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Stop they don't shoot a production of. I hope we low. Welcome back to the show my name is met, my name is no. They call me bed where joint, as always with our super producer, Paul mission Control, deck and, most importantly, you are you- you are here, and that makes this the stuff they don't what you'd No, I have returned. Fortunately, I here to our fair metropolis of it later at least for the time being, it's very good to see you guys, and I I can't wait to dive into your mysterious adventures in the pacific region as ordinary method, a adventures of a guy who was in the past

Pacific area when he died, is like a pawn shop, Meme Matt that that was my best. I can do is answer so here We are looking at a story. We I think we all learned about in an earlier listener: male segment, the strange bizarre tailed fellow named Tom, Merton in III are tee o and for a lot of folks today. This may be an unfamiliar case. This disguise a monk, an author, a peace activists, He can rightly be called a mistake. He was perhaps most well known for his interfaith studies. Was also known for his work. In social justice and there's there's a huge Jeanne Rob. You can call it of a wholly figures.

Working in the realm of social justice, will we see social justice? We don't mean lead in yet mean of Anne S, J, w or social justice warrior. What we mean is people who are fighting against far governments their fighting against big corporations, they're trying to do what they feel is the most wholly or in learns case, the most christian thing to do, which is to stick up for people who cannot stick up for themselves and he did this through pacifism. Through writing. He wasn't a warrior monk in the physical sense is what we're saying smoke a lot too in front of many p, had he rode allied to let you have a dozens of books and erosion of pre short amount of time, relatively speaking, yeah yeah. He was a pretty author, who originally wanted to be a poet in just the space of twenty seven.

less than thirty years he wrote more than fifty books and in December of nineteen sixty eight he was found dead this created a mystery, that, according to multiple sources, remains unsolved in the present day before we begin I won, Ask you, prior to that piece of lister male we receive fellow can spheres real is had Eddie has ever heard of Thomas Merton Vanunu. Was immediately familiar to me when I read it when I just saw it on an email, but I could not is it anywhere? But after after early searching it on Google for a second, you see his face and I know I have encountered him before- but I was you Know- wasn't like I had a bunch of things stored from him. In my mind, I felt the same way that he does. He does have a look to him that in these guys, certain twinkle in his eye. They like has some recognition for me as well, but yellow

No, I mean I was digging in for this episode, specifically that I really realise how he was such a huge in events on so many folks who may be go down that path of pure devout Christianity or decide to become a monk org, perhaps join a particular sector. Devote their lives to God in that way is If you were someone who is maybe from the church, our did those kinds of studies should you be very very familiar to you? I am that person, so he was not by fastened, guy really looking forward to digging into this unsolved mystery and this man's life, and it should be mentioned that his books sold hundreds of thousands of copies, and so it was. Just the church right it was it was. There was a wide audience. Fluttered Larry yeah, I'm glad you point that out because I As you can tell by the date of death December late, nineteenth sixties, you're talking about a peace activists

time win peace was considered by some authorities to itself be a dangerous proposition. This The time when operations, like Cohen, tell Pro actively monitored, stopped or harassed various civic leaders, including, of course, most famously, Martin Luther King, Jr and Doktor king. Let me think of a way to compare that so doktor king is, if we Sid, room sort of a Shakespeare on the level of Shakespeare in the five percent, right in the: U S, then you could you could conceivably consider Thomas Merton? be a Christopher, Marlowe or Ben Johnson, someone who is also tribute tremendously, influential, but perhaps not as well known today, as they were in their time. So make no mistake whether or not you have heard of Thomas

in an you're gonna, hear a lot about him today. He he was up there in the pantheon of and tie war, activism and his approach. His strategy was different, but alike doctor. He was a very well known orator. I, who is quite a prolific writer. People came to him for a spiritual and a practical perspective. So here are the facts He was bored on January, thirty, first thanking fifteen in France, the Pyrenees too, to artists Odin Merton and Ruth Jenkins. Ruth Jenkins, was from the U S away. Martin was a key we he was from New Zealand. They were good parents his burden. It was a bad kid, that's right in his time

Bridge University during the thirties. He was hard party here. He essentially dropped out in favour of just kind of liking, hitchhiking ideas around Europe using it. jail actually had a child out of wedlock, which is a big no. No. In the in the christian faith, Dude named Tom Bennet, who was an old friend of Thomas Father kind of I took him under his wing, but that got old pretty quickly, so he decided he was on baling this cat a jail and you know, floating him money that he was just gonna blow on booze and you know cheap rent or we know hotels and things like that. Not dimension that he was still having to pay for classes at Cambridge, he didn't drop out officially, you just gotta get out well all right. Then year he was he was loose, which means disreputable basically, and he was so when those kids

kind of travelling on a benefactors time, if you have you have to holding your younger years to various parts of the world. You have met these people and they can be at times. Insufferable the just a growing phase, yeah It is something important right. It's important for his life at he went through that. I think that he explored in that way. It gave him up spectacles on life that he wouldn't have had. A few know AEGIS was buttoned up and had a whatever you would under a standard, quiet upbringing, etc. The point he saw you now The other half take as cuz. He was the other half say that our moonlight, the privileged US daily kindest, mean like sinners. He was very much aware of what it meant lived the life of a of according called sinner since Guy Tom Bennet despair a little time on him. I guess very

