Being a deep and reminiscent thinker has been a blessing and a menace personally throughout my life. When wielded to troubleshoot a particular problem, it has proved as a blessing, but when used to mentally masticate and regurgitate negative situations and personal mistakes, it has proven a force of destruction to my mental health.
Recently, it has been a fascination of mine to ponder upon the usage of the word talent. Many have ascribed it to a higher inclination and improved adaptation to a particular discipline or ability. Especially in relation to music, athleticism and performing arts.
To begin with, the noun talent is defined by the Oxford dictionary as “a special natural ability or aptitude…” But in fact talent can be traced back to the Old English noun talente or talentan which is a unit of weight. Furthermore, the word talent can be traced back to the Latin definition talenta or talentum, which is a unit of weight. It even shares links to the Ancient Greek talenton which was a particular weight, especially of gold; it was also a reference to a sum of money.
The context upon which talent is being used to describe is now used as an umbrella term for a great show of athleticism or vocal prowess, when really these are just fine-tuned skills and capabilities developed and nurtured over time.
What is particularly saddening is youths who devote their heart and soul into a particular discipline or sport and attribute the great results to God-given talent. It is super interesting to even further notice how whilst most of the lower end of society is awe-struck by great feats of athleticism or musical mastery and labeling these as great talent, the upper echelons of society are capitalizing on real talent which is the ownership of vast land, livestock and human resource.
Additionally, the earliest etymology of talent is the ancient Greek word daimon which translates to genius by translators. In Fiji, where I am from, thousands of youths pursue sports in the hope to gain favour and status in society. While only a few hundreds rise on to create financial breakthrough for themselves and their families, the majority fall into the shadows plagued by injury, lost time, financial instability and family problems.
The direct equivalent to what society deems as talent in the Chinese script is 天赋 pronounced tien-foo, which would explicitly mean, God-given or naturally endowed.
As an indigenous person, it is concerning how the Western ideology of talent is lulling indigenous communities to perceive value in athletic and entertainment stardom rather than the resources of land or the wealth of knowledge regarding survival which has held indigenous people strong for generations. The land, the people, the rivers, oceans, livestock and wildlife are the true talents. These God-given or naturally endowed resources when utilized to optimum potentials, can wipe out starvation, harmful substance addictions, build stronger families, more mature and responsible youths, and preserve language, traditional values and customs.
One day those to which much was given, much responsiblity and obligation will be required.
Upon watching an episode of the Australian version of Who Do You Think You Are? which was a feature on actor and musician Cameron Daddo, a belief in the supernatural power of Love was re-ignited in my being. Cameron Daddo, 58 years of age, discovered that he had a maternal heritage of unfaltering love by a wife who followed her criminal lover from mainland Australia to Norfolk Island and down to Tasmania. On the other hand, Daddo also discovered that his paternal heritage was forged by a love story of a wife who sailed across the English channel to plead with a king for the release of her falsely accused husband.
Who Do You Think You Are Season 11 Episode 3 featuring Australian actor and musician Cameron Daddo firstly aired on June 2, 2020. Photo: IMDB
It was honestly an emotional experience witnessing the power of love to bind people together despite various adversities and uncomfortable situations. Themes such as self-sacrifice, holding on dearly to hope and having unyielding faith for a brighter outcome beamed through like a spectrum of light.
Furthermore, the British scholar, author and theologian Clive Lewis, in his 1960 book The Four Loves, categorizes Love into four main versions. The first is storgēwhich is empathetic, instinctual or familial love – the love of children, parents and grandparents – as depicted in a family. It is natural as it is voluntary, emotionally stirs since it is forged by affection and familiarity; and it is also the most common version of love, as it is nearly unconditional and transcends most discriminating factors.
The second is Philia which is brotherly or camaraderie styled. It is a friendship founded over time upon common interests, values and experiences. He identifies this love in the friendship of Jonathan and David (as depicted in the Bible), and also Orestes and Pylades in Greek mythology.
The third version being erōs which Lewis specifically defined as intimate love and not so much the raw lust and sexuality; which he distinguishes as venus– relating to the Roman goddess of sex and fertility.
