Signs of the Times - April 2023 by Adventist Media

EASTER:

alL things new WELCOME TO THE SEX RECESSION

HOW TO BECOME MORE CREATIVE

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD TODAY

CRAVING CONNECTION

IN THIS ISSUE APRIL 2023 EASTER: ALL THINGS NEW Exploring the diverse expressions of new life festivals around the world. PAGE 32

CURRENT

04 WHAT IN THE WORLD 38 BATTLE OF THE

WEDGETAILS Bird vs plane

46 HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR

CREATIVITY EVERY DAY

FAITH

06 CAN SCIENCE SAVE YOU

FROM THE GRAVE? Asking the existential questions of life

UNSPLASH, WARNER MEDIA

18 ASK PASTOR JESSE 20 SHOULD WE LEAVE

MARRIAGE IN THE PAST? Is it old-fashioned?

WELLBEING

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

12 WELCOME TO THE

44 WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

26 WAKE UP AND GET

FUN

SEX RECESSION Why aren't people having sex anymore?

SOME SLEEP Better sleep could save your life

54 HOW TO FEED YOUR

FAMILY FOR LESS

CULTURE

56 THE GAMER'S GOOD

SAMARITAN What a TV show about zombies teaches us about Jesus

The zero-waste movement and how it can help you

62 CROSSWORD & SUDOKU

Jarrod

JARROD STACKELROTH Editor

VOL 138 NO 4 ISSN 1038-9733 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Brad Kemp EDITOR Jarrod Stackelroth ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jesse Herford ASSISTANT EDITOR Zanita Fletcher COPYEDITOR Tracey Bridcutt GRAPHIC DESIGN Theodora Pau'u Talia Valderrama Nerise McQuillan PHONE +61 2 9847 2222 EMAIL info@signsofthetimes.org.au WEBSITE signsofthetimes.org.au ADDRESS Adventist Media PO Box 1115, Wahroonga New South Wales 2076 SUBSCRIPTIONS Kelli Geelan PHONE +61 3 5965 6300 Australia/New Zealand, $A28/$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:

Yuvraj Sachdeva — Unsplash

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 2

There's a joke going around that Jesus' most impressive miracle was having 12 close friends in His 30s. Even then, one betrayed Him. The reality is that it's sometimes hard to connect. Many of our close friends are those we grew up or studied with. Once “real life” sets in, it is seemingly a lot more difficult to find people we can relate to, share experiences and find new connections with. Instead, we work, pay bills and when we have a spare moment, just want to relax and watch our favourite show or movie. When kids come along, sometimes it feels selfish to go out with friends and we often end up befriending our kid’s friend’s parents because they're the only adult connections we regularly have. No, connecting with others is not always easy and yet finding support, a listening ear or a helping hand is so important. It's especially significant when so many people live far from or have bad relationships with their own flesh-andblood. This lack of connection is playing out in our society in all sorts of ways (see “Welcome to the sex recession”, page 12). Easter is a chance to take a few days off from the rat race, slow down and connect with family and friends. But it's also a chance to connect with God. Maybe you don’t give much thought to God in your day-to-day life but church is a good place to find connections with people and with God. This Easter, I'd encourage you to check out a church program near you. If you need suggestions, visit <signsofthetimes. org.au/help> and we’ll connect you with someone locally. We all need connection. It’s the way we’ve been designed. If you've been searching for it, this is your reminder to go out and find some!

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

/SIGNSMAG APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

R RENT

Relationship

realities you might not know about

WHAT IN THE WORLD PENGUINS FOUND FROM SPACE

WHAT THE GUT

ANTARCTICA

ENGLAND

A new penguin colony has been discovered on satellite photos taken of Antarctica from space. The colony was identified by a scientist who noticed the usually pristine, white ice was discoloured with brown spots . . . the penguin droppings. “This is an exciting discovery,” said Dr Peter Fretwell who found the penguins, as colonies can be difficult to find due to Antarctica being so remote. The new colony is one of 66 known emperor penguin colonies. —The Good News Hub

LADIES WHO LAWN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND

Auckland-based landscaping business "Ladies who Lawn" is helping women be financially independent by opening the door for them to work in a male-dominated industry. Women partake in hardscaping, gardening and maintenance and are provided education, above-living wages and free childcare support. The company plans to expand and provide opportunities for more women each year.—NZ Herald 4

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

PAUL CARROLL—UNSPLASH, GUSTAVO FRING, KINDEL MEDIA, MART PRODUCTION—UNSPLASH

Dr Zoe Williams has opened a new museum in London after learning how many people are confused about how to look after their gut. People can walk through immersive gut, oesophagus, stomach and intestine rooms. Dr Williams said, “Looking after [the gut] is fundamental . . . the more we know, the more we can look after [it] and live healthier, happier lives.” —Health Tech World

More than 33 per cent of men and women say they have watched a TV show or movie that affected them so much that they thought about breaking up with their partner. Online dating isn’t as new as you think. In 1965, two Harvard students created the first computer-based matchmaking service. Clients paid three US dollars and mailed in a paper survey containing 150 questions. Their answers were put through a computer that would identify ideal matches, six of which would be mailed back to the client along with contact information. Men are much more likely than women—48 per cent versus 28 per cent—to fall in love at first sight. Divorce rates have been at their lowest level for nearly 50 years. The Maldives has the highest rate with 10.4 divorces per 1000 people, while Vietnam has the lowest at 0.2 divorces per 1000 people. People are marrying much later. In the 1950s women married on average around age 20 and men at age 22. By 2019, the average age for women was 30 and men 32.

CRY ME A COCKROACH

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

For the fourth year in a row, San Antonio Zoo hosted the “Cry Me a Cockroach” fundraiser for wildlife. People participated by donating money to name a cockroach after their ex and feed it to an animal. They could pay up to $US150 to send their ex a personalised video of the scene on Valentine’s Day (ouch!). This year the zoo received more than 8000 donations.—7 News

43 per cent of Gen Z singles suffer from dating-related social anxiety. New terms have been coined in the last decade to describe common things people experience when dating. These include “catfishing” (using a fake online profile to deceive romantic interests), “ghosting” (going silent without warning) and “breadcrumbing” (sending sporadic messages to keep potential love interested without committing). APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

VYASPHOTO—GETTY IMAGES

FA IT H

CAN SCIENCE U O Y E V A S E H T M O FR GRAVE? SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

Science imagines a future where disease, suffering and death are a thing of the past. But can advancements in technology help us grapple with the existential problems of mortality? BY MARCOS TORRES

APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

magine a world where technology has advanced to the point that it can reverse or “cure” ageing, a world in which people have merged with robots to create a new kind of human that doesn’t die and a world where computers have made it possible to bring the dead back to life. It may sound like a science fiction novel but according to a 2018 report by The Guardian, this world is being actively researched and pursued by movements that aim, through the use of science and technology,

far-fetched, and perhaps it is. But these are not mere fantasies dreamed up by a group of nerds in their local high school’s science lab. These are movements, goals and pursuits being researched and explored by billionaires, corporations and highly influential thought leaders in our world today. Whether they achieve their goals or not is beside the point. The fact that such world-shaping minds have a drive to end death, and even reverse it, speaks volumes to humanity’s resistance toward death.

“

Ageing, once thought of as the natural course of life, is now seen as a

COTTONBRO STUDIOS—PEXELS

disease that we can cure. to turn human beings into “a near embodiment of gods”.1 Ageing, once thought of as the natural course of life, is now seen as a disease that we can cure. The physical body, which eventually breaks down as we get old, is now being blended with technology that hopes to eventually make us immortal. Even the dead can have their life’s data put into a digital program that makes resurrecting them to a virtual world possible.2 True, this all sounds a bit

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The truth is, none of this is new. Humans have craved immortality from the dawn of civilisation. The Egyptians are famous for their burial sites filled with preparative rituals for the afterlife. The Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Romans as well as the Aztecs, Native American and Indigenous Australian, Oriental and Northern European tribes (to name a few) all developed ceremonies that capture our longing for things eternal. Even atheists have not

escaped the longing. The philosopher Simone de Beauvoir once wrote, “I am incapable of conceiving infinity, and yet I do not accept finity. I want this adventure that is the context of my life to go on without end.” She penned these words as an adult, despite having abandoned her faith as a teen and remaining an atheist to her death. Over the centuries, certain philosophies have attempted to reframe our resistance toward death. Through sophisticated arguments and bizarre practices, many have tried to reimagine death as something beautiful, something worth celebrating, and something we as humans should embrace. The NBC comedy series The Good Place ended (spoiler alert) with all its characters, whom viewers had come to love over four seasons, wilfully choosing to end their existence by walking through a mysterious portal that deleted their existence, reabsorbing it into the energy of the universe. These ideas, of course, come from certain Buddhist and Hindu sects. But no matter how hard they tried, no matter how poetically the producers framed the eternal deletion of the show’s characters, the ending

was sad. It reminded me of those romantic comedies where the girl’s boyfriend is so mean that you hope by the end of the movie she dumps him and embraces the nice guy who is truly in love with her. Only here, it is life that is the mean boyfriend and death the true lover. I’m sorry, but that just feels off to me. No amount of fancy philosophical acrobatics can ever erase one glaring reality of the human experience: we resist death. We resist it because somewhere deep inside, we know it is an intruder. We know it’s not meant to be. We know it’s a virus that haunts and plagues us. The Bible states that death is “an enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26) that infiltrated our world through another intruder: sin. The two are intertwined, mysteriously brought into being by the being ha satan (Hebrew for “the adversary” or “accuser”). This alien force is at work in our world. And as soon as it entered, God declared “I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring” (Genesis 3:15). Few have captured this hostility between humans and death as brilliantly as Welsh poet Dylan Thomas when he wrote, “Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