very old friend of Owen Merton and took on the took on the responsibility of carrying for Thomas were like war. Thomas was why I went out Cambridge several other universes, u K? been known for these clubs that dedicate themselves decadence, revelry others. Even one club, I can remember the name or the specific institution that is known for being composed entirely of cartoonish Lee Rich college students who intentionally rack restaurants when they go to them like just so you know that's the world in which this guy's living eventually Tom bet it is, has had enough and he said, look do you have to get it together if this shape off? ship out, like you are, you are almost twenty years old. You have I kid Merton by

we never meet this get during his lifetime. I add, and you have the rest your life and you need to start taking seriously. So Merton these we he's never gonna Graduate Cambridge. These burned a lot of praise is candidly in Europe, so ships after the New York City, cue, the commercial line in January nineteen, thirty five knees just turned twenty. He applies to study at Columbia, Firstly, and this is where his life changes. This is a moment he writes about pretty free when we in in his later autobiography. This is where policies and really comes into Thomas Mann story and into his life, and while these at Columbia and not well- I mean it's a while. After what is it, six years, maybe after he arrives there, he ends up at the Abbe of guests, Emily

in nineteen. Forty one- and this is where he decides to become this thing called a trappist monk and as me, before the listener. Male episode you made her that term before, just with regard to a better, that you enjoy drinking a perhaps but this is a this- is a lifestyle, a type of monastic existence. He joined the order of Cistercian of the strict observance sound like finer, yeah yeah, but again you can you can see my maybe he wouldn't. You can see why. Maybe he would want to if he got really touched his initial journeys index of Hop Catholicism and thought back on his life. You can maybe imagine like why he would want to take this route so also wild oats. Ah, he feels like his life experiences have informed his,

choice because you to join a monastic order, is no small enterprise and it requires some careful consideration. so he he thought about this closely, but he didn't ever quite video the idea of the trappers existence which is pretty communal, I mean he wanted to be a poet I he was out owing to left wing protest and demonstration early on, and he was also fascinated by eastern religion and studied it extensive Lee looking toward commonalities toward a spiritual points of intersection and agreement not too long ago, just a few centuries ago, or so. This is the kind of stuff that we get you in big trouble with the catholic church in nineteen. Forty eight another

you know, about seven years he has published an auto biography that propels him to international fame is called the seven story. Mountain it's a good red candidly. If it is a bit, I want to say sensationalist dick necessarily embellish like it own essays, lying buddy styling on it, and later in life, in fact, Merton would himself kind a kind of distance. His present Identity from the start, the vote you'd have held. That is the protagonist of this autobiography. At this point, he sees into Buddhism as well right, yeah yeah. What the easterly

in general. He's he will go on to correspond with the various religious officials from Eastern religions and happy is really productive, deep philosophical precision with life, don't get his wrong. You know, I know there's a little bit of stereotypes that comes about talk about people of dedicated their lives to one form of religion or the next, but this guy seems like he's really chill and fund to hang out with they killed do you like? He is not. He has grown up in a monastery or anything here, while it out not too long ago. You know and he'd be like he lived more life by the time. twenty than many people have lived into their authorities were forties I love in the entering by melding philosophical.

schools there in a way, because that's really kind of what he's doing your jeez, letting one inform the other a bit. But it's it's. It's his writing and specifically that book was a very in influential on young men returning from world war, two right, that's an it's because I think, and I'm not a scholar on this, but I do think that it's because it felt open. Maybe as it was bringing in concepts from far flung parts of the world, Building that philosophy into something that may be in individual can see is helpful to them right yet in this so being written in a larger cultural pond, it is the end of world war. Two people are returning from parts of the world, they'd never thought they would visit and with them they're bringing cultural artifacts both

tangible and intangible, so notches physical, souvenirs, but belief systems, and this this is an ecosystem in which merchant thrives. He a little bit interesting. When you read about his life, he chafes a little bit under the authority of the church and the monastery, because the trappers exist. It is pretty communal and is anyone who enjoys Maybe a better word is how is compelled to write. It can be and was solitary existence, so winnings writing extensively about concepts like justice, Peace Interfaith. Why do we? What are we all searching for when we think of the concept of God? He eventually he ask the leaders of the monastery cannot just be a hermit. Can I just like.

just give me a shack. It doesn't have to be in a good part of the grounds just like. Let me hang out and write and they're like hey. You know we talked about this You are becoming a mug where we're going communal here, but he does. It does get them to a kind of embracing make exceptions, but cos the mice his existence there. So he's always always writing he's got tons of journals. He makes poems Would you you can easily read on line about political social concerns the day he's corresponding with a lot of forgetting I'm liberation, geologist in Mexico, South America and he D, the monastery may deal with them, where they say: okay. Well, why don't you become a lecturer and you can lecture you? Can let your student lecture, younger mouths, and then this becomes a wavering to sit around and right. If you have ever,

