CULT OF DOOM

"Chemical terrorism is a frightening addition to an extremist's arms collection. It makes our daily life still more dangerous."

Gagan Modgil Ludhiana, India

YOUR ARTICLE ON SHOKO ASAHARA AND the toxic attack on Tokyo's subway system [Cover, April 3] presents another disturbing example of how a society can be held virtual hostage by extremists dedicated to carrying out their agenda through random acts of terror.

Patrick R. Corridon Norwalk, Connecticut

EVERY DECENT CITIZEN IS SURELY AFFRONTED by the picture of Asahara on your cover. It may sell magazines, but doesn't the press have a moral responsibility not to glamourize terrorism? Rest assured that your choice of cover picture will inspire like-minded individuals to gain worldwide publicity by perpetrating their own acts of terror.

Colin D. Standish Rapidan, Virginia

I'M NOT SURE YOU CAN DESCRIBE THE Tokyo poison-gas attack as "A New Kind of Evil,'' as you did in your table of contents. Previous press reports attest to the blood-drenched credentials of world religions. Disputes in Iraq, Iran, India, Israel, Croatia and Northern Ireland involving Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Protestants and Catholics are examples of deeply rooted religious fervor. From the Catholic Inquisition to abortion-clinic-doctor killings, history shows again and again where the real lack of "peace and security'' originates.

Wesley Roberts Derry, New Hampshire

FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS, ON THE SIDEWALK next to my company's Tokyo headquarters, an elderly gentleman, Harukichi Watanabe, ran a small shoe-repair stand. Secretaries as well as corporate executives would leave their shoes each day for repair. After the poison-gas attack, I noticed on my arrival at the building that his stand was closed and flowers and gifts had been left there. I was told he had been killed in the subway disaster. To my surprise, when I picked up my copy of Time, on your index page I saw a picture of Watanabe lying on the subway platform. To say the least, I was saddened. Thank you for acknowledging his death. He as well as others who died in this meaningless display of violence will be greatly missed.

Joseph W. Parks, Vice President VMC Corp. Ipswich, Massachusetts

YOU BRIEFLY DOCUMENTED THE EXTENT to which Asahara was poisoned by the insecurity of poverty in his life. Face it: human existence is as fragile as the development of human character. The greatest police force in the world cannot protect us from those who have been "bent" enough to murder. Our only hope is to stop the bending of human lives by one of the most destructive forces on earth: abject poverty. Every day poverty kills innocent children at many times the rate of Hitler's death camps and permanently disables 10 for each one who dies. Children and adults alike are warped in this overlooked carnage.

Chuck Woolery, Director Alliance for Child Survival Rockville, Maryland

IT IS A LESSON THAT HAS TAKEN MORE than two decades to learn: political terrorism wins battles but not wars. Perpetrators of religious terrorism for some reason see no need to learn this.

Craig Hilton Collie, Australia

THE USE OF NERVE GAS IN THE TOKYO subway attack spotlights our increasing vulnerability to high-tech terror acts by fringe groups that are escalating their acts of violence. Our only safeguards against these threats are vastly improved intelligence sources and basic security measures, all of which we seem to regard as more expensive than our system can afford. Accordingly we shrug and go on with our lives, accepting the risk. But why continue to spend vast sums on absurd military projects when the same funds could protect us from a real threat? America's military planners are not just wasting money (no small sin) but are also guilty of outright mismanagement and violation of the public trust.

Charles J. Bodenstab Excelsior, Minnesota

REVIEWING YOUR CHART "CATALOG OF Terror,'' showing weapons that terrorists could use, I concluded that toxic biological and chemical materials, threatening instant injury and death, pose a far greater risk than radioactive materials. The latter are more difficult to obtain and deliver to a population in a dose strong enough to cause significant injury. If people had more accurate information about the relatively small risk from nuclear radiation, there would be less fear of it, and radiological materials could be removed from your catalog.

Jerry M. Cuttler Mississauga, Ontario

SEEKING NEW GODS

I READ WITH INTEREST IAN BURUMA'S article, "Lost Without a Faith,'' about how the Japanese are looking for new gods [Cover, April 3]. Buruma has keen insight into the Japanese mentality. I don't agree, however, with his opinion that Soka Gakkai members worship Daisaku Ikeda, honorary president of the group, as a monarch. The Soka Gakkai is a grass-roots Buddhist organization whose goal is the establishment of world peace. Since it stands on the side of the common people, it has always been criticized and persecuted by the authorities. Its first president, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, a renowned educator, died in prison during World War II because he was against the militaristic Japanese government of that time, which used the state religion, Shinto, for the purpose of unifying Japan. The members of Soka Gakkai simply want to learn how to practice to be good Buddhists: to be kind, merciful and warm to the sick and poor, and not to yield to evil authority.

