InPresence 0027: The Moral Equivalent of War with Jeffrey Mishlove

InPresence host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in "parapsychology" ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980). For many years he served as president of the non-profit Intuition Network, an organization dedicated to creating a world in which all people were supported and encouraged in developing inner intuitive abilities.

Here he discusses William James' famous essay, published in 1910, that argues eloquently for a new solution to end war based on redirecting the positive military virtues of honor, glory, self-sacrifice, and tests of manhood. Jeffrey also brings up James' interest in Hinduism and contrasts James' philosophy with the cosmic distance to the consequences of war argued in the classic Bhagavat Gita.

(Recorded on March 14, 2018)

[Xscott]

This was a great talk thank you again sir. I know I used to think fighting, guns, war, aggression, glory and such were the way to be....then I became a man.

[geekcrossing]

Fabulous monologue, thank you Jeffrey.

[sidetracked]

How many many times I come away from these videos saying, "this was the most important yet!". Wonderful idea, armies for progress instead of waste. Thank you dearly.

[DodefiEnglish]

I recently had an interpersonal unification experience. All I can say after that is, whatever is going on in the world: It is possibly only you, always only you. There is no one else. Only you. A huge surprise.
I take it all from there.
Jeff, great storytelling this time! A new side of you which was very enjoyable.

[SouIatman]

I feel that James was a brilliant and wonderfully compassionate man. Only a heart full of loving intent would rail so vehemently against any form of violence, but I still feel there is a misunderstanding of the depth of the Baghavad Gita's teaching.
Bizarrely I feel that James stance is entirely congruent with and in accord with the overarching philosophical moral imperative of the Gita, but at a pluralistic level.
If one experiences the world as entirely plural, one must make every effort to cultivate peace and harmony between disparate manifestations within that world. It is the noblest and most blameless goal one can strive for.

When and if one penetrates deeper into the mystery, and when that mystery reveals that at base, the surface pluralism is all in reality a unified whole, the game changes.

The Gita is asking us to see the unity, the game, at the deepest level, and challenges us to understand that "Even" atrocious acts like war, may be seen from a higher vantage point as just part of the Game. God is the player, we are mini amnesiac parts of God who do not know that we are God.
I do not believe that the Gita is arguing "FOR" war, but challenging us to remember that even in the most seemingly diabolical of scenarios, we all we be alright in the end, and the mystery will unravel, and we shall awake from dream of separateness.


What better place to test ones understanding of this than on the battlefield? True faith. But on the surface, seemingly backwards.

[RodCornholio]

Thanks for this. It has touched on issues I've thought about for a while. Nice to know I'm neither the first, nor alone.

[AnthrYrslf]

Some great storytelling, powerful messages. Thank you

[Paddyllfixit]

It's all about context Jeff. War is a final resort, ....but it's still an option. There's a whole nasty backstory between brothers and cousins, of attempted rape, threats of murder, wrongful taking of land driving the owners into exile for 13 years and then upon return they only requested a mere five villages to be returned, but again were refused- "But Duryodhanna arrogantly replied that he wouldn't spare them enough land into which to drive a pin". The message is, ....if you're consistent and tolerant in your requests, yet laughed at and denied your rightful ownership, even denied your right to live, then war is the only option.

[Dolphn-Productions]

I think of moral equivalence as divide and conquer. To suffer for dominance or fight for dominance is two different sides of the same coin. Can you have respect without fear, can you have freedom without Rebellion? The word that's missing here is unity. Unity is the yin yang, the circle, the whole. Plurality in the greater consciousness is only The Divided We are experiencing.

[edwardsimmonds]

If we believe other human beings exist, then it's not a giant leap to realise that we are one from a basic existential point of view. However, we do tend to feel less one if when we over identify with our egos.

[robyngminski]

Bagata Vita- not to be confused with "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".

[saiberunato]

Wish real life was like a Pokémon battle.

[edwardsimmonds]

All beings tremble before violence, as a Buddhist text say. As Frank Zappa says: We are the other people, we are the other people, you're the other people too...

[leslietaylor]

Some women demand equal rights as soldiers in the military. What if half the military expenditures on forces were rightfully, fairly invested in women as soldiers of diplomacy, healing, and restoring destroyed communities instead proudly brandishing murderous weapons? Women should insist on this! Also, A Course in Miracles states that suffering is not necessary for learning and if we but realized this then we would have not just peace, but Heaven, on Earth.

[humanelectromagneticpsych]

Guns bombs fists are fire-escapes of the losers of war of the soul

[alcosmic]

Sounds Iike the difference between the greater and Iesser jihad in IsIam

[tacmason]

Otherwise the Movie is not entertaining !