Signs of the Times - December 2021

2022: A NEW DAWN?

SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT

WHO IS JESUS?

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY

IN THIS ISSUE

DECEMBER 2021

2022: A NEW DAWN?

How will you remember

2021?

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CURRENT

WHAT IN THE WORLD 32 SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT 4

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FAITH

12 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF

"THE DODGER" I didn't like Christians, but one day What God has prepared everything changed for you 26 THE MERCY OF INEFFICIENCY WELLBEING Explaining the long 18 LAUGH YOUR WAY TO A wait 46 TOGETHER AT LAST HEALTHIER YOU 24 BETTER HEALTH FOR God desires our EVERY BODY company Health news that BIG QUESTIONS makes a difference 60 RECIPE: WEET-BIX ICE38 WHO IS JESUS? CREAM BOMB Is He a myth, a Impress your regular man or God? Christmas guests with this explosive recipe

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 2

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • DECEMBER 2021

/SIGNSMAG

SCIENCE & TECH

52 THE CUTTING EDGE Engineering, science

and technology news

CULTURE

54 THE APOSTLE BOBA How does Boba Fett compare to the apostle Paul?

FUN

62 CROSSWORD AND

SUDOKU

Have you been paying

attention?

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS December is here. Decorations have been in the shops for months and if you’re anything like my wife, you’ll have given the Christmas movie playlists on your streaming service of choice a workout. She just loves Christmas movies. But these movies only have it half right. They preach about the true meaning of Christmas.

The “spirit of Christmas” seems to be “it is better to give than receive". Yes, Christmas is about giving. It’s about family and friends and getting together over the holidays.

These are all important things, especially after this past year (and the one before it)—they’ve been anything but normal. For some of you reading this, there's been a lot of uncertainty and a long time separated from loved ones.

But above all, Christmas is about Jesus. Not just cheesy Hallmark slogans but actual love that was willing to give up everything for you and for me.

People will debate and tell you that Jesus wasn’t actually born on December 25. That’s fine. He wasn't. We celebrate the Queen’s birthday on the wrong date as well.

But Christmas is a chance to celebrate what the birth of Jesus represents—that God Himself came into the world as a helpless baby, a human like us, to rescue us from death, disease and destruction. His rescue plan didn’t involve Him becoming emperor to take down His enemies and force people to follow Him or fight armies.

He came poor and humble. He healed and taught us how to live in a better way. He came to show us what real love—selfsacrificial love—is all about. He gives us hope that we can beat death like He did and that He will come back to take us home. That’s something to look forward to. Happy Christmas!

Jarrod

VOL 136 NO 12 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: Designed by Talia Valderrama

JARROD STACKELROTH Editor

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CU

R RENT

WHAT IN THE WORLD DRUGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA A New Zealand study has found 22 per cent of surveyed drug users confessed they used social media to buy narcotics, while an Australian study by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre claimed this figure was 70 per cent. Although platforms like Snapchat are assisting authorities in catching drug dealers, a recent drug-related death after an exchange on Snapchat has led to calls for urgent action.—ABC

UNETHICAL AI AUSTRALIA

Curtin University has slammed and retracted a facial recognition study it hosted which made it possible to identify minority groups. Co-funded by a Chinese academic, the software allows for identification of Uyghur people.

While the university has distanced itself from the study, human rights groups continue to express concern about misuse of AI for persecuting minority groups.—BBC 4

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • DECEMBER 2021

TOBIAS TULLIUS—UNSPLASH, MAKSIM CHERNISHEV—UNSPLASH, HUSH NAIDOO JADE PHOTOGRAPHY—UNSPLASH, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

WORLDWIDE

PHYSICIAN BIAS AGAINST FEMALES AUSTRALIA

An Australian study has found women receive "less evidence-based treatment" after being diagnosed with a heart attack. While female symptoms of heart attack are harder to identify, the study also claimed that women are less likely to receive cardiac rehabilitation and angiograms—and when they did, they were often delayed.—The Guardian

Christmas Cheer "Gifts" and "experiences" were the top two most hoped for gifts by Australians, according to a 2018 study.

—McCrindle Research

The same study found that 23 per cent of Australians regifted a total of more than 4.7 million gifts.

—McCrindle Research

In New Zealand last year, spending on groceries and alcohol were up 7.5 per cent compared to 2019.

—Stats NZ

ANCIENT DUNNY DISCOVERED ISRAEL

Archaeologists have uncovered a toilet in Jerusalem from 2700 years ago, which they say was a luxury at the time. Only a few have been found to date, with private toilets usually reserved for wealthy people. The digging site also uncovered a septic tank near the toilet, with historians hoping to study its fossilised contents to learn more about ancient diets.—AP News

A study released at the start of the year found most Kiwis were saving their money for travel during 2021.

—Tourism New Zealand

CU

R RENT

2022:

A NEW DAWN?

BY DANIEL KUBEREK 6

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SKYNESHER—GETTY IMAGES

Was 2021 just a sequel to 2020, and can we look forward to a brighter future?

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hen the ball dropped in New York’s Times Square on December 31, 2020, the world breathed a collective sigh of relief. The chapter had closed on what TIME magazine declared on its December 14 cover to be “The worst year ever”. 2021 was supposed to be a bright light at the end of the tunnel—a vaccination was on the way for the Covid-19 pandemic, the US government switched leaders and places like Australia’s fire-ridden landscape and Beirut’s blown-up zone could look forward to rebuilding.

As we arrive at the dusk of 2021, we again ask ourselves, “What did this year mean?” Was 2021 a relief period after the tumultuous events of 2020, or was it rather “2020: The Sequel”?

One might cite various events to support the latter: the Covid-19 Delta strain meant the pandemic continued to infect at an increased rate with various regions of both Australia and New Zealand experiencing lockdowns. Then there was the United States Capitol attack in February, the Israel-Palestinian crisis in May, the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August and a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti. While we are preoccupied with remembering all the deaths in these political and natural disasters, the wedging of the MV Ever Given container ship in the Suez canal—which according to the BBC stopped 12 per cent of global trade—seems like a distant memory.

On an optimistic front: increased

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vaccination efforts, billionaires Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson earmarking a new era of tourism with their ventures into space and Brisbane securing hosting rights for the 2032 Olympics all inspired hope—even for those experiencing lockdown.

Indeed, the Euro 2020 and Copa America 2021 tournaments ran (albeit with limited fan capacities) and Australia and New Zealand’s efforts at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games inspired many with a number of feel-good stories. The former equalled their best-ever gold medal haul, while New Zealand cheered on valiant goldwinning efforts in rowing, canoeing and women’s Rugby Sevens.

Factoring these global events into our personal perception of 2021 is one thing, however, we often see the success or failure of a year through the lens of our own triumphs and tragedies. For myself, the year began with the ecstasy of becoming engaged to my girlfriend (she actually said yes!) but then came the brutal realisation that our wedding would need to be postponed due to New South Wales’ Covid-19 Delta strain outbreak. I’m sure you will have your own story to tell about this year— and if you’d like to share it with me, send me a line at <signsofthetimes. org.au/help>.

What then does 2022 represent for us? Is it the promise of being able to travel internationally again, upcoming sporting or entertainment events, or societal progress in areas of health,

environment or economy? Maybe it’s something personal that we’re looking forward to—or dreading.

