The New World Religion

On Modern Medicine by Olivier Clerc (Interactive Book Summary)

May 16, 2024

“The study of the evolution of disease patterns provides evidence that during the last century doctors have affected epidemics no more profoundly than did priests during earlier times. Epidemics came and went, imprecated by both but touched by neither. They are not modified any more decisively by the rituals performed in medical clinics than by those customary at religious shrines.” - Ivan Illich, in Limits to Medicine

Pasteur, as much by his personality as by his theories, was updating and reactivating Christian symbolism, in particular with regard to the external origin of Evil and the Coming of the Savior, the Redeemer. Equally, in this sense, it should be noted that the very name “Pasteur” (shepherd, in French) probably played a rather non-trivial role in the collective unconscious. Just as Jesus, the “Good Shepherd” who came to save his “lost sheep,” Pasteur became the incarnation of the new Savior who, instead of bringing redemption for the sins of the world, would bring the ultimate salvation from the ills of mankind (by vaccination). As a result, questioning Pasteur and his work became a form of heresy, an unconscious rejection of the Christian doctrine. – Olivier Clerc in, Modern Medicine

Josh Walkos introduced me to Modern Medicine and Olivier Clerc.

Which led to this wonderful interview with Olivier Clerc.

Interview with Olivier Clerc - Lies are Unbekoming (substack.com)

Now I want to pay special attention to Clerc’s book.

It’s a most important book in my opinion.

It puts words to what we “feel” to be true.

There is something very unscientific about The Science.

There is something very unhealing about The Medicine.

There is something very obtuse, rigid and requiring obedience about it all.

Well, Clerc explains it in his book; it’s because they are religious. In fact, Modern Medicine IS The New World Religion.

When you see it, you cannot unsee it anymore.

So, I want to do my bit to amplify the reach of Olivier Clerc’s work and this most important book.

You can buy a very affordable Kindle edition here:

Amazon.com: Modern Medicine, the New World Religion: How Beliefs Secretly Influence Medical Dogmas and Practices eBook : Clerc, Olivier: Kindle Store

Unbekoming Interactive Book Summary

Modern Medicine: The New World Religion by Olivier Clerc

33 Questions & Answers

Question 1: According to Clerc, what is the hidden influence that has shaped medical dogmas and practices?

Clerc argues that there is an invisible "religious field" made up of Christian, particularly Catholic, beliefs, myths and values that has unconsciously structured and organized the development of modern medicine, shaping its dogmas and practices.

Question 2: How does Clerc describe the evolution of disease patterns and the impact of doctors on epidemics over the last century?

Clerc quotes Ivan Illich, stating that the study of disease patterns over the last century shows that doctors have not profoundly affected epidemics, which came and went without being decisively modified by medical interventions, similar to how epidemics in earlier times were not touched by priestly rituals.

Question 3: What central idea does Clerc propose regarding the development of modern medicine?

Clerc proposes that as society became progressively more secularized, there was a transposition of Christian ideas and practices into medical terms. The religious myths, beliefs and expectations were unconsciously projected into medicine, shaping its theories, practices and research.

Question 4: According to Clerc, how did Louis Pasteur's religious beliefs influence his scientific discoveries and the foundations of modern medicine?

Clerc argues that Pasteur, a fervent Catholic, worked all his life to reconcile his scientific discoveries with his faith, even denying facts and tweaking experimental results to keep his discoveries in accord with his religious beliefs. This led him to found modern medicine on a more religious than scientific basis.

As early as 1946, Dr. J. Tissot, general professor of physiology at the Natural History Museum in Paris, demonstrated the inexactitude of the four Pasteurian principles (or dogmas)3 on which modern medicine is founded. The book, which was blocked from publication, and finally printed at the author’s own cost, was titled Constitution of Animal and Vegetable Organisms: Their Illnesses and the Causes Thereof, and included these notable lines:
“Our premise is that Pasteur, whether for religious or other motives, introduced into science false dogmas and principles which, from the outset, stifled the truth which had been on a forward march since the beginning of the last century, and furthermore made it impossible for researchers to find that truth by orienting their work in wrong directions — a most nefarious enterprise which is actively continued by the Pasteurian school, opposing all new ideas which contradict these false dogmas, dogmas which this school wants to remain sacrosanct.” – Modern Medicine

Question 5: What parallels does Clerc draw between original sin in Christianity and the perception of human weakness in the Pasteurian conception of medicine?

