My March 2017 column for The Echo
Conspiracies of Men and God
by Frank DeMarco
In conspiracies, as in politics, there are no final victories.
Notice, this is not to say that conspiracies never succeed. Often enough, they do, in whole or in part. Often enough, their effects are disastrous. Nobody who lived through the aftermath of the murder – and the subsequent cover-up of the murder – of John F. Kennedy needs instruction on just how disastrous the effects can be.
But not even the most successful conspiracy can control life.
I know that’s what we fear. In our worst nightmares, we see ourselves entering the dystopias of 1984 or Brave New World. God knows, we see enough signs around us that we are on a slippery slope, and sliding faster and faster. Our feelings are screaming to us that we may be in the last days of the republic.
Well, maybe so. But maybe not. Often enough, strong feelings are less a natural reaction to events than a reflection of our fears. Fear often throws shadows on our nighttime walls, shadows that may be mistaken for reality. It is one thing to know, as a general rule, that conspiracies do sometimes occur, and do sometimes succeed. It is a very different thing to know whether this or that specific allegation is true. Feeling something strongly is not proof that our feelings are correct.
Here’s something to consider. Even if our worst fears are correct, the consequences that follow will be vastly different from what anyone on any side desires or predicts.
For many years, I intended to write a novel showing that people are always conspiring, but that even when a specific conspiracies succeeds, unanticipated effects follow. I was going to call it Conspiracies of Men and God, to express the fact that life is always larger than our ability to master it.
Consider the remarkable career of Charles de Gaulle. When you read his wartime memoirs, what stands out is that, from 1940 onward, his career might be looked at as an example of a benign conspiracy. Beginning alone, with no official position, no army, no treasury, in five years he rebuilt the essentials of the French state. He did it by knowing what needed to be done, and feeling his way toward the means to do it. But the point is, he was no one-man-band. In order to do what needed to be done, he had to attract others to his standard, and had to find necessary resources.
But even that miraculously successful conspiracy – call it that – could only go so far. After the war, politics as usual resumed, and he recognized that his choices were only three: to become a dictator, which would be self-defeating; to allow himself to be coopted into the system, which would destroy the moral authority he had accumulated in five years of struggle, or to retire until his country might call him again, which, in 1958, it did. This man who had rebuilt a state could mold circumstances only so far.
Or, on the other hand, consider the complementary career of Adolf Hitler, the head of a very successful malign conspiracy which took over a state, for a while threatened to take over the world, and then brought itself and Europe into ruin. He was not a one-man-band either. His henchmen, Goering, Goebbels, Himmler, etc., planned and executed the takeover of the German state, then, in six years, sowed the wind that first overshadowed all of Europe, and then, in another six years, reaped the whirlwind.
These creatures of hatred knew how to whistle up the demons that lurked in the hearts of the German people following their dreadful sufferings of the two decades following 1914. Once in control of the German state, they whistled up demons in the countries around them, demons whose shrieks evoked fear and trembling. And then Hitler’s conspiracy, like de Gaulle’s, found itself unable to impose itself upon the world.
(Unlike de Gaulle’s conspiracy, Hitler’s evil called forth the forces that would destroy it. I sometimes think that the worst effect of evil is that it calls forth forces that will destroy it. If Hitler had never existed, would we be living in the shadow of the atomic bomb?)
These are dark times, and nobody knows if this is the darkness of midnight or the darkness before the dawn. That there are conspiracies being woven around us seems clear enough, but no one alive can see what the net effect of so many contending efforts will be.
But no matter who dark things get, sooner or later daylight always returns. And no matter how strong the forces of evil, or even of good for that matter, it is worth remembering that nobody ever succeeds in bending all of life to their design.
A good piece there Frank and all too true. Only thing i might add would be …. It is not only evil which calls forth forces that will destroy it. All manifestations in form contain the seeds of their own destruction and modification. At least when we see the world dualistically, as we inevitably do when considering conspiracies and the like.
True enough.
Hello Frank & All.
I do not know many who is as good as you to write about everything Frank. Thank you very much. I simply LOVE to read what you says all the time.
Well, what struck me by to read “Conspiracies of Men and God” was to have bought a book(not long ago)by a lady with the name Rosemary Ellen Guiley.
Bought the book because of the ancient stories about “demonic forces.”
According to Seth: “You are The Creator of Your Life….. It is no other rule.”
The title of the book by Rosemary Ellen Guiley is: “The Djinn Connection,” The Hidden Links between Djinn, Shadow People, ETs, Nephilim, Archons, Reptilians, and other Entities. In a way, the book having much the same stories as the Dolores Cannons series: “The Convoluted Universe.”
The book is filled up with ancient mysticism.
B&B, Inger Lise
P.S. Hitler is told to be “playing” with “black” magic. As you know it is WHITE magic too. And Hitler was interrested in the teachings by Rudolf Steiner, meeting with im a couple of times (in secrecy), and it is told Rudolf Steiner “foresaw” the german victories at first, as well as the armageddon afterwards. How true it is I do not know of course.
I don’t see how Hitler and Steiner can be right. The Nazis hated Steiner. They burned down the Goetheneum in (I think) 1922, and Steiner died in 1924, well before Hitler was more but a rabble-rousing right-wing politician.
