Signs of the Times - October 2021

SPACE WILL NOT ARE WE BEING TREATED OR TRICKED?

save us

DOES RELIGION CAUSE WAR?

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY

IN THIS ISSUE

OCTOBER 2021

SPACE WILL NOT SAVE US

What, or who will?

PAGE 32

12 CURRENT

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WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE BEING TREATED OR TRICKED? The truth about Halloween

WELLBEING

10 UNDER PRESSURE One woman's

experience with perinatal depression 16 SHINING A LIGHT FOR PARKINSON'S SUFFERERS Infrared light therapy is providing hope 22 BETTER HEALTH FOR EVERY BODY Health news that makes a difference FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 2

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FAITH

38 SPECIAL DAY OF SELF

CARE Rediscovering Sabbath 44 THE FINAL SHOW Are current events leading to the end of the world?

52 DOCTOR, YOU SAW MY ANGEL! A miracle in 1960s Yugoslavia

BIG QUESTIONS

24 DOES RELIGION CAUSE

WAR? Aren't religions meant to be about love?

/SIGNSMAG

SCIENCE & TECH

50 THE CUTTING EDGE Engineering, science

and technology news

CULTURE

56 THE BIG PICTURE Film preview: Dune

FUN

62 CROSSWORD AND

SUDOKU Have you been paying attention?

REACH FOR THE STARS In the Bible there is a story about a tower called Babel. The people of the land, led by a powerful man by the name of Nimrod, known as “a mighty hunter”, were ruthless and destructive. They wanted to replace God so, in human pride, they came together to build a tower to the stars! Nimrod was driving the building project, exploiting the people, making himself king and using the tower to set himself up as a god.

According to Josephus, a Roman-era Jewish historian, “[Nimrod] also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power.”

God steps into the story and disrupts the empire by confusing their language and the people scatter. Justice is done and Nimrod’s corrupt empire is broken up.

This story came to mind when reading “Space will not save us” (p32). Rich powerful men building greedy empires and reaching for the stars on the backs of their workers. The Babel story could well hold lessons for modern men and women.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m intrigued by the space race.

Good things come from innovation and science. Yet we also see a world around us that is suffering. Most days the news is bad. But there is hope. Hope that God cares about what happens on this blue globe. God cares about you and me. God stepped into human history in the person of Jesus and changed our outcome, guaranteeing life and ultimately justice. So if you’re not sure space can save you, try Jesus. You won’t regret it.

Jarrod

JARROD STACKELROTH Editor

VOL 136 NO 10 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:

Hutangac—Getty Images

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WHAT IN THE WORLD WHO'S THE VACCINE EXPERT? Two children have been put into government care after their parents opposed them receiving measles vaccinations. A hearing on the topic saw a doctor and immunisation expert share a rebuttal to the mother's claim the vaccine contains mercury and carries the risk of anaphylactic shock.

Judge Anthony Mahon ruled against the mother, citing that her internet research did not carry the same credibility as expert testimony.—Stuff.co.nz

THOSE WHO STAY, THOSE WHO GO AUSTRALIA

The Australian government has been criticised after it was discovered 15,000 visas had been granted to foreign millionaires since the Covid-19 outbreak. Critics say it's a case of double standards, comparing those granted "business innovation and investment" visas aimed at stimulating the economy with the more than 100,000 students on visas forced to leave Australia recently.—SMH, SBS 4

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MIKA BAUMEISTER—UNSPLASH, JESHOOTS.COM—UNSPLASH, SARA KURFESS—UNSPLASH, CLEM ONOJEGHUO—UNSPLASH

NEW ZEALAND

TOBACCO GIANT CALLS FOR CIGARETTE BAN UNITED KINGDOM

Jacek Olczak, CEO of tobacco company Philip Morris, has called on the UK government to ban cigarettes within a decade, likening the move to phasing out petrol cars. The company's Malboro brand would be banned under the scheme, with Philip Morris aiming to base half its revenue around non-smoking products.—The Guardian

VACANT JOB CRISIS UNITED STATES

The United States is struggling to fill 10 million job openings with an estimated 8.7 million potential workers. Employers are using extra incentives such as signing bonuses, flexible working arrangements and even pet insurance to entice employees. Workplace analysts have cited uncertainty around Covid-19 and changes in the job market as contributing to the figures.—CNBC

ON THE RISE Australians in Generation Y (ages 18—31) are more likely to celebrate Halloween than past generations.

64 per cent of Australians are involved in Halloween activities by providing treats, even if they don't believe in Halloween.

45 per cent of Australians in 2011 said they did not celebrate Halloween because it is an "American tradition".

—McCrindle Research According to retailers, Halloween's popularity is rising. Spotlight reported a 100 per cent increase in Halloween sales in 2016, including fake spiders and costumes.

—SMH

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ARE WE BEING treated or tricked?

Even before any sweets are consumed, many might find themselves soured by the reality of Halloween’s dark past and present.

BY HAROLD HARKER 6

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KAROLINA GRABOWSKA—GETTY IMAGES

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alloween is celebrated on what is called “All Hallows Eve” on October 31 each year, which occurs before “All Saints Day” on November 1. The day itself has become big business. The value of sales by businesses for all the costumes, lights and lollies has doubled in the past 10 years. In fact, a quarter of all lollies are sold in the lead-up to Halloween each year. According to Forbes, during 2019 in the USA alone, Halloween was worth $US8.8 billion. That is around $US84 per head on average!

Interestingly, the value of pumpkins sold in 2020 came to $US686 million. It was not for food—but to cut spooky faces out of the pumpkin gourds and place a light inside to make it scary for anyone coming to trick or treat and ask for lollies. Traditionally it was thought to ward off evil spirits.

Halloween evening in Australia usually sees children run around in horror robes and witches masks. Some are even more gratuitous with outfits depicting skeletons and visible intestines; even decaying heads and hanging bodies. Voodoo outfits are common as well as vampire, skeleton and grim reaper

outfits. Innocent fun? A chance to blow off steam? Or does the date have a darker underbelly?

dark present

Halloween night has the highest rates of vandalism.

Property crimes in the US increase by some 24 per cent on Halloween night, while vandalism also sees an increase of 19 per cent.

This is compounded by authorities’ warnings that there is even more danger—as children dressed in these weird outfits cannot see as well when crossing streets.

With flames in pumpkins displays, some outfits have been known to catch fire too easily.

You might say, but there are risks anytime you take your child out on the street. Correct, which is why the core issue with Halloween lies with its relation to the occult.

dark past

A strange facet of human nature is our obsession with darkness. This is exacerbated by popular media—with Hollywood a known promoter of Halloween. One such film series, the Fear Street Trilogy, was shot back-to-back and was released on Netflix in July ahead of Halloween. Another OCTOBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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(Ecclesiastes 9:5), while also warning horror film, Malignant, was released of interfering with dark forces in the last month. The title alone raises spiritual realm. “For our struggle is red flags! But to cap it off, Universal not against flesh and blood, but . . .

Pictures is releasing Halloween Kills against the powers of this dark world on October 15, just a couple of and against the spiritual forces of evil weeks prior to Halloween. in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians Many of these films carry an 6:12). There are additional warnings: MA15+ or R18+ rating, and “Do not turn to mediums or seek out Australian Classifications does not recommend parents show these films spiritists, for you will be defiled by them” (Leviticus 19:31). to their children. To know what is All this raises the question why fact and what is fantasy is not always anyone would spend time dwelling understood by children. Without on ghosts and people from the dead adequate preparation, such films or coming back? The Bible makes clear incidents may leave scars on their that even praying minds. for the dead Halloween is won’t change thought to have anything as they originated with just sleep until ancient Celtic a resurrection harvest festivals, A strange facet of human comes with Jesus. in particular nature is our obsession Dressing up that of the in costumes of festival Samhain with darkness animals, witches beginning in or anything else the 8th century. as part of the It was the end occult can be a of harvest and “gateway” to a the darkest world involving time of the year suffering and pain. You only need was approaching. People dressed to read former clairvoyant Cathy like the dead and ghosts thinking Hookham’s testimony in the August that by doing so, the ghost or spirit 2021 edition of Signs of the Times to would ignore them and they would find out how destructive a life with be protected. Because of this, it was the occult is. commonplace to wear animal heads Perhaps if you are considering and skins at this festival. being a part of Halloween activities This contrasts greatly with the on October 31, a better question to biblical account of what happens ask yourself would be: do I even want to people when they die. The Bible to be associated with anything that is says “the dead know nothing”

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seen to be satanic or of the dark side of the world?

