Signs of the Times - November 2021

Understanding

THE WHITE RIBBON WHY DO WE OBSERVE REMEMBRANCE DAY?

WHO IS GOD?

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY

IN THIS ISSUE

NOVEMBER 2021

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

Confronting the hidden truth in many families PAGE 32

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CURRENT

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26

FAITH

WHAT IN THE WORLD 18 PLANTED AND GROWING WHY DO WE OBSERVE Learning to live well 40 HOW TO SPOT A REMEMBRANCE DAY? Remembering sacrifice CHRISTIAN at 11am on 11/11 They live to serve

WELLBEING

12 WE'RE ALL EXHAUSTED

BUT ARE YOU EXPERIENCING BURNOUT? 24 BETTER HEALTH FOR EVERY BODY Health news that makes a difference 46 THE GOOD LIE The journey of a dementia carer 60 RECIPE: STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS

BIG QUESTIONS

26 DOES GOD EXIST?

Multiverse or intelligent design?

SCIENCE & TECH

52 THE CUTTING EDGE Engineering, science

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 2

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and technology news

/SIGNSMAG

CULTURE

54 THE MAN-CHILD AT

MACH 2

Film preview: Top Gun:

Maverick

FUN

62 CROSSWORD AND

SUDOKU

Have you been paying

attention?

LIMPING TO THE FINISH It's hard to believe we're almost at the end of another year. The days are getting longer and warmer. Families are making plans for a well-deserved break. Yet this year there is much uncertainty. Will travel restrictions be lifted? Will I be able to see my family in Adelaide (who I haven’t seen at all this year)?

Weddings have been postponed, birthdays left uncelebrated, and perhaps most heartbreaking of all, funerals have been muted and limited to immediate family. The world as we know it has changed and, as we head toward the end of the second year of this pandemic, it may feel like life will never get back to normal.

Being blessed enough to work from home, with food and shelter, the things I miss most are gathering with family and friends, attending church, visiting new places— simple things that were taken for granted.

Jesus acknowledged that each day contained enough trouble of its own so worrying about tomorrow wouldn't be helpful. He said that God could provide for our needs.

So as 2021 limps to a close and (hopefully) life starts to regain some semblance of normalcy, perhaps you’re limping a bit too. You’ve been feeling the tension and strain of 2021. Our story on page 12 will help you to understand and identify burnout hopefully before it's too serious.

My prayer for you is that you find connection and hope in the pages of this magazine and in your life every day this month. May you discover a peace that flies in the face of all the darkness in the world and may God draw you close to Him. Connect with our team at <info@signsofthetimes.org.au>.

Jarrod

JARROD STACKELROTH Editor

VOL 136 NO 11 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:

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WHAT IN THE WORLD LOCKDOWN DEPRESSION One in ten Victorians considered suicide during the peak of lockdowns in 2020. A survey of 1157 citizens from the state found that that 33.4 per cent had symptoms of depression or anxiety, with 26.3 per cent reporting feeling burnt out. Additionally, 12.3 per cent reported using illicit substances to deal with the situation. If you need help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 0800 543 345 (NZ).—ABC

SAVE YOUR DOLLARS NEW ZEALAND

Don't be fooled by the higher price—a study by journal Nutrients has found New Zealand supermarket food brands are just as healthy as more expensive options. There was no difference found in salt and sodium content, leading doctors to encourage consumers to consider cheaper homebrand products; while dispelling the myth that a higher price comes with health benefits.—Stuff. co.nz 4

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YASMINA-H—UNSPLASH, VIKI MOHAMAD—UNSPLASH, EMILIANO CICERO—UNSPLASH, MIKAEL KRISTENSON—UNSPLASH

AUSTRALIA

EPIDEMIC LEVELS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ONLYFANS U-TURN WORLD

The website Onlyfans, which earned $US150 million from hosting amateur pornography in 2020, announced that it would ban explicit content from its platform in August this year. The company has since reversed plans to update its content policy. The company's founder attributed the initial decision to "unfair treatment" from banks and pressure from investors.—CNBC

2.2 million Australians have reported being physically or sexually abused by current or former partners.—Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Every nine days, one woman in Australia is killed by their partner.—AIHW The elder abuse hotline received an average of 30 calls each day in 2017–18.—AIHW 1 in 3 New Zealand women have experienced physical violence at some point in their life.—New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse

EVOLUTION IN THE MAJORITY UNITED STATES

A study by the University of Michigan has found the theory of evolution is now accepted by the majority of Americans. Americans have generally been evenly split on the topic for the past 35 years until the last decade, when pro-evolution sentiment increased from 40 per cent to 54 per cent. Schools and educational institutes teaching the theory has been linked to the increase.—KSBY

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Every year at 11am on November 11, Australia and New Zealand go silent for one minute. Rather than celebrating war efforts, it’s about remembering sacrifice.

BY RYAN STANTON 6

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WHY DO WE OBSERVE Remembrance DAY?

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emembrance Day (November 11) is an internationally recognised day of importance.

Nations from all over the globe take time during the day to commemorate the end of World War I (WWI) with a period of silence, a rendition of “The Last Post” bugle song, a reading of “The Ode” and a variety of other traditional rituals. While some traditions vary from country to country—for example, the UK celebrates it on “Remembrance Sunday”, while the US celebrates Veterans Day on November 11 instead of Remembrance Day—the underlying reasons remain the same: venerating those who fought, and often died, for their country in times of war.

These reasons are clear and justified and explain the global prominence of Remembrance Day. But interestingly, the day is somewhat overshadowed in Australia and New Zealand by the existence of another day, which on the surface appears to celebrate the same thing—the sacrifices that soldiers have made for the nation. That day is, of course, Anzac Day.

the importance of the Anzacs

Anzac Day, which is observed on April 25 each year, is a day commemorating all Australians and New Zealanders who, according to the Australian War Memorial, “served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations”. In contrast to the global nature of Remembrance Day, Anzac Day is 8

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Remembrance Day allows us to take a step back and look at the greater context of war. and Indian troops at varying points during their history.

Another point of difference is that unlike Remembrance Day, Anzac Day is a public holiday.

For a variety of reasons, Anzac Day has supplanted Remembrance Day as the national public holiday commemorating those who have served in both Australia and New Zealand, leading historian Romain Fathi to label the latter as “the poor cousin of Australian War commemoration”. Fathi explains the reasoning

behind this: “In Australia, Anzac Day has addressed the question of the meaning of the war far better than Remembrance Day or Remembrance Sunday. It can acknowledge loss and suffering with a nod to the sacred, while simultaneously representing imagined distinct national values such as mateship, laconic humour and stoicism. This capacity to connect the national community to the numinous explains Anzac Day’s primacy over Remembrance Day.” Due to the ways Anzac Day has supplanted the nature of Remembrance Day, attempts have been made to distinguish their purpose.

However, the question remains: what do we think of when we commemorate Remembrance Day?

what Remembrance Day means to me I’ve always struggled with the notions of nationalism or patriotism that society often propagates— especially on days like this. Part of this struggle comes from growing up in the Christian faith. Christianity teaches that life on Earth is merely one chapter in a far greater story— more important than specific nations or things is the mutual sharing of values such as love, kindness and respect. Indeed, Jesus states that His kingdom is not an earthly one, which is why His servants have not been fighting (John 18:36). This does not mean that Jesus denies the importance of earthly kingdoms NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

TASSIEKARIN—GETTY IMAGES

specifically focused on celebrating national identity for countries like Australia, New Zealand and the various other nations that were a part of the Anzac Corps. The Anzac Corps was a multi-national army corps that fought in WWI at the famous battle of Gallipoli. And while it’s named after Australia and New Zealand—and these and a handful of other countries in the South Pacific are the ones that typically celebrate it—the corps also included British

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the Austrian-Hungarian throne).

In this way, Remembrance Day is a reminder of the importance of communication and connection.

