Signs of the Times August 2025

I gave12G od months

a christian perspective on the world today

In this issue August 2025 WHAT IN THE WORLD 04 IS GOD REALLY THERE? 06 Fact or fantasy?

THE SOUNDTRACK OF SILENCE 12 What The Legend of Zelda taught me about Sabbath.

WHY YOU SHOULD BE SOCIAL DINING—AND SNACKING 18

I GAVE GOD 12 MONTHS

Friendship, not just food.

ARE YOU BETTER THAN YOU THINK? 24

I had no other choice, so I thought,

If you’re cynical, this may be your wake-up call.

PAGE 32

HOW A BOWL OF SOUP SAVED AMY’S LIFE 30

What do I have to lose?

CAMBODIA’S SEX INDUSTRY: A CHILD’S WORST NIGHTMARE 38 The horrific reality most of us prefer not to think about.

THE FEAR THAT HOLDS KIDS BACK 44 WHAT LOVE LOOKS LIKE 46 Jesus’ mission explained.

END IT NOW: WHY VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IS EVERYONE’S PROBLEM It’s not enough to sit on the sidelines.

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FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 2

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ASK PASTOR JESSE 52 HOW TO CHOOSE A HEALTHY RECIPE 60 SUDOKU AND CROSSWORD PUZZLE 62

@SIGNSMAG

WHY WE TELL DIFFICULT STORIES I was recently in Papua New Guinea running some writing workshops for students and staff at Pacific Adventist University and church-goers from Port Moresby. The audience was so appreciative and we crammed a lot into the weekend.

One young man wanted to talk to me after the final session. He waited a long time, while others approached me and finally, we talked. He shared about some difficult, personal situations he was wrestling with in his own life. He asked for advice and listened as I shared some of my own life experience. I was able to pray with him and encourage him before we finished. We had never met before, but we were able to connect because of the stories I had shared during my workshops.

Stories have a power that can change lives. One of the most powerful impacts a story can have is to build a bridge from you to me. We cannot always walk in someone else’s shoes but when we hear their story, we become much more receptive to them.

Stories can heal, inspire and create hope. It’s small wonder that Jesus often used stories to explain profound truths. At Signs, we love telling stories and in this issue, we have some important ones. There’s Bryce’s struggles and how he found hope (p32). We shine a light on Cambodia’s red-light districts and what Asian Aid is doing to address the needs of children there (p38). Finally, we reflect on the problem of domestic violence (p54).

Through reading and engaging with these stories, we hope you will be moved to action, or be made more aware of an issue that makes you more compassionate than before. And we hope you catch a glimpse of God’s story, as He continues His work in and through the world.

JARROD STACKELROTH Editor

VOL 139 NO 7

ISSN 1038-9733 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Brad Kemp EDITOR Jarrod Stackelroth ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jesse Herford ASSISTANT EDITOR Zanita Fletcher COPYEDITORS Melody Tan Tracey Bridcutt GRAPHIC DESIGN Theodora Pau’u Talia Valderrama PHONE +61 2 9847 2222 EMAIL info@signsmag.com WEBSITE signsmag.com ADDRESS Adventist Media PO Box 1115, Wahroonga New South Wales 2076 SUBSCRIPTIONS Kelli Geelan PHONE +61 3 5965 6300 Australia/New Zealand, $A28/$NZ30; 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 IMAGE: Bryce Davis

WHAT IN THE WORLD Tanzania’s healthy eating secrets The Mediterranean diet has long been hailed as the go-to diet for health and longevity.

However, the Tanzanian diet has been gaining competitive recognition. Staples like beans, maize, rice, plantains and leafy greens provide fibre, complex carbs and vital nutrients. Meals are largely home-cooked, with minimally processed food and are often shared communally. Meat is eaten occasionally, while legumes and vegetables take centre stage. Experts say this way of eating supports gut health, boosts energy and promotes longevity.—Women’s Health Magazine

Casting bigger threats PACIFIC OCEAN

Single-use plastics have long copped the blame for ocean pollution. But reports now conclude that lost and discarded fishing gear (nets, traps, lines) account for 10–20 per cent of plastic waste in the ocean. In areas like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, that figure skyrockets to more than 75 per cent. This gear continues to drift for years, entangling marine life and wrecking fragile ecosystems.

—Scientific Reports 4

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ZELJKOSANTRAC­—GETTY IMAGES, NAJA BERTOLT JENSEN, JOSH TERE, THEMBI JOHNSON—UNSPLASH

TANZANIA

The jobs Kiwis are done with AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND

Over the past 25 years, New Zealand has experienced significant declines in certain jobs due to automation, technology and shifts in manufacturing. Telephone betting clerks have declined the most, down 86 per cent. Other jobs such as footwear machine operators, postal sorting officers, patternmakers, photo developers and deer farmers have also dropped by 74 to 86 per cent. As AI and technology advance, jobs are expected to shift again 25 years from now.—Radio New Zealand

The great egg drought AUSTRALIA

Australia has faced an egg shortage for much of 2025 due to outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu) across major egg farms in Victoria, NSW and the ACT. While authorities are in the final steps of eradicating the virus, it will be several months until egg supplies return to normal.—The Daily Aus

Fiji’s first spacewoman FIJI

Neharika Gambhir, a 26-year-old Fijian American pilot and cyber engineer from Suva, has become Fiji’s first analog astronaut. Now based in Washington DC, she joined the all-female crew of Analog Expedition 92, proudly wearing the Fijian flag. Analog astronauts simulate space missions on Earth to prepare for future crewed journeys.

Inspired by childhood stories from her grandfather, Gambhir now flies vintage aircraft and encourages others to “aim for the stars”.

—ABC Pacific AUGUST 2025 • SIGNSMAG.COM

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IS GOD REALLY THERE? Searching for the most important answer in a sceptical age.

QUINTIN BETTERIDGE 6

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here are moments in life when we all pause and wonder if something or someone is out there. Sometimes, it happens in the stillness of a sunrise, the overwhelming vastness of the stars or the deep ache of injustice in the world.

Other times, the question arises in a debate, a passing conversation or a personal crisis.

Is God really there?

For centuries, people have wrestled with this question. Some dismiss it outright, convinced that science and reason have made belief obsolete. Others avoid it altogether, reluctant to dwell on what seems unprovable. Karl Marx once famously called religion “the opium of the people”. Richard Dawkins says, “Religion teaches you to be satisfied with nonanswers. It’s a sort of crime against childhood.” But what if belief in God is not an emotional crutch or a relic of the past? What if it is the most rational conclusion one can reach?

This is not about wishful thinking or blind faith. It is about evidence.

When we examine the world around us, it tells a story of creation, design, morality and love.

ETTY IMAGES

For most of history, people assumed the universe had always existed. Philosophers and scientists alike believed it was eternal, without a starting point. That changed with modern cosmology.

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CURATED LIFESTYLE—UNSPLASH

cause: the universe had a beginning—so what started It?

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YACER IBNYAMINA—GETTY IMAGES

If the universe had not been made with the most exacting precision, we could never have come into existence

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Today, nearly all physicists agree on one thing: the universe had a beginning. This raises an inescapable question—what caused it?

Stephen Hawking, one of the most well-known theoretical physicists of our time, put it plainly: “Almost everyone now believes that the universe, and time itself, had a beginning at the Big Bang.”1 If the universe had a beginning, then something must have brought it into existence.

The fundamental law of causality SIGNSMAG.COM • AUGUST 2025

states that everything that begins to exist must have a cause. Since the universe itself, including space, time and matter, came into being, its cause must also be outside space, time and matter.

This realisation has left many scientists in an uncomfortable position. Alexander Vilenkin, a leading cosmologist, acknowledged this dilemma when he wrote, “With the proof now in place, cosmologists can no longer hide behind the possibility of a past-eternal universe. There is no escape; they have to face the problem of a cosmic beginning.”2 That problem forces an unavoidable question: what, or who, was the first, or “uncaused”, cause?

Nobel Prize-winning physicist Arno Penzias, who helped discover the cosmic microwave background radiation, reflected on his findings. “The best data we have are exactly what I would have predicted had I nothing to go on but the five books of Moses, the Psalms and the Bible as a whole.”3

The idea of a created universe is not just a religious belief—it is a conclusion that science itself has pointed toward.

But it’s not just that the universe had a beginning. It’s that it had a beginning so finely calibrated that even the slightest variation in its initial conditions would have made life impossible. This leads us to another profound question: why does the universe appear to be designed specifically for human life?

creation: we live in the perfect pale blue dot engineered for life

Look up at the night sky and consider this: the universe could have been chaotic, lifeless or utterly inhospitable. Instead, it operates with astonishing precision, finetuned for life. Scientists call this the Anthropic Principle—the idea that the fundamental forces of the universe appear calibrated to support human existence.

