May 2022
00:00:00 - Opening and announcements
00:02:10 - Whatâs the relationship between emergence and Godâs continual creation?
00:02:52 - Is there any positive use for AI or is it doomed to be a modern idol?
00:04:11 - Why does Jesus hold the sword in His left hand? So that Heâs less likely to use it?
00:05:20 - Patron questions start
00:06:03 - Is crossing your fingers to lie an inversion of the sign of the cross?
00:07:26 - If you agree that âtheosisâ is the ultimate guiding star, does a theoretical understanding of symbology have any utility?
00:08:40 - Could you comment on the symbolism of the compass points, and how their associations flip between the northern and southern hemispheres (as do the seasons)?
00:10:54 - If those who live by the sword are to die by the sword, can Christians serve in the military and law enforcement while strictly adhering to the teachings of Christ?
00:14:44 - You once said Luther should have become a martyr for the Catholic church. Are you saying itâs wrong to leave your church if you believe theyâve lost their way?
00:16:40 - What is the symbolic significance of the ancient feminine goddess statues such as the Venus of Willendorf and the Sheela na gig?
00:20:11 - How faulty can the test of time be, and how much should we worry about it?
00:22:26 - Do you have any thoughts on the conversation between Brett Weinstein and Bishop Barron?
00:24:07 - Do you think the theory of a universe with no beginning or end is compatible with Christianity?
00:26:28 - In the statue of Nebuchadnezzarâs dream, why is Babylon represented with the most precious metal and the other empires with the lesser?
00:29:48 - What do you think of materialist theories on the origin of the moon? E.g. that itâs just a rock that comes from Earth VS that itâs actually a giant spaceship
00:32:26 - What would be the connection with the blood and water that comes from Christâs side and the conversion of Centurion?
00:33:28 - Question about the Roman Republic and Ceasarâs crossing of the Rubicon - Are there any parallels in Scripture?
00:35:53 - Youâve talked before about how laughing is a form of losing control. Is crying/weeping also a form of losing control or is it different? In scripture Jesus cries so I imagine itâs fundamentally different.
00:37:48 - Why does participation have to be in the church, as we understand the church? Why can living through Christ in the world and in a society not be the participatory context of praise?
00:40:27 - Do you think the ancient and symbolic worldview youâve been trying to convey to us is generally universal before the enlightenment/scientific revolution/modernity?
00:42:24 - I was hoping you could shed some light on thorns as a barrier. Is this a thing? If so, is there such a thing as ascending past a barrier of thorns? Finally, do thorns have a different function based on where you stand in relation to them?
00:43:49 - Is âheavenâ in your brotherâs book (and in your own work) akin to Platoâs realm of the forms? If not, how is it different?
00:47:29 - Regarding the symbolism of flowers in the last q&a, I was wondering, is there a connection to what you had said earlier in the same q&a about the highest form of sexuality being abstinence in submission to something greater than itself?
00:48:33 - In terms of participation, can you talk about the differences between music, movies, video games, and paintings?
00:50:45 - Was Adam always meant to die and resurrect?
00:52:20 - The similar patterns between the version of the Theophany Icon with Christ standing on two boards in the Jordan and the Anastasis Icon. Would you speak about this similarity in more detail?
00:54:44 - How do you explain the difference of Christian Theosis vs the nous vs other spiritual practices of âopening the third eye?â
00:56:51 - The pattern of losing your garments of skin, water and ascending into heaven fascinates me. Question about St. Francis in this pattern.
00:58:09 - We use techne as garments of skin, but we receive techne from patterns above, so are the heavenly patterns using us as their body when we wield techne? Also who created those patterns?
01:00:29 - Could you discuss the difference between the spiritual reality of, say, pagan deities (Zeus, Thor, etc.) and narrative characters like Captain America? Is this a qualitative difference? At what point does a narrative reality break into the real world?
01:04:43 - Do you think that these two patterns [of increased control and increased chaos] will ever unite? Will the whore ever ride the beast in that way? For example I find that a lot of ayahuasca-promoters are also promoting crypto.
01:07:30 - How can we throw the ring back into Mordor?
01:09:01 - What is the symbolism of wind? I keep noticing it when I read the Old Testament.
01:10:53 - I wonder if the theory of relativity (and other laws of nature) would be considered âthe word of Godâ, since itâs also a kind of (?) description of the structure of reality. Are the âlaws of natureâ like the stories in the bible but in a different âformatâ?
01:13:22 - Could you talk about the symbolism of Envy? It seems almost like the second sin in Genesis after Pride? Cain and Satan are both thought of as Envious yes?
01:14:44 - What are your thoughts on Islam? Are Muslims anti Christ according to Orthodoxy and is the religion itself a heresy?
01:15:14 - What is the symbolism of kissing?
01:16:24 - All of the disciples followed Christ to the Cross. Of the disciples, St John is the only one who wasnât martyred in doing so. Does him being the only one to actually follow Christ to the Cross bear any significance here?
01:17:25 - What is the meaning of moving far away to marry a foreigner?
01:19:56 - Have you ever read The Brothers Karamazov? What are your thoughts on it?
01:20:18 - You mentioned once that you hadhttps://www.youtube.com watched Terrence Malickâs âA Hidden Lifeâ, and thought it was a good example of a person attempting to show a personâs life from a Christian point of view. Could you elaborate more on what you meant?
01:23:56 - What is going on in Matthew 27 when it says that many bodies of saints were raised from the dead when Jesus died?
01:24:59 - To me it looks like if we worship God, what we need will come our way because our needs are transformed by worship. However, I donât understand how technology can come about in the New Jerusalem without man putting his own will over Godâs will. Any insight?
01:28:55 - Can you discuss the symbolism surrounding Greek fire? The secretive technology used to protect the Christian Roman empire and if its symbolism has any relevance to the issue of tech today.
01:30:14 - Just curious how you see therapists/therapy symbolically.
01:32:42 - If youâre not going to make a video on Spiderman: No Way Home, could you briefly outline your thoughts on the film?
01:33:35 - Can you expand on the idea of Godâs rights hand/left hand in terms of angels and demons?
01:36:32 - Is right/left = order/chaos?
01:38:04 - In the past few weeks in the United States we have had this abortion controversy, a mass shortage on baby formula, and now this horrifying and disgusting shooting at an elementary school. I feel like these are connected
01:39:05 - I was wondering if you could talk about the significance of our Lady of Guadelupe and the idea that the Tilma reconciles Aztecan symbolism with western symbolism of the Virgin Mary.