I've known someone who lived in a intentional community or a communal lifestyle? What one of the big things about those communities is distribution of work? So allow them fall apart when it sue. The nuts and bolts stuff, like ok, we're growing our own food. That's awesome. Who's gonna actually grow it They were self sufficient. you know we use fertilizer, who collects the poop who drops the night night soil and why does the leader of this group inevitably not have to do any real work since gets controversial and that's something they added attic together, beer amazingly distinctly aware trip that we all took years ago. Where we stayed in a communal house where the other loss was day with his in inevitably got the largest bedroom. I don't think so. That were you on the trip out of the Gomes. I die, Dont know where we are referring to can a name names, obviously, but

a ban. You know what I am referring to I thought you went, but maybe you stayed in a different house. Maybe you did okay. I thought that you guys were there, but anyway it's a it's a it's a flex. Let's just sex Ben, I think, is interesting. Idea of our hermitage doves That's the name of Thomas Jefferson. Home and did I can refer to a secluded retreat where can live in a kind of away from society, but also literally refers to the dwelling of a hermit and then as exists. What he had built for him or are they accommodated him because of, I think, probably saw the worth of the work that he was doing. Nearly all body will make some compromises here, for you will yet guys royalties he was bringin money into that Abbe through Only after seven story, mountain than is eminently true yeah. That's a very good point met in it doesn't sincerely mean the monitor

It was somehow crook, gaiters sinister knows was a transparent agreement. They had that's his contribution right after the fertilizer because royalty checks or or probably phrase something like I would love to help out, but the elders have instructed me this is the way I should do it. It's it's funny, because anything. This aspect of his life should be inspired, into a lot of us listening today, because it just shows how much you can create listening now. You specifically shows how much you are capable of when you get the time and space to focus solely on the things you want to create that something that doesn't happen to a lot of people nowadays, and it is an immense privilege. They, this isn't a perfect life. He does get shut down on some ideas. He wants to go to Mexico and work with a

first a student in a later a priest, these been corresponding with and he's told he he cannot do this, but he still pushing to travel. He's got this correspondence going on with what you could describe as his counter parts in Asia, monks from other religious orders and in nineteen sixty eight remember, that's the first date we dropped in today's episode, one thousand nine hundred and sixty eight he travel. To Asia, is hanging out at the Red Cross and wants to meet and speak with monks from other religious traditions. If you look at his writings from this time and leading up to this time, he often seems to feel that he and his colleagues are at the cusp of some great spiritual away bent. Do you think of the leadership in the lab that he was a party of a kind Joel oversight over his work- or had to sign off, since it definitely represented them yeah. I think there

B, something where they would voice their approval or disapproval, but maybe not necessarily censorship, because he was very much you're here, He was very much sincere in his spiritual believe. So who could argue that he was kind of self selecting already, but also very outspoken and potentially very controversial side, wonder if they may be. Mina gave a pass, knowing that he was bringing at least attention whether good or bad, to their order. My was saying those royalty checks by there were certainly people that did not care for his his attitude. that ideas, which we could maybe a been considered. Very radical and on that date that you mentioned been but December of nineteen sixty eight. He was found dead in a suburb of the Bangkok in Thailand,

near about fifty miles away from Bangkok. He was at a place called so long Cutty what Red Cross Retreat Centre. So the story goes like this he's found dead in his cottage. He has he sharing rooms with some other folks. For me, in a moment, he was only wearing shorts. He was a fish Lee Line on his back with a short circuited Hitachi fan across his body. Tat you ve been here- is a brand name of electric floor fair meaning. It stands like a floor lamp. You know when it's it's a few feet high. So there's a lot of controversy. According to the official report, the original official reports from the thai government, the autopsy, indicates the in general explanation for his death. He took a shower after a morning lecture and he was planning

you know to have lunch. He walked out of the shower slipped: basically a banana appeal moment with no banana and while he was falling backwards, he grabbed that and nearby instinctively to try to steady himself the fan had a short circuit and trick you didn't he had a wound on the back of his head eyes implied. This is from his skull hitting the floor, Then, because the faulty wiring of the fan she was saved in enormous electric shock that possibly cause a massive heart attack, but either way led to his death seems like a bit of bad hedging going on in this report or its I well, we didn't get killed by the head wound than the fan definitely took him out certainly no foul play here, because there were two absolutely final destination style. Cause of death that could have been

I play here. So, let's move right along, shall we know? Let's not, let's make the episode Because this is weird, I guess this is very weird they think about. If you read many autopsy reports, the weird thing to say it sentence. But if you read many these than what you notice is, there are things that can be contributing factors to a cause of death, but there's also we supposed to be one cause of death. It's not a aids, ideally not a multiple choice. Question you tell us that this is already sauce and that's what you do our top. He's right. That's why we wonder why that's why? say you do them, you actually do them

anyway. This is the beginning of the story. This moment around three p dot m December, tenth, one thousand nine hundred and sixty eight and it for the people who don't accept the various official explanations for Thomas Burns death. There are, of questions that remain and we believe these are troubling questions even decades decades later, where we're talking about we'll tell you afterward from our sponsors need an escape from me every day, take a sleeping crept back to the roaring twenties with dunes Journey, the murder, mystery mobile game, packed with adventure and entry. So why is it called Jews journey? Here's the scoop June sister and brother in law

