JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
Bridging
THE GREAT DIVIDE SURVIVING DIVORCE
LEAVING PORN & PRACTISING PURITY
THE ULTIMATE CAVE RESCUE
A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY
IN THIS ISSUE
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
BRIDGING THE GREAT DIVIDE PAGE 32 When divorce rips your life apart, there’s still hope
6 CURRENT
WHAT IN THE WORLD THE CATHOLIC COMEBACK Is the Pope the most influential man in the world? 18 LEAVING PORN & PRACTISING PURITY The incredible true story of an ex-adult film star 24 STREET SIGNS The public speaks out about pornography 4 6
18 WELLBEING
26 UNHEALTHY OBSESSION
32
38 40 54
OCD—it’s not a trivial matter BRIDGING THE GREAT DIVIDE Helpful tips for surviving divorce GO HEALTHY FOR GOOD A TALE OF TWO CAKES RECIPE: NOURISH BOWL
FAITH
12 THE ULTIMATE CAVE
RESCUE A second chance awaits us 50 TRUSTING FAITH It’s more than just a theory
FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 2
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SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
/SIGNSOFTHETIMES
CULTURE
44 DYSTOPIAN FUTURE
Is there a better way than constant negativity?
SCIENCE
56 HOW OLD IS LIFE?
The biological evidence
FUN
62 CROSSWORD & SUDOKU
FROM THE EDITOR
A
new year. A fresh start. Welcome to 2019! Do you find yourself a little more open-minded at this time of the year; a little more prepared to consider new possibilities? You’re going to need to be! This issue of Signs of the Times is chock-full of opportunities to have your preconceptions challenged and your perspective broadened. We’re tackling some tough topics. Porn, for example, and one woman’s journey through the industry and her gratitude at escaping it (page 18). Dr Tim Standish presents some thought-provoking evidence for what’s very much a minority view within the scientific community: life on earth may be only thousands of years old, not millions (page 56). That’ll get you thinking! And while we’re always keen to join with our Catholic friends in the search for truth and a more meaningful experience with God, Absolute Power by ex-priest Paul Collins raises some tough questions about papal influence that none of us should avoid (page 6). We’re also committed to presenting a positive perspective in Signs magazine, despite life’s challenges. I hope you see that too as you read. Our cover story (page 32) offers a fresh start for those injured by divorce. And Omar Miranda questions our culture’s obsession with dystopian scenarios—he insists that we can have a brighter future (page 44). I couldn’t agree more.
Kent KENT KINGSTON Editor
VOL 134 NO 1/2 ISSN 1038-9733 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Brad Kemp EDITOR Kent Kingston ASSISTANT EDITOR Daniel Kuberek COPYEDITOR Tracey Bridcutt GRAPHIC DESIGN Nerise McQuillan Theodora Amuimuia PHONE +61 2 9847 2222 EMAIL info@signsofthetimes.org.au WEBSITE signsofthetimes.org.au ADDRESS Adventist Media PO Box 1115, Wahroonga New South Wales 2076 SUBSCRIPTIONS Kelli Geelan PHONE +61 3 5965 6300 Australia, $A26; New Zealand, $NZ26; 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®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc®. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved worldwide. COVER PHOTO: metamorworks—Getty Images
@Kent_SignsMag JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES
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FA IT H
The whole world watched with bated breath as 13 lives hung in the balance, trapped in a Thai cave. But the world itself is also awaiting rescue.
The ultimate CAVE RESCUE LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA—GETTY IMAGES
BY BJORN KARLMAN
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n the middle of last year, people around the world were gripped by the story of 12 young soccer players and their coach, trapped inside a cave in northern Thailand. On Saturday, June 23, the Wild Boars team entered the Tham Luang cave on a team excursion after football practice. The boys, aged 11–17, and their 25-yearold coach, were trapped as run-off from heavy rains filled the cave with water, blocking their exit. On Monday, June 25, Thai Navy
divers began to search the cave system. What happened next was a display of extraordinary courage, resilience and selflessness as divers from Thailand and around the world flocked to the cave in an effort to rescue the boys. There was a global sigh of relief when two British divers found all 12 boys and their coach alive, perched on a small rock ledge on July 2, nine days later. Video of the boys in good spirits and the heart-warming letters JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES
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CU
R RENT
LEAVING PORN &
Practising Purity Dancing and movie star dreams led Brittni De La Mora down a path of pain and exploitation. She tells her story in this Q&A interview. BY VANESA PIZZUTO
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Vanesa:
Thanks for your time, Brittni. Can you tell me, how did you get into the porn industry and was your experience of getting pulled in similar to other workers in that business?
