Episode Details

Want to reach out to us? Want to leave a comment or review? Want to give us a suggestion or berate Anthony? Send us a text by clicking this link!

Everything feels louder than it should, and somehow less real at the same time. That’s the tension we sit with as Dr. Haugen (Dr. Deep State) joins us to talk about spectacle, propaganda, and the slow spiritual cost of living inside an attention economy that never stops asking for your fear, your outrage, and your loyalty.

We dig into the core idea behind his new book, Saints of the Apocalypse: the apocalypse can look like distraction, not just disaster. From political theater and mass persuasion to the way online narratives “train” desire, we ask what discernment looks like when the world feels scripted. We also connect this to Catholic theology and typology, including St. Stephen, the Church’s historical memory, and how different readings of Romans 9–11 shape conversations about ecumenism and modern religious identity.

From there, we turn to the interior battle: hypocrisy as religious performance without divine content, the temptation to trade truth for comfort, and the urgent need to learn how to suffer well. We close by touching big themes Dr. Haugen explores elsewhere, including AI, the metaverse as a modern Tower of Babel, and Fatima as a warning against confusion that masquerades as peace.

If this conversation helps you see the spectacle more clearly, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. What part of modern life feels most like “theater” to you right now?

Support the show

Need seafood for Lent? Check out https://shoplobster.com/ and use code AB10 to get 10% from Maine's ONLY Catholic lobster company.

Check out our new sponsor, Nic Nac, at www.nicnac.com and use code "AB25%" for 25% off of your first order!

********************************************************

Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1

https://www.avoidingbabylon.com

Merchandise:  https://avoiding-babylon-shop.fourthwall.com

Locals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.com

Full Premium/Locals Shows on Audio Podcast:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1987412/subscribe

RSS Feed for Podcast Apps:  https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rss