The very reason that we seek answers to these questions is worth discussing. Why is it that we put a large amount of significance on another lap around the sun— investing all our dreams, hopes and desires into what will arrive around the corner following December 31, 2021?

new dawn

Psychology Today author David Ropeik attributes the significance we place on New Year’s Eve to the opportunity to “reflect, look back, take stock, assess how we did, and resolve to do things better”. He adds: “the symbolism we attach to this moment is rooted in one of the most powerful motivations of all: our motivation to survive”. An interesting notion: for all the parties and fireworks, pumping music and friends, the one thing humans really seek is an opportunity to quietly reflect on another year of life.

Is it because we don’t have enough opportu-

nities to do so in our highly-strung lives? A study by APA at the start of 2021 reported that stress levels this year were just as high as when the pandemic broke out in early 2020, while research by Headspace and the National Union of Students found 83.2 per cent of Australian tertiary students felt the negative effects of stress on their health and wellbeing.

This may even be partially attributed to the stress of a new year not holding any solutions: another lap around the sun will do little for political unrest, conflict and personal issues. A marking on the timeline of earth’s history doesn’t have the power to bring change like the choices we make in the days before and after the first day on the new calendar.

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reflection

There is power in stopping and reflecting. Forbes lists a variety of practical techniques for emotional rest, including practising gratitude, deep breathing and healthy habits.

Another source of wisdom about rest is found in ancient but highly relevant Bible texts. The psalmist David describes walking with God: “[He] is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

to the Israelites, a people that had suffered state failure, invasion and exile—certainly stressful situations. “I will bring my people Israel back from exile,” God said. “They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them.

They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit” (Amos 9:14). It’s a similar thing that He promises us too in our complex modern world:

“

He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul” (Psalm 23:1–3). Perhaps we’ve often left God out of the equation in our lives and neglected these aspects that He promises us: healing and restoration.

Time and again, God promised these to people if they chose to follow Him. He promised them, 10

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“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

But that’s only one part of the equation that God offers. Rather than just recharging us to go out and fight another day, He offers hope for an end to all our struggles.

IPOPBA—GETTY IMAGES

Rather than just recharging us to go out and fight another day, He offers hope for an end to all our struggles

a better day

Jesus Christ’s second coming is described in the Bible as an end point to all struggles—an end to our human cycles between the hope of change and despair of struggle. It was on the Greek island of Patmos that Jesus’ disciple John was given visions about the earth being restored.

Describing a “Holy City” coming down from heaven, he also says: “I

heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God’.”

He continues: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has

passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

The last chapter in the Bible describes idyllic scenes in the city, including “water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God” and the tree of life which provides “healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:1,2). Three times in that chapter, God repeats the phrase, “Look, I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:12).

Whether we view 2022 with a sense of caution or optimism, the time we have to reflect now before a new year begins could be our moment of change. Rather than just choosing a list of New Year’s resolutions, we have the power to choose something of eternal significance: God Himself. Praying, reflecting and meditating on His words in the Bible has the power to restore us and bring us into a union with Him. The sparkling waters and luscious trees are only part of the reward for our union with God; as “the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:5).

As we hit the footnote for 2021, it’s worth looking at the footnote for the Bible. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen” (Revelation 22:21). If you’d like to find out more or you have questions about reading the Bible, praying or accepting God—send us a line at <signsofthetimes.org.au/help>.

Daniel Kuberek is assistant editor for Signs of the Times magazine. He lives in Sydney, NSW.

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FA IT H

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF

"The er" D odg I didn’t like Christians and certainly not con artists. One day everything changed with a flyer in my mailbox . . .

ANDRESR—GETTY IMAGES

BY ROGER KERR

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I

grew up in an affluent suburb in Sydney’s lower North Shore. My dad was a dentist, Mum was a stay-at-home academic. I had a knack for getting into trouble; from an early age I was a rebel without a cause.

My parents were atheists; Mum, who was highly educated, said that only uneducated people believed in God. At the time I believed she was a walking encyclopedia, so I accepted that she was right.

My mother became concerned at the reports emanating from the local public school about her son, “Roger

On my last day of work at the Alberta ski resort, I had an experience I will never forget. I took the chairlift up and then decided to walk up to the very top of the mountain. Almost at the top, I just rested and took in the view. The beauty of the scene left me spellbound. It was dead quiet— no chairlift noise and no people. The sky was blue and some of the snow was melting and falling from the trees. I just stared—it was a majestic scene. It’s hard to describe, but I felt I was in the presence of a supernatural being, and that this being—was it

“

I was in the presence

the Dodger”. I was a gang leader at school and Mum was alarmed about my future prospects, so she managed to convince my dad that I should be sent to a posh Sydney private school.

After school I didn’t know what to do career-wise. Dad turned me off dentistry and I just drifted into accountancy. I worked for a few years but felt I would die of boredom if I didn’t make a change. When I was 22, I became infected with the travel bug and so I worked at ski resorts in New Zealand and Canada.

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God?—loved me with an incredible love. I remember tears came to my eyes. I didn’t want to move on. I have no idea how long I was there. This experience is still etched in my mind.

Not long after my Canadian trip, I flew to London for the first of my three trips to the UK. I loved England from day one. The employment agency that I was with asked me to go to Fanny Boutiques, a trendy business selling clothes to younger women in London, and help the auditor because “the books are

PAMELAJOEMCFARLANE—GETTY IMAGES

of a supernatural being

in a mess”. That was the understatement of the century—the books were indeed in a huge mess.

The boss was Peter Fenton, if that was his real name. I was impressed by him. He was a tall, good looking and immaculately dressed man in his early 30s. He had an incredibly impressive Shakespearean voice—and to cap it all off he drove a new Jaguar sports car! My impression after the first week was that Peter was a great guy but a terrible businessman.

At home after the first week at work, I bought a paper, The Sunday People. When I opened to page three, I nearly fell off my chair!

The headline read: “Don’t invest your money with this man, Peter Fenton, England’s number one con man.” The article listed about half a dozen aliases that he used, then it described his modus operandi.

He would start a business and it would appear to be thriving.

Then he would invite people to invest in a franchise deal. Some months later he would declare himself bankrupt and then start all over again with a different business, but the same old “con” would operate.

As you can imagine, these were exciting times for a young Aussie in swinging London. The next day, Monday, was an interesting day.

When I arrived at work quite a few people were waiting, with newspapers in their hands. Peter arranged to see them, one person at a time. I learnt that after talking to them they all

agreed to leave their money with him; some even “invested” more funds with Peter! How easy it was for them to be deceived.

Fast forward to 1984 and I was living with my Australian girlfriend in Sydney. She found a flyer in the letterbox and asked me if I would like to go to the “Carter Report”. I said, “What on all earth is a Carter Report?” I was interested when I learnt that Pastor John Carter from the Carter Report would talk about Egyptian pyramids and Bible prophecy. Then I learnt that the meetings would be held at the Seventh-day Adventist Church at Wahroonga.

I must confess that at that time I didn’t like Christians, but I had no prejudice against Adventists. In my sales job, I drove all over Sydney and often had lunch in their Sanitarium health shops. I enjoyed the healthy vegetarian food and I found the staff to be friendly. I also took a tract or two home and read them with interest. So I decided to attend the meeting as the venue was close to our home—and it was free!

The first and second meetings were interesting. I was surprised to learn what the Bible had to say about prophecy and its fulfilment in history. However, it was the third meeting that really blew me away.

The subject was the Bible’s teaching on the second coming of Jesus and on last day events. The warning words on the screen were Jesus’ words—“Watch out that no-one deceive you” (Matthew 24:4). This DECEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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That was 36 years ago, and I thank the Lord for His blessings over all these years. I have been married to a lovely wife for 28 years and we have one DD (Delightful Daughter).

