of succession, are international celebrities whose fashion sense, parenting ideas and even social pronouncements are viewed with keen interest.

But in the London of 1865, a very different William and Catherine—surnamed Booth—had a very different impact on their world, one

strong as today’s brewery products.

Poverty and abuse were rampant, as might be expected under the circumstances.

Yet the rapidly industrialising middle-to-upper-class society which surrounded the poverty-stricken enclave couldn’t always be bothered with the needs of those at the lowest end of the income scale. The fictional Ebenezer Scrooge’s lament, “are there no workhouses”, reflected very real attitudes of the period.

William Booth, a pawnbroker's apprentice who’d grown up in poverty following the death of his father, didn’t go along with that line of thinking. Converted as a teenager, he promised God “all there is of William Booth” in the Lord’s service.

He eventually left the pawnbroker’s trade and set out as a “New Connexion” [sic] Methodist, a more observant and strict adherent to the faith first promulgated by John Wesley more than a century earlier.

Preaching in small chapels and taking up out-of-the-way pulpits, young William Booth yearned to make a real difference in people’s lives, a desire intensified during his courtship of Catherine Mumford, who encouraged his preaching.

When the two married, William worked at his ministry calling with even greater intensity. East London was a tough area, yet that is where the lanky street preacher went.

One evening, after “open-air” preaching in which William would stand on the street and exhort those

in the saloons to leave and follow Jesus, he trudged home weary but excited.

Entering their rented quarters, he greeted his wife: “Kate, I’ve found my destiny.”

from mission to movement

The Booths’ organisation was initially known as the “Christian Mission to East London”. The name made sense: William preached in the open air and in a tent in that district, and he wanted to bring his hearers into a saving relationship with Jesus.

As the work grew, William discovered several things: Converts came, but they were not always “presentable” in the more “refined” precincts of some Methodist congregations.

The new believers were poor, looked poor and even, well, smelled poor. It was good that these unfortunates met Jesus just as they were, but did they have to show up at the local chapel that way?

As the Christian Mission grew, so did the need for fundraising. As “general secretary” of the Mission, the Rev William Booth in 1878 prepared an annual report in which he declared his group to be a “volunteer army”, a term regarded with some derision at the time.

At age 22, Bramwell Booth, the oldest of William’s eight children, saw those words and remonstrated, “I'm no volunteer, I'm a regular!”

William changed the words to “Salvation Army”, and thus a movement was born. William was MAY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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Bramwell’s sister, was attacked in Paris when she sought to preach there. Decades later, Alida Bosshardt (a Salvation Army officer who cared for Jewish children during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands) gained a national prize for her ministry in Amsterdam’s “red light” district.

Perhaps the most famous Australian to have become part of Booth’s movement was the late General Eva Burrows, only the third woman to serve as General, and at age 56, its youngest leader. A friendly, charismatic woman, she was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1994.

spiritual impact, social realities

The Salvation Army that William and Catherine Booth founded grew quickly during the Victorian era.

William was a visionary who sought ways to end poverty, in part by “exporting” those in need to parts of the Empire where their skills could be used in developing lands.

Equally attractive was the vibrant

ZU_09—GETTYIMAGES, SUPPLIED

no longer a “general secretary”; he became the “general” leading a force of converts who soon adopted a military-style “uniform”.

Not only did the uniform promote equality in the Army’s ranks, it also identified members as Christians who were available to help others.

The two large “S” initials seen on today’s Salvation Army uniform lapels gained the colloquial meaning of “Saved to Serve”.

From the start, women, as well as men, were permitted to serve as full clergy. Catherine Booth, who long advocated for females in ministry, wrote a pamphlet supporting this, and though she did not often preach in public, she spoke periodically and wrote often for Salvation Army publications. Through sympathetic portraits in those magazines, Catherine became known as “The Army Mother.”

Other women however, eagerly joined the ranks and took the gospel message into various corners of the world, sometimes at great personal risk. Catherine Booth-Clibborn,

music and worship of Salvation Army meetings. These were not the stuffy services of the upper classes, but instead were “free and easy” worship services that incorporated brass band music and melodies popular in the era. William was said to have asked, “Why should the devil have all the good tunes?”