Scripture has a number of references to this end. The apostle Paul wrote to those who lived in Thessaloniki, “Reject every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Another comment from his pen says, “Do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27), and “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:11).

the alternative

While in the present day, many participate in Halloween, an event which has been passed down over the centuries, its dark history contrasts with Paul’s words to those at Philippi to seek to bring people to the light.

He says, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

If I follow this advice, I would choose to avoid all the horror and grotesqueness of Halloween. Let’s make the world a better place.

IMGORTHAND—GETTY IMAGES

Harold Harker is a retired Seventh-day Adventist church leader and pastor; and frequently published author. He lives in Australia's Lake Macquarie region.

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Coping with chronic hypertension and depression during pregnancy.

IZUSEK—GETTY IMAGES

BY NIGEL BYNG

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hile for many the experience of pregnancy is full of excitement, for some first-time mothers, it can be a struggle with the unknown. For newlywed Shannon Toledo, her complicated health issues were adding another variable to the morning sickness, mood swings and the uncertainty with her job during the peak of Covid-19. A part-time martial arts instructor with a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo as well as being a fitness enthusiast—this soon-to-be mum decided she would not sit back and let all the distractions get to her.

prenatal depression is real

Once the excitement of being pregnant had worn off, fear and anxiety became a part of her daily routine. A lot of it she rationalised to hormonal activity, but she also realised that her fluctuating emotions were affecting relationships and her ability to function and even pray.

“Three months in, and I’m angry, crying for no reason, scared and anxious about the silliest of things that wouldn’t usually bother me. I was all over the place,” Toledo said with exasperation.

“I’d been hitting the gym pretty hard to get in shape for my wedding, and here I was, still lingering in that honeymoon phase, in the best shape of my life and realising I was pregnant. I was afraid of the risk to my baby because of my chronic hypertension, and I would also soon need to find pregnancy pants to wear to 12

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the gym. It was depressing. No-one tells you there’s a hump that comes with the bump.”

She is not alone. One of the most common issues that women experience during and after pregnancy is depression. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), reports that nearly 14­­­­­–23 per cent of pregnant women experience depression. The Perinatal Wellbeing Centre in Australia places their numbers at 10 per cent.

Perinatal depression is considered a medical condition. There is no single factor, but rather a complex mixture of emotional, physical and sometimes environmental contributors; and certainly not the fault of the mumto-be.

Some of the symptoms of perinatal depression can include:

But Toledo stayed upbeat despite the blue moods.

“The funk is real. I cannot explain most of it. It just happens,” Toledo said. “I have started to appreciate praying in an intimate way. My husband Jason is incredibly patient and supportive, I have an amazing little sister, a circle of concerned friends and co-workers who are very

“

No-one tells you there's a hump that comes with the bump

understanding. I am truly blessed.”

A pregnancy so soon after her wedding, with the inevitable changes that would bring, was totally unexpected. Then there were the unknowns—the anxiety, the excitement, the expectations and the unsolicited advice. Despite all the well-meaning counsel and the outpouring of advice, the voices in her head were more deafening than the crowd.

How do you shut out that noise? “I have accepted that everyone has an opinion,” Toledo said. “Sometimes it makes me feel like I am an idiot. But I know they all mean well, and I am always desperate for any affirmation that I am not being a horrible wife, or being the worst expectant mum ever, or even becoming a nightmare of a person.”

Having spent many moments in the gym with her and knowing the energy and focus she brings to her sessions, I asked her how she coped with the food cravings and chronic hypertension.

“It’s been a pet project of ours these past few months. [My husband] Jason has seen it as a challenge to be in even better shape.” She purses her lips and suppresses a smile.

“I have, with the help of my doctor, created a pregnancy diet,” she continues, “not only for myself, but because Jason has accepted this journey as his as well, it means I don’t have to feel isolated. He really has embraced this 100 per cent.”

Good nutrition is often the last thing on the to-do list of couples

IMAGE SUPPLIED

• Change in eating habits.

• Anxiety.

• Persistent sadness.

• Not enough sleep or too much sleep.

• Loss of interest in things you usually enjoy.

• Difficulty concentrating.

• Recurring thoughts of death, suicide or hopelessness.

• Feelings of worthlessness

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expecting a baby. Healthy eating habits suffer. While weight gain is expected, studies have shown that many women are three times more likely to gain more than is recommended.

“Surely, you’ve had more than a few bad days. What’s the go-to crave?”

“Pizza. It has always been my go-to comfort food.” She has the biggest of grins as she talks about food. “I don’t deny myself anything I want, but instead I am just very careful about portion sizes.”

coping with high blood pressure

Toledo suffers from chronic hypertension, and for years she had been managing her diet, exercising and taking her medications to mitigate the risks that come with having high blood pressure. One of the major risks for her is pre-eclampsia. Toledo began to have complications just around the middle of her second trimester, which put the life of her baby at risk.

“I have endured things in life that no woman should ever have to experience, yet the thought of losing my baby is more terrifying than anything I have ever faced,” she says, her voice trembling with emotion.

I spoke to Nurse Lawrence, a district health coordinator with more than 10 years’ experience in antenatal care units who has cared for many women with pre-eclampsia. “Pre-eclampsia is a very serious condition that can be life-threatening to both 14

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mother and baby,” she said. “It requires extra vigilance on the part of the health care team. Mild cases may be prescribed bed rest and medication, but in more severe cases when the mother or baby is at risk, delivery is expedited, so Shannon’s fears are not unfounded.”

Hypertensive disorders are the second leading cause of maternal deaths in the United States. Nearly a quarter of women with chronic hypertension develop pre-eclampsia during pregnancy and are then at risk for premature birth, restricted growth of the baby, congestive heart failure, renal failure or even the death of the fetus or mother. In Australia, the numbers are slightly lower—15 per cent of direct maternal mortality is attributed to pre-eclampsia and its accompanying conditions. These numbers globally quickly add up to thousands of women and their babies who, sadly, do not make it through pregnancy every year.

Despite the obvious fears and forebodings, Toledo is determined.

“I believe God ordained his arrival.

So, this baby is intended to become a part of my life,” she said while rubbing her seven-month bump.

“He’s going to be here soon, he won’t be going to term, but I will be there to greet him in the NICU [neo-natal intensive care unit].” She spoke with a tremble in her voice.

Her words could not be more true.

Little Connor James was welcomed into the world four days after we sat down for our interview. We met up

two months later at the end of Florida’s typical lukewarm winter for breakfast at a seaside restaurant. Her blood pressure is still off the charts and she is fighting a constant battle to manage it. But she is beaming. Little Connor is enjoying his first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean while tucked away in his pram and wearing a jumper.

What is her advice for any expectant mother coping with high blood pressure?

1. KNOW THE FACTS

Do not bury your head in the sand. Ignorance fuels your fears.

2. KNOW YOUR LIMITS

Not every woman is Serena Williams and can compete in an Aussie Open while pregnant.

3. LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR’S ADVICE

“My obstetrician became my best friend. She was on speed dial.”

4. ALLOW YOUR PARTNER TO BE A PART OF THE JOURNEY

Both the ups and the downs.

5. HAVE A FUN NUTRITION AND EXERCISE PLAN

Nigel Byng is a freelance writer based in West Palm Beach, Florida. If you or someone you know needs help, contact: Lifeline Australia 13 11 14, or New Zealand: 0800 54 33 54.

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If it is fun, you will tend to stick to it.

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SHINING A LIGHT FOR PARKINSON'S

s r e r e f f u S 10 million people worldwide suffer from Parkinson's disease. Groundbreaking new methods may change all that.

BY SUVI MAHONEN

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on Till, 69, was exhausted. Two years earlier he had lost the ability to have a good night’s sleep. He would go to bed early, only to be awoken by his body jerking violently, one of his many symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

But things changed for the better when he signed up for a novel clinical trial assessing the effectiveness of infrared light therapy for Parkinson’s.

provement that once the study ended he purchased a light helmet device used in the trial and continues to use it for 20 minutes every second day.

He credits his ongoing use of light therapy for preventing his Parkinson’s symptoms from getting worse. “Since I started the light treatment I’ve plateaued so nicely that my neurologist has reduced my three-monthly visits to yearly,” he said.

