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Universal Teachings For Everyday Living Page 2
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![President’s Messageby Rev. Koyo S. KuboseWhat is your viewof cause and effect in the world? Iconsider myself to be an educated, intelligentperson who is comfortable with a scientific view of thenatural world. I would call this “just having common sense”as opposed to holding supernatural or superstitious beliefs. Thelong historical road to “just having common sense,” is filled with manybattles between science and religion. I don’t feel such battles apply to Bud-dhism. I think Buddhism attracts people whose world view is that of naturallaws. My opinion is that Buddhism should not be associated with the stereotypeof religion as being characterized by blind faith and the kind of emotionalism thatis contrary to rationality and common sense. The definition of religion should not be exclusively equated with a belief in asupernatural omnipotent being. Such a definition is one reason some people have adistaste for anything to do with religion. Unfortunately, this can result in an unneces-sary impoverished spiritual life. At its worse, what is left is a deep-seated cynicism andarrogance. Another option is to keep one’s religious beliefs compartmentalized fromone’s scientific view of the world. Is such compartmentalization necessary or desir-able? Buddhism is not the kind of religion that requires such a separation. Instead,Buddhism is compatible with a unified view that encompasses both personal spiri-tuality and the scientific world of natural laws.Such a unified view is what I find exciting about a new book, The SacredDepths of Nature by Ursula Goodenough (Oxford University Press, 1998).This book was reviewed by Barbara Smuts in Scientific American (May,1999). One of our Oneness Newsletter readers sent me a copy ofthis review. She felt the book would be of interest to otherNewsletter readers. I agree and I feel strongly enough toreprint the review almost in its entirety in thiscurrent issue of our Newsletter.Editor of this issue Shauna KuboseEditor-In-ChiefRev. Koyo S. KuboseManaging EditorAdrienne KuboseOneness Newsletter Summer 1999Please send:Dharma GlimpsesPoemsReader RepliesAutumn issue deadline: July 31]]]]]]]]]]]]]]8334 Harding Avenue Skokie, Illinois 60076 Phone (847) 677-8211 Fax (847) 677-8053 ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]](./L_Files/background2.png)