Ellen G White, herself an innovator in the field of religion, said that while Seventh-day Adventists were not to “imitate” the Army’s methods, the group’s actions were commendable.

“There are precious, self-sacrificing souls in the Salvation Army. We are to treat them kindly,” Mrs White wrote in Welfare Ministry. “There are in the Army honest souls, who are sincerely serving the Lord, and who will see greater light, advancing to the acceptance of all truth. The Salvation Army workers are trying

to save the neglected, downtrodden ones. Discourage them not. Let them do that class of work by their own methods and in their own way.”

That “class of work” led to the transformation of hundreds of thousands of people, the reformation of millions of alcohol and drug addicts, and a global church of more than 1.5 million believers.

Today, the “Salvos”—as they are known in Australia (“Sallies” in New Zealand)—are respected as genuine Christians who bring hope to young and old, and restoration to the “down-and-out”.

William Booth, the pawnshop apprentice, would, I believe, be very well pleased with the fruits of his labours.

Mark Kellner is a veteran computer columnist for the Washington Times newspaper and a fellow-pilgrim following Jesus

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FA IT H

WHAT IS

THE

CHU RCH? The word church has a lot of associations—some good, some bad. But what did Jesus mean when He started the Church 2000 years ago?

JOSHUA ECKSTEIN, JOHN TOWNER—UNSPLASH

BY RYAN STANTON

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how did the church begin?

When all the history and modern traditions are stripped away, the role of the church is surprisingly simple.

The word itself comes from the Greek ecclesia which means “an assembly of people.”, With this understanding, it is clear when the Bible refers to the church, it is simply referring to a gathering of people who share belief in Jesus Christ.

This is highlighted by Jesus’ own words, that “where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them” (Matthew 18:20).

The church is a community built to support people with common faith beliefs.

Throughout the Bible, various authors work to highlight different ways in which this community can support each other. 1 John 4:11, for example, notes the importance of loving one another, while 1 Corinthians 14:26 and Hebrews 10:24, 25 highlight the necessity

to provide encouragement and support to those who we surround ourselves with.

Members of the church are not perfect, but the Bible clearly outlines that this should not cause division.

Instead of attacking or creating conflict over the flaws of members, the church is a place where support can be found. God understands the difficulty present in being solitary (as we can see in the story of the creation of Eve for Adam) and has provided the church as a way of easing the burdens that life brings, whether you are a new believer or a lifelong one.

who runs the church?

JOSE LLAMAS—UNSPLASH

W

hat do you think of when you hear the word church?

Perhaps your mind conjures up images of ancient cathedrals, resplendent with gothic spires, stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings. Maybe you think of the image of the church from centuries ago— people who resemble the stereotypical Amish kneeling between uncomfortable pews.

It’s even possible that you have a more negative image that springs to mind—perhaps the Westboro Baptist Church whose message seems to be solely focused on spouting hate and division.

No matter which image comes to mind, it’s fair to say that people have many different opinions on the church. In many countries in the West today, the church is an Institution—with a capital “I”. When journalism is referred to as the “fourth estate”, it is building on a theoretical view of the world which positioned the clergy (and by extension the church) as the first.

But while the church as we know it is considered a core pillar of modern society, this was not always the case. To explain what I mean, we must turn to the Bible and the foundation of the church.

You may have a better idea of what the focus of the church is now, but there are likely questions that remain—including who runs the church.

The first image that may come to mind for many is the pope, who is the head of the Catholic Church.

Catholicism has a defined hierarchy for the church, with bishops,

archibishops, pontifexes and more all reporting to the pope who sits at the head—and is believed to be God’s voice to the world. But the authority of the pope is limited to that of the Catholic church. Many forms of modern-day Christianity broke away from Catholicism in the 16th century due to its perceived straying from the mission presented to believers in the Bible. This event was known as the Reformation and is where many expressions of modern Protestantism originated.

One of the key issues that Reformers like Martin Luther had with the church of the time was the corruption in leadership. Church leaders had exploited the faith of believers to line their own pockets and live a life of decadent excess. As a result, many churches in the present day aim to put the focus back on Christ as the ultimate head of the church and rely on biblical principles to manage the running of it.

