Dr. E. Speaks on Evil: Coast to Coast AM Radio tonight with George Noory
From 1am – 3am MOUNTAIN TIME tonight, I will be on George Noory’s show on Coast to Coast AM radio. [please go to this webpage to see times and radio stations in your area.] We will be discussing the phenomenon of ‘evil’ in our time and in ancient times. I’ll be bring my usual perspective in three ways: psychological, religious and metaphysical ways we speak about evil.
Likely you in your time, as I have in my time, been steamrollered by the damage done to souls by evil acts, neglects. And seen too, how long a person so affected is like Rachel crying out on the hills of Ramah, unable to be comforted, for all the little boy children of her tribe have been slain overnight by order of an unspeakably evil king.
Chapter 8 in my most recent book, ‘Untie the Strong Woman’ is about an all encompassing form of evil that marched across Europe when people my age were children (1930s-1940s and beyond)… wherein all matters holy to people were destroyed, buried, punished, broken, people sent to slave labor camps, executed… for those who dominated and those who served them in agreement, or in fear– did not want the people to hold the sacred close…
The dictators attempted to destroy the art of the sacred ceremony, paintings, dance, song, architecture, prayer, books, audioworks, films, churches, temples, synagogues, communities, farms and Nature herself by burning her forests, polluting her lands with enormous propagandized factories and ‘work co-operatives’… in order that people would bow to the subhuman ideas of herding the collective: to bow to mere self-centered men and women with the idea of ‘cleansing the untermenschen from the earth’, instead of cleaving to an ethic of decency, what some call Principal Love, Creator; what I call in my work, “Source without source.”
In this way predators sought to control literally entire nations for more than 40 years, hoping to dishearten and gut the people of their spirits and souls completely so the people would become automatons who never veered and never questioned and never resisted, who were ready workers for paltry pay or promise of ‘a better life’ [if ever it came while the higher ups rampantly stole goods and monies and lived like kings on the backs of the populace who were not allowed to immigrate or leave the nation or else face death.]
Part of the vile scheme was that the enslaved and propagandized would agree to be conscripted to die in wars at the whim of their captors. And who would in the meantime, realizing their oppression often become bitter…
But what those nations dictators did not count on, is that sometimes the bitter turn to more than regaling what is wrong: some hopefully also become subversives within the cruel times of their own nation.
And thus the dictators failed. The people rose up and in some cases chased them away, in other cases mowed them down without mercy as the dictators had done to hundereds of thousands of the innocent. The people took back, slowly, their holy places, reconstructed their sacred gathering places, began to restore their broken land and waters… are still reconvening the holy… but now without fear of being immediately reported to death squads.
Yet, as we see across the world more unconscienced ones have come to take the old and cruel dictators’ places in our times. The Wheel of Life and Death continues to turn. Evil still shows up.
Vigilance, to the best of our abilities, is our holy daily act; to speak, see, say, hear, know, tell, and especially to act in useful ways to preserve the holy, that is, the humane and decent, within our reach. Subversively if need be, in the open if can be, while oppressed if one currently truly is, while free in order to remain free… there is the ticket to rise up__ to keep a heart for the holy that engenders others as human beings no matter what.
In fairytales and in legends, as in actual life, evil does not often show up in horns and with a tail. Rather banal, unremarkable often, until going for the throat of others… but too, in some significant way with lack of conscience for those beyond oneself and one’s own minions. Often charming [at first] in some way which is practiced with great artificiality. Often cloying and invasive incrementally, in folklore, evil takes a hold because it is talked away by the innocents, or even by those about to be devoured by it. It’s as though a mass of people have fallen asleep in some way –that is merely human [often people bend over backward to give others the benefit of the doubt]… but this slowness to react is what an inhumane person counts on to gather his/her prey.
If I were asked, however, I would say Be not afraid. Neither see demons where there are none, nor make big ones out of little insignificant ones… but also resist to the best of our abilities, the profound dehumanizing of innocent souls for no holy reason other than an ego’s self-centered drive to be ‘the special one,’ with no demonstrated regard, no consistent care and no unassailible concern for the pain, boundaries, or life pathways of others.
Remaining awake and moving to resist, in one’s own ways, are more than halfway to a winning battle. To each his own. To each her own.
Courage.
