The Orbis Sentry Report - Geopolitical Risk & Global Trends

Episódios

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  Worldviews presented at Burning Man 2026 part 1 04.10.2026 37min

  In this first of a 2 part series recapping some of the things we heard at Burning Man in 2026, we focus on how certain personalities bridge the connection between radical ideas at Burning Man and how those ideas flow into the minds of world leaders. One particularly well connected individual is mentioned who spoke at an event at Burning Man. He is also a regular at Davos at the World Economic Forum, and has hosted receptions for world leaders there.We also go into the implications of the global universalist worldview, and how they hold to a kind of eschatology that is different from the eschatological framework of the Bible.The video version is here:note -Any statement that analyzes or draws conclusions on the logical outcome of a political point of view does not constitute an endorsement or a condemnation of that political point of view. Orbis Sentry is a non-political entity and does not attempt to influence a political stance or a pattern of voting.To sign up for our podcast and see other material we put out, you can visit the following:To sign up for our podcast and see other material we put out, you can visit the following:Dedicated Orbis Sentry podcast linkHere are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Three weeks after Burning ManThe first episode of a 2 part series on Burning Man with Canary Cry RadioOur recent interview with Mark Musser, author of Nazi EcologyOur recent series titled: The Spiritual Geopolitics of Burning ManOur recent series titled: War Economy, Worldview, and the Crisis of the WestOur discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessOrbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URLIf you are interested in helping out our team of volunteers to get to Burning Man, check out our fundraiser page here:https://orbis-sentry.org/donate-burningmanoutreachAll donations through this website are tax deductible as per the above. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
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  Three weeks after Burning Man 28.09.2026 37min