The issues that were fermenting in nations went unaddressed by their leaders and their allies—leading to millions of deaths when they became untenable. Part of honouring the sacrifice that those who have fought in wars have made is a pledge to do better. To carry on their legacy, we should be “quick to listen, but slow to anger” (James 1:19).

Unfortunately, Remembrance Day also shows us that listening is not always sufficient. As the Bible says, there is “a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:8).

Sometimes conflict is unavoidable and actions must be taken to defend ourselves—and others—from harm.

By focusing on all those who have served, Remembrance Day highlights the multitude of ways in which this can occur. Some examples of this are obvious, such as Desmond Doss, the pacifist who became a conscientious objector because of faith conviction, but whose heroics saved numerous lives during WWII (recounted in the film Hacksaw Ridge). In remembering what has been lost, it is important to remember that war—like many things—has an impact far beyond what is initially seen.

Finally, Remembrance Day reminds us that war, like all earthly conflicts, is temporary. The day was originally known as Armistice Day,

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or conflicts—but that His message is one that transcends borders or individual identity. Jesus’ kingdom is a truly universal one, where the focus is on helping and connecting with individuals of all kinds, instead of building nations. As a result, it can be difficult for me to feel allegiance to any specific nation or national struggle—especially when we consider the atrocities that have been committed or perpetuated all across the world in service to the abstract idea of nationhood.

This is one of the things that sets Remembrance Day apart from Anzac Day for me. I find Remembrance Day is well suited to reminding us about both the cost of conflict and the real reasons why people may find a cause worth dying for.

Freed from specific national ties, Remembrance Day allows us to take a step back and look at the greater context of war. While some wars are remembered as having unambiguous evils which we may fight against, such as the horrors perpetrated by Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy in WWII, Remembrance Day’s commemoration of the end of WWI highlights the reality—wars and conflict are rarely as simple or straightforward as they seem. Unlike WWII, WWI was the culmination of decades of complicated alliances and negotiations between imperial powers finally breaking down (an event which is often attributed to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, then heir presumptive to

in honour of the ceasefire which was brokered on November 11 in 1918. While this does not diminish the pain or suffering that wars have propagated, it can be reassuring to know that even in the darkest chapters of history there is the promise of a better future. While I may struggle with Anzac Day due to its national ties, it is for this reason that Remembrance Day speaks to me and my faith. To go back to the core beliefs mentioned earlier, all nations and troubles of this world are temporary—and when they are gone we will be left with love, respect and

understanding. The Bible reassures us that no matter how bad a conflict is on Earth or how many there may be, they are ultimately symptoms of a temporary struggle. Instead of being caught up in these issues, we should focus on spreading these key values—as they are what will remain when the final battle is over.

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

While his thesis focuses on podcasts and games, he is keenly interested in the ways the media covers political and social issues.

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Sometimes conflict is unavoidable and actions must be taken to defend ourselves—and others— from harm.

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Taking care of your mental health during Covid-19 is an understated priority.

BY GABRIELA TAVELLA AND GORDON PARKER

WE'RE ALL EXHAUSTED

BUT ARE YOU EXPERIENCING

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ith more than half of Australia in lockdown throughout the latter part of 2021 and many of the social support systems we rely on having been put on hold, it’s no wonder people are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

For some, such feelings may ultimately culminate in burnout.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, burnout was, for the most part, considered a work-related issue. But in our research in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, we have identified burnout in people outside of the workplace, including those who are dealing with other life stressors, such as caring for loved ones full-time.

Now, due to the pandemic, rates of burnout appear to be rising, especially since research from the Australian Institute of Health and Safety says working from home means workers are often required to “do more with less” and be online and available 24/7, as well as homeschool children. Our research into burnout—to determine how to best

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identify and manage it—is outlined in the book Burnout: A guide to identifying burnout and pathways to recover and is summarised here.

what is burnout?

The most widely used burnout measure, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), defines it by three criteria: • Exhaustion • Loss of empathy towards service recipients/cynicism towards one’s job • Reduced professional accomplishment.

But the MBI has been widely critiqued. One concern is it overlooks key symptoms that are prominent in burnout and may be especially debilitating, such as cognitive dysfunction (which might include forgetting things or not being able to concentrate).

Another concern is it was derived solely from researching burnout in those who work directly with patients and clients, such as those in caring professions. Nuances of burnout that

the Sydney Burnout Measure

In our studies, we asked more than 1000 participants who said they’d experienced burnout to report their main symptoms. They worked across a range of contexts, from paid employment positions to more “informal” work positions such as caring for elderly parents and/or children.

We found the syndrome comprised of not just exhaustion, but also cognitive dysfunction, withdrawal and disconnection from the world and those around you, and reduced work performance (whether in paid work or in tasks at home), commonly accompanied by depression, anxiety and insomnia.

These symptoms we collated into our own measure—the Sydney Burnout Measure (SBM) is a checklist of 34 burnout symptoms, with a high score indicating you might have burnout. But it’s also possible to get a high score because of other under-

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Due to the pandemic, rates of burnout appear to be rising.

lying conditions that share several of burnout’s symptoms, such as depression. To assess for this possibility, approaching a GP or mental health professional may be necessary.

These professionals will use their clinical experience to assess whether the symptoms you have are likely due to burnout, or some other mental health condition—as different psychological conditions often require disorder-specific treatment strategies.

addressing the external stressor

Once you know you have burnout, what can you do about it?

First, the causes of your burnout need to be identified, so you can work to reduce their impact.

External causes of burnout can come from your workplace (being overloaded, overlooked for a promotion, working overtime) or from home (caring for multiple children and/or elderly parents, being primarily responsible for domestic duties).

A combination of both factors could be at play, especially during lockdown, where many are juggling working-from-home demands, financial difficulties and home-schooling children.

Seeking resolution from your boss may be useful in overcoming some work stressors. Can they extend deadlines or arrange flexible working hours around your child-rearing responsibilities?

For factors in the home, asking family members to assist in juggling tasks or researching whether some NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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occur in other contexts may have been overlooked.

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tasks can be outsourced (for example, can you hire a cleaner or a babysitter once a week?) may be of use.

applying de-stressing strategies

When escaping these stressors isn’t possible, you may have to bring on some de-stressing strategies to help curb your burnout symptoms.

Things like exercise, meditation and practising mindfulness are consistently nominated by our study participants as most helpful.

Research in Health Psychology Review says such practices not only help distract and relax you, but also have proven biological benefits, such as reducing levels of stress hormones throughout the body.

Consulting a mental health professional can also be useful, as they will have specific cognitive strategies to help reduce anxiety and stress.

addressing a predisposing factor: perfectionism

While stressors at work or home may set the wheels of burnout in motion, our analyses indicated burnout may also develop as a result of predisposing personality traits, especially perfectionism.

People with perfectionistic traits are usually excellent workers, as they’re extremely reliable and conscientious. However, they’re also prone to burnout as they set unrealistic and unrelenting standards for their own performance, which are ultimately impossible to live up to.

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Managing burnout requires not only addressing stressors and employing de-stressing strategies, but also tweaking any predisposing personality style. Several strategies can assist in modifying perfectionistic thoughts and behaviours. For example, learning to focus more on the “big picture” rather than the finer details can help prevent procrastination—a common consequence of perfectionism.

So, when starting a task, approach it with the goal of getting it done (no matter the quality) rather than ensuring it’s perfect from the get-go.

You can go back and fix it later.

Learning to avoid black and white thinking (“If this goes wrong, I'll definitely lose my job”) is another important strategy. Consider instead the shades of grey (“If this goes wrong, I can try to approach it from another angle”).

A mental health professional may also be of assistance here, as they can offer cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), that helps people notice and modify unhelpful thinking patterns that are common in perfectionism and make them prone to stress and anxiety.

Identifying burnout and its key contributors is crucial. Only then can management strategies be applied.

