Remote Viewing and Ethics

Mary said, "So you're saying that some viewers could pick up info from someone's mind...a terrorists or mine?"

"Yeah," Pat answered.  "In fact, reading the minds of terrorist as well as hostages was one of the tasks the Army remote viewing group at Fort Meade was asked to do.  I don't know how successful or valuable the information was, but the capability does exist, at least sometimes...but remember that the information contains noise and therefore uncertainties."

"So you're saying that my personal privacy, the privacy of my own thoughts, is dependent on psychic noise!", Mary said with a bit of an angry tone in her voice.  "What if someone figures out how to remove the psychic noise?  What happens to privacy then?"  Mary sighed in frustration, and said, "I think I'll have a glass of wine also.  I hate this subject and yet I do want to talk about it further - it seems that the issue of privacy and secrets just won't go away."

"Honey," Jim said as he got up to get her a glass of white wine.  "You know that a lot of what you would consider private information is really not completely private.  Our government and many others are regularly using advanced communication satellite technology to intercept emails and cell phone conversations that are then stored on computers for analysis.  One program is called ECHELON and has been going on since at least 1988."

"Now is that suppose to make me feel better?" Mary asked rhetorically.

"Hey," Jim said, "I don't like it either, but we have to face-up to reality.  The advanced satellite and computer systems permit most wireless communications in the world to be stored and sometimes shared between many governments including some European countries, China, Russia, even New Zealand and I don't know how many others.  The best thing we have going for us is that there are so many people that it is not likely that any real person, as opposed to a computer, will really be reading your email or listening to your conversations."

Mary said, "Suicide bombers, and those that control them, have given up all their rights to privacy as far as I'm concerned.  But, I don't feel that I have to give up my right to privacy in the process.  When I make a phone call or write an email, I don't want to worry about 'big brother' spying on me.  And I don't care if the spying is done by a satellite or a remote viewer."

Mary continued, "The issue for me is the potential misuse of information when it's in the hands of people with less than honorable intentions --  guilt by association, getting coerced because of knowledge about my closet-case family members, and so forth.  Speaking for myself, I fundamentally don't trust people with lots of power, and that includes governments...power corrupts and I don't want them to have my personal information.  Also, I think you are telling me that we can legally collect data on non-US citizens, so I suppose it is actually legal for other governments to collect data on me."

Pat added, "I'm afraid the technology aspect of potentially invading our privacy is even worse than emails and cell phone conversations.  Medical science is making significant technological advances concerning the brain...and ultimately, the mind."

"Now medical science is invading the privacy of my mind," Mary exclaimed.  "I thought I only had to worry about you remote viewers reading my mind."  She actually laughed because this was all getting so bizarre.

"Medical science is not quite there yet, but some people are concerned," Pat said, "The technology of primary concern is brain and nervous system MRIs - you know, the ability to get detailed brain images, including second by second changes that provide a kind of movie.  Advanced fMRIs can already gather information about some aspects of your thoughts."

Mary repeated incredulously, "My thoughts."

Pat continued, "Scientists can currently use computer analysis of brain scan images to distinguish unconscious thoughts and to detect when someone is lying.  Hey, this is a big enough potential problem that the New York City Bar Association has written an article about what they call 'Neuroprivacy - Are Your Thoughts Your Own?'"

Mary said, "So you are saying that whether I like it or not, technology, even separate from remote viewing, is conspiring to limit my privacy."

Pat laughed, "Conspiring is a pretty strong word, but I guess that's pretty close.  In fact, this 'conspiracy' is maybe just another way of the universe showing us that everything is truly entangled just as quantum physics and most mystical-spiritual traditions teach."

Jim said.  "Remote viewers seem to have the 'entanglement lead', but technology is catching up.  Interesting that technology seems automatically to be headed in the direction of entangling deeper and more subtle aspects of the mind and reality."

"Well," said Mary, "I don't like it.  The idea of anyone getting entangled in my mind scares me...and it would probably scare them."  She smiled a little at the thought, "But this is not a laughing matter.  What if someone in the government, ours or another government, doesn't like my politics.  The next thing I know they could not only be reading my emails but they could be getting into my mind...now that scares me.  Somehow...somehow this info, even if noisy and interpreted inaccurately could be used against me.  Sounds like McCarthy would have loved this capability to get rid of all 'communists'."

Jim said, "Remember, this technology would be used to look for terrorists".

"So, the fact that I'm afraid of terrorists and am willing to invade their privacy means that I have to give up mine." Mary asked rhetorically.  "Fear seems to be the basis of all your arguments."