We have been on many mission trips, preaching the good news about Jesus in Zimbabwe, Thailand and India.

All over the world there are people like me who have died to their old life that was without God and without hope. These transformed men and women are living proof that God not only exists, but that He has the power to transform anyone into His child. There is no such thing as a hopeless case as far as God is concerned.

Life is like an election in which three votes are cast. God votes for you, and the Devil votes against you.

Whichever way you vote decides the election for your soul. How will you vote in the battle between Christ and Satan, between good and evil? The vote you make is the most important one you will ever make.

Roger Kerr is an author and retired accountant.

He lives with his wife, Angela, in Nowra, NSW.

RYANJLANE—GETTY IMAGES

hit me like a knock-out punch.

Pastor Carter now had my undivided attention. He showed that Jesus issued that warning four times in the chapter. “Watch out”—be on your guard and beware of deceivers and con artists.

My mind was reeling because for most of my adult life I had had to be on my guard in order not to be deceived. Having never opened a Bible in my life, I was really impressed as John Carter expanded on the teachings in God’s Word, and I became convicted that I was hearing the truth. I am a logical person and it all made sense to me.

At the end of the series, I knew that there was a God in heaven and that He loved me. In addition, He was preparing a home, not just for me, but for every man and woman who believe in and put their trust in Him. In the weeks following the Carter Report presentations I studied the Bible with a group of people who, like me, had their eyes opened in those meetings. I was so happy to make the decision to be baptised.

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LAUGH YOUR WAY TO A healthie r YOU

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Feel good while laughing but not sure why? Science tells us why we should seek out situations which bring out all the ha ha’s.

BY BRUCE MANNERS

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e’re born ready to laugh. In fact, a normal baby will begin laughing at about the age of three months. That’s long before we begin to say our first words at the age of nine to 12 months.

If you’re wondering what makes babies laugh, British psychology researcher Caspar Addyman has the answer. According to Ideas.Ted, he has investigated what makes babies laugh with research involving 1500 mothers and fathers from 62 countries.

“Contenders for the most hilarious game included such heavyweights as making silly noises or playing with puppets,” he reports. However, “the hands-down winner, even across different countries, was . . . peekaboo.”

Why does this make babies laugh?

“My one-word answer is ‘people’,” Addyman says. “If you want to make it two words, it’s ‘adult attention’ or, ‘human connection’.” He explains that, compared to other games—such as making funny noises or using puppets—it is “pure social interaction, it really is about the eye contact and the connection with the baby”.

With peekaboo, the key moment is when “you come back into eye contact with them, and the fact you’re keeping the game going is delightful and causes them to laugh”.

Addyman suggests that the baby’s laughter is their way of sharing and rewarding your attention. “They’re having a conversation with you,” he says.

We’re born ready to laugh.

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six benefits of laughter

David DiSalvo, author of What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite, notes that “laughter is one of the best tools we have for dealing with stress, and science backs that up”. Laughter is also “a potent drug with the contagious power of a virus that conveys a slew of benefits for the mind and body”. He lists six benefits: Laughter releases endorphins. These are “our homegrown feel-good chemicals—via opioid receptors”.

The word “opioid” hints of a reality that highly opioid drugs such as heroin also bind to these receptors.

This suggests “that laughter induces euphoria not unlike a narcotic (minus the obvious drawbacks)”.

Laughter forms social bonds. This endorphin effect “explains why social laughter is so contagious. Spreading endorphin release through groups promotes a sense of togetherness and safety.” It becomes like a “game of endorphin dominoes” as each brain becomes a “transmitter of those feelings, which triggers the feel-goods in other brains via laughter”. Often people will laugh without knowing what others are laughing about.

Laughter fosters brain connectivity. Not just connectivity, but “rigorous brain-region connectivity that kicks in when we hear a laugh, as our brains work to decipher what sort of communication is coming through”.

Laughter is central to relationships.

One study found that women laughed 126 per cent more than males, while men initiate laughter the most. “Women typically rate a sense of humour as a top-three trait for a potential mate. Men tend to rate women who laugh a lot (that is, laugh at their jokes) higher than those who don’t. It’s no surprise, then, that couples who laugh together report having higher-quality relationships.”

Laughter has an antidepressant effect. Laughing releases serotonin into the brain. This is the “same brain chemical affected by the most common types of antidepressants, SSRIs . . . the burst of brain activity laughing triggers is undoubtedly potent, at least for short periods of time”.

Laughter protects your heart. “Laughter has an anti-inflammatory effect

that protects blood vessels and heart muscles from the damaging effects of cardiovascular disease . . . Regular, hearty laughter should probably be part of every heart disease prevention program.”

laughing together can help relationships

As reported in the Independent, researcher Laura Kurtz from the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina is one of the first to have looked at what laughter does in relationships. Her study was based on 77 heterosexual couples.

What she found was a huge advantage in “shared laughter” when compared to “solo laughter”.

“There is something unique about shared laughter for a relationship,” she reports. “It isn’t just enough to laugh in the presence of your

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partner—it's the moments where you are both laughing together that really seem to count.”

Her researchers discovered that out of 1399 laughs from the couples, 256 were shared laughs. Couples who laughed more together reported feeling closer to and more supported by one another than those who didn’t laugh together.

or not, so you don’t want to come across as insincere.

“Rather, I would suggest finding ways to put yourself in situations where you might genuinely laugh with your partner [and, for men,] skip the latest action flick in favour of a comedy. If you prioritise the things in your life that might make you and your partner laugh, I’d say

“

Laughter is one of the best tools we have for dealing with stress

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there’s a good chance the behaviour is likely to follow.”

are you ready for the “laughie”?

Psychologist Freda GonotSchoupinsky was searching for a way to prescribe laughter for people who needed to laugh more. The problem, as she described it in her psyche.co article, was, “Telling people to watch

ANDRES AYRTON—PEXELS

What surprised her was that when men laughed, it was more likely to create shared laughter. This may suggest that a male partner with a sense of humour can help keep the relationship light-hearted.

Kurtz cautions against faking a laugh to try to improve relationships.

“We tend to be pretty good at detecting whether a laugh is genuine

20 or 30 minutes of comedy films a day sounds like a good idea, but it might not always be feasible or result in laughter.”

Knowing that only a minute’s laughter can boost mood, she came up with the “laughie”, which is a “quick and easy way for the medical community to prescribe laughter”.

A laughie is like a selfie, but you create a one-minute video on your smart phone of yourself laughing.

You then pull it out to laugh with whenever you feel the need.

While you might laugh at the idea, one study found that “laughing with a laughie three times a day for seven days increased wellbeing by 16 per cent in healthy adults”. They also laughed more with others, slept better and felt more relaxed.

One participant said: “You laugh at life, you laugh at your problems, so it’s gym for the soul.”

Importantly, Gonot-Schoupinsky recognises that “laughter is usually a social activity: we’re 30 times more likely to laugh with others than when we’re alone. But you can laugh when you’re on your own and experience its benefits this way—you just need to get used to the idea.”

laughter can help your memory

We began with laughter and babies. At the other end of the spectrum, as we age, there’s a natural memory loss—or perhaps we should call it memory recall loss because we often know “we know” but can’t remember what we know.

Laughing helps.

This was shown in a study from the US that had the catchy title: “The effect of humour on short-term memory in older adults: a new component for whole person wellness.”

It involved two groups of healthy, older adults in a simple test. Those in one group were asked to watch either of two humorous videos for 20 minutes. The other group sat “calmly” for 20 minutes. They weren’t allowed to read, sleep or talk on their mobile phones.

