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Sharing the insights I discover as I explore and experience the mystery that is our reality. Join me in my journey and share yours.




Saturday, April 13, 2013

The Unsettling Nature of Uncertainty






I'm currently reading Huston Smith's book, Why Religion Matters. I'm not quite sure what I expect to get out of it but I have to say that as of right now I'm finding it disappointing. It seems Smith's biggest argument for why religion really matters thus far, and I am still relatively early on in the book, is not necessarily because it's true but that it provides a panacea for the masses. It provides hope and inspiration, a sense of community, those sorts of things. One could easily respond  to that argument by asking a question of their own. If religion matters  because of  only those benefits what happens when an individual can find them via other avenues?  If our  personal longing for hope and meaning can be found without God or the sense of anything transcendental or spiritual to inspire us, doesn't that then render religion and spirituality irrelevant?

I suppose I shouldn't be too disappointed though. It's not as if the book was titled, "Why Religions are True" or "Why Religions are Real".

Religion claims the heart, science appeals to the intellect.  But is there a way, I wonder, how a purely scientific perspective can not only help satiate the intellect's hunger for answers but also appeal to the heart's longing for meaning? All of the world's religions would undoubtedly answer with a resounding no. The Gita, especially, asserts that hope and meaning can only be found in the eternal, not the impermanent, and the scientific worldview only addresses the material world which is by default impermanent.
Smith asserts that science can provide meaning more easily for the actual scientist, but not for the ordinary person. The reason being is that the scientist is actively involved in discovering the natural world as well as creating and innovating. The rest of us just bear witness to what is discovered and what is created, and there is a fundamental difference between the two experiences. Smith writes:
"...the creativeness of their vocation probably makes it easier for scientists than for most other people to create meaningful lives for themselves....[there is a] difference in fulfillment that comes from inventing the Polaroid camera, on the one hand, and buying one, on the other." p. 39

Smith quotes Ursala Goodenough in her book The Sacred Depths of Nature, when she discussed how her nature has "no Creator, no superordinate meaning of meaning, no purpose other than life's continuance. But regardless of that it still filled her with feelings of "awe and reverence".

He responds to this realization she made in her book by writing the following:

"We can be glad that it does, but how much comfort can we draw from that fact when the awe nature awakens in human beings is, like all emotions, no more than a Post-it note, so to speak, affixed to a nature that is unaware of being thus bedecked. Reverence and awe are human sentiments that extend no deeper into nature than human consciousness extends, and in a universe fifteen billion light-years across...To speak of nature's depths as sacred in themselves, without human beings imputing sanctity to those depths, is to be guilty of the anthropomorphic thinking that John Ruskin dubbed "the pathetic fallacy"-the fallacy of imputing feeling where there is none.

Goodenough's "sacredness" is in her eye, the eye of the beholder, and in the eyes of those who share her sensibilities. What is the depths of nature-its deep structure on which human sentience bobs like a rose petal on the sea-is insentient, quantifiable matter." p. 38-39

The words that immediately caught my attention in the above passage were, "but how much comfort can we draw". Those words are like a red flag that is instantly raised in my mind. Such an instinctual reaction sometimes makes me think that perhaps I'll always revert to a state of skepticism in which I cannot ultimately escape.  Whenever I come across the idea of pursuing comfort when it comes to areas of spirituality and considering reality as a whole it makes me pause and incredulously ask myself, "are we looking for comfort, or are we looking for truth"? I think comfort and truth very often do run concurrently with one another but that that isn't always so. And if it isn't always so then I suppose there comes a time when we have to make a choice. To choose that path that seems steady and bright offering an undercurrent of optimism and hope or a path that is much more uncertain where you only see the entrance and whatever else awaits is unknown. Instead of an undercurrent of hope and optimism this path sometimes brings feelings of foreboding and uncertainty.

Personally, I find uncertainty unsettling and I think most people do. I feel like the uncertainty that creeps into my consciousness, whispering nagging questions that I cannot yet answer and producing doubts in areas where I finally thought I had found some conclusions, pollutes and threatens my sense of spirituality. As a defense mechanism there are times when I try to ignore these questions and thoughts that arise and loom over the castle of sand I have neatly erected by the shore, threatening to sweep it away. If only I had a stronger foundation like so many others seem to have. Those individuals I have met that are firm and convicted in their spiritual orientations. What is my problem? Am I just ultimately a hopeless skeptic?