It makes sense then, that from the ages past to our present day, men are at war with death. Be it through rituals, ceremonies, worldviews or, in our present day, technological advances, humans resist death because we know we were made for life. But there is remarkably good news. The Bible doesn’t simply identify death as an enemy. It also says that death will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26), its victory will be taken away (15:55), and it will be annihilated from the universe forever (Revelation 20:14). The thing that makes this possible is not ritual, ceremony or technology. It’s that God came through, in the person of Jesus and conquered death. He did this by absorbing death into Himself and dying the death that has claimed all men since Adam. The grave thought it had won, but it could not contain Him! Hundreds of years earlier, the prophet Isaiah had already predicted Jesus’ triumph: “He will swallow up death in victory” (Isaiah 25:8) and after His resurrection, the apostle Paul declared, “The saying that is written will come to pass: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55, 56). Because of this great victory, the words of the prophet Hosea will come true: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be 10

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thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction” (Hosea 13:14). In simple terms, Jesus blew the gates of the prison house of death and walked right through it, coming back to life and forever defeating the greatest enemy of the human species. And because He did so, He is the only human to ever live who can promise us the way out. “I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death” (Revelation 1:18). And it is because of this victory, that the story of Scripture ends with a scene that no technology could ever give us. It is a scene of a universe restored to its original design. Death is gone. Suffering is gone. A new era has begun. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,” writes the apostle John, “and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). Sign me up for that.

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Marcos Torres is a Seventh-day Adventist pastor for the Cockburn and Joondalup churches in Perth, where he lives with his wife and children. He also writes for his own blog, <thestoryproject.com>. 1. <theguardian.com/technology/2018/may/06/ no-death-and-an-enhanced-life-is-the-future-transhuman> 2. <reason.com/2022/08/04/digital-immortality-or-deathbot/>

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ELL B EING

WELCOME TO THE SEX RECESSION Studies show that across various countries people are having less sex. The question is, why? And how should we respond?

DEON BLACK—PEXELS

BY ZANITA FLETCHER

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

ess sex? What? Surely not. Like many others I shared this news with, you might be surprised and slightly sceptical to hear this. How can it be true when apps like Tinder, Grindr and Bumble offer the prospect of casual sex within the hour, when pornography consumption is at an all-time high and when sexual wellness companies seem to be thriving? What about the baby boomers who ushered in a new era of sexual liberation some 30 years ago? Have they also lost their desire for sex? Studies conducted across multiple countries and all ages demonstrate that in the last decade, there have been declines in all forms of partnered sexuality.1 This led Kate Julian, in an article in The Atlantic, to warn people that we are in, what she coined, a “sex recession”.2 Researchers and commentators suspect it is for a number of reasons and most of them aren’t good. So, what’s going on and why the decline?

ELINA ARAJA—PEXELS

what the stats are telling us

Between 2009 and 2018, the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behaviour found that in the United States, the proportion of adolescents reporting no sexual activity rose from 28.8 per cent to 44.2 per cent among males and 49.5 per cent to 74 per cent among females.3 Another study showed that one in three men aged 18–24 reported no sexual activity in 2018—a surprising statistic

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

considering how easy online dating makes it look.4 Jean M Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, confirmed these statistics and discovered that adults, married and unmarried, were also engaging in sex less often, with the average adult having sex on average 62 times a year in 1990 compared to 54 times a year in 2014.5 The United States isn’t alone. The United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Japan have also observed similar declines over time in every partnered sexual behaviour. The National Fertility Survey of Japan found an increase in those aged 18–39 reporting having never had sex with someone of the opposite sex, and 42 per cent of unmarried men and 44 per cent of unmarried women said they had never had sex by the age of 35. In the United Kingdom, The National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyle found that the frequency of sex has declined in the past decade, particularly for those aged 16–44 years old, more so among married participants between the ages of 35 and 44. From 2005–2016, sexual activity declined for men and women of all ages, mainly due to fewer people cohabitating with a partner.6

•

why the decline?

Many theories are flying around amongst researchers and commentators as to the cause of the decline. Of them, these are the most popular: • Digital distractions. Although

•

the internet should theoretically make it easier to find sexual partners, social media, television and electronic gaming are distracting people from developing real-life interactions. Statistics from as recently as 2023 revealed that globally, people are averaging 6 hours and 58 minutes of screen time per day, with social media taking up approximately 2 hours and 27 minutes of that.7 Rise in mental health problems. Depression and anxiety have increased worldwide, affecting people’s confidence and motivation to socialise. Delayed adulthood. Not only are young people these days having sex less, they’re also having it later. Statistics show that young people are doing a lot later: dating, moving out of home, getting a paid job, having children and so on. Physical insecurities. Young people today are struggling more than any other generation with body image issues due to the proliferation of “picture-perfect” people in the media, making them feel self-conscious and preventing many from feeling comfortable enough to have sex.8 Self-pleasure. Over the decade, pornography has become far easier to access and masturbation and self-pleasure

have drastically increased. In Japan, there has been a surge in services that make masturbation more enjoyable to the point that young people are describing sex with partners as mendokusai, meaning “tiring”.9 Other common speculations for the decline include: economic insecurity; increasingly busy lives; and toxins in our environment playing havoc with our hormones and making us desire sex less. But it’s not all negative. Researchers from The Journal of Marriage and Family stated that one of the most significant factors for the decline was the decrease in alcohol consumption, which can be associated with disinhibition.10 APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

decline, saying that it was a symptom of a much broader “loneliness epidemic”.

COTTONBRO STUDIOS—PEXELS

sex and God

Christians have different views on sexuality compared to the wider culture. In the Bible, we see that God’s vision of sex is between a male and a female within a marriage. Genesis 2:24 gives us a picture of how God meant for sex to look: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” The word “one flesh” in Hebrew is echad—it is the bonding between two people at the deepest parts of their being—it’s physical and spiritual, body and soul. Inside a committed marriage, God calls sex a “good” and “beautiful” thing.11 In response, we may consider this decline (especially amongst the young and unmarried) a blessing; a miracle even. However, as we can see, the decline is not due to a purified generation that has suddenly become sex-averse outside of marriage; nor is it a sign of a generation doing an exceptional job of harnessing self-control. Rather, it is a continuum of a lack of connection and a breakdown of relationships of almost every kind. That is, perhaps, the biggest problem of them all and is what has researchers around the world concerned.12 Statistics also show that people are struggling to date, form meaningful friendships, feel a part of a community, find a life partner and create a family compared to adolescents in previous decades.13 The proliferation of dating apps has made finding a

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

hardwired for connection

partner seem like an easier task. But a study done on Tinder showed that for every 57 matches, there was just one meet-up (that’s less than two per cent of matches resulting in an in-person meeting). For about every five meet-ups, only one sexual event occurred.14 For many young people these days, the idea of being in a healthy, stable and sexually healthy long-term relationship has come to seem like both a privilege and a rarity of sorts. In her book, The Lonely Century, economist Noreena Hertz describes “a world that’s pulling apart” in which increasing rates of social isolation and digital distractions are threatening our relationships. She, too, commented on the sexual

God created us for closeness and hardwired us physically, emotionally and spiritually for connection. We crave it right from the moment we are born; not just occasionally, but as part of our day-in, day-out lives. Yet as a generation we have seemingly broken every loneliness record. These statistics should raise concerns for all of us, irrespective of what boat we sit in regarding our sexual beliefs, because it points to a world that feels more isolated, insecure, distracted and disconnected than ever. Of course, we should continue to have conversations about what healthy sexuality looks like, help young people foster healthy longterm relationships and uphold our own standards to God’s design. But more than that, we must lean into each other’s lives and find ways to form the kind of deep, meaningful connections we were created for—a solution that is not so simple and takes time and effort—but a direction we must commit to and work towards. We can’t just sit around and wait for these connections to find us or create themselves. As author Jennie Allen said in her book, Find Your People, “We [need to] learn to come together—showing up, speaking up, and calling each other up to a new way of life—instead of defiantly pulling ourselves apart.”

