Progressive Spirit

Ira Israel is a licensed professional clinical counselor and a licensed marriage and family therapist. He has graduate degrees in philosophy, religious studies, and psychology. He has a private practice in Santa Monica, California as well as on-line coaching. He leads workshops at the Esalen Institute and throughout the United States. He has 28 years of experience working in various capacities with award-winning filmmakers, musicians, artists, and writers. His website is www.iraisrael.com.We discuss his book, How to Survive Your Childhood Now that You’re An Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening and an article, “How The Internet Engendered The Fall of Consumer-Based Capitalism and the Rebirth of Democracy: A Brief History of the Future,”  He writes:  “My mission is to inspire you to be your best self and live an extraordinary and satisfying life full of supportive relationships, intimacy, love, creative expression, authentic communications, a thriving career, mental and emotional wellness, and a healthy

Dr. Samuel Harrington, MD, is the author of At Peace: Choosing a Good Death After a Long Life. In this important book, which James Fallows of The Atlantic calls “deeply humane,”  he argues the case for taking a clear-eyed yet compassionate view towards the end of life. Most people say they would like to die quietly at home. But overly aggressive medical advice, coupled with an unrealistic sense of invincibility, results in the majority of elderly patients misguidedly dying in institutions while undergoing painful procedures, instead of having a better and more peaceful death they desired. Dr. Harrington is a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Wisconsin Medical School. Professionally, he concentrated his practice at Sibley Memorial Hospital also served on the board of a nonprofit hospice in Washington, D.C. He also listened to his parents when they were facing end of life decisions and helped them enter this period of their lives peacefully, while being able to live at home. It was these two exp

 Many of us have grown up watching The Ten Commandments on television. Each year we would watch Charlton Heston kill an Egyptian, rescue Midianite damsels, confront the Pharaoh with amazing miracles and the lead the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt and through the Red Sea. Is the whole thing fiction? Did the exodus even happen? Premier biblical scholar, Richard Elliot Friedman makes the case for the exodus as an event in history. He is the author of The Exodus: How It Happened and Why It Matters.  Plus I speak with the creator of the radio show, Keeping Kurrent, Wayne Potter and Pam Brown.  They share their observations of Israel/Palestine from a traveler’s perspective. Friedman :02-42Potter/Brown :42-54

Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth (AE911truth) now has nearly three thousand professional engineers and architects calling for a new investigation into the destruction of the three World Trade Center towers on 9/11. Founder of AE911Truth, Richard Gage, AIA talks about the history of the movement, the basic facts, and the big question: will Americans ever be able to accept truths that upset their image of the world? Mr. Gage is betting they can and that Building Seven will be the eye-opener. This is the sixth in my series on 9/11. Links to the others in the series are below:1) Fran Shure: "Why Good People Become Silent (Or Worse) About 9/11"2) David Ray Griffin: "How Bush and Cheney Ruined America and the World"3) Niels Harrit: "The Science Behind the Collapse of the Three World Trade Center Towers on 9/11"4) Graeme MacQueen | "9/11: The Pentagon’s B Movie" 5) David Chandler: "The Mystery and Physics of World Trade Center Building Seven"  Richard Gage, AIA, is a San Francisco Bay Area architect of 28 yea

John Shuck speaks with Glenn Montogomery. He is the executive director of  Vision Action Network.  The mission of Vision Action Network is "to engage stakeholders across sectors to collaboratively address critical issues in Washington County.” Some of those issues  include income inequality, cultural diversity, and housing and houselessness. We will also discuss initiatives such as Washington County Thrives that "is focused on a comprehensive, long-term investment strategy in proven programs that support people on their path to self-sufficiency." This was originally broadcast live on KBOO/Portland on February 9, 2018. John hosts the Beloved Community on KBOO every second Friday from 9-10 am. 