————–
CODA
In the Coast to Coast AM archives there is also a show with George Noory and myself from November of 2011 on the over-culture’s (as I call the mainstream culture of our times) and its often intense desire to demote and demean what some call extra-sensory experience… which is in the psychological discipline I follow, seen not as irrational, but as non-rational, meaning another way of knowing. The November 2011 show runs about two hours with a brief segment before on news of the day. It was a good interview. Mr. Noory asks thoughtful questions, has a mind that has seen/heard much from many different kinds of guests over time, has a spontaneous open mind… and he also plays some boss Rock n’ Roll during breaks.
Share This
Related Posts
-
The Political Economy of Tool
Posted on Apr 11, 2013
-
North Carolina Lays Groundwork To Establish State Religion
Posted on Apr 3, 2013
-
Can a Two-State Solution Actually Work? Science Says No.
Posted on Mar 27, 2013
-
The Paradoxes of Pope Benedict
Posted on Feb 11, 2013
Dr.E. It will be 3 to 4 am in my time zone. Is there any way to listen to it later?
Thanks
Yes there is Dorian. Thank you for asking. If you go to the link and hit the “shows” word, it will let you choose the archive link. Type in my last name, estés, and it will bring up both tonight’s show (though dont know how soon they upload it, perhaps right away?) and the show I did with Mr. Noory last November 2011.
Also, Coast to Coast has an app for listening via handheld devices, and also a long list of radio stations for their 4 M listeners, and one can also listen on computer as many of the station affiliates stream C2C from their websites. My hunch is that your local affiliate might also archive the C2C shows. Let me know if you have trouble finding it.
See you on the radio very soon!
still trying, Dr. E, without having to become a member…
will let you know
Hello Clarissa,
What you have written and the show you have done,concerns an uncomfortable subject but one that all of us need to hear.
It’s interesting that you mention, “it is as if a mass of people have fallen asleep.” I have heard those who took part in the Rwandan genocide talk as if they had been in a trance, and that when they bought the idea that certain people were nothing more than “cockroaches” they were willing to kill and betray even neighbors that they had previously befriended.
I think you are right to include the idea that certain leaders try to infuse the social consciences of ordinary people with the idea that following them, will result in a superior society which will then reward the lives of those who are willing to acknowledge their propaganda. But when if comes to other forms of brutality, such as persistent bullying,I think many of the perpetrators are motivated to abuse others by a personal feeling of inadequacy and, that their victims are obviously inferior in some way, and that they are therefore being natural when dominating them. This personal level can easily grow to ruthless attitudes adopted by entire Nations.
It’s really strange that we can often be motivated by having extremely high standards and expectations, that we are determined to follow, even when adhering to them includes Physical, mental, economic or political domination of others. No one is willing to just be average–a state of being that is often virtuous in itself.
And yes, I do see many parallels in the dictatorial societies you describe and, much of what is currently happening in America and other nations. This election cycle has become excessively wrapped up in the idea that those in the upper class deserve to have lower effective tax rates than the rest of us, because, THEY are not “slackers” who supposedly refuse to work at their own attempts to be successful. Of course, as people who have lived in a relatively enlightened western society for several decades, we hope that death camps and genocidal ethnic purges never happen to us. But, in my opinion, Republicans in general and, Tea Partiers, in specific, are already priming us to believe that certain social outcasts are just not worthy of help. But, can any thinking, feeling, human being, really claim that these social views are not a bit totalitarian?
During the circus of the GOP primaries earlier this year and during 2011. It seemed to me that, if any of the contenders for the nomination actually said something sane, they were immediately branded as not being true conservatives and then ostracized by their party. Newt Gingrich had it right when he mentioned not wanting to partake in either conservative or liberal social Darwinism, and was politically exiled for doing so. However he continued to say many distressing things, such as, his stereotyping of OWS protesters as being selfish people, who should just take a bath and then get a job–as if most of them hadn’t already been looking for a job for months or years. Disturbingly, it seemed that most Republican voters were not even offended by such remarks.
The need to be accepted by a group, and the biological instinct for survival are often successfully exploited by Dictators. Unfortunately to resist someone like Hitler, who had no objection to incredibly cruel torture, the best thing, for Nazi dissenters would have been to shoot their commanding officers and then turn the gun on themselves.
What does this say about the condition of our contemporary world, when such an ultimate compromise is still quite possible? And, what does it say about us, when the prior administration seriously discussed the use of “enhanced” interrogation techniques?
Clearly this is a vital subject to explore and, I regret that I failed to hear your discussion that was aired on Aug. 22nd.
Finally got to listen to you, Dr.E.
Found it very interesting, just wish the host would have allowed more time for you and less time for the callers. Although some had interesting stories, in my opinion your analyses and opinions were more important.
