Signs of the Times - September 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019

the dos and don’ts of

WORKPLACE ROMANCE DEBT CRISIS what does the Bible say?

“GOD, PLEASE DON’T LET ME DIE!”

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY

IN THIS ISSUE

SEPTEMBER 2019

THE DOS AND DON’TS OF WORKPLACE ROMANCE PAGE 32 When your eyes meet across a crowded (staff) room . . .

6 CURRENT

WHAT IN THE WORLD THE ILLUSION OF CONNECTION Are you addicted to your screen?

12 YOUR SAY Social media speaks out on loneliness 48 THE DEBT CRISIS Does the Bible predict a coming financial crisis?

60 60 HARA HACHI BU

The simple Japanese phrase for a longer and leaner life

4 6

WELLBEING

20 YOU CAN RECOVER

FROM THE DEVASTATION OF GRIEF 38 GO HEALTHY FOR GOOD Health news for every body

FAITH

14 “GOD, PLEASE DON’T

LET ME DIE!” In a single moment, his life changed forever 26 STUBBORN FAITH When faith transcends reason 36 UNFORCED The one thing God can’t do 40 THE RULE OF LAW Rules, consequences and forgiveness

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 2

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/SIGNSOFTHETIMES

CULTURE

54 THIS IS THE BOOK THAT

CHANGED MY DIET THE MOST Book review: The Healthiest People on Earth

SCIENCE & TECH

46 THE CUTTING EDGE

What’s happening in research, engineering and technology?

FUN

62 CROSSWORD & SUDOKU

Have you been paying attention?

FROM THE EDITOR “The good life.” That’s what we’re all keen for.

A happy family, a healthy body and enough money in the bank so we don’t need to worry. It seems simple enough, so why is the good life so hard to achieve? Too many days I feel like one of those circus performers, spinning plates—rushing from one dangerously wobbling plate to the next and back again in an effort to stave off catastrophe.

The not-so-surprising truth is that, more often than not, making an immediate beeline for whatever catches our eye or feels natural in the moment is a surefire route to disaster. “Fools rush in” is one of the key messages of this month’s cover article on workplace romance (page 32). The same could be said for the “easy fix” of credit card spending (page 48). And, as many of us are beginning to discover, the welcoming glow of our electronic devices obscures a darker reality (page 6).

This month’s Signs of the Times offers some strategies for genuine meaning and lasting happiness.

Check out Hara Hachi Bu (page 60) for a simple example­; a healthy change you can implement at your very next meal. And the personal accounts of both Hashim Garrett (page 14) and Omar Miranda (page 20) demonstrate that it’s possible to find joy and purpose even in the midst of devastation.

Self-denial, delayed gratification, sticking by the rules (page 40)—none of us want to hear it, but, way too often, discipline is the key to the good life. And if you’re anything like me, you can’t do it alone.

So help me, God!

Kent KENT KINGSTON Editor

VOL 134 NO 9 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®, Anglicised. Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc®. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton. All rights reserved worldwide.

COVER PHOTO: shironosov—Getty Images

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WHAT IN THE WORLD THE SUNSTROKE STATE Brisbane will be “a difficult place to live” in the next 30 years, due to rapid rise in temperatures. The study by the International Journal of Climatology says hot days and nights will double by 2050 in Australia’s thirdlargest city. The study predicts an increase in deaths from the extreme heat, and more people to be at risk of illness. Scientists are alarmed by the findings, calling for politicians to take action on climate change.

—ABC

OUR LAND IS DIRT BY SEA AUSTRALIA

Melbourne’s coastline is under threat from erosion, according to the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council. A report says sea levels will rise by 20 centimetres by 2040, meaning suburbs such as St Kilda, Point Cook and Mordialloc are at risk of flooding. At least nine other suburbs are considered at-risk, compounded by an expected increase in storm intensity.—The Age 4

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THOMASVOGEL—GETTY IMAGES, EGUIDE TRAVEL, SOMMAROY-FLICR-113—FLICKR, IRINA GRISKOVA, SESAME—GETTY IMAGES, FREEPIK

AUSTRALIA

38% EMOJENIUS NEW ZEALAND

Telecommunications company 2degrees has been subject to complaints for screening an advertisement featuring an eggplant emoji on national television.

The emoji has often been used euphemistically in popular culture to represent male genitalia. The complaint was dismissed by the Advertising Authority Complaints Board.—newshub.co.nz

have dated a co-worker at least once in their life.

had their

OFFICE RELATIONSHIP

31%

lead to MARRIAGE.

28% have dated someone

ABOVE THEM on the

CORPORATE LADDER. CLOCKING OFF NORWAY

Residents from the Norwegian island of Sommaroy are campaigning to become a time-free zone. The area experiences daytime for up to 60 days in summer, while in winter the sun disappears. Citizens on the island are hoping business hours will change, though they’ve conceded that schools should maintain a consistent schedule.

Other Norwegian settlements within the Arctic Circle are also keen to adopt the change.—independent.co.uk

18% admitted to DATING their DIRECT MANAGER.

37%

of people who’ve had office relationships

KEPT IT SECRET. ­Source: Careerbuilder

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THE

ILLUSION OF CONNECTION Loneliness (n): a feeling of sadness because one has no friends or company.

But you are not alone.

BY MARYELLEN FAIRFAX

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TOMMASO79—GETTY IMAGES SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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I

sat slouched on the edge of my bed, blue light illuminating my face in the dark. It was the tenth time I’d checked my phone in the space of five minutes. I grimaced.

Was something wrong with me?

I wasn’t awaiting an urgent email, or the reply of a love interest, or my university results, or a life-changing phone call. I had already read the latest social media updates; already watched all the cookie-decorating and calligraphy videos that littered my feed; already danced between Instagram and Facebook at least five times.

So why was I still glued to my phone?

Instead of spending time fostering real-life relationships, I’d actively filled the void by “stalking” people online and distracting myself with frivolous entertainment. I’d begun justifying my solitary state by telling friends and family that I was “too busy to catch up”—an excuse that crumbled under the weight of hours of Instagram scrolling.

Deep down, underneath a plethora of excuses, I knew exactly why I was doing these things, and it was almost laughable.

I was lonely.

In a global society more connected than ever before, it seems ironic that loneliness is increasing. In a survey

by Opinion Way, 90 per cent of Australians said they yearned for more real-life connections, despite 56 per cent reporting that they meet up with friends less because of social media, and 70 per cent stating that they prefer to watch television

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instead of connecting with family and friends.

In 2018, the Australian Loneliness Report revealed that 51 per cent of Australians feel lonely for at least one day per week, and 28 per cent feel lonely for three or more days per week. A Psychology Today blogpost referred to multiple studies that show loneliness can trigger higher levels of social anxiety, fewer social interactions, poorer sociological wellbeing and poorer quality of life. Further, lonely people are 15 per cent more likely to be depressed and 13 per cent more likely to be anxious about social interactions than those who don’t feel lonely.

In other words, being lonely can trigger poor mental health, and in turn, poor mental health can cause individuals to feel even lonelier.

People stuck in this cycle may lack the motivation or confidence to break free, and instead resort to poor coping mechanisms like self-harm, smoking, drug addictions or compulsive technology use.

Ah yes, compulsive technology use. My personal Achilles heel.

But I’m not alone. Most of us wake up to notifications first thing in the morning and check our phones right before we go to sleep.

We feel naked without our devices and carry them with us everywhere we go. To avoid awkward social interactions—eye contact with strangers, failed jokes, forgetting someone’s name, Freudian slips or just embarrassing ourselves—we pull

AJ_WATT—GETTY IMAGES

out our phones and scroll instead, avoiding the need to be seen. We fear that social encounters won’t meet our expectations; that we’ll be left out and forgotten, misunderstood, insulted or won’t receive the social approval we crave. And so we avoid real-life social interactions, resorting to contrived images on a screen; the illusion of connection.

actively avoid real-life social interactions?

It’s because loneliness is merely a symptom of a much deeper problem.

A worthiness problem.

A famous quote that often features in rom-coms and litters Pinterest feeds is: “We accept the love we think we deserve.” I’d like to elaborate and suggest that we seek out the love we

At this point, it’s important to recognise that being alone and being lonely are very different experiences.

Loneliness is a feeling of distress that people experience when their social encounters are not meaningful, or when they feel misunderstood by others.

In contrast, a person who is alone feels secure in their relationships, but prefers to spend time by themselves.

We can be surrounded by others but still feel lonely, and in contrast, we can be alone but not feel lonely.

But with so many individuals reporting feeling lonely on a regular basis, why do these same people

think we deserve. And ultimately, if we feel unworthy of love and connection, loneliness often follows.

Throughout her years of research, author and public speaker, Brene Brown, discovered that vulnerability is the key to genuine, fulfilling relationships. But rather than summoning the courage to risk failure and vulnerability—elements necessary to experiencing genuine connection— we often resort to maintaining the illusion of connection. In one swift reflex motion, we open our social media apps and we quickly become addicted.