“

The gut microbiome in Parkinson's patients has been shown to be altered compared to those of the general population “It improved my sleep so much,” said Till, who lives in Mannum, South Australia. Within weeks of commencing the trial, which involved applying infrared light therapy to his head and abdomen, three times a week, for 12 weeks, he stopped jerking awake. “I got back my two blocks of four-hour sleep, which is like gold to me.”

Till was so pleased with his im18

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The results of the trial, which involved 19 participants in NSW and SA, showed that Till was not an isolated case, with most participants demonstrating improvements in Parkinson’s symptoms and signs including gait, balance, cognition and fine motor skills after receiving infrared light therapy. In addition, the trial examined for, and found, changes in the participants’ gut mi-

link between Parkinson’s disease, the gastrointestinal tract and the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome in Parkinson’s patients has been shown to be altered compared to those of the general population. Constipation affects 90 per cent of Parkinson’s sufferers, often preceding the initial diagnosis by many years. And there is an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease in those who already have IBS or IBD. The reason for this link is undetermined, however the prime suspect is a protein known as alpha-synuclein.

Abnormal accumulations of this protein in nerve cells form microscopically visible lesions known as Lewy bodies which are associated with a decreased ability to repair DNA damage and increased cell death.

Lewy bodies have been detected in the GIT up to 20 years before the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. They are also present in high numbers in the brain of Parkinson’s patients, especially in the basal ganglia.

It is hypothesised that inflammation leads to increased alpha synuclein accumulation in the GIT, with some of this excess being transported to the brain via the vagus nerve. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that those who have undergone a surgical transection of the vagus nerve are less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.

Improvements in the gut microbiome may reduce GIT inflammation and permeability, thereby reducing alpha-synuclein transportation to the OCTOBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

MARIANVEJCIK—GETTY IMAGES

crobiome, which meant that this was the first known trial worldwide to demonstrate changes in the human gut microbiome following infrared light therapy.

The Australian study’s microbiome findings, which are being published in The Journal of Photochemistry & Photobiology B: Biology, offer a potential ray of hope for the approximately 80,000 Australians and 10 million people worldwide who are facing a long, slow decline from a progressive neurodegenerative disease with limited treatment options.

The number of cells in the gut microbiome, which is comprised of all the bacteria, protozoa and fungi that colonise the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), is estimated to be a hundred trillion, which is as many as the number of cells in the rest of our entire body. There has been increased interest in the gut microbiome over recent years, with dysbiosis (an unbalanced microbiome) being linked to a number of medical disorders, including neurodegenerative disease, cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer and obesity.

There has long been a postulated

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The majority of participants showed a significant increase in 10 different genera of microorganisms including Bacteroides, Alistipes and Prevotella and a significant decrease in 17 different genera including Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus and various Clostridium and Enterococcaceae genera.

Interestingly two of the bacterium that showed an increase—Bacteroides and Prevotella—have been shown in multiple studies to be reduced in the gut microbiome of Parkinson’s sufferers. In fact low levels of Prevotella is so strongly associated with a more rapid progression and greater severity of Parkinson’s that it has been proposed as a biomarker for the disease. And Bacteroides is considered beneficial to the microbiome through its anti-inflammatory properties and production of healthy short chain fatty acids.

Five of the bacteria that showed a decrease post-light therapy—Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, Christensenella and Enterococcacea— have been shown in multiple studies to be increased in the microbiome of Parkinson’s sufferers.

“It is quite possible that laser will provide a synergistic effect to the currently available therapeutic manoeuvres [to the gut microbiome],” Professor of Cardiology at Macquarie University, Hosen Kiat, said. “It is a no-brainer if it is useful because it is relatively cheap, it is non-invasive and it has zero side effects.”

Not all the microbiome findings,

ERDARK—GETTY IMAGES

brain, as well as increasing beneficial microbial metabolic byproducts such as serotonin, GABA and dopamine, thereby reducing the risk of Parkinson’s disease and improving symptoms in those who already have the disease.

Australasian Research Institute’s Dr Ann Liebert and her colleagues had already found, through earlier research, that the gut microbiome of mice could be altered through administration of infrared light therapy.

They wished to see if this finding could be replicated in humans.

Nineteen volunteers were recruited, all aged between 60 and 80 and with mild to moderate symptoms and signs of Parkinson’s.

The participants gave a faecal sample to researchers before the trial began, and were asked not to alter their dietary habits or day-to-day activities during the duration of the study. The participants were then given infrared light therapy via laser devices to their abdomen and to their head and/or their neck, three times a week for 12 weeks. Then a further faecal sample was collected from each participant, and the microbiome from each of these faecal samples was subsequently analysed via DNA extraction and testing.

“It was incredibly exciting to see changes in the microbiome and improvements in symptoms happening at the same time,” Liebert said. “Even more excited when we saw the same kind of changes in the Sydney trial where we treated the abdomen only.”

however, were as expected. Both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are considered to be beneficial to the microbiome, yet both bacteria showed a significant decrease in the majority of participants following light therapy.

“We know that very few diseases have a magic bullet treatment,” Kiat said. “But if I were a Parkinson’s patient I would seek out the laser and I would use the same protocol as we described.”

It is impossible at this stage to know whether the improvements in the trial participants’ Parkinson’s symptoms were due to the effect of infrared light therapy to the brain, or due to changes in the gut microbiome, or partially due to a placebo effect, or, most likely, a combination of the above. What is unquestioned however is that exposure to light therapy did alter the gut microbiome, seemingly for

the better, and that further research in this area is urgently needed.

What is also apparent is the gratitude of the trial participants for being introduced to light therapy.

With his Parkinson’s symptoms in check, Till plans to do more travelling. “I have family up on the Gold Coast. And I think to myself, Can I drive that far? Before it was impossible but now I think, Perhaps I can.”

Suvi Mahonen is a freelance journalist specialising in reporting on medical research. She lives in the Gold Coast, Queensland.

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BETTER HEALTH for every body WITH

DR SIMONE KOOKE

LIVER INJURY FROM HERBAL MEDICINES

OBESITY TOPS SMOKING

MAKE IT FUNNY . . .

Are you more likely to respond to advertising that scares you or makes you laugh? It turns out laughter is the best medicine, with health messaging being more effective if it is imbued with humour. This can be an emotional buffer which breaks down fear, allowing the underlying message to be more accepted. The dialogue created about health issues allows information to be shared more readily.

—Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 22

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Move over smoking— declining tobacco use means obesity is now the new leading risk factor contributing to disease in Australia. As a modifiable risk factor, this leaves an opportunity for many to change its impact by alternating their lifestyle choices.—AIHW

GABRIELLE HENDERSON, JENNIFER BURK, LISA HOBBS, AMIERREZA JAMBI, CARLO NAVARRO, FERNANDO CFERDO—UNSPLASH

It can be easy to think of herbal remedies as benign, risk-free products. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, with an increasing number of people lining up for liver transplants who had taken bodybuilding, weight loss and Chinese medicine supplements.

While supplements that are sold in Australia undergo a rigorous quality assurance process, the same cannot be said for those acquired online from overseas venders. When they say “speak to your doctor before taking this”, it is good advice.­­—MJA

PREMATURE BABIES AND MILK

Researchers from Brisbane have identified an area that could help prematurely born babies. While all premature babies surveyed were fed through a tube in their nose, babies who were exposed to the smell and taste of milk had a larger head circumference. This marker is associated with better long-term developmental outcomes—and given it is low cost with no risk intervention, babies could soon be smelling milk more often.—JAMA Network

PERCEIVED BY WHAT YOU WEAR Have you ever felt judged by what you wear?

Well, if you’re a female health practitioner, that’s probably correct. American researchers observed that even in the same style of clothing, women were consistently scored as “less professional” than men. More casual attire also reduced the “professionalism” score irrespective of gender.

Female doctors were mistaken for nurses at an increased frequency than their male counterparts.

—JAMA Network

SUICIDE RATES STABLE

One of the less immediately obvious impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic has been on mental health. While there was an expected—and definitely welcome—increase in people accessing mental health services, the rate of suicide in 2020 did not rise when compared to previous years. The greatest mental health impact was seen in the under 45 age group, with financial insecurity a contributing factor. Income subsidy programs are thought to have significantly minimised this impact.—AIHW

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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BIG

QU

E S TI O N S

?