  I left Black Rock City, Nevada, on September 8, just about 3 weeks ago. Each time I have gone to Burning Man over the past 3 years, it has been a challenge to adjust back to normal life after experiencing 9 days of sensory overload out in the desert. (If you don’t know, Black Rock City is the official name of the city that is constructed at the event called Burning Man.)The first year I went to Burning Man, I did not go with a critical eye, but just with a desire to see and understand. One of the first rules of missions is that in order to reach people with the love of Christ, you must understand the heart and culture of the people. This means you must understand their desires, hopes, dreams, motivations, and their view of the world.So let me take you back to when we moved to the Philippines 20 years ago to work with indigenous people there. At that time, we did the same thing. We were moving into an indigenous ethnic group in one of the remote parts of the Philippines that did not have a Christian base. A lot of times people are surprised to hear that in the Philippines there are still people that have not been exposed to Christianity, because in the cities there are churches everywhere, and have been there for more than a century. While that is certainly true, in rural areas 20 years ago, there were still a substantial number of remote indigenous areas that had little to no exposure to Christianity (and there are still some areas even today that fall into that description). So when we moved into the tribal area, we were faced with people who at times were violent, had an extremely high rate of child mortality, and had widespread sexual abuse through institutionalized child marriage, which from their perspective was not immoral at all. In their culture, child-brides had always been something they had practiced.In evaluating the culture, we had to discern what was good about their culture and what was not, and look to strategize for their future development what would be healthy for them in the long run and what would not be. We did not speak out against things early during our culture studies unless we saw some kind of imminent danger. Instead, we kept in mind that those practices which would harm them in the long run and which did not line up with God’s established order of right and wrong would be addressed at the proper time – after they became followers of Christ. We also recognized that not everyone was going to become a follower of Christ, so we did not make any future plans to impose Christian morality on the entire community. We knew that at some point in the future there would come a time when it would be appropriate to teach believers how they were to behave as part of church instruction. However, we did not intend to dictate rules of behavior to non-believers, except (again) in the sense of protecting people from danger. The goal of the Christian life is walking in a relationship with our loving heavenly Father. The goal is not to establish any particular order of outward behavior. In missions, systematic instruction on good and bad behavior is really only warranted once there are believers and a church is born. And it should always be taught in the context of growing in a relationship with a loving heavenly Father.There is one thing we kept in mind through this process of culture investigation in the tribal area. In order to be fully objective, we chose not to make a judgment call on any one aspect of their culture until we fully understood it. This method of evaluating their culture was not formally codified or discussed on our team; it was simply something we recognized as the right way to do things.So keeping those missional principles in mind, when we first went to Burning Man in August of 2024, we resolved not to stand in judgment on the culture, but to evaluate everything objectively. Granted, we knew that we would find some things objectionable (e.g. the orgy dome, excess nudity, drug abuse, etc.). However, after studying the culture of the event, and watching the people that participate in it, we came to the conclusion that like any other culture made up of human beings, there are good things and bad things in it. To that end, when Christianity is discouraged at the foundational level, it may (and usually does) allow more objectionable behavior to come to the surface and become more visible in the community. There is no denying this, but it is not the only thing that we saw. We saw both positive things as well as objectionable things.Now I’m going to pause here and highlight something that I have become acutely aware of over the past few years, and I hope that this will be well received. I hear people talking and see social media comments talking about Burning Man as a manifestation of Satan’s kingdom, “a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah”, “the devil’s territory,” or something like that. The problem with characterizing it in such terms is two-fold. First, in order to be consistent, you would have to use the same terminology to characterize just about any public university in the USA, any mall that has a Victoria’s Secret store, any restaurant that serves alcohol, any professional football or basketball game, any city hosting a New Year’s Eve party, or just about any public gathering that is not a Christian event. The difference is that in most of those other places, the sinful side is just kept a little more hidden. At Burning Man it is out in the open.The second problem looking at things this way follows from the first. As Christians, none of us actually live that way and completely isolate ourselves from what might be “the devil’s territory.” How many of us went to a university as a Christian? How many of us send our kids there? Do you completely avoid going to malls or restaurants? Have you never watched a professional sports event or college sports event? Do you go to New Year’s Eve parties where there might be unbelievers doing things that unbelievers do? Do you dance at a festival or at a friend’s wedding? Is it even wrong to dance? How do you measure what is acceptable music and what isn’t for a Christian to dance to?Then also, is the only acceptable reason for going to Burning Man in order to witness to people there? Again, let’s take that to the other areas we live. Do you only go to university or send your kids there in order to share the gospel with others? Is that the only justifiable reason for attending a sporting event? How about restaurants – is the only justifiable reason for going to a restaurant that serves alcohol in order to share the gospel with a waitress or someone at the table next to you? Is the only reason for dancing in order to be a dancing witness to other people at the party?We can get so caught up in the minutiae of trying to determine what we should and shouldn’t do it can get ridiculous. That doesn’t mean we justify sin. So how do we handle this? I believe the answer is that we are called to follow the discernment of the Holy Spirit that lives inside of each of us. That is what we try and do at Burning Man. I don’t go to the orgy dome or take psychedelic drugs at Burning Man. I don’t walk around with no clothes. Nobody in our camp does any of those things. There are a lot of things you can learn at Burning Man by just going around, observing, and listening to people talk. I will share more of those here in a minute. Are we there to share the gospel? Yes, absolutely. Are we also there to learn and understand the culture? Yes, that is the other reason we are there, and it requires LISTENING. Do we try and walk with humility at the event when we converse with people and hear them tell us what they believe? I don’t see how it can be effectively done any other way. Are we trying to shut down the culture? No, that is not our goal.The same sin that exists in our communities back home is just manifestly out in the open at Burning Man. Yes, that is problematic, because openness to sin encourages more people to participate in it. When this becomes a cultural value, like at Burning Man, it has the potential to spread very rapidly, like wildfire. But ironically, it doesn’t. It just doesn’t spread nearly as quickly as you might imagine. Why? The Burning Man culture would tell you that is because it is really hard for people to get past their social conditioning, the social conditioning that tells them something is sinful. They don’t believe that sin really exists. In fact, I was once in a lecture at Burning Man where one of the thought leaders loudly proclaimed “there is no sin” to thunderous rejoicing. This is where the Burning Man culture is wrong and has completely missed the mark.So what is it that restrains sin from rapidly spreading like wildfire at Burning Man? I mean, sin does spread, probably more than in our communities back home, but just not as much as you might imagine, and not as much as it is portrayed in social media.Here is the truth about sin. Sin is real, it really does separate us from God, and people everywhere inherently know this, no matter what they are told for 9 days on the Playa. This foundational understanding embedded in the human heart is the first element that restrains sin from spreading like wildfire, even at Burning Man. The second element is our Christian presence – that we are there. I don’t mean only us at our camp, but there are other Christian camps there as well. Our presence, with the Holy Spirit living inside of us, has the effect of reminding people that maybe the doctrine that they are being fed for 9 days of sensory overload on the Playa might not be right. We don’t have to speak any words to anyone for this effect to take place. It just happens.I have seen this in action. I was once sitting in a group of people and we were all having a conversation. I was a newcomer to the group, so I received the query of questions. When it became evident that I was a follower of Christ, unwavering in my belief, but also not condemning in demeanor towards anyone, there was a palpable shift in the spirit of the group. While I was explaining why I believe in God and have so much confidence in that, there was a young lady sitting across from me in the circle. She quietly got up, went around to her tent behind us, changed out of her scantily revealing clothes into something more modest, and came and sat back down. It was a subtle shift, but I knew what was happening because I have noticed this sort of thing in other contexts where I have ministered in the past. All of a sudden the sense of fun exciting worldly sensuality in the way she dresses starts to reveal itself (to herself) for the reality of what it truly is – something dirty and unpleasant, that needs to be shaken off. I didn’t mention a single word about sin in that conversation. I didn’t say anything about the way anybody dresses; I didn’t make a single comment about any of the nudity that is prevalent at Burning Man or any of the sinful activity there. I didn’t even discuss any common social sins outside of Burning Man or talk about what is wrong with the world. All I expressed at the time was the reality of who God is, and why I believe, and don’t have any doubts.You see, when people are faced with the truth that God is real, they come under conviction. It’s not just the women who experience this, of course. We have seen men come under this conviction as well. It is in those moments that we have the opportunity to share how the love of Christ on the cross has made available God’s cleansing of sin – something that simply changing clothes is unable to do. And the rejoicing that follows, when someone yields himself or herself to truth, is unparalleled and amazing. We have seen this happen multiple times. No experience from the zeitgeist of the Playa can match that.The only reason we are able to do this is because we are there.Now some may say that Burning Man is starting to force Christians out, like they did to the Christian camp that got expelled this year. However, this also is not true. The camp that was expelled was not kicked out for being Christians or for sharing the gospel. There were other reasons, things that I know about from things we heard on the inside and from our interactions with their camp. I won’t comment any more on this at this time.A conversation with a skepticThis year while we were at the event, we had a conversation with someone there who arrived in the middle of the week and had only been there for about 3 days. He was a Christian, like us, but had not studied anything about the culture and he did not understand the people. In seeing all the visible hedonistic activity that he saw in his 3 days, he was shocked and confused, but also angry and disturbed. At one point he expressed the idea that the entire culture of Burning Man should be wiped off the map or “completely shut down.” He also seemed to indicate that he was unwilling to consider looking at it from any other point of view other than his own, even though he had only been there for 3 days and knew nothing about the culture before coming. He did not indicate that he had any compassion on the people there, and said that he could not see any redeeming quality about anything at the event. But he did admit that he was uncertain of the right way to think about things.I understand the shock that a Christian may feel the first time he or she goes to Burning Man and is exposed to the exceedingly visible manifestations of lostness out in the open. However, shutting down the event, even if that were even possible, would do absolutely nothing to stop the culture that formed Burning Man from continuing its highly influential and relentless expansion that is happening all around us. Imagine, if you will, a train that is chugging along with hundreds of cars full of people and cargo. The train is the culture and worldview that formed Burning Man. A main station, perhaps the Grand Central Station, is the Burning Man event, but Burning Man is not the train itself. The train is the culture, and it has momentum. It is going somewhere, and it will not be easily stopped. Closing one train station, even the largest station (i.e. Burning Man) is not going to stop the train from continuing to its final destination, whatever that may be.What are the elements of the culture that this train represents? They are all the things I already talked about – creativity, art, sensuality, the illusion of unity, the removal of restraints, innovation, etc. A whole host of elements – some good, some bad, and many that are morally neutral.The fact that there are bad elements, and that these are highly visible, tends to get the attention of the world. So this brings up something that I would like to address that had a significant effect on people that we talked to and reached out to. I am talking about the publicity that came out from Christian influencers on social media in the past year leading up to Burning Man.A discussion on Christian influencers and their impactHere is an example. There is this one popular Christian influencer, a young man, who has become very well known for saying things like “Burning Man is the darkest place” he has ever been to, even “darker than the Satanic temple” that he had once visited. This kind of talk may get a lot of clicks and rapid sharing, but I believe it is an inaccurate description by someone who has not taken the time to study the culture and understand the people. Furthermore, you must understand that a lot of people put a tremendous amount of effort to create Burning Man and turn it into something that they believe is beautiful, especially in the artistic displays. Since that is the case, it is insulting for them to hear Christian influencers talking about the event that they cherish as the most evil and dark place that exists on earth. As Christians, we would be wise to be more respectful of the thoughts and feelings of people around us.This is one of the reasons why Christianity has a bad reputation among many of the people at Burning Man. They feel disrespected by Christians. To many people that attend Burning Man, it is a sacred space for them. Take for example someone who is not a believer in Christ, who may have gone to church, but was unsatisfied and therefore sought spiritual connections elsewhere. To him or her, if they find the connection they are looking for at Burning Man, the event becomes a sacred space. After the event, they go back home and return back to normal life. At some point over the year, they will login to the same the same social media platforms that the Christian influencers are on. When that happens, the algorithm (knowing they went to Burning Man) will connect them to a video about Burning Man by a Christian influencer, and they will see this Christian talking about the Burning Man sacred space that they cherish as if it is the most evil thing in the world. They will then feel greatly insulted and disrespected, and perceive that Christian people lack understanding, lack compassion, and lack grace. It reinforces, in their own mind, their earlier reason for rejecting Christianity. Or alternatively, they may just get more lost and confused, not understanding why they felt so good about something that a Christian influencer says is so evil. None of this is healthy.So, what has driven the activity of Christian influencers? Probably the biggest driver is just the allure of becoming a social media influencer. Social media makes a platform available to anyone, as long as you look and sound good on camera. Naturally young people look better on camera than old people. There are many, many young people that gain a large following because of their good looks, but lack wisdom and understanding. This then becomes an aggregate mass of the blind leading the blind. We have all noticed this happening in the secular world of social media. Unfortunately, it happens in the Christian social media ecosystem as well.If you were a Christian and knew nothing about the culture of Burning Man, but decided to attend without any guidance, you might experience something like this. You might happen to land in an area of Black Rock City where there is a concentration of some of those things we as Christians would never get involved with. For example, you might end up near the orgy dome, and you might see some nudity. Then you might go to a discussion on meditation or the environment, and find yourself sitting in a lecture on shamanic rituals, homosexual advancement, or the equality of mosquitoes with human beings. In this case, putting everything you saw and heard together, you might imagine you actually had stepped off the bus into a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.However, if you drew your conclusion only at this point, and didn’t take time to find out more about other things happening at Burning Man, you would have missed more than half the culture. If you really wanted to understand the culture, there are many other things you could have done. Here are some examples:* You could have gone to the Temple area and conversed with people who had lost loved ones over the past year and were there to say good-bye. You could have listened to their stories, and heard their heart-cry.* You could have heard the fears of an Israeli Defense Force reservist who knew that as soon as he returned to Israel after Burning Man, he was going to be placed into a combat unit and sent somewhere to fight, and maybe to die.* You could have visited art pieces, met the artists, and heard them tell you, with gratitude, how their art reflected the history of their ancestral culture coming from Africa to the Carribbean to the UK.* You could have gone to a lecture by a Republican insider on how creating certain legal and legislative structures can enhance limited government and improve prospects of liberty for everyone.* You could have had a conversation, after a lecture or over coffee, with someone who was deeply struggling to find a spiritual connection to God, but could not understand why God would send someone to hell. You would have had an opportunity to give an answer, with grace, to this question about Christianity.* You could have heard the results of the latest medical studies on how using limited amounts of psychedelics has effectively treated soldiers, firemen, and policemen from the long term devastating effects of PTSD.* You could have listened to a seminar on the dangers of Artificial Intelligence, what is being done to prevent it from growing out of control, and how to harness its capability for the benefit of human beings.* You could have heard actual stories from doctors in Israel on how some psychedelic therapy initiatives are bridging cultural gaps between Jews and Muslims in Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon, creating real possible future opportunities for peace and hope.* You could have talked to 2 young Ukrainian men who greatly desire to return to their country, but cannot because they have now reached the age of being drafted (which is 25 and older for Ukraine).* You could have heard from a Silicon Valley tech executive who had just explained how all of the top creative minds in the world come to Burning Man every year and brainstorm on innovations they would like to implement for the benefit of the entire world.Every single instance above is an actual experience or interaction I have personally had at Burning Man over the last 3 years. In many of those cases, we were drawn into a spiritual discussion that led to talking about Christ, and allowed me to present Him as He truly is, not in the way most people there think He is. And I am not the only one. Almost everyone in our camp has had similar interactions.The list above contains both morally neutral and morally good things. So this begs the question, because there are also good things happening at Burning Man, does that justify the morally objectionable behavior that also happens there? The answer is no, of course not. I am not suggesting it does. But I am suggesting that with this many good things happening, it is not possible that Burning Man is the most “evil and dark place” that exists, as the influencers have described.A conversation with a seekerNow I want to connect this to my earlier discussion about the Christian influencers. I had one conversation along these lines that really pulled these ideas together. I was in a workshop where they were talking about some kind of breathing meditation. While there, they asked us to lay back and close our eyes, etc., and practice this form of meditation, guiding us through the activity. When the exercise was over, they queried the participants as to what they saw. One lady on the other side of the pavilion said that she had a vision of Yeshua (Jesus). I don’t remember exactly what she said about Him. The moderator said the vision was beautiful. Interesting.After the workshop, I approached the lady and asked her to tell me more about her vision of Jesus. This led to a conversation of who Jesus really is, me explaining why I am there at Burning Man, and a long discussion about the whole thing. She said that she was seeking a connection to God, that she had recently come back to going to church in her home town, but was having some doubts about certain things in the Christian faith in general.Then she asked me point blank, “Do you think Burning Man is evil?” She wasn’t asking in a skeptical way or in an accusatory way. It was a genuine question coming from someone who believes in God, has some doubts, sensed a pastoral concern in me, and saw me as someone she could trust with a question of faith. It was also a question that likely resulted from all the buzz that has been happening on social media with Christian influencers claiming that Burning Man is a horrible, evil place.I answered her something similar to what I wrote above. That no, Burning Man is not evil, but that doesn’t mean everything there is good. It is better to think of it as a city, full of people, with all of the good and the bad that naturally go with a large group of people. It is far better to try and understand it than to dismissively judge the entire event as either good or evil.She then expressed thanks that I was there, and thanks that there were Christians like me in our camp, and that she thought we were doing a good thing to tell people about Jesus at Burning Man.You see, this is pastoral and it is missional. If Burning Man really were an incredibly dark and evil place like Sodom and Gomorrah, Jesus would not be there. But it is not like Sodom and Gomorrah (see the addendum below for my reasons on this). It is more like any of the cities in the Roman Empire world where the Apostle Paul visited and preached the gospel as recorded in the book of Acts (In particular read Acts 17:16-34 to understand this). In our work that we do at the event, we try to follow Paul’s pattern of reaching people for Christ. We treat it like a city full of people, many of whom are lost, and many of whom are seeking.However, if our activity at Burning Man consisted going out and trying to get numbers written down of how many people we saved, or proclaiming that this place is as evil as the Satanic Temple, well, that might get us social media followers on YouTube and Instagram, but it would be neither pastoral nor missional. If Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners, why would we not do the same? It is not as if we are justifying their sin. We don’t do that. We simply approach people from a pastoral and missional way of thinking. We are Christ’s ambassadors. We are not looking for social media affirmation. We want to point people to Him, because He is the one who saves.Now in my final thought, I want to back up a little and look at the broad spiritual picture. There is something very important we should understand about Burning Man, because it really is a reflection of the trajectory of all of Western culture. In this day and age, while the West has partially turned away from Christianity, it has also largely rejected empirically based atheism, in the school of Richard Dawkins and his colleagues. In its place there is a spiritual hunger, a religious hunger, that is especially strong at events like Burning Man. In the Augustinian framework, this hunger is a hunger for transcendence, belonging, ritual, sacrifice, and sacred space. It is a hunger for faith, a connection to God, and meaning. The people pursuing this are hoping that these things can be found along a separate path from Christianity, which is what creates some of the driving impulses we see at Burning Man.Our purpose, as researchers and followers of Christ, is not to try and stop the train (i.e. the culture), but to understand why people went to Grand Central Station (i.e. Burning Man) and got on the train. When we understand that, we can effectively minister to them. In so doing, we shine the light of Christ to a lost and dying world, and are able to show them the truth – that Jesus truly is the only way. And also in so doing, we develop a better understanding of how this changing worldview is rapidly becoming the biggest challenge that biblical Christianity may ever face. And that is something worth pausing to think about.So it is with that understanding I will finish my message for today. We saw lots of things at Burning Man this year. We heard fascinating things in lectures, things we agreed with and things we disagreed with. We saw some incredible art. Some of the pictures you see will show that. We heard some incredible music. We weathered fierce dust storms and waited for mud to dry after the rain. And we talked to lots and lots of people. The opportunities to share abounded, even though by the numbers I had less conversations this year than last year. But it is not the numbers that matter. We are very thankful that this thing, this event, created by people seeking a connection to something unknown to them, has given us the opportunity to share the message of Christ, in order to make him known.We will have more to share coming from Orbis Sentry as we continue to press on, so please stay tuned.May God bless you all where ever you are.Serving Him,George OlsonDirector of Geopolitical and Economic ResearchOrbis SentryAddendumLet’s consider just a little deeper what has been suggested by comparing Burning Man with some cities in the Bible. We could look at Babel, Jerusalem, Nineveh, Babylon, Athens, or Rome. However, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah seem to come to mind based on discussions I have had, so let’s focus on those. Are there differences, or is Burning Man just a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah? Having been there in a Christian camp for the past 3 years, I am able to recognize the differences, and they are very big, but it does require a nuanced understanding. I am not trying to justify everything at Burning Man, but I am also not able to condemn the entire event. It is a city, so let’s make the comparison, and maybe in so doing, we can eliminate some of the confusion of how to think about the event.I will focus on 3 points of comparison between Black Rock City and Sodom & Gomorrah. First, the people of Sodom & Gomorrah were so completely given over to wickedness that God could not find even 10 righteous people there (Genesis 18:16-33). Second, the rulers of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were themselves exceedingly wicked (Genesis 19:9). Third, there was an outward cultural manifestation of their evil that gloried in victimizing the innocent (Genesis 19:3-5).None of those things match in any way what we see at Burning Man. On the first point, we have met lots and lots of good, moral people there. Many hold to basic Christian beliefs. Many are not very religious, but some are. The majority of people in this category just go to see the art and the music without indulging in sinful behavior. So that is not like Sodom, where everyone was wicked.On the 2nd point, the leaders of Burning Man are not bad people. They are mostly idealists, as far as I can tell. Anyone who has been a missionary in a foreign land understands this principle – you end up making friends with people, often leaders, who do not share your faith, and maybe are even strong adherents of another faith. Yet being part of another faith does not disqualify them from being considered basically good people, in the sense of their relationships in their communities. I am not at all suggesting this qualifies them to share in Christ’s inheritance. They are still part of the unbelieving world and do not know Christ. But in regard to their own community, they can still be considered “good” people. This is not about theology; it is about how we as Christians should relate to unbelievers.In reference to the 3rd point of comparison, there is no part of Burning Man that glories in causing harm to others. We just don’t see it. Support structures exist with medical services, law enforcement, and counseling services for people that need them. There is no compulsion on anyone to cause harm to others, from anything that I have observed. There may be cultural pressure to give in to certain sins of indulgence, but not to cause harm. That doesn’t mean bad things don’t happen – things like violence, sexual abuse, or abandonment. But those things happen everywhere, and Burning Man, just like other places, tries to stop those things from happening. In Sodom, they encouraged it.So I would not at all say that Burning Man is just like Sodom & Gomorrah. It is just a city, filled with people, without a Christian base. As a result, there are both good and bad elements, just as there are at every secular institution throughout the Western world. In particular, you could probably most closely compare Burning Man to secular universities. All of the same things happen in both places. When I was in university, if I had gone to certain wild parties that I heard about, I might have come to the conclusion that those parties were like Sodom and Gomorrah, but I would not have come to the conclusion that the entire university was like Sodom and Gomorrah.In the same way, I believe it is inaccurate to call the entire Burning Man event a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.If we want to frame Burning Man after a city in the Bible, we could look at both Babylon in the Old Testament and Rome in the New Testament.Babylon was described as God’s instrument of discipline against God’s covenant people Israel (Jeremiah 25:8-14). Babylon became powerful because Israel had forsaken the covenant and left a spiritual vacuum in the ancient Near East that needed to be filled. Also, Babylon represented an instrument of change in the trajectory of what was happening in the world. In the sense that Babylon was filling a spiritual void left by Israel’s compromise with the world around her, Burning Man is filling a spiritual void left by the church’s compromise with the secular ideas of the world around her.Rome was the last great power of the ancient world. In its early days, it was a republic filled with manifestations civic virtue. But in its latter days, it was the seat of an empire that came to represent war, vice, luxury, and no restraint on sin. Alongside its transition from republic to empire were great technological advancements. During the time period when Rome was transitioning, from around 200 BC to around 140 AD, the Jewish nation was struggling to find its identity under their Roman masters. Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah, was born, lived, died, and rose from the dead in the middle of that period. His extension of the grace of God to non-Jewish people in the Roman Empire drew out a new set of people divided from the pagans. The pagans were characterized by living in slavery to hedonistic excess – “When in Rome, do as Romans do.” The new people, the Christians, were different. While secular Rome careened after the pattern of more vice and licentiousness, God’s people living under the administration of secular Rome became more set apart by their holy lives, good works, and steadfastness under persecution. Yet the divided people of Rome – the Christians and the pagans – continued to live together for about 3 centuries, until the system finally found an equilibrium.There are some very interesting parallels between Burning Man and the worldview it represents, with ancient Rome and the worldview it represents. But that is a very long and drawn out discussion for another time.If you want to develop a deeper understanding of this, I recommend both subscribing to our podcast and substack here, checking out our website, and also reading Carl Teichrib’s book, “Game of Gods”, which you can order on Amazon here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
• 
  Living the Gospel at Burning Man with Respect but without Compromise 16.08.2026 47min