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“

Researcher and filmmaker, Matt D’Avella, likens the relationship between social media and social life to “the relationship between porn and sex”. Just like porn is less fulfilling than sex, social media is less fulfilling than real-life social interactions, but we keep returning to it because it is easily accessible, requires little vulnerability and releases a temporary rush of pleasure.

But eventually, the rush fizzles out and we find ourselves staring at a screen, wondering why we feel empty inside; lonely once again. This is a widespread problem. As a society, we have become very good at distracting ourselves to avoid addressing the deeper internal struggles we experience. Namely, our need for genuine, meaningful human interaction; our need to feel worthy.

Recognising the damaging physical and mental effects of 10

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loneliness, director of the Brain Dynamics Lab at the University of Chicago, Dr Stephanie Cacioppo, is leading a team of medical researchers to develop a “loneliness pill” that she hopes will help to relieve the symptoms suffered by the acutely lonely.

She believes that loneliness is just like thirst: a biological signal that has evolved to protect our survival.

As helpful as a pill might be to escape the loneliness cycle initially, I have to disagree with Dr Cacioppo.

Loneliness isn’t merely a biological signal that protects our survival; it’s a symptom that we’re not living as we were created to live and, ultimately, of our disconnection from God. When sin first entered the world in the Garden of Eden, it caused separation between God and humanity. God’s blazing perfection could not exist in proximity with sin, and humans, now flawed, would die in the

FIZKES—GETTY IMAGES

. . . wondering why we feel empty inside; lonely once again.

presence of God’s glory. The connection with God was muted. Not able to walk and talk with God, we began to forget that God created us intentionally (Psalm 139:13, 14), crafted us with a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11) and loves us infinitely more than we can even comprehend (John 3:16).

Instead of internalising and walking in these truths—truths that can fill the internal void—we began to turn to things that we could see: relationships, food, sex, distractions, money, status, pride; things that are readily accessible and that can fill the inner void quickly. But none of these things gives us a secure sense of worth. Relationships break down, food disappears, distractions cease, money runs out and pride always comes before a fall.

But God’s love never fails (Psalm 136:1).

The only thing that can satisfy our

loneliness is being reconnected to our Heavenly Father. But while we still live in sin, a complete connection isn’t possible—we can’t exist in His perfect presence. But God sent His Son to die the ultimate death and take on our sins so that one day we can be reunited with Him. In the meantime, we must hold fast to the knowledge that we are loved by our Heavenly Father and listen for His whispers that do penetrate the veil. This truth can transform our loneliness into aloneness; our worthlessness into worthiness.

And while it might not break the chains of technological addiction or loneliness cycles immediately, knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6) can bring us tremendous peace. Knowing that He loves us (1 John 3:1) can curb our need for human validation and take away the anxiety that causes us to seek connection in the wrong places. Knowing that He cares when we feel abandoned is transformative.

For as long as people feel unworthy of genuine connection, they will avoid it. Our loneliness epidemic is actually a worthlessness epidemic. So perhaps the first step to developing deeper, more genuine relationships is to realise that you are worthy of love.

You are worthy of love because God, the creator of the universe, loves you.

Maryellen Fairfax is a law student, a panellist on the Mums at the Table TV show and an avid graphic designer. In her spare time she enjoys creating artwork . . . and catching up with friends.

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Your

SAY

People like to feel needed.

If you are lonely go and volunteer for an organisation! You will open up your world!

—Nola McGann

Why do people feel so lonely?

Loneliness is a state of mind. People these days need to [be] kept amused by something or someone. . . .

Smile at others, volunteer your time to the needy. Get off your phone, FB etc. There is so much to do, if you choose to do it.—Catherine Campbell

People can feel lonely in a family. If you don’t matter then home can be the loneliest place in the world.—Janine Caldicott

Not everyone has family; most of mine are [dead] and buried. . . . My son has mental issues and does not want to stay in touch.—Debra Madden

I have met people who sit in train stations just to feel less lonely. A smile and a “good morning” can brighten someone’s day.—Angela Smart

When you keep looking inward it’s only going to end in sadness and emptiness. So it only makes sense that you do the opposite. Try and bring a smile and happiness to the people around you.—Dianne Roenfeldt-Wilson

join the conversation on Facebook–SignsoftheTimes 12

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S9/19

P RO LE FI

Hashim Garrett (facing camera) during his Central Park interview with author Karl Faase.

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SUPPLIED BY KARL FAASE

please

God, don’t let me die!

In a single moment, Hashim Garrett’s life was changed forever. He now knows anguish, depression and the incredible power of forgiveness.

BY KARL FAASE

G

rowing up,” Hashim Garrett told me, “I would have to say overall that it was pretty good.

I had some bumps in the road. My mother and father separated, which was very difficult. I think the real hurdle came into our life when my mother was in a relationship with someone else. He was verbally abusive when he was under the influence

of alcohol, and physically abusive to her. Those were the moments that I remember hating somebody. I don’t remember hating anybody prior to him. The abuse was very traumatising, because one minute he could be very nice and take you to the Yankees game. Then the next minute he is yelling and threatening you.”

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life as a child, growing up in New York. He found himself drawn to a different kind of community.

“I joined the gang when I was in the sixth grade. I did it for a few reasons. One, I wanted to fit in and it seemed like those were the popular kids. Two, for protection. The same kids that were picking on me, I figured out if I befriended them, then they will leave me alone. In my 11-year-old mind I said, If I hang out with the bullies, they won’t pick on me.

“It worked for a while and we bullied other kids, but when there was no-one else to bully they returned to bullying me. It didn’t really work out that well.”

Hashim then told me about May 7, 1990, the day everything changed for him.

“I was standing on the corner with some so-called friends. They were kids my mum always told me not to hang out with.”

While Hashim was standing on that street corner, another young man walked past him. Hashim didn’t know him and the youth gave no indication of having even noticed him. “He said nothing to me. He didn’t give me an odd look, like he was going to do something.”

What that unfamiliar stranger did that day has affected Hashim for the rest of his life.

“He walked past me. All of a sudden, one of my so-called friends who was standing next to me said, ‘Look out, run!’ I took off and I started running. My first instinct was 16

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to look to see what I’m running from, but I’m not going to stop. I keep running and I look over my shoulder.”

What Hashim saw was the same young man who had just walked past him—but now he was holding a submachine gun, aimed right at Hashim.

“I kept running. I remember looking down at my pants leg. I noticed

“

Forgiveness is not an occasional act.

It is a constant attitude.

—Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

a weird movement. I remember thinking to myself, Why are my pants moving like this?”

At that instant Hashim felt something hard strike him in the back. He was paralysed instantly.

“That hard feeling was a bullet that struck me in the spine. As I hit the ground I remember calling to my friends, ‘I got shot! I got shot!’ One

or two came back, but they couldn’t help me.”

His friends left him there on the ground, paralysed and scared. “I’m wondering, Why can’t I move my legs, why can’t I feel my legs? I remember looking up at the sky, going, ‘God, please don’t let me die.’

“As soon as I said it, I felt a peace

was drifting in and out of consciousness, but as the emergency medical team put him in the ambulance, he noticed that his sneakers had been removed. He was wearing brand new white socks. The first thought that popped into his mind was, My mother is going to be proud of me because I’ve got clean socks on.

come over me. The moment the words left my tongue—‘God, please don’t let me die’—all that fear left me.”

At 15, Hashim had no idea what his diagnosis was, but he knew something was wrong. As he lay injured on the ground the only thing he kept thinking about was his mother. He

“My mother was always a stickler.

It was ‘wear clean underwear, wear clean socks’, because you never know what is going to happen to you.”

What had happened to Hashim was that he was in a very serious condition. And it was never going to get better.

He knew it as soon as he came SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

SUPPLIED BY KARL FAASE

“When we talk about forgiveness, we have to talk about love,” says Hashim Garret (right), pictured with Karl and Jane Faase.

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when someone hurts you?’ He said, out of intensive care. “I can’t describe ‘You should forgive.’” what it feels like to sustain a spinal Hashim thinks the disciples in the cord injury. I didn’t need a medical Bible must be much like you and me. degree to know this was bad. I can’t Human. They tried to get Jesus to set feel anything; I can’t move anything. limits on something as uncomfortable The doctors came in and told me, and seemingly unnatural as forgiving ‘Sorry to say, but you are going to be others. They asked Jesus how many paralysed for the rest of your life.’” times we should forgive. Hashim Those were some of the longest and darkest days for Hashim. “Fifteen read the answer: seventy times seven.