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Bridgewater now on the Iheart Radioactive Apple pot guests or wherever you listen to pack guests and learn more at grim and mild. Dotcom, Slash, Bridgewater stories that are, The black community are being covered on the black information network, not a show for podcast, be. I am twenty four seven news network covering stories from a black perspective into the black information network on the Iheart radio web and good news for and apply the black community anywhere anytime, keeping you informed, keeping you engaged the black information network and be ironed news, dotcom. Here's where it gets crazy, ok, This is a tough one, because we're doing this on one episode there can

be much more to the story. We encourage you to ride along with us for, for the rest of the show, and also come back to us with your own thought. Because we're condemned seen a lot of information here and some of the IMF she's still unavailable to the public to this day, where, where labouring under that constraints, so we must established and pretty pretty solid stuff about means life, and so with that, with what we know now. It might seem. First can odd to question this guy's death. You know who would murder a monk. What danger could a pacifist dedicated spiritual, awakenings post it anyway? I mean it's at first blush. It seems weird right. It seems like there are so many their people who should be murdered. You know what I mean they're serial killers there are war criminals. The list goes on

you just answered. Your own question is war criminals, who fear pacifists, their only criminals, if their cocktail it's true, I'm just saying like to someone who thrives on war and makes money on war. The passive To truly can reach people's hearts and minds is possibly the most dame This thing existence yeah. I was thinking. I live, it's it's funny. You mention because I had that leader notes to its thinking you, the pursuit of peace, can itself to seem to some demographics to be incredibly dangerous and threatening I want to continue on this and I want to just give two other names and dates. The conversation here at them to the mix as we're thinking about this, and why people may have thought there was something else to the story: consent they were discussing December tenth, nineteen sixty eight, the death of a path pacifist monk, consider that, in April that same year. Nineteen sixty eight Martin Weir.

King Jr, a passive civil rights leader in, virtual leader, was killed. Fascinated and consider? In June of that year, Robert Kennedy, a somewhat pacifist at least pacifist leaning politician was fascinated and we know that you know of the man who killed John Lennon was likely. spire by obsession and in personal meta perceived vendetta, but we also The John Lennon was tracked extensively by the FBI and that CS indelibly, NOME files were kept on him for his outspoken. This on pacifism endeavour You know, Anti Vietnam, obvious Yeah. Who knows what you believe about those men were killed or what they were killed, or you know that the very stories and theories behind their deaths is just pacifists were dying rights.

At a time when there was complete. lively little oversight of the actions capacities of many factions of governments, not just the? U S, but the world's governments- and this is this is exacerbated by the disease. Sure fact that the? U S is immensely powerful post world war two. So if the watchman isn't gonna watch itself, who will win sounds cryptic, but not unnecessarily so and were raising raising good points here. So it's even possible. Merchant me have alluded to the dangerous nature of his advocacy for peace in his own work. During his lifetime, Uk

recent great articles in the irish times, then pretty short, but they their dense with information and a one. The reporter quotes his work. A signed confession of crimes against the state in which he writes in which certain rights quote. The very thoughts of a person like me are crimes against the state. All have to do is through and immediately I become guilty area. Nineteen. Eighty four well yeah re thought crime, but also, I think, that's a meal. Nice listening in today can identify with capacity or another, and in the year following Marines death, multiple people came forward objecting to the story: one guy Jim Douglas friend of Britain's raised the issue publicly multiple times, but he's The only one I leave people have a problem with this also include some of the food

sure there that day, that December tenth in twenty six seeing this is something we should remember for the end of this episode and twenty sixteen there's this feel named Matthew Fox, no relation, I think tat actor from lost, who had maintained that Merton was assassinated by CIA agents. Active in Thailand at the time in the late nineteenth sixties and further Fox aimed a member of the CIA actually told him. That's what happened. Wait you might be saying. Is this the end of the episode? No, no just hope. That too stupid keeping running your head, or you know, in a little pocket. Your shoulder chair yeah, yeah yeah put it in your shoe by fully somewhere. We can find it cause we're coming back to that. What we need to point out now need to introduce is for the people who believe the top

Martin was murdered. There is one book that stands above all others it is called the martyrdom of Thomas Merton. An investigation is published on twenty seventeen, so it's is relatively recent. it's by two authors, David Martin and Hugh Turley, and they, I think I said you know they walk through circumstances surrounding martens demise. But that's not true. They dive in this book is obsessive Lee researched and they poke serious serious holes in the official story. and it's it's a story that they say they find preposterous and I'll be honest. If you read the book, they back it up a hundred percent even also see now I know that for sure one law interview with few Turley. There are several places were spoken about it. I I didn't see much of bout, Martin speaking on it, I just didn't find it may be in my in my search, but you can hear them too

Gus it if you're more into the video format, or you want to listen just asian. If you're not going to read the book yes or between them, a primary and secondary source, because it is the author talking about the book that they wrote. I think there's you mean. Are you talking about the interview on Youtube? It's about forty five minutes or so there are several on their going. When I saw you yeah there's one day you can find just search for Hugh Turley and Thomas Martin you'll find it so here's what here's, what the authors are talking about, the book They say there are numerous issues with both how the story was.