  Video version can be found here:This is a 2 part series with segments taken from Canary Cry Radio’s recent interview with Carl Teichrib.As we prepare for going to Burning Man again this year, we wanted to share some specific things about the event and what it is based on. In Carl’s recent interview on Canary Cry Radio (who are also participants with us at Camp of the Unknown God at Burning Man), they discuss in depth many of the foundational beliefs behind the re-enchantment belief system that created Burning Man and the transformational festivals phenomenon. This episode deals with walking the balance between respecting the culture and beliefs of the re-enchanted world manifested at Burning Man, but at the same time living an uncompromised life fully devoted to Christ, as His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5). In the end the discussion goes into how Orbis Sentry researches the impact of the entire re-enchantment ecosystem, and how we desire to bring this understanding to the church in the present time.The original full length interview on Canary Cry Radio can be found here:All content in this video that is taken from Canary Cry Radio was used with the permission of Canary Cry Radio.note -Any statement that analyzes or draws conclusions on the logical outcome of a political point of view does not constitute an endorsement or a condemnation of that political point of view. Orbis Sentry is a non-political entity and does not attempt to influence a political stance or a pattern of voting.To sign up for our podcast and see other material we put out, you can visit the following:To sign up for our podcast and see other material we put out, you can visit the following:Dedicated Orbis Sentry podcast linkHere are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:The first episode of this 2 part series on Burning Man with Canary Cry RadioOur recent interview with Mark Musser, author of Nazi EcologyOur recent series titled: The Spiritual Geopolitics of Burning ManOur recent series titled: War Economy, Worldview, and the Crisis of the WestOur discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessOrbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URLIf you are interested in helping out our team of volunteers to get to Burning Man, check out our fundraiser page here:https://orbis-sentry.org/donate-burningmanoutreachAll donations through this website are tax deductible as per the above. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
• 
  Why should Christians care about Burning Man? 09.08.2026 45min