“And as a 15-year-old, I was doing years old. I’m so depressed, all I want the math. That’s just a lot of forgiveto do is cry. That’s when I began growing my hair. I would just twist ness! I felt like Christ and God were my hair and I would cry. Some days speaking to me: Hashim, you have to I would think forgive. about revenge, “Maybe I but those were wouldn’t get a my lowest miracle to walk, moments. but the real “I needed help. miracle was the . . . we know God I realised that all depression that is greater than the money in the people couldn’t world was not see. I read about our hearts . . . going to put me forgiveness. I back together said, ‘You know again. The pain what, I’m going was internal. to forgive my Shortly thereafter mum and dad my mum started coming into the for separating and abandoning me.’ hospital and said, ‘Hashim, you need They didn’t care about me. I had a to read this book.’ But I didn’t want grudge against them. I had to forgive to at first. my mother’s boyfriend. I realised he “It was the Bible. As I read all had his own issues. I had to forgive these phenomenal stories, I said to the kid who shot me. myself, lf God helped those people . . .

“Then the hard part was having to maybe God can help me. Then I came forgive myself. Because I could blame across the Gospels and I learned my mother and father till the end of about Christ. I learned about this: time. I could blame the kid who shot when someone harms you, you have me, but at some point I had to take to turn the other cheek. The disciples ownership. Hashim, you made those asked Him, ‘What should you do bad decisions.”

“

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That self-forgiveness was the hardest part for Hashim, but forgiving yourself is an important part of the process for all of us. The trouble is, we may not know what we need to forgive ourselves for. We are so opaque to ourselves, so prone to denial. A central principle for this is in the apostle John’s first letter: “If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything” (1 John 3:20).

What does “God is greater than our hearts” mean? God is more generous sometimes to ourselves than we are.

Not only are our hearts deceitful, but we actually don’t know what’s in there.

For Hashim there was a great sense of relief when he was able to forgive and let it all go. Forgiving himself and forgiving others. “Truly it was like a weight was lifted off me.”

However, Hashim’s journey of forgiveness was not a smooth ride. Dr Martin Luther King said, “Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.” It was not something Hashim did once, never needing to do again. He had to forgive and re-forgive constantly.

Every moment that tests him is a new opportunity to forgive.

As a father of two small children, when they are on holiday and his children want to play on the beach or in the ocean, Hashim cannot join them. When his six-year old daughter wants to learn to ride a bicycle, he cannot experience that with her.

As he sits in his wheelchair watch-

ing, knowing why he cannot walk, in that moment he has to forgive again. Forgiveness involves forcing his perspective to change. Look at your two healthy children, he reminds himself. And in those moments forgiveness comes back. Hashim, let it go. Be grateful for what you have, as opposed to the things you can’t do.

“When you forgive someone for hurting you, it doesn’t let them off the hook. What you are doing is just releasing that grudge—you are not carrying around that bitterness. It’s really for you; it’s not for the other person. I still think if someone harms you, you should press charges. That’s what the criminal justice system is set up for, but internally it’s about lifting off that anger; it’s about lifting off the cancer of bitterness, because when you are angry with someone else it has a rippling effect. You take that anger out on people around you, including yourself.

“When we talk about forgiveness, we have to talk about love. In order for you to forgive, you have to love.

The kid who shot me: somewhere deep down inside, I love him. He’s a human being like I am. I’m imperfect. He’s imperfect.”

That kind of love and forgiveness is only possible because God has loved and forgiven us first.

Karl Faase is a communicator and media producer living in Sydney, Australia. This article is excerpted from Jesus the Game Changer by Karl Faase with George Marriott (2017, Olive Tree Media). The book accompanies the video series of the same name.

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W

ELL B EING

YOU CAN RECOVER FROM

THE DEVASTATION OF GRIEF

Grief is a hard journey, but it opens the way to some vital, if surprising, insights.

BY OMAR MIRANDA

I

t was the summer of 1993 when my grandfather died. I had just finished my second year at a private (and very expensive) college and was transferring to a much-less-expensive public university. My brothers and I got the news that he was literally on his deathbed and had only days

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left to live. If we wanted to make our peace with him and say our goodbyes, we needed to come—and come quick! I was devastated—my grandfather was my world. He was my hero and the only grandfather I’d ever really known and loved. He lived his entire life in Puerto Rico

down the concrete block hallway. I felt nauseous and dizzy. My roommate came running down the hall and must have asked me several times what had happened, but I was too stunned and numbed for words.

He just sat down next to me—silent.

Both of us, helpless.

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DJELICS—GETTY IMAGES

and at the time, I lived near Chattanooga, Tennessee.

I remember being in my dorm room and getting the news . . . losing all feeling in my arms and legs; falling to the floor and dropping the phone on the cement floor . . . hearing the hollow thud reverberate

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As a psychology major, I had just completed two courses: Ageing & Society and Developmental Psych­ology. During parties that first semester, I had wowed my friends—and my dates, mainly— with my knowledge of how the human mind copes with such things . . . what a fool I was. These were all theories—information without wisdom. What I needed was less information and more real-life experience. That summer, I received it in the most disastrous way.

The next day was a frenzy of packing and travelling. I remember meeting up with my younger brother in Atlanta and flying down to Puerto Rico together, but it was like we were a million miles apart—each one drowning in our own grief and loss.

After the brief bedside visit with my weakened and emaciated grandfather and his death and funeral;

“

after all the nice cards, nice food, nice hugs and nice words, there I was again, alone with my grief. But this time, I was both grieving and angry!

It was the first and only time in my life that I’d experienced the death of someone special to me. I hope it will be my last . . . but, realistically, it won’t be.

Living through that horrific situation gave me some insights into how not just to survive grief, but how to thrive in the midst of it. Since that time, I have become a counsellor, specialising in community mental health. In that role, I’ve seen my share of people dealing with their own difficult and disastrous situations and have done my best to walk through those with them and help them discover the lessons I’ve learned.

My grandfather’s death devastated me. To be honest, it almost destroyed

SUPPLIED

. . . my grandfather was my world. He was my hero . . .

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me. But through that incredibly painful experience I learned six principles that helped me make it through.

1“life sucks—and then you die!”

Okay, that’s not exactly how I would choose to word it, but I remember seeing this bumper sticker when I was a kid and thinking to myself, Man, that’s really crass and cynical! How would anybody be so jaded? But the reality is, simply: life is tough! Bad things do happen . . . to bad people and to good. And too often nothing we do can keep it from happening. After my grandfather died, my mother told me that he was offered a surgical procedure that would have likely saved his life—but he refused! I don’t know why he did it, but the fact is that he did. I spent a long time trying to make sense of his death, but I just couldn’t.

So principle number one is this: On this side of heaven, bad things will happen. Do your best to understand why, but if you can’t, you have to learn to be okay with not knowing, too.

need to lighten your load; 2you simplify your schedule After my grandfather’s death, for about two weeks, I just shut down.

It was like my body and brain went into some sort of sleep mode. I stopped going to work, interacting with other people, doing the things I loved . . . I just stopped. I didn’t under­stand what was wrong with me. In fact, being in my early

twenties, I thought I was dying! I didn’t understand or recognise that my grief response was very normal— and healthy. Now, more than 20 years later, I can look back on that time and recognise that that moment in my life was like my proverbial “fuse switching off ” in order to keep the rest of me from going up in flames.

What I learned from my grand­ father’s death was that it’s healthy and helpful to lighten your load; simplify your schedule. For a short and dedicated amount of time, during and/or after a disaster, become a minimalist and sideline everything that’s not absolutely necessary. If people get upset and don’t understand, that’s okay—you’ll explain it to them later. The bottom line is this: they’ll get over it. Better that they be upset for a while than your mental, physical and spiritual health takes a beating that you may not be able to ever get over.

My grandfather’s death temporarily disconnected me from my college friends, who were, at that time, enjoying their idyllic summer holidays. I, on the other hand, was able to begin a life-long love affair with the Old Testament wisdom books (Ecclesiastes, to be exact). This was such a blessing to me and gave me just the right kind of information and, well, wisdom that I needed in order to make it through.

So, principle two: When going through a disaster, learn to be okay with “lightening the load”.

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3

connect with people, not things

It’s a natural thing for people who are going through a disaster to disconnect and unplug for a time.

But after that time is done, it’s important to choose to consistently connect with people and relationships and not things and experiences.

The truth is that people and relation­ ships are vastly more scary and time-consuming than jumping out of an aeroplane; conversely, people and relationships will bring your life the largest return in terms of joy, happiness and spiritual, emotional and physical wellbeing.

Principle three: Remember to daily value and connect with people and relationships, not things and experiences.

4it’s ok to ask for help

Remember, when my grandfather died, I was in my early twenties and twenty-somethings often don’t do so well when it comes to asking for help. I realised early on in the process that I was dealing with something I had never experienced and couldn’t understand. I was blessed to have my roommate, my friends and my family. Without them I wouldn’t have made it through. They helped me in very tangible ways, like patiently listening to me rant and rave (for the bazillionth time) about my confusion around the reasons that my grandfather had to die, and telling amazing and silly stories about him.