This fine-tuning begins at the atomic level. The strong nuclear force, which binds protons and neutrons, is set at precisely the right strength. If it were slightly stronger, hydrogen—the key element in water—would have fused too quickly into heavier elements, leaving no water, no fuel for stars—and no life. If it were weaker, atoms would not hold together at all, meaning no molecules, no chemistry, no existence.

Beyond the atom, the cosmological constant, which controls the universe’s expansion, is equally

precise. A slightly faster expansion would have torn matter apart before galaxies could form. A slower one would have caused the universe to collapse. The fact that our universe expands at exactly the right rate to support stars, planets and ultimately life, is extraordinary.

Even with a stable universe, life requires a home. Earth sits in the Goldilocks Zone, the narrow band around the Sun where conditions are just right for liquid water. A small shift closer and our oceans would evaporate. A bit farther and everything would freeze.

Earth’s oxygen levels, precisely at 21 per cent, provide another example of fine-tuning. Any lower and life would suffocate. Any higher and the atmosphere would become dangerously flammable. Even the Moon, often overlooked, stabilises Earth’s axial tilt, ensuring consistent seasons and a stable climate.

The more we understand the universe, the more it appears delicately arranged for life. NASA astrophysicist John O’Keefe once remarked, “If the universe had not been made with the most exacting precision, we could never have come into existence. It is my view that these circumstances indicate the universe was created for man to live in.”4 Such precision suggests more than coincidence. The fine-tuning of the universe is not just a scientific marvel—it is an invitation to consider the possibility of a Designer. But there is another layer of evidence— AUGUST 2025 • SIGNSMAG.COM

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one not written in the stars, but written into our very nature.

conscience: the reality of morality

Beyond the physical world, there is another reality we all experience but rarely pause to question: morality. We instinctively know that some things—murder, abuse, oppression—are objectively wrong, not just matters of personal preference. But if we live in a universe governed solely by blind forces and random chance, why do we possess such a deep, universal sense of right and wrong?

CS Lewis, once a sceptic himself, wrestled with this very question.

Initially, he rejected the idea of God because the world seemed cruel and unjust. But then he asked, “Where did my idea of justice come from?”5 If the universe were truly meaningless, why would he, a product of that universe, feel such intense moral outrage against injustice?

Lewis compared it to a fish in water. A fish does not feel wet because water is its natural environment. Likewise, if evil was the natural state of the universe, humans would not recoil from it. We would accept it without question. But we do not.

We rage against evil because we intuitively recognise things are not as they should be.

This realisation dismantled Lewis’ atheism. If real justice existed, then it pointed beyond human opinion to something higher—a moral lawgiver. “A man does not call a line 10

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crooked unless he has some idea of a straight one,”6 he observed.

Our outrage against evil and longing for justice make sense only if there is something beyond us that gives morality a foundation. That something is actually a Someone who revealed Himself in the flesh to us.

the comeback story

Christianity stands or falls on one claim: that Jesus rose from the dead.

The apostle Paul affirms, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile” (1 Corinthians 15:17). If it never happened, Christianity collapses. If it did, everything changes.

Dr Gary Habermas, a leading scholar on the resurrection, developed what he calls the Minimal Facts approach which uses only facts that even sceptical historians accept.

Here are a few of his key arguments.

Jesus’ crucifixion is one of the most certain events of ancient history. His terrified followers suddenly became fearless preachers, willing to suffer and die for their claim that He was alive. That does not happen for a lie.

Paul, Christianity’s fiercest opponent, abandoned everything after seeing the risen Jesus. Jesus’ own brother James, once a sceptic, became a church leader and eventual martyr.

Scholars agree the tomb was empty. If Jesus’ body had been there, Christianity would have been debunked, instantly. Yet, even His enemies admitted it was gone. The first people to find it were women, whose testimony carried little weight

in that culture. If the story were fabricated, this is not a detail its author would invent.

Alternative explanations fall apart.

Hallucinations do not explain an empty tomb. Conspiracies unravel when people are tortured and killed.

Legends take centuries to develop, yet the resurrection was preached immediately. The simplest explanation is that Jesus truly rose.

And if He did, then His words still matter. His promises still stand. If He conquered death, then He is exactly who He said He was—the Son of God, the Saviour of the world.

a vision that satisfies

Quintin Betteridge was born in South Africa, but now calls Australia home. Pastor of Kingscliff Seventh-day Adventist Church (NSW), he is passionate about making the Bible applicable to everyday life.

1. Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose, The Nature of Space and Time. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1996.

2. Alexander Vilenkin, Many Worlds in One: The Search for Other Universes. New York, NY: Hill and Wang, 2006.

3. <nytimes.com/1978/03/12/archives/clues-to-universe-origin-expected-the-making-of-the-universe.html> 4. John O’Keefe, “The Theological Impact of the New Cosmology.” In Robert Jastrow, God and the Astronomers. New York, NY: W W Norton, 1992.

5. CS Lewis, Mere Christianity. New York NY: HarperOne, 2001.

6. Ibid, Lewis.

8MACHINE—UNSPLASH

The question of God’s existence is not just an intellectual exercise. It is a question that shapes everything: how we live, what we value and what we believe about life’s purpose.

Modern secularism offers many promises—but often fails to deliver on life’s deepest needs. Christianity offers a vision of reality that is not only intellectually credible but also existentially satisfying. It offers a foundation for human dignity, an answer to suffering and a hope that outlasts death.

So, perhaps the real question is not whether God is there, but whether we are willing to seek Him. Because if God really is there, it changes everything.

God really is out there!

Get to know Him by visiting <biblestudy.com.au/ jesus_studies>.

AUGUST 2025 • SIGNSMAG.COM

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THE SOUNDTRACK OF

How a video game taught me the value of silence—and the Sabbath.

JOSH STOTHERS SIGNSMAG.COM • AUGUST 2025

a geek like me—and that’s cool!

March 3, 2017 was the release date for the much-anticipated new entry in Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda franchise. This brand-new entry was titled Breath of the Wild, and it was AUGUST 2025 • SIGNSMAG.COM

MIDJOURNEY

M

arch 3, 2017: it was a day I had been looking forward to for months. Well, years actually but that date had only been confirmed months earlier. If you recognise this date, then you’re probably

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looking to shake up the formula in some huge ways. While not everyone is interested in video games, Zelda is hugely popular. If you’ve never heard of it, chances are high that you have a family member who has.

I don’t have a lot of time for video games in my life, but Zelda is an exception. I was committed to dive into this world again. I won’t go into all the details of Zelda’s history, but there was one pivotal difference between this entry and others in the series that stood out to me. I’m talking about the soundtrack.

Every Zelda game has its own musical identity, but Breath of the Wild took a bold approach—embracing silence. Often during the game, you will frequently just hear a soft melody on a piano that is so quiet, you’ll be able to distinctly hear your character’s feet running through the grass, your sword and shield bumping together, birds in the trees and even wind blowing through the fields.

Personally, I thought this was really clever, subversive and well done. Nintendo’s reason for taking the soundtrack in this direction is because Breath of the Wild takes place in a vast, open world mostly made up of empty wilderness and dilapidated ruins. What’s interesting is that when you enter more populated areas, the soundtrack picks up, becoming more upbeat and

orchestral. When you are in a battle, it can get intense.

As I played the game, I had a realisation: Breath of the Wild had better pacing than my own life. I was so used to constantly driving myself to get more done, rushing from this to that, that I often felt uncomfortable in the silence this soundtrack often forced me into.

I was so used to traditional soundtracks that constantly kept driving me through the game to cram in as much dopamine as possible that I had carried this ideal into my everyday life.

I was constantly trying to cram more into my schedule, pushing myself to be more productive, to achieve more. I couldn’t go for a drive, a walk or grocery shop without trying to cram in a podcast or audiobook to make sure I was even using my downtime to be effective or at least learn something new.

the productivity trap

Wanting to be productive is not bad, but it can so easily spiral out of control. I can do my banking, check my emails, shop online, message people and watch whatever TV shows or movies I want at any time of the day. I can go to the gym or shops at any hour of the day—or

night. In fact, not too far from my house, a 24-hour automatic tanning salon just opened. I had no idea the world needed this business model, but apparently there must be a group of people crying out for 2am tanning sessions.

The world needs to learn how to take time to stop. I need to learn how to take time to stop. One ancient practice that has consistently helped me is the Sabbath. It comes from a Hebrew word which literally means “to stop”. After the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt, God had to teach them how to live like free people again. Part of this was learning to stop, which to a people who had been in slavery their entire lives, would have been incredibly counter-cultural.

This is what they were told: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord

blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:8–11) Every week from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, they were called not to do any work. Not even their servants or animals could do any work.

