Dries Roelvink (65) calls it ‘very special’ that his two sons, Dave (29) and Donny (26), have recently become interested in Islam. This is what the folk singer said in conversation with journalist Salaheddine Benchikhi (43), who previously also spoke to Dave and Donny in his YouTube series ‘Death, God and the afterlife’. Especially because of their upbringing at home, which did not include religion, he follows this development with great interest and hopes that they will eventually find peace.
“If it makes them happy and keeps them calm and loses that fear, then fine”
There was never any question of religion in the Roelvink household, not even during his youth in Amsterdam, Dries says. He believes that the time for joining a religion has passed. “To adapt my entire way of life to a religion at the age of 65? I may already be too late with that.” At times when he thinks about death, ‘fear’ arises, ‘fear of nothingness’. While many believers count on an afterlife, the singer sees death ‘as if you have been put under anesthesia and it remains that way’. He also spoke about that subject in the past with former SGP leader Kees van der Staaij. “I also noticed that when I really questioned him, he wasn’t sure either.”
Regarding the fact that both his sons are involved in Islam, Dries hopes that ‘when they start to believe in something, they will not have the fear that I have for the rest of their lives. Because I know they both have had it or still have it.” He has already seen some change in Donny since then. “I notice it more with Don than with Dave. Dave has had a lot of problems. So he is still struggling with all kinds of problems, is fighting an addiction and he and his girlfriend have just separated. So a lot of things are still holding him back. And I think Don is more zen already, and Dave should also go in that direction.”
When asked how he would feel if they became practicing Muslims within a few years, Dries replied that he had ‘no problem with that’. The artist hopes for peace for his children. “If it makes them happy and keeps them calm and gets rid of that fear, then fine.”
2024-03-12 19:15:02
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