592 episodes
Conspirituality Awakener
-
- Religion & Spirituality
-
-
4.0 • 1.6K Ratings
-
Dismantling New Age cults, wellness grifters, and conspiracy-mad yogis. At best, the conspirituality movement attacks public health efforts in times of crisis. At worst, it fronts and recruits for the fever-dream of QAnon.As the alt-right and New Age horseshoe toward each other in a blur of disinformation, clear discourse, and good intentions get smothered. Charismatic influencers exploit their followers by co-opting conspiracy theories on a spectrum of intensity ranging from vaccines to child trafficking. In the process, spiritual beliefs that have nurtured creativity and meaning are transforming into memes of a quickly-globalizing paranoia.Conspirituality Podcast attempts to bring understanding to this landscape. A journalist, a cult researcher, and a philosophical skeptic discuss the stories, cognitive dissonances, and cultic dynamics tearing through the yoga, wellness, and new spirituality worlds. Mainstream outlets have noticed the problem. We crowd-source, research, analyze, and dream answers to it.
-
216: J.D. Vance, Conspiracy Hobbit
Just two days after surviving an assassination attempt, Donald Trump announced JD Vance as his VP pick. Vance has made a dramatic U-turn from calling Trump a "reprehensible idiot" and "America's Hitler" in 2016. But who is this 39 year old, really—who after less than two years of on-the-job experience, is now almost a heartbeat away from leading the free world?
Well, not unlike other right-wing populists in Europe and at home, Vance has an idiosyncratic political affinity for JRR Tolkien. We might even call him America’s conspiracy hobbit at this point, fresh from the Appalachian Shire but inexorably drawn by the burning crypto rings of Silicon Valley to eventually land at the feet of Sauron to meet his fate.
But to answer this question and examine where JD Vance fits into the conspirituality landscape, we’ll be breaking down a speech recently released by ProPublica. It’s from an intimate invitation-only conservative event hosted in 2021 by a group called the Teneo Network. Behind closed doors, Vance encouraged his audience to get away from that weird feeling in their chests when listening to the unique truths of conspiracy theorists. Like, Alex Jones sees the world more clearly than MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. The right also apparently needs more oligarchs. Oh, and the literal Devil is at work in the world around us.
Show Notes
J.D. Vance Speaks at a Private Teneo Network Event, Sept. 2021
Inside the “Private and Confidential” Conservative Group That Promises to “Crush Liberal Dominance”
How Lord of the Rings Shaped JD Vance’s Politics
The Influences on JD Vance’s Political Philosophy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Bonus Sample: Project 2025 on Worker's "Rights"
Project 2025's plan for workers is clear: crush unions, eliminate minority protections, curtail reproductive health care benefits, and make the workplace biblical again.
Derek and Julian unpack the details of another insane chapter from Project 2025's 920-page manifesto that describes their vision for the reduced rights of the working class. According to their own statements, a Trump presidency would set these and other disastrous plans in motion from day one.
Show Notes
Conspirituality 187: Project 2025: An Authoritarian Conspiracy
Project 2025's Disdain for Public Education
The GOP Thinks Food Stamps Are the Real Problem
The GOP Takeover of Media
The Plan to Dismantle Health Care
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Project 2025 on Worker's "Rights"
Project 2025's plan for workers is clear: crush unions, eliminate minority protections, curtail reproductive health care benefits, and make the workplace biblical again.
Derek and Julian unpack the details of another insane chapter from Project 2025's 920-page manifesto that describes their vision for the reduced rights of the working class. According to their own statements, a Trump presidency would set these and other disastrous plans in motion from day one. -
Brief: Cult of the Lamb Anti-Cult School? (w/Riley MacLeod)
We cover conspiracy theories, spiritual abuse, and religious and right-wing extremism. We cover showmen and charismatics suffering from King Victim Complex. Last week we had to study a goddam assassination attempt.
But sometimes we get to peek into the worlds that younger people are making within our cursed digital environments, and we realize they might be laughing at some of the problems that fill us olds with despair right out of existence.
Gaming journalist and Master of Divinity Riley MacLeod joins Matthew to talk about whether the hit indie game Cult of the Lamb might be all the inoculation against cultic dynamics that generation Alpha ever needs.
Show Notes
Riley MacLeod - Aftermath
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
215: Divinely Protected
Two landmark Supreme Court decisions—the Trump immunity case and the overturning of the Chevron doctrine—represent the legal institutionalization of the core values of conspirituality: self-sovereignty, natural immunity or divine protection, and “doing your own research.”
The attempted assassination on the former president forged the essence of these two rulings into a stunning still life of Trump’s image for those who love him and those he’s appointed to serve him.
Julian and Matthew wade into the flood, and what might happen at ground zero of conspiracy theory formation—this time veering left as well as right.
Show Notes
Former classmate of Trump rally gunman says he was ‘bullied almost every day’
The FBI Identifies Suspected Gunman in Trump Rally Shooting: What to Know - The New York Times
FBI identifies Thomas Crooks of Bethel Park as the suspect in Trump assassination attempt
FBI probing motives, background of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the Western Pa. gunman behind Donald Trump assassination attempt
A shooting range, a gun store, and a ladder purchase: Tracking the Trump rally gunman's movements leading up to his attack
Trump rewrites Republican convention speech to focus on unity not Biden - Washington Examiner
Vance shooting response: https://x.com/JDVance1/status/1812280973628965109
Musk shooting response: https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1812256998588662068
Rubio shooting response: https://x.com/marcorubio/status/1812256529296613657
Boebert shooting response: https://x.com/KyleClark/status/1812316469016846373
Brief: The Theatre of Trump (w/Hank Willenbrink) — Conspirituality
23-939 Trump v. United States (07/01/2024)
Clarence Thomas Raised Another Issue: Was Jack Smith Legally Appointed? - The New York Times
22-451 Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo (06/28/2024)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Bonus Sample: Project 2025's Plan: Let It Burn
Project 2025's approach to environmental issues is pretty straightforward: deny climate science, dismantle the EPA, clear a path that prioritizes corporate profits, and let the world burn.
Derek and Julian unpack the details on the chilling chapter from Project 2025's 920-page manifesto that outlines their plans for the Environmental Protection Agency. According to their own statements, a Trump presidency would set these and other disastrous plans in motion from day one.
Show Notes
Conspirituality 187: Project 2025: An Authoritarian Conspiracy
Project 2025's Disdain for Public Education
The GOP Thinks Food Stamps Are the Real Problem
The GOP Takeover of Media
The Plan to Dismantle Health Care
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Customer Reviews
They’re more libertarian than they want to admit lol
The guys are generally pretty moderate, which I appreciate as a libertarian. They’re great at looking at different sides and empathically assessing at social issues that rely more on emotions than logic.
Unfortunately, they conflate libertarians with republicans although they share many classical liberal values with the libertarian party. They don’t go more in depth than democrat media talking points so idk maybe their malice comes from naivety?
It would be interesting to hear their very valid criticisms of “libertarian”(alt-right) grifters like Dave Smith and Michael Heise who seem to have manipulated the members of their caucus: Mises Caucus. Fortunately they didn’t spoil the nominating process and are very upset that we have a gay, trans-rights and body autonomy supporting candidate named Chase Oliver on the ballot. Do that next!
Biden drove the dnc into a ditch? Wow. Bye.
What a ridiculous thing to say.
Head trickery in the shift of the modern political space
This podcast is a reactionary response to hyperbole of hyperbole and poor criticality of what all lobbyists left and right do on the realm of politicking at the national level. Not very well researched or interesting.
Top Podcasts In Religion & Spirituality
You Might Also Like