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How Idolatry Began (Universal History) @SeraphimRichardRohlin

Part 5. In this episode, Deacon Seraphim Rohlin and I continue the Syriac text of the Cave of Treasures into the fourth age of the world. The text traces the origins of idolatry back to a lack of hope in the resurrection. It tells of a “flood of wind” that buried the idols in mounds, and it puts the origin of sorcery in a child sacrifice to a golden image. We also look at how the text explains Persian fire worship and why it makes Nimrod the same person as Zoroaster. Along the way we talk about the difference between an icon and an idol. Listen to this episode on The Symbolic World Podcast: - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/552ko1872kmflEzCbNEbZK?si=Z4lJDkqTS8KW5272SxO46A - Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/490-how-idolatry-began-universal-history/id1386867488?i=1000797780688 Watch the full series here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLegM2eIGv3-I&si=uD375Yi9HcXAt4_j ------------------------------- GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ ------------------------------- The Book of the Cave of Treasures: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Cave-Treasures-Patriarchs-Crucifixion/dp/1911405659 Timestamps: 0:00 Coming up 1:26 Intro 1:40 Preamble 3:42 The Cave of Treasures & the Seven Ages of the World 5:30 Tolkien's Middle-earth as Universal History 6:11 The Oxford Summit & Tolkien's Grave 8:41 King Arthur, Dragon Hill & the Blood Spot 12:09 The Fourth Age: Egypt, Sheba, Ophir & India 14:43 How Idolatry Began 15:17 No Hope of Resurrection: Images on the Grave 17:02 The Flood of Wind & the Burial Mounds 18:55 Satan Enters the Golden Image 21:01 Child Sacrifice, Moloch & Carthage 22:41 What's the Difference Between an Icon and an Idol? 25:58 Opening the Mouth of the Idol 27:25 Idols as a tool 28:38 Same Rituals, Different Direction 29:38 Idolatry vs. the Hope of Resurrection 30:31 A Mound Full of Devils 32:57 Nimrod Worships the Fire from the Earth 33:43 Nimrod & the Wisdom of Noah's Son 34:47 Abraham the True Astrologer 35:10 Divination in the Old Testament: Urim, Thummim & the Ephod 37:37 The Fire Priest's Dark Initiation 40:34 How Paganism Emerges 41:17 The Origins of Astrology 42:56 Nimrod Is Zoroaster? 44:11 Zoroaster, the Magi & the Star of Christ 45:05 Nimrod, Zoroaster & Balaam: The Same Person? 48:21 The Legend of Balaam's Talking Donkey 49:06 Hidden Monotheism in the Ancient World 51:21 Universal History as a Lens on the Present 52:12 Why Zoroastrians Don't Bury Their Dead 53:29 Armenia's Hayk & the Death of Nimrod 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 23, 2026
October 23, 2026

How Idolatry Began (Universal History) @SeraphimRichardRohlin

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 23, 2026
October 23, 2026

Part 5. In this episode, Deacon Seraphim Rohlin and I continue the Syriac text of the Cave of Treasures into the fourth age of the world. The text traces the origins of idolatry back to a lack of hope in the resurrection. It tells of a “flood of wind” that buried the idols in mounds, and it puts the origin of sorcery in a child sacrifice to a golden image. We also look at how the text explains Persian fire worship and why it makes Nimrod the same person as Zoroaster. Along the way we talk about the difference between an icon and an idol. Listen to this episode on The Symbolic World Podcast: - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/552ko1872kmflEzCbNEbZK?si=Z4lJDkqTS8KW5272SxO46A - Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/490-how-idolatry-began-universal-history/id1386867488?i=1000797780688 Watch the full series here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLegM2eIGv3-I&si=uD375Yi9HcXAt4_j ------------------------------- GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ ------------------------------- The Book of the Cave of Treasures: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Cave-Treasures-Patriarchs-Crucifixion/dp/1911405659 Timestamps: 0:00 Coming up 1:26 Intro 1:40 Preamble 3:42 The Cave of Treasures & the Seven Ages of the World 5:30 Tolkien's Middle-earth as Universal History 6:11 The Oxford Summit & Tolkien's Grave 8:41 King Arthur, Dragon Hill & the Blood Spot 12:09 The Fourth Age: Egypt, Sheba, Ophir & India 14:43 How Idolatry Began 15:17 No Hope of Resurrection: Images on the Grave 17:02 The Flood of Wind & the Burial Mounds 18:55 Satan Enters the Golden Image 21:01 Child Sacrifice, Moloch & Carthage 22:41 What's the Difference Between an Icon and an Idol? 25:58 Opening the Mouth of the Idol 27:25 Idols as a tool 28:38 Same Rituals, Different Direction 29:38 Idolatry vs. the Hope of Resurrection 30:31 A Mound Full of Devils 32:57 Nimrod Worships the Fire from the Earth 33:43 Nimrod & the Wisdom of Noah's Son 34:47 Abraham the True Astrologer 35:10 Divination in the Old Testament: Urim, Thummim & the Ephod 37:37 The Fire Priest's Dark Initiation 40:34 How Paganism Emerges 41:17 The Origins of Astrology 42:56 Nimrod Is Zoroaster? 44:11 Zoroaster, the Magi & the Star of Christ 45:05 Nimrod, Zoroaster & Balaam: The Same Person? 48:21 The Legend of Balaam's Talking Donkey 49:06 Hidden Monotheism in the Ancient World 51:21 Universal History as a Lens on the Present 52:12 Why Zoroastrians Don't Bury Their Dead 53:29 Armenia's Hayk & the Death of Nimrod 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Dear Catholics: Let’s Put Renaissance Art Behind Us

