Issue 155 (Sep - Oct 2023)

Two themes stand out in this issue of The Fountain. The first is from the topic of this year’s essay contest: How to focus in a time of distractions. For this issue, we have selected two shortlisted essays by two authors from two distant parts of the world. Mette Dencker, a former member of the Dan…

At one time this blessed world bore little resemblance to the one we know today. Its colors, atmosphere, and people were steeped in a unique spiritual essence. With an unyielding determination to safeguard their identity, its inhabitants cherished the values inherited from the past, celebrated time…

“… We have made your sleep for rest.” (78:9) Sleep is necessary for a healthy life. It is a special blessing to all living things with a metabolism. In normal conditions, the states of being asleep and awake are meant to be in order and rhythm so they align perfectly with our biological operations…

Before I started writing this, the distractions were standing in line to hit me in the face. I needed someplace quiet to reflect and write. Since I was far away from my home, a tourist in a city in the rural part of Denmark, I thought of a café, but all the conversations would distract me. So, I ch…

Have you ever found yourself lost in the mesmerizing abyss of social media, only to realize hours have slipped away? Or perhaps you've struggled to complete a task, constantly succumbing to the allure of notifications and buzzing smartphones. In our rapidly evolving and interconnected world, distra…

My father used to tell me a story in which a young boy was searching for a place where nothing like math existed. I am unsure if he crafted it for me or read it elsewhere. However, I still liken those with a fear of math to that child. Individuals with “math anxiety” spend their lives trying to avo…

Some make spiritual journeys by refining and developing the faculties, while others purify the carnal soul within, causing it to take certain steps. In both these ways, suf­fering for certain periods is essential to reach the rank of perfec­tion and to become a perfect human being. Yet there are ot…

Fear and hope are considered to be two balancing spiritual weights necessary for an ideal faithful life. While hope enables believers not to despair, fear enables them to close doors for selfish, toxic self-pride. Though somewhat different from these definitions, summer 2023 has left me with mixed…

The flourishing existence of peaceful social relationships begins with the seed of dialogue. Rather than categorizing human beings into labels of specific religions or belief backgrounds, one should yearn for the beauty that lies within true understandings of actions and the strength that is derive…

“Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies” is a book by philosopher Nick Bostrom that explores the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on humanity, with a particular focus on the risks associated with the development of a superintelligent AI. The book has fifteen chapters. But in…

I am certain that if, two hours ago, I hadn’t seen it happen right in front of my eyes, my guts tied in a one-handed surgical knot, I too would chalk up my three-year-old’s complaint of abdominal pain to a case of good-old constipation. A nuisance, especially at a family reunion, but certainly not…

Doing or producing something good and beautiful and ensuring that others perceive these beauties as “beautiful,” and then sustaining these beauties, are two different things. Indeed, working on diligently like a laborer, opening educational institutions, shedding light on the paths people walk, and…

Human activity is taking Earth to the brink Richardson K. et al. Earth beyond six of nine planetary boundaries. Science Advances, September 2023. A new study suggests that Earth has been increasingly becoming uninhabitable for humans. Human activities are on the verge of significant, irrevocable…