(Yes I know it’s a long post. Just stick with it.)
One of my regular guests during my morning radio programme is Nutritionist – Naturopath Philip Bridgeman from Wisdom for Health.
During some recent programmes we were asking people to look at their hair, nails, face and tongues for some of the tell-tale signs that a naturopath uses in diagnosing deficiencies in the body. Talking off-air after the programme I mentioned how helpful it was to have this kind of a look at ourselves because we can so often think that the blemishes and other signs of deficiency are just normal. It’s not until we hear from someone who knows what normal really is that we are awakened to the fact that there are things that we need to sort out.
During another programme, this time with Genevieve Milnes, our regular Psychologist – Counsellor guest from the Belmont Counselling Clinic, we were discussing insomnia. We looked at what insomnia is through a series of questions. No, I don’t have a problem falling asleep. No, I don’t wake up several hours too early and have to get up. I’m no insomniac. Then we looked deeper and found that insomnia is also waking several times during the night and going back to sleep. That’s me. I don’t wake all that often but I do wake a couple of times in the night. You might also suffer from insomnia if you don’t feel refreshed after sleep. That’s definitely me. I get the right hours of sleep but I can’t remember a time when I felt completely refreshed after sleeping. That’s not normal. I need to sort it out. It is possible to wake refreshed and full of energy. I would never have thought about it unless someone pointed out what normal really is.
I was reminded about these things when I saw the news last night and saw some women from Pitcairn Island being interviewed about the trial of seven island men on child sex charges. It seems that the culture on the island is one where adult men regularly have sex with girls of 11, 12 and 13 years of age.
The women on the island don’t want the charges to be brought against their men because they all had sex with adult men in their early years and think it’s OK.
Part of an article at news.com.au says One woman will see her father, son and husband in the dock, accused of participating in what prosecutors say is an ingrained culture of Pitcairn men using young girls for sex. Yes, underage sex has always been part of Pitcairn culture, said three generations of Pitcairn women at yesterday’s meeting, but it was consensual.
They said allegations that children as young as five were molested were untrue.
And two island women who initially gave evidence to police said they had withdrawn their statements, claiming investigators had offered them compensation in return for their evidence.
Some of the Pitcairners did not speak at the meeting, but all who attended were lending moral support to the seven defendants and six other Pitcairn men who are being extradited to face additional charges.
In all, the first seven men face 55 charges of rape, gross indecency and indecent assault.
The defendants say they are worried they will not get a fair hearing.
Islander Nadine Warren said the court case, which is to begin tomorrow in the white wooden public hall of Pitcairn Island, could destroy the community.
“None of the women want this to happen,” she said.
If the men are convicted and jailed in the newly-built island prison, she said many of their wives and children would desert Pitcairn.
“Anything to save the guys,” she said.
The island’s culture involved girls starting sex at 11, 12 or 13, said Olive Christian, wife of island Mayor Steve Christian.
It seems that this has been going on for so long that they don’t know that this is not normal, or at least if it is normal on Pitcairn, it is not right. It’s time that these men were prosecuted and someone started showing them what normal really is so that they can see that it doesn’t have to be this way.
As a Christian I find the Bible helpful in being a great indicator of what is or should be normal. The scriptures point me to how things should be in my life, not as an accusing finger telling me what I’m doing wrong, but rather a shining light of hope.
The Bible tells me I don’t have to wallow in average, there is a better kind of normal for me to strive toward. Not only can I strive toward a better kind of normal, I have the help of the Creator. The kind of normal the Bible points to is the life that we were designed and created to enjoy. Why would I settle for less?
Posted by Rodney Olsen
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