Gabriela Tavella is a research officer at the University of NSW School of Psychiatry. Gordon Parker is a Scientia professor at UNSW. Their book, Burnout: A guide to identifying burnout and pathways to recovery, co-authored by Kerrie Eyers, is published

by Allen & Unwin. This article first appeared on The Conversation website and is reprinted under a Creative Commons licence.

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PLANTED AND

GROWING

Should people show lifetime stability in their decisions or should they rather permanently explore and be open to change?

BY NATHAN BROWN NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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appreciate and affirm in practising an open-minded, adventurous and authentic approach to life. But many of the apparent charms of this scenario can also be its traps: freedom can become disconnectedness; rejecting expectations can also be rejecting responsibilities; doing only what feels right can become self-indulgence; refusing to make a plan can also mean living without purpose; wandering can also become aimlessness. To mirror J R R Tolkien’s famous line, “Not all who wander aren’t lost”—or, to put it more expansively, many wander because they are lost and some get lost in the wandering.

On the other hand, the attitudes of the stern and inflexible are rightly mocked in many of the stories of mythology and popular culture. These characters often appear strong, but because of their rigidity and inability to adapt, they are fragile, threatened by change and often their resulting insecurities poison their interactions with those around them.

Outside the caricatures of storybook characters, it is unusual to meet someone who is completely inflexible and closed off, but many of us feel the occasional temptation to settle for the merely familiar and know people who are rarely open to new ideas or experiences. Such people are lost because they never wander. They miss key aspects of what it means to be human—to discover, to learn, to wonder and to grow.

All of this suggests a more useful

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ne of the most overused metaphors for our human experience of life is that of the journey.

We have our personal journeys and family journeys, educational journeys and vocational journeys, emotional journeys and spiritual journeys. And we are told that our most significant journeys of self-discovery often come in the form of literal journeys to places of history, heritage or spiritual significance.

Many of us are taught or absorb from the culture around us to anticipate change and travel, and we experience a growing sense of restlessness if remaining in the same place—physically, geographically, experientially and even sometimes relationally and spiritually—for “too long”. Yes, there is a kind of romance to taking to the open road, perhaps in a van with the seemingly obligatory “Not all who wander are lost” sticker on the back window. It is the story of favourite road movies, the content of many popular social media accounts and the daydreams of many of us during long afternoons in the office, classroom or workshop.

But this is not only a recurring narrative in the stories of our classical and popular culture, it is also a much vaunted attitude to living, focused on enjoying the moment, following your heart and chasing your dreams.

Like many cliches, “life is a journey” has some founding truth, even if weakened by repetition and sometimes stretched beyond usefulness. There is much to

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Many wander because they are lost and some get lost in the wandering.

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metaphor for our life experience.

One of the ancient Hebrew prophets described people who live well—with hope and confidence—in this way: “They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit” (Jeremiah 17:8).

This is a picture of a life of stability and change, growth and cycles, perseverance and productivity.

As I write this, the trees outside my office window are losing the last of their colourful autumnal leaves, leaving their bare branches to face the onset of winter with its cold rain and biting winds. They are the same trees that appear along the front fence line as saplings in photos of the building when it was opened in the late 1930s. But they are also different trees, grown large across the decades,

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trimmed from time to time, and also occasionally losing limbs to an extra-strong gale. As their summer greens have turned to reds and yellows and browns and the leaves have floated away in the autumn breezes, there is also the expectation that when the season warms again, the sap will rise in the tree, the green will bud and then the leaves will again unfold in the pattern of change and renewal that these trees have been dancing for more than 80 years.

Living well requires a strong foundation of meaning and purpose, and while it is not always possible, seems to work best when we have roots that grow ever deeper into place, community and conviction. But this does not mean we are unchanging.

Indeed, such rootedness provides the power and possibility of growth and change. A healthy tree is always changing, growing taller, wider, thicker, deeper. If it stops, it begins

to decline and decay. The tree is also responsive to the sun and the wind, with the flexibility of its branches part of its strength in withstanding the assaults of the elements. It bends to the wind so as to still be standing strong the next morning.

There are also seasons in our lives.

These are both predictable and fickle.

Some summer days are pleasant, others are ferocious—but the seasons follow each other in turn. There is a “a time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. . . . A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend” (Ecclesiastes 3:4–7). In each of these times, there are things to learn and opportunities to grow, difficulties to endure and wonders to find. And after each, we will be changed.

If we push them too far, all our metaphors—perhaps particularly

metaphors for how we should live— will come undone or let us down.

But consider the trees . . . observe that their permanence belies their sometimes imperceptible but constant change. Envy their stability and groundedness; emulate their steady maturation, fruitfulness and hospitality. Know when our neighbours need shade and when the absence of leaves can allow the weaker winter sunshine to reach the grass below. Learn to grow both larger and deeper. And find the hidden sources of life and strength that will help us through times of drought and allow us to provide for others when they are struggling.

Let’s use this metaphor of the tree more when talking about how to live well—both planted and growing.

If you would like to Live Well, check out our free course at <discover.hopechannel.com/living-well/> and find health and happiness.

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

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Some summer days are pleasant, others are ferocious—but the seasons follow each other in turn.

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BETTER HEALTH for every body WITH

DR SIMONE KOOKE

MORE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES BETTER FOR CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH

Our children are growing up in an environment that offers more challenges than ever, and we are always looking out for better ways to help them cope. Researchers from the UK have demonstrated positive links between more fruit and vegetables in their diets, and better mental wellbeing outcomes for school students, especially at high school. And while not as convenient, a “traditional” breakfast also provided a better outcome than a breakfast drink.

—BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and health

MORE MINDFULNESS

HELPFUL HONEY

Small batteries are a parent's nightmare because they can be easily swallowed by babies and toddlers. While a trip to the hospital is a given, Canadian researchers have found that giving children over the age of one a teaspoon of honey every 10 minutes while on their way to seek extra care can help to minimise the tissue damage associated with this distressing event. This can also give you some time to plan where the batteries will be locked up to prevent a repeat occurrence.—CMAJ 24

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Emerging research has identified that utilising mindfulness and meditation techniques for even short periods can improve the brain’s ability to detect mistakes—with these changes being observed even after a single session of meditation.—MDPI

PLANT-BASED DIET FIGHTS COVID-19

A plant-based diet has been rapidly developing a following among the medical fraternity, with many good reasons. A new one is that those who followed this eating plan were less likely to contract Covid-19, and less likely to have severe disease if they did. While this does not replace the need for vaccines, masks and physical distancing, it is another protective factor that can easily be deployed.—BMJ Gut

BETTER SLEEP = BETTER SNACKS

DIET AND EXERCISE FOR BLOOD PRESSURE High blood pressure is one of the most common health conditions affecting adults. An “exercise prescription” has been demonstrated to drop blood pressure by up to 12 points if administered in a structured program. While this may not be able to completely negate the need for medications, it may be enough to allow for a lower dose or fewer tablets—just what the doctor ordered.—AHA Journals

If you’ve ever thought that the “late night munchies” were a thing, you’d be right.

Researchers from the USA have found that if you’re staying up late at night, you’re doing yourself a disservice by firstly, not sleeping, and secondly, reaching for the high calorie snacks. While they found that almost everyone snacked, those who got less than seven hours of sleep per night snacked more, with the snacks being less healthy.—JAND

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

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DOES GOD EXIST?

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

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B

ack in 2014, I went to university to pursue a degree in ministry.

As part of my course, I had to take an elective titled “Issues in Physical Science and Religion”, which, to be honest, made me pretty nervous.

We were studying renowned atheists like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. Part of me worried they would demolish any belief I had in God and I’d have to rethink my career! But on the other hand, I was excited to finally go toe-to-toe with concepts from the great thinkers of the age. And while I can’t recount every detail of that journey, there were two prime moments that—far from destroying my faith—expanded it.

A lifetime of adventure and exploration beckons for those seeking an answer to Who or what started it all.

BY MARCOS TORRES

One of the most memorable moments came from a conversation about the origins of the universe.

