Can Faith Be Intelligent?
No, it can’t. Actually, it can only be dumb, only naïve, only irrational. If it were rational and intelligent it wouldn’t be faith, after all. By definition. This conclusion is […]
Author Archives: René Breuel
The Tallest god in the World
On the way to a conference, Sarah and I recently had the thrill of visiting Dubai. An impressive, ultra-modern city rising in the desert, Dubai’s scale is overwhelming. It had […]
Confessions of a new Twitterer
Last Friday I became the 621,878,922th person to join Twitter[citation needed]. I inserted my noble name under the blue dove, spent an hour or so until Twitter accepted a proper […]
Mud Machine
In a recent book, Vieni Via con Me, Italian author Roberto Saviano points out a phenomenon which takes place in many of our contemporary societies: the mud machine.[1] Whenever someone […]
Reflections on my 30th birthday
Birthdays, at least for me, are usually bittersweet. There is the joy of having your own day, of allowing yourself a treat or two. There are the kind words and […]
A Note to Obama Before He Bombs Syria…
How do we stop cycles of vengeance and violence? How can international powers intervene effectively in a brutal civil war like Syria’s? What can we say to someone who has […]
Congratulations, you may now kiss yourself
Ever thought of marrying yourself? That is what a 30-year-old lady from Taipei did a few of years ago, in a public ceremony with 30 guests, three wedding dresses, two […]
Collecting Stamps
[Author’s note: sometime last week, in broad daylight, I saw myself turn into Mr. Hyde. I’m not quite sure what happened. Apparently there was lot’s of anger, and a few […]
The Gospel according to the Spa (and Oprah)
My wife and I entered the spa. The music was mellow, the colors were bright, the attendants spoke in a soft voice. We could see the city’s skyscrapers and confusion […]
The Politics of Redemption
If you are entertained by politics, like me, or similarly by sports, there is nothing more fascinating than to see someone rise. A mom-and-pop store owner who becomes mayor, a […]
Wondering Fair 