Zanita Fletcher is an assistant editor for Signs of the Times. She writes from the Gold Coast, Queensland. 1. <link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-02102125-2> 2. <theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/12/ the-sex-recession/573949/> 3. <scientificamerican.com/article/people-have-beenhaving-less-sex-whether-theyre-teenagers-or-40somethings/> 4. <phys.org/news/2021-03-young-adults-casual-sex. html> 5. <refinery29.com/en-us/2018/11/216711/is-thesex-recession-real-atlantic-story> 6. Herbenick D, Rosenberg M, Golzarri-Arroyo L. (2021). "Changes in Penile-Vaginal Intercourse Frequency and Sexual Repertoire from 2009 to 2018: Findings from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior." Arch Sex Behav. Available from: <doi. org/10.1007/s10508-021-02125-2> 7. <explodingtopics.com/blog/screen-time-stats> 8. Tiggemann M, Anderberg I. (2020). "Social media is not real: The effect of ‘Instagram vs reality’ images on women’s social comparison and body image." New Media & Society, Available from: <doi. org/10.1177/1461444819888720> 9. <economist.com/asia/2018/04/05/japans-sex-industry-is-becoming-less-sexual> 10. <phys.org/news/2021-03-young-adults-casualsex.html> 11. <blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h259/kjv/wlc/0-1/> 12. Herbenick D, Rosenberg M, Golzarri-Arroyo L. (2021). "Changes in Penile-Vaginal Intercourse Frequency and Sexual Repertoire from 2009 to 2018: Findings from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior." Arch Sex Behav. Available from: <doi. org/10.1007/s10508-021-02125-2> 13. Twenge JM. (2020). "Possible Reasons US Adults Are Not Having Sex as Much as They Used To." JAMA Netw Open. Available from: <doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.3889>; <ashr.edu.au> 14. Grøntvedt TV, Bendixen M, Botnen EO, Kennair LEO. (2020). "Hook, line and sinker: Do Tinder matches and meet ups lead to one-night stands?" Evolutionary Psychological Science. Available from: <doi. org/10.1007/s40806-019-00222-z>

To learn more about relationships and intimacy for free, scan this code! APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

family hurt, it made for a sad, difficult funeral. As a minister, we are also often present in the middle of relationship breakups, anxiety, addiction, depression and all manner of other mental health crises. We are expected to be confidantes, counsellors and comforters. Don’t get me wrong, though. Ask the average pastor why they got into ministry and most of them will say the same thing: we did it because we wanted to help people. Whether it's in the good times or the bad, that remains our sacred duty. As a pastor, there are questions I’ve encountered more than once, 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. I’ll do my best to respond authentically and biblically! What’s the most difficult part of being a pastor?—Talia, Sydney Australia While being a minister is often full of joy, there are moments that are hard. For me, the most difficult part of pastoral ministry is the emotional baggage that we bear in the course of our job. Whenever a church member has a bad diagnosis, a death in the family or a relationship breakup, often the church minister is the first port of call. One of my colleagues was recently asked to perform a funeral for a member of their local community. Ordinarily this wouldn’t be a problem but their requests were difficult. They asked the pastor not to invite any family members or friends to their funeral. They were suffering from a terminal disease and coupled with deep-seated

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SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU/ASKJESSE

How can you justify a religion of peace with the violence done in the name of God?—Val, Wellington NZ While it's true that religion has been a feature in the history of human violence, I'd argue that the real problem is how religion has been hijacked by political agendas. What do I mean by that? In 1095, the Byzantine emperor Alexios I requested aid from pope Urban II. The Seljuk Turks had been at war with the Byzantine Empire for years and by the time Alexios I ascended the throne, most of Asia Minor (modern-day Türkiye) had been taken from him. The pope travelled to the Council of Clermont, where he gave an impassioned speech to the assembled clergy and laity to "carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends . . . Christ demands it". So began a series of crusades that lasted almost 300 years and claimed the lives

of millions of Christians, Muslims and innocents—all in the name of God. We'd be wise to ask the question of the crusades: who benefited? Was it God? Any historian will tell you that most wars are fought over land and resources and though the crusades had a veneer of spiritual piety, they were no different.As Karen Armstrong, author of Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence, observed in an article in The Guardian, "Before the modern period, religion was not a separate activity, hermetically sealed off from all others; rather, it permeated all human undertakings, including economics, statebuilding, politics and warfare." It was the political players in Europe who benefited most from the wars in the Holy Land. The Church certainly benefited too, but only inasmuch as their goals aligned with that of the kingdoms who funded the war effort. The pope was motivated not by Christian fraternity, but by the ambition to create a Catholic empire in the east. Any time humans mix political ambition with faith, it's a recipe for disaster. It's easy to cherry-pick parts of the Bible to justify violence but when we do so, we must ignore the overarching story of Scripture. In particular, we must also ignore Jesus' teachings to "turn the other cheek" or "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 6:38–48). The way of Jesus is the way of non-violence and love, as evidenced by His death on a Roman cross. Anyone who promotes violence against their enemies is probably not a follower of Jesus.

APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

FA IT H

SHOULD WE LEAVE

n i e g a i r Mar ? t s a P the JHOVANI MORALES—PEXELS

With so many modern marriages ending in heartbreak, it’s no wonder the institution is often regarded with cynicism. So, should we do away with it altogether?

BY JUSTIN BONE SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

t’s a moment I will never forget— the first time I was asked to perform a wedding ceremony for a couple deeply in love. I had my shiny credentials from the government allowing me to solemnise weddings and I had been eagerly looking forward to saying some of those classic lines. For example, “Dearly beloved we are gathered here today . . .” This is a line I have used many times since, or “If anyone objects to this marriage speak now or forever hold your peace.” Actually, it turned out that last one isn’t required in Australia and honestly, why would you invite that kind of trouble at a wedding? The couple excitedly came to me asking me to solemnise their wedding and as they sat before me tenderly exchanging glances, fingers entwined, I could sense their excitement. When I asked if they were sure they wanted to get married, they both shyly smiled and uttered a quiet but excited “yes!” Since that moment I’ve done many more marriages and I’ve learned a few things about marriage and love. Some of them have been surprising, but the more I’ve learned, the more I’ve come to believe in marriage.

maybe that statement struck you as somewhat naïve. Perhaps you are thinking, how can you still believe in something that is statistically destined to end in financial and emotional ruin and heartbreak? Given the statistics on marriage I think that’s a fair question. My wife and I recently celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary and some of the comments on my Facebook post were expressing the sentiment that reaching 20 years of marriage is something of a rare occurrence. I remember when I was a kid, divorce was rare in my small hometown but in the mid-1970s after no-fault divorce was made law in Australia, the rate skyrocketed.1 The media shouted scary statistics about marriage and divorce which was enough to put anyone off tying the knot. Now interestingly, the divorce rate in Australia has slightly declined from 2.8 divorces per 1000 people in 1999 to 1.9 divorces per 1000 people in 2019.2 Recent trends seem to show that millennials are more likely to be married and baby boomers more likely to be divorced. At the same time, the divorce rate is seemingly dropping in part because the marriage rate is also dropping. But I still believe in marriage!

I believe in marriage!

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

it’s good for you JAKOB OWNES—PEXELS

How does that statement sound to you? Obvious? Well, who wouldn’t believe in marriage? you might be thinking. Surprisingly, a lot of people have lost trust in one of humanity’s oldest institutions. If that’s the case,

Why, you may ask? Well, to start with, marriage can be good for your health. Married people are less likely to die early, and live longer, overall. If you are married you are more

likely to survive cancer,3 and men who have never married are three times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease.4 Being married means your brain works better, gives a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and can improve your blood sugar.5 Why do married people reap such benefits? Researchers speculate that in part it’s because you have someone else invested in your health, caring for you and looking out for early disease warning signs. Couples are more likely to take positive health steps together, like quitting smoking or drinking or exercising together. Being married means you also avoid the negative health consequences of loneliness. The research shows those who cohabit get some of the same benefits, but interestingly they aren’t as effective compared to those who have walked down the aisle.6 It turns out marriage is good for more than your health—it is also good for your finances. Married peoples’ net worth increased 77 per cent more than singles.7 It makes sense that two people would have more money than one, but combining wealth means it increases even more so. Better finances have a host of trickle-down benefits but most significantly on children’s outcomes. Better finances allow the ability to access better healthcare, education and nutrition. These aren’t the only reason kids with married parents do better. The statistics show they have an advantage. But there’s a caveat on all these APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

wonderful benefits that marriage provides: the marriage needs to be a happy one. If it isn’t, then it can have a negative impact on those areas instead of a beneficial one. But I still believe in marriage!

TIMUR WEBER—PEXELS

an ancient covenant

I believe God wants the best for us and from the very start, God said “it is not good for a person to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). It’s for that reason Genesis says a man and a woman separate from their parents’ households and join to make a new one. Adam and Eve are described as being “one flesh” which sounds odd—but it is a way to show how marriage is a joining that makes the two into one, indistinguishable, united by love. While it’s easy to have an ideal of what marriage should be, God also understands that marriage is messy. I see some people saying on social media that there are many different kinds of marriage in the Bible and that perhaps they should be valid today as well. One example is what people call a polygamous relationship, where there are more than two people involved. I’ve seen Abraham pointed to as an example of this kind of relationship with the implication that God approves of it. It’s true Abraham had at least two wives. However, when you read into the stories around it, it becomes clear that Abraham took one of those wives in an attempt to fulfil a prophecy about his wife Sarah. God told Abraham that he would father a great

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nation and imagining his wife was too old for the job, decided to have a child with his Egyptian maid Hagar (all with Sarah’s knowledge). Of course, because God had said Sarah would have a child, she ended up giving birth to Isaac after Hagar gave birth to Ishmael. Sarah promptly kicked them both out in favour of her own son.8 God cared for Hagar though, and promised Hagar that He would protect Ishmael and would raise up a nation under him as well. Isaac is considered one of the forefathers of the Jewish nation and Ishmael of the Arab nations. While it wasn’t ideal, God was understanding and compassionate. It certainly wasn’t a marriage I would want to emulate today. I also believe God understands when a marriage doesn’t work out. He doesn’t give up on it. God’s affirmation of marriage is all through the Bible. There are commands to not send the newly married man out to war or to do public service so he and his wife can enjoy their new life (Deuteronomy 24:5). A spouse is praised as a good thing (Proverbs 18:22), they will help you overcome difficulties in life (Ecclesiastes 4:12) and couples are to submit to each other in mutual love (Ephesians 5:21). It may be difficult but marriage is still worth pursuing. While solemnising marriages, I have met people from all kinds of backgrounds. Single, married before, still married, married multiple times before, couples who have lived together for many years before