Initially reported one how was investigated to and how the cause of death became official three and it gets so in depth so quickly. They focus on the accounts of several people, Martens colleagues in the church and at this Red Cross retreat. One of the folks they focus on is fire from. flawed the groom. I was the last person known to have been with Merton when Merton returned to his room after those lectures, and at this point it is crucial to note the stories already. Don't match from the moment degree leaves Merton and his last person seem alive. The story starts to spread and propagate a mutate, and they contradict each other. At almost every man

ballpoint other than the fact that there is a man who is dead like take the versions of how to run found Burton's body in the first place, because he he's also and pointed out the last forces on the lived and the first person is on debt. That's right and there are three versions of how the body was found, how to grant found Martens body which category ties into the whole like Sus Nature, as well as at the famine electrocuted. Did he hit his head? What's the deal, and there are varying kind of accounts of this, some of which come directly from the monastery itself, lay theirs no version of the story that they have then there's the official report. It's all very strange, but these are the visions of how to run potentially found martens body. So what the police reported that two grand heard a suspicious noise around three o clock the afternoon and ran downstairs

They also went on to report that De Groen went to Martens room to grab a key, and then we have a report from father. Celestial say who is on site at the some Red Cross way? God, like I guess compounds he says that's say, says that Green went to ask Merton. He wanted to go for a little swim. Then the authors point out that of these stories can't possibly I'll be true and, in fact, may all be untrue. they conclude there? What's most likely is to grant didn't, go down to see more and at all, but instead on Father says door, prompting sage Discover Martens body on the floor, so this is our getting into some kind of ebbs semantic. He kind of splitting hairs thing. This isn't feel particularly conspiratorial yet even this. Well, I wouldn't these folks have to gain in bring this up just almost

feels like a case of miscommunication or bad reporting. At this point to me, the work will go on to see that it also appears to be something much more than that or we're gonna get into it. But a lot what we know or from official tie reports, tie sources right and these men are english speakers in Thailand and in dealing with the authorities in those authorities are, then you know translation occurring, to be made. I'm I'm wondering if there's anything small there, there was send translation ray, I'm sure. Well, there's an important issue here, which is that yeah. As the authors pointed out, these stories cannot all be true, but these folks were interviewed about what happens the day after the murder. So there is not enough time for memory to play the treacherous game of retrieval and reinterpretation

and already witnesses are disagreeing about something when you are a witness to a murder. Changing your story, just even once is incredibly, is incredibly bad move and avoided if you can, because it makes people think that you are not the truth or you are unreliable and both of those things are not a good look. They're, not. I knew not a cab bird seed exactly, but we do know there are three men in his head. He discovered Martens body later will find that apparently run didn't discover anything wrong with Martin at all. He just knocked on safe door and then went off to tell other people. So these three guys who do actually go to learn Odo Hoss Egbert Donovan, who is an arch habit and the previously mentioned official safe from the Philippines. They walk in,

green airports. They immediately know this guy's dead and the fan is still running this book. The martyrdom spend a lot of time on the fan and the next few minutes. So, according to this house to House reaches out to move that fan and he gets a shock, zip ease and say unplug the fad. This shock, it's important to note, does not incapacity Hoss it's it's just enough to be

Lessons and so has. Apparently, the guy's recognise something untoward has occurred and so hot says, hey new say, go get your camera was take some photos, so police can see this, and probably does that moment we hear about in film so often don't touch anything right, which is also what you should do. You shouldn't touch anything it a crime scene unless you're trying to cover up or alter a part of the crab, see that's the only reason to touch stuff. It's it's sheen hearing about this, a secondary interaction with the fan, because much a lot is made near much to do is made about this fat, but I mean to me: you think here about the others, almost like cliche trophy way of committing suicide, the idea of being in a bath and dropping like a toaster or like Zena some sort of electrical appliances like I her bare drier something in it would require some huge conductive forest

that too probably be enough to kill you unless you just absolutely grip transformer, you know, while you were soaking wet, it seems off a lot to ask for that. To have been the thing that actually killed. Martin but yet alive is made of this fan. Yeah we're there, especially in the various versions again the various versions of the official reports. So there is a doktor at the center Are there a couple of doctors? Obviously it's the Red Cross. One of them is a doctor Weist. Dr Weiss gets word of what that something. Screwy is happening and she is at the scene moments later, as the news spreads through the retreat and the doctor initially observe A third degree burn in the upper right abdominal area where the fan Switch Box He would turn the fan on and off had of meat,

contact with Merton Skin leader. some of those other witnesses, including say, will pardon me for this say that they did not see any birds. The doktor also observes the series Strip like burns. I Martens right arm and perhaps most importantly, a bleeding wound on the back of his head. She concludes Murden has been electrocuted and when she does make that conclusion, XIV replaced is the fan onwards bodies so that things will quote, look as they have been found for the police. Don't touch anything right.