A series of tests were then used to assess short-term memory, learning ability, delayed recall and visual recognition within both groups. Those who had laughed were way ahead in all areas. It was as if they had laughed their memory—their short-term memory, at least—into action.

This, suggested by the researchers at Loma Linda University, is a by-product of laughter reducing stress and increasing the levels of the hormone cortisol. They recommend that humour should become a part of “programs that support whole-person wellness for older adults” and the development of “positive, enjoyable and beneficial therapies” for ageassociated memory difficulties.

We’re born ready to laugh and laughter is a healthy part of life in all its stages. On top of this, there’s the real possibility that you can laugh your way to a healthier you.

Bruce Manners is a retired Signs of the Times editor, having served in the role from 1989–2003. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.

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BETTER HEALTH for every body WITH

DR SIMONE KOOKE

WHOLEGRAINS FOR DIABETES MAKES CENTS

LESS ANTIBIOTIC USE

SWEET SPOT FOR SLEEP

Too much sleep can be as detrimental for your brain as not enough. Researchers from Washington University found that older adults with Alzheimer's disease who slept more than 7.5 hours or less than 5.5 hours per night had a greater decline in their brain function than those who slept within that “sweet spot”.—Brain

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Minimising antibiotic use is a priority for most people, and researchers from Sweden have found another reason to be especially judicious in their use. Having more than six months (total) antibiotic use increased the likelihood of developing bowel cancer.

This may be due to the antibiotics reducing gut bacteria.—JNCI

ANDRES AYRTON, KAROLINA GRABOWSKA, MIKEM RACHEL CLAIRE, ATEM PODREZ, LILIANA DREW, PIXABAY—PEXELS

Finnish researchers have put a dollar value on how much could be saved by reducing the incidence of type 2 diabetes in their population. Knowing that wholegrains in the diet reduce the likelihood of diabetes, they have calculated that if their population ate a full serving of wholegrain each day, the 10 year cost saving could be between 300 million and 1 billion euros! That's a big return on a positive dietary change.—Nutrients

LONG-TERM GP GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

The better you know your doctor, the less likely you are to land in hospital. Norwegian researchers found that having the same GP for more than 15 years reduced your risk of hospitalisation by almost 30 per cent.

When patients are able to choose their own, personal GP, it lays the groundwork for a long-lasting relationship that is better for them.—BJGP

EXERCISE FOR MEMORY PROCESSED FOOD DAMAGES OLDER BRAINS

If you’ve ever said that processed food “rots your brain”, you’d be right. After just four weeks of a diet high in processed food, older rats showed a marked inflammatory response accompanied by signs of memory loss. Younger rats were not impacted in the same way. With these studies being used as the basis for potential human trials, it makes sense to limit the processed food in your diet, at any age.—Brain, Behaviour and Immunity

If you’ve misplaced your keys, you could retrace your steps, or you could take a stretch. A collaboration between researchers from Japan and California found that exercise boosted the connections between parts of the brain involved in memory formation and storage. Even light exercise was shown to demonstrate these benefits, adding more incentive to take exercise regularly.—PNAS

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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THE MERCY OF INEFFICIENCY If you were eternal, would you bother with instant soup and shortcuts?

BY VANESA PIZZUTO

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being over doing

Our society’s obsession with efficiency and productivity comes at a price. When an illness, an unexpected job loss or a crisis forces us 28

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to slow down, we feel emotionally naked. Without performing well, without achieving, we seem unable to feel good about ourselves. Ironically, God allows seasons of pruning and dormancy to set us free from believing we are what we do. American writer Sharon Hodde Miller reflects, “[God] is restlessly going to war against the things that separate us from Him. We don’t always recognise it because we mistake the pain of pruning as an arrow from the enemy, but sometimes the pain in our lives is God killing the very things that need to die.”2 Dormant seasons stop our striving for self-worth, giving us an opportunity to root our identity in Christ.

worship over service

My mum taught my sisters and me to be efficient from a very young age.

Her motto was “rápido y bien” (that’s Spanish for “quickly and efficiently”).

So, you can imagine my surprise when I read the story of Jesus visiting the home of Mary and Martha for the first time (Luke 10:38–42).

One day, Jesus and His disciples visit these sisters. Immediately, Martha springs into action. Frenetically she starts preparing food for her honoured Guest and His disciples.

But Mary simply sits down! While Martha is desperately trying to meet the deadline, Mary takes a break.

And then, when Martha complains, Jesus praises Mary! “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing

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ometimes I feel like an impatient child wanting to cry at God, “Are we there yet?” When prayers go up year after year and answers don’t seem to come down, I get frustrated.

Does God even care that I’m waiting?

Why doesn’t He move faster?

Because we are mortals, trapped between time and space, efficiency is of great value to us. We pay more to skip the queues at Disneyland and buy microwave food to “save” time. But if you were eternal, would you bother with instant soup and shortcuts? If you literally had all the time in the world, how would your priorities change?

Unlike us, God is never running out of time. His emphasis, therefore, is not on speed. As evangelist John Piper explains, “God almost never takes the shortest route between point A and point B. The reason is that such efficiency—the efficiency of speed and directness—is not what He’s about.”1 Rather, God is in the business of transforming our characters. He knows that those who succeed too soon, those who are never humbled by rejection and failure, miss critical formative experiences. Therefore, He leads us along the path that’s not always the smoothest or the shortest, but it’s the one that’s best for us.

worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41,42 NLT).

I confess that I found this story nauseating for a very long time.

I understand Martha only too well. At first glance, Mary seems to be lazy and Jesus seems to condone it. But if Mary gets praised while accomplishing “nothing”, there must be something else going on here. That something else is worship. Mary slows down and, with a presence of mind that evades most rushers, she worships.

Mary has the ability to be fully present in the moment. Jesus praises her because He recognises the discipline it takes to worship in the midst of a very busy day.

This does not mean that we all need to move to the mountains and choose a life of contemplation. Jesus was inviting Martha to be mindful, which is far more difficult than being efficient. If my experience is anything to go by, to be fully present I need to single-task. To worship

BUT… IT STILL HURTS! Yes, it does. Even if we intellectually agree that God has our best interests at heart, it hurts to feel forgotten or ignored. So how do we voice and honour the pain? By lamenting.

The Bible is filled with these honest expressions of pain that sound rather irreverent to modern ears. Consider some examples: “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1); “Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable?” (Jeremiah 15:18); and “Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?” (Job 3:11).

Lamenting is talking to God from a place of deep emotional integrity. These transparent prayers show that we can still have faith in times of pain. Why? Because the opposite of faith is despair.

If we don't voice our pain, it turns into resentment, and from resentment into hopelessness.

Soon there is a wall separating us from God and the people we love.

But there’s another option: we can choose the vulnerability of lamenting, both individually and corporately.

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God is extravagant, not efficient

Look around you, it’s everywhere.

From the two trillion galaxies in the universe, to the enormous numbers of micro-organisms. From spooky deep-sea creatures, to birds of all kinds filling the sky. There are more colours, flavours, textures and scents than we could ever imagine. God is wastefully extravagant. Love, not efficiency, is God’s hallmark. Let the mercy of that truth sink in! God

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is dealing with my stubborn heart with extravagant grace. He is wooing us with inordinate patience. Love cannot be efficient because, as Paul Miller writes, “loving means losing control of our schedule, our money and our time. When we love we cease to be the master and become a servant”.3 Perhaps our emphasis was wrong all along. The inefficiency, the annoying long waits and even the seemingly wasted years, may prove to be God’s kindest acts of mercy towards us.