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While it’s easy to have an ideal of what marriage should be, God also understands that marriage is messy. marrying, some marrying within their faith, others marrying across all kinds of barriers. The one unifying element of course is the love they had for one another. It is a joy to solemnise marriages because it is a way for a couple to express hope in a messy world, and to acknowledge that love can lift us up above the mess. I think it’s an incredible gift from God, and I learn more about it whenever I officiate another wedding. You see, that time I was asked to solemnise a marriage with that shy yet eager couple, rather than being young folk in their 20s, they were well into the winter of their lives and in their 70s. One of them had already been married and abandoned, the other single all his life. To make things even more complicated, one of them had a terminal illness which would take his life only two weeks after the small wedding ceremony at their home. They knew it was coming, but both knew that marriage meant something, and that being joined together in marriage was an affirmation to the world

about their love for each other and their conviction that God wanted the best of love for them. As I solemnised the marriage, we all knew what was ahead, but we cheered and celebrated. The couple kissed, we feasted together and took photos, because on this day love still won. And that’s why I still believe in marriage! Justin Bone supports and trains pastors and congregations around Victoria, Australia, for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He is passionate about helping people understand the Bible better. 1. <abc.net.au/news/2020-02-11/history-no-faultdivorce-and-family-law-in-australia> 2. <unifiedlawyers.com.au/blog/marriage-divorce-rates-statistics> 3. <www.theguardian.com/science/2016/apr/11/ marriage-boosts-survival-chances-of-cancer-patients-say-scientists> 4. <health.harvard.edu/mens-health/marriage-andmens-health> 5. Ibid. 6. <webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/relationships-marriage-and-health#1> 7. <journals.sagepub.com/doi/ abs/10.1177/1440783305058478> 8. You can read the story in Genesis 16–18.

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ELL B EING

The alarming consequences of being tired and what you can do about it.

WAKE UP AND

BY MARK SUTHERLAND

JUBDA CICHEWICZ—UNSPLASH

GET SOME SLEEP 26

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hy do we sleep? Truthfully, just how good and necessary it was we do not know. From a for us was never emphasised enough survival perspective, sleep is to shake me out of my complacency. largely counterproductive. It places But that has changed and I want to us in a state that alters our sense of share some realities concerning this reality (dreaming) and makes us vulpart of our lives that I have been nerable to predatory attacks leading “sleeping” on. to death and injury. We do not eat or drink while we sleep, nor do we is our democracy at stake? pursue excellence in our favourite In developed nations, at least fields of knowledge and adventure. one-third of the adult population is We don’t actively work towards sleep deprived compared to the CDC accumulating financial wealth and guidelines that recommend seven-towe aren’t interacting with others to nine hours of sleep each night.1 Why build bonds or form a community. should we care? Insufficient sleep When we is tearing our sleep, the mind society apart— enters a state of and not just our darkness and we physical health. are truly alone Lack of sleep in much of the causes obesity, Employees . . . found sense of the chronic illness, those who had six hours word. One-third low testosteror less of sleep a night of our lives one, vehicular were more likely to lie (ideally) is spent accidents and and blame others in the in this state. Yet, negatively affects workplace. being asleep is so mental acuity, intrinsically part mental health of the human and our body’s experience. Casting good sleep habits ability to recover—the list goes to the wayside has started to have a on. However, what if you were to “self-euthanising” effect on developed consider the moral and ethical issues economies across the globe. These underlying society that are in no are the cautionary words of Professor small part driven by sleep deprivaMatthew Walker, sleep scientist and tion? A hustle culture that esteems author of a breakthrough book on the sleep-deprived boss or employee the subject titled Why We Sleep. has very real economic drawbacks.2 I’m sure many of you, like myself, Our social fabric also suffers. Emhave suffered from a lack of sleep for ployees in one study found those many years. I heard at health semwho had six hours or less of sleep a inars that it was good to sleep, but night were more likely to lie or blame

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others in the workplace. Sleepy employees contributed to resentment by choosing a more selfish path compared to those who got adequate sleep.3 It is not too much of a stretch then to assume that these encounters are happening in all areas of society, contributing to the polarisation and hostile internal tensions rising in democratic nations.4 In other words, polarised and politically heightened climates exacerbated by social media are not being helped by systemic sleep deprivation. Practising healthy spirituality through empathy, honesty and patience is increasingly difficult when we haven’t had enough sleep. If our capacity to form relationships is stunted, navigating the communities we live in becomes even more challenging.

quantity is a quality of its own

In many areas of life, quality is seen as a virtue over quantity. When we think of spending time on a skill, exercise or deep focus work, the quality of time is often what matters most. But when it comes to sleep, quantity is a quality of its own. In his book, Walker points out that sleep deprivation is not a debt we can pay back by binge sleeping to compensate for lost nights of sleep. Sleep deprivation cannot be made up for and the brain does not recover from the sleep it is deprived of. In an interview, Walker says that the number of people who can survive on six hours of sleep or less and show no impairment because

of it “rounded to a whole number and expressed as a percentage of the population is zero”.5 Even a quality six hours of sleep cannot replace the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night. When considering it, this third part of our day in which we sleep needs our vigilant safeguard and immediate rectification. The old maxim, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”, contains truth. The less you sleep, the less you will live. So, do not feel guilty about extending your evening restfulness. Instead, indulge into those enticing sheets and take the full night’s rest—you’ve earned it!

be better at what you want to do and be happier doing it Suppose I were to sell you a product that can enhance your ability to learn new skills (language, sport, memory, etc), drastically reduce chronic illness and make you happier and more invigorated.6 Would you be enticed? Think back to when you were learning a new skill, be it a new instrument, a piece of music, kicking a ball, playing pool, a mathematical equation or just a solution to a problem you were facing at work or in your personal life. If you ever found that the next day the “problem” suddenly “clicked”, you aren’t alone. One of the great benefits of sleep is its ability to restore our capacity to learn. Studies taken during the lighter stage two NREM sleep after memorisation exercises noted the consolidation of learning APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

comparative to peers in the study who did not sleep. Sleep scientists monitored the measured “sleep spindles” (a specific pattern of brain wave that occurs during sleep) in the brain while these patients slept. Their findings revealed that the greater number of sleep spindles observed during sleep, the greater the restoration of learning ability the next day. Still, sleep spindles’ exact function is unknown but evidence strongly points to their role in “brain plasticity, process of learning and integrating new memories”.7 Therefore, before embarking on another all-nighter or simply trying to push harder when learning a new skill, remember that sleeping seven-tonine hours each night is intrinsically linked to your ability to problem solve and develop new skills. Put whatever has been gnawing at you to rest for the evening and be ready to tackle it again with renewed capacity the following day.

CHELSEA GATES—UNSPLASH

small changes to promote better sleep Do you want to maximise your sleep but find yourself in a loop of bad habits and restlessness? There are some practical and efficient lifestyle changes to consider adding to your day to prepare for the night ahead. Below are nine suggestions recommended by neuroscientist and associate professor of neurobiology and psychiatry at Stanford University, Dr Andrew D Huberman, host

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of the health podcast, The Huberman Lab.8 1. View direct morning sunlight when waking (do not stare straight at the sun) for 2–10 minutes on clear days and 20–30 minutes on overcast mornings. This establishes the body’s circadian clock, giving the body cues to wake up and start a timer for the onset of melatonin to help you sleep in the evening. 2. Wake up and sleep at the same time each day. Make this as non-negotiable as possible day-today. Dr Michael Breus, clinical psychologist and sleep medicine expert, says, “When sleep has a regular rhythm, your biological clock will be in sync and all your other bodily functions will go smoother, including your sleep.”9 3. Aim for seven-to-nine hours each night. Consistency in waking up and going to sleep reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle and helps all other bodily functions run more smoothly. 4. Exercise during the day. Movement feeds the need for rest-and-recovery and vice versa. Regular exercise will help you sleep longer, fall asleep faster and get better rest.