This is a patron video we decided to make public. I look at the difference between Renaissance art and the symbolic language of early Christianity, especially through the mosaics of Saint John Lateran. Saint John Lateran is the cathedral of Rome and the pope’s actual seat as Bishop of Rome. ------------------------------- GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ ------------------------------- 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 21, 2026
October 21, 2026

Dear Catholics: Let’s Put Renaissance Art Behind Us

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 21, 2026
October 21, 2026

This is a patron video we decided to make public. I look at the difference between Renaissance art and the symbolic language of early Christianity, especially through the mosaics of Saint John Lateran. Saint John Lateran is the cathedral of Rome and the pope’s actual seat as Bishop of Rome. ------------------------------- GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ ------------------------------- 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Relics Explained: Why your dead body is still precious

Why do Christians venerate the relics of saints, and how can these objects perform miracles? I explore the biblical and symbolic meaning of relics, from the bones of Elisha to the incorrupt bodies of saints, and what they reveal about the body, holiness, and the resurrection. ------------------------------- GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ ------------------------------- 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 15, 2026
October 15, 2026

Relics Explained: Why your dead body is still precious

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 15, 2026
October 15, 2026

Why do Christians venerate the relics of saints, and how can these objects perform miracles? I explore the biblical and symbolic meaning of relics, from the bones of Elisha to the incorrupt bodies of saints, and what they reveal about the body, holiness, and the resurrection. ------------------------------- GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ ------------------------------- 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Divine Patterns in The Life of Moses

This talk is a repost from the archive. It was given in Feb. 2017 at the Climacus Conference in Louisville Kentucky. Looking at the story of the life of Moses as described by St. Gregory of Nyssa, I use the pattern found there to trace a map of the cosmos which can be used to interpret other stories and images. This is the second part of a talk. The first part is here: https://youtu.be/S1y-jEYNRNc The original audio was taken from Ancient Faith Radio: https://www.ancientfaith.com/ ------------------------------- GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ ------------------------------- 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 13, 2026
October 13, 2026

Divine Patterns in The Life of Moses

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 13, 2026
October 13, 2026

This talk is a repost from the archive. It was given in Feb. 2017 at the Climacus Conference in Louisville Kentucky. Looking at the story of the life of Moses as described by St. Gregory of Nyssa, I use the pattern found there to trace a map of the cosmos which can be used to interpret other stories and images. This is the second part of a talk. The first part is here: https://youtu.be/S1y-jEYNRNc The original audio was taken from Ancient Faith Radio: https://www.ancientfaith.com/ ------------------------------- GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ ------------------------------- 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Encountering God in Stories

The patterns in stories appear as their underlying order and also as a mode of human consciousness. We can encounter the Divine Logos in ancient stories and see how these patterns culminate in the story of Christ. This talk is a repost from the archive. It was given in Feb. 2017 at the Climacus Conference in Louisville Kentucky. The original audio was taken from Ancient Faith Radio: https://www.ancientfaith.com/ The thumbnail is based on a contemporary icon by Kostko Markovych. ------------------------------- GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ ------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 – The world is made of stories 01:23 – How the invisible holds the visible together 03:49 – What makes something a story? 06:15 – Ad starts: God's Dog 3 07:10 – Ad ends: The universal pattern of stories 09:01 – How biblical stories hold the world together 10:37 – Moses and the pattern of the Tabernacle 13:13 – Christ as the Tabernacle encompassing the universe 15:22 – Patterns within patterns 18:03 – How the Old Testament points to Christ 19:50 – Cain and Abel as patterns of Christ 22:13 – The Eucharist reconciles opposing sacrifices 24:35 – Christ as the fulfilment of all stories 25:47 – The universal pattern of descent into the underworld 28:08 – Why similar myths don't disprove Christianity 30:33 – The Harrowing of Hades 32:50 – How Christ transforms the ancient pattern 35:29 – Seeing ancient myths through Christ 36:17 – How we encounter God in stories 37:51 – The danger of reducing Christ to our preferences 38:46 – Letting go of our limited image of Christ 40:13 – Encountering divine truth in unexpected places 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 9, 2026
October 9, 2026