I have found  meaning in the writings of the Gita and Upanishads as well as other Vedic literature and have experienced great spiritual satisfaction in reading them. I consider them inspired sources in which I can draw both tangible transcendental truths from regarding spiritual realities as well as practical truths regarding our existence in this material world. But then there are times when something inside me seems to force me to step back, right when it seems I am almost ready to find myself in a spiritual state of conviction and wonder,"How can any of us really know what is real?" I enter a place of uncertainty that threatens to knock me off my spiritual foundation.

I feel like such uncertainty is like entering a bottomless abyss. It is as if the human heart longs for something tangible to cling to, but it is in the letting go that it enters into genuine inquiry. This reminds me of the passage from Alan Watts' book, The Wisdom of Insecurity:

The believer will open his mind to the truth on condition that it fits in with his preconceived ideas and wishes. Faith, on the other hand, is an unreserved opening of the mind to the truth, whatever it may turn out to be. Faith has no preconceptions; it is a plunge into the unknown. Belief clings, but faith lets go. In this sense of the word, faith is the essential virtue of science and likewise of any religion that is not self-deception.    p. 24

It seems like, no matter how hard I try, a battle is continually being waged between my heart and intellect deep within my subconscious. Sometimes one side seems to have claimed victory but then, like a phoenix, the other side rises out from seemingly nowhere and makes an appearance, casting its dark shadow on the battleground once again. No...the war isn't over...not yet!

But does any of this really have to do with the question of whether or not religion matters? I guess I do get side-tracked sometimes;continually concerning myself with whether or not I can feel or "know" with a shadow of a doubt if things are factually true which can sometimes be irrelevant as to whether or not they really matter. I do believe religion and spirituality do have their purpose and play an important role in many people's lives. Radhanath Swami, in a lecture you can view here, describes just how important of a role religion can have in  people's lives:


"In a very broad sense it is to transform our consciousness from arrogance to humility. From vengeance to forgiveness. From greed to generosity. And most of all, it is meant to connect us to the love within us so that we might be instruments of compassion in everything we do. This is the universal principle of religion. To absorb ourselves in the love of God and to be truly and genuinely compassionate to all living things..."


...And thinking about it that way, religion matters greatly.



Well, in the beginning of this post were some preliminary reactions I had to ideas shared early on in Huston Smith's  book, Why Religion Matters. The rest of the post consists of my own  personal reflections that I wrote this morning in a sort of "stream of consciousness" sort of way
towards those ideas.


I'd love your thoughts! Please leave them in the comments section. Thank you!


35 comments:

  1. The passages you shared from the author you're currently reading (Huston Smith) come across as very arrogant and borderline condescending. I've run across this mentality quite often and it immediately turns me off and prevents me from wanting to further engage with that person, or that book. The mindset that only scientific thinkers are capable of having an easier time with creating meaningful lives is absurd! Pseudo-intellectual snobbery seems to be very prevalent when addressing the various concepts and applications of religion.

    I loved the final quote you offered that directly addresses this very arrogance, and turns it beautifully to something positive and useful. I don't have to understand, agree or resonate with anyone else's path and beliefs to accept that that path and those beliefs work for them. There is beauty to be found in most things, if we choose to release judgment and embrace the fact that diversity can become complementary.

    As always, your posts prompt thoughtfulness. :)

    Namaste',

    Dawn

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  2. Thank you so much Dawn...
    I'd like to just clarify the earlier quote regarding Smith's thoughts on meaning and those that hold a scientific worldview. He is definitely a proponent for a religious worldview and was arguing that if anyone would be able to find meaning in a scientific worldview it would be actual scientists, since they are engaged, hands on, in creating and innovating, actively discovering..and for sure there comes a sense of fulfillment that comes along with that. But for the average person, a worldview devoid of God, Smith would consider pretty bleak and absent of any real deep sense of hope.

    I love your thoughts...Thank you for sharing them. Your heart shines through them. :)

    <3

    Jessica

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    1. I realize that it's easy to misinterpret the motivation of the author from reading a small snippet of his book, and I appreciate your clarification.

      I have had the good fortune to work with physicists who are studying quantum mechanics, string theory and all of those concepts that can turn your mind inside out. What I've found fascinating is that the majority of these scientific minds, through all their linear logic and experiments, voice the opinion that science (for them) underscores the presence of something Divine.

      One physicist that I've had many conversations with regarding multiple universes and string theory, has said, "With all of the things we can prove scientifically, it is difficult for me to categorically state that all that we know just suddenly winked into existence purely by chance, accident or a series of random events. There is an Unseen Hand at work with all of it." I loved that! When scientific approach and an open mind can eventually circle back around and find both science and spirituality intertwining and co-existing, that's just cool to me.