5. Avoid caffeine 8–10 hours before sleep time. Caffeine blocks your sleepiness receptors and has “an average half-life of five-to-seven hours”, says Walker. Even if you don’t feel the effects of late caffeine intake on sleep, your sleep cycle will likely still be disrupted, particularly deep sleep. 6. Create a window routine where blue light exposure is minimal to nought. Blue light disrupts the release of melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleepiness, and sends your body messages that it’s time to be awake. 7. Limit napping. This can throw off your body’s natural sleep schedule, especially if you typically struggle to fall asleep. 8. Keep the room at a cooler temperature. Your body temperature needs to drop for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. If it’s too warm, temperature increases might cause you to wake up. 9. Use medication to help sleep as a last resort and limit (ideally avoid) alcohol consumption. Walker says it takes your liver and kidneys many hours to break down and excrete alcohol. Even one glass of wine with dinner is enough to cause poorer

sleep quality, less deep sleep, less restorative sleep and poorer memory consolidation. One of Jesus’ most important messages to His followers was to come aside and “rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). Perhaps He knew how easy it is for us humans to get swept up in life with all its busyness and distractions. So, may you prioritise rest. Your brain will thank you, as will your emotions, relationships and spirituality. As Walker said in his book, “Sleep is the greatest life support system you could ever wish for.” Mark Sutherland is an intern pastor at Raymond Terrace Mission Seventh-day Adventist Church, NSW. Originally from Bundaberg, Qld, he is yet to adjust to the ice-cold waters of the southern beaches. 1. <cdc.gov/sleep/features/getting-enough-sleep. html> 2. Matthew Walker (2018). Why We Sleep. Harlow, England. Penguin Books. 3. <bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2018/11/06/opinion-a-sleep-deprived-workforce-is-an-unethical.html> 4. <nytimes.com/2022/08/19/world/democracy-threat.html> 5. Rogan, J (April, 2018). #1109 – Matthew Walker. The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast. Available from: <open.spotify.com/episode/1WtITGcwwZYQZHVJGciMJp> 6. Appleman ER, Albouy G, Doyon J, Cronin-Golomb A, King BR (2016). “Sleep quality influences subsequent motor skill acquisition”. Behavioral Neuroscience. Available from: <psycnet.apa.org/record/2016-07804001> 7. <sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/ sleep-spindles>; Havekes R, Abel T (2017). “The tired hippocampus: the molecular impact of sleep deprivation on hippocampal function. Current Opinion in Neurobiology. Available from: <ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC5511071> 8. <hubermanlab.com/toolkit-for-sleep> 9. <thesleepdoctor.com/sleep-hygiene/how-to-sleepbetter>

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EASTER: ALL THINGSNEW 32

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Why a historical event from 2000 years ago still echoes in the hearts of millions of people around the world today. BY DAVID EDGREN APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

BHUPESH PAL—UNSPLASH, ENGIN BINBAS, RODNAE PRODUCTIONS, VANDERLEI LONGO—PEXELS

FA IT H

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the hot cross bun is a telling one. The life of Jesus—birth to death and into rebirth—is set apart by a simple cross-topped bun. Special foods mark special events and are an integral part of cultural storytelling, which ensures that beliefs and values take residence in our collective memory. Take for example, the Italian Easter celebration, where families gather for a big meal featuring traditional dishes such as lamb or kid, artichokes and a special bread called “Pane di Pasqua”. Visit any Italian enclave during Easter and you will find these authentic tastes of home. Without them, Easter just isn’t the same. In Greece, traditional Easter foods include magiritsa—a soup made with lamb offal-and tsoureki—a sweet bread typically braided and flavoured with mahlepi and mastic. These traditional Easter foods are not just about nourishing the body but also about bringing families and communities together to remember. One of the significant aspects that remains in many cultures at this time of year is fasting. For many Christians, Lent—the period of fasting before Easter—is a time of spiritual discipline

and self-examination. It is a time of self-denial and sacrifice, as Christians seek to draw closer to God and remember the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah. For other cultures, fasting is also a way of purifying the body and mind and to focus on the spiritual. For example, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has a unique way of celebrating Easter. It includes a procession of brightly dressed people, carrying crosses and religious icons, singing and dancing to drumming. The celebration also includes fasting and abstinence from meat for 55 days. This fasting period serves as a spiritual discipline and reminder of the sacrifice of Jesus. In many other countries, Easter is a time for family gatherings, egg hunts and the giving of gifts, such as chocolate eggs. Additionally, some cultures have incorporated traditional springtime symbols,

such as the Easter bunny, into their celebrations. These symbols are not just limited to Christian cultures; the Jewish holiday of Passover also includes the use of symbols such as the egg and the lamb, representing new beginnings and sacrifice. The Hindu festival of Holi is another example of a spring festival that celebrates new beginnings and the victory of good over evil. It is also known as the “festival of colours” and is celebrated by throwing coloured powders and water on each other. Along with colourful celebrations, traditional foods such as gujiya (a sweet pastry filled with khoya) and thandai (a sweet and refreshing drink) are enjoyed by families and friends after a period of fasting and abstinence. These springtime festivals, with their diverse customs, traditions and

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MAMMUTH—GETTY IMAGES

pring is a time of renewal and new beginnings and for many cultures around the world, it’s a time to celebrate. From the Christian holiday of Easter, the Jewish holiday of Passover, the ancient Persian festival of Nowruz to the Hindu festival of Holi, the arrival of spring is marked by a variety of traditions that all share a common thread of celebrating new life, restoration and a sense of hope. Though they have largely become festivals celebrated in secular ways, each of these spring holidays were originally holy days—set apart to commemorate significant, meaningful moments of spiritual renewal. The communal hope for their memory and longevity keeps these ancient holidays in practice today. Food is central to Easter, as it is to all cultural festivals in every part of the world. In Australia, one of the most popular Easter foods is the hot cross bun. These spiced buns are traditionally made with raisins or currants1 and are marked with a cross on top, symbolising the crucifixion of Jesus. Traditionally these buns were not just enjoyed on Easter Sunday, but also on Good Friday as a way to commemorate the day of Jesus’ death. Today, Australian supermarkets start selling hot cross buns the day after Christmas—which shows how much the Australian people love them! A cherished part of the Australian culture, the connection from Christmas to Easter made by

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Thanksgiving. It is a day for kindness and love. Can I ask you a question now?” I laughed and said, “Of course!” Arjun got very excited, “I learned about resurrection for the first time today! This morning in Bible study! I asked my pastor the difference between “salvation” and “enlightenment”. Would you also share with me your answer to this?” “Sure,” I said, “But first, you have surprised me by saying you are studying the Bible with a pastor! Are you a Christian?” Arjun paused. “I was raised a Hindu and still very much a Hindu.” He smiled and continued, “But I am now trusting the words of Jesus to be true.” “That is wonderful, Arjun!” I said, “You will find many things in Christianity that bless you as a Hindu!” We both laughed and then I said, “Salvation is a moment in time. It happened when Jesus died on the cross. It became yours when you accepted it to be true. Enlightenment is the process from that point forward of becoming one with God and with mankind. In Christianity, we call it “sanctification”. The apostle Paul said Jesus’ death reconciled us with God and whoever accepts Jesus is also given this ministry of reconciliation. It is now our task, as we come closer and closer to Jesus, to bring other people to Him—to show them that they too have been reconciled with God and to teach them to reconcile with others. This

is part of sanctification—part of enlightenment—of becoming one with God and with people.” Our conversation was much longer than this article. I was buzzing for days because of my time with Arjun. For followers of Jesus, Easter isn’t just a long weekend once per year. It is a new reality undergirding the way we live every day. God loved us enough to send His Son to become one of us—to live like us, die like us and to be resurrected—as we will be like Him. This is the spirit of Easter that lives in Christians—the joy of knowing Jesus and introducing Him to others. Despite our various differences—cultures, religions and backgrounds—the common values of new life, renewal and hope for a better future are shared by each and every one of us. This Easter, may you find new life through food, family and friends. May you find renewal by interacting with your faith community. And may you bring a better future to all by loving others as you have been loved. Dave Edgren is a storyteller and writer. He lives in Victoria, Australia. * not his real name

To discover how Jesus can give you new life, scan this code! APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

SANGIA—UNSPLASH

foods, remind us that the idea of renewal, new beginnings and hope are universal values that connect us all. They also remind us that fasting and self-discipline serve as a way to focus on the spiritual and to remember the sacrifices made for us. Breaking the fast with culturally rich delicacies makes the purpose of Easter all the more meaningful. The traditional foods such as the hot cross bun, magiritsa, tsoureki, gujiya, thandai and more serve as reminders of the religious and cultural significance of the season. They also bring families and communities together to share in the joy of all things being made new. As I was preparing this article, I had a late-night Zoom call—an online job interview with a company in Bangalore, India. When the interview was finished, I asked my young interviewer, “Arjun*, can I ask you a question unrelated to this job?” He nodded his head in that unique way only Indian men can and said, “Of course, David.” I said, “I am writing an article about how Easter is celebrated around the world. For Christians like me, Easter is a reminder of the new life given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. In my research I learned about the festival of colours Holi. Do you celebrate this?” “Not here,” he said, “Holi is celebrated in the northern parts of India. Here in Bangalore, we celebrate Makara Sankranti. It is similar to

R RENT

the Wedgetails

Comparing one of the wonders of nature to a marvel of human engineering. BY SCOTT WEGENER

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BRONWYN GUDGEON—GETTY IMAGES

BATTLE OF

Wedgetail aircraft is essentially a Boeing 737—the average-sized plane most flights on the east coast of Australia are made on—its standout external feature is what some describe as a surfboard on its roof. Well, some say surfboard, but to me it looks more like an ironing board (and come to think of it, the uniforms the airforce recruits wear do look well-ironed). The Wedgetail name is a reference

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The Wedgetail name is a reference to Australia's largest bird of prey, the wedge-tailed eagle. year after having skipped one of its biennial occurrences due to Covid19. For any plane gazer, this is an event with an amazing collection of some of mankind’s greatest modern-day flying machines. Amongst all the powerful technology that whizzes past at this event is a rather intriguing-looking plane affectionately known as the Wedgetail. While the outside of the E-7A 40