  Video version can be found here:This is a 2 part series taken from Canary Cry Radio’s recent interview with Carl Teichrib.As we prepare for going to Burning Man again this year, we wanted to share some specific things about the event and what it is based on. In Carl’s recent interview on Canary Cry Radio (who are also participants with us at Camp of the Unknown God at Burning Man), they discuss in depth many of the foundational beliefs behind the system that created Burning Man and the transformational festivals phenomenon. Then we go into some of interactions we have had with people at the event in the 2nd episode (coming out a week after this one).In this 2 part series, I will be taking segments from that interview and putting them together to form this podcast. I hope you enjoy it!The original full length interview on Canary Cry Radio can be found here:All content in this video that is taken from Canary Cry Radio was used with the permission of Canary Cry Radio.note -Any statement that analyzes or draws conclusions on the logical outcome of a political point of view does not constitute an endorsement or a condemnation of that political point of view. Orbis Sentry is a non-political entity and does not attempt to influence a political stance or a pattern of voting.To sign up for our podcast and see other material we put out, you can visit the following:To sign up for our podcast and see other material we put out, you can visit the following:Dedicated Orbis Sentry podcast linkHere are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Our recent interview with Mark Musser, author of Nazi EcologyOur recent series titled: The Spiritual Geopolitics of Burning ManOur recent series titled: War Economy, Worldview, and the Crisis of the WestOur discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessOrbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URLIf you are interested in helping out our team of volunteers to get to Burning Man, check out our fundraiser page here:https://orbis-sentry.org/donate-burningmanoutreachAll donations through this website are tax deductible as per the above. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
• 
  National Socialism and Ecological Mysticism - an Informal Conversation 02.08.2026 47min