Frank, the old story about Hitler to have met with Steiner were told many years BEFORE Hitler came to power.
Rudolf Steiner had “a Norwegian comrade in spirit” in many, many years untill they parted because of controversies in the channelings. The Norwegian “comrade of Steiner” left him, because of the foreseen happenings in Europe.
The “Norwegian” man Marcello Haugen ( he was half part of Gipsy/ Romani-Norwegian/inheritance ), went home to Norway to warn friends about the upcoming invasion/occupation, but nobody believed in him. Marcello Haugen bought a cabin far into the mountains and lived there during the 5 years of occupation without anybody noticing him. Marcello living in silence without advertizing his ability “to see” but the local rumours about him where he lived and helping the local population in his lifetime was well known in Norway. Of course he became even more famous after his “passing over to the other side.” His place to live becoming a Museum later on. But it is private now.
There is another old man here in Norway in these days, who also living in silence with his clairvoyant ability in helping people.
Joralf Gjerstad is in his 90s now and to have “retired,” as his health is not good anymore. He is very much in the same way as Edgar Cayce almost in every way. The old man to have told about his ability to heal and “to read others” condition will be called: “The good Force.” And all his life went to the Sunday Church, and working in the Church ( in our Protestant State Churches). As Edgar Cayce, the man J. Gjerstad to believe Jesus Christ as the example for all of us “to follow.”
“The Good Force” must be the innate goodness somewhere.
…and Hope.
LOL, Inger Lise
This is all very interesting. is there anything in English about Marcello Haugen or Joralf Gjerstad?
Frank, my book about Marcello Haugen is written in Norwegian. I do not know if it is any books about Marcello written in english. But the Swiss Antroposophy University in Dornach (Switzerland) do have all the material (written in the German language), about the case why Marcello Haugen became excluded from the Antrosophy circle surrounding Rudolf Steiner.
It is documents from 1910 – 1914 laboured in Dornach. And telling about a lecture Steiner held about Marcello Haugen in 1914 which dealt with Karma & Incarnations and obviously created the controverises between the twos` world-view. Marcello had become a well-known person in the Antrosophy-Circles in Germany back then.
ONE thing for sure….as when visiting Marcellos “Home-Museum” once …. in Marcellos “Sanctuary” in his home…. there his own BIBLE laying open for all visitors to see. Obviously Marcello meditating with the bible in front of him daily.
And quote from my book: “In the autumn 1990, the Rudolf Steiner-Nachlassverwaltung/Foundation made a edition/version, in a document series “Beitrage zur Rudolf Steiner Gesamtausgabe” ( I cannot speak german, it is only told in my norwegian book ), called a sort of ” a White Book “in German. And told in giving a solid documentation about Marcellos stay and interval in Germany together with Rudolf Steiner.
My book written about Marcello Haugen is done by a author with the name Øistein Parmann. And printed in 1993, by the editor Grøndahl & Dreier ( a larger book Company in Oslo ).
When it comes to Joralf Gjerstad ? It is written some books about Gjerstad in the Norwegian language. But do not know if one of the books are translated into English though. The last book about J. Gjerstad is printed in 2010 titled as: “The Good Force/Power.”
There he is telling his own story. The book is printed by the editor called “Gyldendal,” which is one of the bigger book-companies in Norway.
Yes, it is highly interesting all of it without a doubt.
P.S. When thinking about Joralf Gjerstad…..It is “the shining INNOCENT goodness” about him. And well, I cannot imagine he is speaking english at all, as he grew up at the time where the peoples were very poor at the countryside ( Not ALL of them of course ). His upbringing very much the same as Edgar Cayce.
Sigh ! As my mother used to tell us: ” You cannot travel the world without learning the ENGLISH language ” !
Heartily, Inger Lise
It does appear that English is likely to remain the world’s lingua franca. Well, we need one.
Absolutely agree ! If only the whole world to have the same language it would be much better surely ! On the other hand wonder if we are learning to speak the very same language all of us…. Wonder if the duality would disappear ? I have read somewhere of each spoken language to have a particular phonic “resonance”…. a particular “vibration or sound” of energy.
AHA ! I came to be thinking about our good friend Henry Reed right now. (a long-time A.R.E. Teacher of the Edgar Cayce Material as you know but maybe not other friends at this web-site).
Henry is “listening” to the sound of our voices when he is painting a personal MANDALA to us.
I have received one beautiful painting from Henry Reed last Christmas. And it is hanging on the wall in my bedroom for the use of meditation.
I am only seeing lots of colors and the mountain scenario as in South-America. HM, its a mystery !
According to Seth in us to have many probable selves…F.Inst. Why am I always strongly (and emotional) knitted to the hills and the mountains all the time (in all my life)?
BTW: When to enjoy reading “Messenger” each Friday…..The FEELINGS of the surroundings you are telling about there…..more or less….the air, the smell and THE OUTLOOK of the mountains with its narrow valleys, and even climbing the dangerous paths downhills and uphills…..It is very familiar to me all of it.
Well, well, we are MANY in One Being.
Where did I read somewhere about TIME following Thoughts ?
…and see you later…now on to do housework.
lol, Inger Lise