Signs of the Times - July 2021

HEAL OUR

COUNTRY REIGNITING THE OLYMPIC FLAME

WHAT IS JUSTICE?

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY

IN THIS ISSUE

JULY 2021

HEAL OUR COUNTRY

How NAIDOC Week seeks to

mend divisions—and not in the ways you might expect PAGE 32

6 CURRENT

WHAT IN THE WORLD REIGNITING THE OLYMPIC FLAME How the Games will look different this year 52 "WALK WITH US" The cry of Australia's Indigenous people 4 6

WELLBEING

12 SLEEPY HEAD, HEALTHY

BRAIN? The link between sleep and dementia 22 BETTER HEALTH FOR EVERY BODY Health news that makes a difference

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52

60 TRY THESE FOUR NEW

FOOD TRENDS

FAITH

18 JUST ACT NATURAL

But what if we all acted that way?

38 PICTURING HEAVEN Have you ever wondered what heaven will be like?

44 FACT OR FICTION? CAN BIBLE STORIES REALLY BE BELIEVED? Why God helped the Gibeonites

/SIGNSMAG

BIG QUESTIONS

24 WHAT IS JUSTICE?

Searching for "fair" in an unfair world

SCIENCE & TECH

50 THE CUTTING EDGE Engineering, science

and technology news

FUN

62 CROSSWORD AND

SUDOKU Have you been paying attention?

HEAL OUR COUNTRY Growing up I hardly knew any Indigenous Australians.

Yet the jokes and stereotypes were things we'd laugh about in the playground. People you don’t know are an easy target and what seems like harmless, schoolyard jokes can create prejudice that can last a lifetime.

Thankfully, I've grown up and now make a choice not to engage in perpetuating those stereotypes. Thanks to my work, I’ve been blessed to get to know and work with more Indigenous Australians than I knew as a kid. I’ve met wonderful people, heard their stories and learned to appreciate their experience. They’ve moved from the realm of caricature and headline to flesh and blood images of God. Indigenous Australians are incredibly important. I’m inspired by their resilience and challenged by the ways society has failed them. I have committed to do better in my own life and interactions.

This month in Signs, I chat with Pastor Darren Garlett to find out more about NAIDOC, its Christian roots and how anyone can get involved (p32). Former Signs editor Nathan Brown goes on a journey to learn what the Uluru statement is all about and why it’s important (p52). We look at God’s justice and how it might be different from ours (p24).

All of this, including our health experts and more, can be found in these pages. I pray you enjoy this month’s magazine and when you’ve finished reading it, pass it on to a friend.

Jarrod

JARROD STACKELROTH Editor

VOL 136 NO 7 ISSN 1038-9733 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Brad Kemp EDITOR Jarrod Stackelroth ASSISTANT EDITOR Daniel Kuberek COPYEDITOR Tracey Bridcutt GRAPHIC DESIGN Theodora Pau'u Talia Valderrama PHONE +61 2 9847 2222 EMAIL info@signsofthetimes.org.au WEBSITE signsofthetimes.org.au ADDRESS Adventist Media PO Box 1115, Wahroonga New South Wales 2076 SUBSCRIPTIONS Kelli Geelan PHONE +61 3 5965 6300 Australia/New Zealand, $A26; South Pacific countries, $A41; Other countries $A51 Published since 1886, Signs of the Times is printed 11 times a year by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and is registered as a periodical.

Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPD) Limited ABN 59 093 117 689 NOTE The inclusion of a person or their image within does not imply their endorsement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church or its beliefs.

Unless otherwise stated, Bible verses are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, Anglicised. Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc®. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton. All rights reserved worldwide.

COVER PHOTO: Murray Hunter of Leo Wright

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WHAT IN THE WORLD GOING FOR BROKE AUSTRALIA

Residents of the Brimbank local council area in Victoria have been reported as spending $A500,000 each day on poker machines. The area, ranked as the most disadvantaged council in Melbourne, has seen $1.4 billion in losses over the past decade, with much of that attributed to severe gambling addictions among its residents. Experts have noted that stress, unemployment and fears about the future have all contributed to an increase in pokie machine use following Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020.—ABC

RETREATING GLACIERS

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JEZAEL MELGOZA—UNSPLASH, JAMES LEE—UNSPLASH,

NEW ZEALAND

The country's glaciers are melting at a rate seven times faster than in the early 2000s according to a new global study.

While the rate of glacial melting had accelerated to a loss of 267 gigatonnes by 2019, New Zealand's glaciers have also lost 1.5 metres in thickness between 2015 and 2019. Local scientists have expressed concern about the effect on rising sea levels around the country's coast.—Stuff.co.nz

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN

DIGGING UP THE BUST ITALY

Archaeologists have unearthed a bust of Roman emperor Augustus in the town of Isernia. The marble bust, found during an excavation of the city's walls was in good condition with only damage to its nose. Augustus was the first Roman emperor and is described in the Bible (Luke 2) as ordering a census of the whole Roman world at the time of Jesus' birth.—ART News

According to the latest Australian census in 2016, 3.3% of the population are Indigenous Australians (798,400).—AIHW 85% of Indigenous young people in 2018­—19 aged 15-17 had never smoked.—AIHW The 12-year period between 2006 and 2018 saw a 17% decline in avoidable mortality rates.—AIHW 49% of 25­—34-year-olds had received a Certificate III or higher qualification in 2018—19, up 28% from 2008.—ABS

HISTORIC APOLOGY MEXICO

Mexican president Andrés Manuel Lоpez Obrador has apologised to the Mayan people for oppression and abuse suffered in the centuries following the Spanish conquest.

Obrador is the first Mexican president to apologise to the Mayans.

Guatemalan leader Alejandro Giammattei has accepted the apology and highlighted the present suffering of the Mayan people.—BBC

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REIGNITING THE

Olympic

When Covid-19 gripped the world last year, many questioned the future of the July 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Well, they're back in 2021, but not as you remember them . . .

BY BRIANNA WATSON

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Flame

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t’s 2 am. You’re sitting on the couch, rugged up, possibly holding the remnants of a midnight snack.

Your eyes are glued to the screen. It’s time.

The athlete, proudly wearing your nation’s flag, enters the arena and waves to the crowd. You may not know their name, their age or their story. You may even only have a vague familiarity with their sport, but despite having work or school the next day, there you are, cheering for their success, cheering for gold. Can you relate? Have you been swept up by the fervour the Olympics inevitably inspire?

the 1896 Summer Olympics

While the term “Olympic” has been used to describe various athletic events for thousands of years, the first modern Olympics was officially held in 1896–known as the Games of the First Olympiad. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), created

by French aristocrat Pierre de Coubertin, organised and facilitated the games, hosted in Athens, Greece. The event was opened by King George I of Greece in front of a crowd of 60,000 spectators. Over the course of the Olympics, 241 athletes (all male) from 14 nations competed in nine different sports across 43 events.

With the exception of the United States team, all of the participants were European, or living in Europe.

Notably, winners were given a silver medal, with runners-up receiving a copper medal. The 1896 Summer 8

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Olympics had the largest international participation and recorded crowd to watch a sporting event to that date. Overall, the first modern Olympic Games was hailed a tremendous success and the seed of global athletic competition was sowed.

the 2020 Summer Olympics

The 2020 Olympic Games (Games of the XXXII Olympiad) is scheduled to be hosted in Tokyo,

“

Approximately 11,000 athletes are expected to compete across 33 different sports in more than 330 events Japan, this month and August.

Following mounting international pressure to cancel or postpone the Games due to the risk of Covid-19, Japan reached an agreement with the IOC on March 24, 2020 to postpone the Olympics.

The difficult decision to postpone the Olympics is historic, with only three games being abandoned since 1896. On each of those occasions, war was the catalyst for the cancella-

truly established itself as a global pandemic, spreading to 192 countries and claiming more than three million lives as of early May 2021, organisers have banned foreign spectators from attending the games. Prior to the announcement, overseas ticket sales had totalled approximately 600,000.

A reduction in spectators of this scale will undoubtedly have an effect on the atmosphere of the Games.

are the Games worth the risk?