Religious extremists have been blamed for recent global conflicts. We examine the historical evidence for these claims that religion ruins everything.

PEXELS—PIXABAY

BY VANIA CHEW

DOES RELIGION CAUSE WAR? 24

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tion and want an Puzzled by a "big picture" ques Times magazine the of s Sign , 2021 answer? In on life’s most ives pect pers h will be sharing fres authors each contentious mysteries, with new to present a ence evid ctive obje ining exam month case for Christianity.

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oes religion cause war? It’s a firm yes from British zoologist and vocal atheist Richard Dawkins, who sees a direct correlation between the two. According to Dawkins, “religion causes wars by generating certainty”. American neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris agrees with Dawkins, stating that faith and religion are “the most prolific source of violence in our history”.

Are these claims true? Let’s reflect on some of the major modern wars this world has seen and see what role, if any, religion played in them.

WORLD WAR I (1914–1918)

Also known as The Great War, it was one of the deadliest events in history. It was a global conflict that essentially pitted the Central Powers (Germany, Turkey and Austria-Hungary) against the Allies (France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and from 1917, the United States). The main cause of World War I is often considered to be the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, who was shot by the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914. But the assassination merely acted as a catalyst for war— nationalism, militarism, imperialism and political alliances were the fuel behind World War I. The Treaty of Versailles, signed in June 1919, was intended to ensure a post-war world that would never allow itself to go through such a devastating global conflict again.

Unfortunately, a resentful 26

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Germany felt that they had been duped into signing this treaty.

The Treaty of Versailles placed the entire responsibility for the war on Germany’s shoulders, forcing them to make several billions of dollars in reparation payments, give up much of their territory and overseas colonies, and accept Allied occupation in the region around the Rhine River.

WORLD WAR II (1939­­–1945)

While post-World War I conditions did not make another war inevitable, they certainly paved the way for the Nazi Party to gain support among Germans, as they promised to overturn the country’s humiliation and make them a superpower to be reckoned with.

In his 1925 autobiographical manifesto Mein Kampf, Hitler describes himself as becoming an anti-Semite before his move to Vienna at the age of 18.

This was confirmed

by Elisabeth Grünbauer, who shared her memories of Hitler as a young man in a 1994 interview. Hitler had boarded in her family home in Munich for more than a year before leaving to fight in World War I. Regardless of

when Hitler began expressing an anti-Semitic position, there can be no doubt that it heavily influenced his actions when he came to power. But his obsession with creating “a pure race” indicates that his anti-Semitism was related to race, rather than religion.

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THE RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR (1917-1923)

The conflict is remembered in the Guinness World Records as “the world’s costliest civil war”, in terms of the number of lives lost during combat and in events relating to the war. It was fought between opposing political factions (Bolshevik versus anti-Bolshevik) and claimed the lives of more than 9 million people, 8 million of whom were civilians.

However, religion did not play any part in causing this war. It was a struggle between various political and military groups for control of Russia.

THE SECOND SINO-CHINESE WAR (1937­­­­-1945)

The war broke out when China began resisting Japanese expansion in its territory. This war resulted in the death of 25 million civilians as well as more than 4 million Japanese and Chinese military deaths.

Although tension had been brewing for a long time, the war is said to have been prompted by an incident near the Marco Polo Bridge near Beijing, when Japanese troops opened fire on local soldiers.

OTHER WARS

• Also described as “The Great War of Africa”, the Second Congo War (1998–2003) directly involved nine African nations and killed an estimated 3.8 million people.

• Let’s not forget the millions who lost their lives in the revolutionary wars and purges of Pol Pot’s

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Cambodia, Mao’s China, Ceaușescu’s Romania, and North Korea under the Kim family’s dictatorship.

Are there wars where religious reasons are cited as the motivations?

Absolutely. We would be remiss to leave out the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, The Thirty Years’ War and the recent Israel-Palestine conflict just to name a few.

There can be no denying that religious extremists have contributed to many horrific events or that terrible atrocities have been committed by people who aligned themselves with various faiths—such as recent Jihadist attacks. Yet as we reflect upon the many wars which have been committed throughout history, it is clear that politics, competing ideologies, 28

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but what about the wars where religion was involved?

ethnic conflicts and power struggles are just as culpable.

As religious commentator and former nun Karen Armstrong states, “We have seen that, like the weather, religion ‘does lots of different things.’ To claim that it has a single, unchanging and inherently violent essence is not accurate.” She says that religion is often a presence in warfare, but it is not the cause, and that leaders who seek power or wealth often use religion to achieve their own ends.

should we just get rid of religion?

Although it appears apparent that religion is not always the sole or even a primary cause of war, “New Atheists” like Dawkins and Harris believe that theism (belief in God) is not only unjustified, but harmful and should be vehemently opposed.

In his 2014 Sydney Morning Herald article “God is with us, unfortunately”, Sam de Brito suggested that the removal of religion would solve global conflict.

“Remove questions of God from Israel and Gaza and you’re left with two people who have more in common than they care to realise,” he wrote. “Remove God from the rest of the Middle East, it wouldn’t be devouring itself in a sectarian war over a 1400-year-old disagreement.”

But de Brito was not the first person to suggest that the key to world peace is as “simple” as removing religion.

In 1789, Catholicism was the

official religion of France. The population of France was predominantly Catholic—Jewish and Protestant minorities were not allowed to be full members of the state. But by 1794, France’s churches and religious orders had all been closed down. The philosophes—or the intellectuals of the French Enlightenment—had been criticising the Church, denouncing it for its wealth, power and influence.

Church property was nationalised, 30,000 priests were exiled and hundreds more were forced to marry or were killed. The Christian calendar was replaced. And so began an event we know as the French Revolution.

“Every sensible man, every honourable man, must hold the Christian religion in horror,” declared the philosopher Voltaire.

“Religion has . . . kept him (man) in ignorance of the real duties of true interests. It is only by dispelling these clouds and phantoms of religion, that we shall discover Truth, Reason and Morality,” claimed the French-German philosopher Baron d’Holbach.

But the subsequent Reign of Terror demonstrated that the removal of religion did not eliminate or even prevent violence.

what does the Bible say?

In his book The God Delusion, Dawkins describes God as “the most unpleasant character in all of fiction” using attributes such as “petty”, “unjust” and “unforgiving” to support his description.

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religions—only from my personal experience raised in the Christian faith.

But the God that I’ve read about in the Bible isn’t anything like the picture that Dawkins draws. The book of Exodus describes God as “compassionate”, “slow to anger”, “abounding in love ” and “forgiving”.

The book of Psalms describes a God who “gives food to the hungry”, “watches over foreigners” and “sustains the fatherless and the widows”.

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The root cause of war is our human selfishness

Jesus said that one of the two greatest commandments was to “love our neighbours as ourselves”.

I can only imagine how many wars we might stop if we followed these principles!

The books of Luke and John talk about Peter, one of the disciples, cutting off a soldier’s ear in anger and Jesus rebuking him, before healing 30

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the soldier. Peter’s hot temper and rash action could easily have become a reason to start a fight but Jesus’ intervention calmed things down.

(Fun fact: Britain and Spain actually did go to war when a British captain claimed Spanish sailors had cut off his ear. The war lasted almost 10 years and was called the War of Jenkins’ Ear).

what is the real root cause of war?

Ultimately the root cause of war is our human selfishness. Whether it’s for political power, ideological control or even in the name of religion, it’s our desire for the things that we don’t have which lead us to go into battle.

“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them” (James 4:1,2, NLT).

Let’s not make religion a reason for war. Instead, let’s make religion a chance to show compassion, an exercise in self-control and a light in the darkness. To explore other big questions, visit our website <signsofthetimes.org.au> Vania Chew is based in Sydney and works as a marketing assistant at Adventist Media.

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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SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • OCTOBER 2021

WILL NOT SAVE US Over the past year, a new space race has emerged between competing billionaries.

But is this the first step in mankind's future, or a needless vanity project?

BY RYAN STANTON

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W

hen I was young, I wanted to be the first person to set foot on Mars.