The theist position at the time had come to rely heavily on the notion of a finely tuned universe. The finetuning argument went something like this: imagine a large football stadium covered entirely in analogue sound boards with millions of knobs.

Now imagine that for life to exist each of those knobs would have to be turned to the right number all at the same time. If you adjusted one knob just a little too much or too little, life would no longer exist.

With a mental picture like this, the theist would go on to suggest

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before the grandeur of the multiverse

NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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that the universe operates in a similar fashion. There are an incredible number of variables that need to be in place for life to exist and if any one of those variables is wrong, life is no longer possible. This theory suggests that the universe is finely tuned for life to exist. The best explanation for this is not blind evolutionary processes but the existence of a fine tuner—namely God. When I learned atheism’s response, it shocked me. The universe, they argued, is finely tuned for life because

settings for life to evolve. Once again, they found a way to explain this as an entirely natural process, with no reference to God. As I pondered this, I marvelled at how far the atheist had to go to avoid the God option. A multiverse seemed like quite the outlandish leap to me, something I reasoned was a desperate attempt to discredit the notion of God. Even to this day, there remains disagreement in the scientific community regarding just how science-based the multiverse

“

I found the multiverse idea—if true—merely adds to God's majesty. it is a part of a multiverse with many other parallel universes that do not contain life. Our universe does and because we can observe it, we can discuss it. But this is not evidence of a fine tuner. It is simply evidence of a much grander natural process than we had previously imagined. There isn’t just one universe but multiple, each with the knobs at different settings. Ours is one of the unique ones in which the knobs emerged randomly tuned to the proper 28

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theory is.

But apart from this, I found the multiverse idea—if true—merely adds to God’s majesty. He is a Being so incredible that He sustains, not merely our observable universe, but a host of other universes. And maybe He designed it this way because He wants life to be an endless adventure —that through science, innovation and technology we would engineer marvels that could take us not only through our own universe, but

the singularity and utter boredom

But while the multiverse theory deepened my belief in God and gave me a glimpse into who He is, I was quickly challenged by another atheist, the late scientific historian Dr William Provine. In an interview, Dr Provine stated the following thought-provoking idea: “Can you imagine anything more boring?

The boredom attached to [intelligent design] is supreme. It is so boring that I can’t even be bothered to think about it for a second.

It’s just utterly boring.”

I found this idea of boredom at the prospect of God really bizarre. For starters, a standard atheistic argument about the evolution of life is that complexity arose from non-complexity. The Big Bang could then be traced back to a moment of singularity—a moment of utter simplicity in which time and space were crunched into one singular phenomenon. I imagined that if Dr Provine went back to that moment in time and attempted to study it, he would drain it of all its mystery and wonder within a few short years. And then what?

Another way I like to think about

this is using the example of a video game character exploring the origins of its reality. Suppose that character was Dr Provine who was able to trace the origins of his reality down to a singular moment in which he discovered the binary code that is at the foundation of his virtual world (basically a bunch of ones and zeros).

How long until our video game version of Dr Provine became utterly bored with pondering that basic binary?

But suppose that a video game character discovered that binary code was but the language of a programmer who inhabited a dimension infinitely more complex and beautiful than a video game. Additionally, what if Dr Provine could speak to that programmer and learn from him? And what if it was possible for Dr Provine to actually leave that plane and enter the programmer's dimension? To bring this back to reality, what if the singularity at the start of our universe is but the basic coding of God’s creative language?

What if that singularity is not the end but really, the portal into a new and unexplored dimension above our own? And what if Dr Provine could actually meet with God and learn from Him? How long until Dr Provine got bored? Would he ever?

This experience also expanded my view of God. I came to see God as the source of endless discovery. In Him, the learning and the expanding never cease. He welcomes us into an infinity of knowing and being NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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beyond. This God who designed a labyrinth of wonder among the stars invites us into eternal adventure of discovery because He Himself is an adventurous being.

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on mystery, wonder and the beyond While these are far from the only (or even the best) arguments atheism raises against God, they stood out to me nonetheless because they encapsulate a common theme among atheists—that in a universe in which God is real, mankind is restrained, coerced, controlled, repressed and held back. But in a universe in which there is no God, mankind is liberated to carve its own path and engineer its own significance.

Who is God then? For many people He is a tyrant we need to escape.

But what if this weren’t true? What if God embodies the height of liberation?

What if God has engineered reality to be an endless falling in love, an endless growing in knowledge, an endless innovation and excavation into our universe and beyond?

And what if man has lost this capacity due to sin and its decaying effects? And what if God is offering humanity the antidote to this virus, so that 30

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we can once again step into the infinity He has in mind for us? What if God is not a tyrant but a creator whose eternal longing is to see us attain our highest possible selves—fully manifested in a multiverse of adventure that awaits those who trust in Him? As the semester reached its end, I realised my fears had been unfounded. Not only did I still believe in God, my belief in God had actually grown. God, I had found, was not merely the best foundation for the beginning, He was likewise the best explanation for the end. In Him, life and cosmos, being and consciousness, breath and meaning coalesced into one grand symphony. The best part is that this end that I speak of is merely the end of an age. No-one can imagine what follows after. All I know is that it will be an eternal adventure filled with discovery and awe because that is who the Creator really is—a God of endless awe.

Marcos Torres is a Seventh-day Adventist pastor in Cockburn and Joondalup churches in Perth, where he lives with his wife and children. He also writes for his own blog, thestoryproject.com.

To find out more about God visit <discover. hopechannel.com/beyond-the-search/ or discover.hopechannel.com/secrets-of-ourfuture/>.

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known, a cosmic uncovering that transcends our own finite universe and eternal relationship with the very mind behind it all.

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DERSTANDING THE WHITE RIBBON Important information from a domestic violence victim for identifying domestic violence and deciding what to do next.

BY SARAH MCDUGAL NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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hite Ribbon Day on November 25 is a chance for many around the world to “stand up, speak out” and #endthecycle of domestic abuse. However, domestic violence (DV) is too often narrowly defined as only physical assault.

Abuse is actually a systemic pattern of behaviours.

I’ve developed a systems of abuse and patterns of behaviour chart that breaks down 13 areas: • Children: There's been a lot of news coverage over the past five or six years in Australia on uncovering systemic abuse of children. When we see these reports we often think of child sexual abuse, but it's not just in those specific hotspot areas. It's much harder to recover from a childhood of being told that you were worth nothing and that you were unwanted than it is to recover from a broken bone.

• Culture: Abuse that is perpetrated through culture can show up either in family culture or socioethnic culture where it's justified as, “where I'm from, this is how we do it. You need to get in line”.

• Emotional abuse: We see the effects of emotional abuse in what we call ACEs (adverse childhood experiences). The more counts of ACE that an adult has is linked to negative mental health. Depression, higher rates of potential suicide and higher rates of auto-immune disease often come as a result.

• Intellectual, psychological and social abuse: This is considered physical abuse of the brain tissue because when someone lives in an emotionally, psychologically terrorist SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • NOVEMBER 2021

type of environment, they end up physically sicker.

• Financial abuse: Is present in almost every family violence situation where women do not have full and equal access and decision-making power with the family finances.

Additionally it can include women who don't know that their husband is racking up debt in their name, has taken out a second mortgage on the house or has quit their job or has a gambling addiction.

• Pets: One of the most effective ways to force someone to do what you want is to threaten their pets.

If I believe you're going to hurt my dog or my cat—even if I previously wouldn’t do what you want—I'll do anything if I love that animal.

• Destruction of property: Things like refusing to maintain a spouse's vehicle so the spouse can never leave to get medical care. It can also include situations were she can’t escape, especially out in the bush, because she has no access to a functioning vehicle, or she's never been allowed to get a driver's licence. And obviously it also includes smashing things.

• Physical: Alongside hitting can also be slapping, biting, blocking from exiting a doorway and driving with road rage—endangering someone's life because of your driving.