"Hmmm, well, hmmm," stammered Jim, "actually I agree with you.  Fear does seem to be the basis of both of our arguments.  You are more afraid of the 'government' than the terrorists, and I am more afraid of the terrorists than our government."

Pat said, "Do you know what Ralph Waldo Emerson said about fear, 'He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.'  Our fears are linked to our beliefs about what is important.   It is natural to fear the loss of what we believe is important...important for us and our families.

"By the way, what is the secret of life?" asked Mary.

"That's a private secret", said Jim.  They all laughed.

Lord Acton (1834-1902)  warned that "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"

Pat continued, "The loss of personal privacy is a real fear and related to the abuse of power...power corrupts unfortunately has been the rule rather than the exception for thousands of years.  The potential abuse of power to invade personal privacy is, in my opinion, another sign of how ethics is the critical issue of our time.  I believe that ultimately, the war on terrorism is really a war between ethical systems.  Each ethical system believes theirs is the correct one."

"How can some people believe it is okay - even worthy of praise - to kill innocent people?" asked Mary.

Jim replied, "They have been taught hatred toward the infidels, many Muslims have been taught hatred since they were little children.  Infidels are not innocent people...in the minds and hearts of the terrorists...in their belief system."

"How then are remote viewers going to somehow save the free world from terrorism?" asked Mary with a phony smile and then a gallows-laugh of helplessness.

Pat said, "In the short term, I don't know how RVers could help; however, I sure hope our government is training, and working with the best RVers they can find.  The real issue here is the long-term goal of unifying the ethics of mankind itself."

"Why do you keep coming back to ethics?" asked Mary.  "Ethics is so vague and seems like a subject reserved for philosophers and professors." 

"Ethics smethics," said Jim. "RVers should be able to find the bad guys, and then, let's blow them away."

"In the short-term," Pat said, "that may be the best we can do.  But we need to pay attention to the longer term or this cycle of continuing violence, maybe escalating violence, will never end.  And by long term, I mean decades, we need new generations of children growing to maturity and running the world better than we are."

Mary sighed, "I'm worried about the current generation of kids living in this increasingly dangerous world...and maybe worst of all is the high climate of tension with this Islamic terror threat constantly hanging over our heads...for the kids, maybe the approach of denial is the best.  I'm rambling...how do we change the minds of future generations of Islamic terrorist supporters?"

Pat continued, "The beliefs driving the Islamic fundamentalists represent the culmination of many "holy wars" among true-believers in their specific religion and ethical viewpoint.  Muslims have been involved in wars among their various sects for about 1400 years, while bitter religious arguments and fighting go back at least 2000 years when the Jews and the Christians disagreed about the Messiah's identity.  And the Christians did, of course, have their holy Crusades that was initially started to recapture the holy land from the Muslims in 1095 and lasted, on and off, for about two hundred years.  Not only Muslims, but Jews and most other non-Christian 'infidels' were killed in these holy wars.  So, Judaism, Christianity and Islam all have historical roles in today's crisis.  Each group has many internal differences concerning fundamental religious and ethical beliefs.  Too many fundamentalists truly believe that their way is the only way to salvation.   I know, for sure, that they cannot all be right.  We have to get over the 'my way is better than yours' approach."  Pat really played up the 'my way is better than yours' using a child-like voice.

"Not too many Christians or Jews commit suicide bombings though," said Jim seriously.

"Mary said, "True, but I think Pat's point is that humanity's religions don't provide a foundation for unification.  Each faction seems to want to emphasize how right their way is, rather than being tolerant of other ways to be spiritual.  I don't think Pat wants to get rid of religion, but to have it become a stronger positive player in uniting people rather than dividing them."

"Right on," said Pat.  "Ethics is the key since what really must be done is to minimize the number of terrorist by not creating them in the first place.  Ethics can be discussed at a very erudite level, but it ultimately comes down to beliefs and values that are established early in life by the family and society we live in - beliefs about what is good versus what is bad, what is right versus what is wrong, what is desirable versus detestable, what are worthy goals, what ideas to love and which ones to hate.  Islamic terrorism is, unfortunately, a perfect example of how we are in an ethical war.  Hatred especially toward Jews, but also toward Christians and other infidels, appears to be commonplace in the fundamentalist Muslim world, primarily outside of the US.  This hatred is taught to school children.  This imbedded hatred makes it easier to believe that murder is a worthy goal to protect the perfect goodness of Islam."

"Hey, one man's terrorist is another man's hero," Jim said.