To people who had never stopped working, this must have been good news.

I feel fortunate to have been raised in a home where I was taught to observe the Sabbath, but it’s something I’ve been relearning in each season of life. In school, embracing Sabbath rest was easy. I didn’t have much on my plate and didn’t need an excuse to not do homework on the weekends. When I got to university, I really started learning what it meant to force myself to stop for 24 hours. Now I have kids and a busy job, taking time to really observe the Sabbath is only possible if I inten-

I was constantly trying to cram more into my schedule, pushing myself to be more productive, to achieve more

tionally build it into my life. To keep it simple, here is what I try to do in that 24-hour period each week.

Stop: I don’t do anything I would class as labour unless it is absolutely essential to do during that time, or it is a blessing to someone else.

Rest: Along with stopping my work, I try to actually rest too. I strive to not even think about my work, money or anything else that is part of my regular life.

Worship: I take time to focus on God, to celebrate who Jesus is and what He has done for me. I remember that I am loved by Him and that He is a good God. Enjoy: I make time for fun on the day! It’s not meant to be a burden—but a gift. Enjoy it. Eat some good food, go somewhere beautiful, whatever it is.

Gather: I carve out time to gather with my spiritual community, my family and friends. Sabbath is always better together.

In a world that is telling you to just “go go go”, maybe it’s time to carve out some time to just stop long enough to listen to the world around you again. Take a note from Breath of the Wild and incorporate some silence into the soundtrack of your life. If you still need convincing, let me leave you with one of my favourite quotes about Sabbath from pastor and author, Eugene Peterson.

“Sabbath is the time set aside to do nothing so that we can receive everything, to set aside our anxious attempts to make ourselves useful, to set aside our tense restlessness, to set aside our media-satiated boredom. Sabbath is the time to receive silence and let it deepen into gratitude, to receive quiet into which forgotten faces and voices unobtrusively make themselves present, to receive the days of the just completed week and absorb the wonder and miracle still reverberating from each one, to receive our Lord’s amazing grace.”

Josh Stothers is a musician, podcaster and pastor.

He lives and ministers in Sydney, Australia.

To discover more about the Sabbath, <sabbathday.com>.

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Why you should be social dining— and snacking 18

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From deep talk to quick chats at the checkout line, your connections—big and small—could be the secret to a longer, healthier life.

KATERYNAHLIZNITSOVA—UNSPLASH

SIMON MATTHEWS

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etting goals can be a powerful way to take control of your health and wellbeing. When you intentionally choose your actions and process, you’re more likely to stay engaged and motivated. Think of health like a currency—something you can use to build a meaningful life. Good health is not just something to have or to strive for—it’s something to spend on things that matter to you. Like energy, time or money, health is most valuable when it enables you to show up fully in the parts of your life you care about.

healthy longevity

Using the principles of lifestyle medicine as a basis for considering health, our capacity to form social bonds is a powerful predictor of both longevity and good health—or if you prefer, healthy longevity. There’s not much point in adding more years to

Poor social connection and loneliness have about the same impact on your health and longevity as smoking 15 cigarettes a day 20

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your life if they’re not healthy and productive, right? Social connections help us better manage stress; they support us during periods of significant change (even health behaviour change); and some of the research into social connections and health shows a strong link between the quality of relationships we have and the extent to which we actively care for our own wellbeing. Every opportunity we get to make and grow a social connection matters. A wellknown research paper found that poor social connection and loneliness have about the same impact on your health and longevity as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Connection promotes health, boosts immunity, helps regulate emotions, protects the brain and reduces the risk of early death.

And when I describe “relationships”, I’m not just referring to the deep, long-term ones (like family,

social dining

Social dining isn’t about sharing food (although you can certainly double down on the health benefits by eating delicious, nutritious food in the company of people you really like!). I’m referring to deeper, longerterm connections with people who matter to us. It’s the time you spend

catching up with your closest friend over coffee, calling your sibling just to talk, walking with your partner and really tuning in and listening to how they’re doing. These are the “dining” experiences of social life— they’re nourishing, memorable and sustaining. They’re the conversations that happen when you have space, time, energy and trust. Sometimes they’re not convenient—the phone rings when you’re about to walk out the door. But the person matters and typically, the conversation is worth it.

Social dining is something to prioritise regularly. It deepens our sense of meaning, identity and belonging.

And those conversations allow us to be “known”—not just seen. There’s something incredibly healing about knowing that someone else in the world has heard and understood you and your experience.

social snacking

Social snacking is something different. It’s usually quick and incidental—it just happens to occur while we’re doing something else—but it’s not the primary focus or intention. It might be a few brief words exchanged with the barista while they’re making your morning order, a shared joke with someone in a supermarket queue, a smile from a neighbour as you both bring your bins in or a brief conversation with the cashier who’s ringing up your groceries. These micro-connections may not mean much on their own— they’re often only seconds long but AUGUST 2025 • SIGNSMAG.COM

WASA CRISPBREAD—UNSPLASH

spouses, old school friends and long-standing work colleagues), but also the small, ordinary moments we share with others each day—interacting with the cashier when you buy groceries, greeting the bus driver when you get on the bus, holding a door open for the person behind you, and more.

When it’s framed like this, we can think about social connection in two broad categories, using the metaphor of a meal: social dining and social snacking.

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over time, they can create a sense of belonging and shared humanity.

Often, we focus all our attention on the big connections that go deep and take time to develop. They matter, of course. But don’t overlook the small ones. There are opportunities to enjoy these “snacks” often several times a day—and they work!

They can lift our mood, ease stress and remind us that we’re part of something bigger than ourselves.

If you’re feeling a little isolated, it can feel overwhelming to organise a big catch-up or invest the time and emotional energy required to repair a broken relationship. But social snacking gives you a low-effort way to build momentum. One small exchange can lead to another. Over time, those brief moments help you rebuild confidence in your ability to engage, listen and respond to social cues.

Here’s what I’ve found as a longterm user of social snacking: the more you do it and the more consistent you are, the more likely those incidental connections are to develop into something more. You’re more likely to learn something important about the person you’re talking to— and you may even feel like sharing something that matters to you. When you go to the same store each week to buy fruit and vegetables, and you see the same person arranging the produce on the displays, that’s an opportunity not just to nod as you walk in the door, but to pause and ask, “How’s your week going?”

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Make eye contact. Be curious.

Offer a small comment, an observation, a compliment. These small gestures take very little effort, but they often create a ripple of energy like rings in a pond. Remember also that social snacking is not “meaningless”— it’s not intended to be a mindless “hihowareyou?” with no intention or desire to listen to the response.

It’s an opportunity to connect, to learn, to share—and to be seen. Over time, you may even find you build a sense of “anticipatory gratitude” (another powerful pathway to good health) about going to that place and interacting with that person.

where to start

So, if I’ve convinced you by now that social dining and social snacking are both important, and you want to get started, what should you do?

First, create an intention in yourself for both dining and snacking. We can do both with food, right?

We have meals, two or maybe three times a day, and smaller snacks like fruit or nuts in between.

Reflect on those people in your life who are really important, and plan to spend time connecting with them regularly—a long phone call, a meal, a shared activity. Then supercharge the benefit of those times by taking a moment to recall at the end of the day what was so meaningful about them and experience that moment of gratitude.

And . . . enjoy some daily social snacks. Remember that every one

of these moments is a chance to engage, to learn and to share. As is the case with nearly everything in life, waiting for the “perfect moment” usually means waiting forever. Start where you are—with the people around you. A smile or wave to a neighbour counts! Saying “hello” to the bus driver counts! Holding a door open for someone counts! Talking to your barista, or table waiter, or the librarian or dental receptionist all count!

Possibly the most important point of all is this: you will receive a benefit from engaging in social dining and social snacking. It’s literally good for you. Don’t forget, sometimes the person who benefits most from your small gesture isn’t you. You may well be helping someone else feel more connected, more heard and more seen. That’s a gift worth sharing.

Simon Matthews is an adjunct lecturer at Avondale University’s Lifestyle Medicine & Health Research Centre. He loves talking about his passions of travelling and cooking. He writes from Madrid, Spain.

GEORGE DAGEROTIP—UNSPLASH

and don’t forget!

For a free course on Living Well, visit <discover. hopechannel.com/livewell>.

AUGUST 2025 • SIGNSMAG.COM

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Are you better than you think?

We’ve been sold a lie about human nature—and it’s time to set the record straight.

GETTY IMAGES—UNSPLASH

BRUCE MANNERS

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“On Planet B, everyone’s left to fend for themselves. Panic breaks out. There’s lots of pushing and shoving. Children, the elderly and the people with disabilities get trampled underfoot.”1

which planet do we live on?