• Sexual abuse: We think of rape and violent assault as sexual abuse, but if we define rape as the absence of consent: what about the wife who is raped in her sleep throughout her marriage? What about the young woman who is under the age of consent but is told to believe a mature man really loves her. She's coerced and manipulated into what she

believes is consent when legally she can't give consent. The spouse who has an out-of-control pornography addiction—and maybe is even acting that out in real life—but the wife has no idea so she can’t consent. She's not given the opportunity to say no because she's deceived.

• Social abuse: If someone is isolated or triangulated, they're pulled away from their family. They might be taken far away physically or they're told that everyone else is out to get them. This manifests in a fostered sense of paranoia or that "it's only you and me, baby against the world. No-one else understands you like I do". Or "when I'm acting crazy and violent, no-one can calm me down like you can".

• Spiritual abuse: Any of these things done in the name of God is spiritual abuse.

• Verbal abuse: Swearing, shouting or speaking unkind words constantly.

• The core issue, however, is the abuse of power. How do we use our power: to exploit or protect?

The scars of being emotionally

cut down and psychologically or intellectually belittled, demeaned and disassembled piece by piece as you lose your personhood, your autonomy and your humanness—those scars last much longer than a bruise that heals and then goes away.

Defining these types of abuse is the first step to addressing DV because until you can name it, you can't do anything about it.

not just women

If you’re reading this saying “Oh, but not only women are victims of abuse. Women will be abusers too”, you’re right. However, statistics show the overwhelming majority of violence victims are female.

I’ve spoken to men who have experienced horrific aspects of abuse right off the list above, whether it was in their marriage, workplace or in their faith system.

Very often people jump straight to the assumption that if you were pushing back against abuse that you are anti-male. That could not be NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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further from the truth. We conflate toxic, abusive behaviour with the traits of “manliness”, and that is unfair to men.

If we equate being the loudest guy in the room or the most forceful with being the most manly, then we are inadvertently equating abuse with masculinity. These cultural expectations are very much drawn from pornography, Hollywood and “John Wayne wild west” kind of culture— it's pervasive.

I believe the standard of godly masculinity is the fruit of the spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control (see Galatians 5 in the Bible). And I happen to believe that is the standard for godly womanliness as well.

Men and women should meet together in mutual respect and cultivate these values.

Acceptance of abuse is just as toxic to men. Men have the ability SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • NOVEMBER 2021

to be self-controlled, gentle, kind and loving. We should not just assume men are emotionally stunted and needing their wives to be their mummies. That's insulting to good men.

how can we help?

It’s incredibly common for victims of either gender to not know they’re living with abuse. I’ve spoken to women who’ve been brutally raped in their marriages for years and just thought that was what sex was supposed to be like. They thought their job as a wife was to meet all their husband’s proclivities, which may have been coming straight from violent porn.

Those who don't have a reference point for what love and honour is don't know that what they’re experiencing is wrong. If you or someone around you has awakened to this and does express it to you,

“

It's incredibly common for victims of either gender to not know they're living with abuse

they’ll say something like “It's really rough again. I thought it was going to be better this time. He promised it wouldn't go back to this.”

You’ll never hear the full story first because the victim has not fully come to terms with the magnitude of what they are experiencing. They may feel foggy or confused all the time—like they’re on a rollercoaster.

If you hear something you recognise as a red flag, begin watching and observing. Listen, don't condemn. Don't force them to leave.

Don't jump in as an advocate or an activist saying, oh, you’ve got to get out of there, go right now. You can get people killed. You don’t know how dangerous an abusive or controlling spouse may be. If the victim has never removed compliance before and then they decide to break ties or truly seek help, you don't know how volatile the abuser will be.

If someone over the age of 18 is trying to disclose abuse—listen, care

and validate. Say things like: “That sounds really difficult. Sorry you're going through this. It sounds like there may be more going on. Have you talked to a counsellor? Have you considered speaking to someone in family violence who might be able to help you get more tools to understand what is happening?”

If the victim or the suspected vulnerable person is under the age of 18—report it to the authorities, period. Don’t make it anyone else's business.

Remember, 93 to 97 per cent of abuse reports are true, the same as other crime reports. During the pandemic, while other crimes decreased in Australia, DV increased by 13 per cent.

When someone is first recognising the signs of DV, they will be terrified to tell someone; terrified to break family confidentiality; terrified of repercussions and terrified in a faith community that they're letting down NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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their vows, family, their image, the church’s image or the image of God. Give them tidbits for the next right step—a resource, a number to call, somewhere they can get more info.

If someone comes to you and they are ready to get out, you need to refer them to your nearest family violence facility.

Get an advocate involved. If they are in a faith community, get them involved with an advocate who is outside of the faith community so that they have some chance of safety without everyone deciding to get involved.

If you have experienced domestic violence, I want you to know there is a tremendous amount of hope for freedom. There is a whole tribe of survivor warriors who are there waiting for you to join them, to have your back and support your journey out of the wilderness. Don't lose hope just because it feels hopeless.

Sarah McDugal is the author of multiple books, a speaker, trainer and abuse recovery coach who works with women and faith communities. Sarah lived in an abusive marriage, while in public she was a clergy wife. She also experienced child sexual abuse from a prominent church leader. It wasn’t until she was an adult that she was able to truly process and recognise the process for what it was.

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If you'd like to learn more, you can visit Sarah’s website at wildernesstowilds.com.

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Christians are more than just people who believe in Jesus—though that’s important. Real Christians are those who live to bless others.

BY DAVE EDGREN

HOW TO SPOT A

Christian NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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P

Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of erhaps you’ve heard the phrase often touted as wisdom: “You do faith” (Hebrews 12:1,2). you” which means, “be more like yourself.” kingdom living The truth is that nothing truly The list Jesus offers for what a great can come from only being more Christian must do is remarkably like yourself. different from what you’d expect. He When we look at ourselves, imhas high expectations, though you may be surprised what they are. prove ourselves, refine ourselves and He tells a story that describes modify ourselves, we may become Himself as the victorious King who better than our neighbour, but we returns to Earth and separates His will never reach our true potential.

In fact, on its own, self-improvement people from the rest. Both groups of people are surcan only make us more like prised by what the ourselves. It King says. First, doesn’t buff out He gives His list our mistakes of expectations: it and bad habits. includes feeding If we want to the hungry, giving become better thirsty people It's much easier to see than ourselves, something to someone's physical we must look drink, inviting outside of strangers to stay in needs than to read ourselves. We our home, giving are not the hero clothes to people their intentions in our own who need them story. and visiting sick Far too much is said about the people and prisoners. need to be a leader. The most imporDid you notice the list Jesus gave?

It wasn’t a list of what to eat, drink, tant choice you’ll make in your entire wear or any other self-focused habits. life is not who you lead but who you choose to follow. I’ve got a suggestion The list of actions Jesus gave was to feed the hungry, welcome the that’s worked for me: follow Jesus. stranger, clothe the naked, help the You’ll never make a better choice! sick and visit the prisoner. These are The author of New Testament book all about helping others.

Hebrews wrote, “Let us throw off Both groups are astonished and everything that hinders and the want to know when the King asked sin that so easily entangles. And let them to do these things, and Jesus us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on responds, “Truly I tell you, whatever

CAMERON CASEY—PEXELS

“

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you did [or did not do] for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did [or didn’t do] for me” (Matthew 25:40).

humble hearts

As we progress in meeting the needs of others, we learn to move from actions to hearts. It’s much easier to see someone’s physical needs than to read their intentions. The two wisest men in the Bible demonstrated this ability to look into the heart.

King Solomon, called the wisest man who ever lived, was often brought tough cases to decide. God had offered young King Solomon the golden ticket: Ask for anything you want and I will grant it to you!

In humility, Solomon asked for wisdom.

In one particularly memorable case, two women were brought before King Solomon. They had one baby they both claimed as their own. How was Solomon supposed to decide who the real mother was?

Understanding the ways of the heart, Solomon called for a sword which was brought to him. Then he commanded that the child be cut in two and half given to each woman.

