Glimpses of the Devil - M Scott Peck
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:08 am
This book I only discovered very recently. It must have been the last book written by M Scott Peck. (Published the year he died.) Now he was a psychiatrist thus a medical scientist. He had a long career, and wrote a number of totally absorbing books, including at least one best seller - The Road Less Traveled. I fell in love with his points of view, and it was while reading one of these, possibly People of the Lie, that he referred to Malarchi Martin, and the book Hostage to the Devil.
Because I had such respect for Scotty, I bought that book, and have reviewed it here. Now Malarchi Martin is or was a Jesuit priest, so I expected his framework to include devils. But I took the events at face value, because they were recommended by someone I had come to love.
Then I find this book. I suspect written after Malarchi Martin passed on (I should check that - yes MM died 1999). Because suddenly Scotty tells us a few things he did not before. That MM had a great tendency to lie, and that he was almost certainly the exorcist in that book, but never revealed that, and that the events were probably over dramatised. Hmm. That's a worry. And now I suspect that while Scotty performed two exorcisms himself, he was NOT present at any described by Malarchi Martin. Which affects the view I have of that book.
So what about this book? I have only read half of it, and its really a heck of a lot more inline with the other sources that I respect in this field. Folks like Dr Irene Hickman.
Well I have finished it now. This is the only book I have found that is written by a scientist about a subject that science insists is not real. That's what makes it so important. Also, he took the trouble to video tape the exorcism sessions, so that there is no doubt about what happened, and what was said. There are only two cases here, and one, while initially successful, sadly reverts back. It is so very sad that Scotty never met folks like Dr Irene Hickman. Together they would have been a really formidable team, and defined this subject. But as both these wonderful folks have passed on, we will have to wait some more years, I fear. Nevertheless hopefully some folks will be prepared to consider that as Scotty was totally sane, he may have had something valid to say here.
love,
Geoff
Because I had such respect for Scotty, I bought that book, and have reviewed it here. Now Malarchi Martin is or was a Jesuit priest, so I expected his framework to include devils. But I took the events at face value, because they were recommended by someone I had come to love.
Then I find this book. I suspect written after Malarchi Martin passed on (I should check that - yes MM died 1999). Because suddenly Scotty tells us a few things he did not before. That MM had a great tendency to lie, and that he was almost certainly the exorcist in that book, but never revealed that, and that the events were probably over dramatised. Hmm. That's a worry. And now I suspect that while Scotty performed two exorcisms himself, he was NOT present at any described by Malarchi Martin. Which affects the view I have of that book.
So what about this book? I have only read half of it, and its really a heck of a lot more inline with the other sources that I respect in this field. Folks like Dr Irene Hickman.
Well I have finished it now. This is the only book I have found that is written by a scientist about a subject that science insists is not real. That's what makes it so important. Also, he took the trouble to video tape the exorcism sessions, so that there is no doubt about what happened, and what was said. There are only two cases here, and one, while initially successful, sadly reverts back. It is so very sad that Scotty never met folks like Dr Irene Hickman. Together they would have been a really formidable team, and defined this subject. But as both these wonderful folks have passed on, we will have to wait some more years, I fear. Nevertheless hopefully some folks will be prepared to consider that as Scotty was totally sane, he may have had something valid to say here.
love,
Geoff