Encountering God in Stories

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 9, 2026
October 9, 2026

The patterns in stories appear as their underlying order and also as a mode of human consciousness. We can encounter the Divine Logos in ancient stories and see how these patterns culminate in the story of Christ. This talk is a repost from the archive. It was given in Feb. 2017 at the Climacus Conference in Louisville Kentucky. The original audio was taken from Ancient Faith Radio: https://www.ancientfaith.com/ The thumbnail is based on a contemporary icon by Kostko Markovych. ------------------------------- GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ ------------------------------- Timestamps: 00:00 – The world is made of stories 01:23 – How the invisible holds the visible together 03:49 – What makes something a story? 06:15 – Ad starts: God's Dog 3 07:10 – Ad ends: The universal pattern of stories 09:01 – How biblical stories hold the world together 10:37 – Moses and the pattern of the Tabernacle 13:13 – Christ as the Tabernacle encompassing the universe 15:22 – Patterns within patterns 18:03 – How the Old Testament points to Christ 19:50 – Cain and Abel as patterns of Christ 22:13 – The Eucharist reconciles opposing sacrifices 24:35 – Christ as the fulfilment of all stories 25:47 – The universal pattern of descent into the underworld 28:08 – Why similar myths don't disprove Christianity 30:33 – The Harrowing of Hades 32:50 – How Christ transforms the ancient pattern 35:29 – Seeing ancient myths through Christ 36:17 – How we encounter God in stories 37:51 – The danger of reducing Christ to our preferences 38:46 – Letting go of our limited image of Christ 40:13 – Encountering divine truth in unexpected places 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Why Modernity Loves Prometheus

In this video, I look at the story of Prometheus and why our modern admiration for him leaves out an important part of the myth. I explore his connection to Cain, Lucifer, technology, and the recurring temptation to grasp power as if it were our own. GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 8, 2026
October 8, 2026

Why Modernity Loves Prometheus

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Oct 8, 2026
October 8, 2026

In this video, I look at the story of Prometheus and why our modern admiration for him leaves out an important part of the myth. I explore his connection to Cain, Lucifer, technology, and the recurring temptation to grasp power as if it were our own. GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/ 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

R.R. Reno: The Return of the Strong Gods

I talk with Rusty Reno about the collapse of the postwar “open society” ideal and the return of people’s need for strong loyalties, meaning, and transcendence. We discuss how we got here after the world wars decimated Western civilization: emergent post-war social narratives and identities like nationalism, globalism, politics, “progress”, environmentalism, and transhumanism. Finally we discuss the crisis of masculinity and our ultimate hope in Christ. Listen to this interview on the Symbolic World podcast: - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Vq9L0sM5WRtcx1pysxukm?si=RZ14tqXlQFO1YLmpVLNosA - Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/483-r-r-reno-the-return-of-the-strong-gods/id1386867488?i=1000791114556 Rusty Reno is the editor of First Things, a journal aimed at "advancing a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society". He is the editor of the Brazos Theological Commentary on Scripture series and the author of several books, most recently Return of the Strong Gods: Nationalism, Populism and the Future of the West. For twenty years Reno taught theology at Creighton University. Rusty’s book, Return of the Strong Gods: https://www.amazon.com/Return-Strong-Gods-Nationalism-Populism/dp/1621578003 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 22, 2026
September 22, 2026

R.R. Reno: The Return of the Strong Gods

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 22, 2026
September 22, 2026