Like most kids I had a dozen imagined career paths, but one of the most persistent ones that I came back to was astronaut. As a young child thirsty for knowledge, the unknown of the cosmos was endlessly fascinating. I used to repeatedly reread the Mars Diaries novels, a fictional series about the first child born on Mars,

this number may be relatively small, considering that only 553 people have been to space, this places the fatality rate at about 2.7 per cent. And that’s not to mention the variety of potential ways to die in orbit of this pale blue dot—oxygen deprivation, unexpected decompression, exposure to the vacuum. The amount of work that goes into keeping astronauts alive is a marvel of engineering that shouldn’t go underappreciated.

“

Both China and America have plans to send humans to Mars by the end of 2033

fighting conspiracies and growing his faith while living in the planet’s first colony. Even today I still love a well told science fiction tale.

There is an allure to the seemingly infinite mystery of the universe that is perpetually entertaining. But with that mystery comes danger. Ever since the first spaceflight, 15 people have died during spaceflight procedures (though only one incident actually took place in space). While 34

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Considering all the problems on Earth, at this point I’d rather not add the variable dangers of space travel into my life. But despite my personal fear of an early death in orbit, space travel is, once again, the centre of much media fervour and discussion.

space race 2.0

The increased interest in space exploration is due to a variety of reasons. One is a resurgence in coverage

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of NASA’s space exploration—at the time of writing they are planning to launch another exploratory probe named Lucy on the 16th of this month. Perhaps part of the fervour is centred around the possibility of a manned Mars mission—both China and America have plans to send humans to Mars by the end of 2033 in an echo of the race to get a man on the Moon.

It’s likely, however, that the renewed focus on space exploration is not due to the work of governments or governmental institutions— it’s been caused by the whims of some exorbitantly wealthy individuals: Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Richard Branson. Each of these multibillionaires has invested extremely large amounts of money into spaceflight businesses—Blue Origin, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic respectively—and Bezos and Branson both embarked on widely publicised spaceflights earlier this year.

Of the three, Musk is perhaps the most widely known for his desire to expand humanity out into other planets—having stated multiple times that he wants “to die on Mars,

just not on impact”. While Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic focus on creating enterprises for “space tourism”, SpaceX is far more focused on supporting the space travel already occurring and providing opportunities to further galactic exploration.

Musk envisions a future where humanity is not confined to the one planet Earth, but is spread out across the solar system, and potentially even beyond.

But not everybody shares this vision.

waste of space?

The endeavours created by these billionaires have come under sustained criticism, with many wondering if there are better avenues to spend their wealth. Bezos has stated that Blue Origin was created, in part, because it was “the only way” to “deploy” the amount of money he had gained from Amazon—money which allegedly comes from the labour of comparatively low-earning employees who are discouraged from taking collective action to benefit their circumstances by the very company that employs them.

Responding to the criticism, the billionaires argue that space travel may provide a solution to some of the problems facing Earth and human civilisation. Bezos notes that moving heavy industry into space could help solve the energy crisis we currently face, while Musk believes that space travel will be the solution to the current climate crisis. “Those OCTOBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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who attack space maybe don’t realise that space represents hope for so many people,” Bezos posted on Twitter.

This tweet highlights one of the underlying concerns that I share with many about this new space race: Who does it give hope to?

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In the science-fiction series The Expanse, Musk and Bezos’ dreams seem to have been realised. Humanity has successfully colonised the solar system, with a nation working on terraforming Mars to be more habitable and numerous smaller stations and outposts in the asteroid belt and the moons of the outer planets. Industry has begun to thrive with space mining, interplanetary agriculture and numerous other forms of commerce existing. The total human population has ballooned and continues to grow.

But this world is far from a utopia.

Poverty runs rife—on Earth and in space—leading to the continuation of cycles of crime and violence.

Families who have lived and grown up in space for generations are unable to survive the high gravity of Earth, forcing them to rely on Earthers for necessary supplies such as oxygen, water or food—supplies which they are charged excessively for, keeping them in a state of perpetual poverty and anxiety.

Despite the promise of a new frontier in space travel, the inequalities and disparities that SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • OCTOBER 2021

are present on Earth persist.

Obviously, The Expanse is a work of fiction (albeit one which works hard to consider the current scientific theories about what long-term space exploration may look like).

I’ll admit that when I was young, I was enamoured with Musk’s utopian vision for the future of mankind.

How could I not have been? But the more I learn about his vision for the future, the more I’m convinced that it’s not the solution to our problems.

Space travel will not solve the issues of poverty and homelessness that exist around the world. Nor will it give those facing the brunt of these issues much in the way of hope.

What hope does Bezos’ space flight provide to a family facing eviction due to their loss of income from the pandemic?

If the problems we face on earth are not solved here, there is every likelihood they will persist if we ever successfully expand into the solar system. But despite this, billionaires continue to spend exorbitant amounts on space travel instead of more

immediate, closer to home solutions to these problems. Make no mistake, choosing to focus resources in this direction is choosing to focus on a solution that will only benefit those who can afford it—it will not solve many problems, but exasperate them.

It should be noted in case it sounds like I’m being too harsh on these billionaires, that they do engage in certain philanthropic efforts and donations—as do most wealthy individuals. Unfortunately, it is a well-documented reality that these philanthropic efforts often are targeted at solving problems caused by the corporations the billionaires run. Or worse, they merely provide the means of avoiding taxes and ultimately work to consolidate the wealthy’s control over resources.

help closer to home

So if space won’t save us, what will? The answer here may be people, though not people like Musk, Bezos or Branson. The merit of helping others in your community is one that has been

espoused by numerous religions and philosophers for millennia.

The Bible, for example, repeatedly highlights the importance of helping those in need: “Carry each other’s burdens,” (Galatians 2:6); “. . . in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3,4).

Importantly, the Bible notes that this approach helps everybody, and not just those who seem most in need. Proverbs 22:9 states, “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor” while in Luke 6:38, Jesus states, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

So instead of looking to the stars—and those who aspire to reach them—for solutions to our problems, perhaps we can instead look a little closer to home, towards organisations which aim to address some of the more pressing inequalities and injustices in our world, or to communities like church, where people can gather to support each other and provide mutual aid in times of crisis. Space may not be able to save us but that doesn’t mean we can’t work to help one another.

Ryan Stanton is a digital cultures PhD student at the University of Sydney. While he loves technology and exploration in equal measure, he is in no hurry to go to space . . . even if zero gravity does look like a fun time.

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SPECIAL DAY e r a c f l e s of

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In a world of self-care, people are rediscovering an ancient practice that is good for the individual and their community.

BY LYNDELLE PETERSON

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elf care. It’s the feel-good slogan of the international Instagram influencers that conjures images of bubble baths and scented candles, but the self-care movement is more than just a hashtag. Originally catching on as a medical treatment encouraged by doctors as early as the 1950s, self care saw its resurgence in the aftermath of the 2016 US elections, with Google searches increasing four-fold in the past five years.

Academics in the early part of the 2000s coined the term when they began looking for ways that employees in emotionally taxing professions—counsellors, social workers, ambulance and emergency department staff etc—could combat some of the emotional stress brought on by their job.

In literal terms, self care is taking an active role in protecting one’s own wellbeing and happiness, particularly during periods of stress. Regardless of how you view the selfcare movement, effective strategies for managing stress are becoming increasingly important as our world has grown more unpredictable with political unrest, pandemics, natural disasters and economic uncertainty.

While self-care can take many different forms, rest is arguably one of the most effective strategies for relieving stress. A period of rest and worship is a common practice in

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many faith traditions, most notably in the practice of a Sabbath rest.

what is Sabbath rest?

Recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, the idea of a 24-hour rest period dates back to the origin story of both Christians and Jews. During the creation account recorded in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, God pulls together the masterpiece that we call earth within a matter

of hours. Day by day, each element comes into being until we reach the pinnacle of creation on the sixth day with the introduction of humanity in the form of man and woman. Then on the seventh day God does something unprecedented that doesn’t follow the pattern of the previous six days. The Genesis account records that “On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he

rested from all his work” (Genesis 2:2 NLT). The Hebrew word used here for rested is shabbat which simply means to cease from working. This makes sense, as the account records that God had spent the six days working and then stopped. Later in the Bible we read about Moses bringing the Israelite people out of their slavery in Egypt. As they journey through the wilderness God gives them instructions commonly known

the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested”. The term used here for rested is the Hebrew word nuakh.