  For the YouTube version:This is a 2 part series, from an informal conversation we had at the Go Therefore conference, in which we discuss some of the current events happening in Ukraine, and then go into a discussion on the ecological belief system of the National Socialist movement in Germany in the first half of the 20th century, also known as the Nazi Party. The second part of the conversation goes into how he found himself researching the green policies of Nazi Germany, their dichotomy of green principles enveloped in an industrial war machine, and the philosophy all of this was based on.This series is mostly audio, as we were not able to set up video equipment for the informal interview.Mark’s book is titled:Nazi Ecology: The Oak Sacrifice of the Judeo-Christian Worldview in the HolocaustAmazon link: https://a.co/d/02aNWvTBnote -Any statement that analyzes or draws conclusions on the logical outcome of a political point of view does not constitute an endorsement or a condemnation of that political point of view. Orbis Sentry is a non-political entity and does not attempt to influence a political stance or a pattern of voting.To sign up for our podcast and see other material we put out, you can visit the following:To sign up for our podcast and see other material we put out, you can visit the following:Dedicated Orbis Sentry podcast linkHere are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Our recent series titled: The Spiritual Geopolitics of Burning ManOur recent series titled: War Economy, Worldview, and the Crisis of the WestOur discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessOrbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URLIf you are interested in helping out our team of volunteers to get to Burning Man, check out our fundraiser page here:https://orbis-sentry.org/donate-burningmanoutreachAll donations through this website are tax deductible as per the above.Music attribution:Title: “Animus Orchestral”Artist: Tim Kulig (timkulig.com)Licensed under Creative Commons By Attribution 4.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0997280/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
• 
  Attempted Indoctrination in Leftist Philosophy - an Informal Conversation 26.07.2026 37min

  This is a 2 part series, from an informal conversation we had at the Go Therefore conference, in which we discuss some of the current events happening in Ukraine, and then go into a discussion on the ecological belief system of the National Socialist movement in Germany in the first half of the 20th century, also known as the Nazi Party. This first part of the conversation focuses more on Mark’s background and current events in Ukraine.This series is mostly audio, as we were not able to set up video equipment for the informal interview.Mark’s book is titled:Nazi Ecology: The Oak Sacrifice of the Judeo-Christian Worldview in the HolocaustAmazon link: https://a.co/d/02aNWvTBnote -Any statement that analyzes or draws conclusions on the logical outcome of a political point of view does not constitute an endorsement or a condemnation of that political point of view. Orbis Sentry is a non-political entity and does not attempt to influence a political stance or a pattern of voting.To sign up for our podcast and see other material we put out, you can visit the following:Dedicated Orbis Sentry podcast linkHere are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Our recent series titled: The Spiritual Geopolitics of Burning ManOur recent series titled: War Economy, Worldview, and the Crisis of the WestOur discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessOrbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URLIf you are interested in helping out our team of volunteers to get to Burning Man, check out our fundraiser page here:https://orbis-sentry.org/donate-burningmanoutreachAll donations through this website are tax deductible as per the above. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
• 
  Burning Man and the Failure of Utopia: Ritual, Ecology, and the City of God 19.07.2026 43min