I talk with Rusty Reno about the collapse of the postwar “open society” ideal and the return of people’s need for strong loyalties, meaning, and transcendence. We discuss how we got here after the world wars decimated Western civilization: emergent post-war social narratives and identities like nationalism, globalism, politics, “progress”, environmentalism, and transhumanism. Finally we discuss the crisis of masculinity and our ultimate hope in Christ. Listen to this interview on the Symbolic World podcast: - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Vq9L0sM5WRtcx1pysxukm?si=RZ14tqXlQFO1YLmpVLNosA - Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/483-r-r-reno-the-return-of-the-strong-gods/id1386867488?i=1000791114556 Rusty Reno is the editor of First Things, a journal aimed at "advancing a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society". He is the editor of the Brazos Theological Commentary on Scripture series and the author of several books, most recently Return of the Strong Gods: Nationalism, Populism and the Future of the West. For twenty years Reno taught theology at Creighton University. Rusty’s book, Return of the Strong Gods: https://www.amazon.com/Return-Strong-Gods-Nationalism-Populism/dp/1621578003 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

The Sword of St. Michael

Why is St. Michael often shown holding a flaming sword? I look at how this image developed, its connection to the expulsion from Paradise, the defeat of the dragon, and the emergent sacred geography known as the Sword of St. Michael. Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 18, 2026
September 18, 2026

The Sword of St. Michael

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 18, 2026
September 18, 2026

Why is St. Michael often shown holding a flaming sword? I look at how this image developed, its connection to the expulsion from Paradise, the defeat of the dragon, and the emergent sacred geography known as the Sword of St. Michael. Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe

Dr. Diana Pasulka: The New Religion

I finally sit down with Diana Pasulka to talk about UFOs, alien intelligence, AI, psychedelics, transhumanism, and the strange religious framework forming around all of them. We look at how these phenomena overlap with older spiritual categories, and why the promise of technological transcendence may be a counterfeit of something Christianity already understands. Her books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/D.W.-Pasulka/author/B07NL6KZN5 Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Timestamps: 00:00 – Coming up 01:58 – Introduction 02:52 – How a Religious Studies Scholar Ended Up Studying UFOs 08:52 – UFOs as Religious and Spiritual Phenomena 13:25 – A Demonological History of the World 14:41 – The Mythology and Narrative of UFOs 16:38 – Why Governments Use UFO Disinformation 20:56 – Technology, Magic, and Non-Human Intelligence 24:22 – Aliens, Demons, and the Modern Image of the “Grey” 27:43 – Psychedelics and Encounters With Other Beings 30:19 – AI as an Alien Intelligence 32:02 – UFOs and the Promise of a New Revelation 34:29 – Spielberg and the Alien as Saviour 38:35 – Arthur C. Clarke, Demons, and Childhood’s End 40:50 – Transhumanism vs. Christian Transfiguration 45:42 – God’s Dog: Monk 46:42 – Aliens as Our Future, “Evolved” Selves 49:06 – How the Alien Narrative Collides With Christianity 52:36 – Project Stargate, Remote Viewing, and Psychic Espionage 56:18 – Why Is the AI Project Also Called “Stargate”? 57:30 – 2001: A Space Odyssey, AI, and UFO Disclosure 01:01:29 – AI Is Feeding on Us 01:03:00 – How Should Christians Respond? 01:06:26 – AI Cannot Give Us Transcendence 01:08:42 – Recovering the Spiritual Senses 01:10:39 – Isolation Makes Us Vulnerable to Propaganda 01:11:39 – Diana’s Next Book on Christianity 01:13:00 – The Noosphere, the Singularity, and an Apocalyptic Moment 01:17:06 – Christianity Makes Us More Human 01:18:20 – Conclusion 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 16, 2026
September 16, 2026

Dr. Diana Pasulka: The New Religion

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 16, 2026
September 16, 2026

I finally sit down with Diana Pasulka to talk about UFOs, alien intelligence, AI, psychedelics, transhumanism, and the strange religious framework forming around all of them. We look at how these phenomena overlap with older spiritual categories, and why the promise of technological transcendence may be a counterfeit of something Christianity already understands. Her books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/D.W.-Pasulka/author/B07NL6KZN5 Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Timestamps: 00:00 – Coming up 01:58 – Introduction 02:52 – How a Religious Studies Scholar Ended Up Studying UFOs 08:52 – UFOs as Religious and Spiritual Phenomena 13:25 – A Demonological History of the World 14:41 – The Mythology and Narrative of UFOs 16:38 – Why Governments Use UFO Disinformation 20:56 – Technology, Magic, and Non-Human Intelligence 24:22 – Aliens, Demons, and the Modern Image of the “Grey” 27:43 – Psychedelics and Encounters With Other Beings 30:19 – AI as an Alien Intelligence 32:02 – UFOs and the Promise of a New Revelation 34:29 – Spielberg and the Alien as Saviour 38:35 – Arthur C. Clarke, Demons, and Childhood’s End 40:50 – Transhumanism vs. Christian Transfiguration 45:42 – God’s Dog: Monk 46:42 – Aliens as Our Future, “Evolved” Selves 49:06 – How the Alien Narrative Collides With Christianity 52:36 – Project Stargate, Remote Viewing, and Psychic Espionage 56:18 – Why Is the AI Project Also Called “Stargate”? 57:30 – 2001: A Space Odyssey, AI, and UFO Disclosure 01:01:29 – AI Is Feeding on Us 01:03:00 – How Should Christians Respond? 01:06:26 – AI Cannot Give Us Transcendence 01:08:42 – Recovering the Spiritual Senses 01:10:39 – Isolation Makes Us Vulnerable to Propaganda 01:11:39 – Diana’s Next Book on Christianity 01:13:00 – The Noosphere, the Singularity, and an Apocalyptic Moment 01:17:06 – Christianity Makes Us More Human 01:18:20 – Conclusion 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