For Japan, as for all nations, hosting the Olympic Games is a coveted privilege, won through a hotly contested bidding war years in advance of the main event. Hosting is an opportunity to have the world’s eyes on your city, to give your athletes a home field advantage and to boost the economy by creating infrastructure, logistics and tourism

jobs for the local community.

While financially, the Games is worth the risk, local polling showed a majority of the Japanese public did not want the Olympics to go ahead as the country continues to struggle with fresh waves of Covid-19.

For the athletes, while I cannot personally relate to their situation, I sympathise with their uncertainty. To be an Olympic athlete is to devote your entire being, body and mind, to JULY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

SIMONKR—GETTY IMAGES

tion: in 1916, 1940 and 1944.

Approximately 11,000 athletes are expected to compete across 33 different sports in more than 330 events. Sports including karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing will make their Olympic debut, while baseball/softball will be returning to the Olympics, with their last appearance being at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

With Covid-19 having well and

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the societal benefits of holding the Games outweigh the potential costs?

Whether the Games are worth the risk for the athletes is undoubtedly a personal question that each athlete will be required to answer for themselves, but I suspect their undeniably competitive nature will result in a high proportion of athletes competing in these Games.

Since the first modern Olympics, the Games has represented the notion that we can come together on a global scale to celebrate athletic competition and through that process, promote peace and unity.

The goal of the Olympic movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

One thing that we can be certain of is that the Olympic spirit is unique to the Games and unites each country and the globe in an unrivalled fashion. Despite their competitive nature, the Olympics unite us in excitement and anticipation; serving as a global highlight in a period that has otherwise been marred by tragedy. They will bring hope and pride to nations who are craving a win and they may serve as a positive distraction for many. Rather than continually refreshing a newsfeed that is overwhelmed with stories of death and suffering, for that two-

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the pursuit of worldwide recognition.

It requires a level of dedication that is arguably unrivalled in sport. Ultimately, years of training, injuries and sacrifice hinge on minutes or seconds of competition. The mental pressure of competing in a normal Olympics is extreme, let alone an Olympics engulfed by a global pandemic. For some athletes, the postponement of the Games may have given them extra time to prepare and recover from injuries, while for others, they would have timed their training perfectly to be at their physical peak for July 2020. No matter which country they represent, or which events they will be competing in, these Olympics will present a unique challenge for each athlete at the Games. Training will likely be hindered and many will be unable to have family and friends present to support them as they compete in the pinnacle event of their professional sporting career.

There is an argument to be made that the Olympics is still worth the risk today. In a period where travel bans seem everlasting and loved ones are separated by impenetrable borders, global isolation is evident.

While each nation is facing its own unique challenges in overcoming Covid-19, together we are all feeling its effects on a worldwide scale.

Noting that there are promising vaccines being rolled out globally and that these Olympics will certainly be unique from a reduction of spectators, social distancing and frequent coronavirus testing standpoint, will

week period from July to August, we will once again be swept up by the fervour that the Olympics inspires.

At 2 am, we will come together as families and friends to cheer on our nation and the athletes who have persevered through it all. May their perseverance serve as an inspiration across the globe as we continue to tackle this pandemic, as individual nations and together as a global community.

May their perseverance also serve as an inspiration for our own faith journey. As Paul wrote in Hebrews 12:1-2, “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”

As we watch the athletes overcome all of the obstacles that they have faced in order to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, we have an opportunity to consider the trials we face and focus our attention on overcoming them. Let the inspiration of the Games fuel us on our own faith journey, as you run the race that God has set for us.

Brianna Watson is a policy officer for the Australian Government in Canberra where she is married and is a dog mum.

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? n i a r b y h t l a e h

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Hitting the hay and getting a good night’s sleep has some obvious short-term health benefits, but how does it impact long-term brain health?

BY JULIE HOEY

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ike babies and young children, some adults fight against sleep with all their might. They live their lives according to the mantra “sleep is for the weak”. When you start looking into sleep, however, you soon find many examples of the Psalmist David’s exclamation in the Bible that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). With each passing year, scientific research discovers more and more amazing and intricate details about how our body functions, and how our modern lifestyle can send it out of kilter. The impact of sleep is no exception.

Take, for example, leptin and ghrelin. Leptin, a hormone, suppresses appetite; and ghrelin, a small protein, stimulates it. Together they help regulate our hunger throughout the day.

In a large longitudinal study known as the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort, the lives of more than a thousand adult participants were followed for over two decades.

Those getting by on less than eight hours of sleep each night had decreased leptin and increased ghrelin levels (a recipe for over-eating), and higher body mass index measures.

Other studies have shown that these results also hold true for children and teenagers. A 2004 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found significant changes in leptin and ghrelin levels after just two nights of inadequate sleep in healthy young men. Relating to this, a 2017 review of 23 studies published in Nutrition & Diabetes noted that “insufficient

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sleep is associated with insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance”—both precursors to diabetes.

A 2007 investigation published in Sleep Medicine Clinics allowed a group of healthy young men only four hours of sleep for six nights in a row. After this short time, scientists observed significant decreases in blood glucose clearance and insulin response to glucose. It’s a reflection of how fine-tuned our bodies are that such significant health impacts occur in such a short space of time.

sleeping to better immunity

Then there’s cytokines. This is a group of proteins released by the immune system to fight infections and inflammation. You can probably guess that they are released during sleep. Fewer cytokines are produced during inadequate or interrupted sleep. Research published in 2009 in the Archives of Internal Medicine exposed 153 participants to the common cold virus. Those who were getting less than seven hours of sleep per night were almost three times more likely to get a cold!

During sleep, growth hormone is released into the blood stream. Even in adults, this hormone performs an important tissue-repair role. So, it turns out that sleep is also a great immune-boosting, body-healing agent.

Extensive research is now recognising an important implication for inadequate sleep in the

development of dementias, with some stages of sleep being particularly important. There are multiple stages of sleep within a typical sleep cycle. The first major stage of sleep is non-REM. According to the Sleep Foundation, non-REM sleep has three sub-stages, starting with lighter sleep and moving into deep, restorative sleep known as “slow wave sleep” (SWS).

These stages are followed by Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, during which dreaming occurs. There are four or five cycles of these phases throughout a night of sleep.

The bulk of the SWS occurs in the earlier cycles, and the duration of the REM sleep increases through the cycles.

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Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, accounting for around 70 per cent of cases. Logically, it’s also the most studied of the dementias. A 2019 review of evidence published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences concluded that a range of evidence strongly supported the idea that “impaired sleep is a risk factor for the initiation and progression of Alzheimer’s disease”.

Alzheimer’s is characterised by two major features in the brain, and much of the research has focused on these. The first is insoluble deposits (or plaques) of a protein called Amyloid beta (Aβ). According to a 2014 article in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, it was widely believed that the “toxic accumulation” of Aβ is the underlying mechanism of brain cell death in Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid beta fragments are small pieces sliced off from larger proteins. According to Bright Focus, an organisation that funds Alzheimer’s research, very small strands are soluble and can be flushed out of the brain. But longer strands are “sticky” and clump together, forming plaques between and around the nerve cells. While the plaques are not the only explanation offered for the interplay between Aβ and Alzheimer’s, they have been the primary focus of extensive research and treatment development.

The second major feature of the Alzheimer’s brain, which occurs inside the neurons, are neurofibrillary 16

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tangles that consist of tau protein. As detailed in Alzheimer’s News Today, tau proteins support the structure of microtubules which transport substances such as nutrients within the neuron. When tau proteins are misformed, the microtubule structure collapses, and tau tangles develop.

These tangles block the transport system in the cells, and interfere with protein production, both of which result in cell death.

neurological link

So where does sleep come into this? You’ve probably heard of the lymphatic system, but do you know about the glymphatic system? It was described and named in 2013, so it’s a relatively new area of research.

The glymphatic system is a network of vessels that operates as a waste clearance system in the brain. It removes potentially neurotoxic metabolic waste products including Aβ and malformed tau. And when do you think the glymphatic system does most of its work? It has been widely observed that the glymphatic system is relatively inactive during wakefulness but ramps up during sleep. A 2020 review article in Sleep journal reported that during sleep, there is increased Aβ clearance from the brain, and that there is a growing body of evidence for the importance of SWS on Aβ levels. This is sig-

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forgetting something?