The Birth of Venus painting by Sandro Botticelli (Firenze 1445 – 1510) displayed in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy
After details of sexuality and the significance in spirituality, Lewis notes how Eros (or being in love) “…may urge to evil as well as good..” (Lewis, C.S. The Four Loves. 1960. San Francisco, Harperone, 1960, p. 124) The intense emotions fueled by this love can be illustrated in the Bible verse, “Love is as powerful as death. Love’s jealousy is as strong as the grave. Love is like a blazing fire. Love burns like a mighty flame.” (Song of Solomon 8:6)
The last version of love, as described by Lewis, is agápē or benevolent, unwavering, selfless and divine love between God and humanity. The insane type of love that ignited the Christian Reformation and the thriving of the Christian faith under the persecution of Roman Emperor Nero. It is exemplified in the Bible verses such as , “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7) and Proverbs 25:21-22 which reads, “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.”
Love is such a multi-dimensional force that drives people to be passionate about someone, something or some location. It is a personal belief that, ‘Love is not just said but is expressed to someone else. It is a decision made on a momentary basis to treat someone with great respect, to sacrifice of yourself for that individual and also to safeguard that individual or persons from personal ill-thoughts, external inquisitions, and being supportive towards your lover or loved ones.’
Love is for the most part requiring massive self-sacrifice that requires you to have immense patience, personal awareness, individual development and maturity, and also focus and hope.
And lastly, the Bible describes love as ‘patient, kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.’ (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
Performing multiple tasks simultaneously may be harmful to our mental well-being. Picture: The Advot Project
A couple of days ago, I was just about to begin cooking a meal when I realized that I needed to take my car out of the parking area and position it by the roadside as my housemate was going to park his car behind mine. In an act of providence, immediately after parking my car by the roadside, I ran back into the house and upon seeing the fry-pan heating up on the stove, I exhaled just remembering what I was in the process of doing prior to rushing outside.
In my younger years, I was fascinated with multi-tasking. It was primarily in the feat of juggling a variety of tasks simultaneously that I found quite sensational. For example, I would attempt having my laundry spin in the washing machine, while cooking lunch on the stove and place my wardrobe of clothes, towels, pillow and blankets outside to sundry.
The urge to become increasingly productive fueled my cravings in multi-tasking. Unfortunately multi-tasking is not as super-productive as I envisioned it to be. In a research statement published in 2020 by Dr. Kevin Madore and his team, the article states, ‘Heavier media multitasking is associated with a propensity to have attention lapses and forget…the degree to which an individual engages with multiple media types in a given media consumption hour (for example, watching television while texting)—are provocative, in part because heavier [multiple media types are] associated with reduced working memory and episodic memory even when performing a single task, possibly because of its positive relationship with failures of sustained attention and increased mind wandering..’ 1
Making it even more obvious of the adverse effects of attempting multiple tasks simultaneously is explained in detail in another article released by Dr. Madore and Wagner in 2019, which states, ‘the human mind and brain lack the architecture to perform two or more tasks simultaneously…individuals almost always take longer to complete a task and do so with more errors when switching between tasks than when they stay with one task.‘ 2
Additionally, multi-tasking has been linked to chronic stress as the mind is taxed with processing and responding to a variety of information and preparation for expected objectives. There is also the dangers of engaging various media platforms which leads to decreased concentration spans and inability to distinguish between priorities.
In Fiji and in many places in the world, walking home after school and work whilst engaging media on a device (while in a public space) can lead to being robbed, assaulted, missing your stop or even being hit by an oncoming vehicle. Or even at home, where burning stoves without your supervision can extend to torching your house. Furthermore, a significant amount of time can be wasted due to engaging multiple media streams and platforms.
With an abundance of distractions and the urge to accomplish multiple tasks and goals in a shorter period of time, it is very easy to lose sight of what and who is important and what who is not.
To conclude, I have noticed a great deal of anxiety and depression in my increased usage of social media. But this engagement of mine has been inevitable due to my great distance from family and friends. Secondly, my fear of financial deprivation and inability to attain important possessions such as my own house, clearing off my debts and other pressing issues fuels my relapse into attempting multiple tasks simultaneously. The Bible counsels us in 1 Timothy 6:6-10, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.“
The bottom line is there needs to be a balance between ambition and satisfaction with current progress. We also need to value and appreciate the special people in our lives and never forfeit the time and experiences spent together – for that is what fuels the social media networks – loneliness and desire to belong and be accepted.
The cravings for earning and accumulating money is instigated by the desire to afford a comfortable life for your loved ones and freedom to pursue your hobbies and other enjoyments. But instead of focusing on what isn’t and yet to unfold, let’s not discredit and overlook what we have and who is there with us.
Stay blessed and focused dear reader!