It is time to implement right back frightened exactly do you could touch it a little as a treat this is at. This is what is happening at this time and even though she concludes that electrocution is caused. This guy's death she's puzzled, and rightly so, because you can't figure out why had fallen Eddie fainted did he ever did Spelt day of a heart attack. Why would you wonder that? Why wouldn't she say that e lay slipped because his feet were well, from coming out of the shower. Well, it's because the shower itself that That whole part of the narrative is also seriously called into question by men. Yes, at least according to the authors, who wrote the book about the investigation that we ve been talking about here, to them. That story was invented. Thomas, Martin, at least according to them, there's no. It is at least that he took a shower

he was wet when, when any of this occurred, story was allegedly written in nineteen. Seventy three several years five years after his death, and it was. in by someone named brother, Patrick Heart. Who was again. I am only going off what I learned from that books. Contents, but, according to authors, this person her heart, was a fairly new secretary to Thomas Merton, early fairly newly functioning secretary to Thomas Martin and for some reason or another he? in the Asian Journal of Thomas Merton. This thing this story about the shower yeah, Patrick Heart, is interesting character and the the people who believe the Thomas Merton was murdered do spend a lot of time on how

propagated. What is the dominant narrative of the death today, and this is one aspect of a larger problem which is again the fusion of story ray and the way in which these stories contradict each other. So the authors of the martyrdom. Don't just allege that authorities may a bungled this investigation. They say they straight up manufactured witness statements and again. You know you can find this book online. You can order it from your books or for Amazon is freely available is not classified. or you know, suppressed or anything by it When I read it, I thought they meet and powerful arguments. One in particular is that the only

It meant providing evidence that bad fared wiring might have immediately killed someone. The only primary statement is super suspect. It looks fake. It looks so fake because it doesn't just contain hallmarks of a falsified police report. It contains the kind of hallmarks that indicate preferred methods of existing organizations. falsified reports in the past, so it's kind of like it's gonna like if you know someone who takes credit for or something do or you're a college professor and you ve had this near do well student multiple times in your classes. You can tat, like you their tricks, enabling its authors or say they are like little I was almost there a little signatures almost of you now some kind of them nefarious activity yeah. So this statement is supposedly from Odo Hoss he's the guy who survived the

In effect that love that name of their surviving, the fans could be there. The subtitle avoids autobiography response in this witness a cow it has pretty egregious errors. It doesn't match the stories. Of the other witnesses in this Odo Hoss Miss spells. the name of his like the place where he lives his own religious community in Korea. The strength of the shock that he received from the fan is total. describe truly differently from the way that other witnesses describe it, perhaps most import we, even though this is a witness statement, it is not signed, it bears no date. Nobody's exactly sure when it was written. It seems in this debate, The authors of the martyrdom, it seems that this was written. As

to provide some evidence or some support for the idea that this guy died by a fan and near a couple things You mention here, they're really important, so in EAST Asia and the diaspora there there is a there's. An interesting theory of urban legends or calming beliefs about electric fans and one of those is you cannot leave a fan on night, because aid me electrocute you do too wiring or that it may the other one man I remember hearing this and I dont know if this is correct. The concept d d leave a fan on because it with the air circulation and you may suffocate as yet

already like this. This idea of death by fan is something that kind of exists in in nearby parts of the world, but also another deal with a fad. Their wish more people pointed out this guy first of Merton. If a shower occurred, he had a shared shower. I think like private ass, shared shower kind of situations and other people would have been walking around this FED so Merton himself. This isn't the first day he got there. He had touched the fan earlier. So what happened between the earlier encounter with the fan and they encounter on December tenth too good Should we don't have any answer. There are other implications in the book and in some other sources they say the fan may have been tampered with, but even that's tough, because again we have to potential causes of death. Why were we so snarking?

about the autopsy. We'll tell you, because the medical investigation that did take place was also just so, bizarrely suspect, That's right. We have an account from Doktor Luke Sauna knock, but Shara, who was the doctor. That was has sting in the investigation and he's maize mentioned in the book, and according to official sources. He arrived there on side with the police and he completed his report on the same day as the death. I don't know what standard operating Feature is like in Thailand, but here You don't. Usually you have a coroner or somebody to do. You know declare somebody dad and make an official record, but typically you wouldn't have information available so quickly. The idea this report came out the same exact days. The death with no autopsy

before the investigation of the fan itself and Nina the actual mechanics of the fat before the interview with the witnesses even were taken no autopsy, so the very strange mean that, no autopsy, it's big, but even if even with all of those other factors, you still do an autopsy situation in Zaire. We can skip the autopsy that sort of standard bringing procedure right, yeah, standard businesses, This is in any case that has been in general originally there is. There is a report that there is an autopsy, but that turns out not to not to be the case, and this is where we really get into looking at the official documents that were generated through this war ordeal and this the death of Thomas Merton there Overall, the authors of this investigative book were able to get these official documents and they know

did that in several places it says that there was an autopsy but then will be a handwritten note on the back by responding officer or by someone Le Pen, officer handling the investigation, saying no, there was no autopsy. Just very very strange right right: it smacks of people trying to get their story straight to be absolutely candid here. So this doctor, not the charge concludes again the same day as the death concludes. Cardiac failure has caused accidental falling into the fair, which is weird because it means that this doctor made those conclusions for the investigation concluded or before really began. They sort of set out with it idea. When it's ok