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By ensuring we get adequate sleep we can buoy many aspects of our wellbeing

nificant for people who experience disrupted sleep due to issues like sleep apnoea because they may never get far enough through the phases of sleep to enter SWS. Further, a study utilising positron emission tomography scans, which use radioactive tracers to identify areas of the brain not functioning properly, found that self-reported shorter sleep duration and poorer quality sleep were linked to significantly greater Aβ deposits. An animal study also found that longterm sleep restriction accelerates Aβ deposits. Studies have also shown that sleep deprivation increases tau levels and speeds up the spread of tau through neural networks. Although there is still much to be understood, this all adds up to a very convincing argument for prioritising adequate, good quality sleep.

It’s sobering to think that the

demands and norms of our modern lifestyle, resulting in reduced sleep across the population, may be contributing to serious global health challenges such as diabetes and dementia. On the other hand, it’s exciting to know that by ensuring we get adequate sleep we can buoy many aspects of our wellbeing such as our immune system, energy levels, moods and mental health, memory, concentration, learning and creativity. Sleep really does seem to be the bedrock of good health.

Julie Hoey is a qualified science/maths teacher and librarian. She lives in Mulbring, NSW, with her husband and teen daughter.

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FA IT H

JUST ACT

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NATURAL

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n old story is told about a frog and a scorpion. The scorpion asks the frog for a ride across the river. After closely considering the request, the frog politely declines. The scorpion responds, disappointed, “Oh come on! Why not?”

The frog, rolling his eyes, replies, “Because you are a scorpion! You will sting me, and I will drown.”

The scorpion, laughing out loud, says, “Oh, I wouldn’t do that, because if I did that, then I would surely drown too—so, naturally, that would be illogical, and I would be hurting myself.”

After carefully considering the scorpion’s logic, the frog agrees to the request. Taking the scorpion on its head, the frog begins heading across the river.

Halfway across, in the deepest part of the river, the scorpion stings the frog!

“Why!” screams the startled frog as it begins to be paralysed—“why would you do this—now we will both surely drown!”

“Because,” scoffs the scorpion, “I’m a scorpion, and stinging is in my nature. It’s what scorpions do!”

But what will be the result if we “just act natural”? Terrorists, prostitutes, thieves and liars also act natural.

BY OMAR MIRANDA

naturally naughty!

The Bible tells us that God created human beings, both male and female, in His image. He gave us free will along with the power and freedom to think and to make our own decisions (Genesis 1:26,27). And every human is totally dependent upon God for his or her existence.

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Though created as free beings, made in God’s perfect image with the command to rule the earth and care for its animals (verse 28), humans made a choice to make their own decisions and forge their own path, outside of God’s perfect love.

Thus, Adam and Eve fell from their position of leadership. The image of God in them was spoiled, and they lost their perfection and became subject to death. And this trait has been passed down to their descendants. Now every human being shares this imperfect nature— and its consequences. “All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature,” wrote the apostle Paul. “By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else” (Ephesians 2:3).

This explains why we are all born with selfishness and tendencies to think and act in ways that harm others and ourselves. As much as we want to change, by ourselves, and through our own power, just like that scorpion, we can’t. It’s in our nature.

The only thing we can do, without the help of Jesus in our lives, is to sin. Paul described this desperate situation in a letter that he wrote to the Christians in Rome. He conveyed to them his observations about the hypocrisy of his own life: “I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it.

Instead, I do what I hate. . . .

“I love God’s law with all my 20

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heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:14–25).

“

Humans made a choice to make their own decisions and forge their own path, outside of God's perfect love

supernatural rescue

The good news is that Jesus, through His perfect birth, life, death and resurrection, reunited this rebel world to Himself. And by His Holy Spirit, He restores the image of God in the mind and heart of anyone who accepts His rescue from their own harmful nature. Paul made this very clear in the following statement: “For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though

we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:16, 17).

just act supernatural!

So, we see the inconceivable truth that through getting to know more about Jesus, and having Him change our character, He can re-create every one of us and open to us an opportunity to know and follow God! “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17, 18).

God, through Jesus, gave every human being the ability to return to his or her perfect relationship with God. Jesus’ priceless gift gives us all the ability to choose to act supernaturally like Him, not deceitfully like the scorpion.

Choose Jesus’ supernatural power today and let Him transform your life!

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Omar Miranda is a freelance writer who lives in Plainville, Georgia, USA. He contributes articles frequently to Signs of the Times®.

All Bible texts quoted in this article are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois, 60188. All rights reserved.

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BETTER HEALTH for every body WITH

DR SIMONE KOOKE

VEGAN DIET AND IODINE DEFICIENCY

WEIGHT LOSS SUPPLEMENTS

EXERCISE CAN IMPROVE BRAIN FUNCTION

The benefits of staying active as you get older are continually being uncovered. Queensland researchers have identified that in people aged 54-75, moderate activity (like brisk walking) taken regularly can improve brain function by at least 5 per cent, with more vigorous activity (running, circuit training) resulting in up to 15 per cent improvement. Setting good habits in your 30s and 40s can keep you in good stead when it really matters.­­­—Science Direct 22

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Sydney researchers have reviewed the evidence and found that while the weight loss supplements they examined were not harmful, they did not result in significant weight reduction (more than 2.5kg). Lifestyle modification remains the most sure way to effect longterm weight change.­­­ —Nature.com

LAURYNAS MERECKAS, MARCIS BERZINS, NADINE PRIMEAU, MARTIN SANCHEZ, OLENKA KOTYK, ONLINE MARKETING—UNSPLASH

With a vegan lifestyle becoming increasingly popular, a potential nutritional gap has been identified. South Australian researchers have found that women who follow a vegan diet had iodine levels 30 per cent lower than their non-vegan counterparts, with many also choosing varieties of salt that were not iodised (rock and flake salts). With iodine being important for both overall health and foetal development, seeking out sources of this, and supplementing where necessary could be an important step in optimising health.­­­—International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

DOCTORS, THE MOST TRUSTED PROFESSION

Medical professionals have always ranked high on the trust scale, but the Covid-19 pandemic has seen doctors go to the head of the class. Nurses and paramedics rounded out the top three, with the qualities of diligence and thoroughness being most appreciated. At the other end of the spectrum, politicians did not fare so well during 2020, coming in at #30. They did, however, get some points for listening to the health professionals during the pandemic.­­­—Reader's Digest

UNHEALTHY TEEN BODY IMAGE Being an adolescent has many challenges, with body image being particularly challenging. Research has identified that 50 per cent of girls are afraid of gaining weight (despite being in a healthy weight range) and 25 per cent had consciously restricted their food intake to avoid gaining weight. Boys were not immune, with 20 per cent afraid of gaining weight and 10 per cent restricting their intake. With more school, social and emotional problems in the “dieters” than those who didn’t, helping our adolescents navigate this challenging time is more important than ever.—AIFS

NEW COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

With Covid-19 a part of our lives for the foreseeable future, new symptoms are coming to light. A previously healthy Iranian man started behaving very oddly­— undressing in front of his family and going to pass urine in the examination room—and exhibiting no other symptoms, was found to have Covid-19 infection in his lungs and brain. He was treated, and within days his behaviour returned to (and has stayed) normal.—Journal of Medical Case Reports

Dr Simone Kooke is a Sydney general practitioner and mum of two who loves to help her patients and family make simple, practical lifestyle improvements that will increase their longevity and quality of life.

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E S TI O N S

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What is Justice?

Is there such a thing as a right form of justice? Can we ever find perfect justice here on earth? And what kind of justice does God promise and provide?

BY RYAN STANTON

tion and want an Puzzled by a "big picture" ques Times magazine the of s answer? In 2021, Sign on life’s most will be sharing fresh perspectives authors each new with s, terie mys us entio cont to present a ence evid ctive obje month examining case for Christianity.