The Pagan Gods Really Exist - with Dr. Zac Porcu

Dr. Zac Porcu joins me to discuss his upcoming course on the demonological history of the world, looking at the pagan gods, fallen angels, magic, and technology. We explore what happens when you take seriously the early Christian claim that the gods were real, but fallen. Learn more about Dr. Zac: https://zacharyporcu.com/ Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 11, 2026
September 11, 2026

The Pagan Gods Really Exist - with Dr. Zac Porcu

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 11, 2026
September 11, 2026

Dr. Zac Porcu joins me to discuss his upcoming course on the demonological history of the world, looking at the pagan gods, fallen angels, magic, and technology. We explore what happens when you take seriously the early Christian claim that the gods were real, but fallen. Learn more about Dr. Zac: https://zacharyporcu.com/ Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

The Horror of Getting What You Want - Obsession (2026)

This was July 2026's patron video that we decided to make public. If you want to support us and get extra symbolism videos, subscribe a a paying member to The Symbolic World: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe In this video, I analyzed the movie Obsession, which was released in May of this year. It had a low budget and was directed by a YouTuber, yet became a massive breakout box office and critical success. Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and get 15% off through September 8, 2026 at 11:55PM ET! After the early bird sale, Involved patrons can still get 10% off. (Discounts can't be combined.) Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog ============ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 8, 2026
September 8, 2026

The Horror of Getting What You Want - Obsession (2026)

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 8, 2026
September 8, 2026

This was July 2026's patron video that we decided to make public. If you want to support us and get extra symbolism videos, subscribe a a paying member to The Symbolic World: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe In this video, I analyzed the movie Obsession, which was released in May of this year. It had a low budget and was directed by a YouTuber, yet became a massive breakout box office and critical success. Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and get 15% off through September 8, 2026 at 11:55PM ET! After the early bird sale, Involved patrons can still get 10% off. (Discounts can't be combined.) Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog ============ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Technological Madness: The Logic of Domination - with Christian Roy

Christian Roy and I discuss Jacques Ellul’s theology of technique (technology) and the way modern systems turn power, efficiency, and mediation into ends in themselves. AI brings this crisis into focus, especially in our speech and relationships, but the deeper question is whether technology still serves a meaningful purpose —or whether we have begun to serve it. We also explore the Christian idea of non-power as a way beyond the logic of domination. 🎧 Listen to this episode (#478) on The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3P4EgAdZwS8NVUNWYqrQpJ?si=g1Dv56EgSKO_h2kjQw6obg -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Christian’s book: Theology and Technique: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Technique-Jacques-Ellul/dp/1725259788 Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and get 15% off through September 8, 2026 at 11:55PM ET! Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📕Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 4, 2026
September 4, 2026

Technological Madness: The Logic of Domination - with Christian Roy

Jonathan PageauSymbolic World Icon
Jonathan Pageau
Sep 4, 2026
September 4, 2026

Christian Roy and I discuss Jacques Ellul’s theology of technique (technology) and the way modern systems turn power, efficiency, and mediation into ends in themselves. AI brings this crisis into focus, especially in our speech and relationships, but the deeper question is whether technology still serves a meaningful purpose —or whether we have begun to serve it. We also explore the Christian idea of non-power as a way beyond the logic of domination. 🎧 Listen to this episode (#478) on The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3P4EgAdZwS8NVUNWYqrQpJ?si=g1Dv56EgSKO_h2kjQw6obg -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Christian’s book: Theology and Technique: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Technique-Jacques-Ellul/dp/1725259788 Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and get 15% off through September 8, 2026 at 11:55PM ET! Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📕Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/