Instantly, the child’s real mother cried out in shock: “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” The other woman also revealed her heart by instantly replying, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!” (1 Kings 3:26) NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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By creating a situation which caused each woman to speak from her heart, Solomon’s decision was easy. He gave the child to the woman who loved the baby.

The same wisdom granted to Solomon can be ours if we also humble ourselves before God and others and ask Him for the wisdom to serve with an understanding heart. And then, with a heart of both humility and wisdom, we will see the needs of those around us and act with love and compassion toward them.

the heart of forgiveness

The other Man in the Bible who demonstrated God’s wisdom didn’t need to ask for it! Jesus was God in human flesh. He came to Earth to live among us as a human being, and He had an overarching purpose: to show us God’s heart. He did this

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through both His life and His death.

Jesus spent many hours with people just getting to know them. He loved people and loved to be with them!

The Bible declares on multiple occasions that Jesus’ death provided a way out of death and brokenness for every human being. However, He didn’t wait until His death to demonstrate forgiveness or the freedom He can offer.

Early one morning, Jesus revealed the wisdom of God in the way He offered forgiveness to a broken woman. Caught in the act of adultery, she was cast in front of Jesus as He taught morning worship on the temple steps.

The men who brought her to Him were religious leaders. “Teacher,” they said, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.

Now what do you say?” (John 8:4,5).

LAMPOS ARITONANG—UNSPLASH

Their hope was to trap Jesus by getting Him to say something they could use against Him. If He had said that she was not worthy of death for such an act, they would have accused Him of breaking their law, however, if He had recommended punishment, He would have gone against what He had been teaching and demonstrating. Jesus paused, then stooping down He wrote in the dust on the temple steps.

This obviously was not what they expected Him to do, so they continued to demand an answer. Finally, Jesus stood up and said, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (verse 7). Then He stooped down again and continued writing in the dust.

None of the men picked up a stone.

Instead, they all turned and left, one by one—from oldest to youngest.

We don’t know what He wrote as the Bible doesn’t record it, however Christian tradition suggests He was writing their own wrongdoings in the dirt!

Jesus looked into the hearts of everyone there that morning, judging and forgiving the right person!

Once her accusers were gone, Jesus told the woman that He didn’t condemn her either. He sent her off, forgiven and empowered to “go and sin no more” (verse 11).

Christlike behaviour

searched the heart of each person for their motivation. Faced with a situation designed to put Him at risk, Jesus didn’t put Himself first. Instead, by expanding the boundaries of His accusers’ question to include their own hearts, Jesus showed compassion even for them—sending them away with a private call to repentance.

He protected the weakness revealed in each person while safely drawing them toward holiness. Jesus taught the woman, the accusers, the crowd and us how to act toward both sin and sinners.

The wisdom of God revealed in Jesus can be ours if, like Jesus, we put God first and then place the needs of others above our own. If we follow Jesus’ lead, when treated rudely we will seek first to understand the heart of our accuser. And then, with selfless love, we will act like Jesus in humility and righteousness.

People who follow Jesus today are easy to spot. They are the humble people running soup kitchens, smiling at strangers, providing a room for a traveller and then doing it all again—not because it’s on a list of things to do but because it’s in their hearts. There’s a good chance they don’t even know it’s getting them anywhere, because, after all, they are doing it for others.

Dave Edgren is a freelance writer who lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Jesus modelled God’s wisdom in both word and action. Rather than let the accusers set the agenda, Jesus NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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W

ELL B EING

The

e i L d o o G

When your loved one suffers from dementia, sometimes lying to them is the virtuous way . . .

BY JULIE HOEY 46

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I

remember having classroom debates in high school about whether it was ever okay to tell a lie. A few decades later, here’s my verdict: a lie can be the most virtuous thing you’ll ever do. I call it a righteous lie; others call it a therapeutic lie.

I tell a righteous lie when my mother phones me in a panic because she can’t find the train station and she’s going to miss the train. I lie to her and explain that there are track works on today, so no trains are running.

Her distress evaporates instantly.

My mum has dementia and she is, in fact, pacing around the corridors of her nursing home.

It’s little wonder she can’t find the train.

If you haven’t yet encountered dementia in your life, you possibly think it’s about forgetfulness. While that’s one element of the cognitive confusion in dementia, it’s much more than wondering where you put your keys.

KINDEL MEDIA—PEXELS

extreme forgetfulness

Dementia forgetfulness is extreme—not the garden variety type that we all experience. My mum will ask, “What time are we leaving to go to the meeting?” She will repeat the exact words, five minutes apart, over and over again, with no recollection of having already asked the question. This forgetfulness

can have serious financial consequences, as they may pay bills multiple times, forget to pay insurance premiums or go shopping day after day—spending their money like they have an endless supply. Many people with dementia seem to forget whole decades of their lives.

They revert to “living” in a past time in their life, such as when they were a child, and this often goes hand in hand with not recognising their present-day family members. They might even fail to recognise their own reflection in the mirror. It is particularly difficult for someone with dementia to process the death of a loved one, simply because they keep forgetting what has happened. They may ask for their son whose funeral they attended two weeks ago, and may feel rejected and abandoned because he hasn’t visited lately. No amount of re-telling what has happened makes it become a hardwired memory—it only forces them to re-live their grief and despair for the first time over and over again. In these situations, the righteous lie may be that he is away on a holiday and will visit when he comes back.

creating false memories

People with dementia may also experience delusions, hallucinations and NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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confabulations—filling in the memory gaps with made-up stories. My mum—a former English teacher—has extensive delusions.

When she first moved into her nursing home, she believed she was at university, living in a college dormitory while upgrading her teaching qualifications. She routinely complained about children breaking into her room and stealing things. One morning she phoned my brother— from the landline in her room—and told him she was on the train, but she didn’t know which station they were stopped at. She also believes she is employed at the nursing home, sometimes even complaining about how much work she has to do. Once, a staff member had to “fire” her, to stop her bothering other residents in their rooms at night.

other symptoms

One way or another, dementia is caused by damage to the brain, so the impacts can be wide-ranging.

Many people experience significant personality changes. The sweetest,

gentlest father or mother can become aggressive, abusive and violent. A lifelong teetotaller can insist on having a glass of wine. My mother, a strict vegetarian for around 50 years, suddenly started eating chicken at every given opportunity. Noisily wandering the house at night is common, and “sundowning” occurs when behaviours worsen in the late afternoon and evening. In most cases, the brain damage progresses, leading to other symptoms such as an inability to control the bladder (urinary incontinence), immobility, loss of speech and inability to eat.

the carer's path

It’s estimated that currently in Australia and New Zealand, more than 1.6 million people are involved in caring for someone with dementia.

Although this can be an arduous commitment, it is delivered with love. As the condition progresses, the challenges mount. Incontinence alone can require superhuman stamina to manage, prevent and clean up, especially in patients who refuse

“

In Australia, 1.6 million people are involved in caring for someone with dementia 48

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • NOVEMBER 2021

STEFANO INTINTOLI—UNSPLASH

one to wear incontinence underwear and refuse to shower. Dealing with falls and injuries can take a heavy toll on the carer’s physical health. Making decisions around safety, including the suspension of a driver's licence, can leave the carer with an angry loved one who sees their freedom and independence disappearing.

Navigating medical, legal and financial matters is often all-consuming and fraught with frustration. Many carers have significant health problems of their own, including physical disabilities or terminal illnesses. They may be raising young children or teenagers, who also sometimes have complex issues. Many carers reach a point of physical and emotional exhaustion with their own lives, health and finances in tatters.

While government-funded or subsidised care packages and support are available, they can be difficult to access, often have long waiting times and may still not be enough.

The demands of this role are intense. At a time when carers need all the practical and emotional support they can get, they can instead very quickly find themselves isolated from their friends. Small acts of care can go a long way. If someone you know is caring for a loved one with dementia, why not gift some of your time to provide a judgement-free listening ear? Perhaps pay for a one-off cleaner; bring afternoon tea around or drop off an evening meal; play a simple board game, including the loved one with

the big decision

Many carers are eventually faced with no choice but to place their loved one in full-time care.