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arlier this year former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder in the case of George Floyd, causing the topic of justice to once again become a contentious issue for many people around the globe. Questions about the nature of justice have plagued philosophers and laypeople alike for millennia. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, justice is “the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments”. To put it more simply, justice—as many understand it—is the application of fair and impartial treatment to all.

The guilty verdict in the Chauvin case led many to declare that justice had been served in a case that has become emblematic of racial tensions all around the world. Many cited the trial verdict as a shift in cultural perspective, that may lead to a

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more just society for those who have often been unfairly discriminated against. Prominent Christian activists have declared the verdict as an example of justice. Claudia Allen, a writer and international speaker on matters of faith, culture and justice stated, “Today, George Floyd received justice and our nation embarked on the road towards accountability.”

In contrast, many have opposed this idea, noting that it is not “justice” as the unjust murder cannot be undone—and many similar injustices continue to happen.

This brings us back to the question of what constitutes justice. Most perspectives on what justice is can be divided into a few prominent schools of thought: retributive justice, procedural justice and restorative justice.

Different people have different definitions of justice. It’s possible to have a theory of justice that falls outside this definition, but these are the most frequently discussed. Defining these types of justice may help us further understand what justice in the present day may look like.

types of justice

Retributive justice is one that should be familiar to most people, as it forms the basis of most criminal legal systems around the world. This is a type of justice which believes that an action should be responded to in kind. Depending on the severity of your crime and the rule of law in the context of the offence, the severity of

punishment will change. A shoplifter will face a different punishment to a serial killer. This type of justice as revenge forms the backbone of many famous stories such as The Count of Monte Cristo or Hamlet. While revenge is a distinct phenomenon from retributive justice, the lines are often blurred in our society.

Retributive justice is also present in many religions, appearing in all the Abrahamic religions including parts of Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

When Jesus speaks about the laws at the time proclaiming, “an eye for an eye”, this is what He is referring to.

This is what many are referring to when they speak of justice being served in the Chauvin trial. Chauvin is “getting what he deserved”. As a result of his actions, Chauvin faces the possibility of life in prison and will likely spend at least a decade behind bars. This is justice if one prescribes to the ideas of retributive justice.

The second form of justice is procedural justice. Also sharing much in common with the idea of justice as fairness created by American political philosopher John Rawls, this refers to fairness (or justice) in the processes that are used to determine outcomes for society on a broader level. Put more simply, justice occurs when everybody is given the same basic human rights, opportunities and dignities. This form of justice is often used when discussing the way the law affects us. For example a healthcare system that was equally accessible to JULY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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all members of a nation, regardless of social status, race, entitlements or any number of factors.

This is why many claim the Chauvin verdict is not justice. While they acknowledge that sentencing Chauvin shows the law is holding him accountable, the processes continue to be unjust. George Floyd’s death is one example of the way in which the system affects different demographics differently. Numbers vary, but research shows that (when taking percentage of the population into account), black people in the US are between three and six times more likely to be killed by police than white people. And lest we think this is an exclusively US problem, data shows Indigenous Australians are imprisoned at far higher rates than the rest of the population, with over a quarter of the prison population being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, despite being only two per cent of the population.

These statistics highlight a lack of impartiality in the criminal justice system. This view of justice then claims injustice will continue until the system is corrected. Many who identify with the banner of “social justice”, aim to reform the systems in society, to treat everybody justly.

The third form of justice is restorative justice. Restorative justice focuses on repairing the relationship that was damaged by an action.

Reparations are paid to the victim by the offender based on their terms and reconciling the relationship so

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that a similar transgression will not happen. Unsurprisingly, there has been little talk of restorative justice in the case of George Floyd. Floyd cannot experience any justice, so reconciliation would have to occur through proxy—difficult considering the wider community’s anger.

All three forms have limitations when enacted by humans, therefore injustice will exist as long as the world remains as it is.

divine justice

Everybody on earth faces punishment for a crime. This isn’t a crime against any human laws but against the Creator of all. The Bible tells us in Genesis 3 that the first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve, committed a crime against God, separating humanity from its Creator.

A result of this separation from the Source of Life, is death, which all people on earth face. Some might see this as a type of retributive justice for the transgressions of Adam and Eve. Similarly, this judgement has elements of procedural justice—it does not discriminate but treats all of humanity the same: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

God’s justice is greater than the sum of these other forms, however, and He has a plan to both correct the injustices that have been committed against Him and that humans commit against each other.

God’s plan is to restore the world to how it was intended to be; free

“

God's plan is to restore the world to how it was intended to be; free of pain, suffering and death. of pain, suffering and death. As part of this plan, Jesus came to earth to be with us and show us a model of how to live. He chose to die on the cross in our place, to free us from the consequences we face for our wrong choices—should we choose to accept His sacrifice.

In this way, we see that God’s divine justice is closest to our ideas of restorative justice: God has provided the terms which we must follow to restore our relationship with Him. These terms are simple—accept the sacrifice Jesus made in substitution for us, and live life according to the ideals He has for us. But this is more

than just restorative justice. The reality is that there is nothing we can do from our side to restore our relationship or bring about justice.

This is where God’s divine justice differs. Instead of our actions bringing about change, Jesus repaired the relationship for us, coming to close the gap that we make with our choices. Knowing this, we can then look to live according to God's justice, and see that merciful justice is done in this world, or continue living without God's restoration.

It's important to note that God does not force us to accept this sacrifice. It is a willing choice, and JULY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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eternal life.

The message is clear. God calls us to be active in the world, helping those who are the victims of injustice big and small. While we know He will be the ultimate arbiter of justice, we should not be passive in our waiting for Him—instead we should do everything we can to help those who are suffering. Speaking to the prophet Isaiah, God tells His chosen people to “learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause” (Isaiah 1:17).

God calls us to model His justice in the world, showing mercy to others and attempting to seek the path which can mend a relationship where it is possible to do so. When we see injustice in the world, be that in a single instance or an entire institution, we should follow God’s example and work to correct it.

Ryan Stanton is a journalism graduate based in Sydney, Australia. He is an editorial assistant for Signs of the Times.

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that changes how we act and treat others. While we have not earned the restoration, we can demonstrate the reality of life reconnected with God by extending that same justice into the spheres of influence we've been given.

When speaking to His disciples, Jesus tells a story of what will happen at the second coming (found in Matthew 25:31-46). At that time, God will divide people of all nations into two groups. The first group will be invited to dine with Him because of their actions; God tells them this invitation is a result of the ways they showed His will in their relationships to others, stating: “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

The other group is chastised by God who notes, “whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matthew 25:45). This group will then face their punishment—forever being separated from God and the gift of

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HEAL OUR

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NAIDOC WEEK July 4-11 NAIDOC Week is held in the first week of July (Sunday to Sunday) and incorporates the second Friday—which historically was celebrated as "National Aboriginal Day". NAIDOC stands for National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Signs editor Jarrod Stackelroth chats with Pastor Darren Garlett, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministries director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia.

JARROD STACKELROTH: WHY IS NAIDOC WEEK SIGNIFICANT?

Darren Garlett: NAIDOC is about celebrating Aboriginal culture, their achievements and history. It's designed for all of Australia to come together. They give out national awards, such as Elder of the Year. Sportspeople, academic achievements, business achievements get recognised. It brings the Indigenous community together to celebrate people who are making contributions to that community.

We invite people from different backgrounds to come and be a part of the celebrations: to learn, participate in and increase awareness, even if they’re not Aboriginal.

When Indigenous people see non-Aboriginal people there, it’s a welcome sight. It's not like, “Hey this is our day, what are you doing here?” We want to let the community know everyone is welcome. A lot of non-Aboriginal people say, I don't know any Aboriginal people.

Right away, [the NAIDOC event] puts them in a setting where there's a whole lot of Indigenous people and they can connect with them.

JS: FOR 2021, THE THEME IS HEAL COUNTRY. WHY WAS IT CHOSEN?

DG: The themes are developed because of certain things that have happened in the community and impacted the community. One year the theme was “Because of her”, which focused on highlighting women in the Aboriginal and Islander community. The theme this year comes off the back of the destruction of the Juukan Gorge Caves by Rio Tinto and the clearing of ancient trees in Victoria to make way for a new road.