Andreas Weber is a Berlin-based philosopher, biologist, and writer. He holds degrees in marine biology and cultural studies. He proposes the development of a “poetic ecology” which intimately attaches our species to every being and underpins the entire range of human experience. He argues that feelings and emotions, far from being superfluous to the study of organisms, are the very foundation of life. His books in English include: Enlivenment: Towards a Fundamental Shift in the Concepts of Nature, Culture and Politics (2013); The Biology of Wonder: Aliveness, Feeling, and the Metamorphosis of Science (2016); and Biopoetics: Towards an Existential Ecology (2016). Weber regularly contributes to major newspapers and magazines, such as National Geographic and has won a number of awards for his writing.His latest book and our subject today is Matter and Desire: An Erotic Ecology.  

The election of Donald Trump came as a shock to many. But others saw it as the culmination of a decades-long effort to uproot and destabilize America’s democratic government. My guests come from two different generations but with a similar viewpoint and quest to empower Americans to leave despair behind and embrace the new democracy movement.   Frances Moore Lappe’s 18 books include the three million copy Diet for a Small Planet, described by the Smithsonian as “one of the most influential political tracts of the times.”  Adam Eichen is a writer, researcher, and political organizer working to build a democracy that empowers all voices in society. Adam is a Democracy Fellow at Small Planet Institute and on the board of directors of Democracy Matters. They are co-authors of Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning and Connection for the America We Want.

This is the podcast version of a live broadcast that aired January 12th on KBOO/Portland.  John Shuck spoke with Catherine Shakdam, Scott Bennett, and Aisha Jumaan.  They will be three of the headliners at a conference taking place at Portland State University on February 3rd, entitled, "U.S. - Saudi Coalition: Bringing Peace or War?" The conference is hosted by Roots of Conflict.  Joining John in the studio was Hanan Alzubaidy and Manijeh Mehrnoosh, who are hosting the conference.--Catherine Shakdam has been instrumental in breaking media silence over Yemen’s war.  She is the author of Arabia’s Rising – Under The Banner Of The First Imam, A Tale Of Grand Resistance – Yemen, the Wahhabi, and the House of Saud, and From Mecca to Karbala – Walking with the Holy household of the Prophet.Scott Bennett is a former US Psychological Operations-Counterterrorism Analyst. He is a whistleblower and the author of Shell Game: A Military Whistleblowing Report to Congress. Aisha Jumaan is a public-health specialist working

White born-again or evangelical Christians and white Catholics strongly supported Donald Trump for president. To what extent does this vote represent Christian values? What would happen if Jesus were in the White House? What would be our priorities as a nation if the values of the historical Jesus guided our budget and our actions and ethics? Ursuline College Professor, Gina Messina, asks these questions and talks with host John Shuck about her book, Jesus in the White House: Make Humanity Great Again.Gina Messina is Associate Professor of Religion and Gender Studies at Ursuline College and Co-founder of Feminism and Religion. Gina is the author or editor of five books including Rape Culture and Spiritual Violence, co-editor (with Rosemary Radford Ruether) of Feminism and Religion in the 21st Century, and Co-editor Faithfully Feminist: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Feminists on Why We Stay.

California has legalized recreational use of marijuana. The law went into effect January 1st, 2018. Meanwhile, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recently stated that he is rescinding the Cole Memo which had protected states from federal interference regarding cannabis laws. Dr. Richard Miller talks with me about the history of marijuana suppression and the suppression of other psychedelic medicines and the harm this oppression has caused. His latest book is Psychedelic Medicine: The Healing Powers of LSD, MDMA, Psilocybin, and Ayahuasca.Dr. Richard Miller has been a clinical psychologist for more than 50 years. He is host of the syndicated talk radio show, Mind, Body, Health & Politics.  He has been on the faculty at the University of Michigan and Stanford University. He was an advisor on the President’s commission on mental health, a founding board member of the Gestalt Institute of San Francisco, and a member of the national board of directors for the Marijuana Policy Project.Also, web developer, Timot

