Author Archives: Bert Hielema

 October 5 2022  BOMBS. Some commentators, Tocqueville and Fukuyama among them, tell us that society needs religion, because, they say, its absence advances anarchy and despotism. Religion, supposedly, teaches us direction and purpose and pursues aims beyond personal gain. There … Continue reading →

September 28 2022 VENGEANCE The oceans are angry; the earth is boiling with rage. When sailors first approached the American shores, the fish were so plentiful that lowering a bucket into the salt waters would yield a teeming catch. Today … Continue reading →

September 21 2022 THE END? The past week was an emotional one, dominated by the late Queen Elizabeth II. It reminded me of another queen, Victoria, who on January 22 1901, died at the age of 81. She passed away at Osborne … Continue reading →

September 14 2022 EARTH AND CHURCH: EARTHER AND CHURCHER. One of my readers – and a good friend – sent me this question: “My question to you is how do you see Earthers moving forward. How do you see Earthers … Continue reading →

September 7 2022 WHY I DON’T CALL MYSELF A CHRISTIAN ANYMORE. We have to revise the word “Christian”, or drop it altogether. Why this radical move? The concept has been coopted and become meaningless. Brazilian President, Bolsonaro, destroyer of the Amazon, calls … Continue reading →

August 31 2022 CLOSE TO COLLAPSE? “It is worse, much worse, than you think. The slowness of climate change is a fairy tale, perhaps as pernicious as the one that says it isn’t happening at all, and comes to us … Continue reading →