Also, just as one forms a visual image of someone whose voice you hear a lot, I had formed an “audio” image of you –after seeing photos — and found it (your voice) to be more soft, soothing than I had expected. (No “brownie points” intended or expected
)
Clarissa,
I am happy to say that I did go to YouTube and listened to your radio interview. I have to say that it was interesting, but that it got a bit spooky near the end when various callers conveyed some of their experiences with “evil.” Although I do believe that all kinds of experiences are possible–some of them have happened to me–I could not help but be struck with the fact that discussing unusual experiences that cannot really be explained, easily become a fearful experience with a large dose of morbid fascination.
One of the great thinkers I have read in my life is J. Krishnamurti, who authored several books centered mainly on discussion he had with young people all around the world. When they asked him why he discusses all the topics that he does, he answered simply and straightly, that, it is just something he loves to do.
Although I think he has died several years ago, I will never forget some of the things he said. These mainly concerned, not only being free of our own hindrances, but, also the ability to deviate from the social conditioning of our cultures–which, in essence, attempt to shut us off form life. He conveys the idea that, in order to be moral, we need not only be concerned about our own illusions but also the times when our society and our cultures are wrong i.e. they can be wrong by attempting to make us fight in wars we don’t believe in, as well as make us surrender our spirits to all kinds of mores and social attitudes that are mainly designed to keep us as good, obedient, and unquestioning citizens. Although,I am not quoting him, I think I may be paraphrasing him fairly well. One of his best known books concerns himself with questions asked to him, by young people who (usually have minds that love to ask them) and is called simply, “Think On These Things.”
When asked what he thought were the worst obstacles to the human mind, he said, self-centered behavior and the need for security. I would personally add that we are too convinced of our own self-importance and, when combined with fear, this can fill us with ego and obscure us from truly being concerned about the well being of, not only our fellow men, but also the person who sits across from us at the breakfast table every day. There is a beautiful sentiment expressed in the song, “easy to be hard” from the musical play, “Hair.” the singer asks the question, “how can people be so heartless?, how can they ignore their friends?” she goes on to make the poignant observation, “especially people who care about strangers, who care about evil and social injustice, what about a needing friend–I need a friend.” So the beginning of growth is in our ability to relate to each other, and when we can’t, perhaps it is fear and self-importance that may prevent us.
Anyway, Krishnamurti also said that we should not fill our children’s minds with fear by telling to many spooky stories about evil and terrible things in the world, because when fear cripples us, it does not give us the feeling that life is good and important to honor. So, I’m just wondering (for a person like me anyway) wouldn’t the very idea of dwelling on negative and spooky things fail to be conducive to personal growth and the freedom to act morally? I know evil happens and that we should face it, but perhaps our obsession with ugly the things, tend to point us away from love and life.
I want to thank you for the radio show, and giving me the website to connect with it. And I’ve got to say how sorry I am that you had relatives that were murdered by Nazis.
Recently I read Richard Dawkin’s interview in PLAYBOY, and I wound up writing about a 1400 word letter to the editors which, of course, is much too lengthy to ever be printed. Although I give him a lot of credit for exposing many of the negative qualities of faith and religion, I also got the feeling that extremely rational scientists like him do not give enough credit to some of the good people of faith whom they criticize. In short, they just don’t get it! So, let me write down just one paragraph from my letter:
If a man such as Jesus truly did exist, then he was not just ahead of his time in moral philosophy–he was light years ahead of it, both then and now. Anyway, those who call themselves Christians, could still receive inspiration and love from whomever,”wrote his lines,” as Mr.Dawkins put it. Beauty is beauty wherever it comes from, and love exists in every human being, so consider the love and beauty inside a being who asks God to forgive his executioners as they torture him to death, saying, “Forgive them father, they know not what they do!” Even a work of fiction would be worthy of high praise for even conceiving of such a scene. But, in my opinion, Jesus is undoubtedly the author and, it is not necessary to make sophomoric jokes about God not thinking of a , “better way to forgive our sins rather than have himself tortured to death.” I don’t know about the forgiveness of sins, but the crucifixion has always resonated greatly with me–if only because the man who died did not even have attachments to his ego when facing his own death. And this is also, truly a miracle.
The definition of faith as, “reason to believe in something for which there is no proof, has always been a valid human quality. Sometimes people don’t understand it unless they have really been touched by the beauty at the center of all religions and faiths. People like Dawkins are free not to “get it” but I think they owe a little respect to the many good people that do.
Anyway, that’s enough for now. Time to watch a good television show and sleep without anxiety.