Brad Warner is a Soto Zen priest. He also plays bass for the punk band, Zero Defex. And he plays a zen priest named Brad in the important film, Zombie Bounty Hunter, M.D. He also has a curious interest in the 13th century Japanese Zen Master, Dogen. He is in the process of translating Dogen’s work for a modern audience.  In the course of the hour, we are going to explore a lot of stuff including Brad Warner's two books based on Dogen’s work. They are Don’t Be A Jerk and Other Practical Advice from Dogen, Japan’s Greatest Zen Master and It Came from Beyond Zen! More Practical Advice from Dogen, Japan’s Greatest Zen Master.  Brad’s website is hardcorezen.infoBrad Warner is a Zen priest, filmmaker, blogger, and Japanese monster-movie marketer. He’s the author of Hardcore Zen; Sit Down & Shut Up; Sex, Sin & Zen; and most recently, There Is No God and He Is Always with You. The Huffington Post recently named him one of the top Buddhists to follow on Twitter and his writing appears in media ranging from Tri

Stephen Gray is the author of Cannabis and Spirituality:  An Explorer’s Guide to an Ancient Plant Spirit Ally.  On October 1st, 2015, Oregon joined Washington and Colorado as the third state to legalize recreational use of cannabis.     Now that it is easy as going to one of the many cannabis shops in the state and choosing from a wide selection of strains, many who perhaps haven’t used cannabis since college or are curious and using it for the first time  may have many questions about the plant.  Many misconceptions about cannabis abound.   It is much maligned and misunderstood.  Today we will address questions such as: What are its effects?  What is a good dosage?  Why do some people have negative experiences with it (such as paranoia or anxiety)?  Is it addictive?   Is it good for society to legalize cannabis?   We are also going to talk about the spirituality of cannabis.   How can cannabis be an ally in spiritual practice?   I also speak with Michael Eric Dyson, author of Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon t

During one year, 1967, it seemed possible that the world could be transformed by peace, love, and meditation. The assassinations, violence, and polarization of 1968 hadn’t happened, and the hippies were exploring spirituality and social justice.  Danny Goldberg takes us back to 1967, to the music, the acid, Jefferson Airplane, Allen Ginsburg, Black Power, and Muhammad Ali.  He is the author of How the Left Lost Teen Spirit and Bumping into Geniuses: MY Life Inside the Rock and Roll Business. Danny Goldberg is president of Gold Village entertainment and author of the book we will discuss today: In Search of the Lost Chord: 1967 and the Hippie Idea. 

Jann Aldredge-Clanton didn't start out as a reformer. When she was a pre-teen, she almost starved herself to death trying to fit into the culture's feminine mold. In high school she felt inadequate because she never won a beauty crown, even though she graduated at the top of her class. Slowly, she began waking up to her own voice, and became one of the first women ever to be ordained as a Baptist minister in the South. She is the author of several books including hymnbooks in which she writes hymns in honor of the divine feminine. Her books include: Intercultural Ministry: Hope for a Changing World, Earth Transformed with Music! Inclusive Songs for Worship, Inclusive Hymns for Liberating Christians, and Inclusive Hymns for Liberation, Peace, and Justice. Brent Landau of the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Landau and his colleague, Geoffrey Smith have made a discovery of an ancient apocryphal text in which Jesus shares secret revelations to his brother James.  Dr. Landau speaks to me about the significance

Les Jamieson was live with John Shuck on Friday morning December 8th on KBOO’s The Beloved Community to discuss Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that is set to expire on Dec. 31st, 2017. This is the language which allows for warrantless spying on all Americans by the NSA. According to Mr. Jamieson, a vote could be taken before recess on December 15th on bills to extend Section 702 and make warrantless spying legal and permanent. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has proposed legislation to reform 702 and add safeguards to protect civil liberties. Wyden’s Bill is called The USA Rights Act.In this episode Les Jamieson discussed NSA, Edward Snowden, spying, whistleblower William Binney (who is featured in Oliver Stone’s “A Good American”), and the software he created, “Thin Thread” would have done the work of foreign surveillance while protecting the privacy of Americans. It was discontinued three weeks before 9/11.Les Jamieson is the founder of www.hr14.org

 Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson have co-authored We Have No Idea: A Guide to The Unknown Universe. Jorge Cham is the creator of PHD Comics and Daniel Whiteson is a particle physicist at the University of California Irvine. In this book they explain everything we DON'T know about the Universe, from Cosmic Rays and Dark Matter to time travel and the Big Bang. Filled with their popular infographics, cartoons, and clear and entertaining explanations, this book is perfect for anyone who's curious about science and all the big questions we still haven't answered. Plus, a new segment, Progressive Short, a five minute news report on issues that matter. This week, Les Jamieson talks with John Shuck about Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that is set to expire on Dec. 31st, 2017. This is the language which allows for warrantless spying on all Americans by the NSA. According to Mr. Jamieson, there is legislation before congress to extend Section 702 and make warrantless spying legal and per

Ian Morgan Cron is a bestselling author, Enneagram teacher, nationally recognized speaker, psychotherapist, and Episcopal priest. His books include the novel Chasing Francis and spiritual memoir Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me. Ian draws on an array of disciplines—from psychology to the arts, Christian spirituality to theology—to help people enter more deeply into conversation with God and the mystery of their own lives. Suzanne Stabile is an internationally recognized Enneagram Master. Suzanne has conducted over 500 Enneagram workshops over the past 25 years. She has spoken to College audiences  and churches and she teaches regularly in the Baylor Health Care System, in Dallas, Texas.Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile are co-authors of The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Chris studied at Asbury University in Kentucky before moving to India where he was mentored by Mother Teresa for three years. While living in India, he helped launch South Asia's first p

Professor of Philosophy at Columbia, Phillip Kitcher, talks with host John Shuck about how if human beings hope to survive the looming climate catastrophes, we will need to talk it out, one to one, in families, neighborhoods, and social gatherings. The power of grassroots democracy is the theme in the latest book he co-wrote with MIT philosopher Evelyn Fox-Keller, The Seasons Alter: How to Save the Planet in Six Acts.Matt Alford along with Tom Secker have exposed new evidence that the national security state led by the Pentagon and the CIA have forced script changes on over 800 Hollywood movies and over a thousand network television shows to cover-up crimes and to manipulate US citizens. The authors show that Hollywood and Washington are part of a system that is hard-wired to encourage American global supremacy and frequently the use of state violence. They document it all in their new book, National Security Cinema: The Shocking New Evidence of Government Control in Hollywood.

The Broken Country is a book-length essay on cultural trauma and the inter-generational legacies of war. In 2012, a young Vietnamese man named Kiet Thanh Ly walked into a downtown Salt Lake City megastore, purchased a knife, and began stabbing white male passersby in the parking lot, purportedly in revenge for the war in Vietnam: a war that, due to Ly's age, he never immediately experienced.The Broken Country explores how Ly's case, and the case of other recent immigrant and refugee perpetrators of violent crimes, may be at the heart of a larger discussion of war's trauma, historical memory, cultural assimilation, and identity: issues that refugees and veterans alike must face when repatriating after war. Through investigative reporting, cultural criticism, oral history and personal reflection, The Broken Country considers the sheer number of people psychologically wounded by violence.Paisley Rekdal is the author of a book of essays, "The Night My Mother Met Bruce Lee,"and four books of poetry: "A Crash of Rh

This is the fifth episode in my series on 9/11. These are interviews with those who are speaking out about the 9/11 false flag and cover up. These are scientists and scholars who are showing us that the science supports what we see with our own eyes, that the three World Trade Center Towers collapsed due to controlled demolition.  I have spoken with psychotherapist, Frances Shure, who is writing a series of articles entitled,"Why Do Good People Become Silent or Worse About 9/11?" We talked about the psychological blocks that keep us from information that shakes our world view.I have also spoken with David Ray Griffin about his book, Bush and Cheney: How They Ruined America and the World. He details the lies that we all know were told by the Bush administration in leading the US to a global war on terror and all that has resulted including the shredding of the constitution, killer drones, torture, and the toppling of governments. Griffin shows that this destruction is based on lies and miracles and asserts tha