      (And now I'll stop monopolizing your thread!)

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    2. Monopolize ahead Dawn! lol...Seriously, I'm loving your input! And thank you for it. :)

      "What I've found fascinating is that the majority of these scientific minds, through all their linear logic and experiments, voice the opinion that science (for them) underscores the presence of something Divine."

      I think that says a lot...I do think reality itself is so inconceivably amazing and intricate...It is hard not to think of it as having some sort of creative impulse, intelligence behind it.

      I think for those who put all their weight in science, without considering the idea that there is more than our senses can detect and our instruments can measure, are kind of putting all of their eggs in one basket, so to speak. Smith would argue that they are viewing reality through a form of tunnel vision...which can certainly go both ways for those ascribing to both worldviews-religious or scientific.

      Thanks again so much for your thoughts. They are always welcome here! <3

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  3. I really enjoyed reflecting on your post sis. It allows me to 'ask' myself and dig things deeper rather than rely solely on a 'faith' that was handed down to us by our parents and forefathers.

    I was struck by several of your passages and queries...

    "What if our personal longing for hope and meaning can be found without God (through other venues)," "Religion as a panacea," "Am I seeking comfort...or truth?," "Why religion/s matter..."

    When an approach to a religion is 'blind following' it does not last, like a plant without roots. Questions are not asked...the faith remains infantile. Life does not follow through; I ask what is the meaning of our existence? Where will it bring us? What do I hold on to? What is my creed?

    When an approach to a religion is to 'prove' which is better ~ it results to destructive words and pointless comparisons. Proof is a result of experience with a Higher Being and actions more than words are more tangible expressions.

    I remember, as a missionary, we were reminded that proselytism was not part of our mission. We were not sent to 'baptize' people but to 'witness' our faith instead. And by that allow freedom and space for people to decide...

    Where I went, the people had a religion of their own... and to the ones who had greater capacity to accomodate ours, they ask 'many' questions. We both believe in a God but we have different vias towards Him...but there was always one similar question that they ask and that is about 'inner peace.'

    I think there is comfort in the truth but at the same time, truth makes people uncomfortable.

    I have not provided answers because they are yours to seek...but I do hope I have allowed you to ask more and seek more... stay open and embrace the mystery...

    Lots of love always!












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    1. There is so much wisdom in your response Melissa. Thank you!

      "Proof is a result of experience with a Higher Being and actions more than words are more tangible expressions."

      The above quote and the reminder that you were given when a missionary reminded me of the famous quote from St. Francis of Assisi: Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words. I think of Jesus and am reminded of the active service and compassion that he rendered to those who were suffering.

      "It allows me to 'ask' myself and dig things deeper rather than rely solely on a 'faith' that was handed down to us by our parents and forefathers."

      I think that's so important..it helps refine one's sense of what is true and really cultivate conviction as that is the result when one finds answers on their own rather than accepting them second hand. You have such a beautiful faith, you dig so deep and the love that is in your heart is such a beautiful testimony towards Divine love. Thank you for being so inspiring. :)

      ~ blessings~

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  4. Hi Jessica,
    First and foremost, you are a wonderful writer. I truly enjoy reading your posts and believe there is both honesty and insight in your words. In many ways, I share your thoughts. It's funny, I'm tackling many of the same issues, but coming from the opposite spectrum. Anyways, I don't know if it is really about finding truth. Personally, I'm doubtful I will, in my lifetime, find peace with any ideology. I think that is my nature. The journey or waking up every day with the anticipation of reading new words, applying new meaning, discovering new ways of application and the like are very exciting. Maybe this is the closest to truth we will ever come. If so, I'm satisfied with that. The daily rituals that speak truth in the most quantum of ways is a very beautiful thing. Anyhow, keep reading, keep writing, keep being you and the truth (whatever it is) will present itself or you will come to terms with it being illusionary. I personally believe the process of finding truth is so much more valuable than actually finding it. Either way, your contributions to this process is both appreciative and helpful to all of us on a similar journey.
    ~James

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    1. Thank you so much for your comment James. I enjoyed reading your reflections as well as found your words encouraging. :)

      "The journey or waking up every day with the anticipation of reading new words, applying new meaning, discovering new ways of application and the like are very exciting. "

      I agree! I can definitely relate to that. To explore, to dig as deep as possible in order to get a clearer view of reality and all that it entails-material and immaterial-is very exciting indeed..and one of the endeavors most worthy of our efforts.