W

ell, yes, we are, according to Rutger Bregman, author of Human Kind.

Early in his book he introduces us to Tom Postmes, professor of social psychology at the University of Groningen who, every year, asks students the same question. “Imagine an aeroplane makes an emergency landing and breaks into three parts.

As the cabin fills with smoke, everybody inside realises: We’ve got to get out of here. What happens?

“On planet A, the passengers turn to their neighbours to ask if they’re okay. Those needing assistance are helped out of the plane first. People are willing to give their lives even for a perfect stranger.”

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“I would estimate about 97 per cent of people think we live on Planet B,” says Professor Postmes.

“The truth is, in almost every case, we live on Planet A.” The tragedy is, he adds, that we have known this since World War 2.

In World War 2, the London Blitz brought damage and death.

“Morale did suffer amid the death and destruction, but there were few calls to surrender. The phrase ‘Business as usual’ written in chalk on boarded up shop windows, exemplified the British determination to ‘keep calm and carry on.’”2 When, towards the end of the war, the decision was made to bomb German cities, “The bombs may have destroyed Germany, but they did not destroy German morale.”3 Bregman adds that “even history’s most momentous disasters have played out on Planet A. Take the sinking of the Titanic. If you saw the movie, you’d probably think everybody was blinded by panic (except the string quartet). In fact, the evacuation was quite orderly. One eyewitness recalled that ‘there was no indication of panic or hysteria, no cries of fear, and no running to and fro’.”

Lord of the Flies

Bregman points to William Golding’s book Lord of the Flies—the title itself means “Beelzebub”, a name for Satan—as an example of expectations. The story is based around seven boys, the only survivors of a plane crash during World War 2.

They end up on an island, with chaos, anger and savagery dominating their scene—one is murdered. This was

seen as natural and expected. Merely human nature.

In this case, the reality is that the book reflects more about the troubled life of William Golding than reality. His biographer, Peter Conrad, pictures him as a man of “self contempt” who thought of himself as a monster. He said he understood the Nazis because he was “of that sort by nature”. And, after The Lord of the Flies was published, he regretted he had published it, thinking it “boring and crude”. In fact, he had difficulty finding a publisher. A new editor at Faber retrieved it from a reject bin and persuaded his colleagues to buy it for 60 pounds. It went on to sell millions of copies—mainly as a student textbook.6 Understanding a little of the man helps us understand why he would write Lord of the Flies the way he did—writing from Planet B.

meanwhile, back on Planet A

Bregman came across the story of six Tongan school boys—aged 13 to 16—who decided to go fishing instead of attending school. They “borrowed” a boat, loaded in it two sacks of bananas, a few coconuts and a small gas burner. They were dreaming of Fiji or New Zealand until the storm hit. It shredded their sail and broke their rudder. They were at the mercy of the wind and tides. On the eighth day, they saw a small island—“a hulking mass of rocks” and ended up shipwrecked on the deserted island of Ata.

DESIFOTO—GETTY IMAGES

Then, as New York’s Twin Towers in 2001 burned, “Thousands of people descended the stairs calmly, even though their lives were in danger.

They stepped aside for firefighters and the injured. And people would actually say: ‘No, no, you first,’ one survivor reported. I couldn’t believe it, that at this point people would actually say, ‘No, no, please take my place.’ It was uncanny”.4 Let me quickly add that there are many evil and harmful things that happen in our world—whether we live on Planet A or Planet B. Just check the nightly news for examples.

That means we need to be both aware and cautious of how we live— and who we trust.

Going further, we need to be aware that so-called “reality TV” builds ratings by creating conflict. To do that, the show “might focus on . . . and perpetuate social inequalities and power struggles”. It also “often sensationalises conflict, competition, and drama to attract viewership”.5 In essence, it’s often more fake than reality.

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This was their home for more than a year. Unlike The Lord of the Flies narrative, “the boys set up a small commune with a food garden, hollowed-out tree trunks to store rainwater, a gymnasium with curious weights, a badminton court, chicken pens and a permanent fire, all from handiwork with an old knife blade and determination”.

They organised work into teams of two, with a strict roster for garden, kitchen and guard duty. If there were quarrels, those involved were sent to opposite ends of the island for a couple of hours, and upon return after four hours or so were told to apologise. “That’s how we stayed friends,” they said.

One of the boys fell off a cliff and broke his leg. The others pulled him back up the cliff, then set his leg the best they could.

Meanwhile, Australian sea captain Peter Warner had gone to Tonga to attempt to gain permission from the King of Tonga to trap lobster in the waters around the island. The king said “no”. Disappointed, Warner returned to his ship and began to head back to Tasmania, but took a detour that led him to Ata. He was surprised to see evidence of burning on the green cliffs of the island.

“Someone’s calling,” said one of his crew. Warner thought it nonsense.

Then, through his binoculars, he saw a naked boy, hair down to his shoulders, dive into the water. The other boys followed.

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He didn’t believe their story, but contacted the main island of Nuku’alofa to find out if the school had lost six students—a year or so earlier.

“Finally, a very tearful operator came on the radio, and said, ‘You found them! These boys have been given up for dead. Funerals have been held. If it’s them, this is a miracle.’”7 Bregman was so impacted by this story that when he discovered that Warner and one of the “boys” (Mano Totau) were alive and living in Queensland, Australia, he organised a trip from Europe to get the story from them personally—to counter the Lord of the Flies narrative with real non-fictional characters who helped each other to survive. It helped him believe we are better than we think we are.

That broken leg? When a doctor checked it out, it had healed as it should have.

the challenge

Bregman finishes his book with challenges and his “most important rule to live by”.

“If there’s one thing I’ve sought to do with this book, it’s to change the meaning of the word realism.

“Isn’t it telling that in modern usage, the realist has become synonymous with the cynic?—for someone with a pessimistic outlook?”

In other words, it’s the pessimist— not the optimist—who is seen as more rational in our society.

“In truth, it’s the cynic who’s out

of touch . . . We’re living on Planet A, where people are deeply inclined to be good to one another.

“So, be realistic. Be courageous.

Be true to your nature and offer your trust. Do good in broad daylight, and don’t be ashamed of your generosity. You may be dismissed as gullible and naive at first. But remember, what’s naive today may be common sense tomorrow.

“It’s time for a new realism. It’s time for a new view of humankind.”8 It’s time to ask, what planet do you want to live on? And it’s time to show that you really are better than you think you are.

Bruce Manners is an author, retired pastor and former editor of the Australia/New Zealand edition of Signs of the Times. He is based in Lilydale, Victoria.

1. Rutger Bregman, Human Kind, A Hopeful History. Bloomsbury Publishing, London, 2020.

2. <britannica.com/event/the-Blitz/> 3. <daily.jstor.org/did-allied-bombs-destroy-germanmorale/> 4. Ibid, Bregman.

5. <uen.pressbooks.pub/jete8i2/chapter/1/#:~:text=A%20 sociologist%20using%20conflict%20theory,and%20 drama%20to%20attract%20viewership> 6. <theguardian.com/books/2009/aug/30/william-golding-john-carey-review/> 7. Ibid, Bregman.

8. Ibid, Bregman.

A C—UNSPLASH

9. <forbes.com/sites/amyanderson/2016/06/22/yourebetter-than-you-think-you-are/>

Invest in yourself and the people you care about the most. Take the course by visiting <biblestudy.com.au/ family-and-relationships>.

you are better than you think you are That’s what entrepreneur Amy Rees Anderson believes, but she does have some advice. “The only person we should ever compare ourselves to is the person we were yesterday. . . .

By focusing solely on becoming a better person today than the person you were yesterday, you will be far more productive and progress at a substantially faster pace.

“Without a doubt the best way I know to overcome our false sense of insecurity and feelings of inadequacy is to simply get to work! The more we engage in doing work that forwards a cause, the better we feel about ourselves and the more success we will find. . . . The people who become the most successful aren’t the people who start with the most, they are the people who do the most with what they started with.

“Finally, it is serving others that will give us the greatest feeling of security in the person that we are.”9

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make a difference

HOW A BOWL OF SOUP SAVED AMY’S LIFE

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my first came to us admitting she was almost suicidal. Her debts had become so big and so insurmountable, and she was caring for a son with mental illness.

For Amy, an 82-year-old woman living in Wauchope, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Community Connect Wauchope SouperVan was the lifeline she had been looking for. She was pushed to the brink by the combined pressures of Covid-19, the cost-ofliving crisis and caring for her son who was mentally ill. On top of this, she was left to pay off someone else’s bills. Life seemed hopeless and Amy began to feel deeply depressed.