References: 1. Madore, Kevin P., et al. “Memory Failure Predicted by Attention Lapsing and Media Multitasking.” Nature, 28 Oct. 2020, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2870-z. Accessed 30 Oct. 2020.
As a prelude, this article is inspired by the love story of former Prison warden Florent Goncalves and the attractive inmate Emma Arbabzadeh in the Versailles women’s prison, in France. It was then exaggerated in the French film Éperdument in 2016.
Developing a close acquaintance with someone is very powerful. Powerful in the sense of its impact on our mental health and also our physiology. A continual interaction with a complementary gender may lead to feelings of affection and a growing emotional attachment. Likewise, a growing friendship with a counterpart of the same gender may develop camaraderie and reliability. But in most situations as such, trust and familiarity springs forth. From a biological perspective, oxytocin is produced, with varying amounts, from these interactions.
Firstly, in terms of the development of an affectionate and intimate acquaintance, there may be a surge of attraction which may naturally erupt into sexual interaction. Despite how obviously fulfilling and satisfying sex appears to be, it can never be the ultimate goal of an intimate friendship. Sex in itself can not exclusively guarantee for you and your lover a durable and healthy relationship far into the future. Sexual activity should be regarded as a reward for enduring adversity together as a couple, overcoming challenges and distractions – and at the end of it still finding value and a deepened interest in each other and your relationship together.
In an age of saturation with lust and promiscuity, the act of sexual pleasure (the highest mutual activity a couple can engage in together and with each other) is cheapened and publicized as nothing more than a popular sales and marketing object.
Secondly, it would be more rewarding for couples who would like to advance their friendship to greater closeness, to consider other mutual activities such as service to the less fortunate, assisting each other in excelling in their careers, education, and learning new skills together.
Furthermore, we can find wisdom in the proverb, ‘It is better to pull the trigger when the gun is loaded in order to securely hit the target.’ Contextually, the trigger here can be sex; the loaded gun is an ever-developing relationship filled with history of surviving the adversities of life and challenges of reality together, and still being able to find value in each other and in your relationship together. The target here are your goals as a couple, and a long-lasting, healthy and satisfactory relationship.
Finally, it is naïve and immature to ignore the fact that a couple’s relationship affects their neighbours, workmates, associates, friends, relatives and family members. If a couple can consider serving their community in a positive and constructive manner, there will be widespread acceptance and support from those around you (whom you respect and consider important to you) towards your relationship as a couple.
In conclusion, I have personally come through two failed long-term relationships and these are some pointers that I have salvaged from my past romantic experiences. Sex should be used as an activity of affirmation and not used as a lustful act to smother yourselves in sweat, pleasure and vanity. Keep it special. Consider its power to bond two people together and can also becloud rational and reasonable decision making.
Have a great day! Don’t be afraid to love but be mindful that loving someone requires servitude and self-sacrifice. It’ll cost ya!
We usually see what we choose to see. We are narrow minded by default. Our past experiences, personal opinion and limited understanding shapes our worldview.
Human beings are naturally narrow-minded. Photo: debragrantoptometrist.co.uk
To begin with, there is a story about a man who stood on the roof of his house, during a cyclone and severe flooding, and was praying to God to rescue him. The Police came by with a rescue boat and told him to hop on; but he refused, believing that God would rescue him. Later, a rescue helicopter swooped by and passed down a ladder for him to climb up. He still refused, adamant that God would rescue him from this adversity. That man eventually died in the floodwaters. What mode of deliverance did he envision God to send his way? A band of glowing angels, maybe?
In like manner, ‘As His representatives among men, God does not choose angels who have never fallen, but human beings, men of like passions with those they seek to save…We must be laborers together with God; for God will not complete His work without human agencies.’1
The Bible tells us that it is God, “…that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth…I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it…” (Revelation 3:7-8) God provides opportunities and allows certain circumstances to occur, but our reactions will determine the eventual outcome. God is not going to force us into any situation without our consent.
Furthermore, atheists and skeptics argue that God is but a concept only existing in literature and imagination. But any sensible person that curiously observes nature will wonder to themselves: with all the complexity and intricate processes and structures present in the natural world, did it all just appear by accident? (Tell a hard-battled rugby captain that leads his team through a grueling season of matches, to finally lift the championship trophy, that their win was sheer luck or a fluke – see what he or she may tell you)
Like I mentioned earlier, we only see what we want to see. This then limits our sense of discovery. People talk about reaching their full potential. But usually they just mean in the context of a particular discipline, not holistically. Personally, I strive to keep an open and an objective mindset. This way, I can understand other people’s opinion and also learn something new.