Immense guilt can be associated with this, especially if they have previously promised not to do so.

In Australia, one of the first steps is to phone My Aged Care (1800 200 422) and request an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment for residential care.

Someone from a local health service will visit the carer and the loved one in the home, and assess their needs and the level of care they require. At any time before or after this, the carer can be visiting aged care facilities and making decisions about which one is best for their loved one.

two

forgetfulness dementia-style

For more information on the differences between normal forgetfulness and dementiarelated forgetfulness, visit the link below:

dementia.org.au/ information/about-dementia/how-can-ifind-out-more/warning-signs-of-dementia

dementia if possible. Although you can’t change the carer’s situation, the impact of such kindness can make an immeasurable difference.

“

They might not know who you are any more, but you know who they are. be prepared

Dementia is just one of many circumstances that can render a person unable to make or communicate decisions about their finances, medical care or end-of-life wishes.

three

types of dementia

There are around 100 different conditions that cause dementia, but by far the most common is Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for around 70 per cent of cases. It is caused by protein build-ups in the nerve cells in the brain, which stops the cells communicating with each other.

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All adults should plan ahead for such possibilities, beginning with three essential documents: Power of Attorney identifies who will look after your finances and make your financial decisions if you become unable to do so.

Enduring Guardianship identifies who will make your lifestyle and medical decisions if you don’t have the capacity to make them yourself.

Advance Care Directive details what care you do or don’t want in end-of-life scenarios. Make sure your parents have these in place.

Make sure you have them in place.

For more information on putting plans in place, see the Dementia Australia website: <dementia.org. au/information/about-dementia/ planning-ahead-start2talk> or visit <dementia.nz/>.

what lies ahead

Pending medical breakthroughs,

VASCULAR DEMENTIA is caused by mini strokes, and symptoms can vary depending on where in the brain the strokes occurred.

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND VASCULAR DEMENTIA often occur

together. Many types of dementia have similar symptoms, so it can be difficult to give a definite diagnosis.

FRONTAL TEMPORAL DEMENTIA

is quite different. It occurs when the frontal lobe of the brain, and/

there isn’t a lot of good news for dementia sufferers. It’s a frightening and devastating diagnosis. Carers in the support groups I belong to routinely express their hatred for this awful disease. How can they weather this storm? Many carers and family members find their peace by surrounding their loved one with as much love as possible and providing them with as peaceful a death as possible. An oft-quoted mantra holds true: “They might not know who you are anymore, but you know who they are.”

For my part, I also believe something more lies ahead. I believe I’ll see my mum restored to her full health again one day, and I look forward to telling her about all the funny things she did when she had dementia. I’m sure we’ll be able to laugh about it then.

or the temporal lobes of the brain, are damaged. Memory may remain largely intact, but language difficulties can arise, as well as the loss of empathy and inhibitions, and other mood-related symptoms.

onset dementia.

Any dementia that is diagnosed under the age of 65 is referred to as younger onset dementia.

Being diagnosed in one’s 50s or even 40s is not unheard of. There are currently nearly 28,000 people in Australia with younger

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

ANDREA PIACQUADIO—PEXELS

Visit <dementia.nz/> or <dementia.org.au> for more information about dementia.

For more information on types of dementia, visit the link below:

dementia.org.au/information/about-dementia/ types-of-dementia

NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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BROADCASTS The search for extraterrestrial life has led scientists to narrow down 1175 star systems to 29 planets where human broadcasts may be intercepted. Human radio and television broadcasts to establish contact with extraterrestrials have been relayed into space for more than 100 years.—The Guardian

LIFE DETECTION TOOL Scientists are hoping to launch a new tool into space that studies the colour spectrum to detect complex molecules. Only living organisms possess such molecules, meaning that the system will not detect false positives.

Current NASA crafts can only detect simple molecules.—Independent

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RADIO BURSTS A Canadian telescope has detected hundreds of fast radio bursts from 2018–19. Scientists have been working to pinpoint their origin, with 61 recurring bursts seeming to have originated from 18 sources. Mapping their journey to Earth has also helped determine distribution of gases in the universe.—CNN

IGOR, MIRIAM ESPACIO, RFSTUDIO, CRAIG ADDERLEY, PIXABAY, SASCHA HORMEL—PEXELS

WHAT'S OUT THERE IN SPACE?

MIMICKING TOUCH Scientists have developed "artificial skin" for prosthetic limbs that is able to report pain and bruising via electronic signals. The skin is made of a gel and named "ionic skin" or "I-skin".

The technology has already been touted for use in wearable electronics and robots.—ACS Publications

DOING IT WITHOUT A HUMAN BRAIN CREWLESS CARGO SHIP Norway is launching the first autonomous cargo ship by the end of 2021; with no crew onboard and entirely monitored from three data control centres. Developed by Yara International, the Yara Birkeland also claims to be zero emission— using a seven megawatt battery and capable of sailing 13 knots while carrying 103 containers. The development of the ship is in response to combustion-engine ships accounting for up to 3.5 per cent of global greenhouse gases.—CNN TESLA BOT Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk announced the development of a new autonomous robot­­­—dubbed "Tesla Bot"­—which will help with doing groceries and household tasks. Announced at the Artificial Intelligence Event in August, the robot will be roughly 172cm tall and can run up to 8kph. The robot will likely utilise existing autopilot technology from Musk's line of Tesla autonomous vehicles. The robot may be available as early as next year.—Teslarti KILLER DRONE A KARGU-2 quadcopter drone designed for combat hunted down a human target in Libya without being instructed to do so—which national security experts report may be the first incident of this kind. The drone has capabilites to fire and detonate on impact, while also including a "highly effective" autonomous mode where it could operate without a human controller. Humans rights groups have since called for bans and regulation of autonomous weapons.—Business Insider

NEXT-GEN NEUROPROSTHETIC HANDS Previous generations were both heavy and expensive, but the development of new neuroprosthetic hands solves both of those problems and will report accurate feedback on touch sensations.—Nature.com

MIND CONTROLLED A new artificial limb developed by Atom Limbs means users may be able to use the prosthetic with many functions of a regular hand. Utilising a bracelet that reads muscle signals in the stump, prosthetic wearers will be able to move, touch and tap fingers on the limb just by thinking.—Fast Company NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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Top Gun: Maverick may be arriving 35 years after the hit original, but have all your fan-favourite characters grown up?

BY MARK HADLEY NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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op Gun: Maverick is approaching a cinema near you at super-sonic speeds. So too, is the affirmation of a personality type that used to be considered a problem. Thirty years on, the hero of the original film is back with fewer chips on his shoulder. The question is, will this older top gun inspire his masculine audience to take up adult responsibility, or simply feel more justified in pursuing their personal “need for speed”?

It’s impossible to consider the arrival of Maverick without taking a moment to reflect on the original Top Gun. As an artistic enterprise, it garnered Academy, Golden Globe, Golden Screen and Grammy awards for its soundtrack—who could forget Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone”? As a commercial venture, it robbed the box office, repaying a production budget of $US15 million with $US356 million in ticket sales. But it will probably be best remembered for its cultural contributions. Top Gun convinced a generation that fighter pilots could fly canopy-to-canopy, upside down. It cemented mirrored Aviator sunglasses and patched leather jackets as fashion statements.

And oh, so many of its lines have become quips we trade to this day: “Your ego is writing cheques your body can’t cash.”

The original Top Gun was a bitter-sweet coming of age story.

Wildly uncontrollable fighter pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (played

by Tom Cruise) attends the “Top

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Gun” Naval Fighter Weapons School with his radar intercept officer Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. Maverick wows everyone, survives the death of Goose and ends the film a wiser man. The sequel, Maverick, picks up the story more than 30 years later. Mitchell (still played by the ageless Cruise) has built a career out of pushing the envelope as a test and fighter pilot.