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

1. John Piper, "God’s Sovereign Plans Behind Your Most Unproductive Days", <desiringgod.org/ interviews/gods-sovereign-plans-behind-your-mostunproductive-days>.

2. Sharon Hodde Miller, Nice: Why We Love to Be Liked and How God Calls Us to More, 2019, Baker Books.

3. Paul Miller, Love Walked Among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus, 2014, NavPress.

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God in the midst of a busy day, I need to fight the urge to step on the accelerator and, instead, deliberately slow down my thoughts. I won’t lie, it takes loads of practise! It means saying “no” more often than I would like to, and breathing deeper than I’m used to. But it’s worth it because it allows my service to flow from a place of emotional abundance rather than scarcity.

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SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT

Christmas Gift Perhaps this Christmas time is the right moment to consider accepting a gift—one that won’t be found under the Christmas tree.

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Christmas. This is the sad reality for most of us, as this world becomes more materialistic, and we continue to shine the spotlight on ourselves.

The real meaning of Christmas gets lost underneath all the tinsel and fairy lights. We get so caught up in the Christmas rush, trying to find the perfect gifts for our loved ones, that we forget the real gift of Christmas is right in front of us.

God has given us the perfect gift.

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus came to this earth as a baby, wrapped in swaddling cloth and laying in a manger. There was no celebration, no glittering gold or precious jewels, just His parents, some shepherds and a few wise men gathered in a dirty stable. As far as gifts go, the presentation of this one doesn’t quite make the cut. However, looks can be deceiving, and Jesus’ life was

“

The real meaning of Christmas gets lost underneath all the tinsel and fairy lights

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don’t know about you, but my favourite thing about Christmas is the gifts! I bet you’ve never heard anyone admit that straight off the bat before. Christmas has always been my favourite time of the year. I’m one of those crazy people who, on October 31, wipes the dust of their Christmas tree and starts getting out their decorations, ready for another three months of Christmas cheer.

Yes, I also have a habit of leaving my tree up until late January, but that’s another story for another time.

As someone who is super organised, naturally, I start planning out my gifts in advance. Scouting out different stores for cheeky sales, checking online for those items that are hard to find—I love the thrill of the chase, hunting down the perfect gift. I’ve never had any issues finding a gift for someone. I’ve lived my life in perfect peace, knowing that all my gifts are secured under the Christmas tree well before the 25th—that is, until last year. There must have been something in the hot chocolate that year because it got down to December 23 and I still hadn’t bought one gift. It suddenly hit me, is this what it feels like to get caught up in the Christmas rush?

A Christmas dream turned into a Christmas nightmare as I scrambled through what was left of the stock on the shelves, realising that there had to be more to Christmas than this. Before I knew it, a whole month had passed, and I had never stopped to think about the true meaning of

the most significant event offering freedom and hope to millions.

Have you ever spent hours handpicking a gift for someone, only to watch them discard it for something else? It’s heartbreaking to know that your gift was not valued in their eyes, and they would prefer to set it aside.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). God spent so much time preparing to give us something more valuable than we could ever own in this world: a Saviour from humankind’s struggle with evil, death and separation from Him. This gift should mean much more to us than any item from the store and yet God watches tearfully from afar as we reject it. How often do we set aside Jesus in favour of the things of this world? Maybe it’s the festive season that pulls us away from God, maybe it’s our job that’s stopping us from spending time with Him or maybe it’s the people we

surround ourselves with who keep us from making a stand for what we know is right.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Without Jesus, we would not have access to the wonderful gift of salvation—the opportunity He offers us to spend eternity with Him in heaven. Even though we don’t deserve it, just as we get new gifts under the tree each year, God continuously offers it to us through Jesus, no matter how many times we choose to set it aside.

This is what some people refer to as “grace”. While Christmas only occurs once a year, we can receive God’s gifts every single day—the gifts of guidance, hope and peace. You may feel unworthy to receive these gifts, and the truth is that we are all unworthy, but that’s the point of receiving a gift. There is nothing that we have done or could ever do to deserve

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Kymberley McMurray is a communications student at Deakin University.

She lives in Melbourne, Australia.

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God’s good gift and yet God freely gives it to us. Isn’t it comforting to know that even when you reject God’s gifts, He patiently waits there, with outstretched hands, ready to give it to us again?

When Jesus died on the cross, He did so for us, in our place. This means that when God looks at us, He sees Jesus’ perfect record rather than our sinfulness.

Without Jesus, we would not have the gift of grace.

You could say that Jesus is the package deal. This is a gift that is worth fighting for! God has given us abundantly more than what we could ever dream of. If you’re looking for the perfect gift this Christmas, you can find it in Jesus.

It’s easy to get caught up in the festive season, but let’s shift our focus away from the last minute sales, the tinsel, the carols and the gifts under the tree so that we can draw our attention to receiving the gifts that God has for us. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” (Revelation 3:20). Jesus is waiting for us to open the door of our hearts to Him. All we have to do is step out in faith and say yes to Jesus.

Doesn’t it feel good knowing that your gifts have brought joy to those around you? Are you looking forward to another year of seeing the excitement on the faces of your loved ones as they not only open your gift, but truly love and appreciate it? Imagine how God feels when we decide to accept the gift that He has for us. You can make His day, every day, by choosing Him. This year, I want to encourage you to take some time to think about the gifts that God has given you.

If you have rejected them in the past, now is the time to open your heart and receive them. Your salvation is the most important gift that you could ever receive, don’t you think it’s time to unwrap it?

If you'd like to learn more about Jesus and how He can make your life more meaningful, go to <discovery. hopechannel.com/try-Jesus>.

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WHO IS

JESUS? Is Jesus a myth, a regular man or God? It’s time to examine the available evidence about whether Jesus really walked on earth—and what that says about who He really is.

BY DANIEL KUBEREK 38

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

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hristians take their name from Jesus Christ. According to World Population Review, there are 2.38 billion Christian adherents across the globe. However, there is also a large portion of the world’s population who know little to nothing about Jesus. Research by Baxter in 2007 found that during that year, 30 million people would die without having heard about Jesus.

While some might deny His existence and pass off any record of Him as a “fairytale”, it only takes a quick trip over to Israel to notice the impact His alleged mission had on the area—even though around 2000 years have passed. There’s the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, which many claim is the exact spot where Jesus was born, the Sea of Galilee where the Bible says He walked on water and the Jordan River where He was baptised.

Accepting that events happened in these exact places, however, neglects an irony that is present across the region. There are actually two places that claim to be the “exact” place of Jesus’ baptism: one a UNESCO World heritage site in Jordan, the other is the “Qasr Al-Yahud” site on the West Bank. The latter is considered a major tourist site, managed by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism.

Accepting that a holy man named Jesus once stayed at the Kahf Il-Messih cave in Jordan, that He was tempted in the desert near the modern-day Monastery of the Temptation, or that the Church of

author Kent Kingston cites three main evidence points in his Signs of the Times article “Is the Bible History?” to support the historical text theory: • The biblical record is one of the only written records about the Hittites and has recently been substantiated by archaeological discoveries in Turkey.

• A 1946 discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in an Israeli cave contains the primary source parts of the Old Christians’ Testament and primary eviis dated two dence for Jesus centuries before comes from the Christ’s birth.