Many times throughout the rest of the Bible’s Old Testament shabbat and nuakh are used together. Nuakh means to “dwell” or “settle”. While shabbat refers to a literal ceasing of work, like you’d finish a 12-hour shift, nuakh is a different type of rest.

This is the type of rest experienced after a long road trip to stay with your grandparents for the holidays or snuggling under a warm blanket with a loved one while the rain pours down outside. Together they describe a ceasing of activity as well as an enThe idea of a 24-hour rest tering into relationship; period dates back to the origin a peace or a comfort that comes from winding story of both Christians and down, settling the heart Jews and mind and spending 24 hours in community and shabbat.

When my husband and I were travelling as the Ten Commandments. Here we across Europe we spent a few days in find the term shabbat again, included the middle of winter in the beautiful as a command to remember to pause, city of Copenhagen, Denmark. As we pulled in on the train and saw the “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8 snow softly fall on the cobblestone NLT). This particular command goes streets, we knew this was going to be on to describe the reason for Sabbath one of our favourite cities. With a Eurail pass in hand, a list of mustobservance is because of the original see cities and some decent jackets example set by God Himself at creation. Exodus 20:11 describes how “in and boots, our first port of call in any city was the free walking tour. six days the Lord made the heavens,

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Often lasting about 90 minutes, these tours were always a great way to orient ourselves in a city, get some interesting history and pick out a few spots we wanted to revisit in depth.

As the mercury plummeted into the minuses, we stood in the main square of Copenhagen and listened to our guide wax eloquently about the Danish philosophy of hygge.

This concept encompasses a feeling of cosiness, contentment and wellbeing through enjoying the simple things in life. If you’ve ever enjoyed snuggling up in front of a fire with a good book or a warm hot chocolate while the snow falls outside, you’ve experienced hygge without even knowing it.

Hygge is such an important part of being Danish that it is considered “a defining feature of our cultural identity and an integral part of the national DNA”, according to Meik Wiking, the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen.

This is what comes to mind when I read the translation of shabbath and nuakh to describe a Sabbath rest. Not only is it a pause in time but it’s a feeling, a comfort, a spiritual as well as physical experience.

earth care

While the gurus of self care might be on to something with this proliferation of pause and taking “time for me”, I think they’ve missed a crucial point. To pause simply to care for your own physical and emotional needs—to pause in isolation—is 42

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a limiting experience.

The Sabbath rest is not limited to one person or one philosophy.

This weekly pause is as much about self care as it is about others care—neighbour care, community care, world care, earth care—the list is endless. Psychologists have long recognised a time of pause and reflection as not only beneficial for individuals but communities. In the Sabbath command mentioned earlier as one of the Ten Commandments, the instruction to rest extends beyond just the home of the believer but to those within their household: “on that day no-one in your household may do any work” including “any foreigners living among you” (Exodus 20:9, NLT). For the people of Israel, the original hearers of the command, this made practical sense.

Most families operated within a large familial group of extended relatives, servants and livestock. Hospitality was an important part of their culture—hosting those from other parts of Ancient Mesopotamia would have been a common occurrence. In the original command God makes sure to include the whole societal and familial unit in the encouragement to rest—not just the individual. For this to work, preparations for meals and sleeping arrangements for animals

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and livestock would have needed to be coordinated in advance. Thought and care were necessary to ensure that not just the individual, but the community could have shabbat.

Fast forward nearly 4000 years and the world looks vastly different in 2021 but the principle is the same.

For Sabbath rest to be fully enjoyed, the burden of work should be alleviated not only for the individual but the whole community. Many who practice a Sabbath rest will deliberately avoid going to shopping centres, cafes, regular sport or other entertainment or events as a personal

expression of alleviating the burden of service from someone else. Why should I get to rest on Sabbath while someone serves me?

Beyond this expansion of rest to include the surrounding community, some will take it as an opportunity to serve the community; to use the Sabbath rest as a time to give back by inviting people over for a meal, visiting those who are living alone or doing something simple for someone else. As we see from the original command, it’s not simply about what you do or don’t do, but rather how we express and enjoy Sabbath rest as a member of the broader community.

Now more than ever we need to practise Sabbath rest. In a world of conflict, tension, relationship and community challenges, the Sabbath rest is a beacon of hope and peace at the end of the week. Sabbath rest was not just for the ancient Israelites but is for you and me. It’s not only about relationship with each other but with God. We have to shabbat (cease) in order to nuakh (dwell)—to stop working and rest in relationship with God. When we practise an intentional stop, we open up room for God to dwell in our lives, in our communities, in our relationships.

Lyndelle Peterson is an Adventist pastor and church leader in Melbourne, Australia, where she lives with her young and growing family.

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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How to be ready for this ultimate event.

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ow quickly we’ve had our freedoms restricted and how readily the world has accepted these impositions because of the coronavirus pandemic. Laws, which under normal circumstances would be considered draconian, are enforced by governments around the world.

Heavy fines and even prison terms have been imposed to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Terms such as “lockdown”, “social distancing”, “hotel quarantine”, “mandatory face masks”, “travel restrictions” and “isolation” have become all too familiar during the past year.

“Lockdown”, defined as “the imposition of stringent restrictions on travel, social interaction and access to public spaces”, was chosen

by Collins Dictionary as the Word of the Year because it united “billions of people across the world, who have had, collectively, to play their part in SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • OCTOBER 2021

combating the spread of Covid-19”.

Despite all the restrictions, the worldwide death toll has passed the two-million mark and is still climbing, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The virus continues to spread as more than 106 million people have been infected.

US President Joe Biden, in his inauguration speech, declared, “A once-in-a-century virus that silently stalks the country has taken as many lives in one year as America lost in all of World War II. Millions of jobs have been lost, hundreds of thousands of businesses closed.”

Stephanie Zacharek, writing for Time, declares, “Our most debilitating threat” for the year 2020 “was a sense of helplessness, and it ran unchecked.”

The race was on to produce a vaccine in record time. Now that several vaccines have been approved, the challenge is to vaccinate the world.

Christian media executive Dr Brad Kemp calls the pandemic, “A wake-up call.” He writes: “If society can be shut down and be turned around in such a short time and by such a tiny thing like a virus, then it doesn’t take too much of a leap to see how the last things just before Jesus returns could happen rather quickly.”

While the pandemic is a nonreligious issue, is it a dress rehearsal for the final show?

In the Bible, the book of Revelation (chapter 13) tells of a worldwide religious crisis just before Jesus comes

again where restrictions of freedoms will be placed on all those who refuse to conform to a false system of worship. An economic boycott will be imposed—people won’t be able to buy or sell—and a death decree will be instituted for non-conformists.

This is serious stuff!

The imagery of Revelation 13 is drawn from Daniel 3, in the Old Testament, where three Hebrew captives in Babylon in the sixth century BC refused to conform to idol worship.

King Nebuchadnezzar had a statue of gold made, 27 metres high. He ordered everyone to bow down to the image under threat of death for refusal.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were among the princes Nebuchadnezzar took as captives when he conquered Jerusalem in 605 BC. Out of all the thousands of Jewish captives in Babylon, they were the only ones who refused to bow in worship of the statue.

The apostle John, in Revelation 13, tells us of a similar, but much more subtle form of false worship that will be imposed on the world.

It tells us of a movement of mass conformity in which the great majority in the world will be squeezed into one mould of behaviour as they submit to this subtle form of idolatry.

Western civilisation was built on a Christian worldview from the 16th century Protestant

Reformation—that there is a God who created the universe and us.

This has given life meaning and has provided a framework for democracy, the rule of law and the freedoms and prosperities we enjoy in the West.

This Christian base has been steadily eroded by the rise of secular humanism. The 19th century was a time of optimism as an outgrowth of the enlightenment and the industrial revolution. The main creed was the belief that progress was “automatic and inevitable”. Heaven would be created on earth. Secular humanism’s confession, “Man is the measure of all things”, meant that human beings were put at the centre of the universe, not God. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution did away with the uniqueness of human beings made in the image of God and reduced them to a product of natural selection. Christian author CS Lewis criticised Darwin's book Origin of Species (1859), saying it “has done more to undermine popular belief in God, and thus the meaning of life, than

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any other book”.

In a Rolling Stone interview some years ago, musician Bruce Springsteen stated: “People . . . are swimming, barely staying afloat, and then trying to catch on to whatever is going to give them a little safe ground.” In “Hungry Heart” he sings, “I took a wrong turn and I just kept going.” Without God people lack direction.