Stanley Ohnishi King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

I WAS INTERESTED IN BURUMA'S commentary on the cult followings that have developed in postwar Japan and elsewhere. All religions, however, have at their core a tenet that insists the individual is secondary to a superior force. So long as we allow others to do our thinking for us, we will continue to be led by those who insist they know best.

Julia Ringma North Gower, Ontario

BANNING PORN ONLINE

I CAN'T BELIEVE THE SENATE IS TRYING TO regulate the transmission of sexual material on the Internet [Technology, April 3]. Online sex is the safest form of sex yet, and now busybodies want to waste time and money abolishing it. Why not turn their efforts to combatting threatening sexual acts such as rape, molestation and child pornography? And so far as the poor, innocent children's being exposed, it is too late to protect them. All they have to do to see pornography is turn on the TV or go to a movie. The old guys in the Senate are scared to death of the computerized nation we are becoming because they have no idea how the computer works. Give Senator Jim Exon, the man who sponsors the Communications Decency Act, an account on American Online, show him how it works, and we'll never see him again!

Stephanie Casey New York City AOL: NYCSteph

IF THE DECENCY ACT PASSES, HOW LONG will it be before Senator Exon's gestapo is opening and censoring U.S. mail? It is curious that Exon is so exercised over "indecency" on the Internet when there is very little on the net that can't be found quite easily on the magazine racks and in the bookstores of his hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska.

D. Ferrel Atkins Charleston, Illinois

CYBERSPACE: PRO AND CON

CONGRATULATIONS ON A MASTERPIECE IN the world of journalism, the special issue on Cyberspace [Spring 1995]. Your sense of a subject sorely desired and needed by the people was a work of right-on thinking. My understanding of what is going on in the computer cyber, superhighway world took a quantum leap. Efforts thus far to explain the complicated subject, vis-a-vis bits and pieces, at times confused me even further.

Thomas Andrews Madera, California

ROBERT HUGHES' ESSAY "TAKE THIS REVOLUTION ..." was the best piece in your special issue. Like Hughes, I am no Luddite; I am writing this letter on my computer. I also share Hughes' skepticism about the Internet; I do not go online, but I survive anyway. I enjoy having contact with people in different parts of the world via letter, even though it sometimes takes weeks for mail to arrive.

Craig L. Cowing Monmouth, Maine

KATO'S HOLLYWOOD CAREER

THE "SUCCESS'' OF KATO KAELIN'S ACTING career since Kaelin became a "star'' witness in the O.J. Simpson trial [Chronicles, April 3] proves making it in Hollywood has very little to do with talent or hard work. Kato, I hope you are saving your money. Once the trial is over, it is quite possible you will need to find another superstar with a spare guesthouse.

Michael P. Briggs Burbank, California Via America Online

HOSPITAL HORROR STORIES

I CAN RELATE TO YOUR ARTICLE ON HUMAN error in hospitals, especially the incident concerning overdoses of medication [Medicine, April 3]. Five years ago, while waking up after minor surgery to overcome infertility, I received three times the normal dosage of an anti-nausea drug to counteract side effects of the anesthetic. No one considered my size, which is much smaller than the average adult. I experienced a horrific reaction. Luckily, the effect was not lethal, as it was in the case of cancer patient Betsy Lehman; but I was traumatized to the point of avoiding further surgery, which was recommended. That is why I remain childless today. The fear that still lingers from that experience has killed my chances to conceive future children.

Harmony Bentosino Kapolei, Hawaii

TO MY DISMAY, MANY PEOPLE MISGUIDEDLY believe doctors are some kind of gods who never make mistakes. You emphasized that "negligence in American hospitals may result in 80,000 deaths each year,'' and more or less hid the fact that this comes to only a tiny percentage of patients physicians help every year. I am not excusing the tragic errors made by a few physicians; however, I am applauding the phenomenal success rate doctors have managed as technology and new treatments keep advancing and become more complex.

Lauren Piper North Canton, Ohio

HAVE A WELL-TRAINED PHYSICIAN EXAMINE 10 patients a day, and without doubt good care will be provided. But increase that number to 50 patients a day, and see what happens. Even Michael Jordan's dexterity would wane if Jordan were called upon to play three games a night!

Samuel M. Freedman, M.D. Hollywood, Florida

CORRECTION

OUR REPORT ON RELATIONSHIPS BEWEEN members of college faculty and students [Education, April 3] mentioned the case of Professor James Maas of Cornell University who was accused of harassment by four former students. We said Maas had been stripped of a $25,000 teaching award he received in 1993. In fact, no such action has been taken. The case remains under appeal.