Bible, which • The exwas written by scribes and tensive manuDo we have any authors—some scripts—24,000 who interacted in fact—used to verified evidence with Jesus—and write the Old that a man named others who lived Testament have before and after unprecedented Jesus once walked Jesus’ time. The cohesion in Old Testament their themes and the earth? in the Bible accounts. contains various But if a man supernatural with powers appearances by God and a number like healing, multiplying food and of predictions that seem to have walking on water once existed on come true through the life of Jesus, the planet, wouldn’t more than just while the New Testament “Gospels” His devoted followers write about describe Jesus’ interactions in human Him? Where is the evidence for Jesus form—the books of Matthew, Mark, outside the Bible?

Luke, John and a brief appearance in Acts. the other evidence For Christians, accepting the It’s not just Christians who existence of Jesus Christ becomes as acknowledge the existence of Jesus in simple as accepting the credibility historical texts. Flavius Josephus was of the Bible. For sceptics, however, a Jewish historian born in Jerusalem the Holy Sepulchre really is the exact spot where He died, means accepting historical inference, local legend and a fair amount of tradition as evidence.

If there is such dispute about these supposedly historic sites, the question remains: Do we have any verified evidence that a man named Jesus once walked the earth?

“

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A large number of historical sources that corroborate the existence of Jesus make it largely undeniable that a man called Jesus once walked the earth. However, simply accepting non-Christian accounts of Jesus will lead to little more than accepting His existence and raises the question of why so many people still follow His religion.

“

All the prophecies detail specific circumstances and events around Jesus, and all happened exactly how they were described Jesus as a historical figure is also described in another religious text with varying interpretations about His role and powers. The Qur’an, a text read by Muslims, asserts that Jesus was a prophet and performed miracles. It does not, however, claim that Jesus was a God or a “Messiah”, and His teachings are seen as less important than the “final prophet” Muhammad.

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four years after Jesus’ crucifixion. In his text Jewish Antiquities—which has been accepted by most historians as being authentic with some potential Christian interpolations—he writes at 18:63: “At this time there was a wise man called Jesus, and his conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. Many people among the Jews and other nations became his disciples . . . he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have reported wonders.”

It’s not just Jewish historians who substantiate the biblical account.

There’s also Publius Tacitus, a Roman historian and politician born in AD 56. In Book 15 of The Annals, he writes: “Christus, from whom the name [Christian] had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.”

There’s no denying that as a Roman, there was very little love lost between Tacitus and the Christians—and yet, his words support the account of Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross as described in the biblical gospels, including Luke 23.

Then there’s also Roman governor Pliny the Younger (born AD 62) who wrote in a letter that Christians “sang a hymn to Christ, as to a God”, or Roman historian Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (born AD 69) who wrote in The Life of Claudius 25.4 that “As the Jews were making constant disturbances at the instigation of Christus, he expelled them from Rome” (italics added).

Similarly, while Jesus does not appear in the Jewish Torah—the first five books of the Hebrew Bible— Jews acknowledge His existence on earth, though many vary in their perception of Him. However, they don’t accept the authenticity of the New Testament—which includes the books where Jesus is described as a “Messiah”. They are also united by one idea: as Jewish theologian

Jesus was more than just a religious leader because He fulfilled ancient prophecies about a “Messiah”—a Saviour, which Jesus described as being for all of humanity rather than just one ethnic or religious group.

Let’s consider a few of the prophecies recorded in the Old Testament long before He was born and how they were fulfilled.  Micah 5:2 says that a “ruler over

Edward Kessler writes for the BBC—“The belief that Jesus was God is an impossibility for Jewish thought.”

So, the general consensus amongst the world’s major religions is that He existed. But was Jesus just a man, a prophet or God?

Israel, whose origins are of old, from ancient times” would come from Bethlehem. Matthew 2:1 states that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  Zechariah 9:9 predicted a king coming into Jerusalem, “lowly and riding on a donkey”. Mark 11:7–11 records Jesus entering the city riding on a donkey.  Isaiah 53:5–12 predicted the

the Messiah claim

Adherents of Christianity believe

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and coming on the clouds of heaven’” “Messiah” would be sacrificed for (Mark 14:61,62). humankind’s sin. Romans 5:6 If Jesus was in fact the Son of states that with Jesus’ death, this is God, what does that mean for you exactly what happened. and me?

These are just three of at least 55 Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in the New Testament— the promises some count more than 300 prophetic His claim to Godhood would texts. All the prophecies detail spemean He has all the powers attribcific circumstances and events around uted to God in the Bible, including Jesus, and all happened exactly how being all-powerful and all-knowing. they were He exhibited described— these traits right down to on multiple the fact that occasions too, He would performing at be falsely least 39 miraaccused, spat cles recorded in Given time and again on, crucified the Gospels, inwith crimcluding healing, He has proven He is turning water inals, given into wine (John vinegar to God, it also means 2) and even drink and that we can trust all the resurrecting His bones a man (Luke wouldn’t be promises He made for 14). Indeed, broken. The He knew Dead Sea us everything scrolls, carbon about the dated before Samaritan Jesus’ birth, woman at also showed the Old Testament prophecies hadn’t the well (John 4), and a number of Bible verses claim Jesus knew others’ been altered down the ages to make thoughts (Matthew 9:4, 12:25, Luke them fit these events in Jesus' life.

6:8, 11:17).

Jesus described Himself as the Given time and again He has Messiah on multiple occasions. proven He is God, it also means we “Again the high priest asked him, can trust all the promises He made ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the for us. He accepts us—“whoever Blessed One?’ ‘I am,’ said Jesus. ‘And comes to me I will never drive away” you will see the Son of Man sitting (John 6:37). He loves us—“As the at the right hand of the Mighty One 44

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Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love” (John 15:9). And He’s promising to return again to take those who believe in Him back to heaven—“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? . . . I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2,3).

All this evidence forms a logical sequence. The evidence strongly suggests that Jesus existed. Given this is the case, we should take His claims and the prophecies around Him seriously—either He was a crazy man, or what He said was true. And given His arrival on earth fulfilled many prophecies that He is the Messiah, that means we have a hope for a life beyond our current mortal lives— because He promised as much.

As we end our Big Questions series, the final question should be: what is there to lose from giving Jesus a go? When Jesus’ 12 disciples asked Him who can be saved, His response was: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

While we may still

have a lot of big questions, there is assurance that Jesus has a lot of big answers. They won’t all be answered now, but there is coming a time when we will all be able to ask Him personally.

If you'd like to find out how to know Jesus better, visit <discover. hopechannel.com/try-jesus/>.

Daniel Kuberek is assistant editor for Signs of the Times magazine. He lives in Sydney, NSW.

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Together

AT LAST

Fundamental to the human experience is the fact that we love being around other people. In the same way we desire company and togetherness, God does as well.

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experience is the fact that we love being around other people. Some of us more than others to be sure, but ingrained deep within all of us is a desire to relate to other people. To speak with someone else, to laugh at a shared joke, to share ideas and learn from each other, to argue and strive together, to work together to accomplish a shared goal, to make friends and to love each other. We crave it deeply. In Genesis 2:18, as God creates mankind He says it is “not good” for us to be alone.

You might think this is so basic that it doesn’t need to be stated.

Global events, however, mean that we have all become a little more isolated. This is having a devastating effect on some of our most vulnerable. A recent study by the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine in the United States has identified isolation as a main cause of the decline and early death of many

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s I am writing this article the house is full of kids. My daughter has invited her cousins to a sleepover. There are happy shouts and lots of joyful noises as they play together. There is teasing, laughing and quick apologies when feelings get hurt. They will share popcorn, play board games, roll their eyes at my dad jokes and take pleasure in just being with each other. My daughter waits for these special weekends all throughout the school term and when they finally arrive, she is just about ready to burst. We have it all planned: the whole weekend’s meals are laid out, the snacks are prepared and everything is ready ahead of time so there can be maximum fun.