The Bible tells us that Jesus established the church, giving His followers—the apostles—leadership authority to help and guide the people. In this way, Jesus provided an outline for how the church should function—with leadership working to benefit all members of the congregation, and not themselves.

Many churches today, including the Seventh-day Adventist Church, elect members to leadership positions, with a larger organising body working to provide administrative oversight.

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One of the things that has confused many is the various labels that Christians may assign themselves.

Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Baptist, Anglican, Adventist . . . it’s all a bit confusing. Thankfully, these labels can be separated into three main groups. Firstly, there is Catholicism, which is often associated with much of the iconography that is thought of as Christian. The pope and his clothes, the stained-glass windows and large chapels. Then there’s the Orthodox Church, which split from the Catholic Church in the 11th century. Sometimes called the Eastern Orthodox Church, this church is particularly prominent in Eastern Europe, Russia, the Mediterranean and North Africa, and shares many commonalities with Catholicism, including the veneration of the Virgin Mary—Jesus’ mother.

Finally, there is the Protestant Church. As mentioned earlier, the Protestant movement sprung out of Catholicism in the 16th century with an aim to refocus the core of faith on Jesus and His mission. The Protestant movement has created many smaller denominations of Christian churches, including the Anglicans, Baptists, Adventists and Pentecostals. If it isn’t Orthodox or Catholic, it is likely that a church identifies itself as Protestant.

So, what sets these Protestant churches apart from each other? The simple answer is: it varies.

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Different churches interpret different parts of the Bible in ways which lead to new denominations forming. The Adventist Church, who print Signs of the Times for example, place particular emphasis on passages explaining the importance of maintaining a day of rest—the Sabbath—as God commands, as well as the importance of the second coming of Jesus, which is believed to be a soon-coming event on an undisclosed date.

This metaphor is often used to represent both the love that Christ has for His followers, and the expectations that might logically follow this love. The church is a bride as it is made up of the people He died to save, so great was His love for them. In a similar way, those in the church are invited to put the wants and desires of Jesus before all others, much like a person does for their spouse.

what’s up with all the strange metaphors?

This metaphor drives home the all-encompassing nature of the love that Christ has for us, and that we should have for Him. The church, like all organisations, has a lot of people in a lot of different roles. This metaphor is one used to highlight how it should function.

Ephesians 4:16 states: “From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” This verse is the clearest indication of the meaning of this metaphor: different people in the church have different tasks, just like individual body parts, but all of them are ultimately in service of the Head—Jesus Christ.

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You may have heard some people using metaphors to describe the church—metaphors which might sound confusing at first. It’s only when these metaphors are explained that they can highlight what makes church so special. Here’s a brief explanation of the top three metaphors used in the Bible.

AKIRA-HOJO—UNSPLASH

why are there so many different churches?

THE BRIDE OF CHRIST

THE BODY OF CHRIST

Beyond being a body, the church is also often spoken of as a family. This perhaps unsurprisingly is a relatively straightforward metaphor once again

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THE FAMILY OF GOD

highlighting the loving relationships that should occur within the church.

Like with any family, we should strive for relationships built on the foundation of love and respect.

Disagreements and differences may occur, but the important thing is that we focus on treating everybody in the church (and outside it) as we would those who are closest to us.

why is the church important?

These metaphors not only highlight how the church should act, but why it is important. A consistent theme running through the Bible is that we live in a broken world.

Attempting to follow God and do what is right can be a difficult task.

The Church is God’s response to these challenges. When it is functioning as intended, it is a place for support, for fellowship, for encouragement. It provides an opportunity to better ourselves and others. As Proverbs 27:17 states: “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” This is the function of the church: to strengthen and support one another as we await the return of Jesus. Want to try for yourself?

If you're in Australia or NZ, find a local church in your area, by going to adventistchurch.com/locations.

Ryan Stanton is a PhD student studying media and communications at the University of Sydney.

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TITLE TITLE TEEN TRACKS JETS AND YACHTS OF ULTRA-RICH Jack Sweeney, who became famous for creating a Twitter account that tracked Elon Musk’s private jet (through bots and publicly available air traffic information), is now tracking the yachts and private jets of Russian oligarchs. Many have now been seized by police of varying countries, in response to the sanctions imposed on Russia due to the Ukraine conflict.—Business Insider

ROBOTS TO REPLACE 500K US TRUCK JOBS The US trucking industry is 61,000 drivers short, but automation is seeking to change that.