  In Part 4 of our four-part series, The Spiritual Geopolitics of Burning Man, the Orbis Sentry team brings the discussion to a close by looking at Burning Man’s real-world influence, its rituals and liturgies, its environmental spirituality, the failure of human-made utopia, and the Christian calling to bear witness inside the earthly city.This episode asks why Burning Man matters beyond one week in the desert. George Olson, Carl Teichrib, and Audrey discuss how Burning Man functions as a cultural laboratory where politics, technology, spirituality, civic experiments, environmentalism, global networks, and utopian visions converge — and then spill back into the wider world.We also explore how Burning Man’s art and rituals function liturgically. The Burning of the Man, the Temple, and the shared experience of the playa teach participants what to love, what to grieve, what to fear, what to hope for, and what to worship.The conversation then turns to environmentalism and sacred earth. Where does faithful stewardship become earth-centered spirituality? How does climate anxiety become a kind of secular eschatology? And why does Burning Man’s environmental vision contain so many contradictions?Finally, we ask how Christians should speak about Burning Man. We reject both naive celebration and fearful sensationalism. Burning Man should not be reduced to sex, drugs, paganism, and elites — nor should Christians pretend that its worldview is harmless. Instead, we are called to be ambassadors of Christ: discerning without fear, truthful without cruelty, courageous without sensationalism, and compassionate without compromise.Topics include: • Burning Man’s influence beyond the playa • Politics, spirituality, and global consensus • Burning Man as a cultural and technological laboratory • Art, ritual, and the liturgy of the earthly city • The Burning of the Man and the Temple • Environmentalism, sacred earth, and climate eschatology • Law, order, and the failure of utopia • Why the desert does not remove sin • How Christians should speak about Burning Man • Ambassadors, not moral police • The true city and the true center • Christ as the true meeting place between God and manThis final episode completes our four-part series on Burning Man, the earthly city, and the spiritual imagination of our age.note -Any statement that analyzes or draws conclusions on the logical outcome of a political point of view does not constitute an endorsement or a condemnation of that political point of view. Orbis Sentry is a non-political entity and does not attempt to influence a political stance or a pattern of voting. The purpose of Orbis Sentry is to encourage, inform, and equip the body of Christ in how to live effectively in the world today, without cowering in fear.Here are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Our recent series titled: War Economy, Worldview, and the Crisis of the WestOur discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessClick here for all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URLIf you are interested in helping out our team of volunteers to get to Burning Man, check out our fundraiser page here:https://orbis-sentry.org/donate-burningmanoutreachAll donations through this website are tax deductible as per the above. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
• 
  You Shall be as God: Burning Man and the Ancient Temptation 12.07.2026 36min

  In Part 3 of our four-part series, The Spiritual Geopolitics of Burning Man, the Orbis Sentry team explores how Burning Man brings together technology, transhumanism, radical freedom, sexuality, and global unity into one symbolic desert city.This episode asks whether the modern desire to transcend human limits might really just be a new form of the ancient temptation: “you shall be as God.”Disclaimer: This episode includes a Christian cultural and theological discussion of mature themes connected with Burning Man, including sexuality, spirituality, and radical self-expression. The content is non-graphic and is analytical and documentary in nature, but it is not made for kids.George Olson, Carl Teichrib, and Audrey discuss how Burning Man gathers AI, cryptocurrency, biohacking, consciousness studies, Silicon Valley utopianism, and spiritual ambition into one space. What is man? Is the human person made in the image of God, or merely raw material to be upgraded? Is the body a gift from God, or a platform to be transcended? Is death an enemy conquered by Christ, or a technical problem to be solved?The episode then turns to radical freedom, sexuality, and the meaning of the body. Burning Man publicly displays the doctrine that the self owns itself and may define itself. But is radical autonomy true freedom, or another form of bondage?Finally, the team discusses Burning Man as a stage for global unity and playa geopolitics. People from many nations gather in one symbolic city, but the conflicts of the nations still appear there: Israeli-Palestinian tensions, Ukrainian-Russian conflict, climate politics, techno-globalism, and ideological activism.Topics include: • Transgress in order to transcend • Technology, transhumanism, and the desire to become God • AI, biohacking, consciousness, and Silicon Valley spirituality • The body as gift or platform • The Man as temple and the divinization of humanity • Burning Man art as spiritual and geopolitical testimony • Radical freedom, sexuality, and the meaning of the body • The earthly city’s confusion of freedom with autonomy • Global unity, the nations, and playa geopolitics • Why true peace cannot come apart from reconciliation to GodThis conversation is part of Orbis Sentry’s effort to help Christians understand the spiritual, cultural, and geopolitical forces shaping our world.note -Any statement that analyzes or draws conclusions on the logical outcome of a political point of view does not constitute an endorsement or a condemnation of that political point of view. Orbis Sentry is a non-political entity and does not attempt to influence a political stance or a pattern of voting. The purpose of Orbis Sentry is to encourage, inform, and equip the body of Christ in how to live effectively in the world today, without cowering in fear.Here are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Our recent series titled: War Economy, Worldview, and the Crisis of the WestOur discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessClick here for all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URLIf you are interested in helping out our team of volunteers to get to Burning Man, check out our fundraiser page here:https://orbis-sentry.org/donate-burningmanoutreachAll donations through this website are tax deductible as per the above. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
• 
  The Earthly City Cannot Escape Worship: Burning Man, New Babel, and the City of God 05.07.2026 45min

  In Part 2 of our four-part Burning Man series, the Orbis Sentry team continues exploring Burning Man through Augustine’s contrast between the City of God and the earthly city.This episode looks at Burning Man as a temporary alternative civilization — a city with its own principles, rituals, sacred spaces, economy, temple, salvation narrative, and vision of humanity’s future. We discuss the Burning Man Ten Principles, including radical inclusion, radical self-expression, radical self-reliance, communal effort, participation, decommodification, and leave no trace, and ask how these ideals actually function when Christian belief enters the conversation.We also discuss why Burning Man matters beyond the playa. For one week, this temporary city becomes a symbolic center of global attention, where storms, deaths, cultural tensions, and spiritual questions can quickly become national or international stories.Most importantly, we ask: How should Christians be present in a place like Burning Man?Are we there to condemn? To criticize? To sensationalize? Or are we there as ambassadors of another kingdom — citizens of the City of God living temporarily inside the earthly city?George Olson, Carl Teichrib, and Audrey explore spiritual re-enchantment, post-Christian religious hunger, psychedelic spirituality, sacred sexuality, collective consciousness, and the deep human longing for transcendence, healing, and meaning.Topics include: • Burning Man as the earthly city • The contradictions inside the Ten Principles • Radical inclusion and Christian exclusion • AI, collective reality, and groupthink • Burning Man as a global symbolic center • Christians as ambassadors, not culture warriors • The religious hunger of post-Christian man • The return of religion in post-Christian forms • Why the earthly city cannot escape worship • The need to serve, listen, and represent Christ faithfullyThis conversation is part of Orbis Sentry’s ongoing effort to help Christians understand the spiritual, cultural, and geopolitical forces shaping our world.note -Any statement that analyzes or draws conclusions on the logical outcome of a political point of view does not constitute an endorsement or a condemnation of that political point of view. Orbis Sentry is a non-political entity and does not attempt to influence a political stance or a pattern of voting. The purpose of Orbis Sentry is to encourage, inform, and equip the body of Christ in how to live effectively in the world today, without cowering in fear.Here are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Our recent series titled: War Economy, Worldview, and the Crisis of the WestOur discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessClick here for all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URLIf you are interested in helping out our team of volunteers to get to Burning Man, check out our fundraiser page here:https://orbis-sentry.org/donate-burningmanoutreachAll donations through this website are tax deductible as per the above. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
• 
  Axis Mundi: What Burning Man Reveals About the Spiritual Imagination of Our Age 28.06.2026 39min