Just as in Christianity man is born with the weight of original sin and requires the Church's aid and protection, in the Pasteurian conception man is born with a natural weakness that leaves him vulnerable to illnesses, viruses and microbes, and dependent on medical protection, without which he would likely perish.

Question 6: How does Clerc compare the roles of priests in Christianity and doctors in modern medicine?

Clerc notes several parallels - the priest is the intermediary between man and the divine, while the doctor mediates between the patient and medical science. Both compel respect, impose fear, and wield power over life and death. The relationship is based on the believer/patient's dependence and childish position towards the paternal priest/doctor figure.

Question 7: What similarities does Clerc highlight between baptism in Christianity and vaccination in medicine?

Both baptism and vaccination serve an initiatory function - baptism to ensure divine protection and entry into the Church, and vaccination to confer protection against illnesses and induct the child into the graces of the "Medical Church". Both are accompanied by similar fears, threats and societal pressures for conformity.

A point also exquisitely made here by Liam Scheff:
It is very significant to go to a place where you have no control, to give yourself up to authority, to let them do a ritual in which you are a participant.
Vaccination: The best of all possible worlds.

Question 8: According to Clerc, how do the Church and the medical association resemble each other in structure and practices?

Clerc points out that both the Church and medical associations are strongly hierarchical, lack transparency, have their own courts and justice to pursue heresy/medical dissent, require vows/oaths from their members, wield political influence, and have accumulated significant wealth and power.

Question 9: What parallels does Clerc see between the treatment of heresy by the Church and the treatment of alternative medicine by the medical establishment?

Just as the Church saw itself as the only path to salvation and condemned other beliefs as heresy, modern medicine considers itself the sole legitimate means to health and denounces alternative medicines as charlatanism or quackery. Dissent is not tolerated and dissenters face persecution and punishment in both cases.

Question 10: How does Clerc compare the quest for salvation and eternal life in Christianity with the pursuit of health and physical immortality in medicine?

Clerc argues that medicine has replaced the spiritual goals of Christianity with material ones - the search for health has replaced the quest for salvation, and the hope for physical immortality through medical technologies has been substituted for the hope of eternal spiritual life. The fear of death binds people to religious/medical authorities in both cases.

Question 11: What similarities does Clerc note between the practice of confession in Christianity and regular medical consultations?

Clerc compares how regular confession and medical consultations both serve to maintain the believer/patient in a state of dependence and irresponsibility rather than educating and empowering them to manage their own spiritual/physical well-being. Penance/treatment is prescribed to perpetuate the cycle.

Question 12: According to Clerc, what Messianic and Faustian characteristics does modern medicine exhibit?

Clerc argues medicine has taken on a Messianic role, promising to eradicate illness, suffering and death through technologies like genetic engineering and cloning - offering a medical salvation and earthly paradise. But in playing God and seeking mastery over life itself while denying its spiritual dimension, it also displays a Faustian hubris.

Question 13: How does Clerc describe the recurrence of atavistic fears and their influence on human beliefs and activities?

Clerc argues that primitive, atavistic fears - of death, suffering, the unknown, etc. - continue to unconsciously drive and distort human beliefs and activities in many domains, including religion, medicine, politics, and science. Until these fears are consciously faced and integrated, they will continue to exert an irrational influence.

Question 14: What does Clerc believe is the real solution to the problems in medicine, rather than trying to change the system itself?

Clerc believes the solution lies in individuals taking responsibility for their own health and inner transformation, confronting their fears, outgrowing the need for medical and religious authority figures, and relating to health practitioners as partners in their healing rather than all-powerful saviors. Changing internal dynamics rather than external systems is key.