On the other hand, this may seem to excuse the concept of relativity. That there are no absolutes. Every opinion and explanation is true to whosoever chooses to accept it. This mentality is obscure and biased. Just as there is a beginning, there is an end. Just as there are imitations and generics, there is a genuine and original. All roads don’t lead to Rome. Every road has its own destination; but they all don’t lead to the exact same destination. It is no wonder Jesus proclaims himself as The way, The truth, and The life. Jesus is certain that He is unique and distinguished from all other versions of truth, and all other sources of life; and Jesus claims that He is not the same as every other prophet or religious leader.
When you tell your dear ones that you love them, are you absolutely sure? Or are you relatively sure? Of course, in our limited capacity to love, we mean what we are saying. Likewise, this also is the same with reality. We can deny certain figures, certain ideas, certain place; but until we are absolutely sure of it, following extensive research, our perspective does not change reality.
Smashing the mirror because we don’t like the pimples on our face, does not remove the pimples off our faces; claiming that the world is flat when satellite images reveal that it is spherical, does not alter the earth’s shape. But like I mentioned earlier, we only see what we choose to see. We are willfully ignorant by default.
Finally, may it be our request to the Ruler Supreme, the Creator of life, the lover of our soul, our Heavenly Father that he may open our eyes to see; open our hearts to understand and expand our ability to process and accept certain realities that we would otherwise prefer to ignore.
Reference: 1. E.G. White, Christian Service (1925), Review and Herald Publishing Association: Hagerstown, MD; pp.7-9.
Women are highly scrutinized and demeaned in zealously religious countries such as India, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. Picture: AFP Photo/FAYEZ NURELDINE
As I read the latest mandate by the Taliban for female Afghani news presenters to wear a veil or mask (effective as of May 21, 2022), I thought of an idiom in my native language which translates, ‘hot and cold like the corrugated iron.” I recognize the need for feminine modesty amidst a world that is very explicit and very irreverent; But, in my opinion, if the women are required to cover up in the spirit of modesty and female safety, there should be proportionate measures enforced regarding rape, pedophilia and physical assault against women in Afghanistan.
Which then brings us to the problems of religious zeal; the Bible highlights in Romans 10:1-3, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
In the Bible text above are the dynamics of religious zeal: desiring to protest for the righteousness of God, but lacking discernment and a personal practice of these very principles in my own life. Eventually, condemning others in order to satisfy our own zeal and passion for God and his righteousness. Some Bible believers might even establish their zeal on Proverbs 27:5-6, which says, “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” While this text might seem a worthy mantra to poke condemnation and declare “hell-fire” to the “sinners” of the world, the Bible is a complex manual that must be prayerfully considered in its entirety before drawing conclusions.
Let us consider other passages in the Bible such as John 16:7-8, which reads, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…” Here we see Jesus declaring that the Comforter, The person of the Holy Spirit will succeed Himself and do three important tasks: Reprove the world of sin, counsel in righteousness, and judgement. This is the way the God of the Bible deals with humanity’s sin problem.
The Holy Spirit (not any human being) eleng-ko (Strong’s Greek1651) the world of sin, meaning in the Greek, to tell a fault or identify a weakness; then He counsels in righteousness or offers practical solutions and a recovery plan; finally the Holy Spirit outlines an outcome, or a reward package that awaits our decision on whether to ignore His reproof and regress, or comply and grow as an individual (judgement).
The fragility and discretion of God’s approach when dealing with humanity’s sin is exemplified in Jesus Christ’s handling of the case of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11).
The Pharisees, with a mixture of religious zeal and deceitful intentions towards Jesus, drags a young woman from the bed of her lover to the temple courts where Jesus is teaching his earnest listeners. The Pharisees, in the midst of a mumbling crowd and Jesus, lay out the charges against her and condemn her to stoning. Then they deceitfully ask Jesus what is His opinion of the matter, in order to build up evidence against Jesus. Jesus ignores the tense unfolding of events and crouches down to write with His finger in the dust of the ground. The Pharisees then grow impatient and press Jesus again for a reply to their pleading. Jesus then arises and says, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” And then He stoops down again to continue His writing in the dust of the ground.