With the collapse of a Christian worldview in the West and the

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Anyone or anything other than God at the centre of our lives— that is false worship subsequent loss of absolutes and objective values, people have no framework to guide them between what’s right or wrong, true or false.

“Watch out that no-one deceives you,” Jesus declared. “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:4,24).

Revelation 14 pictures the world divided into two groups: those who worship God and those who follow a 48

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false system of worship (verses 6–11).

If we place anyone or anything other than God at the centre of our lives— that is false worship. Those who stand against this mass conformity are described as those who “obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus” (verse 12).

Katy Perry, in “Roar”, her eighth number one song, sings: “I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything.” If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.

It’s timely that John in Revelation 14 also announces the good news of the “eternal gospel” (verse 6), which is about the life and death of Jesus.

Those who accept Jesus as their Saviour will not be deceived.

Harry Styles, of One Direction fame, in his debut solo single “Sign of the Times”, an instant hit in 2017, sings about being ready for the “final show”. He hopes you’re dressed in your “best clothes” because “you can’t bribe the door on the way to the sky.”

Whether or not this is what Styles had in mind, the second coming of Jesus is the climax of the “final show”. And the only way to not be deceived and be in the right group is by accepting Jesus as our Saviour (1 John 3:1; Philippians 3:20; Ephesians 2:19).

If you have any questions or you'd like to connect with a church pastor, visit <signsofthetimes.org.au/help>.

Errol Webster is a retired church pastor who is passionate about understanding society in the West— where it has come from, where it is going and how the changes affect us. He lives in the historic town of Bathurst, NSW.

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MONKEY PLAY Elon Musk's company Neuralink has trialled a monkey playing a video game through a brain-computer interface implant. They upload a video online depicting the monkey playing "Mind Pong", with his neural activity controlling his moves.

—News Nation

PROJECTING HEADLIGHTS Audi's new A6 E-tron luxury vehicle will allegedly have the ability to project video games onto a wall from its headlights.

The seemingly unusual feature is made possibly through digital matrix LED lights, which Audi says can pass the time while the car recharges.

—Tom's Guide

LESS ALCOHOL, MORE GOOD TIMES 50

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NETFLIX GAMING PLATFORM The popular streaming service has published both movies and television programs about games, but may soon be publishing games themselves. While it has not yet been officially announced, industry analysts expect the service to be launched as early as 2022.—Ars Technica

LUIS VILLASMIL, MARCEL STRAUSS, REDDGIO, DREW HAYS, HAMISH WEIR, JON BUTTERWORTH —UNSPLASH

GAMING . . . DIFFERENTLY

LIMITED ADS Google is rolling out a new setting that limits exposure to gambling and alcohol ads. First introduced in late 2020, each ad will have "about this ad" and "ad settings feature" on advertisements that may be sensitive. Countries with existing alcohol ad bans are not affected­­.—Gizmodo

EIGHT-LEGGED WONDER DEADLY FUNNEL WEB MAY PREVENT DEATH Scientists have been studying a molecule in the venom of a Fraser Island (K'Gari) funnel web spider, which may stop a "death signal" being sent from a human heart after cardiac arrest. Scientists say a lack of oxygen after such an event sends a message for other heart cells to also die, and the spider venom protein—Hi1a—may be the solution because of its ability to block acid-sensing ion channels in the heart.

—University of Queensland THE CURE FOR IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME? Researchers from the University of Queensland have been studying venom from the Venezuelan Pinkfoot Goliath Tarantula as a method of easing irritable bowel syndrome pain.

Mini-proteins from the spider's venom have been linked to preventing voltage-gate ion channels from opening and closing—the source of chronic visceral pain. Studying pain medication stemming from venoms has been the subject of 15 years' worth of research.—University of Queensland ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA Bites from the venomous false widow spider often lead to infections, which researchers suspect is due to bacteria present on the surface of the spider or its "mouthparts". The infections are often resistant to drugs and antibiotics, which itself is labelled as a growing global health risk according to WHO. Scientists are continuing to search for a cure for untreatable spider bite infections, given mass migration of spiders like the false widow into new territories.—News24

APPLE WATCHES BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL? Rumours in May speculated Apple watches may soon measure blood alcohol levels. While it might still be a possibility, Apple supplier Rockley Photonics has developed a "digital health sensor" that is able to do so on one's wrist.—Tech Radar

ANTI-DRUNK DRIVING New technology to detect and prevent drunk drivers as they enter their vehicle may soon be mandatory in the United States, according to a new bill.

Driver monitoring systems are already being developed and are touted for release as early as 2024.—Tech Times

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FA IT H

How a miracle in 1960s Yugoslavia led to generations of faith-keeping.

BY DANIJELA SCHUBERT

DOCTOR,

YOU SAW MY ANGEL! 52

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hile I’m the president of the committee you will never get the invalid pension!” Dr Bilanovich was emphatic. His patient Štefica Bratulic (Stefania Bratulich) was devastated to hear those words.

Her health was seriously deteriorating. Her spine was caving in. She couldn’t work anymore and had to find other means to support her family. Stefania’s only ray of hope was to receive an invalid pension from the government.

Not only was this a terrible personal blow, but it also tested her newly found faith.

Before he had died, Stefania’s father had urged all his children to search for the true church that worships on the right day.

Out of nine children, she was the only one who took her dad’s bidding to heart. She found the Seventh-day Adventist Church by following a woman who ironically told her not to come to church and she was now fully committed. This was no small feat. The best option under the communist regime was to be someone who didn’t believe in a Protestant understanding of God. To become a Seventh-day Adventist was not only unwise but dangerous in traditional Catholic/Communist Yugoslavia at the time.

Life only got worse after Stefania’s conversion. Her family was against her decision. Her mother and siblings ridiculed her. Her husband protested.

He was an alcoholic and instead of supporting the family, he would take

stuff away. Her two children had problems at primary school because they were not attending on Saturday.

She now had a third child—another mouth to feed when there was not enough food for the two she already had.

Under communism she should have been provided for, but since becoming a believer in God, it had been a big problem. Each time her pension was rejected because her doctor would issue a certificate indicating that she was fit to work— all because of her faith. But she kept trying.

One day Stefania found out that Dr Bilanovich needed a lady to do domestic duties. She went to see him about it.

“I heard you need a house help.

I have someone to recommend to you,” she began.

Dr Bilanovich was excited. “Yes, I do need house help. Who is it that you can recommend to me?”

“I have an excellent recommendation. It’s me! I would like to work as your house help. If I get sick at your place, I will have the best person to help me,” she replied.

“You are not fit to work as a house help,” he said disappointed.

“If I am not fit to work at your place, I am not fit to work at any place. Please issue a health certificate, so I can get a government invalid pension,” she implored.

“I will not do that.” This was his final answer.

Meanwhile, Stefania learned a OCTOBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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RODRIGOAF—GETTY IMAGES

few tips from another woman who already received the pension yet was in better health.

Instead of going only to her government-appointed doctor, she went to a private clinic for the same examination on the same day. The private clinic rightly noted that she was not fit to work—the opposite verdict of the government-appointed doctor.

With new evidence in hand, Stefania started proceedings again.

But Dr Bilanovich—who was also the head of the committee granting invalid pensions—had vowed he would never approve her application.

Was there any hope? Would her newfound God help her?

With an appointment date set for meeting the committee, Stefania Stefania committed to three days of fasting and prayer and asked her children and her good friend Mitza to join her in prayer.

Weak from her illness and lack of food, she barely made it to the appointment. The members examined her and her documents.

The president of the committee, Dr Bilanovich, spoke in her favour. The decision was unanimous. She could receive the invalid pension.

Stefania was delighted with the outcome but was surprised by Dr Bilanovich’s change of attitude. He had vowed to go against her but now spoke in her favour. Why? She would find out the next day.

She had to see Dr Bilanovich again, to collect the documents she would

I have never had. You saw my angel!” take to the government agency she exclaimed. issuing the monthly pension.

Next time Stefania visited her “Mrs Bratulich, I don’t know what doctor, she brought him a gift—the came over me yesterday. I wanted Bible. Dr Bilanovich was delighted. to speak against you, but I spoke in He took the Bible with both hands favour,” he said.

“Did you tell them something that and pressed it on his chest.

