Corina Matei
Corina Matei, PhD in Philosophy from the University of Bucharest, is an associate professor at "Titu Maiorescu" University and a Christian journalist. In addition to her work at "Semnele timpului", she hosts the show "Evening Talks" on Speranța TV and contributes to the "Alice in Wonderland" section of the online magazine "Femei de 10". She is the author of the books: ”Ordinea și dezordinea simbolurilor” ("Order and Disorder of Symbols"), ”Morală, educație, comunicare în era focului rece” ("Morality, Education, Communication in the Era of Cold Fire"), and ”Postmodernity’s Fugitive Truths”.
A brief treatise on (dis)illusion
In some African communities, during the harsh dry season when food becomes scarce and mothers can no longer feed all their children, a tragic custom persists: some children are left in open-air enclosures to die of starvation.
Assertive behaviour: a remedy for poor communication
I believe that every Eastern European has, at some point, realised when meeting a Westerner that their interaction could be improved if they were more open themselves, as the foreigner usually is.
A sad soul is one whose lights have been turned off
Depression, sadness, melancholy, sorrow and despair are universal human states of mind that have given rise to distinct cultures, with nuances specific to different eras and places. These cultures have manifested themselves in everything from poems and songs to philosophical concepts. However, while we acknowledge the creativity that can arise from suffering, like a pearl formed from an oyster's irritation, our focus is...
Love and cosmic cold
"We keep on being told that religion, whatever its imperfections, at least instills morality. On every side, there is conclusive evidence that the contrary is the case and that faith causes people to be more mean, more selfish, and perhaps above all, more stupid." (Christopher Hitchens)
Deadly ideas
“To them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever” (Isaiah 56:5).
How to think outside the box
"Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort." (Franklin Delano Roosevelt, US President)
The Christian citizen
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18).
God’s children… and “grandchildren”
I once heard a Christian warn his community: "God only has children, He does not have grandchildren!" In the postmodern context of relativising values and truths, diverse, strange or syncretic religious forms have emerged and continue to emerge. This is happening to a large extent within Christianity.
Deal with the devil
Among the many perplexing phenomena the internet offers, recent public statements by certain American artists stand out. These individuals, popular in various circles, openly admit to having made a deal with the devil—selling their souls and becoming his servants in exchange for career success, wealth, and fame.
From cold season’s greetings to the Good News
Holiday greetings are a nice custom, but they are also an opportunity to assess how much we care about each other, how much we have grown closer or, on the contrary, how much we have grown apart over the past year.
The illusion of equality and other failures of reason
"Cultural trends now fashionable in the West favour an egalitarian approach to life. People like to think of human beings as the output of a perfectly engineered mass production machine. Geneticists and sociologists especially go out of their way to prove, with an impressive apparatus of scientific data and formulations, that all men are naturally equal and if some are more equal than...
The balancing act of public morality
We sometimes find ourselves surprised by how other people think about moral issues—how they distinguish right from wrong and choose to do what they think is right.
The neighbour and the farthest
Could it be that, beyond economic, political or geostrategic difficulties, there are obstacles to the ideal of the common good that are inherent in human nature? And if something specific to human nature stood in the way of achieving this ideal, would it not lead to failure, regardless of overcoming all other difficulties?
Is God with me?
"When I was little, I felt that God was with me, but now I feel so lonely! I wonder if God really was with me back then".