They also did some very physical

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and tangible things for me, like making me silly handmade presents and helping me do my laundry when I was so scattered I couldn’t think straight.

Remember principle four: Learn to be okay asking for help.

5learn to be thankful

Prior to my grandfather’s death, I wasn’t a very grateful person; in fact, I was quite the opposite. I was very angry and generally a pessimist.

In my childhood I had experienced a trauma that left me seeing the proverbial glass as not just half-empty, but bone dry!

But I quickly learned after my grandfather’s death; I began to see the value and wonder in every day of my life. I can’t really give you one specific time that my perspective changed—it just did. I guess that having the brevity of life smack me in the face was like running into a wall at 100 kph—it woke me up.

And it woke me up to all the beauty and wonder that life offers us. The beauty of learning to be thankful is that it doesn’t cost you a single cent.

In fact, I would say that not being thankful costs you much more in what it takes away from your life and general emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing.

So here’s principle five, in case you missed it: Choose to be thankful daily for the good things in your life.

6live to serve—serve to live

I could quote a boatload of

ASISEEIT—GETTY IMAGES

social science and medical research on the benefits of serving others. But the simple fact is that I’ve actually done it and can personally attest to the fact that it works. Shortly after the death of my grandfather I began to volunteer at a local youth shelter because . . . well, let’s just say that I’d gotten myself into some legal trouble that compelled me to serve others.

But when my community service hours were done, something amazing happened: I continued volunteering of my own free will. You see, I’d noticed that on the days I was required at the youth centre, I was happier, kinder and just generally less focused on myself. Since then I’ve proactively chosen to volunteer at my local church. I’m not sharing this to blow my own trumpet, but simply to say that serving others has brought real joy and meaning to my life like nothing else ever could.

So, principle six: Choose to serve daily and to be kind to others.

summing up

So there you have it. The six things I learned from the disaster of my grandfather’s death that saved my life—these principles transformed my worldview and my priorities.

Since then, of course, I’ve learned a great deal more about life and living—both in and out of disasters, but the six lessons learned during that very difficult and trying time have served me well. I hope that now you know them, you too will begin to practise them daily and pass them on to everybody you know.

Omar Miranda is a healthcare professional, regular writer and proud parent. He lives with his family in Georgia, USA.

SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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FA IT H

STUBBORN When you’re angry at God, pray.

When there’s nothing left that’s worth saying, pray.

BY NATHAN BROWN

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JAVIER_ART_PHOTOGRAPHY—GETTY IMAGES

FAITH

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O

n a number of occasions during his writing life, Nobel Prize winner and author Elie Wiesel tried to re-tell the story of a profound experience he’d had as a young boy in the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. He wrote a play, a novel and even a cantata to try to re-create his memory of this event, each of which remained unpublished.

Finally, he wrote another play, set in another time and location, to try to capture the spirit of the event, which was published in 1979 as The Trial of God. But his re-imagining of the story remains less compelling than even a brief re-telling of the experience itself.

Amid the terrors of the camp, a scholar of Judaism befriended 15-year-old Wiesel and invited him to study together whenever they had opportunity, as “their act of religious defiance”. One evening, the scholar took Wiesel back to his barracks, where they met with two

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other highly accomplished Jewish legal scholars. Together, these three scholars had decided to put God on trial for the suffering and horror they were witnessing around them, for “allowing His children to be massacred”.

With Wiesel as the only audience, the three scholars argued the case against God over a number of evenings. With all the available evidence compiled, all the arguments made, the scholars arrived at a unanimous verdict: “The Lord God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, was found guilty of crimes against creation and humankind.”

Their solemn conclusion reached, the participants in the makeshift courtroom fell silent. The silence was only interrupted when one of them noted that it was time for evening prayers—and then together they recited the traditional evening service.

Their faith demanded a verdict

we most need faith. Our faith is disappointed, our God is guilty or absent at best, the universe seems not as good as we had hoped and our best “living well” seems to count for little. And when our best believing feels like it has turned to dust, we most need faith.

In that “eternity of silence”—as Wiesel would later describe it— between the damning verdict on the failures and disappointments of faith and the time for evening prayers, we choose faith or not.

Some would seek to diminish this silence with arguments about our incomplete knowledge and inadequate understanding—but these are the problems, not the answers. That we work with human limitations of perspective and insight is reason for both our need for faith and why our faith is so fraught.

When it seems God is guilty of tragic and criminal neglect, we need evening prayers more than ever.

MARIUSZ_PRUSACZYK—GETTY IMAGES

against God, which gave way to sil­ence . . . and then to worship.

This story is equally awe-inspiring, troubling and challenging. And it encapsulates the central tension of faith.

At least to some degree, faith offers an explanation of “life, the universe and everything” as author Douglas Adams put it. It provides a rationale for how things are, an overview of what matters most, perhaps glimpses of the Power at work behind our physical world and everyday lives, and an expectation of how things ought to be. Faith then sketches out some principles for how to live well within these realities, as well as prompting us to look for, to hope for and even to work for something more.

But then life happens—in all its tragedy, beauty and ordinariness— and the explanations, rationales and expectations of faith seem to fall short at exactly the moment when

SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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wrote The Message Bible translator, When our best efforts at doing good in the world seem to achieve nothing Eugene Peterson. “But the wisdom of God says something different: or worse, we need to choose the that we can act our way into a new next good thing. Somehow, amid way of feeling much quicker than the silences that follow tragedy and we can feel ourselves into a new way disappointment, we need to go on. of acting. Worship is an act that And faith offers us the best possibildevelops feelings for God, not a ity of this. feeling for God that is expressed in This is why worship is such an an act of worship.” important element of faith. To The story of those three Jewish worship is to look outside ourselves scholars and the young Wiesel that and our present circumstances. night in the Worship is the barracks of choice to break the Auschwitz the silence of death camp is disappointment haunting. In and tragedy with those horrific prayer—because . . . amid circumstances, it is time to finding God pray, rather than the silences guilty of crimes waiting for our against creation feelings to come that follow and humanity around. Rather tragedy . . . we seems so devasthan re-starting the argument, tatingly just. In need to go on. restating the those horrific verdict or lapsing circumstances, into permanent an “eternity of silence, we speak into this silence and silence” seems the only appropriate break the power of the silence. thing to offer. In those horrific This “going through the motions” circumstances—at the time for might sound counterintuitive when evening prayers—reciting the we place so much store in the value evening service seems the only of authenticity, but acting on what human response, a courageous and we believe, beyond what we can be humble act of religious defiance and sure of and before we feel like it, is stubborn faith. precisely what we mean when we talk Nathan Brown is book editor at Signs Publishing about faith. In this sense, worship is Company in Warburton, Victoria. His new Middle choosing to act in faith: “We think East travel memoir, Of Falafels and Finding Jesus, is available free for all new/additional Signs of the that if we don’t feel something there Times subscribers who use the coupon code FALAFEL can be no authenticity in doing it,” while subscribing at <signsofthetimes.org.au>.

“

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CU

R RENT

the dos and don’ts of

WORKPLACE ROMANCE

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It can be a minefield, as too many media-highlighted disasters demonstrate. But since so many relationships begin at work, what can we do to keep them as safe and respectful as possible?

T

he current attention workplace relationships are receiving is enormous and mostly for not-sogood reasons. The media goes wild when high-profile individuals get involved with someone from their workplace. And if they’re already married to someone else, well . . . it only adds fuel to the fire.

Dating a co-worker is common and according to some studies as many as 40 per cent of employees have participated in a workplace romance. Considering the proportion of our waking hours we spend at work, it’s not surprising. I married my workplace crush so I’m definitely not against the concept, but then again we had very clear boundaries, we told a person at work whom we both respect to keep us accountable, and neither of us were married or dating anyone else.

While a romantic relationship can certainly make it more interesting to come into work on a Monday, there are also some dangers involved— developing a negative reputation in your HR department or getting in

trouble for workplace harassment, for example.

Having worked in HR and as a counsellor, I’ve seen some of these relation­ships improve a person’s career and overall wellbeing and other times . . . well, we hear about those in the media.

One such case fairly recently relates to the now-infamous movie producer, Harvey Weinstein. The details around his alleged sexual harass­ment and sexual abuse triggered the worldwide #MeToo movement, which empowered women—and men too—to speak out about inappropriate conduct. What became apparent is the challenge posed by workplace cultures that discourage disclosure.

People fear losing their jobs, not being able to work in their industry any more or having their reputation tarnished.

Just to be clear, “sexual harassment” is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that makes a person feel offended, humiliated and/or intimidated where that reaction is reason­ able in the circumstances. There can be a fine line between welcome workplace romantic overtures and unwanted sexual harassment. If you are considering embarking on what SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

BARTEKSZEWCZYK—GETTY IMAGES

BY SUZANNE BOCKING

33

40 per cent of the population has done before you, here are some tips on what to do and what not to do.