A crowd watches as a woman is beaten by a sharia police officer dressed in black robes at a public square in Aceh, Indonesia’s only province that practices partial sharia law (Photo Credit: Riza Lazuardi/AFP/Getty Images)
The Bible then describes, in John 8:9, “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” I would like to highlight here the clashing frontiers of CONDEMNATION and CONVICTION.
The Holy Spirit convicts our conscience, which then brings us to a point of mental awareness. On the contrary, hurtful people and religious zealots stone us to stubbornness and hard-heartedness with condemnation and a holier than thou attitude. And please note, when you read the story of the woman caught in adultery, the woman’s name is never mentioned. This is a hint to how discreet the God of heaven is towards every individual’s profile. He is not in the line of public shaming.
The Bible commentator and inspired writer Ellen G. White, in her book The Desire of Ages, concerning the woman caught in adultery, wrote, “In His act of pardoning this woman and ENCOURAGING HER TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE, the character of Jesus shines forth in the beauty of perfect righteousness. While He does not palliate sin (ignore it’s severity or seriousness), nor lessen the sense of guilt, He seeks not to condemn, but to save. The world had for this erring woman only contempt and scorn; but Jesus speaks words of comfort and hope…Those who are forward in accusing others, and zealous in bringing them to justice, are often in their own lives more guilty than they. Men hate the sinner, while they love the sin. Christ hates the sin, but loves the sinner.” (Source: E.G. White, The Desire of Ages, Pacific Press Publishing Association: Mountain View, CA(1898), p. 462)
Finally, addressing Proverbs 27:5-6 and religious zealots, open rebuke is not equal to public shaming. In the light of John 8 and Scriptures such as Matthew 18:15 and Galatians 6:1-3, we should definitely see the importance of raising awareness of sin, in the spirit of love; but also exercise privacy, discretion, consciousness of our own personal flaws, and also offer practical solutions. And most importantly, invest our own time in assisting these individuals with reform and ENCOURAGING THEM TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE.
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:17)
Check out my video about the difference between Condemnation and Conviction
Ever since I overcame severe gastritis half a decade ago, I have since attested and have been drawn towards the benefits of a plant-based diet. Speaking of gastritis, I know many of us can testify of the sheer discomfort and pain that this intestinal ailment imposes upon its victims! Since subscribing to a plant-based diet for the last few years, I sort of had the experience of “once you get the swing of it, you’ll adapt” to vegetarianism. But it wasn’t until the last two years have I faced the reality that at times I have been craving animal flesh – such as chicken or beef. And in confronting this secret desire, I had to decide whether I would abandon a plant-based diet completely or figure out if there was some sort of issue or deficiency that I needed to address concerning my physical health.
Research shows that cravings may indicate not only mineral deficiencies in the body, but also excessive consumption of certain stimulating foods.
According to research by Alonso-Alonso et al.1 the overeating of stimulative foods that trigger excess dopamine release (rewarding effect on your brain) can cause addictive food behaviours and unhealthy cravings. On the other hand, cravings can also indicate particular nutrient deficiencies. For example, my particular struggle with meat cravings was associated with my lack of iron and calcium minerals. Recalling these “meat cravings” that I had, I clearly recall an absence of dark green leafy veggies on my plate – due to being unable to afford it or just not having time to purchase it or grow it outside. Foods also rich in calcium include chia seeds (can be sprinkled raw unto your meal as you are about to eat) and celery (can be cut up raw and added to a salad or half-cooked in the menu which is being cooked).
Further findings in Alonso-Alonso et al.1 show that cravings are “an intense and persistent desire for a food caused by a nutritional deficiency, boredom, or self-imposed food restrictions.” Another such example of deficiency cravings are a craving for sugary foods which has a link to lacking various minerals including chromium (broccoli, grapes, oats, potatoes and tomatoes contain adequate amounts), sulfur (adequately available in allium veggies such as garlic, onions, leeks and chives), and tryptophan (an amino acid which according to sleep.org, gets turned “into a B vitamin called niacin. Niacin plays a key role in creating serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s associated with sleep and melatonin levels (a hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycles).” Foods containing tryptophan amino acid include oats, lentils, nuts, tofu, cheese, beans and eggs.
But as mentioned earlier, cravings do not necessarily indicate a deficiency, but can signify something else. Some other reasons for cravings can include suppressing thoughts concerning certain foods imposed by advertisements, social circles and associations2; dealing with stress3, confusing thirst for hunger4, and insufficient sleep5.