JS: THE DESTRUCTION OF THESE PLACES IS DEVASTATING FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. WHAT MESSAGE CAN ALL OF US TAKE FROM THE HEAL COUNTRY THEME?

DG: Everyone needs to stop

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and recognise the wealth we do have.

I'm not talking about minerals in the ground. We’ve got one of the most beautiful countries in the world, the most diverse, and it’s there for everyone to use. If we respect it, it will take care of us. It will be there for generations and “Heal Country” is all about taking the time and realising what we've got.

JS: THERE’S BEEN A LOT IN THE NEWS ABOUT RACIAL INJUSTICE. DOES NAIDOC WEEK BRING OPPORTUNITIES TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THOSE SORTS OF ISSUES?

DG: NAIDOC is about celebrating achievements and change. These awards and achievements come off the back of some of the injustices we still struggle with in our communities. They’re significant against the background some of the people have come from, the barriers they've overcome and the systems that are in place. So we celebrate the journey of those who have overcome a lot of these barriers and are still making their mark and playing a major part in their community.

JS: WHAT ARE SOME IDEAS FOR PEOPLE, AS CHURCHES, ORGANISATIONS, WORKPLACES OR EVEN AS FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO GET INVOLVED IN AND MORE AWARE ABOUT NAIDOC EVENTS AND WHAT THEY CAN DO?

DG: You can go onto the NAIDOC website and there’s always a list of events that are happening— 34

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by states or council—there will be something happening in your area.

It's an opportunity for people to celebrate together and think about the history of Indigenous people and that they’re still here celebrating and part of our society today. You can go into your community and meet real people, not just what you see on TV. JS: HOW DOES AN EVENT LIKE NAIDOC ROLL BACK SOME OF THE STEREOTYPES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE?

DG: Just attending a NAIDOC event will change your perception.

There is a common perception that a lot of Aboriginal people don’t work. When you go to an event like NAIDOC, it’s actually run

by Indigenous organisations and people are employed and leading in their fields, running really respected services—they have the trust of the people. Other perceptions are that they’re all drinking and smoking.

You go to these events, there's no alcohol, no smoking. These events are for families and children, all

“

It's designed for all of Australia to come together

ages—grandmothers right through to the little ones, enjoying themselves.

These events help change perceptions about Indigenous people: to be seen as more than they are portrayed in the media.

JS: WHAT SHOULD CHRISTIANS DO WITH NAIDOC WEEK?

JS: AS A CHRISTIAN LEADER, YOU'RE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN SERVING THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY. I GUESS THERE'S BEEN SOME HURT PERPETRATED BY CHURCH INSTITUTIONS OVER THE YEARS, BUT WHAT ROLE CAN THE CHURCH PLAY? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HOPEFUL THINGS YOU SEE IN THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND THE CHURCH?

DG: It’s imperative for the church to be involved in celebrating and working towards those achievements with our Indigenous people, because the histories of the past have been passed down through policies enforced by police and sometimes carried out by the church. So there’s an obligation for the church to make right the wrongs. As an institution who has taken away culture, taken away language from Indigenous

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DG: NAIDOC originally started with Indigenous Christian people wanting to bring about change.

They went on to make it a national day, basically a day of mourning as a way of getting people’s attention.

They were wanting change in their society. They wanted a place Indigenous people can come together, be recognised and appreciated. And this was church people doing it.

NAIDOC Week is really something significant that the churches need to be a part of today. A majority of Indigenous Australians still have a Christian background. The church in the past has been at the forefront of some of these things. But today

we forget that. We [the church] let others lead the way and then sit back and wait. Churches must continue to lead.

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people, this is a time for churches to add value back—which in turn adds value to the church.

In 2019 leaders from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Western Australia joined me at the big NAIDOC event in Perth—joined the celebrations and mingled with people. For them it was a great time of awareness and a chance to see the Aboriginal and Torres Strait community from a different perspective.

JS: THE 2020 NAIDOC AWARDS WERE CANCELLED BUT WILL BE HELD IN ALICE SPRINGS THIS YEAR. WHAT IMPACT HAS COVID-19 BEEN HAVING IN THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY.

DG: Covid has brought uncertainty for everyone. Our people are reluctant to travel—that fear is there—the fear somebody might get Covid from going into town and come back to their communities and it’ll spread from one community to the next. If that happens, it’s going to have a devastating impact on Indigenous people. There’s a real fear at the centre of some of this stuff.

When Indigenous people do go to seek medical help, they don’t always get what they need. If they get turned away and infection is not picked up, the risk is even greater.

JS: I GUESS REMOTE COMMUNITIES HAVE LIMITED INTERNET ACCESS.

DG: Yeah. This is the isolation they’re experiencing. Aboriginal people have a culture that is heavily based on relationships. Sure, you can 36

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JS: WHAT ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS FROM THAT SENSE OF ISOLATION, THAT SENSE OF ANXIETY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE WORLD?

DG: It does have an impact, but Indigenous people have always had a really good release mechanism: Getting out in country. It’s about coming back to the things that bring that sense of peace—and in many cases, that’s country. That makes up for some of that anxiety.

But for serious mental health problems, it is a big issue.

Especially in some of our remote areas. Not being able to get into the major centres and towns for treatment and the monotony of being in one place. When travel is restricted there, it escalates those issues.

JS: THE PANDEMIC BRINGS ANOTHER MEANING TO THE HEAL

COUNTRY THEME; WITH SO MUCH PAIN AND DEVASTATION AROUND THE WORLD, WE'RE SEEING ON THE NEWS A LOT OF DEATHS EVERYWHERE.

DG: There’s a lot of healing needed. This theme is a cry from the people. While it speaks about country here, the landscape and what we used to have here in Australia, heal country is a cry for all people around the world to stop and take stock of what we've got and how we can do things better. So peace and harmony can extend as well.

JS: WHAT'S ONE THING YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE WITH SOMEONE WHO'S READING THIS?

DG: NAIDOC celebrations are about coming together and recognising the achievements of Indigenous people. You don’t have to be Aboriginal, but it is important to stop for a moment and think, how good is life?

Look at how good we got it now, because things could be worse. Even if we are having a rough time, if your readers are having their own personal challenges, there’s still lots to celebrate in life. That’s all part of resilience—looking for things to celebrate, even when stuff ’s pretty rubbish.

Jarrod Stackelroth is editor of Signs of the Times. Pastor Darren Garlett is ATSIM director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Find the Signs Radio podcast on NAIDOC Week at signsofthetimes.org.au/podcast JULY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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have the phone call, but there’s nothing like being face-to-face.

Because as an Indigenous person, you pick up on all these other levels of communication when you’re around people. It’s not just hearing what they’re saying, it’s seeing what they're saying that counts. However, in some of the places that have been cut off, they’re doing a lot more in their own community and that bond is becoming stronger.

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Picturing heaven Nobody has ever seen heaven. All we have are biblical pictures of what it will be like. But we can use those pictures to inspire us to be there!

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can’t wait until Jesus comes back!” my best friend said as we sipped fresh ginger tea from tiny, tulip-shaped Turkish glasses.

I looked at her and confessed in a hesitant tone, “Honestly, I can. There’s so much I still want to do!”

What do you imagine heaven will be like? American writer Isaac Asimov famously said, “For whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse.” Although I love Jesus, I think I am a bit afraid of getting bored there too.

But what does the Bible actually say about heaven and the new earth? And where did we get this picture of heaven as being some sort of suspended animation? I invite you to discover with me three secrets that will change your mind about heaven.

1. EARTH IS OUR HOME

Earth, not heaven, will be our eternal home. The Bible says that we will spend 1000 years in heaven, and at the end of that time, the earth will be purified and re-created. The New Jerusalem will descend from heaven, and God will live with us on the new earth (Revelation 21:1–3).

This truth has massive ecological and theological implications!

Because our fragile blue planet will be our eternal home, learning to take care of it is critically 40

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important (Revelation 11:18).