DON’T CONSIDER GETTING INTO A RELATION­ SHIP IF YOU OR THE OTHER PERSON IS NOT AVAILABLE. If it’s you who’s already in

a relationship, put the same focus, attention and energy into your current partner that you’re feeling for your crush. If the other person is already in a relationship, don’t go there. Just don’t. Respect the other person enough to leave them right where they are. There are plenty more fish in the sea without you breaking a relationship up.

DON’T DATE YOUR MANAGER OR SOMEONE WHO REPORTS TO YOU. Power differences

are very noticeable in workplaces.

If you end up dating your boss and it doesn’t go so well you could find yourself out of a job. If you date someone who works for you and it doesn’t work out you could have a harassment claim against you and risk your position. Even if it does work out it will be hard to remove the power differential in other areas.

DON’T TELL THE WHOLE OFFICE ABOUT IT. Let your relationship start out without others’ two cents’ worth. Allow your relationship to grow with some stability before it’s a known thing. (You’ll be answering a lot of questions for a while once you do!)

DO BE AN ETHICAL DATER IN THE WORKPLACE.

That involves respecting people and 34

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their right to privacy, and respecting a person’s right to say no or to be open with you about it not working out if you have started dating. It means not dating on company time.

Ethical workplace dating requires you to not be a serial dater—moving from one person to the next in the organisation—and it also requires you not telling everyone about your relationship without prior consent.

DO MAINTAIN A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PERSON WHEN/IF THE RELATIONSHIP ENDS. Most workplace

relationships don’t end in marriage so you may need to continue working with your ex after the breakup. If this would be difficult for you, it’s best to give the workplace romance option a miss.

This account comes from a lady whose experience was not positive: “I started to flirt with my boss a little.

He showed interest in me when no-one else was around. He would make me feel special and I liked the attention. One day he invited me to a meeting at his apartment, which wasn’t uncommon, but when I showed up no-one else was there. He cornered me and forced me to have sex with him. I was devastated. I felt partly to blame. I told his boss what happened and shortly after I was fired. I was young and decided not to take it further. Now I wish I had.

But it wasn’t so much the done thing back then.”

Or then there is the experience like

my own—how I met my husband.

We were colleagues for the same organisation, but in different states.

I came up to do some work in his region. We were both single so I had put some good boundaries in place from the start just so there wasn’t any pressure for either of us.

This gave us time as colleagues to

our colleagues and friends—they were all so happy for us. After 18 months we got married. We continue to do work together and it’s wonderful.

While it’s not uncommon to have a workplace relationship, what is

“

HOOZONE—GETTY IMAGES

While workplace relationships are common, what’s less common is the relationship ending well.

become friends without anything feeling forced. We found we had a lot in common and really enjoyed each other’s company. I initiated a discussion about seeing where it might go. He thought it was good idea so we both told our family and a trusted colleague—no-one else. We would talk mostly on the phone and sometimes visit one another for a weekend. Once we decided our relationship was going somewhere (about six months later) we shared it with

rare is the relationship ending well.

Weigh up the pros and cons, seek wisdom from friends, follow the tips provided here and you may do really well. Hey, you might even find the love of your life like I did!

Suzanne Bocking is a qualified counsellor and adult educator. She lives in Townsville, northern Australia.

SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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FA IT H

UN FORCED

Love and force are mutually exclusive. They can’t even occupy the same emotional space.

I

magine I walk into a room full of people. There’s a gun in my hand.

I wave it around with a crazy look in my eye. Everyone gives me their undivided attention.

I say, “Gimme your wallet.” He obeys. I say, “Sit down.” She can’t do it fast enough.

We all know that people’s behaviour can be controlled. It happens in back alleys—and in marriages—all the time. It happens in whole nations

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dominated by military dictators and in homes where children tremble with terror to encounter their dad.

Back to the room full of people.

Now I do something a little more personal.

I point the gun straight at your head. I place the cold barrel against your skin and I say, “Love me!

Give me your trust. Now! Be my friend . . . or else.”

Could you? Not, “Would you?”

SHUTTER2U—GETTY IMAGES

BY TY GIBSON

But could you? Is it even within the realm of possibility for you to love me, to trust me—to be my friend— under coercion?

Sure, you might lie to me: “I love you, please don’t kill me!” But that’s just it—you’d be lying.

Because love and force are mutually exclusive. They can’t even occupy the same emotional space. Force disables the ability of the human heart to give trust. The kind of love friendship is made of simply can’t be coerced. Not even by God. That’s pretty amazing, isn’t it, since God happens to be the most powerful Person in the universe? I mean, if anybody could be a dictator and get away with it, it would be God, right? If anybody could force us into subjection and be answerable to no-one but Himself, God could.

But get this: contrary to popular opinion, He simply chooses not to.

He could force our submission, but He doesn’t.

Why not? The answer is both simple and profound: God is love— it’s love alone that He wants. And love can’t be coerced. God is interested in something so much higher; something incredibly beautiful, amazing, wonderful. He’s interested in friendship.

It may feel a little weird to think of God in that light, but remember that room I entered with a gun in my hand? Well, Jesus entered a room too, so to speak—He entered our messed-up world. But He came with no gun in His hand; with no tactics

of force or manipulation. He came wielding a different kind of power, a power most of us don’t expect from Almighty God. He explained it like this: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Then He did it. Jesus, God the Son, gave His life in a monumental act of self-sacrificing love.

Love is what He’s all about. Not control.

If you look at all the professed gods of history and all the religions that claim to represent God, you’ll never encounter anything remotely close to what Jesus spoke of. Here comes God in the flesh saying to us, “I don’t want you to be My slaves.

I want you to be My friends” (John 15:15, paraphrased).

Friendship is what God’s all about, not slavery. He’s saying: “I don’t want our relationship to be motivated by fear; I want our relationship to be based on a freedom in which the only motive is love.”

Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it? The most powerful Person in the universe, the omnipotent Maker of all things, wants my friendship!

But if this is true, then saying “No” to God would be nothing short of insanity wouldn’t it? That gun in my hand is powerless in the face of that kind of love.

Game over.

Ty Gibson is a pastor and media producer based in Oregon, USA. This article is adapted with permission from the Digma.com online video series.

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W

ELL B EING

GO HEALTHY for good WITH

DR NERIDA MCKIBBEN

UNHOLY SMOKE

RAVENOUS RAMPAGE

We are more likely to over-eat junk foods than whole foods, a recent study suggests. For two weeks, study participants were offered ultraprocessed foods (UPF) such as hot dogs, hash browns, sugary cereals and canned green beans.

For the second two weeks, they were offered unprocessed foods, including fruit, veggies, meat and plain yoghurt. On the UPF diet, they consumed 2100 extra kilojoules per day and gained one kilo of weight compared to the unprocessed food diet, when they lost a kilogram.—Nutrition Action 38

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2019

BLUE RAINBOW

Same-sex attracted New Zealanders are up to four times as likely to experience depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts as heterosexuals, new research shows. Researchers followed more than 1000 people for 17 years, from 18 to 35 years of age.

—University of Otago

CIPRIAN TUDOR, PETER SECAN, SHARON MCCUTCHEON—UNSPLASH, LINDA YOLANDA, CLOVERPHOTO, YANA TATEVOSIAN—GETTY IMAGES

Some health authorities are concerned that the increasing prevalence of vaping may undermine many years of successful tobacco control. Three in five Australian young people who currently use e-cigarettes are likely to start tobacco smoking in the next six months, according to a recent study. And one in five people who had tried an e-cigarette, even just one or two puffs, say that they would probably or definitely smoke a tobacco cigarette in the future.

—Curtin University

MENTAL SCARS

Direct and repeated exposure to trauma and armed conflict seriously impacts mental health. University of Queensland and World Health Organization (WHO) researchers have discovered that people who have lived through armed conflict are five times more likely to develop anxiety and depression than people living in the rest of the world. One in five of them will be dealing with a mental health disorder at any one time.—University of Queensland

INSIDIOUS TOXIN Fathers often wait to stop smoking until after their baby is born, but a recent study shows that a child is affected even before birth when their father smokes. Researchers extracted infants’ DNA from umbilical cord blood immediately after birth and found the more that fathers smoked, the more chemical changes were seen in a baby’s DNA that could impair their immune function. By age six, these kids were up to twice as likely to develop asthma than those whose fathers did not smoke.—Frontiers in Genetics

MINTY BREATH, HAPPY TUMMY

Peppermint oil (PO) has been found to be safe and effective in the treatment of the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A group of researchers reviewed 12 randomised trials of PO and found it was significantly more effective than a placebo at relieving IBS-related abdominal pain and intestinal upsets, with only a small increase in side-effects.—BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine Dr Nerida McKibben, a New Zealand obstetrician and gynaecological surgeon, passionately enables people to achieve their greatest health potential. Wanting everyone to live life to the fullest, she integrates wholistic principles into medical treatments and procedures. For more, go to www.hop.ec/gohealthyforgood SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

39

FA IT H

THE RULE

OF LAW

Rules seem boring and unnecessary . . . until someone grabs the soccer ball in their hands and runs towards the goals. Yes, we need rules, but we keep breaking them. What’s the solution?

