In 1932 and 1933, Einstein and Freud collaborated on a little-known book entitled Why War to address the ongoing occurrences of war and the possibility of peace.  Similarly, Jung sought to understand the genesis of such crimes against humanity.

Building on these works, we will look at a number of myths and biblical stories, including the sacrifice of Isaac (the Akedah) and Job, to understand the archetypal roots of violence within the Psyche, as well as our collective tendency to sanction, deny, and even revere eruptions from the dark unconscious.

The refrain running throughout this presentation is the question: Did God shed a tear in seeing his son’s sacrifice for humanity and the consequences of this act?  The important question addressed in this lecture is: What justifies our need for violence and its denial?