For an old age worth living

“Life seems short.” A seemingly simple phrase—until it comes from someone celebrating their 117th birthday, who has walked paths that stretch across three different centuries.

COVID-19: Could giving up ever be the key to success?

Pray! If not to God, then to a god. Admit that we are defeated, because this is the first step towards victory.

One lottery ticket and an unexpected ending

Whether we admit it or not, our lives are conditioned by money—mostly by the lack thereof. There are few who manage to snatch themselves out from under its spell, and even fewer who want it just to be able to give it away. Among the latter is Rachel Lapierre.

Life after lockdown: a return to the rat race?

On any given day, a typical person checks the clock several dozen times.

Are spiritual forces real?

Ideas about death, souls and afterlife existence are often intertwined with religious or spiritual beliefs—in other words, belief in the supernatural. But are spiritual forces present or observable in this world? Do they exist? Can they be observed, defined, categorised? Are friendly ghosts and vengeful spirits lingering in haunted houses real, are the paranormal investigators you see on television really fighting an evil spirit as they claim, or...

The light that penetrates the cracks in the wall of algorithms

With its appearance as a contemporary version of the Ancient Greek agora, the internet has made free expression an implicit part of our daily lives. However, the more we learn about the increasingly complex nature of algorithms and the intentions of those who have the power to dictate them, the more we realise that the digital world is not, by definition, a truly...

Life lessons from the ants

Rudyard Kipling referred to ants in his famous poem, recommending these fragile creatures as a kind of didactic exhibit. What can one learn from ant colonies?

The casino inside your phone

In the February 2023 issue of Signs of the Times, I wrote an article titled Gambling’s Dark Underbelly. Here in Australia, gambling is a multi-billion-dollar industry with a few very rich winners and millions of losers. In the article I concluded that “Gambling in any form is designed to bleed you for as long as you’re willing to bleed, with no regard for...

Mentors for change

In addition to my family of origin, as a child, I had the privilege of knowing valuable people in my life, mostly pastors and musicians, who would pay attention to me, teach me what they knew best, guide me towards a strong value system, ​​and act as role models.

“God is against all forms of contraception.” True or false?

Did you know that if the current rate of population growth continues, the world's population will double in the next 40 years? Did you also know that if all available food resources on Earth were used to feed people, it would only be able to support 15 billion of us?

Money and faith: Christian strategies for times of crisis

A financial crisis never comes alone. It brings uncertainty, fear, sleepless nights, and the shame of being unable to meet one's expenses. Can faith bring meaning amid financial chaos?

Remembering the Earth landing

In 2019 we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the “great leap for mankind” Moon landing. It was an exciting, significant time in the history of our planet.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way the Bible is studied, both in laboratories and at home

Artificial intelligence is changing the way Bible researchers approach the study of Scripture. However, this is not just a privilege reserved for specialists—it is an adventure available to anyone with an internet connection.

My search for the real Dracula

The train departs Bucharest, Romania’s “little Paris”—the old city section with beautiful architecture and impressive monuments, giving way to Communist-era apartment blocks. The plain outside the city is flat and featureless, broken now and again by a grove of trees—mysterious and impenetrable to the gaze. Decrepit houses, tattooed with graffiti, a splash of colour to contrast the uniform grey buildings, marching aimlessly past...

Creativity in the age of acceleration

"Millions of ordinary, psychologically normal people will face an abrupt collision with the future. Citizens of the world's richest and most technologically advanced nations, many of them will find it increasingly painful to keep up with the incessant demand for change that characterises our time." (Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, 1970)