According to the University of Michigan, as many as 500,000 human long-haul drivers could be completely replaced by automated trucks in the future.—Bloomberg

PREVENTING HUMAN AGEING IN 20 YEARS Altos Labs is working on biotechnology that could “predict, prevent and treat diseases and ageing through cellular rejuvanation”. The team has successfully increased the lifespan of mice by 30 per cent using the tech. The lab is funded by Jeff Bezos to the tune of $US2.9 billion.—BGR

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AI SUPER-NETWORK OUTPERFORMS HUMAN You have around 86 billion neurons in your brain. Scientists, trying to replicate the human brain in AI, have found that a single neuron works better, and could work better than a human brain. This could lead to the creation of the first “superintelligence”.

—The Register

METAMORWORKS, MASTER1305, KHANCHIT KHIRISUTCHALUAL—GETTYIMAGES OUNDUM, ANTONIOGUILLEM, CHAKISATELIER—GETTYIMAGES

MAN VS MACHINE

THE FUTURE PORCELAIN THRONE In 2012, the Gates Foundation awarded more than $800,000 to Cranfield University to develop a new kind of toilet. The Nano Membrane Toilet doesn't require plumbing, can provide water for the user, and could be revolutionary in countries where wastewater and sewage is a major cause of disease.

—Slashgear

TIKTOK INVESTIGATED FOR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH It won’t be the first time TikTok is in hot water for failing to do its due diligence in regard to its predominantly young userbase. In 2019 the company was fined $US5.7 million for not ensuring young children who signed up for the app’s predecessor Musical.ly had proper parental permission to do so. Now, several US state attorneys are investigating whether or not TikTok violates state consumer-protection laws.—The Verge FACEBOOK EMPLOYEES ARE NOW “METAMATES” Mark Zuckerberg has recently declared to all Meta employees that they are to refer to each other as “metamates.” This goes along with new values Meta wants to embrace; among them the catchphrase: “Meta, Metamates, me.” This catchphrase is meant to encapsulate the hierarchy of importance employees should live by when working for the company.

—Gizmodo

GOOGLE CUTS PAY FOR BLACK EMPLOYEES In a supposed effort to increase diversity in its organisation, Google has cut the pay of workers in their Durham NC, Houston TX and Des Moines IA offices. These have been specifically targeted to help recruit more Black engineers, whereas offices in other

parts of the country will not receive the same paycut. A newly-formed union claims Google is paying lower than the area's market rate. Google itself made $US257.6 billion in revenue in 2021, up 41 per cent from the previous year.

—Washington Post

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Whenever we see an “alternate version” of a character in film or TV, they're usually “the evil version”. But is that realistic? Is it time we reconsider who really is “the good guy” and who really is “the bad guy”?

BY MARK HADLEY

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WHICH

ARE YOU FROM?

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JOEL-MUNIZ—UNSPLASH

MULTIVERSE

n 1886, when author Robert Louis Stevenson put pen to paper to create The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, he gave the world an enduring picture of both the good and the evil that exist in a human being. He also articulated a dream that human beings might choose to separate themselves from the darker side of their characters. That dream has been reworked for a new generation with the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

In the wake of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) finds himself confronting a multiverse (an infinite collection of possible universes) on the verge of collapse. He enlists the help of the Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) to counter this disaster. Along the way, they recruit new Hispanic superhero, America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), better known to comicbook fans as Miss America. Together, they traverse the mind-bending multiverse, seeking to undo the damage done in previous Marvel outings. However, Strange and his even stranger posse are opposed by a collection of villains including Baron Mordo (Chiwetel

Ejiofor), and an evil version of Cumberbatch’s own character.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (hereafter referred to as DSMM) is the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and a strong argument for viewers to do a little homework before they settle into their cinema. DSMM is a direct sequel to Doctor Strange and is also a nexus storyline for several threads left hanging in previous MCU productions. In the TV spinoff Wandavision, Maximoff re-wrote reality to bring her lover back to life. In Loki, Thor’s adopted brother fractured the “sacred timeline”. And in Spider Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker’s dilemmas led Strange to perform a spell that allowed alternate realities to emerge. Yes, there is a lot of band-aiding to do. And who better to do it than another Marvel favourite?

