—and Why That’s a Problem Most of us want someone to lead us. It seems to be part of how humans are wired. We look for a figure—someone strong, confident, and certain—who can tell us what to believe, how to act, and what it all means. That desire makes sense, especially in confusing or difficult …

Power, Charisma, and Collapse in the Modern Cult We’ve seen it again and again—groups that start with high ideals, breakaway visions, and passionate leaders. They offer a way out: from corruption, from loneliness, from spiritual emptiness. They promise a new world, built on love, community, or truth. But one by one, they fall. Waco. Jonestown. …

Does It Work? We’re used to thinking of beliefs as things we either accept or reject based on whether they’re true. But what if we asked a different question: not “Is it true?” but “Does it work?” This idea comes from Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), a pragmatic system of thought developed in the 1970s. NLP treats beliefs not as sacred truths …

What If They Had Been Left Alone? We flatter ourselves in the West with our galleries, our libraries, our operas, and our novels. We point to Shakespeare, Beethoven, Michelangelo, and Newton as if their greatness justifies everything done in their wake. But the truth is more sordid: behind these cultural treasures lies a history of …

In an earlier reflection, I wrote: “It may be easier to make better lives for our children than to rescue the Church. But the message of Jesus remains—for those willing to hear it.” I see no future in the institutionalised Church. Nor do I believe that alternatives would fare better unless they addressed the same structural flaws. …