Despite a plant-based diet being ideal overall for longevity and optimum health, the key principle of a balanced diet must be followed. A diet that has proteins, carbs, vitamins and is mineral rich will do us much good at the end of the day. A healthy body contributes to a healthy mind; and a healthy mind contributes to a well-versed individual who can serve God and his or her fellow humans. The Bible says, ‘Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.‘ (3 John 1:2).
A healthy soul composes of the entire human being: the spirit, the mind and the body (Genesis 2:7; Ecclesiastes 12:7) and thus a proper maintenance of the human faculties will prepare us to relate with God and hear His voice speaking to us more clearly.
During these uncertain times, the Bible stands as my source of confidence and refuge. As I grow in my understanding of the humble Creator God, as intelligently revealed in the Bible, a huge factor that has been a solid testament in my life is the understanding of Biblical diet.
Maybe later, I could do a write-up about what the Bible reveals about a godly diet and an ideal meal plan, but for now let’s just savour upon the preparation of this delicious tomato-chickpea salad pictured above.
First of all, here is some brain food and spiritual food for thought; In the book of Romans 14:2, the Bible declares, ‘For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. To clearly digest this verse from Romans, the Bible is saying to him that is astheneó (G770 – sick, physical and spiritual weakness), God has provided lachanon (G3001 – herbs, vegetables). It would be interesting to note that food alters or governs mood and emotion.
Let’s go back to our tomato-chickpea salad:
Source: Seattle’s Child
The best way to extracting optimum flavour from tomatoes is to season it beforehand, then add in the remainder of the salad. In a salad serving for two, one large tomato or two small ones would be adequate.
Cut the tomatoes into chewing sized-chunks. Put them into a bowl. Add some grated garlic (preferably), a bit of coriander, slight lemon juice (preference), some cayenne pepper (or two bitsy chillies), and salt and pepper. Give it all a thorough toss and let it all mix in. If you want to give it a bit of a sweetness, add a drip of honey. A beautiful additional for smell and taste is grounded nuts, slightly roasted over a hot pan. Then added to the salad mix. Let the tomatoes sit for 15 minutes.
Add a cup of cooked chickpeas to the tomato delight. Then add an adequate drizzle of olive oil over the whole thing. Not too much though as the whole salad will then become soggy. Serve with crackers or slices of toasted bread.
As we say back in the islands, ‘The food is ready, so come and eat!’
George Floyd, a 46-year-old man, died on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota after Derek Chauvin, knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed face down. All four former Minneapolis Police officers involved in the constraint of Floyd leading to his death have been convicted of second-degree murder. (Picture: NBC News)
George Perry Floyd Jr., a 46 year-old man who lost his life after being constrained face-down by four Minneapolis Police officers, on Thursday May 25, 2020. After a 911 report by a staff of Cup Foods, a local eatery on the corner of Chicago Avenue and E. 38th Street in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota State. After being manhandled by four Police officers for over thirty minutes, including a knee-down on his neck by Derek Chauvin (this lasting nearly 9 minutes long, even after Mr. Floyd lay lifeless and obviously unconscious on the roadside by the Police car), Mr. Floyd was rushed to a nearby hospital; and in less than an hour later, was pronounced dead. The Hennepin County coroner’s report found that George Floyd died from cardiac arrest during application of “neck compression”, also, “arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease; fentanyl intoxication; and recent methamphetamine use.” (https://www.fox9.com/news/hennepin-county-medical-examiner-declares-george-floyd-death-homicide)
On May 29, former officer Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. On Wednesday (June 3, 2020), Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison updated Chauvin’s charges to include second degree murder, and the other three former officers (namely, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao) were charged with aiding and abetting second degree murder.
This may seem as an adequate service of justice to Mr. Floyd’s family and his supporters, but it can never bring back his life nor the countless of coloured people and others which have lost their lives due to Police brutality.
Despite the unified voices protesting under the banner, ‘Black Lives Matter’, there does not seem to be a resolve among the protesting majority who are defying the curfew.
Social injustice, as history has shown to us, will continue to occur, even when the MLKs and civil rights champions are long passed on!
What society needs to consider are lasting, fulfilling policies that will prevent and minimize future disasters like the unfortunate death of George Floyd.
Violence and riots are never lasting and resolute options. Americans should have organised a fund-raising in support of Floyd and other families who have lost their fathers through Police brutality. Psychiatric counselling need to be implemented for Police officers (like Tou Thao and Derek Chauvin) who have been under prior investigation for brutality.