Our planet is not disposable. It will be our forever home! And the fact that God will make the new earth His home, too, shows His astonishing love for us.

Best-selling author Randy Alcorn comments, “Instead of us going up to God’s place to live forever, God will come down to live with us in our place, literally bringing heaven to Earth!”1 When we think about spending eternity with God, we shouldn’t picture some ethereal existence, floating around on puffy clouds. We will live right here, on the new earth.

2. THE BEST JOB ON EARTH

Describing life on the new earth, the apostle John wrote, “No longer will there be any curse. . . . And his servants will serve him” (Revelation 22:3, italics added). In other words, life on the new earth will be curse-free (no illnesses, no social injustices, no death) and purposeful. We will have jobs, and we will serve! These won’t be soul-crushing jobs. Life won’t be just about paying bills and feeding and clothing ourselves.

No, these jobs will be lots of fun.

Seventh-day Adventist author Ellen White commented, “The grandest enterprises will be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations will be reached, the highest ambitions realised. And

still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend.”

I envision the new earth buzzing with innovation: art, science, sports and much more. Our creativity will have no boundaries!

Part of our job on this new earth will be to rule with God. When God created our planet, He made Adam and Eve in His image. He also made them rulers over the planet and blessed them with these words, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground” (Genesis 1:28, NLT). After the world is made new, our role as rulers and ambassadors of this planet will be fully restored.

And there’s more! Revelation 3:21 tells us that those who accept Jesus as their Saviour will receive the incredible privilege of sitting with Him on His throne! In the ancient world, Eastern thrones were wider than just one seat, allowing more than one person to sit on them. When a king wanted to honour and bestow power on a servant, he would invite him to sit with him on his throne. God wants to give us this level of honour and responsibility.

Can you imagine it? The second coming of Jesus doesn’t mean the end of your career and professional aspirations but the ultimate shattering of the glass ceiling. God will expand our authority as rulers (Luke 19:17) and give us jobs like no other.

Some people think that God will wipe out our memories when we get to heaven. However, a “factory reset” would make us unable to recognise anyone, including ourselves! Without our memories, we would also lose crucial aspects of our personalities, including the reasons why we love and trust God. The Bible doesn’t talk about celestial amnesia. Instead, it says we will sing the song of Moses (Revelation 15:3), which is a song JULY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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3. REDEEMED MEMORIES

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unleash your imagination

Our imagination is a key battleground in the conflict between God and Satan. Whoever manages to capture it, effectively, has our loyalty (Matthew 6:21). Because Satan knows this, he sabotages our love for heaven by portraying it as boring and ethereal. We must fight back and learn to picture heaven and the new earth in the light of what the Bible says about these places.

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There is a lot more at stake than we realise! “Brain scans demonstrate that many of the same neurons and regions of the brain become activated whether we are imagining an event or actually living it,”2 writes trauma therapist Mark Wolynn. Training our imagination, unleashing its power, is crucial to starting to taste the sweetness of heaven.

American pastor Gavin Ortlund reflects, “Our belief that heaven will be boring betrays a heresy—that God Himself is boring. There’s no greater nonsense. Our desire for pleasure and the experience of joy come directly from God’s hand. He made our taste buds, adrenaline and the nerve endings that convey pleasure to our brains. . . . Are we so arrogant as to imagine that human beings came up with the idea of having fun?”3 We need to cultivate a biblically inspired imagination. We need to ask God to help us uproot every misconception and firmly set our minds on the beauty of heaven (Colossians 3:1) until we long for Christ and heaven above everything else. After all, where the treasure of our imagination is, there our heart will be as well (Matthew 6:21).

Vanessa Pizzuto is a freelance journalist and broadcaster based in London, United Kingdom.

1 Randy Alcorn (2015), “What’s the Difference Between the Present Heaven and the Future Heaven?”, 2 Mark Wolynn (2017), “It Didn't Start With You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and

How to End the Cycle”, Penguin Books.

3 Gavin Ortlund (2015), “Looking Forward to a Heaven We Can Imagine”

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of redemption. It also speaks of a song that nobody can learn except those who have been saved (Revelation 14:3). To sing these songs, and to mean every word we say, we’ll need memories!

But what about traumatic memories? They will be healed in a therapeutic process led by God Himself.

The Bible says that “He will wipe every tear from [our] eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:4, NLT, italics added).

I often skip the first part of this verse, but it clearly says that it is only after God wipes away our tears that there will be no more crying or pain. There will be a healing process!

When the Bible says that we won’t think about the old things (Isaiah 65:17), it means we will be completely healed from trauma. Emotional triggers will be deactivated.

Former traumatic memories will no longer invade our hearts or cause us any pain or shame.

what about sex in heaven?

I recently asked this question of a friend who is a respected Bible expert. He pointed out something very interesting: the widespread view that there will be no sex in heaven is mostly based on an answer Jesus gave to a Jewish group known as the Sadducees. Interestingly, their question was not about sex but about the doctrine of the resurrection. Jesus was being cross-examined by the religious leaders of His time, who were trying to curtail His power.

The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection or in angels, so they asked Jesus a hypothetical question designed to ridicule this teaching.

They told Him about a woman who married seven times, and each husband died. “Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?” (Matthew 22:28).

The trap was set, but Jesus out-manoeuvred them! In a masterful answer, He exposed their intentions. Using the Torah, the only part of the Old Testament that the Sadducees

accepted, Jesus proved them wrong.

He said, “When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage” (verse 30, NLT). We must remember that this conversation was fundamentally about the resurrection, not sex.

Still, what do these words mean?

Wasn’t sex created before evil entered the world? Will there be sex in heaven? Frankly, I don’t know!

However, I think it is a good idea to admit that our speculations on this topic are deeply shaped by our views of God and of sex.

People who tend to equate sexual desire with lust and sin will easily conclude that there be no room for sex in heaven. On the other hand, people who think of sexual desire and a longing for intimacy as gifts from God will probably see no contradiction.

One thing we can be sure of: if there is no sex, there will be something even better! We serve a generous and imaginative God who delights in our pleasure.

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FACT OR FICTION?

CAN BIBLE STORIES ?

D E V E I L E B E B Y L L A RE

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BY NATHAN TASKER JJULY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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The Bible is more than just bedtime stories, as is found in the morally ambiguous tale of the Gibeonites.

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don’t play by a certain set of rules?

How about the sea mysteriously parting for a crowd to walk across (Exodus 14), or walls spontaneously crashing down while people marched around (Joshua 6)? To some, these stories sound like myths. In an age of “fake news” and “post-truth politics”, it’s a question worth exploring: Can Bible stories be explained by selfish human motives?

At first glance, it might seem so.

In 2019, Israel’s ambassador to the UN suggested that modern-day Israel’s land claims are supported by the Old Testament. Respected Muslim commentator Shaykh Imran Hosein suggested the opposite, stating that the prophecies in question are conditional and therefore Israel is not entitled to the land. Both groups use the Bible text to support their contradictory claims. Is this really what the Bible is all about?

As foolhardy as it may sound, I invite you to explore with me one of the most remarkable stories recorded in the Bible. It’s the account of the sun standing still, recorded in Joshua chapters 9 and 10. Whether a product of imagination, political agenda or historical report, what could be behind this incredible story?

First some background. According to the author, the Israelites were entering Canaan (modern-day Palestine), a land promised by their God on the condition that they displaced the residents. They had already conquered the cities of Jericho and Ai. To the believer, this might sound

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y brother and I grew up listening to the true, morally-inspired stories from the popular children’s book collection, Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories.

Anxious to impress upon us the importance of good character, our parents read us the tale of Robert, whose greediness earned him a hollow pie; Maggie, whose curiosity brought about the destruction of all the pictures in her father’s camera; and Jimmy, whose disobedience led to an entire cabinet full of strawberry jam crashing on top of him. Each of these stories had a clearly defined moral: “Obey your parents, or something terrible will happen.” It’s no wonder our parents read us these stories: they hoped we would learn valuable life lessons—and maybe even keep the house from going up in flames!