  In Part 1 of our four-part Burning Man series, the Orbis Sentry team begins unpacking the “spiritual geopolitics” of Burning Man.Rather than treating Burning Man simply as a festival, art event, or desert party, we ask what it reveals about the spiritual imagination of our age. Is the modern world becoming less spiritual — or is it being re-enchanted in new and ancient ways?George Olson, Carl Teichrib, and Audrey discuss Burning Man through the lens of Augustine’s City of God and the earthly city, exploring how the event gathers together Silicon Valley culture, radical self-expression, transhumanism, AI, environmentalism, occult spirituality, Eastern religion, sexual liberation, and global utopianism into one temporary city in the desert.We also look at the 2026 Burning Man theme, Axis Mundi — the search for the sacred center — and contrast the many “centers” offered by modern spirituality with the biblical center found in Jesus Christ.Topics include:* Burning Man as a temporary spiritual city* The failure of secularism and the rise of re-enchantment* Why the church must understand the new spiritual landscape* Axis Mundi and the search for the center* Babel, the earthly city, and modern spirituality* The resurrection of Christ as the true meeting place of heaven and earthThis conversation is part of Orbis Sentry’s ongoing effort to help Christians understand the spiritual, cultural, and geopolitical forces shaping our world.note -Any statement that analyzes or draws conclusions on the logical outcome of a political point of view does not constitute an endorsement or a condemnation of that political point of view. Orbis Sentry is a non-political entity and does not attempt to influence a political stance or a pattern of voting. The purpose of Orbis Sentry is to encourage, inform, and equip the body of Christ in how to live effectively in the world today, without cowering in fear.Here are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Our recent series titled: War Economy, Worldview, and the Crisis of the WestOur discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessClick here for all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URLIf you are interested in helping out our team of volunteers to get to Burning Man, check out our fundraiser page here:https://orbis-sentry.org/donate-burningmanoutreachAll donations through this website are tax deductible as per the above. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
• 
  War, Technology, and Worldview: What are the internal tensions driving us into the current crisis? 21.06.2026 28min

  We have discussed the external pressures on society in the West, but here we move into examining some of the internal pressures that are affecting how the crisis is playing out. In particular, we discuss how many of the internal conflicts in Western sociey (notably in America) are preventing the crisis from coming to a resolution, and are weakening Western society’s ability to develop a strong response to the external pressures that present existential threats. We also discuss the historical connection of the British Fabian Society to current political thought trends in the UK and the rest of Western societies.This is the third of a 3 part series between Carl Teichrib and George Olson on the current crisis of the West.The West is facing external pressure from hostile powers, technological disruption, supply-chain fragility, and military transformation. But its deeper vulnerability may be internal: a loss of moral confidence, institutional clarity, theological grounding, and civilizational purpose. Christians cannot afford simplistic answers or fearful withdrawal. They must understand the complexity of the moment and speak truth with courage, grace, and hope.note -Any statement that analyzes or draws conclusions on the logical outcome of a political point of view does not constitute an endorsement or a condemnation of that political point of view. Orbis Sentry is a non-political entity and does not attempt to influence a political stance or a pattern of voting. The purpose of Orbis Sentry is to encourage, inform, and equip the body of Christ in how to live effectively in the world today, without cowering in fear.Here are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Our discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessClick here for all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URL This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
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  War, Technology, and Worldview: What is the Catalyst to get us to a War Economy? 14.06.2026 25min

  To view the full part series in one long form video, and for other long form videos, become a member on our website (it’s free) by following the link here, and you will see the link to other long form videos.This is the second of a 3 part series in which Carl Teichrib and George Olson deepen the conversation, moving from the mechanics of a war economy to the worldview conditions that make a war economy possible. Carl opens by arguing that a wartime economy is not merely an industrial arrangement; historically, it rests on a shared story, identity, or worldview. He uses Nazi Germany as a dark example of a society whose industrial, educational, religious, and political systems were permeated by a unifying myth of blood, soil, and national destiny. The point is not to equate every mobilized society with Nazi Germany, but to show that mass mobilization requires a binding cultural narrative.As Carl and George discuss the catalyst that could drive the transition to a war economy, they discuss all the peripheral issues surrounding the transition and what considerations must be made to bring the transition together.There is a contrast between the Christian worldview and the wider cultural narrative of human evolution, AI, spacefaring destiny, and Burning Man as a microcosm of the hoped-for future. Yet one thing that could unite the fragmented culture of the West is recognition of the need for our survival as a culture.War economies do not emerge from growth in technology. They emerge when a society’s worldviews, fears, industrial capacities, and survival instincts converge and find common ground. AI, drones, laser defense, and grid vulnerability are not separate topics; they are signs of a civilizational transition where utopian visions collide with hard security realities.note -Documentation backing up the the statement George made on the electric grid is based on the January 31, 2024 House Select Committee on the CCP hearing, titled “The CCP Cyber Threat to the American Homeland and National Security.” It was not the DHS Secretary, but Jen Easterly, Director of CISA, which is part of DHS, testifying alongside FBI Director Christopher Wray, NSA/Cyber Command Director Gen. Paul Nakasone, and National Cyber Director Harry Coker.More information on this hearing and links to congressional testimony can be found by clicking here.Here are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Our discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessClick here for all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URL This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
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  War, Technology, and Worldview: A Christian Look Inside SOF Week 07.06.2026 35min

  The Beginning Stages of a Full Response to our Civilizational CrisisTo see all 3 episodes together, pre-released, click here to become a member on our website and access the long form videos which are available for members only. Membership to Orbis Sentry is free.YouTube link: This is the first of a 3 part series in which Carl Teichrib and George Olson start a discussion at the intersection of the civilian industries supporting military endeavors as revealed at SOF week. Then they bring out a discussion of supply chains, new technologies (AI, drones, robotics), geopolitical considerations, the spiritual belief systems undergirding the flow of events, and the calling of Christians living and operating in this world. Society, industry, technology, history, spirituality, geopolitics, and worldview changes are all converging at a point in time in which we pass through a systemic crisis that will re-shape the world. We are still “left of bang” in any sort of ekpyrosis level event, and there is still a chance that we can prevent a major conflagration from breaking out. However, it will require faith, courage, patience, and wisdom, and for us as believers to properly represent Christ without fear to a lost and dying world. Our salvation is not a collective human endeavor achieved by our own efforts, but instead one which requires faith and turning to our Creator in humility and repentance, knowing that He is the only one who can ultimately save us.The full YouTube playlist for this discussion, once it is complete, will be found here.Here are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Our discussion with Dr. Christian B. Keller on the US Civil War and Historical MindednessClick here for all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URL This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
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  Can History Warn Us About the Future? Dr. Christian B. Keller | U.S. Army War College (Part 3 of 3) 02.05.2026 28min

