I Adventist education: Affordable or not? RECORDA ugust 2 ) I 27 Adventists die in PNG tidal- wave disaster Adventist primary schools on the move Is historicism I dead? II ID Look who's taking on the world! edit or i a l WHAT DOOMSDAY CLOCK? he board of directors at the I can imagine Adventists setting it Bible reading Bulletin of the Atomic at 10 minutes to midnight (or closer) Jesus tells His disciples not to be TScientists has moved the just before the start of the Gulf War. Doomsday Clock watchers while hands of its Doomsday Clock ahead Here's the president of Iraq, Saddam they admire the beauty of the tem- five minutes—to nine minutes before Hussein, threatening to fight the ple in Jerusalem. midnight, reports Time magazine "mother of all battles." Yes, people "You're not impressed by all this (June 29). The move is in response die—war is always dirty and sheer size, are you?" he chides. "The to the testing of nuclear weapons in bloody—but the world doesn't end. truth of the matter is that there's not India and Pakistan, and the stalling (The Cable News Network, CNN, a stone in that building that is not of the arms-reduction process would have covered it anyway.) going to end up in a pile of rubble" between the United States and Will we set it at five minutes to (Matthew 24:2, The Message). The Russia. midnight now that the pope releases disciples are intrigued. They ask for The starting point for the a letter calling for greater commit- a sign of His coming. Doomsday Clock was designed to ment to Sunday observance and Jesus warns against falling for be a quarter to midnight. doomsday deceivers and panicking I "Could we ever find the clock at, during times of war or natural disas- say, 10.30 pm?" asks Time. There's something ter. But then, "This is nothing com- "When we moved it to 17 minutes refreshing . pared to what is coming" (Matthew to midnight in 1991, it was in a burst 24:8, The Message). of optimism," says Atomic Scientists about not letting "They'll arrest you, hunt you editor Mike Moore. "If we found down and drag you to court and things were so good that we could the Second Coming gaol." move it to 10.30, we'd just retire it." worry you. But, "Make up your mind right "What about 11.15?" now not to worry about it. I'll give "No, we'd just retire the clock." you the words and wisdom that will In other words, the atomic scien- church attendance? We wait to see reduce all your accusers to stammers tists believe world tensions are what happens. and stutters. going to continue. They're not an It's just as well Adventists don't "You'll be turned in by parents, optimistic lot at Atomic Scientists. have a Doomsday Clock. Even brothers, relatives, and friends. Some What if Adventists had a though we're fascinated by prophe- of you will be killed. There's no Doomsday Clock? Where would we cy, Jesus tells us not to predict when telling who will hate you because of set it? At a quarter to midnight? Ten He'll return. Instead, He tells us to me." to midnight? Five to midnight? prepare for His soon coming. But, "Every detail of your body And to look forward to it. and soul . is in my care; nothing Clock watching When I was younger, I remember of you will be lost. Staying with it— I can imagine Adventists setting talking with my friends about when that's what is required. Stay with it their Doomsday Clock at a quarter Jesus would come back. We'd joke to the end" (Luke 21:12, 15, 16, 19, to midnight during the Iron Curtain about it then, of course. It was like, The Message). era. Here's the world, set up neatly "Jesus is coming now." "No He's not. Jesus says you won't with the good guys versus the bad He's coming . now. Now." be sorry; you'll be guys; democracy versus commu- There's something refreshing saved. nism. Or do we say 15 minutes about that naivety, about not letting now, after the event, because we the Second Coming worry you. know what happens? The Iron About not watching a Doomsday Brenton Stacey Curtain falls. Clock. Next week Official Paper Manuscripts Should be sent to The Editor, RECORD, South Pacific Division Signs Publishing Company, Warburton, Victoria 3799. ACN 000 003 930 Manuscripts or computer disks will only be retumed if Division-wide SEVENTH-DAY accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Editor Bruce Manners ADVENTIST Phone: (03) 5966 9111 literature evangelist Senior Assistant Editor Lee Dunstan CHURCH Fax: (03) 5966 9019 Editorial Assistant Brenton Stacey E-mail: [email protected] Copy Editor Graeme Brown convention a South Editorial Secretary Meryl McDonald Subscriptions South Pacific Division, $A40.00 Senior Consulting Editor Barry Oliver $NZ73.00. All other regions, $A70.00. Air mail rates on Pacificfirst. application. Order from Signs Publishing Company, Vol 103 No 32 Warburton, Victoria 3799, Australia. Printed weekly by Cover Photo: Monica Spedding pictured in Cambodia Signs Publishing Company. adventist life CIRCLES IN THE SAND b y Cesar Gonzalez n a recent business trip, I I didn't get an answer. I tried to knew I needed. I achieved a totally saw a pretty girl playing on get back on my feet, but every time new perception of God's power and the beach on a cold, windy I got close to achieving something it love and what being a Christian real- night. She was drawing circles in the collapsed before my eyes. I prayed ly is. sand. more ardently, pleading for my very I started to know Christ in a real I walked down to the shore and existence. way for the first time in my life, and drew my own circle. I stood in it for Nothing. from that time my religious experi- a long time and watched as the How could this be? Isn't God sup- ence has been truly joyful and fulfill- wind and waves moved it, changed posed to answer His children's ing. Since then I don't pray for it and, finally, erased it. I looked up prayers? Doesn't He care? things or answers. I pray for peace, and down the beach, then out at the Then I became angry. Why am I faith, wisdom, and courage—the ele- black ocean and saw the absurdity even praying? I asked myself. Why ments I need to withstand the trials I IF of my self-importance. should I even have to ask? Isn't God go through while waiting for God to In the summer of 1996 I was liv- all-knowing? Shouldn't he know work His will. ing the life I'd always wanted. what I need to survive? Where is Our lives are like circles in the Professionally, I couldn't have been that love now? This went on for sand, and we have to wonder who happier; I had a cool job in publish- three months of turmoil, anguish, is in control of them. Are we fight- ing that put me in all the right self-abuse and sleepless nights. ing a losing battle trying to define places with all the right people. I Finally, late one miserable night in our lives ourselves? Can we even worked with a terrific team and was an angry defiance that I have never comprehend the full picture? proud of my work. known, I challenged God: "All right, I know there are certain decisions Still, there were problems. I didn't if You are there and listening, I don't even want to make, but let- feel that my job was bringing me You're going to have to prove it. ting go and allowing God to take closer to God, and that charge is difficult for this p nagged at me. But it control freak. That night felt good to come into on the beach I turned work every day, and I away from the lights of truly wanted to be the city and stared into there. At that time, the huge darkness. Tears what I wanted was the came to my eyes from the most important thing to cold wind. I thanked God me. for tearing me down to A few months later, build me up right, and and just in time for the prayed for Him to guide III holidays, my world my circle as it moved, caved in. My firm, of changed and touched oth- which I was part owner ers. (a tiny little part, but a I'm glad God put that girl part nonetheless) fold- on the beach. Through ed. At about the same her He made me realise time, the best relation- that even though I don't ship that I have ever know what the future has had crumbled, seeming- in store for me, He is in , ly without cause. I was control; and I have never devastated. been as happy as I am Everything that defined who I was You don't want to give me what I now. She'll never know the imprint vanished. Broke, without a real job, need, then at least give me enough her circle left on my life. IS and feeling lonely, I turned to God, peace to sleep tonight." because that's where you go when I slept like a baby.