2022: A NEW DAWN?
SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT
WHO IS JESUS?
A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY
CU
R RENT
2022:
A NEW DAWN?
BY DANIEL KUBEREK 6
SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • DECEMBER 2021
SKYNESHER—GETTY IMAGES
Was 2021 just a sequel to 2020, and can we look forward to a brighter future?
DECEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES
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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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ELL BEI NG
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LAUGH YOUR WAY TO A healthie r YOU
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SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • DECEMBER 2021
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
DECEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES
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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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BIG
QU
E STIO NS
?
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
SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • DECEMBER 2021
CAMARALENTA—GETTY IMAGES
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.
DECEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES
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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. DECEMBER 2021 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES
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