Brittni:
I was an exotic dancer in college. A couple of producers came in and affirmed me. They said, “You are beautiful and you are destined to be a star. We make romance movies. Give us a call if you’re ever in Los An geles.” I happened to be in LA soon after so I gave them a call and drove over to their production set. They won me over with affirmation—that was something I didn’t get much of growing up. What you aren’t given at home, you’re bound to search for in the outside world. I know many women who first started dancing before they entered the world of porn. Many of them, like myself, came from difficult upbringings. Some came from overly religious households, where going to hell was a constant threat, so rebellion became their choice; because if you’re not perfect enough for heaven then you might as well do what you want, right? Obviously, this is so far from the truth, but this is a lie many porn stars have believed. Others who I have spoken to have shared stories of rape and molestation. One woman I know was nearly homeless and could not find a job, so porn provided her with the ability to get back on her feet.
Vanesa:
You’re a Christian now. What truth about Jesus do you wish you’d had before you entered the sex industry?
SUPPLIED
Brittni:
I wish I had known that regardless of the way I was treated as a child, there was still Someone out there who loved me unconditionally, Someone who would never leave me nor forsake me, and He could be so easily found through prayer, worship and through reading the Bible. If I had known how easy it is to tap into the pres ence of God, my life would have felt so much easier and I could have avoided many wrong turns in life. I always say, “God, I went through so much without ever acknow ledging You. Now that I have You, I know I can go JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES
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W
ELL B EING
Bridging
ANDREYPOPOV—GETTY IMAGES
THE GREAT
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DIVIDE Divorce can rip your life apart. But hard experiences— and a few helpful tips—can teach you how to survive and thrive. BY DEANNA PITCHFORD
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CU
LT U R E
DYSTOPIAN FUTURE
The constant negative themes running through popular culture are concerning. Is there a better way? BY OMAR MIRANDA
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M
y daughter is 16, and her mother and I try to keep up with everything she’s reading, which means we’re both reading a lot of young adult literature lately. Previewing the titles on offer, I made a startling discov ery: one of the most popular genres was “dystopian fiction”—stories that detail how the future will be horrendously worse than the present. This trend doesn’t end with YA novels. Popular culture is dishing up scenario after scenario of oppression and genocide—toxic ecologies and toxic so cieties. Some days it feels like every time I turn around, there’s another movie, book, TV show or website injecting this perspective into our cultural psyche. It’s making me freak out a little! Can you imagine how a consistent diet of this stuff affects us, let alone our kids? This led me to ask myself three hard questions. First, is it beneficial or healthy for us as a culture to be focusing so deeply and so often on dystopian themes? Second, why do people enjoy this genre so much? And lastly, how do we find an alternate future that is not dystopian, but instead, full of hope, peace, power and purpose?
GREMLIN—GETTY IMAGES
garbage in, garbage out
As a child, I would complain to my father because he would never allow me to watch TV shows or movies that were violent or scary; he would shake his finger at me and softly, but firmly, say, “Son, garbage in, garbage out.” What we choose to focus on profoundly affects us. As a long-time mental health professional with more JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES
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FA IT H
TRUSTING FAITH Do you need to understand something completely before you can trust it? Please, take a seat.
ALBUQUERQUE—GETTY IMAGES
BY NATHAN BROWN
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n ordinary wooden chair is a met aphor that’s often used to explore the key dynamics of faith. But it’s worth exploring further. Perhaps we could describe this as a process of devel oping the “theory of a chair”. The first thing we might do is to describe the chair. Each of us would have an image in our minds at the mention of a simple wooden chair, but if we were asked to draw or describe that chair, we’d notice small and sometimes larger differences in what we’ve imagined and what others draw or describe. Our images of the chair might be influenced by a chair we’ve seen recently, perhaps by a chair in our homes, or maybe chairs in the homes where we grew up.
ways to describe a chair
I’ve already told you that it’s made of wood, but we could ask what kind of wood, how long ago was it made, and where? It might still be in new condition, or it could show the marks of longtime use. We could explore the history of this chair, both in its manu facture and ownership. We could also describe the shape of the chair and any decorative features it might have: is it stained, varnished or painted? We could also talk about the size and weight of the chair as a physical object. I have a friend who recently spent a week in a chair-making workshop. He spent a considerable amount of time crafting and shaping a wooden chair. His description of a chair would be much more in-depth than mine because he would describe the style JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES
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SCI
ENCE
HOW OLD IS LIFE?
QIMONO—PIXABAY
THE BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
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Mainstream science is clear: the miracle of life took billions of years to evolve. But what if the data suggest something else altogether? BY TIM STANDISH
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