These days, the Bedtime Stories might be considered a tad oldfashioned. In an age where moral ambiguity is in vogue, people tend to be suspicious of stories that promote a clear singular agenda. Maybe, some say, these stories aren’t representative of real life, and were merely written for the purpose of parental control.

The Bible too has faced its share of criticism. One objection I’ve heard repeatedly from my sceptical friends is that the Bible stories were made up to support some sort of self-serving moral or political agenda. Take the flood narrative in Genesis (chapters 6­-9), for example—perhaps a threat that we too might end up wet if we

like a great time to sing “We are the Champions.” Meanwhile, the sceptic is likely to yawn at the monotonous regularity with which Israel defeats her enemies. So far, we have the perfect ingredients for a myth.

Enter the Gibeonites. These people lived nearby in the land of Canaan and had heard about Israel’s victories at Jericho and Ai. Wanting to pre-empt the slaughter they figured might be coming their way, they came up with a clever plan.

Dressed in rags and carrying mouldy bread and worn-out wineskins, they approached the leaders of Israel and told them a lie: they had come from a distant country and wanted to make a treaty.

Despite their suspicions and against God’s instructions, Joshua, Israel’s leader, made the treaty. Three days later, their ruse was discovered, but it was too late—the promise had been made.

Here’s where things get messy.

Gibeon had just alienated themselves from everyone. Israel was mad because Gibeon had been dishonest.

Gibeon’s neighbours were also mad

because they’d broken their alliance.

They decided to attack, so the Gibeonites came running to Joshua for help. “You promised!” they said in a twist of irony, having just broken their own. You’d think Israel would be justified in disregarding the treaty.

But that’s not how the text reads.

Instead, it seems God expected Israel to go to Gibeon’s aid.

Led by Joshua, Israel marched all night to get there in time, then fought on behalf of Gibeon. God “supplemented” Joshua’s human efforts with hailstones. Then Joshua asked God for the impossible: extra daylight to complete the battle properly.

Joshua 10:13 records, “the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies”.

Does it strike you as odd that one of the greatest supernatural claims in the entire Old Testament portrays God coming to the aid of some dishonest “heathens”? It wasn’t even God’s original plan! But when God’s people made an ill-advised treaty, God expected them to uphold it and came to their collective aid, even suspending the laws of nature for a time!

That alone is amazing, but the JULY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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“moral of the story” doesn’t end here. Fast-forward 400 years or so, to Israel’s golden age, the time of King David. At this time God’s tabernacle itself was pitched in Gibeon, no doubt attended by the descendants of the original Gibeonites, according to the terms of the treaty (see Joshua 9:27). For three-and-a-half years, Israel endured a terrible drought, and King David, wanting to know the reason for this national disaster, asked God about it. The answer, stated so matter-of-factly in 2 Samuel 21:1, is nonetheless shocking: It’s because Israel had mistreated the Gibeonites! David’s predecessor, Saul, had not honoured the centuries-old treaty Joshua had made with these outsiders, and had put some of them to death. Israel was thus experiencing God’s judgement—because God still insisted on protecting the Gibeonites.

Think about this for a minute.

God miraculously protected a group of wicked, slated-for-destruction liars who had tricked His people into making an unwise promise, specifically against His instructions; then gave them the privilege of housing and helping with His sanctuary; and finally insisted that His people continue to keep their promise to them generations later, even punishing them for not doing so. What kind of God is this? And what kind of text is it that records this inconvenient story?

It’s the same kind of God who today invites you and me to come to Him—no matter how bad we 48

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are—to bring all our baggage, broken promises and ill-advised liaisons to allow Him to change us into the kind of people He knows we can be: people He can richly bless and invite into His service, people for whom He has a place in His kingdom.

And it’s the kind of text that smacks of authenticity. One that reports those details in all their human messiness—whether they make the author look brilliant or

“

People tend to be suspicious of stories that promote a clear singular agenda foolish, and whether God’s people are exalted or humbled.

Perhaps that’s why, in addition to the Bedtime Stories, my parents regularly read me stories from the Bible and encouraged me to read them for myself. And it’s why I find peace and hope today amidst the challenges and messiness of life on our planet. The God of the Gibeonites can still be relied on to keep His promises.

Part-time pilot and part-time small engine mechanic, Nathan Tasker is a full-time follower of God. He and his family currently live in Maryborough, Queensland.

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BLOOD TEST WITHOUT A JAB Testing one's blood glucose levels is about to become a lot simpler with the advent of an electrochemical sensor that gives accurate readings from one's fingertip sweat. The technology is hailed for its accuracy and negating the need for periodic blood calibrations.—ACS Sensors

TRAINED BEES Researchers in Netherlands are training bees to detect Covid-19, which they hope will negate lengthy test result times.

The insects are known for their acute sense of smell, with researchers training them based on rewards. Other researchers have expressed scepticism about the method.—Reuters

POWER FROM THE EARTH 50

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • MARCH 2021

CANCER RESULTS IN 10 MINUTES A new liquid biopsy test is touted as being able to help detect cancer mutations with a result within 10 minutes. The method analyses DNA that is free-flowing in the blood stream, as less invasive than other cancer detection methods.

—The Academic Times

JORGE SEPULVEDA, IAROLINA GRABOWSKA, PIXABAY, IVAN SAMKOV, KETUT SUBIYANTO—PEXELS

PUT TO THE TEST

BLADELESS TURBINE Large and expensive windfarms are being challenged by the invention of new three-metre tall turbines which capture wind energy without the need for blades. The turbine oscillates and generates electricity from vibrations and could be installed in urban areas.­­—The Guardian

DOWN SIDE OF SCREEN TIME 17 YEARS OF YOUR LIFE Do you remember what you were doing at the age of 17?

According to new statistics, that's how much of a person's life can be spent on their phone. 5.5 hours spent on a phone each day equates to to 145,800 hours over a lifetime, while those classified as Gen Z are already spending 7.3 hours each day. Meanwhile, those born before 1965 are reported as only averaging three hours of screen time, almost half of their younger counterparts.—Reviews.org TODDLER IMPAIRMENT A study of links between young children and technology has found screen time at age two is negatively linked with how their executive functions develop. The study claims that this includes future "academic achievement [and] socioemotional learning". The study also notes that adult-oriented content on television impacts a child's executive functions the most, with less impact from watching content targeted at children.­ —Fronteirs in Psychology NOT HELPING WITH TANTRUMS Another study focused on how parents provide a screen for their children when they misbehave. The study concluded that parents are over-relying on media to help calm their children down and "regulate their emotions". This has been linked to children having an over-dependence on media and negative reactions when the media is taken away. The study also suggests that media addiction can start early and adversely affect the child in later life.—The Academic Times

POWERING THE GRID Renewable energy sources in Australia are sometimes contributing up to half of the country's energy consumption. Coal is still the highest source, but days with high wind and sun penetration have recorded up to 50 per cent reliance on wind power and solar.—Renew Economy

BATTERY-POWERED Building a large-scale battery is again being touted as an upcoming project after a new study found it would be 30 per cent cheaper than a gas peaker plant. A battery to store renewable energy would also provide instantaneous energy during periods of high demand.­—PV Magazine MARCH 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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"WALK WITH US" 52

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BY NATHAN BROWN

IVANSAMKOV—PEXELS

Understanding the Uluru Statement from the Heart and what it means for Australia.

JJULY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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W

hen Black Lives Matter protests spread around the world in June last year after the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, and other such tragedies, many in Australia joined the call for more work to confront and dismantle racism in its many forms.

But these Australian voices and protests were not merely echoing what was happening half a world away.

While issues of systemic racism in the United States continue to receive attention in our news feeds, Australia’s Indigenous people are incarcerated at almost 12 times the rate of our non-Indigenous people and at an even higher rate than that of the muchdiscussed mass incarceration of the Black population in the United States. And now, 30 years after the findings of the Royal

54

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Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody were released, more than 470 Indigenous people have died in custody. Tragically, Black Lives Matter seems an even more urgent cry in the experiences of Australia’s Indigenous peoples.