This is what happened. Let's make it look this way again. If you believe that there is conspiracy of foot, this is troubling for tighter reasons. Later catholic officials on the scene mould, the ball catholic officials on the scene would say heart failure was a choice of convenience. It was less complicated conclusion than electrocution and even Martens official biographer believes the electrocution angle was downplayed void, embarrassing, the Red Cross or the thai government, entire officials hosting them. So that could be one cover up, but how did Thomas Merton actually die if there is a cover up and why do people

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the abuse of timber wraith, listen to NFL inside report on the Iheart radioactive, on apple podcast or wherever you get your pod gas. Get into the theories. First, those authors truly Martin. They think that Merton was struck in the back of the head, either by appointed object or a bullet fired from a gun fitted with a sigh Linzer. People did report hearing a noise its again just like the shower. Its controversial dont know if it actually happened, and they also his body was later moved or repositioned as the before the investigation comments, they that Martin was lying on the floor and originally his legs and arms were straight in his palms were facing down. Like you put him in a coffin me remember

the Benedictine Father, Celestial say who was Filipino, took those photographs at the crime scene and their basing their conclusion on those photographs with Martens body lay on the floor, the fan still on top of his thigh and reaching do the opposite side of his lower wastes. Yeah yeah- and this is so things get dicey, because these guys decide to take photographs would seize camera because they they want to get the evidences accurately as possible before an investigation ensues. They don't know, what's going to happen, there being on the safe side. With this, however, photographs of the scene have been withheld and the authors of this book weren't able to get there were able to view the photographed they were unable to publish them in

work is something really weird happens, so the Abbe in Kentucky Right is is learns home and They say you're while we want to have an autopsy dine and they asked the? U S: Embassy for help in the. U S, embassy says something really weird: they say: okay. Well, according to the laws of Thailand. If there is not topsy, Merton has to be buried in Thailand and, according to the authors, this, is hogwash. This is like and invented law that someone in the embassy said for some reason, so, instead of having an actual autopsy, which is said to have occurred in when the paperwork but never actually happened, the Abbe just flies burdens body back the? U S, along with corpses of american soldiers and the police report further

make room to investigate homicide. I believe there are a total of two lines in the report. That say there were no witnesses who might be suspected of causing the death, there's no reason to suspect criminal causes, and that's it. That's it. That's persuaded us, they just said I dont think about dont. Think about our part. So their couple possibilities. One theory, distressingly simple: the local police just messed up just bungled. The investigation several times that absolutely possible. That happens even with the best of intentions and even with competent professionals. Working people can make mistakes. necessarily imply an affair. See no manipulation of evidence in there can just be honest mistakes well, but within them theory. You also have all the other theories that, because, if they'd bungled the investigation it could have been, he did. We die accidentally. He

killed by someone that they never found and never even search for you know, there's a it. Compasses, all other things within that one concept: yeah exactly end Then there is another theory what, if the police in the: U S: government actively covered up a murder. Why would they do that? Well, at the time, the? U S gun, and the thai government were deep, deep, deep into some very shady things think about a title. allowing the? U S to writing bases for bombing raids in Vietnam and Louse EL sufficiently right officially louse ones between one thousand nine hundred and fifty and one thousand nine hundred and seventy five a lot of money, exchanging hands a ton of money more than you might think. Tiling gets around six fifty million dollars in economic aid, no nine hundred and fifty million earmarked just for defence and security for comparison, nine hundred and fifty million is over fifty percent of banks own spend.

on its armed forces every year. During that period, this doesn't count other seven hundred and sixty million for the vaguely phrased operating costs. The purchaser subsidized purchase military equipment, payment for time, groups in Vietnam, the list goes on and on all it all. Over a period of just ten years, nineteen sixty five to nineteen. Seventy five, that's over two billion dollars in assistance making title and the second largest recipient of american aid in the entirety of Southeast Asia. Second, only of course to Vietnam. So What is this all have to do with this monk from Kentucky who is just lay cave, maybe less nine wage war on each other? Well, he was staunchly opposed. The Indo China WAR and that's the war that Thailand was actively pursuing with Eu Us. So the offers Europe also point out. The thai officials are prove ugly. bed with the CIA on illegal stuff to their work but Uncle SAM Overall Foreign do try to war where, along with that,

they're doing things like riding drugs, they're doing things like the Phoenix programme that is a whole episode on his own guys. I have we not on that. We have gotta do that the fees for him is this widely, I would say unknown thing that exist it during the Vietnam WAR is also widely misunderstood and my this. If you read official CIA documentation or people writing the CIA, about it, you're going to get it, different picture, then what you'll read of bath people writing about it outside of the CIA and as per usual, I suppose, but it was was either in assassination programme. you want to call it that, but I think that's over simplifying it. It was it as a system of infiltrating Vietcong NET, works as well as attempting to identify those networks and individuals who are

either on the military side or just the civilian side. and they operated not just in Vietnam right exactly yet you it. Let's do a Phoenix programme episode. It will be worth it has ramifications. They continue in the modern day, yeah agreed no, they did in the Phoenix Programme when they caught someone, they tortured them for fun. You know what I'm thinking about guys, the more on his arm he's on his arm as well the burn on his chest as though maybe parcel talisman was tortured with electrocution are the ones that were blamed on this says is fan. That was, as so important in this case. No evidence no evidence for that. Just putting another good torture, though effective towards roadside takes time, so they were doing that kind of torture. That would just be purely sadism on the part of the assailants, but by you know,