Pat responded.  "That's exactly right and that's why unifying ethical principles is so important.  We are in a war between the Golden Rule ethic and the Radical Islamic Fundamentalist ethic.  Here in the US, we have a good sense of the golden rule ethic and how it is actually practiced...and not practiced.  We don't appreciate the ethics of Muslims and how it is practiced and not practiced."

Mary said, "I don't believe that most Muslims practice the radical fundamentalist ethics similar to the Taliban, Al Quida, etc...though, I guess I don't really know what percentage of Muslims are radical fundamentalists.  But, I sure wish more moderate Muslims would become vocal and support the golden rule ethic of 'Treat others as you would like to be treated'.  And as a woman, I certainly want Muslim woman to have the same rights as any man...I think there's generally agreement about that in the US, but I don't think the Golden Rule applies to women in most Muslim fundamentalist societies."

"Interesting," Jim said, "I think the deafening silence of Muslims in this country may support Pat's contention of a war of ethics.  Muslims seem to have a hard time criticizing themselves in public...is that part of their ethic?"

"Maybe they are just afraid of the radical elements," Mary said.  "You know, we just don't really appreciate what is going on in the minds of most Muslims, that's a real shame."

"So Pat," said Jim, "you were going to tell us how RV could help in this ethical war."

"I was afraid you were going to call me on that," Pat said, "In the long term there is a possibility...albeit slight, that RV can better align the basic ethical makeup of mankind with the non-local universe we actually live in.  All we need to do is get a million or so ethical people to become RVers."  Jim and Mary smiled and Pat could tell that they thought he was joking.

"I'm serious," Pat said.  "They won't  be called Remote Viewers, but imagine a world where this many people trusted their own intuition for making decisions that affected their own lives and the lives of others.  Intuitive decisions that affected who they voted for, who they worked for, who they trusted, what they would be willing to fight for, who they permitted to educate their children, and whose intentions were honorable."

Mary's body tightened a bit at that last phrase, and she said, "Intending sounds a lot like reading my private thoughts."

"Yes", said Pat, "my hypothesis does involve reading the minds of others when it comes to intentions, thoughts, and even emotions concerning other people or outside activities.  I believe, but don't know for certain, that your thoughts involving other people are entangled with the other people and so they have access to them.  Now Mary, before you get too upset, I also believe that as we advance our RV capabilities we will also be able to keep our most private thoughts private.  To the extent that we can maintain our thoughts totally within our own being, or within a selected group of people, we can remain private within that group.  I believe this level of privacy is achievable based on recent commercial technology, by a company called MagiQ Technologies, that can now use quantum cryptography methods to securely protect information.  If a company can make a device that can keep secrets, probably even from the NSA, then I'm sure you as a human quantum computer can do the same...at least in principle.  You are still much more complex and capable than any commercial technology."

Mary was not completely comfortable with this, but she said, "OK, OK, go on with your crazy dream...one million RVers."

Pat said, "I don't know if it's one million or one billion, but imagine if a very large group of viewers could consistently, say 70% to 80% of the time, know if they were being told the truth by political leaders in our country -- Yes, I do believe this long-term war on ethics actually starts at home.  Probing the truth of statements made by political leaders would be completely ethical, in my opinion, because they implicitly agree to a very high level of scrutiny.  This scrutiny could now include millions of RV intuitive sessions from our million viewers.  The viewers would not all agree, of course, however we could expect a rather accurate consensus with verifiable information shared with the public by, say, our free press.  Not only would most politicians have to change, but the voting public would have to accept that politicians, and other public servants, are human and not perfect."

Jim said, "Presumably the same sort of scrutiny could be applied to statements made by leaders of large public corporations."

Pat said, "Of course."

Jim asked, "How are we going to get 1 million competent and confident RVers out there to transform our society?"

Pat answered, "In my opinion, only one way, they have to apply their skills in a way that earns them money so they can become a recognized and professional part of our society.  Right now, most people don't even know that remote viewing is a profession where at least some RVers are being paid to apply their skill.  The best known example is Joe McMoneagle and his company, Intuitive Intelligence Applications...now, all we need are 999,999 more RVers just like him!"  Pat laughed at his imagery of Joe clones.

"Okay, we know about Joe," said Mary seriously.  "How would a million extraordinary remote viewers change the world?"

"I don't know exactly," Pat said, "but it seems so obvious to me that more accurate and truthful information is a winner for our society.  Look, if we had a million RV professionals out there working for companies, as well as our government, and if these RVers could provide accurate information 70% or 80% of the time, the influx of new information would provide our free market system with whole new avenues for expansion.  We have seen so many examples already of the type of information that RV can obtain, who knows where the most significant applications will be...but with a million professionals working for clients with different objectives, many new applications will be continuously under development and commercialized."