BY LEE DUNSTAN

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opposite what is now the Webb Ellis Museum, which in the nineteenth century was a ball-manufacturing establishment.

It’s ironic that, for a game so lawbound 200 years on, it should have begun with the alleged breaking of the law against handling the ball! The two rugby codes, along with NFL football in the USA, are among the most rule-driven and technical games in existence, where, in League at least, a serious infraction can result in a player being sent to the aptly named “sin bin” for a season. Which in effect makes surreptitious rule-breaking or playing the “tech foul” as your game strategy a risky strategy.

This is not unlike real life, which also requires a set of laws for equity and fairness for all. In the

DUNCAN1890—GETTY IMAGES

F

or the average punter, rugby league, which reaches its annual premiership climax this month, had its beginnings in a school at Rugby, England, when one William Webb Ellis, “with fine disregard for the rules of football as played in his time at Rugby school, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it, thus originating the distinctive feature of the rugby game”.

It’s been suggested they were playing soccer, and, given the boring score lines in that game—Ellis’s action comes as no surprise to me.

Not to worry, though, the tale is fiction, a myth, with little evidence that it ever happened, not the least that the game of soccer had not then, in 1823, been invented, let alone played in British schools.

Regardless, it remains rugby legend so much so that the Rugby World Cup silverware for the Union version of the game is named the William Webb Ellis Trophy. (And who gets to keep it will be contested this month, when the Rugby World Cup competition kicks off in Japan.)

Unhindered by truth, the market town of Rugby, Warwickshire, has erected a commemorative statue dedicated to the game, which in 1997 cost a handsome £40,000.

The bronze statue of a boy running with a rugby ball stands adjacent to the esteemed school of Rugby and

“

a serious infraction can result in a player being sent to the aptly named ‘sin bin’ . . .

Judeo-Christian tradition, these are the Bible’s Ten Commandments as outlined in Exodus 20 and Leviticus 5, although its tenets are universal. According to Australia’s now-infamous League practitioner, Israel Folau, basing his view on the biblical reference Corinthians 6: 9, 10, unrepentant law-breakers will be sin-binned for eternity. His now-infamous Instagram post reads: Warning: Drunks, Homosexuals, Adulterers, Liars, Fornicators, Thieves, Atheists, Idolaters, hell awaits you.

Repent! Only Jesus Saves. Indeed, Folau warns us, the consequences of breaking the laws of life are severe and enduring.

Off the sports field, we live without any clearly marked sidelines or video replays; there’s no referee

watching our every move or keeping us within life’s touchlines. It’s up to us individually to decide how we play the game. But as humans we tend to wander where we will—we need clear rules for living and protecting relationships. Many live in ignorance of those rules, some conveniently ignore them, while others act in outright defiance of them.

The recently freed slaves in the biblical book of Exodus, who, within earshot of the commandment-giving God on nearby Mount Sinai, chose to make and worship a golden idol. This was surprising, because they’d just made a well-intentioned pledge to God, saying, “We will do everything the Lord has said” (Exodus 19:8). But yielding to their human inclinations, they cast themselves the idol, and danced around it in a shameful orgy.

But consider: we’ve all made resolutions and within days forgotten them. According to an Australian YouGov survey of the top New Year’s resolutions for 2018, we planned to eat healthier, get more exercise, save more money. . . . How did that work out for you?

The Bible’s multi-millennium­long narrative, charting the history of the Jewish nation’s hot-and-cold relationship with God, is evidence of our human inability to obey God’s law. Viewed in isolation, this is SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

43

discouraging, for we, with the best of motives and intentions, might also plan to do “everything the Lord has said”, but fail. Even the great apostle Paul struggled with this, writing, “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:14, 15).

So how does one deal with such an insoluble dilemma?

An episode in the life of King David, second king of Israel, is instructive in this. (See 2 Samuel 11 and compare with Exodus 20:1–17.)

To put it diplomatically, King David had a “moral lapse”: his sin, like many today, was that of adultery. But in this singular act he broke every one of the Ten Commandments. It began with coveting (Commandment #10) his neighbour’s wife, Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite; the theft (Commandment #8) of his most loyal servant’s “property” (as women were viewed in that culture); moved directly into adultery (Commandment #7); generally disrespected his parents (Commandment #5) in forsaking all they’d taught him; all of which was followed by the inevitable cover-up (Commandment #9) of his conspiracy to murder (Commandment #6). Later, David would recognise that his sins were, ultimately, acts against God’s sovereignty (see Psalm 51:4)—wilful, selfish idolatry, an insult to God’s name and His superiority as Creator 44

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(Commandments #1 to #4).

But for David—and herein lieth the lesson—this was not the end of the sad tale, for when confronted with his law-breaking by the prophet Nathan, and realising the enormity of what he had done, with a broken spirit David confessed his wrong­ doing, crying a prayer of repentance: “I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:3), offering as restitution his broken and contrite heart (verse 17).

Psalm 51 is a step-by-step picture of how we, with God, deal with our human inability in law-keeping: Confession allows forgiveness; and forgiveness, grace; and grace, reconciliation; and reconciliation, reinstatement, such that in the end a lying, fornicating murderer can be characterised by God as “‘a man after my own heart; [who] will do everything I want him to do’” (Acts 13:22).

In the only book where it really counts, heaven’s Book of Life, David’s sin had been expunged, blotted out as if never committed.

That’s called grace. And grace finds its way into many a strange place.

Stan Smith was an extremely violent man, one of an infamous threesome comprising Australia’s most notorious criminal gang of the second half of the twentieth century.

In a partnership with criminals Lennie McPherson and George Freeman, Smith was the muscle. He abhorred drugs, but in the post ’60s era moved into the lucrative marijuana business, amassing a fortune.

ROMOLOTAVANI—GETTY IMAGES

On Australia’s east coast, the three ruled the underworld. Protected by a corrupt police force, they were implicated in the murders of dozens of criminal competitors. Smith was himself linked to some 25 shootings and 15 murders, yet spent only a small amount of time in prison.

But, by all accounts, he was greatly affected by the loss of his son to heroin and, as the story has it, murdered his son’s supplier in a fit of rage and hurt, repeatedly running his car over the man as he lay unconscious on the road where he’d felled him.

Then in 2003, abandoning his life of crime, Stan “The Man” Smith made an amazing U-turn, becoming a “Man of God”. A member of the Evangel Bible Church, Sydney, had given him a Christian devotional book in 1996 and the seed planted took root. No one can know for sure if Smith’s conversion was legitimate—insiders believed it was, however. Something had happened

and, weeping and repentant, he was baptised—fully immersed—rising from the water cleansed of his past deeds, a born-again Christian. Until his death in 2010, he attended Bible study, sung in a church choir and distributed religious tracts, as well as working for charities in Sydney’s seedy Kings Cross, his former stamping ground.

In accepting the death of Jesus for his sins, like King David, for the purposes of heaven, Smith’s former sins never existed and eternity became his. For, as the Bible writer explains, “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28).

Lee Dunstan served as editor of Signs of the Times for 25 years between 1993 to 2018. He currently heads up Christian Services for the Blind and Hearing Impaired.

SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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C

H

SC

IE N

CE/ TE

THE CUTTING EDGE

GEOLOGICAL

DISCOVERIES

1. golden fungi Scientists have discovered a fungi in Western Australia with gold attached to its strands. Geologists hope fusarium oxsporum will help them discover new gold deposits.—CSIRO 2. mega ice cave A gigantic cavity is growing under Antarctica, 300 metres high and with a footprint two-thirds the size of of Manhattan. Scientists are concerned, as the cavity represents a loss of 14 billion tonnes of ice.—Science Alert 3. moonquakes A reassessment of old data has shown the moon is tectonically active, suggesting the moon is internally heated and younger than previously thought.—National Geographic

ANSWERS FROM

NATURE

A toxin from the Australian funnel web spider may combat malaria-carrying mosquitos. Scientists have tested the “transgenic remedy” and found 99 per cent of mosquitos were wiped out in a simulated test. According to the World Health Organization, there are 200 million cases and 400,000 deaths from malaria each year.—New Daily 46

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2019

FREEPIK, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS,

FUNNEL WEBS AND MALARIA

WHAT’S OLD AND NEW?

ancient city gate The Golan Heights in Israel is the location of an ancient city gate from King David’s era. Archaeologists were excavating the ancient city of Bethsaida when they made the find. The city was destroyed in 920 BC, but historians say King David walked on some of the cobblestones that were excavated. The find marks the 32nd season of diggings in the city.—Fox News

seal of Nathan-Melech Archaeologists in Jeruslam have found a seal bearing the name Nathan-Melech.