it's a point. The needs we make. The CIA has manuals on assassination and if you read the, if you read them relief a while back. Then you will see that by far the most preferred method for quietly. Removing someone from the chess board is to make it look like an accident as why Franco's and fell? That's why this guy Quint people Billy he's murdered. That's why he suddenly ran into a dangerous fat. There was totally five four days before you wanted to look like an accident, so this this stuff for this year I've from feelings programme. No, there was an illicit drug business blue, we'll talk about them Phoenix Programme as well. This led the authors, thoroughly and Martin to say that help in this those other nettlesome monk who is interfering with the war effort would

been little more than routine business for this year, because they were actually closer with tie police forces and they were with the overall tiger that was more of Uncle SAM Kind of thing, but the CIA was down in the trenches. The issue is that this is an hard evidence. They have a pretty good why, when they knew that the CIA had easily targeted Martin and if it is targeted him for assassinations, could have reasonably assumed allies in the type police force would help facilitate that and they would cover up any loose ends in the aftermath. Later investigations do verify? They confirm that Merton. Like many other peace activists, you mentioned earlier. Matt I was on a CIA Watch list is male

was monitored and at times illegally intercepted FBI was watching as well. A group calling itself the catholic concerned. Citizens had written to Kentucky State legislatures asking them to declare Merton a danger radical way forward it to the CIA and the CIA was like. Oh, you know we're on it. We're we're one this guy already have you read his book, the seven story mon? It's actually pretty good anyway, that's how they were talking so any ends. There's a dilemma, that's why we said this is unresolved. The authors lay out a convey seen case that multiple parts of this investigation were either bungled or purposefully misleading, and they don't provide hard proof that this year, killed Martin to eliminate, is anti war activities, but they do point to numerous again poles of CIA assassinations, assassination attempts and stalking, perhaps its best

for free to look into the front. In your mind, check your shoe check their pocket women. and where you remembered the statements of Matthew Fox, who straight up says the CIA confirmed Merton was murdered in his opinion. They confirmed. It is important to note that, because If you look at the Thomas Mann, society again is available online as well. You will see that Matthew Fox actually spoke three CIA agents, not one. The two were the first to he spoke with were in Southeast Asia at the time of Martens death not at the Red Cross and are at least as far as we know Fox, it asked them straight up, he said: did you guys killed Thomas Martin and the first replied, I will neither affirm nor deny it which is a standard it. It's a standard, spy answer the second said she, no man we had so much money at the time

We had no accountability whatsoever. If any CIA agents felt Merton was a threat to the country, they can decide who killed. No questions asked We like you, wouldn't have been a big deal, which has some are even more terrified, then say yeah, we did it. We carefully planned, it gives you wanna get caught is more like makes it sound like a four thirty on a Friday decision like I, you know why, while we're here I'll, get it knocked out. SK as CIA agents could you have killed him sure now I mean maybe Europe in a wild, eyed, that's crazy, yeah industry and it should be frightening people, because that is an answer reflecting the reality of that of that era. So.

then later Fox meets a third CIA age. Ask him again just point blank: did you guys kill Thomas Martin and the agent said the following? Yes, my age replied adding the last forty years of my life. I have been cleansing my soul from the actions I was involved in in the name of Cia in South EAST Asia, as a young man, I didn't mean to laugh. I just have a hard time believe that is the age. I would never say anything like this: oh yeah, you, you have to believe Matthew, Fox, that decision the third area- happily, I believe, Matthew Days, there's no signed affidavit from that quotes. Officer who said those things right, but if it's true. Somebody feels bad about doing something, terrible, it's tough, that So this whole story is right. There is- and I think that's what

wonder what the authors of the book would say. There's not enough information to conclusively say we just have a lot of questions still. Right and we know there's opportunity incapability, but that doesn't necessarily mean that these events happened and that's that's where we leave it today. Obviously, for Fox, that emission was proof that the CIA killed, Thomas written and your prompted him to say, Merton died a martyr for peace, as did his friend Doktor Martin Luther King Jr, at the hands of the? U S, government, improving yet, but just looking at the investigation. is riddled with problems and, at this point we want to hear from you we want to hear what you think happened to Thomas Merton was is just Well. Intentioned bungling of a case was there's something more insidious play and if so,

Do you agree with the authors idea the culprit on a personal note with his travel stuff, I think I'm gonna be I think of the review of these goes for, while I've had some adzuma weird four times, but I wanted to thank everybody who took the time to support the show, and I took the time to drama little know my way or a exciting, led to a future episodes who think you all so much. Also, if you knew about a novice ass, a nation Boris Ass, a nation- conspiracy that deserves more attention, investigation and we'd love to hear from you. We try to make it easy to find us online and we are absolutely easy to find it all. The usual internet places of note you can find it on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube at the conspiracy stuff delta, find us on Insta add conspiracy, stuff show you don't want to mess with

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