“Mrs Bratulich, you brought the wasn’t true?” she asked.

Bible to me?!” he exclaimed.

“Everything I said was true, but I Although he never joined the did not want to say it,” he replied.

Church, he had the Bible and a “So why didn’t you say what you personal encounter with Stefania’s wanted?” guardian angel to lead him for the What he described next was the rest of his life. miracle she’d The pension prayed for.

Stefania received “The night transformed the before the financial situation committee, I of her family. It was about to meant regular fall asleep when He had the Bible and funds she could a big, strong, a personal encounter count on and, bright man came through prudent to my room and with Stefania's management, she tapped me on the even gave money shoulder, asking guardian angel to others to help ‘What about the them. Stefania matter of Mrs continued to serve Bratulich?’ That God her whole startled me. Then life, witnessing to many through the he disappeared. literature that she could now buy— “I relaxed and I was about to fall but even more so by the way she asleep when he came again, tapped me on the shoulder and asked: ‘What lived. The communist government fell, but her church still stands and about the matter of Mrs Bratulich?’ her God still answers prayers.

Now I was afraid. This happened over and over again through the Schubert (the author of this piece) is the whole night. I did not have a minute thirdDanijela child born to Stefania mentioned above. Her of sleep! I could not endure another mum paid for her tuition to complete Bible College.

She has since completed two masters degrees as night like that, so I had to speak the well as a doctorate, raised two sons, and worked as a truth.” missionary. lecturer, associate secretary and women’s ministry director. This story took place in the 1960s in “Doctor! You have had a privilege former Yugoslavia.

“

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THE BIG

PICTURE How Denis Villeneuve’s blockbuster Dune parallels the real-world relationship between religion, politics and science.

BY MARK HADLEY

WWW.WARNERBROS.COM

I

t’s hard to overestimate the importance of Frank Herbert’s Dune. The book is to science fiction what the Lord of the Rings was to fantasy. Its arrival in novel form ushered in a new age of world-building creations. Its arrival as a film this month is certain to usher us back into the cinemas— government lockdown restrictions permitting. It’s been described as Star Wars for adults. Embedded in Dune’s alien cultures and epic landscapes are some surprisingly earthy things to say about religion’s cosy relationship with power, and scientific endeavour as a new form of religion.

This is not the first time that Dune has leapt off the page and into the televisual world. In 1984, David Lynch made a version of the storyline that starred contemporary luminaries like Sting, Max von Sydow and Patrick Stewart. In 2000, John Harrison adapted the novel as a television series that became one of the three highest-rated programs on the Sci-Fi Channel. But neither of these predecessors can hold a candle to Denis Villeneuve’s new creation.

Villeneuve is one of Hollywood’s most exciting directors as the genius behind science fiction triumphs like Arrival and Bladerunner 2049. He fell in love with Herbert’s 1965 novel when he first read it as a 12-year-old and has been aching to produce it for the big screen but instead decided to wait until he had more science fiction experience. Now the wait is over.

Dune is as much political thriller as space saga, set in a galactic empire

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tens of thousands of years into the future. Amongst the leading imperial families is House Atreides, a potential threat to the current emperor in the storyline. Consequently, Duke Leto Atreides is “invited” to exchange his ocean planet Caladan for the desert planet of Dune. It appears to be a promotion because Dune is the only known source of the spice melange, an extremely expensive substance that dramatically increases lifespan as well as mental acuity.

It’s that last ability that allows the navigators of imperial starships to fold space, thus making interstellar transport possible. But the exchange is actually a trap. Almost as soon as House Atreides sets foot on Dune, it is fighting for its life.

At the centre of the drama is Duke Leto’s heir, Paul, played by Timothée Chalamet. A gifted young man, he must overcome every natural urge to become the saviour the Atreides need. And so he recites: “I must not fear. Fear is the mindkiller. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone . . . Only I will remain.”

But his calm under pressure doesn’t stop him from becoming a fugitive in the desert, nor the prey of

gigantic sand worms. If he does not manage to unite the tribesman of this deadly wasteland then any hope his family have of surviving the grand struggle of Dune will be short lived.

The world of Dune has a complex relationship with religion. The most powerful factions are a strange melding of science and faith. But rather than this resulting in an ultimate harmony, Frank Herbert’s novel contains a warning for Paul: “When religion and politics travel in the same cart, the riders believe nothing can stand in their way. Their movements become headlong—faster and faster and faster. They put aside all thoughts of obstacles and forget the precipice does not show itself to the man in a blind rush until it's too late.”

As fantastical as the futuristic faiths of Dune are, this is something modern believers might do well to dwell on. Since the days of Justinian, the first Christian emperor of Rome, the church has had to be careful of developing an overly comfortable relationship with political power.

Dr John Dickson, author of Bullies

and saints: An honest look at the good and evil of Christian history, says that the conversion of Emperor Justinian, the most powerful person in the world, represented an incredible challenge to the humility and self-control of the Christian church: “A people used to mockery and social exclusion (and worse) were now invited into the very centre of power. And, perhaps most bizarrely, the Christian sign of humble self-sacrifice, [the cross] was now a formal part of the Roman war machine.”

The same challenge has arisen in modern times in American politics.

The way in which various key evangelical figures became promoters for the Trump administration is a cautionary tale. The mouthing of phrases that promised a return to conservative family values led to extraordinary support from white American Christians. Election exit polls reported by the BBC in 2016 and 2020 suggested that around 80 per cent of white evangelicals backed the Republican president. The unhappy result, though, was that Christians found themselves aligned with OCTOBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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an administration which encouraged riots on Capitol Hill. Historically speaking, the closer the faithful have come to power, the more fraught the relationship has become.

Another facet of Dune with theological significance is the manner in which science and religion are freely mingled. The secrets of space travel are the closely guarded secrets of the Guild of Navigators, a cult-like organisation whose use of the spice is as much ceremony as it is scientific.

Likewise, the group known as the Bene Gesserit combine the science of advanced human perception while zealously rejecting anything of mechanical origin: “Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a man’s mind.”

Watching these sciences grasp for sacred status is another eerily familiar picture. Since the Age of Enlightenment humans have been promising an all-embracing understanding that will sweep away the need for religion.

Yet science rests on its own version of faith. The literary theorist Stanley Fish countered atheist Richard Dawkins by pointing out that, “Science requires faith too before it can have reasons.” The scientific approach requires that a scientist believe that something is true, then test to see if it actually is. But that hasn’t stopped the rise of “Scientism”—the dogmatic certainty that all knowledge can be reduced to that which can be measured. The question, though, is can science carry such a burden?

In Dune, a sudden change in 60

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understanding towards the end of the story transforms the way people see both Paul and what is possible in the film’s universe. Science, by its nature, is vulnerable to just such a dramatic alteration of perspective. In 1572 the observation of a star "going nova"+- in the night sky dramatically altered the science of the day because it showed that the heavens were not immutable. Writing in the 1950s, CS Lewis cautioned those who look to our current scientific understanding as their saviour: “It is not impossible that our own model will die a violent death, ruthlessly smashed by an unprovoked assault of new facts,” he said, according to Science and Christian Beliefs.

Indeed, science is much less secure a religion than many of us think. It is always at the mercy of information it cannot predict. In Dune, no-one realises that Paul is anything more than a 15-year-old boy until his true abilities manifest. Likewise, in our world, science can have nothing to say about the second coming of Jesus Christ until it happens. Then scientists could, I suppose, rearrange their theories of time and space to accommodate the Bible’s claims that at that moment that the skies will be rolled up like a scroll. But by then every knee would be busy bowing to a new way of seeing the world.

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

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CROSSWORD

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

Happy digging!

CAROL M. HIGHSMITH—PICRYL

Hint: 5 Across

EDUCATION.COM

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CROSSWORD CLUES

ACROSS 3 The way in which someone walks 4 Italian dish with flat dough and toppings 8 Chinese president from 1949-76 9 A public message posted on Twitter 10 Country in south-east Europe from 1945-1992 13 European rail pass in 33 countries 14 South Australian riverside town by the Murray, located 84km east of Adelaide DOWN 1 Time between conception of a child and one year after birth 2 Singer of "Sign of the times" 5 Belief in one's country having a strong military 6 Lead singer of rock band The Police 7 Period when farmers gather crops 11 Involving supernatural or mystical phenomena 12 A place without matter

SUDOKU EASY

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

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