      "I personally believe the process of finding truth is so much more valuable than actually finding it."

      It definitely does seem that way. :) The journey itself yields all kinds of benefits for those who decide to embark on it.

      Thanks again. :)

      ~ namaste~

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  5. The swami expresses the message I get from Jesus in the Gospels. Religion matters simply because it is such an important part of life to the vast majority of human beings. To rant against it or to try to marginalize it emphasizes its importance.

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  6. Mozarkian,

    Thanks so much for stopping by. I thought you brought up a really good point when you said, "To rant against it or to try to marginalize it emphasizes its importance."

    "The swami expresses the message I get from Jesus in the Gospels."

    I remember hearing Radhanath Swami speak for the first time on Youtube, listening to one of his lectures. I thought to myself, this guy really gets "it". He has an amazing level of humility that you don't find often with those who find themselves in leadership roles.One can tell by listening to him and reading his work, that he understands Jesus, and the essence of love and sacrifice that Jesus exhibited.

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  7. One of your best posts. You really did a fantastic job and the thought and effort you put into writing is very evident.

    I also share that battle between the heart and the intellect sometimes. My simple rule is to know that neither can claim a victory. It is merely a tango of living engaged in the material and spiritual aspects of life.

    Hare Krishna!

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  8. Thank you so much for our reflections. That makes so much sense!...

    "My simple rule is to know that neither can claim a victory. It is merely a tango of living engaged in the material and spiritual aspects of life. "

    That would definitely explain my dilemma here:

    "It seems like, no matter how hard I try, a battle is continually being waged between my heart and intellect deep within my subconscious. Sometimes one side seems to have claimed victory but then, like a phoenix, the other side rises out from seemingly nowhere and makes an appearance, casting its dark shadow on the battleground once again."

    Thank you for stopping by. :)

    Hare Krsna!

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  9. Religion and Spirituality matter deeply to me, Jessica.
    Were it not for my faith,
    were it not for my spirituality,
    were it not for God,
    I certainly wouldn't be here today.

    My faith has saved my life too many times to count.
    My spirituality has saved my life too many times to count.

    I certainly understand the question as traditional religion is losing its hold on society. Naturally people will question whether Religion is still important with this being the case. Religion will have to adapt if it is to survive and adapting it seems to be doing. It is morphing into a new "Spiritual" movement, returning to its roots before the church took control.

    I think Religion/Spirituality will always have a hold on society but the movement will be different from our parent's movement, from our grandparent's movement. God will always be. There are too many people in this world who count on their own spiritual guide, their own higher power, their own God.

    God/Religion/Spirituality isn't going anywhere

    Religion DOES matter.
    Spirituality DOES matter.
    God DOES matter.
    --
    Chris

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    1. Thank you Chris so much for stopping by and leaving your thoughts. I always love to hear them! :)

      "Religion will have to adapt if it is to survive and adapting it seems to be doing. It is morphing into a new "Spiritual" movement, returning to its roots before the church took control."

      I definitely think that above all, for religion to stay relevant it has to not just consist of dry impersonal doctrine but exist in one's life in a way that is fresh, meaningful...has depth and is practical.

      I like what you said about it, relating to it in a Christian context, "returning to its roots before the church took control". One thing that I am finding is many coming from the protestant persuasion, where doctrine is emphasized and spiritual depth is often lacking, are turning to ancient forms of connecting with God-like breath prayers, the Jesus prayer, and contemplative prayer,that the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic churches teach.

      Thanks again for stopping by. :)

      Jessica

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  10. I saw a wonderful series of interviews with Bill Moyers and Huston Smith! Great post summarizing some of his important points. Thank you!

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    1. Hi Galen, thanks for stopping by. I've seen that interview and enjoyed it as well! Thanks for bringing it up and reminding me of it. :)

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  11. Your reflection is deep, profound, and thought-provoking, Jessica. Even those persons with deep and abiding faith have their moments of uncertainty and doubt. I think it is in our human natures to seek and to question.
    My own spiritual growth has been a long and winding road. God has been extremely patient with me, because it took me a long time to simply let go and let Him. Now, at this point in my life, I know in my heart of hearts that He is there and working through me every day. I have faith. I trust. I've come a long way . . .
    May you be blessed, my friend, and thanks for a beautiful post.

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    1. Thank you Martha for sharing your experience...of crossing some rough waters but eventually coming to a place that is steady and calm. I find it really inspiring. :)

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  12. I don't know that I can answer or share my thoughts on this one, other than you do a wonderful job of summarizing the gist for me to later process and consider, I do think each of has our own path to walk and not everyone arrives at the same destination or understanding, or even beliefs.