DSMM was directed by Sam Raimi, the creator of the original Spider-Man trilogy. Raimi is such a fan of Strange as a character that he left easter eggs in those benchmark films pointing to the Master of the Mystic Arts. As the director of The Evil Dead, he is also a suitable choice MAY 2022 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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for a production that Disney says human beings have real agency when contains elements of horror. Either it comes to the world and especially way, good and evil are front and the shape their lives take. As Jessica centre in a movie made to examine Whittemore puts it: our moral choices.

“We aren’t just puppets dangling In the process of unlocking the from a string, nor are we subject to mysteries of the multiverse, Steven some predetermined path. We’ve got Strange encounters the “Mr Hyde” the capacity and intellect to choose version of himself. Evil Strange has between options. On my own, I made forbidden choices, driven by made the conscious choice to get his desire to prevent the death of an education, and I’m making a love interest, Christine Palmer. Fans conscious choice each time I grab of the Marvel animated series, What for potato chips. In other words, If…? will free will is know Evil alive and Strange’s kicking! For tinkering this reason, with time the criminal has put the deserves fate of the punishment, It's not that we're incapable universe in and the saint of doing good, it's just the balance. deserves What follows adulation.” that we are incapable of is a set-up So, as far removing our inbuilt bias to for a battle as DSMM between the goes, if only do wrong light and the the right dark sides decisions had of our hero’s been made at character. In Stevenson’s classic, the right junctures, then there would Jekyll and Hyde are separated by a be no Evil Strange—all the potential chemical process. In the DSMM they Doctor Stranges would be the Perfect are separated by the choices they Strange. And that’s why our Doctor make. The worldview that emerges Strange is the hero—because he suggests right character is a result of made the best choices. However, the the right choices.

Bible has a couple of issues with this.

Now that you've had your The first is that though we are caintroduction to the MCU, it’s time pable of free will and are responsible for a crash-course in philosophy. for our choices, we have an in-built DSMM draws on a worldview that is bias towards doing the wrong thing. called libertarianism. This holds that Because of the original sin of our

ancestors, Adam and Eve, we are like moral lawn bowls. We may aim for the straight line of God’s character, but the prophet Jeremiah says we inevitably curve away from it as we follow our sinful nature: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) It’s not that we’re incapable of doing good, it’s just that we are incapable of removing our inbuilt bias to do wrong. So, the Perfect Strange

own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).

It follows that when we do make a right choice, we’re not exhibiting just our own character, but the character of the One who gives us our concepts of right and wrong. Every good deed should not earn Steven Strange the adulation of his audience. Rather, it stands as a testimony to the goodness of his Maker. But, of course, we’re talking about a fictional character,

just can’t exist, no matter how hard he tries to make the right choices.

Now, Marvel is happy enough to present us with faulted heroes, so whoever that Perfect Strange is, he’s not the one on the big screen this month. However, the Bible would also take issue with the idea that even this one is solely responsible for the good he does. Good doesn’t arise from our hearts. It is a reflection of the Creator Who made us: “So God created mankind in his

and there’s one more fiction he has for cinemagoers.

Have you ever noticed that when our heroes are confronted with an alternate version of themselves, it’s always the evil version? Our heroes, however faulted they may be, always represent the light side of this cosmic equation. So too with Doctor Strange in this latest outing.

It’s almost unquestioned that our Doctor Strange is the Good Strange.

But what if our Doctor Strange were

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positively different From family LIFE to physical HEALTH, sacred MUSIC to vibrant SPIRITUALITY, Faith FM programs will brighten your day and guide you on the way.

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would do in the presence of a better version of themselves. But John says the world did not take that step: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

In the presence of the Man of Light, humanity chose to remain in darkness. It begs the question, which version of yourself do you want to be: good, or evil?

To discover the Perfect Man and how He can impact your life, go to discover.hopechannel.com/learn

tune in

TODAY!