The seal, measuring 1 cm across, comes from the time of King Josiah. The Bible mentions NathanMelech in 2 Kings 23:11; “by the chamber of NathanMelech, the officer who was in the court . . .”

—Watch Jerusalem

watchtower A watchtower from the time of biblical king Hezekiah has been unearthed in southern Israel. The tower is estimated to be 2800 years old, and was found by archaeologists and Israeli paratroopers. The large base of the tower measures 5x3.5 metres.

—Haaretz

MOLE RATS AND PAIN TREATMENT Scientists have found a species of African mole rat is immune to pain when in contact with acid and capsaicin, a chili pepper extract. Researchers are studying the rats, hoping to create pain treatments without the need for addictive medications. It has been discovered the rats have “leak channels” on their nerves that prevent a pain signal from being sent to the rodent’s brain.—Smithsonian

FRUIT FLIES AND CANCER TREATMENT Fruit flies are being tested and shown to have decreased cancer tumour sizes when submitted to treatments. The insects are used because their molecular and genetic structure resembles that of humans—meaning they can simulate human disease conditions. The Drosophila fly has previously been used for research in neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic syndromes and genetic conditions.—DigitalJournal SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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CU

R RENT

THE

D E BT

CRISIS

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Critics say our financial system is broken, but perhaps this is a symptom of how each of us uses money and hints at a much deeper need for healing.

T

here is $US247 trillion in debt around the world, according to a report from the Institute of International Finance. This figure is about three times greater than the total size of the global economy. In the year 2000, that global debt was $87 trillion, so it has nearly tripled since then. It is becoming apparent that the economic growth of the past two decades has been built on debt. Individuals, businesses and governments have all borrowed heavily to finance what is believed to be “economic growth” and wealth.

However, the reality is that deficit spending is not growth and debt is certainly not wealth.

The question is often asked, “Who is lending the money for all of this borrowing?” It’s a very good question, and the answer is quite complex. First of all, the modern financial and banking system has the ability to “create money” that it can lend out to

borrowers. This banking system relies partly on savers and businesses who have their money on deposit, but financial regulations allow the banks to lend many times more money than they have in deposits.

At times it seems like this magical money-generating machine has no limits and can create credit indefinitely. But what we are seeing unfold today reflects the reality that this system does in fact have limits.

Governments also borrow money, mostly from their citizens or perhaps other nations, in the form of bonds.

Or at times they make promises to pay later, like pensions, from future tax revenues. Governments rely on tax to repay their loans, but with virtually every government and every politician using deficit spending (borrowing) to finance campaign promises and get elected, the burden of these debts eventually falls on the backs of the taxpayer. The evidence of the looming end of this “credit cycle”, when the limits of borrowing are reached, is that it becomes more SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

VALENTINRUSSANOV—GETTY IMAGES

BY TIM AKA

49

expensive to borrow money. Or in other words, interest rates begin to rise. Up until this year’s trade war with China, US interest rates were steadily increasing. The impact was being felt in every country around the world, because the rising US interest rate is reflected in a stronger US dollar, which means a higher cost of doing business around the world.

This globally interconnected world is beneficial to all parties when it’s healthy and growing, but when the supply of money decreases or gets more expensive or both, the decline drags everyone down with it. We rise and fall together.

biblical proportions

Does the Bible have anything to say about debt? Well, there are certainly wise sayings. The apostle Paul tells us to “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another” (Romans 13:8). God promised the Israelites that, under His blessings, they would “lend to many nations but . . . borrow from none” (Deuteronomy 15:6). But, beyond just sage advice to ancient peoples, does the Bible say anything in prophecy about all of the debt we are amassing today and what might happen in the near future?

We could turn to the book of Habakkuk, where the prophet is warning the king of Babylon about a debt crisis. Habakkuk describes a proud nation that has an insatiable appetite for possessions and seeks to conquer the world. The prophet 50

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warns, “Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own” (Habakkuk 2:6, ESV*). This is a fitting description of our modern society, which prizes the accumulation of material goods.

But why are these possessions not truly his own? The prophet answers, saying that this individual “loads himself with pledges” (that is, debt).

While we’re in debt to the bank or credit card company, our possessions are not truly our own. Too many of us in our on-demand world have lost the virtue of saving and waiting for a purchase.

Habakkuk asks the all-important question, “For how long?” And then he provides this warning: “Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them” (Habakkuk 2:7). A stern warning not just for the avaricious king of Babylon, but for all of us caught in a debt trap. How long until our day of reckoning? Until our spending and debts catch up with us?

Are we reading too much into the words of this obscure Hebrew prophet? Well, we should note that while Habakkuk was writing to the king of Babylon, his empire didn’t succumb to a debt crisis. Habakkuk writes at the beginning of the passage that this warning is for the future, “For still the vision awaits its appoin­ ted time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie” (Habakkuk 2:3). Bible prophecy uses the concept and imagery of Babylon, an historical nation, to represent future regimes

that repress God’s people. Perhaps Habakkuk was writing for a future audience; about a future Babylon representing a metaphorical repressive financial regime ruling over the world, trapping us in a materialistic state.

And Babylon, a name that originated from the Tower of

tions, we are really insolvent—our real financial worth is less than zero.

We work harder every day to try to maintain a status quo that seems to be slipping through our fingers.

Further­more, we are in deficit when it comes to real quality relationships,

“

CARTON_KING—GETTY IMAGES

. . . a proud nation that had an insatiable appetite for possessions and sought to conquer the world.

Babel (meaning “confusion”), may also be an apt metaphor for the condition of the last-days church called Laodicea (see Revelation 3:14–22). It’s a church filled with people who think they are rich when in fact they are poor, and don’t realise their true condition. So many of us live in nice houses, drive around in shiny new vehicles and look like a typical middle-class family. But when we consider our debts and obliga-

and outright bankrupt when looking for meaning in our lives.

abundant life

But, it’s not just the church that is captive to this economic malaise of debt; the entire world seems to be in the same trap. Is there a solution, or are we all destined to eke out an existence hoping blindly that the status quo can be maintained? Is there a SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

51

better way to live? Jesus said, “I came that [you] may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). While we might think He was just talking about life in heaven, a closer inspection indicates that He was actually talking about a more abundant life in this world. But how is that possible for those of us who were not born into a wealthy family, or have not been fortunate enough to strike it rich? Did Jesus really mean that we could have a good life here and now?

And if so, how is that possible in this debt-driven, materialistic world?

If we look at legendary psychologist Abraham Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs”, we would think that there are some basic needs that we need to fulfill first in order to get to the next level of development or satisfaction.

We need the basic necessities of food or shelter just to live. Next, we need social acceptance and accomplishments to feel valued. Yet Christ said that when we are poor, we are rich; when we are weak, we are strong; and when the world rejects us, He rewards us (see Matthew 5:1–12, 2 Corinthians 12:9). He completely turned the world’s expectations upside down. He invites us into a relationship with Him—to reject the world’s priorities. And He contends that this will fulfill our deepest needs.

greater than this world

There is something inherent in each of us that seeks the spiritual, the divine. There is a part of us that can 52

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“

There is a need for a sharing relationship between us and God—without it, we can never be whole.

only be filled by something greater than ourselves and greater than this world. There is a need for a sharing relationship between us and God— without it, we can never be whole.

But when we have it, the things of this world seem to pale in comparison. When we have the Spirit of God inside us, we can be fulfilled, have health (including mental health), have real friendships and have true purpose. Life . . . abundantly.

And, of course, no matter how eloquently I try to describe this wonderful relation­ship with God and a fulfilled life, I’ll fall short. It’s not until we meet a person who has that joy in their life—that abundance—that we can begin to see and experience what Jesus was talking about. Someone, for example, who

PIXELFIT—GETTY IMAGES

may look like they are not rich in the things of this world, but have a wider smile that any billionaire. Someone who is gracious and generous, like they own the whole world, because deep inside, they know they do.

These are people who know that they are heirs—joint heirs with Jesus as the King of the universe!

You haven’t met a Christian like that? I apologise. That is the greatest failure of the Christian church—not living and representing the joy it is to walk with Jesus. Our failure as Christ’s ambassadors is in seeking fulfillment in the things of this world when God offers us real peace, joy, love and purpose in life.

As the world devolves around us—economically, politically, ecologically, morally—I hope you

will meet a true Christian who lives the abundant life that Jesus promised, so you can be inspired and encouraged to know that it is real and He is real. Or perhaps you will find an entire church that has been aroused from their state of Laodicean slumber and is a living example of the growing kingdom that Jesus announced 2000 years ago.

Or perhaps you can be that person, who will show the world what Jesus meant when He said that He came to give life. No longer a debtor, but a generous giver of the blessing of the abundant life.