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to Australia’s largest bird of prey, the wedge-tailed eagle, which can have a wingspan of more than two metres. However, it isn’t the bird’s impressive wingspan that invited the naming of the plane as the plane’s wingspan is nothing notable. What they do share is an amazing ability of sight while soaring at altitude. The aircraft’s vision has a longrange surveillance radar allowing it to track airborne (and maritime)

targets, just like an airport’s traffic control tower—but mobile. It has 10 mission crew consoles, where operators can manage the observation and communication of hundreds of objects in an area more than 400km wide. It’s truly a clever plane. So how does that compare to the wedge-tailed eagle’s vision skills? Well first, we should generally marvel on how the bird’s eye auto-focuses and captures light to be computed for colour, shade, shape, distance and movement. This is something we take for granted in birds (and humans) but is ever-so genius when it’s been self-grown and doesn’t use any computer chips. The wedge-tailed eagle is also said to be able to see more colours than humans can. I think this would be wonderful for bouquets of flowers, Excel graphs and selling more crayons, but I imagine having more colours would provide even more stress when trying to decide on a shade of colour for your bedroom walls during a home renovation. But let’s assume it’s a good thing for the eagle. Who knows—maybe their self-renovated stick nests actually have more colour and beauty to them than we can see. The eagle also has what’s described as “bony rings” around its eyes that allow it to squeeze and lengthen the eyeball to create a kind of “zoom lens” effect. This helps it identify what’s for lunch from a soaring

height. I think I’d personally find this ability useful for watching sporting events, concerts and spotting vacant carparks from a distance. So, it is evident that both wedgies have fantastic sight capabilities, but how can we determine which is a superior design? I feel this is something we should muse over—who knows? Maybe one day one of us may be asked to judge a “soaring objects with incredible vision” design competition, and it would be good to have some experience under our wings. With scores tied, let’s fly through and compare a few more attributes to see who will soar above the other.

wingspan

The eagle’s two metre-plus span is impressive for its kind and is the largest of the Aussie eagle family. However, the wandering albatross, found along the southern Australian coastline, almost doubles it at up to 3.5 metres wide—the largest wingspan of any living bird species. The jet has a wingspan of 36 metres—clearly much larger than the bird’s but compared to its big cousin, the Airbus A380, it’s also APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

WIKICOMMONS, RAWPIXEL.COM

love a good flyover. I live under a flight path where planes bank around to line up for their approach to Sydney Airport. Mowing the lawn takes me a bit longer than most as I periodically pause to marvel at planes, like the giant A380 double decker, which curves over my house at a 25-degree roll angle. I’m keen to get back to the Australian International Air Show at Avalon, Victoria, which returns this

less than half the width of the 80metre span. We’ll call this a tie.

population

Though the eagle is now protected, in the early 1900s there was a law demanding farmers kill the eagles in a bid to stop their sheep-stealing. Hundreds of thousands were killed, leaving a ballpark estimate of 100,000 left across all of Australia today— which is 0.5 per cent of the number of rainbow lorikeets, who number almost 20 million tweeters across Australia. As for the jet, there’s fewer than 20 Wedgetails around the world, out of more than 11,000 standard 737s, so 0.18 per cent as common. A slight win to the bird.

fuel

The eagle runs on animals like rabbits, lizards, galahs, kangaroos, lambs and it finds this renewable food source itself, even cleaning up roadkill! The jets do burn though barrels of aviation fuel but can refuel while flying, and so soar around indefinitely. We’ll call it a draw.

LEIO MCLAREN—UNSPLASH

emissions

I don’t believe the eagle would emit very much gas (though has anyone actually done a study?). Compare that with the jet, which discharges CO2 at far greater rates than the bird could ever emit. This has to be a win for the bird.

flight altitude

The eagles soar about 2km up and

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the jet 12km—which, as a percentage of wingspan-to-height ratio, means the eagle is achieving more to reach its height. A small win for the feathers.

cruising speed

20km/hr is the eagle’s cruising speed— far slower than a bird called a swift, which can cruise at more than 100km/hr. The Jet’s 850km/hr cruising speed, while immensely faster than the bird’s, is hovering around the range of other passenger jets, so that’s a win to the plane.

production

The eagles self-produce, should a male and female build a nest near a beehive . . . (kids, ask your parent about the birds and the bees). The jet’s creation requires thousands of people. Perhaps a hundred are needed to assemble it, but we must include all those involved in machining all of the parts that go into the plane and then all those involved in mining and creating the materials that go into creating the parts. A lot of people are needed to build the plane. So, the ability for two birds to create their “machine” all by themselves means the eagles win the creation race by far!

repairs

The eagle’s ability to self-repair minor wounds is impressive, while the jet requires acquisition and fitting of replacement parts. However, the jets can keep replacing parts for a far longer lifespan. We’ll call that a win for the jets.

transport

An eagle can take one piece of “carrion luggage” and the jet usually takes 12 humans. We’ll give this one to the jet. Finally ...

beauty

Is the eagle a majestic sight when stationary or in action? Absolutely. Is the jet with an ironing board on its roof a majestic sight? Unless you’re a dry cleaner, I say no. The beauty contest goes to the eagle. So, by my calculations, the winner of best design of a “soaring object with incredible vision” goes to . . . The eagle! (by a flap) Perhaps the methods of judging were a little up in the air, but what is clear is both flying machines are complex enough in their design to be able to achieve such specialised tasks. While it’s quite unreasonable for anyone to consider the jet to have evolved on its own without input from any intelligent external designer, many accept the proposal that the eagle was given enough time to turn from literally nothing, to come alive and accidently improve enough to develop every one of its bodily functions along the way, becoming the amazing feathered aircraft that soars over Australia today. To me, the most reasonable explanation for how both flyers came to exist demands the work of an intelligent designer. So, the next time you see any jet or eagle soaring above you, I invite you to stop the lawn mower for a moment and consider the genius of their flight, and the genius of the designer who created them. Scott Wegener writes from Wahroonga, Sydney. He enjoys birding, drama, worship and creativity.

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WASTE NOT, want not

MAIL MAEDER—PEXELS, IMAGE SUPPLIED

waste nothing. I won’t have a shower; I have a bath. And the bathwater I use on the pot plants.” For Maurie Ibbott, this zero-waste mentality has shaped his life. And he’s not alone. In recent years, the zero-waste movement has been gaining momentum in the face of an increasingly single-use society. “We currently live in a linear economy where we take resources from the earth and then dump them in a giant hole in the ground,” says Kathryn Kellogg, founder of Going Zero Waste. “The goal of zero waste is to move to a circular economy where we write trash out of existence.” According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia generated 76 million tonnes of waste in the 2018–19 financial year. Many Western nations like Australia are consuming more resources than the earth can generate and rather than keeping these resources in circulation, more often than not they end up in landfill. The impact of such large quantities of waste affects our water and land quality, and landfill run-off affects the ocean and groundwater alike. The environmental impact of the zerowaste lifestyle cannot be denied. But like so many who embrace this lifestyle, for Maurie, it started from a place of financial necessity and valuing what you have. When Maurie turned 14, his father determined he would join the navy. But Maurie wanted to become a doctor. So the two of them struck a deal: if Maurie SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

covered his school fees, his father would feed him. From there, everything held value to Maurie, even the local grocer’s rotten tomatoes. He took the rotten tomatoes and squished them to get the seeds he needed to start his own tomato garden. Every morning Maurie tended his tomatoes for an hour before biking to school. He also spent his afternoons with his tomatoes. During school holidays he worked in the stock room of Woolworths, and together with the profits he made from selling his tomatoes, he paid his way through school. From there, Maurie worked hard to keep his grades up but was unable to study chemistry, physics and maths—all subjects needed to enter medicine. And so, he followed in his mother’s footsteps and studied nursing. “I did very well,” he said. “I loved nursing.” On his days off, he taught himself chemistry, physics and maths in the hopes of pursuing medicine. He was accepted into medical school but spent his time outside the classroom working to pay his way. Unable to do the level of study required, he returned to nursing after six years. And he flourished. “I went back to nursing. I was the clinical manager at Broughton Hall Clinic, managing all the nursing homes in the Canterbury District.” After paying off his home, instead of using the excess savings on himself,

Maurie started giving to charities. At no point did he increase his personal spending. Satisfied with his quality of living, Maurie’s entire mindset shifted to consider how he could be a blessing to others. “Being charitable comes from my mum,” he says. “She was just like that, she couldn’t help herself. I found myself gravitating towards ADRA. Everything I do, I think ‘it goes to ADRA’. Every penny I save goes to ADRA.” Being retired and living on the pension has not stopped Maurie’s generosity. Not only does he spend his money frugally, he looks for ways to earn extra money to donate to ADRA. His budget is carefully planned, down to the two car trips he does per week. “On Saturday I go to church and on Sunday I do my shopping,” he says. “If I have enough fuel left, I drop off my cans and bottles at the Return and

Earn. All the people in my community save cans and bottles for me.” Maurie’s lifestyle is the antidote for a society that is increasingly buying more things but using items less. When his car needed repairs, rather than paying for the excess on his insurance, he bought a repair kit and donated the difference to ADRA. “I enjoy it. I have always enjoyed saving. I worked very hard to get my money and am careful how I use it. “The reason I tell you is so that other people who have not had the benefit of my experience and background may come to realise that they’re so well off. That they will stop wasting." The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) supports a wide variety of ministries and initiatives throughout Australia and New Zealand. Ashley Stanton lives in Sydney, where she works in ADRA's communication and marketing team. Signs of the Times is a proud partner of ADRA.

APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

R RENT

RUVIUM—PEXELS

HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR

CREATIVITY EVERY DAY

Many of us refer to creativity as a rare trait that someone else has. In reality, creativity is much like a muscle: the more we use it, the more creative we become. BY CARMEN LĂIU

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o survive in a fast-changing world you need to be creative,” says Gerard J Puccio, chairman of the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State College. In 2010, creativity was the go-to quality for achieving success for most of the 1500 executives who took part in a survey by IBM. Our modern economy needs, more than ever, creative skills. The fourth industrial revolution incorporates smart technologies and transforms not only the economy and jobs, but our entire society. According to the World Economic Forum, the three most important skills for employment today are creativity, solving complex problems and critical thinking. At least 60 per cent of current jobs involve performing tasks that can be automated, according to a study by the McKinsey Global Institute. But while many manual jobs fall to automation and machines will be able to take them on faster or more efficiently, creativity remains firmly in the human domain.

HAKINMHAN—GETTY IMAGES

we can all be creative

We tend to see creativity as a rare trait that painters, writers and artists have—in general, people cut from a different cloth than “the rest of us”. This is because we do not distinguish between radical and incremental creativity, two forms of creativity that have been studied by researchers Lucy L Gilson and Nora Madjar of the University of Connecticut. SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

While the radical former is the most visible and popular form of creativity, the incremental latter is the more accessible form, which is based on the practise, enhancement and improvement of creative skills. In the end, we will be more prepared to approach major changes creatively if we understand creativity as an ingredient that is infused, in different doses, into everything we do. We tend to be ecstatic about creativity that revolutionises a certain field or has amazing results, as in the case of innovators, while we quietly manifest our creativity without even realising it when we find new ways to solve common problems. So writes Jeff Mazz, co-author of the book Creativity Inc, explaining the difference between the two types of creativity. In fact, according to Mazz, creativity manifests itself daily and we can train it exactly as we train our bodies in the gym. We think quite narrowly about creativity, points out the psychologist Teresa Amabile, emphasising the need to notice the moments and the way we use our creativity, even if it is only in changing a recipe in the kitchen. Whenever we cross the threshold of routine, we manifest our creativity. And even if this will not appear in any encyclopedia and will not bring the fame that radical creativity usually brings, this creative effort offers a kind of pleasure similar to the one felt by first-class creators,

says Howard Gardner, a psychologist and professor at Harvard University. “Creativity is not the result of the activity of magical regions of the brain that some have and others do not,” says R Keith Sawyer, professor of education and psychology. People think of themselves as not creative because of the myths that circulate about creativity, myths that Sawyer deconstructs in his book Explicating Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation.

connection between creativity and mental illness. Although Hollywood has exploited the theme of a close correlation between the two variables, the truth is that most people with creative skills are people with good mental health. In the case of the author Sylvia Plath, who lived with depression, her writing flowed more easily and her creativity manifested better when she was not depressed, according to her own statements.

creativity, through the lens of myth

One of these myths is that creative people have the gift of turning whatever they touch into gold. But Sawyer says that, in fact, creativity works quite differently. No person is born extremely creative. Rather, creativity is achieved through a lot of exercise, based on a series of common cognitive processes, emphasises the professor. The portrait of a creative person is also very distorted: we associate creators with loneliness, maybe even isolation, body tattoos, an atypical lifestyle and perhaps even addictions. In reality, Sawyer says, very creative people are often normal, happy and sociable people. Writers don’t just need paper and pencil (or a screen and a keyboard), just as painters aren’t people who live only among canvases and colours, because each of them needs human interaction, and the ideas that are born in these interactions. Another myth is that there is a

Another popular myth is that of rule-breaking. Many assume that creatives must, by definition, break rules. In actual fact, restrictions can actually aid creativity. “Creativity would not have been born in the absence of convention,” says Sawyer, who argues his claim by the example of musicians who can create even if APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

they use the limited range of just 12 existing tones and rhythm patterns. The conclusion we reach by demolishing the myths about creativity is that anyone can be creative, because the development of this skill is more related to our willingness to develop it than to any gene of creativity. This conclusion is simple, yet demanding at the same time: sustained work, a generous budget of time, and a smart structuring of work, alternating between hard work and free time.

VEERASAK PIYAWATANANAKUL—PEXELS

how to improve your creativity

The most important thing about creativity is learning to develop and apply it in everyday life, says Roger Firestien, a professor at the University of Buffalo and the author of several books on the subject. We need to learn “how to make creativity happen, instead of just waiting for it to surface. Inspiration doesn’t have to hit you.” Creative thinking has to do with exploration and this is one of the reasons why creativity decreases with age. As the years go by, our experience builds up and we tend to ignore the evidence that contradicts our view of the world, say psychology professors Alison Gopnik and Tom Griffiths. When we solve a problem, we look for solutions related to those we have already tested, and we neglect unusual ideas and solutions, which could lead to something completely new, and whose trial and error, we SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

expect, would take a lot of time. So, as we get older, we focus less on exploration and more on exploiting the knowledge we already have. Creativity, however, requires curiosity and the willingness to take a fresh look at an image that we already know in detail. The ability to see things in a new way helped Paul MacCready, a prolific American

us from trying as many things as possible. Redefining failure is one of the successful techniques used by creative people. “I’m an absolute evangelist of the value of failure as part of creativity,” said Brad Keywell, co-founder of Groupon. Keywell believes that universities too often model stereotypical thinking, with academics being accustomed to running away

“

while only certain areas of the brain are activated in response to various emotions, the entire brain is working to appreciate a joke.

inventor, to build the Gossamer Condor in 1977, and fulfil his dream of building the first human-powered aircraft capable of controlled and sustained flight. “To design Condor, I had to pretend I had never seen a plane before,” said MacCready, noting that too much knowledge about what didn’t work in the past and what can’t work now only prevents

from failure. Creative thinking takes advantage of the “golden hour”. The fate of a new idea is decided by the moments after it appears, writes Professor Tom Sturges, author of Every Idea is a Good Idea: How Songwriters and Other Working Artists Get it Done. Such an idea should not be dissected immediately, but should be noted, drawn, shared and outlined well

enough so that its author can return to it later, to analyse its potential.

other key components of creativity A positive mood, particularly the practise of humour, is a means of preparing the brain for finding new solutions. A study led by researcher Karuna Subramaniam, of Northwestern University, showed that a good mood among volunteers participating in a creative problem-solving test increased the likelihood of finding a solution (the “aha” moment). Subjects who watched a comedy before the test solved the tasks better and proved to be more creative than those who had watched a horror movie, or a lecture on quantum electronics. Research has shown that while only certain areas of the brain are activated in response to various emotions, the entire brain is working to appreciate a joke. Humour also relaxes, leading to perceptual flexibility, an important component of creativity. Exercise increases creativity, according to a series of studies by researchers Marily Oppezzo and Daniel Schwartz. A group of volunteer students were asked to complete creativity tests in a room with a deliberately untidy appearance, equipped with a treadmill. The researchers found that while walking on the treadmill at a quiet, preselected pace, looking only at a white wall, the students scored 60 per cent better on the tests. APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

A subsequent study showed that this effect of walking on creativity is maintained when returning from an outdoor walk. The ability of subjects to generate creative ideas was significantly improved compared to before the walk. The mechanism by which a short walk intensifies the mental processes related to creativity is still unclear. Oppezzo believes the effect could be due to improved mood (which is fertile ground for creativity) or the fact that walking allows the brain to pass “through some hyper-rational filters”.

everyday creativity

“Every day we use language to formulate sentences that have never been uttered. We express thoughts that have never been expressed. All of this is so deeply rooted that we don’t see the creativity involved here,” says Art Markman, a psychology professor at the University of Illinois. Although it is not known exactly what happens in our brains when we are creative, studies show that we can increase our creativity by exercising it as often as possible. With a little effort, we can transpose ourselves into a mental state that favours divergent thinking (characterised by the ability to generate multiple solutions—some ingenious—to the same problem). Creativity can be developed using this type of thinking more frequently (we often use convergent thinking, which is analytical and helps us to solve a situation where the given data are clear). 52

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Everyday creativity produces an upward spiral of good moods and “flourishing”, concluded a study by researchers at the University of Otaga, New Zealand. Volunteers kept a daily diary of experiences and emotional states and were involved in creative activities such as drawing, painting, writing (poetry or fiction), knitting, crocheting, graphic and digital design, or composing musical pieces. “Engaging in creative behaviour increases the good mood the next day, and this mood increases the likelihood of participating in a creative activity that day,” said researcher Tamlin Conner, noting that the study shows the role of daily creativity in good emotional functioning. A man sweeping the street should do his job “just as Michelangelo painted, Beethoven sang, or Shakespeare wrote,” wrote Martin Luther King, referring to the importance of a job well done. Just as no activity is too insignificant to be done conscientiously, life cannot and must not become so routine that we drain it of creativity. The novelty of a recipe, the originality of an idea and the spontaneity of a holiday plan are stimuli that transform daily life into a fascinating journey, in which we embrace the fresh miracles that wait for us, even on the most beaten paths. Carmen Lăiu is a writer for ST Network and Semnele timpului in Romania. A version of this article appears on the ST Network website and is rebublished with permission

ELL B EING

how to feed your family for less

To help household budgets when money is tight, we asked experts across food, finance and family to share their best tips for putting healthy food on the dinner table for less. Don’t feel pressured to always buy fresh Even produce experts like Thanh Truong, aka the Fruit Nerd, rely on a freezer stash of frozen fruit and veg. He says green peas, corn and berries are a great convenient option for families and are often a cheaper choice. Eat seasonally This simply means eating what is being harvested or in abundance right now. “You don’t need to know the seasons, just walk into the supermarket and look for the fruit and veggies that are great quality and are well stocked. They’ll be cheaper and fresher too,” says Thanh. Meal plan with the catalogue in hand For the Organised Housewife, Katrina Springer, easing the mental load and financial burden of grocery shopping starts with meal planning. Take a moment to look through the supermarket catalogue to see what is on special for the week, then plan your meals around those sale items. “Meal planning saves me money, time and petrol. When you leave it to chance, you’ll end up buying unnecessary items.