The judiciary has served the sentences, Mr. Floyd has been given a dignified burial. People need to stop using the innocent death of this man as an excuse or platform for violence and riotous rebellion.
The Bible advises the believers in Romans 12:19, ‘Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.’ If there are two things God will pay dues for in the Bible, it is vengeance on the innocence and acts of service to the poor. In Proverbs 19:17, the Bible declares, ‘He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.’ The Bible is clear that believers ought to ‘Recompense to no man evil for evil…’ (Romans 12:17; 1 Peter 3:9).
Let’s leave the avenging to God, please. For ‘It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.’ (Hebrews 10:31)
Rest in peace Mr. George Perry Floyd Jr. (October 14, 1973 – May 25, 2020).
George Floyd (1973-2020). (Picture: FOX 9 News Minneapolis)
How It All Began The first outbreak of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first recorded in Wuhan city, Hubei province, China, in December, 2019.1 It is believed that the novel coronavirus, which has caused the global pandemic, originated from bats and certain intermediary carriers, before infecting humans. With a populace of around 11 million people, Wuhan is one of the most densely populated cities in Central China.
Latest Statistics supplied by Worldometer relating to the COVID-19 cases, globally. Worldometer is run by an international team of developers, researchers, and volunteers with the goal of making world statistics available in a thought-provoking and time relevant format to a wide audience around the world. It is published by a small and independent digital media company based in the United States.
The Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan is believed to be where the viral outbreak first transpired. There were exotic meats being sold at this market, which include koalas, crocodiles, wolf puppies and peacocks.2 Huanan market is one of many wet markets found across South East Asia. Many times these markets are full of exotic live animals, livestock, seafood, fruits and vegetables; a lot of ice is used for preservation and the melted ice is used to clean away the blood of butchered animals on the market floors. These markets are usually unhygienic and suitable environments for transmitting viruses and entertaining diseases.
Huanan Market advertising board showed their wide-ranging menu of live animals on offer. Source: Muyi Xiao/Reuters
“The consumption of wild animals, especially wild mammals, which can carry diseases that can cross the species barrier, does pose a real threat to human health. It’s hard to tell whether these animals are taken from the wild legally or not, some of them could have been smuggled in and then sold on these wet markets…But, these kinds of wild foods are considered something of a luxury.” (Statements from Adam Peyman, wildlife manager for the animal welfare organisation, Humane Society International)
But, why bats?
A recent study published in early February of this year, conducted at the University of California, in the United States of America, reveals that bats have a highly adaptive immune system. It keeps the bats unaffected by many deadly viruses, but poses a threat (as a carrier of multiple genetically stronger viruses) to humans, particularly. The experiments and model helped reveal that the bats’ defenses may have a potential downside for other animals, including humans. In both the bat species’ cells that were sampled, the strongest antiviral responses were countered by the virus spreading more quickly from cell to cell. This suggests that bat immune defenses may drive the evolution of faster transmitting viruses, and while bats are well protected from the harmful effects of their own prolific viruses, other creatures like humans are not.3
Additionally, bats have a signaling protein called interferon-alpha, which is triggered in response to viral infection of a cell. This interferon protein is a distress signal which alerts all the surrounding cells to become defensive and enter an anti-viral state. The irony is though the interferon signaling system hinders the ability for the virus to kill cells; the virus adapts and evolves to counter. According to Cara Brooks of the University of California, “This suggests that having a really robust interferon system would help these viruses persist within the host. When you have a higher immune response, you get these cells that are protected from infection, so the virus can actually ramp up its replication rate without causing damage to its host. But when it spills over into something like a human, we don’t have those same sorts of antiviral mechanism, and we could experience a lot of pathology.” 3
Furthermore, bats have a unique ability to reduce excessive inflammation within them while hosting a multiple number of viruses that are pathogenic to humans. Scientists have yet to identify the reason behind this.4
COVID-19 Disease Won’t Kill Millions
Professor Isaiah Arkin, a Biochemist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has revealed through his research that the Coronavirus Disease 2019 won’t kill millions as estimated. “This is not going to kill humanity. This is a disease that mostly afflicts the elderly, not that one does not care about the elderly. But to people that are not classified as elderly, [COVID-19] generates a respiratory tract infection that is not very severe, and most people have very mild symptoms.