Question 15: According to Clerc, how have primitive fears distorted the original teachings of Christ and shaped the form of Christianity we know today?

Drawing on Nietzsche, Clerc suggests Christ's original message of freedom from guilt and fear was misunderstood by early Christians still in thrall to their primitive fears. Christ's death was interpreted as an atoning sacrifice to appease a judgmental God, contrary to his teachings of unconditional love, giving rise to a fear-based Christianity.

Question 16: What are the three levels Clerc identifies within each individual that influence their beliefs, thoughts and actions?

Clerc outlines three nested levels:

1) A core of primitive existential fears

2) A layer of beliefs to protect against these fears

3) An intellectual facade to rationally justify the beliefs.

The beliefs limit thoughts, which remain enslaved to irrational fears at the deepest level.

Question 17: How does Clerc describe the limitations imposed by beliefs on the freedom of thought?

Clerc uses the metaphor of beliefs forming an invisible "magnetic field" or "wall" that limits the range of thoughts and the exploration of unknown territories. Thoughts remain enslaved to the fears underlying the beliefs, far below their true potential.

Question 18: What does Clerc suggest is necessary for individuals to truly free their intellectual faculties and imagination?

Clerc states that for thoughts to be truly free, each individual must first Transform their atavistic fears by integrating their own psychological shadow through an interior process of spiritual maturation and self-realization. Liberating thought requires liberating belief from fear.

Question 19: According to Clerc, what underlying force is responsible for wars, religious and racial conflicts in human societies?

Clerc attributes wars and religious/racial conflicts to the projection of the unintegrated psychological shadow - the dark, feared and rejected aspects of the psyche - onto enemies and scapegoats. Collective fears find expression through the demonization of others.

Question 20: What shift in paradigm does Clerc believe is already underway in various fields of human activity?

Clerc detects signs of a paradigm shift from fear-based beliefs necessitating reliance on external authorities, to individuals taking responsibility for their own lives and destinies across domains like medicine, education, economics, politics and science. This entails a transition from passivity to conscious agency.

Question 21: How does the old paradigm based on fear differ from the new paradigm Clerc describes?

The old paradigm portrays individuals as helpless and dependent on external expert authorities promising solutions and salvation. The new paradigm affirms individual capability, responsibility and empowerment to take control of one's health, personal growth and fulfillment through accessing inner resources and wisdom.

Question 22: What tools and methods does Clerc recommend for personal transformation and overcoming fears?

Clerc recommends tools from spiritual traditions and modern psychology that enable self-knowledge, questioning beliefs, confronting and transforming fears, and integrating the shadow. Specific book recommendations are provided, emphasizing non-dogmatic works supporting individual growth and liberation.

The lessons, methods, and tools that help those willing to learn to know themselves better, to accept the shadow part of themselves, to question their beliefs, to squarely face their fears and learn to transform them are numerous. Various spiritual doctrines provide the keys. Recent knowledge from modern psychology, which illuminates the functioning of the mind, also provides elements of information of great value in doing this kind of work.
In my own (ongoing) development, I have appreciated several methods and works more than others, notably those which demand of the reader or student no dedication to any particular dogma, belief, or specific vision of the world.
These methods have contributed to allowing me to begin to transform my relationship with myself and with others. I think they will be accessible to many others. There are of course numerous other books of which I have no knowledge. The brief selection presented below is thus necessarily subjective and very incomplete. Its only purpose is to offer a choice of references with which to begin.
1.    No Chance Encounter: meeting yourself in others - Kay Pollack
2.    Nonviolent Communication: a language of compassion - Marshall Rosenberg
3.    The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
4.    Mastery of Love - Don Miguel Ruiz
5.    Love is letting go of fear - Gerald Jampolsky
6.    How to believe in nothing and set yourself free - Michael Misita
7.    The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey

Question 23: Why does Clerc believe it is dangerous to mistake eternal life with physical immortality or collective salvation with individual transformation?