She wants to spend as much time as possible with her cousins, and getting them to sleep can be tricky as they love to stay up talking with each other.

Fundamental to the human

aged care residents. Being isolated has led to a faster weight loss, accelerated cognitive decline and raised depression rates. It’s not exclusive to the US, as the ABC reports one in four Australians feel lonely at least once a week. While “loneliness” on its own may not sound like a serious issue, combined with other health factors it plays a major part in our wellbeing.

we are better when we are together That’s the Christian worldview as well, and not just for health reasons.

Genesis tells us that God and humanity used to be together and could talk face-to-face. As a result of sin there is now a distance between us and God. We are isolated from Him. Sin is like a disease that afflicts us all, and it keeps us away from God. But here’s the interesting thing. Just as we desire relationship, God does as well.

He wants to be with us. He doesn’t want us to be lonely and away from Him. When Jesus was born, the apostle John describes it this way: “The Word [referring to Jesus] became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Jesus was born in human form. This shows just how much God wanted to be with us.

Jesus was born to a human mother, grew up in a family and perhaps even had sleepovers with His cousins. He was embraced by His family, made friends, did remarkable things and really lived a human life. He wanted to be with us so much that He became one of us.

As well as just a desire to be with us, Jesus came for a couple of other reasons. First, it was to remind us what God is like. In John 14, the

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you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-4).

This is the great hope of Christians: that while Jesus has left the earth for now, it’s with the promise that He goes to prepare a place for us in His Father’s house. He promises that if He goes, then He will return.

Why is He doing all of this for us?

Simply because God desires to be with us.

I’m sometimes bewildered by that.

Why would God want to be with us so much? Why does He love us so much? Then I think about my own daughter and the overwhelming love a parent has for their children, and I understand God’s desire to be with us a little more.

So I can’t wait for that day when Jesus comes back as He has promised, and we can all go for a permanent sleepover in His Father’s house. He is preparing a place for us, getting the snacks ready, making it special, and one day He will come and we’ll all be together again. See you there!

Justin Bone supports and trains pastors and congregations around Victoria for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He’s passionate about helping people understand the Bible better.

DENIS-ART—GETTY IMAGES

disciple Phillip asks Jesus to show Him the Father: “Jesus answered: ‘Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”?’” (John 14:9).

In looking at the life of Jesus, His care and compassion for the sick and needy, His heart of love, His remarkable teachings—by all these things God shows Himself to us so that we can know Him, and get to know Him better. If you have seen the life of Jesus, you have seen what God the Father is like.

Secondly, Jesus came to fix the problem sin had caused. His death on the cross was to heal the rift between God and humanity. In the life and death of Jesus, sin was overcome and defeated. It’s a part of why Christmas and Easter are so precious to Christians—they are reminders of the first coming of Jesus to this earth. And they also point to something bigger coming down the road. Because while Jesus was on earth, He told His disciples that there was a greater togetherness coming. Once He had done what He needed to on the cross, He was going to return to God the Father. This upset His disciples who wanted Jesus to remain, but He comforted them with these words: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for

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This is the great hope of Christians: that while Jesus has left the earth for now, it's with the promise that He goes to prepare a place for us in His Father's house

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HYDROGEL TABLET Recent studies have found half of the world's population could be living in areas with scarce water supply by 2025.

Because of this, engineers at the University of Texas have devised a hydrogel tablet that can purify water within two hours, with the ability to kill 99.99 per cent of bacteria.—UT News

FLAT-PACKED TO LIFE In an attempt to minimise plastic food packaging, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University have devised flat-packed pasta that can spring into shape when coming in contact with boiling water. Researchers have already been able to replicate famous pasta shapes like fusilli and cascatelli.—Inverse

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RIDDING HEAVY METAL Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineers have created a new, energy efficient way of removing toxic metals like lead from water. By using "shock electrodialysis", a shockwave separates metal ions and streams of water—also a more cost-effective method than any currently used.—MIT News

BOZHIN KARAIVANOV, JASON LEUNG, SOLEN FEYISSA, MARTIN KATLER—UNSPLASH JUNIOR TEIXEIRA, VICTOR—PEXELS

WAT-ER GREAT DISCOVERY

GAS-POWERED LAWN MOWERS Household applications with internal combustion engines, like lawn mowers and leaf blowers, are likely to be banned in California starting in 2024.

Rebates will be offered in return, as new studies suggest the pieces of machinery are often responsible for harmful pollutants.—ARS Technica

INVASION OF PRIVACY FREE LAPTOP COMES WITH A PRICE As schooling moved online around the world in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of schools handed out computers for students to learn from home. The good deed, however, has come with a price tag—as more than 80 per cent of US teachers and 77 per cent of students said their computer had pre-installed surveillance software. Programs like Bark, Gnosis IQ and Lightspeed are able to trawl through private emails, documents and even chats.—The Guardian SETTLING THE ANDROID VS APPLE DEBATE Do you feel safer on an Apple phone rather than Android? A new study by researchers from the University of Oxford has found that both systems are just as bad as each other, and Apple apps do not necessarily have the more robust safety features they claim. Data sharing by apps has been a topic of controversy recently, with many apps discovered to be logging/tracking information and/or sharing it with third parties.—Tom's Guide A CLEAR VIEW OF PRIVACY INVASION Artificial intelligence startup company Clearview has confessed they've scraped up to 10 billion selfies from various social media accounts. The software can enhance images and provide face-matching features—including linking CCTV footage with the correct person in the database. Canada's privacy watchdog banned the country's police from using the software, but law enforcement in the United Kingdom has been testing it.—The Register

CARBON-LESS STEEL A collaboration between Swedish firms has borne the first fossil-free steel without the use of carbon.

The process involves renewable energy to create "sponge iron", with car makers like Volvo experimenting with using the material for car parts.—Gizmodo

WIRELESSLY CHARGING ROAD American states Michigan and Indiana are competing to be the first to produce a wireless charging infrastructure on public roads. Michigan will be hoping to implement an "Inductive Vehicle Charging Pilot", while Indiana is exploring laying magnetisable concrete.—Detroit Free Press DECEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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THE

APOSTLE

BOBA

Star Wars fans might be surprised to find similarities between anti-hero character Boba Fett—the lead in the Disney+ series Book of Boba Fett—and a man who walked along the Road to Damascus thousands of years ago.

WIKICOMMONS

BY MARK HADLEY

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but the emblematic status of this bounty hunter means he is likewise set to lead viewers towards a certain way of seeing the world. If I were looking for a scriptural parallel, though, I would be starting in the New Testament. As an anti-hero, Boba Fett has most in common with the apostle Paul. Consider these highlights:

a dehumanising beginning

The apostle Paul was trained up as a “Hebrew of Hebrews” and became a staunch member of the Pharisaic tradition. As such, he distanced himself from normal life by caring more for the legal observance of religion than he did a heart-transforming faith. Boba Fett, by comparison, was raised by his father to become a bounty hunter, equally distanced from human feeling. As a child in Attack of the Clones, we see him expertly wielding the heavy weapons of the ship Slave 1 in an attempt to destroy Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobi.

a life shaped by violence

A formative event in Paul’s life is witnessing the execution of the disciple Stephen. Then named Saul, Scripture reports he took care of the witnesses’ cloaks while they “dragged [Stephen] out of the city and began to stone him” (Acts 7:58). This detail is then closely connected with Saul’s approval and his subsequent “murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples” (Acts 9:1). Likewise, Boba

DISNEY PLUS

T

he highly anticipated arrival of The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+ is going to complete a legendary story arc that has been fascinating science fiction fans for decades. Boba Fett is one of the Star Wars universe’s most iconic figures, though his life has always been shrouded in mystery.