Then, someone in her circle suggested she visit the SouperVan. Every Wednesday evening, the ADRA SouperVan in Wauchope provides up to 120 patrons with hot soup, buns, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as uplifting conversation and connection. The SouperVan began as a ministry of the Wauchope Seventh-day Adventist Church, serving food to those in the community doing it tough. Since becoming

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an ADRA program, it has expanded to also provide fresh produce, blankets, sleeping bags and even pet food.

“When Amy first came, we were only offering soup and buns,” says Troy Eggleton, volunteer manager for ADRA Community Connect Wauchope. “And then a little while later, we started doing produce and that was a game changer for her, because then she could go home and prepare a meal.”

Receiving support with her groceries meant that slowly, Amy was able to get on top of her bills.

Combined with the uplifting social interactions she experienced at the weekly SouperVan program, Amy’s mental health improved.

“By coming to the SouperVan, I could manage to survive,” Amy says.

“I got ahead with bills.

“I think it’s marvellous to be able to come to SouperVan and get fresh veggies, a cup of soup and sit amongst people with like-minded attitudes and really enjoy myself.”

Amy was drawn in to the spiritual aspect of the SouperVan project.

“Amy quickly became a regular,”

commencement of her Bible studies to prepare for baptism, expressing that she now sees our church family as her family.”

Amy says, “Now I’m getting on my feet and am much happier. You learn your lessons and you put your faith in God.” To learn more about the SouperVan and how ADRA Australia is supporting Aussies who would otherwise fall through the cracks, visit <adra.org. au/soupervan>.

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says Troy. “She started to stay back with us for our prayer at the end of our service evenings—and expressed that she loved our prayers and being around happy and kind people.

Amy then joined us for our church’s Depression and Anxiety Recovery Program and followed that up with our social evenings and Forgive to Live programs. Now, Amy regularly comes to church, stays for our lunches, and is eagerly awaiting the

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I GAVE GOD 12 MONTHS

Lost in addiction, I told people to leave God out of the conversation. That was until God met me in my darkest hour.

BRYCE DAVIS

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hank goodness God doesn’t hold grudges. That’s all I can say. Even in my years of rebellion—even when I was cursing His name and shouting at those who spoke about Him—God never gave up on me.

I come from a large, but scattered, family. I’m the youngest of five siblings. We all share the same father but were born to four different mothers.

Before I came along, my father battled alcoholism, anger and violence, which resulted in him being sent to prison. One night in his cell, he had a severe stroke. The doctors gave him little hope of survival but by the grace of God, he defied the odds and was given a second chance at life. However, this came with a AUGUST 2025 • SIGNSMAG.COM

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heavy price, as he was left paralysed as a quadriplegic. In a more positive view of tragedy, this forced him into a more peaceful existence. Now trapped in his body and unable to do anything for himself, he was no longer able to continue a life of drinking or inflicting damage.

A few years after his stroke, my mother gave birth to me—Bryce Junior, named after my father. I was far from planned. My family called me the “miracle baby”, as my father was paralysed and my mother was on birth control.

Since I was late to the family, I was raised like an only child. I spent my younger years in a care home, helping Mum look after Dad. I was her little sidekick. Despite everything, Dad was still my hero and Mum was my rock. The way she cared for him has had a profound impact on who I am today and my ability to love and look after others.

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While my home life was sheltered, I grew up in a neighbourhood full of violence, crime and substance abuse.

I was often out walking the streets, hanging out at the skate park and getting around the wrong crowd.

Mum would take me to church on the weekends—which planted seeds of faith that later flourished—but that wasn’t enough to keep me grounded as a boy.

losing my hero

When I was 11, Dad got sick again.

This time, lung cancer. We had six weeks between the day he was diagnosed and the day he passed.

It felt like eternity watching him suffer during that time and it was too difficult for my young mind to comprehend. When he died, I remember feeling like I suddenly had all this freedom. I started drinking and experimenting with drugs, and frequently found myself

in dangerous, life-threatening situations.

Soon after, my older brother and his wife came to my rescue and took me in. They had five kids of their own and with me, six to look after.

My brother, who deeply loved Jesus, became a father to me. Though I’m sure this decision wasn’t easy for them, it undoubtedly saved my life.

I found a sense of belonging and stability in their family, and life was good again . . . for a little while.

At 16, I went out on my own and got into more trouble. I developed a dependence on drugs and got lost in a spiral of addiction and despair. I walked as far away as possible from

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Thank goodness God doesn’t hold grudges

any notion of God. Just the mention of Him would fill me with rage. I had so much pent-up anger in my life and couldn’t stand people talking about Him. I’d tell them if they brought God up again, I’d be done with them.

“Stop! Leave Him out of any conversation you have with me!” I’d say. “If God really loved me and cared about me, my life wouldn’t look this way.”

Deep down, I wasn’t happy with the way I was living. I was just trying to mask all the pain I felt. I knew life had more on offer. But I didn’t know how to get myself out of this cycle.

Looking back, I can see how God was chasing after me, irrespective of my behaviour towards Him. Many people approached me and reminded me of His love and my worth. Some of these people I knew, others not from a bar of soap. On one occasion it was a preacher. Another, a woman on a train. Another, a tatted-up man in the city. These people encouraged me, put their hands on me and prayed for me, spoke into things in my life that only God could have known about—my addictions, my shame, generational patterns, things of my past I needed healing for. Many times I was left lost for words. How on earth did they know that about me? I’d think. I remember one time I was with my friends when this happened. My mates put their hands on my shoulder and said, “Come on man, let’s get away from these Jesus freaks.” Being under their influence, I turned and followed them. But those moments stuck with me.

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a dark presence

Between these encounters, I continued living in and out of addiction.

It was a rollercoaster ride. Then one night while high on multiple substances, I found myself in the grip of a demonic presence. In sheer desperation, I cried out to Jesus for help. It was the only thing I knew to do. As soon as I called to Him, the dark presence left me. It was the wake-up call I needed. I finally realised I couldn’t continue living the way I was.

From then on, I started to experience God in a new way. I began to grasp that He was always with me, that I could come to Him just as I was—a broken mess. That filled me with comfort and hope. I wish I could say my life looked different straight from this point. But it was still a few years later that I found myself left with nothing except the consequences of my actions: angry, anxious and depressed.

“give God 12 months!”

One weekend while camping, a friend asked me how I was. I gave him the typical Aussie answer: “Yeah, good. Just poking along, getting through it.” At that moment, my brother walked past and chimed in, “Bryce, cut to the chase. How has life really been?” I sat with them for the next four hours or so, pouring my heart out and sharing what had been happening in my life. Then my brother challenged me, “Look at where you are. Look at what you’ve 36

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been through. Why don’t you go all in? Give God 12 months of your life and see what happens.”

That proposition sounded attractive to me. I figured, what did I have to lose? The life I was living wasn’t serving me at all. So, I left that camp and decided I would get everything out of the way that was stopping me from getting closer to Jesus.

First, I quit my job as it wasn’t a good place for me. I was living pay cheque to pay cheque and didn’t have any savings, but had financial responsibilities. But I claimed what it says in the Bible, that if we seek God first, everything will fall into place (Matthew 6:33). I started praying, “God, I want to work with my hands.

I think that’ll be good for me. And I’d really love it if I could work with some Christian people who can help me stay on this path.”

I was rejected from one job after another. Then I received a call from a man offering me a couple of days of work per week building a house. He warned me though that every single person on the job was a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said. Each day I rocked up to the job site, we would start the day by reading the Bible and praying.

I was so encouraged by those men.

I won’t lie, it was still a difficult time—especially amid a relationship breakdown, trying to get off drugs and having a life of pain echoing in my mind. Yet God was so faithful; so true to His words; so present with me. He provided for me in ways I

I’ve lived a crazy life and hurt a lot of people who cared about me. However, I’m so thankful for everyone who didn’t give up on me.

Most of all, I’m thankful to God for transforming my heart and life in ways I never thought possible. He has given the purpose and peace I have searched for my whole life. I hold tight to this promise of His in the Bible: “I have swept away your offences like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you” (Isaiah 44:22).

Bryce Davis is a support worker and community coordinator. He’s passionate about helping others find freedom. He enjoys playing basketball and staying active. He writes from Kingscliff, Australia.

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never could have imagined and my faith in Him grew stronger every day.

After making that decision while camping, I would have considered it a win to have turned to my brother after 12 months and said, “I haven’t taken drugs. I’m only drinking occasionally and I feel happier. You know, I feel a little more stable in life.”

Instead, I had grown deeply in love with Jesus. I’d been freed from my addictions. I’d been baptised and joined a local Seventh-day Adventist church. I completed a Bible program called “Arise For Life” and met amazing people from all around the world.

I went to Africa and did mission work. Then to Norway and Sweden to meet my future in-laws through an amazing woman I met on this journey. Now I’m a support worker and a community coordinator. I’m living in freedom, knowing that I am eternally loved.