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    1. Thank you Brenda for stopping by and leaving your thoughts. I really appreciated them. I definitely agree with you that we each have our own walk-there are definitely different paths that we can embark on to find fulfillment and truth. :)

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  13. To me, religion is just a faith. Something we hold onto. It doesn't have to be something we take so seriously till it separates people.

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    1. Yes...I agree, religion should never divide people. Taken superficially it often does, but if one looks at the essence that is within the different religions, there is a beautiful underlying unity.

      Thanks for stopping by Jasveena. :)

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  14. Jessica,
    Your post definitely gave me food for thought, but the one concept I found troubling was the idea (unless I misunderstood) that religion and spirituality are one in the same. If that were true, the innumerable religious wars would have been fought over one's overall faith rather than in how each group chose to observe that faith. As I see it, you can be Spiritual but not religious, but not the other way around. Religion is a formalization of specific guidelines which man has created. Spirituality is in and of the heart and even with the framework of one religion or another, is as unique as each individual person. Thank you for sharing your experiences and your insight.

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    1. Thanks Sheri for stopping by.

      "I found troubling was the idea (unless I misunderstood) that religion and spirituality are one in the same. If that were true, the innumerable religious wars would have been fought over one's overall faith rather than in how each group chose to observe that faith."

      Very good point. I don't think any wars have been motivated due to one's spirituality (for spirituality tends to have a way of uniting rather than dividing) but for sure are more attributed to particular religions and their member's specific take on doctrines and dogma.

      I believe one doesn't have to be religious to be spiritual. I disagree that one can't be religious and spiritual though. There are very spiritual mystics that have arose from the world's religions-like Rumi, a sufi (Islamic mystic) and Thomas Merton who was a great mystic and also a practicing Catholic monk. Unfortunately, religions aren't often known for the deep sense of spirituality they can potentially provide and are often practiced and observed by their doctrines.

      Thanks again for leaving your thoughts. :)

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  15. You raise some interesting questions here, Jessica. For me, there's a difference between religion and spirituality. Religion has to do with organization and ritual, as I see it. It's an entire system of thinking. Thought of that way, I can see Smith's point as you outlined. But spirituality is more personal and fluid. It can exist with or without an overriding "religious" belief. I think it matters that each of us gets in touch with our spiritual side because that is where our humanity is.

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  16. Adriene, thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I agree with them! :)

    "I think it matters that each of us gets in touch with our spiritual side because that is where our humanity is."

    I thought that was a particularly beautiful reflection. :)

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  17. Jessica, what a wonderful post! I believe you know where I stand in my faith. I do not equate religion with faith in my mind. My faith is based on the Word of God, whereas 'religion' tends to be structured on man's rules, for me anyhow.
    For me, my life always seemed to be in constant turmoil. Anything that could go wrong...did. I never understood why. I spent so much time looking for answers anywhere I could. I always had questions that never seemed to get answered. As Martha, God has also been patient with me during my lifetime. I looked everywhere but where I would find answers, and that was in the Bible. As I grow in the Word of God, more and more answers are revealed to me, but in God's time, not mine. Of course, there are mysteries that we will never have answers to while we are here. Sometimes, I'm unclear why certain events take place but I rest in my faith that when God is ready to make them clear to me, He will.
    Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It was beautiful! Not sure I would make it through that book though :)

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    1. You have a beautiful faith Mary, thank you so much for sharing. :)

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  18. Thanks for your thought provoking observations on Huston Smiths book, Jessica. I had many of the the same problems with it. While I agree with Smith's assertion that science is inseparable from Scientism, he wastes no time in sabotaging his own argument by conceding causality and cosmology to science. He erases God from the equation and then proceeds to make an argument that faith forms aimed at establishing a relationship with God have relevance in a world where God doesn't exist.

    Having surrendered the foundation of any argument in support of a metaphysical understanding of the world, Smith retreats to a familiar and diaphanous position taken by many defenders of faith in the modern world: that religion is the keystone of morality and meaning.

    But meaning without an objective purpose for the world's existence is every bit as manufactured and superficial as anyone's personal truth. Nor is it just a moral issue; it’s an issue of the ultimate scope of knowledge: the reason for the restrictions of morality is to lead to a perception of transcendence, not just to peace and justice in the world.