Article courtesy of Sanitarium Health Food Company. Visit sanitarium.com. au or sanitarium.co.nz and subscribe to Recipe of the Week for weekly recipe inspiration in your email inbox. 54

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

for discounted produce first. “While not aesthetically perfect, it’s still delicious and often interesting to cook with,” says Thanh. “Use your other senses when reviewing them, not just your eyes but smell and touch.” Cook once, eat twice Limit your time in the kitchen and avoid wasting leftovers by cooking once but eating two or even three times. Try roasting some vegetables to have tonight, then using them to top a pizza the next night or mixed with pasta and your favourite sauce the following day. Diversify your fruit and veg We humans are creatures of habit, which often means buying the same fruit and veg because we always have, but Thanh suggests that autopilot shopping means we are missing out. Whether apples, mandarins, sweet potatoes or brassicas, rotate the types of produce you eat. Diversifying is not only better for your nutrition but your tastebuds too. It also means you can shop what’s in season without getting bored. If you always opt for gold sweet potato, Thanh suggests trying purple sweet potato, taro or parsnip. If imperial mandarins are a go-to for lunchboxes, try tangold mandarins. As for swapping broccoli? Go for cauliflower, brussels sprouts or Chinese broccoli.

Shop the "dodgy" bin “There’s always going to be some produce that looks a bit sad,” says Thanh. If you’re doing a last-minute shop for tonight’s dinner, he suggests shopping

JIMMY DEAN—UNSPLASH

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LT U R E

THE LAST OF US PROMO PICTURES

THE GAMER’S GOOD SAMARITAN

The new HBO series hopes to upend the tradition of poorlyadapted videogames to film and TV. But can this very human tale teach us something about ourselves? BY MARK HADLEY SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • APRIL 2023

same-sex marriage and euthanasia as beautiful things. That said, it is still an engaging storyline with significant moral questions to ponder. The Last of Us will feel eerily familiar to a world that has lived through the Covid-19 pandemic. A mutation of the cordyceps fungus results in a fast-spreading plague that envelopes the planet thanks to modern transportation systems and our dependence on internationally sourced foodstuffs. However, the consequences make Covid pale in comparison. The infected usually die within a couple of days, but the fungus then takes over their bodies to spread its spores. The results are frighteningly swift, unreasoning monsters that reduce the United States to a wasteland. The survivors huddle in fortified cities that are surrounded by infection without and ruled by fascist governments within. At the centre of the storyline is a lowly worker called Joel, played by Pedro Pascal. Joel lost his teenage daughter Sarah in the initial outbreak to the rifle of an over-zealous soldier. He now makes a living smuggling goods in and out of the Boston quarantine zone. His quest to find his lost brother Tommy leads him to a revolutionary group known as the Fireflies. Their leader, Marlene, offers to supply Joel with the means to find Tommy if he will undertake a bit of human smuggling. Here, we meet Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey), a truculent teen who appears to have inestimable value to the human race.

She is the one person who seems to be immune to the cordyceps infection. Marlene lays out the benefits for delivering the girl to her Firefly comrades: “You get her there safely, they’ll give you what you need. Not just a battery. The whole thing. Fuelled-up truck. Guns. Supplies. All of it, I swear.” And that makes The Last Of Us what scriptwriters call a quest arc. The protagonist of the piece needs to get hold of an item, uncover a secret or, in this case, simply get from A to B. However, in both the game and the series, there is a human relationship that adds another dimension to the drama. Joel is provided with an opportunity to help the helpless Ellie, and in this case, his coming along at just the right time makes him something of a Good Samaritan figure. That’s the character in one of Jesus’ most famous stories who helps a wounded man he finds by the side of the road. But The Last Of Us has a

decidedly more worldly take on this unexpected hero. To begin with, the hero of The Last Of Us does not willingly stop walking when he sees someone in need. In the parable told by Jesus, a priest and a Levite pass by the man who has been beaten by robbers because he is none of their concern. Joel is more like them. He lacks the altruism of Jesus’ hero. Left to his gut instincts, Joel would have never struck up an association with Ellie. And when the risks run high, he is prepared to back out altogether: “We’re still close to the wall. We sneak her back into the QZ. We find a different way to get the battery.” Secondly, Joel is nowhere near as generous with his assistance. In the original story, the Samaritan does not simply care for the injured man’s wounds, he takes him to an inn and pays for his recuperation. By contrast, Joel has to be paid for his services. His partner, Tess, makes that abundantly clear:

APRIL 2023 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

THE LAST OF US PROMO PICTURES

ideo games have become the birthplace of some dubious film and television adaptations. The more successful the franchise, it seems the further the fall from grace. Cross-media creations like Mortal Kombat, Assassin’s Creed and Uncharted, have demonstrated just how difficult it is to transfer success from one medium to another. However, HBO may have finally achieved what no other production house has with a post-apocalyptic take on Jesus’ Good Samaritan story. But this is no Samaritan Jesus would recognise. The Last Of Us, now streaming on Binge, is an adaptation of the wildly successful video game by the same name. In 2013, developers Naughty Dog achieved amazing critical and player acclaim with the release of their third-person adventure. The Last Of Us became the fifth-highestrated PlayStation 3 game on review aggregator Metacritic, selling a stunning 1.3 million units in its first week. There have been numerous spin-offs from the original romp, including sequels, a comic book series and a tabletop game. However, it is the television series that is likely to eclipse them all. Now, before going much further, it should be noted that The Last Of Us is rated MA15+ for good reason. There is abundant violence, crude language and adult themes. There are also several post-Christian storylines to match the world that’s watching. In one episode alone viewers are asked to accept homosexuality,

“Joel and I aren’t good people. We’re doing this for us because apparently you’re worth something.” Thirdly, Joel would be justified in turning away from Ellie. Jesus tells His story so that we might understand our obligation to all people. However, the backstory encompassing the death of his daughter excuses Joel. His emotional wounds are too great to take on another teenage girl. Furthermore, the victim in Jesus’ story is a blank canvas, but the same can’t be said of Ellie. She is mean-spirited, suspicious and argumentative and, at least initially, unworthy of Joel’s support. Whereas Jesus’ injured man could be assumed to be grateful for the Good Samaritan’s intervention, Ellie resents the very help she receives. The setup for The Last Of Us begs the viewer to consider ourselves as the “first” of us. People who put others before themselves don’t last long in the world in which our characters live. Then watch as the relationship between Joel and Ellie deepens as their journey lengthens, but don’t mistake what’s happening. Joel shows increasing concern for Ellie exactly because she is becoming someone more valuable to him. But The Last Of Us says we are not obliged to do good to the needy as a matter of course—choosing to is worthy of congratulations. Place the original Good Samaritan in the same storyline, though, and a different outcome emerges. Jesus’ representative would see 60

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Ellie as someone who is just like him, and so he would offer the help he would hope to receive. He would be engaged from the outset, he would be generous in the face of Ellie’s needs, and he would bear with her negative side, conscious that he struggles with his own sinful nature. It’s not great TV but it is a good illustration of Jesus’ second greatest commandment: to love your neighbour as yourself. And your neighbour, his story shows, is anyone whom God puts in your path. It is interesting that the characters in The Last Of Us cannot maintain their transactional stance for long. Joel has to develop as a character. The generosity we admire in Jesus’ story, we also want to be present in his heart as well. Ellie, too, becomes more loveable. There is a sense in which The Last Of Us says there is hope for us all in a sinful world. But it remains transactional at a deeper level so long as we understand that Joel and Ellie are getting what they deserve for the efforts they are making. Jesus’ story is infinitely more hopeful, though. In the Good Samaritan there is no sense of people getting what they have earned, certainly not the injured man. That’s because in Jesus’ world, we get what we need, not what we deserve. Mark Hadley is a media and cultural critic who lives with his family in Sydney. Please note that discussion of a media product in Signs of the Times does not imply an endorsement or recommendation.

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DOWN 1 Kate Julian says we've entered this "phase" 2 A soup traditionally made from lamb offal 7 Hindu spring festival 11 Hebrew word meaning "one flesh" 12 This blocks your sleep receptors ACROSS 3 The binding together of two people, forever 4 Not being able to sleep 5 An ancient Mesoamerican culture famed for their pyramids 6 Australia's largest eagle 8 A Byzantine emperor, first of his name 9 City where "cry me a cockroach" happens 10 NBC comedy about heaven and hell 13 Her name means "the immigrant" 14 A more "upper-class" version of Tinder

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Across: 3.

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