To listen to our conversation with Bryce, subscribe to Signs Radio:

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Cambodia’s sex industry: a child’s worst nightmare Sex work in Cambodia isn’t just a women’s issue—it’s a crisis affecting children, too. One quiet program is trying to change that.

LYNNETTE LOUNSBURY

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HISU LEE EOAWMARLIBO—UNSPLASH

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ambodia’s sex industry is a nuanced and multifaceted issue, deeply rooted in the country’s historical, socio-economic and cultural struggles. While the red-light districts of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville are often depicted as bustling hubs of nightlife, they are stark reminders of systemic gender inequality, poverty and exploitation. For the women within this industry, life is a delicate balancing act—between survival, societal stigma and the faint hope of a better future. Their children fare even worse.

haunting history

The sex industry in Cambodia is inextricably tied to the nation’s turbulent history. The Khmer Rouge regime (1975–1979), a radical communist movement that came to power after a devastating civil war, decimated the country’s economy,

infrastructure and social fabric. The subsequent decades of recovery saw widespread poverty, limited opportunities for women and a growing reliance on informal, cash-based economies.

Most women enter the sex industry due to economic necessity, while some are trafficked entirely against their will. With approximately 17.8 per cent of Cambodians living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank, sex work often becomes one of the few viable options for women to provide for their families.

This is particularly true for rural women, who frequently migrate to urban centres in search of income opportunities. In many cases, they are lured by promises of legitimate employment, only to find themselves coerced into prostitution.

Cambodia’s sex industry is closely linked to human trafficking. The Global Slavery Index estimates

working toward change Several NGOs and grassroots organisations are working tirelessly to support women in Cambodia’s sex industry. For example, Agape International Missions (AIM) provides vocational training, counselling and healthcare services to women seeking to leave the industry. But while there are services and organisations that help the women, there is little to no 40

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help available for their children. That’s why Asian Aid, a Christian NGO in Australia, supports NightCare, a unique program that cares for the babies and toddlers born and growing up in Cambodia’s red-light districts.

NightCare is like daycare but at night. When the risk of abuse, neglect and exploitation is the highest, babies

that thousands of Cambodians, predominantly women and girls, are victims of forced sexual exploitation.

Vulnerable populations, such as orphans, ethnic minorities, the mentally disabled and those with limited education, are at heightened risk.

Despite efforts by the Cambodian government and international organisations to combat trafficking, enforcement remains very inconsistent. Corruption within law enforcement and judicial systems often hinders progress, allowing traffickers to operate with impunity. Meanwhile, the stigma surrounding victims of trafficking and sex work further compounds their plight, isolating them from support networks and perpetuating cycles of abuse.

alternatives. They face daily risks, including violence, unplanned pregnancy and exposure to sexually transmitted infections. Access to healthcare is often inadequate, leaving many women without the resources to address physical and mental health issues. Cambodian societal attitudes toward sex work are also deeply stigmatising. Women in the industry are frequently ostracised by their communities, even if their earnings support their families.

This stigma extends to their children, who often face abuse, neglect, bullying or exclusion due to their mother’s work. It is a difficult, dangerous and often miserable existence for women and their children.

the human cost

Addressing the complexities of Cambodia’s sex industry requires a multi-pronged approach. Economic empowerment is key. Providing

and toddlers of sex workers receive a safe place to sleep, a warm bath, a nutritious meal, age-appropriate lessons, clean clothes and most importantly— love and attention. NightCare helps to restore these little ones’ childhood and to break the cycle of trauma.

should for no fault of their own,” says Joana Ryan, program manager at Asian Aid. “Supporting these children whether it is through advocacy, giving or direct care is a powerful way to restore these little ones’ childhood and to break the cycle of trauma. It’s a powerful way to show love, as Christians, to a broken world.”

For more information, visit: <asianaid.org.au/nightcare>.

“As Christians, we’re called to show compassion, justice and love, especially towards the vulnerable and marginalised in society. Children whose mothers work in Cambodia’s sex industry face horrors no child ever

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ZYANYA CITLALLI—UNSPLASH

For most women in Cambodia’s sex industry, their work is not a choice but a consequence of limited

a judgement-free future

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TINNAKORN JORRUANG—GETTY IMAGES

The women of Cambodia’s sex industry are individuals with hopes, fears and families that they love

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women with education, skills training and access to fair-paying jobs can reduce their reliance on sex work. Simultaneously, combating trafficking demands stronger law enforcement, judicial reforms and international cooperation to dismantle trafficking networks.

All of this requires money that the Cambodian government either does not have or is not currently willing to invest. Equally important is changing societal attitudes, both locally and internationally. Reducing stigma and promoting compassion toward sex SIGNSMAG.COM • AUGUST 2025

workers can create an environment where women feel safe seeking support. Public awareness campaigns and community dialogue can play a crucial role in fostering understanding and empathy. Non-judgemental support is often the only way women feel empowered enough to ask for help to leave the industry.

The women of Cambodia’s sex industry are individuals with hopes, fears and families that they love.

While their circumstances often reflect broader systemic failures, they also illuminate opportunities for change. By addressing the root causes of exploitation and supporting women’s empowerment, Cambodia can take meaningful steps toward a future where no woman is forced to choose between safety, dignity and survival.

Lynnette Lounsbury is a lecturer in communications and history at Avondale University.

To find out more about NightCare and help, visit <asianaid.org.au/nightcare> or scan the QR code on the next page.

“I'm scared of the night.

Will you keep me safe?”

Sovanna*, born in the red-light districts of Cambodia, has experienced horrors no child ever should. NightCare provides a safe shelter and loving care for little ones like Sovanna night in, night out.

You can help.

Scan to find out more & donate.

asianaid.org.au/nightcare +61 2 6586 4250 * Name has been changed for protection.

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how to win at parenting

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efore the age of two, most children think the world revolves around them. From their point of view, what they think and how they feel must be what others think and feel, too. They don’t have the concept that other people have different needs and perspectives.

It’s why if they can’t see you when

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they’re playing hide-and-seek, they believe you surely can’t see them.

At around two years old, they start developing what psychologists term “theory of mind”. Put simply, they start to recognise they are individuals, separate and distinct from other people. As their theory of mind forms, they begin to

FRANCOIS VERBEECK—UNSPLASH

The fear that holds kids back

understand people can and will judge them on their behaviour and react to that perception accordingly. They start developing a fear of judgement or become self-conscious.

Theory of mind and fear of judgement is not necessarily a bad thing.

Children can become more sensitive, considerate and thoughtful because they are able to put themselves in other people’s shoes. When taken in the right dosage, the knowledge that you are being judged can spur you on to become a better person.

Sensitivity to the perception of judgement can, however, get out of hand. In worst case scenarios, children can become depressed, anxious and avoid circumstances in which judgement is anticipated. In these instances, here are four tips:

1. remind them of their value

Explicitly and implicitly reinforce your child’s value and belonging with you as their primary safe haven in life. Remind them of the things you and their family appreciate and value about them.

2. give them important mirrors

Our views of ourselves and the world (what researchers call “models of self and other”) are largely formed

through interactions with important others. Parents are our first and most important mirrors: We look at them and their response to us tells us who we are. Educate your child about how different people can “bounce back” different views, and sometimes this is more about those people themselves than your child or what they’re doing.

3. engage self-compassion and empathy

When your child experiences judgement (real or perceived), support them to practise speaking kindly to themselves when processing the experience. Encourage them to explore if there is an alternative explanation.

4. seek help

Sometimes, children and families really benefit from sessions with a child or family therapist to further explore and shift the negative models of self and other underlying judgement sensitivity.

Melody Tan is a passionate advocate for empowering mothers through connection, faith and digital engagement. She is project manager of Mums At The Table. She lives in Sydney with her husband and their primary-school-aged son.

Life in the Grey is a Mums At The Table podcast where we explore the psychological factors that shape our relationships, be that as a parent, a partner or a peer. Scan this QR code to listen to the episode “Are you judging me? Or is it my trauma?”.

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e v o l t a h w e k i l s k o o l

Christians often speak of God’s love, but what does it actually look like in the real world?

NATHAN BROWN 46

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ADEHOIDAR—GETTY IMAGES

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or anyone who has spent any time in a church context or has encountered some form of Christianity, the significance of the story of Jesus is often assumed and then summarised in the single best-known Bible verse: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16*).

Sometimes it is not even the text of this verse, but simply “John 3:16” that has become a kind of slogan or logo in itself, whether on billboards, signs in crowds, bumper stickers or other merchandise.

what is love?

Love is one of those words that has so many different meanings as to sometimes seem meaningless.