However, the world is changing.

Fifth generation fighter planes and drone technology are making the

era of dogfighting a thing of the past. At least, that is how Maverick’s commanders see it in the new film: Rear Admiral: “The end is inevitable, Maverick. Your kind is headed for extinction.”

Maverick: “Maybe so, sir. But not today.”

Maverick returns to the Navy’s Fighter Weapons School to pass on what he knows to a new generation

of top guns. There, he confronts a range of sub-plots including international tensions and the arrival of Goose’s son-turned-pilot, Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller).

But the title reminds us that this is a story about one man.

The reckless Maverick who would “only be happy going Mach 2 with his hair on fire” has become a calm, self-assured legend. He still ticks off his superiors, but that’s no concern.

He is, every inch, the man who

“

TOP GUN MVERICK MEDIA PACK

Somehow this maturity is married with a refusal to progress.

knows who he is. And somehow this maturity is married with a refusal to progress: Rear Admiral: “Thirty plus years of service. Combat medals. Citations.

Only man to shoot down three enemy planes in the last forty years.

Yet, you can’t get a promotion, you won’t retire and despite your best efforts, you refuse to die. You should be at least a two-star admiral by now.

Yet, here you are, captain. Why is that?”

Maverick: “It’s one of life’s mysteries, sir.”

Or is it? Maverick’s approach to life looks disturbingly like a jetpowered version of the “Peter Pan Syndrome”. The concept takes its name from the J M Barrie character who lived in “Neverland”—where a child could remain a boy forever. It was popularised through the work of psychoanalyst Dr Dan Kiley.

He treated troubled teens who experienced problems accepting adult responsibilities, a condition that could continue well into adulthood.

“Peter Pan Syndrome” is not a formal medical condition but it has been used by sociologists like Michael Kimmel to describe the world of immaturity that surrounds many men today: “[Guyland] is both a stage of life, [an] undefined time span between adolescence and adulthood that can often stretch for a decade or more, and . . . a bunch of places where guys gather to be guys with each other, unhassled by the demands of parents, girlfriends, job, kids and the other nuisances of adult life. In this topsyturvy, Peter-Pan mindset, young men shirk the responsibilities of adulthood and remain fixated on the trappings of boyhood, while the boys they still are struggle heroically to prove that they are real men despite all evidence to the contrary.”

Kimmel, Kiley and others have noted various symptoms that NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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potentially mark out the man-child.

Among other things, they show little interest in pursuing promotion opportunities, they are relationally stunted and rely on others to fulfil the basic tasks of living, and they prefer relationships with younger partners so they can prioritise personal desires over others’ needs.

As I mentioned, this syndrome is not a clinical diagnosis, but that hasn’t stopped it becoming a popular touchstone for understanding a generation of men who find it hard to grow up.

Top Gun: Maverick’s key character demonstrates many elements of the “Peter Pan” syndrome. However, playing to his audience, Mitchell’s storyline revises the condition on a grand scale and casts its consequences in a more favourable light. Decades have passed and Maverick has never “left home”, but his home is cool: an aircraft carrier. Maverick may rely on the military to do his everyday chores, but his job is undeniably cool: a fighter pilot.

Maverick pursues a younger woman who has the added advantage of being a single mother, meaning she is the more outwardly serious one in the relationship. But that’s cool too because she owns a bar and has no trouble with him riding his motorbike at dangerous speeds.

Maverick is persistently, deliberately underemployed, and even nonplussed about his invitation to return to the Top Gun School to teach.

Vice Admiral: “Your reputation SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • NOVEMBER 2021

precedes you.”

Maverick: “I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting an invitation back.”

Rear Admiral Marcus Williams: “They’re called orders, Maverick.”

But that is also cool, because his intransigence has been reinterpreted as his integrity. He would rather eschew rank and hold on to his seat in the cockpit. No-one can force him to “grow up”.

What Maverick lauds is actually a side-stepping of staid responsibility for the continuing thrill of youthful adventure; the persistence of boyhood in the face of becoming a man. There are maturing moments in the film, to be sure, but Maverick remains the maverick. This derailing of the transition from boy to man flies in the face of time-honoured culture—most societies possess a coming-of-age moment, whether it be the ritualistic scarring of African tribesmen or the acquiring of the right to vote in Australia. Steve Biddulph, author of Raising Boys and The New Manhood, describes it as a shift in allegiances: “Boys care about themselves, men care for other people”. This is also the defining line charted by the Bible.

In the Old Testament, the child behaves irresponsibly but it is the role of the adult to shoulder the task of discipline: “You shall teach [my laws] diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and

when you rise" (Deuteronomy 6:7).

And the principle continues in the New Testament. The man who marries is to remember that his life is one of sacrifice for the sake of his wife: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

In fact, the phrase “as Christ loved the church” is meant to point men to the greatest Man of all, whose sacrifice went as far as the grave to ensure those He loved might not perish but have eternal life. Jesus stands as the ultimate call to a manhood characterised by confronting adult issues, fulfilling responsibilities, sacrificing for the sake of others and accepting your God-given role.

Not that you will find much of that in Top Gun: Maverick. There are moments of sacrifice, certainly, but they are heavily camouflaged by a new range of glasses, leather jackets and bravado. A dazzling series of aeronautical manoeuvres capture the audience’s attention for a superficial vision of manhood. Sadly, one that doesn’t see the need to grow up while it can still hold tight to the tails of youthful experience.

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.

NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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R E CI P E

STUFFED

ZUCCHINI BOATS

A light, low-carb recipe that can be a side dish or the main feature of a spring feast.

Preparation Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 20 mins Serves: 4 Ingredients

2 Weet-Bix™, finely crushed (or gluten-free Weet-Bix™) 4 medium zucchini ¼ brown onion, finely diced 6 cherry tomatoes, diced 1 tsp dried Italian herbs ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or vegan alternative) 3 tsp olive oil

TIP:

B oth the W parmesan eet-Bix and ch substitute eese can be d for glute nfree and vegan op tions

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly oil a large oven tray or line with baking paper.

2. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out the centre of each half, leaving about ½cm flesh all the way around. Arrange zucchini boats in a single layer on the prepared pan.

3. Finely chop the scooped zucchini flesh and place in a bowl. Add onion, cherry tomatoes, herbs, Parmesan and crushed Weet-Bix. Stir well.

4. Fill zucchini boats with the Weet-Bix mixture and drizzle with the oil.

5. Bake 15–20 minutes or until zucchini is tender and the filling is golden. Serve warm as an entree or main.

Nutrition Information PER SERVE: Energy (kJ) 551; Cal 132; Protein (g) 8.0; Fat (g) 6.0; Saturated fat (g) 2.0; Carbohydrate (g) 8.0; Sugars (g) 3.0; Fibre (g) 3.5; Sodium (mg) 126; Potassium (mg) 1536; Calcium (mg) 121; Iron (mg) 1.9

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NOVEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

ENGIN AKYURT, NADI LINDSAY—PEXELS CARL NENZEN LOVEN—UNSPLASH

Recipe courtesy of Sanitarium Health Food Company. Visit sanitarium.com.au or sanitarium.co.nz and subscribe to Recipe of the Week for a delicious plant-powered recipe in your inbox each week.

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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!

CARL NENZEN LOVEN—UNSPLASH

Hint: 4 Down

EDUCATION.COM

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CROSSWORD CLUES

ACROSS 3 Lyrical stanza written with three major parts 6 Musical composition for a full orchestra 8 The need to appear or be without flaws 9 When an object begins to decompose 10 A complete list of property or goods 12 To be absolved of wrongdoing 13 Sharp metal object formerly used as a weapon in battle 14 The only Caananite language still spoken today DOWN 1 Philosophical movement that maximises positive emotions 2 Phone service that utilises underground cables 4 Sunglasses with trademark large lenses 5 Top layer of trees in a forest 7 Theory that space contains multiple universes 11 Name of dish used to hold cells like bacteria

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