Mark Hadley is a media and cultural critic who lives with his family in Sydney. Please note that discussion of a media product in Signs of the Times does not imply an endorsement or recommendation.

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to meet a Better Strange? Or even the Perfect Strange? Wouldn’t he be forced by comparison alone to realise that he needed to change his ways?

Well, the Bible says that something very much like that happened with Christ Himself.

When Jesus came into the world, the book of Hebrews says He was the perfect representation of our good Creator. And the Gospel of John makes it clear that He lived among us and made Himself plain to us.

Now, in circumstances like that, we have no trouble recognising what the Evil Strange should do. Confronted with the Good Strange, he should change his ways—and the movie provides him with the opportunity to do so. The majority of fans will support that action because they intrinsically believe that is what they

Find your nearest station or listen online at WWW.FAITHFM.COM.AU

W

ELL B EING

SO, WHAT ARE SOME GOOD MOOD FOODS?

BOOST YOUR MOOD WITH GUT-LOVING FOODS

GO NUTS Nuts include a wide range of nutrients that are important for brain health including vitamin E, magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, B group vitamins, and healthy fats. Regularly eating nuts can improve cognition and memory, and boost learning skills, CLEVER CITRUS Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and mandarins are particularly high in flavonoids – nutritional compounds important for maintaining cognition and memory as we age. If you are not a citrus fan, try apples and berries for a flavonoid boost.

GRAB THE LEAFY GREENS Dark leafy greens like kale and spinach are packed with magnesium, which boosts mood, combats tiredness and helps you produce energy.

We all know that eating well is important for your health, but did you know it can impact your mood as well?

GET FRIENDLY WITH FERMENTED FOODS Healthy gut, healthy mind. Fermented foods contain probiotics and research shows that probiotic-rich diets help to reduce stress and help memory. Fermented foods include yoghurt with active cultures, kefir, tempeh and sauerkraut.

BY SANITARIUM HEALTH FOOD COMPANY

Y

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STOCK UP ON WHOLEGRAIN BREAKFAST OPTIONS Eating breakfast every day should be a “no brainer”.

It can lift your mood and has been associated with improved cognitive function and concentration in school children.

For long-lasting energy choose healthy breakfast options such as wholegrain cereals or oats, low-fat yoghurt and fruit or wholegrain toast and spreads.

Wholegrain cereals and breads are also a good source of fibre, which is important for good gut health.

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our brain works 24/7 and just like a car, it will perform better with premium fuel.

What you eat can make a big difference to your mood, anxiety and even depression. Research shows that if you change your diet you can feel the benefit in relatively short space of time.

Nutritious foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants nourish and protect the brain. They can reduce inflammation and also restore healthy balance of gut bacteria.

Good gut bacteria not only influence what your gut digests and absorbs, but it also impacts your mood, behaviour and energy levels. In fact studies have shown that when people take probiotics to restore their gut health, their anxiety levels, perception of stress, and mental outlook also improve.

The gut is also responsible for producing a neurotransmitter called serotonin – about 95% of it is produced in your digestive system and it is influenced by good bacteria.

Serotonin helps regulate sleep and appetite, mediate moods, and inhibit pain.

On the flip side, diets high in refined sugars have been linked to impaired brain function and poor diets have been shown to impact an area of the brain important for learning, memory and mood regulation.

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.

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FUN

CROSSWORD

CROSSWORD CLUES

ACROSS 4 How politicians convince you to elect them 5 A political philosophy the second Doctor Strange film explores 7 The ancient Greek word for “church” 8 Netflix's story of Pablo Escobar 11 A representative form of government 12 Purdue wants you to “get in the swing” with this drug 13 Wanda and Pietro share this name 14 A bad time to joke with Edyta 15 What Mark Zuckerberg wants his employees to call each other 16 A free gift from God

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

Happy digging!

TETIANA BYKOVETS—UNSPLASH

Hint: 10 Down

EDUCATION.COM

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DOWN 1 Oxford Dictionary's “most defining” two words of our time 2 A safe way to see the tops of trees 3 An incredibly methodical man 6 Started by a man who nailed a list to a church door 9 There are 10 of them 10 The one thing keeping Pastor Jesse from going vegan

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