Now viewers finally get the chance to learn how he survived the gullet of a man-eating sandpit monster. Most importantly, though, we’ll learn if this emissary of a dark empire has lessons to share on how to shape our own lives.

The Book of Boba Fett is the brainchild of Jon Favreau, the executive producer of the wildly successful Star Wars spin-off, The Mandalorian. The new series, set in the same timeline, stars Temuera Morrison. Morrison played Boba’s father, Jango, in Attack of the Clones. Since Boba is supposed to be a genetic clone, it’s a logical extension. Boba has always been valued for his dark and brooding character, however he went missing during a fatal encounter in chapter six of the Star Wars saga. Devotees who spent the intervening 37 years hoping for his return had their wishes fulfilled when he burst back on to the small screen during The Mandalorian. Book now promises to flesh out not only Boba’s back story but the motivations behind the man.

The title, The Book of Boba Fett, begs for biblical comparison. This might feel like a strange leap from The Book of Isaiah, The Book of Ezekiel, or any of the other prophets,

is profoundly shaped by the death of his father. In the Attack of the Clones’ climactic battle, Jango is beheaded by Jedi Master Mace Windu. The grisly scene that follows shows a young Boba cradling his father’s helmet, and subsequent episodes of The Clone Wars show him as a young man pursuing a vendetta against the Jedi.

a career in suffering

Both Saul and Boba became something like violent henchmen.

Saul’s murderous attitude led him to shape his life around the persecution of Jesus’ followers. The Book of Acts reports that he went from town to town arresting believers and throwing them into prison. Similarly, The Book of Boba will detail its namesake’s life as a bounty hunter, pursuing the innocent and the guilty alike so that they can face dubious justice.

His most famous arrest, of course, is detailed in The Empire Strikes Back where he apprehended Han Solo and handed him over to Jabba the Hutt for similar persecution.

mouth of the mighty Sarlacc. His subsequent suffering is part of the back story belonging to the much older, much wiser hero in The Book of Boba.

Certainly, citing the similarities between Paul and Boba’s lives could be considered just an exercise in frivolity, were it not for the insight it provides into how we prefer to see our personal histories. Hollywood is lousy with origins stories, from Wolverine to Batman, Planet of the Apes to the Joker. Philosophically, though, they come in two types: the transformation and the justification.

In the transformation we see the main character make a 180-degree turn. The hero, like in Aquaman, decides that their life can no longer be pursued one way but must be given over to another purpose entirely. The

a moment of extreme crisis

Saul—soon to be Paul—faces his most life-changing moment on the road to Damascus, where he is cast down in the presence of the risen Jesus. Blind and stumbling, his following days are characterised by a total transformation that affects his soul most deeply of all. A proud and intimidating Boba Fett finds himself similarly upended in the rescue of Han Solo, tumbling into the pit-like DECEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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justification type, though, sees no major change in the lead character.

Instead, we learn through looking back why they are the way they are. What changes, then, is not the character but our opinion of him. In The Mandalorian the eponymous star enters as a heartless bounty hunter; by the end of the first season we accept that it is a brutal background that has made him so.

You can decide for yourself which you think best describes The Book of Boba’s story arc. One thing that’s beyond doubt is which arc society prefers. In the transformation the hero repents. In the justification there is no need because we repent of the way we see him. In the story of the apostle Paul, the Bible introduces us to a man who is deeply flawed and, when he is confronted by Jesus, sees the need to make a life-changing decision. Given its producers are the same as The Mandalorian, it’s most likely that even the prospect of a thousand years being digested in the stomach of Sarlacc won’t require The Book of Boba’s hero to become a new man. At best he will be a polished version of the same ruthless character that first fascinated filmgoers. And this is how we like it.

In the justification origins story there is no change because there is no perceived need to change. The hero doesn’t repent of their actions because if we understood him correctly, we would realise that those actions are entirely acceptable, or at least explainable. In the Academy Award 58

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winning film Joker we entered the cinema thinking we would witness one of the comic world’s most heinous villains’ descent into evil.

Instead, we emerged with sympathy

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Paul is an apostle sent to a world to call it into repentance for a victim of mental illness and ill treatment. Paul was confronted

by Jesus; Boba wasn’t confronted by anyone. Paul was overcome with regret; Boba has overcome. Paul is an apostle sent to a world to call it to repentance; Boba is the emissary of a “self-reliance” message. It may sound as though I won’t be waiting for The Book of Boba with bated breath, but that’s not the case. I’m a science fiction tragic. I will be watching one minute after the series goes live. But what I won’t be doing is making the spiritually fatal mistake of thinking that an attitude that works for a hero in a galaxy far, far away, will work for anyone in mine.

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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R E CI P E

WEET-BIX

ICE-CREAM BOMB

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

Preparation Time: 15 mins (plus freezing) Cooking Time: 0 mins Serves: 8 Ingredients

2 Weet-Bix™, roughly crushed 1 litre So Good Vanilla Bliss frozen dessert 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen ½ cup unsalted macadamias, toasted and roughly chopped 100g dark chocolate, divided Extra fresh raspberries and toasted macadamias, to garnish

TIP #1:

Swap raspbe rries and macadamia s for any fres h fruit or nuts you prefer.

Method

1. Line a 1½ litre pudding basin or deep bowl with a double layer of plastic wrap.

2. Place So Good Vanilla Bliss into a separate large bowl and roughly break up with a knife. Leave to soften for 10 minutes.

3. Roughly chop 70 grams of the chocolate. Add chopped chocolate, Weet-Bix™, raspberries and macadamias to the bowl with the softened frozen dessert. Use a large metal spoon to fold ingredients together.

4. Transfer mixture to lined bowl and smooth surface. Gently cover with overhanging plastic and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until firm.

5. When ready to serve, use a vegetable peeler to create shavings from remaining 30 grams of dark chocolate. Remove plastic from surface of dessert and invert bowl on to a serving plate. Cover the bowl in a warm, damp tea towel for a minute or two.

Remove bowl, peel off the plastic wrap and discard. Garnish with shaved chocolate, fresh raspberries and extra macadamia nuts.

Nutrition Information PER SERVE: Energy (kJ) 1040; Cal 248; Protein (g) 4.0; Fat (g) 12; Saturated fat (g) 4.0; Carbohydrate (g) 21; Sugars (g) 13; Fibre (g) 2.2; Sodium (mg) 32; Potassium (mg) 177; Calcium (mg) 15; Iron (mg) 1.2

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TIP #2:

Dessert can be prepared to end of step 5, then stored in the freeze r until ready to serve. Allo w to sit on the bench fo r 5 mins before cutti ng.

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 Canal in Egypt 6 Author title and references at the end of a document 7 Building housing a community of monks 9 Landlocked African country with capital city Harare 12 Sports car brand that competed in Formula One from 2000–2004 13 A person who studies past events DOWN 1 Children's game originating in the 1590s 2 To describe temporary inactivity 4 The shape of most computer cursors 5 To solve a puzzle, code or riddle 8 When someone's attention is captivated 10 When referring to brain or mental processes 11 Another name for an oesophagus 14 When something is firm or steady

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