"So we have better applications making money for the companies that hire the remote viewers...we haven't changed anything then," Mary said.

Pat replied, "The most significant changes will occur simultaneously.  The dramatic improvements I envision are in the area of ethical behavior, starting within our own country and then influencing the ethics around the world.  Imagine our country actually becoming significantly more productive, because having more accurate information contributes significantly to an efficiently managed country.  Imagine now a society that respects remote viewing, with its warts and all, and imagine remote viewers contributing to the political dialogue in the country.  Imagine millions of professional RV sessions focused on politicians and political activities.  Imagine 70% to 80% of the info being accurate and verifiable.  When this level of truth is evident to our own political leaders, they will literally be forced to be more honorable because they will not be able to get away with nearly as much shenanigans as they have in the past.  A new generation of politicians will actually become honorable because it is in their own best interests, as well as the best interests of the country.  Politicians will be transformed, over time, into people who tell the truth."

"This sounds pretty Pollyannaish to me - honorable politicians, telling the truth," Mary said, "Yes, the world would be quite different, but how do you know it would be better.  Less privacy might mean less quality to life, I still worry about that."

"Ultimately, the ethics of RVers would be your best protection against invasion of your personal privacy," answered Pat.  "While I'm afraid there will be a few exceptions, RVers tend to respect the rights of others and tend to follow the Golden Rule more than most because of deep feelings of connectivity with every-thing-place-time.  This sense of connectivity comes with successfully gathering information in their intuitive non-local fashion.  Knowing, first hand, that consciousness can be applied, at least sometimes, in this fashion changes RVers into more honorable people who apply their profession only to tasks that feel ethical to them.  You have seen that with Jim and I think even in yourself as you have been practicing your RV -  the feeling of 'we are one' becomes real when you get information from a very distant place or from what appears to be a separate mind.  So, Mary, not to worry."

"I'll worry if I want to," said Mary with a bit of a smile.

Jim said, "I don't need even one Joe McMoneagle to tell me that the terrorists are the bad guys in the world right now...that seems pretty clear.  But what if the bad guys also start using RV against us within their dangerous ethical system?  How do we know we will prevail in this war?"

Pat answered, "We will prevail because the 'Golden Rule' ethic is aligned well, maybe perfectly, with the non-local universe where everything is connected by consciousness.  So, the increased productivity of our million ethical viewers as applied to both commercial and defense applications will eventually empower moderates of all faiths such that terrorism will become a minor annoyance." 

Mary said, "Your idealism is showing...big time."

"I suppose so," said Pat.  "It's corny, but the phrase 'all that is is one connected consciousness' does fit reality quite well, in my opinion.  The natural tendency is for linear-time reality to show us more and more of this unity.  This has been one lesson of the scientific revolution.  I hate to admit this, but even warfare has contributed much to motivating scientific discoveries.  So, even though it may appear that we are interacting with a separate country, person, emotion, thought or object, we are actually interacting within a consciousness that ultimately is ... "   Pat paused and then simply said, "oneness."

"Are you having trouble calling oneness 'God'?" asked Mary.

"I guess so," said Pat.  "God has so many meanings in various faiths, especially in the context we are talking about.  So yeah, I was hesitating, but certainly this 'oneness' that is the intimately connected consciousness, that includes all that there is throughout all time and space and maybe into dimensions outside of space-time...I can call this God."

Mary and Jim smiled, because they knew Pat was trying very hard to be fair to all religions here.  Jim said, "Noone wants to stop people from believing within their own faith and culture.  We just want to stop the fanatics, the radical fundamentalists that see no alternative but increasing hatred and violence and separateness."

Pat said, "That's just right, and our ethic will win the war because virtually all religions and cultures have the equivalent of the 'Golden Rule' within them.  This ethical piece can form the basis for each religion and culture to rein in their fanatics.  Why separate conscious beings exist at all is a wondrous mystery that we are fortunate enough to experience.  Maybe our experiences give us the opportunity to know and savor consciousness itself."

Mary said, "I don't want to know and savor the consciousness of terrorism."

Pat said, "And yet, here you are consciously engaged with the subject."

Jim said, "So, the 'Golden Rule' will ultimately win the war on ethics.  But boy, do we have a long way to go!"

"A million or so professional ethical remote viewers will do the trick," said Mary.  They all laughed.