    And that's where yoga comes in: yoga is a practical science that bestows direct perception of spiritual reality on the practitioner. In order to perceive that reality the instruments of perception, the senses, have to be clarified or purified by giving up the pursuit of material sense gratification: we cannot see the Absolute Truth if our senses are covered by the desire for satisfying our material, bodily senses.

    Science is all about discovery within the realm of the senses and, to a large degree, mastery of the material world in order to facilitate the satisfaction of our material senses. Obviously, religion and it's sister science, yoga, are working at cross-purposes.

    If we think of religion not as 'a religion' but as it's Latin root re-ligio; again, to connect, we can see how religion and yoga - 'union'- are related and complimentary. Yoga provides us with a methodology by which to awaken the spiritual senses that facilitate apprehension of the transcendent cause behind the surface phenomenology of the world. We follow in the footsteps of self-realized souls in order to re-create their revelatory experience. Yoga can therefore be seen as a non-sectarian bridge to religious experience, irrespective of the specific faith form of the practitioner.

    When we combine the mandatory pre-requisite for the acquisition of knowledge, faith, with the theoretical knowledge of revealed scripture and the practical application of that knowledge, then we can understand that the reason religion matters is because it culminates in experiential knowledge of transcendence by direct perception, revealing the divine nature of the world, the divine cause of the world, and our identity as an infinitesimal part of an infinite and Absolute Truth.

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    1. Thank you so much Hari-kirtana, for your detailed, thoughtful and beautifully written response.


      "But meaning without an objective purpose for the world's existence is every bit as manufactured and superficial as anyone's personal truth. Nor is it just a moral issue; it’s an issue of the ultimate scope of knowledge: the reason for the restrictions of morality is to lead to a perception of transcendence, not just to peace and justice in the world."

      I couldn't agree more...What an eloquent and concise way of putting it..I think "restricting one's morality" or "regulating one's activities" can oftentimes be perceived negatively but , really, such an approach can be liberating-having the potential, if engaged in sincerely, to transform a person's perspective, allowing them to gain more clarity into the nature of things and be drawn closer into awareness of the Absolute Truth.

      "...we can understand that the reason religion matters is because it culminates in experiential knowledge of transcendence by direct perception, revealing the divine nature of the world, the divine cause of the world, and our identity as an infinitesimal part of an infinite and Absolute Truth. "

      I think that's a great reason. :)

      Thanks so much again for stopping by.



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  19. Hari-kirtana, does Smith assert that "science is inseparable from Scientism," or only that any scientist is mistaken who believes that all of reality is reducible to physical matter and energy and is explicable only by physical science?

    Actually, I think Smith would agree rather than disagree with your endorsement of yoga or with Ken Wilber's and B Allan Wallace's endorsement of "contemplative science" as, in your eloquent words, "a practical science that bestows direct perception of spiritual reality on the practitioner." http://youtu.be/9wX_W1BB_0M

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    1. To be a little more accurate, Steve, Smith recounts an incident at a conference when a colleague from the scientific side of the aisle critiques his critique of science by telling him that he doesn't seem to understand that science IS scientism, that there is no possible separation between the two. As I recall, Smith indicates his acceptance of this position for the remainder of the book.

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    2. Hari-kirtana,

      I just thought I'd offer the passage that you are referring to as when you mentioned that part of the book I recognized it so, being compulsive in looking things up and quoting them, I looked it up and here it is:

      " Word of my seminar had crossed his desk, and being invested in the topic, he had flown out for the weekend. "You handled the subject well today," he said, after we had put preliminaries behind us, "but there's one thing about scientism that you still don't see. Huston, science is scientism."

      At first this sounded odd to me, for I had devoted the entire day to distinguishing the two as sharply as I could. Quickly, though, I saw his point. I had been speaking de jure and completely omitting the de facto side of the story. In principle it is easy to distinguish science from scientism. All the while, in practice-in the way scientism works itself out in our society-the separation is impossible."
      ~ p. 69

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  20. Thanks for stopping by Steve...I'm going to go check out that video now. Wilber is great. :)

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  21. I was once very confused. I do not blame myself though. I believe everyone has a part to play in life, and if you stray from that path, God will put you back on the correct path. People may think that the world is a cruel place and that if there was a God, then he would prevent all suffering. But, if we study the sacred books on the Gita, One will come to the conclusion that the people who are destined with bad luck, die a tragic death, or are just unable to find peace may have been destined to have that life for reasons unknown to us. All we can do is be glad that we are blessed with his enlightenment and help spread the love to all the atheists and non believers that have lost touch with God.

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