Clerc cautions against conflating spiritual aspirations with material goals pursued through medicine. Seeking physical immortality and collective salvation through technology and external means is a misdirected substitute for the inner work of individual transformation and spiritual realization that is the true path to freedom from fear.

Question 24: How does Clerc explain the continuing pull of Pasteur's doctrines despite rational criticisms against them?

Clerc attributes the persistent influence of Pasteurian doctrines, despite evidence of their flaws, to their mythical dimension and unconscious religious appeal. By promising protection against disease and death, they fulfill a psychological need for security, making them impervious to rational refutation alone without a corresponding inner evolution.

Question 25: According to Clerc, what is the real aim of massive vaccination campaigns and how do they resemble evangelical crusades?

Clerc suggests that mass vaccination campaigns, like evangelical crusades, are motivated by an unexamined faith in the superiority of one's own belief system and a zealous drive to convert and save others from perceived dangers, be they spiritual or physical. Both reflect the workings of unconscious religious fears and urges.

Question 26: How does Clerc argue that the medical establishment's tolerance for errors and failures reveals its religious dimension?

Clerc contrasts the exceptional degree of tolerance for medical errors and treatment failures with the stringent standards of proof demanded in other domains. He argues this selective leniency betrays an underlying religious faith in medical dogma and a drive to preserve medicine's messianic aura.

Question 27: What implications does Clerc draw from the lack of transparency and self-regulation in both the Church and medical associations?

Clerc argues that the opaque, insular and self-protective stances of religious and medical authorities serve to consolidate power, control the faithful/patients, and shield the institution from criticism or reform, prioritizing self-interest over the spiritual or physical welfare of individuals.

Question 28: How does Clerc relate the primitive fear of death to the dependent relationship between patients and doctors?

Just as the fear of death and damnation binds believers to religious authorities promising salvation, Clerc argues this same primitive fear, unconfronted, makes patients dependent on doctors promising cures and longevity. Facing and overcoming the fear of death is key to outgrowing the need for such dependent relationships.

Question 29: According to Clerc, what is preventing an impartial study of the undesirable effects of vaccination?

Clerc contends that "medical religion" and the mythical status of vaccination generates a defensive fervor and taboo around questioning its safety or necessity. Fears of medical heresy and lost faith in the "protective seal" of vaccines hinder objective examination of risks, as with any religious belief.

Question 30: How does Clerc link the desire for physical sterility in modern medicine to a misguided quest for purity that denies life itself?

Clerc argues the obsession with sterility and antipathy toward microbes in modern medicine reflects an unrealistic ideal of purity and a rejection of the messiness inherent to life. Taken to extremes, the artificial quest for a germ-free body and environment becomes hostile to the very principle of life and vitality.

Question 31: What comparison does Clerc make between the fall of the archangel Lucifer in Christian mythology and the pride of modern medicine?

Clerc draws a parallel between the archangel Lucifer's hubristic belief in his own supremacy leading to his fall from grace, and modern medicine's presumptuous aspiration to achieve mastery over life itself while denying its spiritual dimension. Both reflect an overweening pride that is blind to higher metaphysical realities.

Question 32: According to Clerc, how do patients who take responsibility for their own health contribute to the evolution of the medical practice?

Clerc contends that patients who develop self-knowledge, who see through the unconscious religious dynamics of conventional medicine, and who engage physicians as partners in their own healing process rather than all-powerful saviors, help to nudge the medical establishment away from its dogmatic rigidity towards a more holistic and empowering approach.

Question 33: What hope does Clerc express for a new humanity that has overcome its childhood fears and embraced individual conscience and transformation?

Clerc envisions the emergence of a mature humanity that, through a process of individual shadow work and liberation from irrational anxieties, has outgrown its psychological dependency on external religious/medical/political authorities promising salvation. Instead, it lives from an empowered place of personal responsibility, self-trust, and conscious interconnection.

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