Tim Aka has a background in business finance and manages the investment portfolio for the world headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland. * Bible verses in this article are used with permission from the English Standard Version (2001, Crossway).

SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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RE VIE W

THIS BOOK

changed my diet

the m ost

Book review: California journalist John Howard Weeks offers insights into how his home town is one of the world’s few longevity “blue zones”.

BY MARIANA VENTURI 54

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The Healthiest People on Earth by John Howard Weeks (2018, BenBella Books).

GILAXIA—GETTY IMAGES

I

’ve considered myself willing to be a vegetarian—or even a vegan—for 15 years, but then there was my love for cheese, my love for free-range eggs, my love for gourmet burgers and Jordanian koftas and Nando’s chicken . . . oh, and my sister-in-law’s delicious beef rissoles, the flavoursome shared meals with my husband and the sizzling barbecues prepared by the men in our family. I felt I could, but then I just couldn’t.

Well, all of that changed after reading The Healthiest People on Earth

by California journalist John Howard Weeks. Right up to now, as I’m writing this review some weeks later, I’ve had no more cravings for cheese, I’ve peacefully overcome all sorts of daily food temptations and unhelpful habits, and I’ve officially told my family—both here in Australia and in my home country of Brazil—that I am now a vegan. You read that right.

I’ve been enjoying a fully plant-based diet—yes, enjoying!

If you’re not sure about going down the same path, don’t worry: this is not a book that will preach to you.

It will not disturb you or embarrass you. It has no harrowing descriptions of animal cruelty to sicken you; no SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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“

ethical and moral dilemmas to pressure you; no disgusting details that will make you wish you didn’t have to look at what you eat ever again. But it will cause you to look at food in a different way. The Healthiest People on Earth is not overbearing, but insightful. The reading flows easily, zested with humour, yet it makes you think.

Apart from some unnecessary jokes that sounded silly and some bits that I would have preferred to pass over (like a strange transc­ endent bedroom vision involving zebras that I’m still trying to work out), I enjoyed Weeks’ sense of humour. He describes his journey through different diets in a disarmingly honest and hilarious way and his conversational tone makes reading a breeze—you feel like you’re just having a chat in a cafe or in his kitchen, listening to personal anecdotes and special family memories.

In addition, I love how Weeks’ literary style and poetry enriches the imagination and lends a sense 56

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2019

of immediacy. To give you a taste: “Now, go to the produce department. It smells good! Look at all the colours! Ravishing red radishes and apples and beets. Sunshiny yellow lemons and bananas and squashes. Opulent orange tangerines and pumpkins and carrots. Gorgeous green limes and artichokes and honeydews. Royal purple eggplants and grapes. Beautiful blue potatoes and blueberries.

So many choices! Luscious fruits and berries, crunchy vegetables, chewy nuts and legumes, fragrant greens. It’s like a banquet for the senses!”

Although scientific research is not at the forefront, The Healthiest People on Earth is empirically based—this factor definitely helped me accomplish my longheld ambition to become a vegetarian. It also gave me the resolution and the tactics to take it one step further and embrace a vegan diet. As Weeks says, “Plant-based nutrition is abundant and full of blessings, my friends. It is much

NORTONRSX—GETTY IMAGES

Look at the colours! . . . It’s like a banquet for the senses!

more than a diet. It’s a whole new way of living better, living stronger, living longer.”

Filled with practical tips, each chapter of the book closes with a “happy home remedy”. For instance, the “vegan penicillin”, which was very handy as I was fighting a cold while reading the book. My husband cooked this recipe (which actually is better than chicken soup) and indeed I was feeling better the next day. Plus, as a treat, the book includes a special section on home remedies and a collection of inviting family recipes.

The healing power of plant ingredients was promoted by Weeks’ greatgreat-grandmother, Ellen G White in the late 1800s. She was the notable Christian revivalist who kicked off a health reform movement within the Seventh-day Adventist Church that is largely responsible for Loma Linda, California (an Adventist population centre and Weeks’ home town), being one of the few longevity “blue zones” on Earth.

Many of the health principles White shared as instructions from God preceded medical research by more than a hundred years. “These old-­fashioned, simple herbs, used intelligently, would have recovered many sick who have died under drug medication,” she wrote in 1897.

Now, should I spoil the part of Weeks’ book that had the biggest impact on me? Why not! “Once you stop putting the flesh and blood and secretions of dead or captive animals into your system, you are no longer SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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“Eating is not the purpose of life.

It’s quite the other way around. Life is the purpose of eating,” Weeks reminds us. With lots of right-on-themoney advice (and some unexpected new things for me, like cherries as a source of melatonin), from beauty tips with tomatoes to White’s div­ inely inspired gardening techniques in Australia, The Healthiest People on Earth is pleasant reading—and, for me, life-changing! As the author says, “We can live better, live stronger, live longer. Ready to try it yourself?”

Mariana Venturi is a television producer who lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband. The Healthiest People on Earth (2018) is published by BenBella Books.

NORTONRSX—GETTY IMAGES

weighed down, slowed down by that stolen plunder. You are free to live a new life fuelled by fresh nutrients, not the second-hand stuff, and you will find yourself invigorated in the most natural and healthiest possible way,” writes Weeks.

Sure enough, since I’ve experimented with switching out animal products for whole-food, plant-based alternatives, the surprising benefit has been the amount of energy I’ve gained. I’ve struggled with constant fatigue for decades and I thought it was due to my hypothyroidism.

Well, it turns out that just a couple of weeks of being vegan has already changed a lifetime symptom. My mind is also getting clearer and sharper—there is no way I would turn back now.

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W

ELL B EING

HARA HACHI BU The simple Japanese phrase for a longer and leaner life.

BY SANITARIUM HEALTH & WELLBEING

O

kinawa, Japan, is home to a group of people who are among the healthiest on the planet. In fact, the Okinawans are found in one of the “Blue Zone” hot spots—regions where people live extraordinarily long and healthy lives. So, what’s their secret?

While they follow a range of healthy lifestyle practices such as having a close network of friends and a keen sense of purpose, the Okinawans also abide by an old adage before the beginning of every meal—hara hachi bu—which roughly

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means, “Eat until you’re 80 per cent full.”

Simple, isn’t it?

The combination of caloric restriction and eating mindfully is part of the reason Okinawa has a higher percentage of centenarians than anywhere else in the world.

Given that we tend to ignore the satiating signals our stomachs send to our brains when we’re enjoying a tasty meal, the idea of stopping at 80 per cent may seem impossible. But it doesn’t have to be. Here’s how:

HOW TO HARA HACHI BU DON’T GET HUNGRY. If you eat when you’re ravenous you’ll likely end up over-eating, so don’t let yourself get to that level of hunger. Check in with yourself throughout the day and keep healthy snacks on hand, like a handful of nuts or veggie sticks.

FILL UP ON PLANTS Filling up on veggies is a great way to get a boost of nutrients and feel fuller. Aim to fill at least half your plate with a range of colourful veggies.

RESET YOUR MUSCLE MEMORY. Your stomach gets used to eating a certain amount of food.

If you’re used to large meals, your stomach will be large too.

By slowly reducing the amount you eat at each meal, your stomach will get used to smaller portion sizes and you’ll be less likely to overeat.

EAT SLOWLY When you’re hungry, you tend to wolf down your food. This doesn’t give your stomach time to digest, which means you’ll miss the cues that you’ve had enough. Instead, take your time, chew mindfully and you’ll realise you’re full much more quickly.

Remember, it takes 20 minutes for your body to register that you’ve eaten enough.

Article courtesy of Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing. Visit sanitarium.com.au or sanitarium.co.nz and subscribe to Wholicious living for more great health and nutrition info each month.

SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

SVETA_ZARZAMORA—GETTY­ IMAEGES

FOCUS ON FOOD. If you’re going to eat, just eat.

Remove any distractions, like the television or other devices.

This will help you eat mindfully, because you’ll pay more attention to your food, eat slower and savour each bite.

61

FUN

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

Happy digging!

EDUCATION.COM

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SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • SEPTEMBER 2019

Hint: 13 Down

CROSSWORD CLUES

ACROSS 5 Tendon that connects calf muscle to heel 6 Equivalent of 1000 grams 7 Social media website described as a “catalogue of ideas” 9 Synonym for workmate 11 A number that is ten to the twelfth power 12 Slang term for an organised dance party DOWN 1 A metal alloy—awarded to third place in sports 2 Scientist who deals with the study of the earth 3 New York baseball team 4 When thyroid glands do not produce enough hormone 8 To have obliterated or completely removed 10 Island in Japan where Americans and Japanese fought in World War II 13 Small picture used in online conversations

SUDOKU EASY

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2

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5

2

1

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6 9

2

1 9

3

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8 7

8

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7 8

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HARD

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1

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2 4 1

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SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU SEPTEMBER 2019 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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