So the fact that you have a 2 percent or 3 percent mortality rate — that number is driven upwards by the fact that the elderly are far more susceptible to it. You’re not going to see millions upon millions of people dying. That’s not going to take place.” Professor Arkin further adds, “The two staple viruses that we have studied for close to two decades are influenza and SARS. We have characterized several important components in these viruses. And to our amazement, this new virus, which is now called SARS Coronavirus 2, is incredibly similar to SARS Coronavirus 1 that was responsible for the SARS epidemic in 2002-2003 [which killed 774 people worldwide]. Now we can harness all of the expertise and knowledge that we had, to try to find inhibitors to this virus, which is precisely what we’re doing.The biggest problem that we don’t know [relates to] what weclassify as asymptomatic people. An asymptomatic person is someone who’s carrying the virus, who might actually be infectious, but doesn’t realize that he or she is carrying the virus. And that’s an issue. The reason that they were able to prevent that sort of infection in China is curfew. Curfews are effective. In China, there have been very, very few new cases in the last few weeks.” 5
Boost Your Immune System: Natural Defense Against Viral Invasion
According to Dr. Kerry Laing, a research scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle, the human immune system has several cell mechanisms that kill and combat viral cell invasion. These include cytotoxic cells, interferons, and antibodies that execute two effective processes known as agglutination and phagocytosis.6
Even though there isn’t any cure as of recent to COVID-19, the good news is that there are more recoveries than deaths worldwide. Professor Arkin of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, further stated to The Times of Israel in his interview, ‘…the mortality rate [of COVID-19] is close to four percent…One of the limiting factors, as you know, has been the availability of tests…If we had a test that could be administered to every every individual, then we would have an immediate answer. We don’t. And that’s the problem…. There have been 56,000 people in China, out of 80,000 that have recovered completely. So, this is not as bad of a killer…” 5
This is good news. This diminishes the fear being propagated through mainstream media. My honest suggestion to everyone reading this article is to boost your immune system. Eat citric fruits, eat green leafy vegetables; get an adequate dose of sunlight and/or fresh, clean air. Avoid red meat and white meats as much as possible. Drink a lot of fresh, clean water. Have adequate hours of sleep. Keep your living spaces and environment as clean as possible. Stay away from crowded places. Follow these and you should be fine.
Start a home vegetable garden to supplement food supplies as the next few months might bring a food shortage in supermarkets due to the halt in food production and industries.
Never Fear: God is STILL here (FOR NOW) Herman Melville (1819-1891), the American novelist who wrote the famous Moby-Dick novel, once said, “Ignorance is the parent of fear.” In other words, fear is the emotional result of ignorance and unpreparedness of a sudden event or calamity.
In conclusion, here are a few admonitions from the Bible; in Proverbs 22:3, the Bible says, ‘A prudent (wise, tactful, strategic) man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.’ Also, in 1 John 4:18, the Bible assures, ‘There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth has not been made perfect in love.’ A God-fearing person should not have fear because the Bible gives us insight as to what is happening in the world. God has not left us alone dear friends. Life is still being granted by God; He did not give us this coronavirus. He gave us green leafy veggies, fruits, nuts and grains for food. But humanity has sought all sort of weird persuasions to satisfy unquenchable curiosity in all sorts of foods. Our immune systems are weak since we are not replenishing vitamins and minerals that our bodies need (available in healthy, wholesome and natural foods) and we have forsaken our acknowledgement and respect for the Source of all life; the Creator God. Wake up dear people, while the door of mercy and grace-period is still available. This COVID-19 is just the beginning of alarms to awaken the world. Your breath is a God-given gift. Take time to return gratitude and appreciation to the one who grants it ever so freely. Don’t let the environment and people you interact with dictate your mood and attitude; Harness the Spirit of encouragement and energy given through the pages and words of the Bible, and live a purpose-driven life – influential, and edify others. Never Fear, the King of the Universe is still in control overall.
Cara E Brook Is a corresponding author, Mike Boots, Kartik Chandran, Andrew P Dobson, Christian Drosten, Andrea L Graham, Bryan T Grenfell, Marcel A Müller, Melinda Ng, Lin-Fa Wang, Anieke van Leeuwen., ‘Accelerated viral dynamics in bat cell lines, with implications for zoonotic emergence’, eLife, https://elifesciences.org/articles/48401, eLife 2020; 9:e48401 DOI: 10.7554/eLife.48401
Ahn, M., Anderson, D.E., Zhang, Q. et al. Dampened NLRP3-mediated inflammation in bats and implications for a special viral reservoir host. Nat Microbiol 4, 789–799 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-019-0371-3
BIG LIFE QUESTIONS 