The Digester

Thiel gave a four-part Antichrist talk near the Vatican this week and was publicly rebuked by papal advisor Paolo Benanti, who accused him of using religious ideas to justify anti-democratic tech and economic agendas.

Peter Thiel delivered a four-part Antichrist lecture at a private Rome venue within sight of the Vatican as part of an international tour.
Papal advisor Paolo Benanti publicly called Thiel’s talks heretical and described them as a political use of theology.
Benanti accused Thiel of weaponizing René Girard’s theory of mimetic desire and of amplifying that dynamic through platforms like Facebook.
Benanti linked Thiel’s ideas to The Sovereign Individual and to TESCREAL currents that view technology as a way to bypass democratic limits.
Thiel’s Rome appearance drew coverage from major outlets including the New York Times and Reuters and was mocked by some theologians and comedians.
Benanti has advised Pope Francis and Pope Leo on AI and tech ethics, giving his critique added institutional resonance.

Vatican advisor rebukes Peter Thiel’s Antichrist lectures in Rome

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