It can refer to our preference for a particular flavour of ice-cream or our appreciation of a sunny day. Love can be directed toward a child, a pet, a 48

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spouse or a football team—all of them different. It can be used to describe a brief infatuation or appreciation, or a lifelong committed relationship. Too often the word has come to mean something abstract or ethereal.

But, in Jesus, God’s love had an action and direction to it. What is believed to be an early Christian hymn summarised the movement in the story of Jesus in this way: “Though he was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

Instead, He gave up his divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being” (Philippians 2:6,7). This is what theologians call the “incarnation”— God becoming human “and made his home among us” (see John 1:13).

Such self-giving, love-directed action reframes and redeems our idea of love. It is stronger than all the brokenness of our world, more powerful than all our injustice, violence and rage. This love works

love in a person

However, for all its prominence in more contemporary Christian witness and teaching, one of the things we should notice about John 3:16 is that Jesus never preached this message in public. The story in John 3 is of a late-night conversation with an educated religious leader by the name of Nicodemus, in which Jesus challenged him about his own need for spiritual renewal.

By contrast, when Jesus introduced Himself and His

Jesus is what God’s love looks like in public work publicly, His sermon in His hometown synagogue had quite a different tone. Invited to read, He found, in the scroll of the writings of the prophet Isaiah, a particular passage that is no less profound but has a strong impulse towards what love looks like in public. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favour has come” (Luke 4:18,19). Jesus’ exposition of these verses was both succinct and bold: “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” (Luke 4:21). Jesus was announcing that this AUGUST 2025 • SIGNSMAG.COM

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toward the setting right of all things.

As academic and activist Cornel West famously expressed it, “Justice is what love looks like in public, just like tenderness is what love feels like in private.”1 In the most public way, at that pivot point of our world’s history, God’s love points us back towards justice and His original intention for all of our lives, relationships and the world.

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some of his followers to Jesus to ask whether He really was the Messiah that John had proclaimed Him to be.

Surrounded by crowds of people who were being healed, set free and lifted up, Jesus responded to this question by simply asking them to look around: “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard” (Luke 7:22). Then to prove His point, Jesus offered a list that strongly echoed the list He had used to first introduce Himself publicly.

Jesus’ life and ministry unmasked and critiqued the oppressive powers of His day. From His birth, His healing miracles, His teaching and His acts of resurrection, there are many examples of Jesus working to undermine the sense of inevitability that must be overcome before the status quo can be challenged. While Jesus focused primarily on the oppressed

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was who He was—and that this was what He was about.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, at times various Christian voices have sought to spiritualise what would seem to be a clear statement of mission and intention. While many people believe and have experienced that Jesus does heal, set free and restore people in a spiritual sense, it is also obvious that Jesus was talking about His practical work of healing people, setting them free from captivity and oppression, and demonstrating that God was acting for people—not against them.

Sometime later in the gospel story, we hear again from John the Baptist, who had been so strident in announcing that Jesus was someone special, sent from God to restore our relationship with God and with others. Then imprisoned for his own “troublesome” preaching, John sent

with whom He identified in so many aspects of His life and experience, “There are never oppressed without oppressors.”2 In turn, Jesus challenged each of the powers that maintained the political, economic and religious oppression of the people. In place of the numbness that is often a mode of survival amid ongoing injustice, Jesus practised a compassion that was all-encompassing and “a radical form of criticism, for it announces that hurt is to be taken seriously, that hurt is not to be accepted as normal and natural but is an abnormal and unacceptable condition for humanness”.3 These are the sermons that Jesus preached and enacted in public.

love has a purpose

The mission, purpose and work of Jesus was one of exposing evil and injustice, at the same time as working to undo them and restore our human relationships with God, ourselves, each other and the rest of creation.

This is how Jesus introduced Himself publicly and worked publicly throughout His life. This is how God has loved our world. At a specific place and time in history, God’s love was introduced into our world in a walking-around, life-changing, world-transforming Person. To adapt from Cornel West’s statement, “Jesus is what God’s love looks like in public.”

In light of this understanding of Jesus, I have come to appreciate

another description of Jesus that was also borrowed from the prophet Isaiah by another of Jesus’ biographers to explain what Jesus was doing. It describes both the tenderness that Jesus expressed towards those who suffer, with a special concern for those who are weakest and most vulnerable, at the same time as proclaiming the redemptive and transformative justice that He embodied and enacted: “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.

He is my Beloved, who pleases me.

I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public.

He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle.

Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.

And his name will be the hope of all the world (Matthew 12:18–21).”

Nathan Brown is book editor for the Signs Publishing Company, based in Warburton, Victoria. * All Bible quotations from New Living Translation.

1. <uua.org/ga/past/2015/ware-west> 2. Walter Brueggemann, The Prophetic Imagination (Second Edition). Fortress Press, 2001.

3. Ibid, Brueggemann.

To check out Nathan’s books, visit <signspublishing.com.au/ books>.

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As a pastor, there are questions I’ve encountered over and over again, sometimes about the Bible but usually about everyday life. If you’ve never had the opportunity to ask a pastor tough questions this is the right place!

Are faith and science incompatible?

When talking about faith and science, people often fall into the trap of categorical confusion. What I mean is that some insist on subjecting matters of faith to scrutiny the kind of which is more appropriate when discussing matters of science—and vice versa. For example, Christians often get tied up trying to defend (among other things) a literal sevenday Creation (which I have no problem with, by the way) when Genesis doesn’t offer much in the way of scientific data. Science proponents likewise struggle to explain meaning out of scientific endeavour, projecting their own subjectivity onto an otherwisemeaningless universe. Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion offers a solution, that “life is as meaningful, as full and as wonderful as we choose to make it”. In other words, it’s up to you how meaningful—or hollow—your life is.

Don’t mess it up!

As much as Richard Dawkins would have us create our own meaning, I contend that most of us would find such an attempt narcissistic, selfseeking and ultimately, unsatisfying.

I don’t think that faith is the only pathway to a meaningful life. I do, however, believe that faith is the pathway to ultimate meaning. To 52

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believe that you and I are made in the image of a God who knows, searches for and loves us. To believe that we were created to reflect the glory of God to Creation and the praise of Creation back to God. I can think of no greater way to think of myself and the species to which I belong.

Science is concerned with questions of “how”, whereas faith is concerned with questions of “why”. Biologist Stephen Jay Gould proposed the theory of “non-overlapping magisteria” (NOMA) to explain how faith and science operate in differing, but complementary, spheres. Not everyone is satisfied with this explanation, though. NOMA has as many detractors as it has supporters. As biblical scholars Gerhard and Michael Hasel contend, “The sciences can only deal with partial spheres of knowledge but not with totalities.” In isolation, neither physics, nor microbiology, nor geology nor any other discipline can answer existential questions about who we are, why we’re here and what the purpose of reality is. The Bible offers a much more holistic perspective.

Faith and science are not incompatible—they are two sides of the same coin. As mathematician John Lennox once said, “Faith is a response to evidence, not a rejoicing in the absence of evidence.” The faithful need science as much as science needs faith. Rather than fighting, it’s my belief that when understood, science can enhance faith, just as faith enhances our understanding of science.

What is male headship theology?

Male headship theology (MHT) is the belief that men have a God-ordained leadership role within the church, home and society. It is championed by Christian leaders like Mark Driscoll, as well as American politicians like Mike Johnson and JD Vance. Proponents claim biblical passages like Ephesians 5:22–24, 1 Corinthians 11:3 and 1 Timothy 2:12 as support for: Marriage and family: The husband is the “head” of the wife and is the leader, protecter and provider. Women are expected to support and submit to their husbands, as well as fulfil the role of childrearer and homemaker.

Church: Only men can serve as pastors or elders. Women can serve in church but in a limited capacity.

The problem with MHT is that it is only supported by reading select Bible passages out of context. It’s also impossible to claim the first century church operated this way, as prominent leaders like Phoebe (Romans 16:1,2), Priscilla (16:3,4) and Junia (16:7) were women. This is not even mentioning the abuse that has been perpetrated in the name of MHT. While the discussion of gender roles in the church will continue, we ought to reflect on how Jesus uplifted women in His life and ministry.

Want to get your question published in the next issue?

Ask Jesse a question by visiting <signsmag.com/ askjesse> or by sending us an email at info@signsmag. com.

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why violence against women is everyone’s problem Gender-based violence is everywhere and it’s closer than you think. Here’s why the fight to end it for good needs all of us.

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JARROD STACKELROTH

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ex-partner every nine days.

In 2023, 58 women were killed in Australia from intimate partner violence. Rates in New Zealand are not much better with Stuff’s Homicide Report showing that half of female homicide victims 18 or older are killed by a partner or ex-partner.