During the protests, I noticed a recurring theme among the various interviews and panel discussions featuring Indigenous leaders, activists and artists—and recognised my ignorance about much of what they were talking about. The Uluru Statement from the Heart and its three-part invitation to the Australian nation was repeatedly referenced.

I remembered hearing reports of the government’s summary dismissal of the suggestion of an Indigenous “Voice to Parliament” that might have been somehow added to the mechanisms set out in the constitution. But I realised that I knew little of the background or larger content of this statement—or of the other two reforms outlined in the statement.

the story of the Uluru Statement

The Uluru Statement from the Heart was issued on May 26, 2017, at a conference of Indigenous representatives gathered at Uluru to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum that, by the strongest vote in Australia’s constitutional history, first recognised Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as citizens of the nation. While a significant—and long-overdue—step, the continuing failure to recognise the pre-existence of the land’s original inhabitants and traditional custodians, as well as the chronic disadvantage suffered by these peoples, demonstrate the work still to be done by the Australian nation in this regard.

In the lead up to the Uluru gathering, a series of 13 regional dialogues sought to hear the voices and collect input from the diverse groups of Australia’s Indigenous peoples. This was a government-supported process, seeking recommendations for further constitutional reform for greater recognition of First Nations peoples.

We are tempted by our language and limited experiences to consider Aboriginal people as a single people group. Adding to this impression is their sadly common experiences of disruption and dispossession, which destroyed some of the distinct culture and languages. But the original inhabitants of the lands now known as Australia were made up of more than 400 nations or clans, with diverse languages, cultures, lifestyles and beliefs. As such, a national consultation process has its inevitable challenges.

I have talked with Indigenous people who expressed their reservations about the process that led to the Uluru Statement—feeling that their people were not sufficiently included or represented in the process or in making the final statement—but who yet see the value and opportunity that the statement offers.

the three reforms

The first reform called for by the Uluru Statement was the most widely known, primarily for its quick dismissal by the government and prime minister at the time. No, we were told, Indigenous people were not going to be empowered to set themselves up as a third chamber of Australia’s parliament—even though this was not what they are asking for. What they seek instead is a constitutionally protected body that would represent Australia’s Indigenous people to the Australian government that cannot be abrogated or even disbanded at the whim of JULY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

GUILLAUME ISSALY—UNSPLASH

The voices I heard talking about this statement seemed to think it was a significant opportunity for our nation to do better in its relationship with its Indigenous people. So I started to do some research—online searches, news reports and a book telling the story of the Uluru Statement—beginning with the simply task of finding and reading the statement itself.

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the government of the day—as has happened in the past. The process and nature of this body is yet to be determined but this work will not begin without better leadership from the Australian government, including a more accurate portrayal of the proposal itself.

The other two proposed reforms would come under the auspices of a proposed Makarrata Commission— the name coming from the Yolngu language, meaning “a coming together after a struggle”—which would oversee a process of agreementmaking or treaty between the Australian government and its First Nations peoples, and a process of truth-telling about the dispossession, massacres, policies of systemic racism, exploitation, incarceration and continuing disadvantage that have blighted the European history of Australia.

These are processes that have been pursued in places like Canada and South Africa. There is work to be done in formulating and establishing these processes, but it begins with a common will to do this important national work of truth, justice, confession and healing.

Makarrata lived

Earlier this year, my ongoing journey of learning and reflecting on the invitation and opportunities of the Uluru Statement from the Heart took me to a hillside just outside Geelong on a pleasant Saturday evening in mid-March. The sunset was burning away to twilight when 56

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"We, gathered at the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, coming from all points of the southern sky, make this statement from the heart: Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes were the first sovereign Nations of the Australian continent and its adjacent islands, and possessed it under our own laws and customs. This our ancestors did, according to the reckoning of our culture, from the Creation, according to the common law from ‘time immemorial’, and according to science more than 60,000 years ago.

This sovereignty is a spiritual notion: the ancestral tie between the land, or “mother nature”, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were born therefrom, remain attached thereto, and must one day return thither to be united with our ancestors. This link is the basis of the ownership of the soil, or better, of sovereignty. It has never been ceded or extinguished, and co-exists with the sovereignty of the Crown.

How could it be otherwise? That peoples possessed a land for sixty millennia and this sacred link disappears from world history in merely the last two hundred years?

—<ulurustatement.org> JULY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

DANNY LAU—UNSPLASH

THE ULURU STATEMENT FROM THE HEART

With substantive constitutional change and structural reform, we believe this ancient sovereignty can shine through as a fuller expression of Australia’s nationhood.

Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers.

They should be our hope for the future.

These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem. This is the torment of our powerlessness.

We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.

We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.

Makarrata is the culmination of our agenda: the coming together after a struggle. It captures our aspirations for a fair and truthful relationship with the people of Australia and a better future for our children based on justice and self-determination.

We seek a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history.

In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future."

57

“

the lights went up on Midnight Oil’s “Makarrata Live” show. The veteran Australian band’s mini-album of last October—The Makarrata Project—featured collaborations with an array of Indigenous musicians and a reading of the Uluru Statement by notable voices, including Stan Grant, Pat Anderson, Adam Goodes and Ursula Yovich. Now Midnight Oil had brought a number of these Indigenous musicians with them to a series of performances, giving them a larger stage and demonstrating the potential for working and walking together.

On this last night of the tour, the 13,000-strong crowd was the largest crowd for a music event in Australia in the 12 months of pandemic restrictions and, for me and many others, our first outing with such a crowd since the lockdowns of 2020. It was a night of celebration and possibility, informed by videos that told the story of the Uluru Statement and the contributions 58

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JULY 2021

of collaborators including Troy Cassar-Daley, Dan Sultan and Alice Skye. The final encore culminated in an all-hands-on-stage performance of the iconic “Beds Are Burning” with lead vocals by Cassar-Daley, Sultan and Tasman Keith. These are voices that we needed to hear—and it was significant that Midnight Oil gave them back their song.

While “Black Lives Matter” might feel like an imported slogan, our Indigenous leaders and voices, as well as artists like Midnight Oil and so many others, offer us our own language for the urgent tasks of confronting our historical and systemic racism, and working for recognition, justice and national healing. But the Uluru Statement from the Heart is an invitation into processes that can move beyond slogans, songs and good intentions. We must hear, listen and respond—and work together to learn together how to walk together.

Nathan Brown is a book editor for Signs Publishing in Warburton, Victoria.

FINN—UNSPLASH

It all begins with a common will to do this important national work of truth, justice, confession and healing

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TRY THESE FOUR NEW FOOD TRENDS HOW THE LATEST DISCOVERIES IN HEALTH FOOD RESEARCH ARE ENDING UP ON DINNER PLATES AROUND THE GLOBE.

A

fter a tumultuous 2020, it’s not surprising the trending ingredients this year so far have been aimed at looking after your health and the planet. Whether you’re looking to eat more plant-based meals, support your immunity or choose more sustainable food options, here are four new food trends to try in 2021.

KARISSA—GETTYIMAGES

1. ALGAE "Algae" refers to a family of plants including spirulina and seaweed. It’s packed with nutrients and chlorophyll and is becoming popular as a sustainable ingredient. The health benefits vary, but generally speaking algae is good for you—one tablespoon of spirulina provides four grams of protein plus calcium, iron and magnesium.

2. BANANA BLOSSOM Banana blossoms are the flowers that grow at the end of a banana cluster.

Similar to jackfruit, they can be used as a vegetarian "meat alternative" in salads, curries or stir-fries. It’s high in dietary fibre and contains a range of phytochemicals and vitamins.

3. FONIO Fonio is a type of millet with an earthy, nutty flavour which you can use as you would rice, quinoa or couscous.

It is growing in popularity as a crop as it requires very little water. Fonio is gluten free and contains four times the protein, three times the fibre and nearly twice the iron of brown rice.

4. OAT MILK Oat milk is creamy with a deliciously mild flavour, meaning it can be used in almost any recipe or enjoyed straight from the glass. It’s also been touted as one of the more sustainable plant-based milks and is a great option for those with dietary restrictions or intolerances.

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.

JULY 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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Hint: 9 Down

EDUCATION.COM

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