“Domestic, family and sexual violence is the number-one threat to the lives of women and children in Australia,” said Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon from Monash Universi-

Gender-based violence does not discriminate and can infiltrate every society, culture and class

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feel like every time I’ve tuned into the news lately, I’ve heard a story about a woman dying from intimate partner or domestic violence (DV). It is heartbreaking and sickening.

Growing up, if you’d asked me, I may have told you I didn’t think it could happen in Australia. Or if it did, it only affected certain demographics, like alcoholics or people who made bad life choices. Judgemental, I know—and wrong. As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned that the problem is much bigger and more widespread than I could have imagined.

Gender-based violence (GBV) does not discriminate and can infiltrate every society, culture and class. And the problem is not going away.

According to the What happens next? GBV podcast by Monash University (July 2024), a woman in Australia is killed by her partner or

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ty’s Faculty of Business and Economics. “Yet we still see national security external threats are considered on a completely different level.”

In 2024, Australia’s national cabinet met to talk about the issue of DV. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “Violence against women is not a women’s problem to solve. It is a whole of society problem to solve; and men in particular have to take responsibility.”

As a result, Australia pledged $A925 million over five years to address the problem and supply funding to the Leaving Violence Program.

“We’ve definitely got a better understanding of coercive and controlling behaviours than some other countries around the world.

So, by virtue of acknowledging it more clearly and understanding it, we might also look like we have an over-representation. But we know these behaviours occur in every country around the world,” said Professor Fitz-Gibbon.

The problem is global. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that every 11 minutes around the world, a woman is killed.

not just violence

DV is not just broken limbs and black eyes. The term can cover a range of problematic behaviours, including physical and sexual abuse, spiritual manipulation, financial abuse, stalking and coercive control.

Survivors often describe the sen-

sation of walking on eggshells, afraid of doing the wrong thing around their partner. They live everyday life in a state of fear.

Increasingly, violence is being perpetuated through technology.

Control, verbal abuse and even threats of blackmail and exploitation can be all delivered digitally.

causes

According to Fiona McCormack, former Victoria victims of crime commissioner, GBV is cultural and structural in Australia, being passed down from Roman days.

She identifies four areas most consistently related to violence in any community: 1. Community attitudes to violence.

2. Rigid gender stereotypes.

3. Men’s control of decision-making and limitations to women’s independence.

4. Hypermasculine attitudes that support disrespectful attitudes to women.

While these attitudes might be more prevalent in certain parts of the community, there are other pressures that are causing violence to spread.

While drug and alcohol abuse have long been linked to intimate partner violence, a new addiction is raising its head: gambling.

Associate professor Charles Livingstone from Monash’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine points out the clear link AUGUST 2025 • SIGNSMAG.COM

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between gambling and GBV and how the financial stress associated with addiction can bring violence into the relationship. And with Australia having the worst gambling problem per capita in the world, this “wicked problem” can cause much harm, according to Livingstone.

“One of the major consequences of gambling addiction is that people end up separating. They end up losing major assets, experiencing considerable grief and anxiety about what they’ve done to their family, and that can be acted out as an episode of violence.”

GBV is increasingly being linked to the normalisation of violent porn and practices, such as bondage in mainstream media like the 50 Shades movies. Australia’s National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children (2022–2023) acknowledged pornography as a driver of violence against women and young people.

According to social commentator and anti-porn advocate Melinda Tankard Reist, these depictions are creating problems even in schoolaged children. She’s had girls in primary school ask if they need to submit to risky behaviours to get boys to like them.

“When unequal power relations and female submission are presented, not only as somehow romantic and desirable but as actually liberating and empowering, you know you’ve got a serious problem,” wrote Tankard Reist for the ABC. “The global sex industry is very 58

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good at getting its tentacles into everything. It knows how to embed and normalise porn-themed practices and ideas,” she continued.

“One repercussion is that women start to think there is something wrong with them if they don’t like this stuff. And teen girls think this is what ‘romance’ looks like. So many young women describe coercion and pressure to accept sex acts they neither desire or enjoy.”

what can be done?

Awareness is a major step. Committing to seeing the end of violence is something you can do in your own home. Educating your children that it is never okay to use physical violence is a start. Many of us were raised in homes where forms of coercive control might have been used against us to make us compliant. If that is your story, you may have to work hard to break the cycle and change the story for your own children.

This August, Dr Paul Bogacs, counselling course convenor at Avondale University and National Heads of Counselling and Psychotherapy Education chair, will be presenting at an online summit of the enditnow campaign, an initiative designed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church to raise awareness for and stamp out violence, especially GBV. “People who use abusive behaviour are often stuck in a pattern of behaviour that they themselves don’t know how to get out of. They promise their partner

am I so frightened and terrified that I need to do this to another person?’”

Together, we can make the world a less violent and safer place for our children. But it starts with us acknowledging and addressing the problem.

Jarrod Stackelroth is the editor of the Aus/NZ edition of Signs of the Times and Adventist Record.

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and themselves, and actually believe, ‘I’m never going to do it again,’ rather than going, ‘I could do it again and I’m actually going to need accountability and help. I’m going to actually see what the monsters are under the bed that I keep trying to ignore.’ With abusers there’s a whole lot of stuff they haven’t dealt with other than trying to avoid it and deny it,” shares Dr Bogacs.

“If you lash out every now and then, go and talk to somebody. Go talk to a good counsellor, to work through what drives you to need to control another person. [Ask yourself the question] ‘What is it about me that I need to control another person? What fears do I have? Why

If you’d like more information on the enditnow campaign and online summit, visit <enditnowaustralia.org.au>.

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HOW TO CHOOSE A HEALTHY RECIPE

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ur Sanitarium dietitians share their tips on how to identify a healthy recipe, nutritionally balance your meals and understand

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how to substitute ingredients for more nutritious options to transform your cooking. For instance, swapping refined grains for whole

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It can be tough to find recipes that you know your family will love, while also being convenient, budget-friendly and packed with nutrients to boost your health.

grains, choosing plant-based and lean proteins and incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables into your meals can increase the fibre, vitamins and minerals in your diet without sacrificing flavour.

what makes a recipe healthy?

A balanced diet is built on five essential food groups: • Fruits • Vegetables • Grain foods, especially wholegrains like wholegrain bread and breakfast cereals like Weet-BixTM, brown rice, quinoa or wholemeal pasta • Proteins, like legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds and eggs • Dairy, including milk or calcium fortified plant-based milk alternatives like So GoodTM, yoghurt and cheese It’s also recommended to include healthy fats in your meals, like extra virgin olive oil or other vegetable oils, nuts and avocado.

Each group plays an important role in providing the nutrients your body needs to function at its best.

While you don’t need to find all five groups used in every recipe, considering them when planning your weekly menu can help ensure you choose recipes that promote a balanced, well-rounded diet rich in goodness.

choosing for optimal nutrition

There is no better time than now to focus on making informed food choices. By taking small, intentional steps, you can set the foundation for a healthier lifestyle that benefits you long term.

When choosing a recipe, consider the following factors: A balanced plate: Look for recipes that include a variety of food groups as recommended by dietary guidelines. As a guide, you want to aim for at least ½ of your meal to be made up of vegetables or salad, ¼ of your meal to be made up of grains or starchy vegies like potato, and ¼ to be made up of protein-rich foods.

Plant-based extras: If a dish doesn’t contain any vegetables, serve a smaller portion then add half a plate of salad or vegetables. Consider delicious plant-based sides like a salad or slaw to enhance your meal.

Nutritional balance: Look for main meal recipes with fibre containing ingredients like legumes (peas, beans, lentils) or wholegrains such as wholemeal bread, rice and pastas. To identify recipes likely low in saturated fat, look for dishes with healthy fats such as olive oils, avocado, nuts and seeds. Choosing recipes lower in sodium is also important to help look after your heart health. Aim for dishes using herbs, mild spices, lemon juice or vinegars to enhance flavours.

Article 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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Crossword Puzzle CROSSWORD How closely have you been reading? (Almost) every keyword in this puzzle is also contained within this issue of Signs of the Times. Happy digging!

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describe the universe’s

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Across: 4. Practice of connecting w

crossword clues DOWN 1 Principle used to describe the universe’s precise calibration for life.

2 The “silent” videogame, The Legend of _____ 3 Fijian-American who became her nation’s first analog astronaut.

6 Mobile ministry in Wauchope that helped transform Amy’s life.

8 Woman praised as a leader in Romans 16:7.

9 Asian Aid program providing care for children in Cambodia’s red-light district.

ACROSS 4 Practice of connecting with people in everyday micro-interactions.

5 Term describing Earth’s perfect position in the solar system.

7 This island became a refuge for shipwrecked Tongan boys.

10 Book by Rutger Bregman that challenges views of human nature.

11 Hebrew term for the Sabbath.

12 Philosopher who described religion as “the opium of the people”.

SUDOKU easy

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