  Part 3 of 3 concludes our wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Christian B. Keller, Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College, as we examine how fear, identity, and human nature drive political conflict across generations.Dr. Keller explores the deep anxieties that fueled both the North and South before the American Civil War—economic fears, demographic fears, constitutional disputes, and competing visions of national identity. He explains how reactionary politics can rapidly reshape public opinion, drawing parallels to later crises in American and global history.The discussion then broadens to modern polarization in the United States and Canada, showing how cycles of action, reaction, and counterreaction continue to shape societies today. Most importantly, Dr. Keller emphasizes that while technology and institutions change, the human condition remains constant—making history an indispensable guide for understanding the present.This final segment offers powerful insights for citizens, leaders, churches, and anyone seeking wisdom in uncertain times.youtube URL:Click here for the full Historical Mindedness playlist on YouTubeHere are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Click here for all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URL This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
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  Can History Warn Us About the Future? Dr. Christian B. Keller | U.S. Army War College (Part 2 of 3) 02.05.2026 25min

  Part 2 of 3 continues our compelling conversation with Dr. Christian B. Keller, Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College, as we explore how serious historical thinking can sharpen judgment in today’s complex world.This segment dives into why societies often oversimplify the past into political slogans, moral soundbites, and shallow narratives. Dr. Keller explains why understanding true historical context matters—and how failing to do so can mislead citizens, leaders, churches, and institutions alike. The discussion covers wealth, power, social tension, the complexity of slavery-era America, Native American alliances during the Civil War, and why difficult events cannot be reduced to simplistic talking points.We also examine the strengths and limits of AI in researching history, the danger of cherry-picking evidence, and how honest inquiry requires confronting facts that challenge our assumptions. If you want to think more clearly about politics, culture, leadership, and faith, this episode offers practical wisdom.youtube URL:Click here for the full Historical Mindedness playlist on YouTubeHere are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Click here for all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URL This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
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  Can History Warn Us About the Future? Dr. Christian B. Keller | U.S. Army War College (Part 1 of 3) 02.05.2026 35min

  Part 1 of 3 of an in-depth conversation with Dr. Christian B. Keller, Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College, on the power of historical mindedness—using the past to better understand the present and make wiser decisions about the future.Dr. Keller explains why history is more than memorizing dates and facts. It is a discipline of asking deeper questions: How did we get here? What forces shaped today’s world? What mistakes keep repeating? The discussion explores how historical context helps explain modern political polarization, the roots of institutions like the United Nations and European Union, and the warning signs that preceded the American Civil War.This episode also examines how leaders, citizens, churches, and policymakers can use history to avoid repeating destructive patterns. If you want to better understand America’s current moment through the lens of the past, this conversation is essential listening.YouTube URL for this episode:Click here for the full Historical Mindedness playlist on YouTubeHere are some other links for Orbis Sentry related material:Click here for all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackCarl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URL This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
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  Psychedelics, Consciousness, Mystical Experience, and Counseling an AI - SXSW Day 3 Debrief Part 2 16.04.2026 33min

  To watch this in video format, click the link below:In this second segment of our day 3 debrief, we discussed a seminar given by a materialist scientist on consciousness and psychedelics. In particular, the discussion focused on how the scientist had repudiated his materialist beliefs in favor of a re-enchantment belief system, where mystical experiences become the arbiter of truth. Then we reviewed a seminar in which a professional counselor shared how she counseled a human-AI couple - a man and his AI girlfriend. We wrap up day 3 with a discussion on the philosophy of festivals, how they are implemented, what the business ideas are behind them, and how they are having an impact.Disclaimer - In Orbis Sentry, we are not endorsing any particular agenda, political or otherwise. The purpose of these videos is to inform people as to what was talked about. In our discussions we review these ideas from a Christian perspective.Click here for all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.Here are some other links - Click one of the links below or copy and paste the URL beside the description into your browser.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackHere are some other links - Click one of the links below or copy and paste the URL beside the description into your browser.Carl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URL This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
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  Humanoid Robots, Amy Webb's Convergence Projections - SXSW Day 3 Debrief Part 1 16.04.2026 28min

  To watch this in video format, click the link below:In this first segment of our day 3 debrief, we discussed the well publicized Amy Webb seminar, in which she announced a shift in her futurist analysis away from trend focus and onto convergence focus. We also had a short discussion about the ideas presented at an LGBTQ workshop, in which they outlined how they intend to use media and governmental pressure to raise the popularity of LGBTQ issues. The basis for the discussion was the popular LGBTQ themed tv series, “Heated Rivalry.” We finish with a long discussion on AI and humanoid robots, how these things are being implemented into various industries, and what it means for the future.Disclaimer - In Orbis Sentry, we are not endorsing any particular agenda, political or otherwise. The purpose of these videos is to inform people as to what was talked about. In our discussions we review these ideas from a Christian perspective.Here is the link to all of our debrief discussions for South by Southwest (SXSW). Videos will be added to this playlist as we are able to process and publish them.https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKHUzPd53o3n9NlYmkvsvH3oteHFHT3H1&si=CJvvcsZq3pgHgzxEHere is the link to the full Amy Webb seminar at SXSW 2026:Here are some other links - Click one of the links below or copy and paste the URL beside the description into your browser.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackHere are some other links - Click one of the links below or copy and paste the URL beside the description into your browser.Carl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URL This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
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  The War on Pause and Unstoppable Economic Effects 11.04.2026 34min

  This podcast was produced as part of the ministry of Orbis Sentry.For the video version of this podcast, click on the link below:Please note that the video contains images, many of which are AI generated for illustration, which are not included in the text below. So if you are interested in listening to this while seeing it illustrated, you might be more interested in checking out the video.April 9, 2026Who wins a war? And what will be the economic effects?by George OlsonWe have certainly seen some geopolitical theatrics over the past few weeks. After President Trump threatened to completely annihilate the country and the people of Iran, on Tuesday evening, April 7, he announced that the war was on pause. Two weeks ago, the Trump administration had sent Iran a 15 point proposal on ending the war. Because of the condition of the Iranian government and difficulty in determining who is actually making decisions for the entire nation over there, we don’t know who might have read it and considered its points. In any case, earlier this week Iran apparently sent a proposal to the USA on ending the war. Iran’s news agency released a copy of what it said was their 10 point proposal, but then the White House said that they received a different proposal. However, it was on this basis of receiving any proposal, not the one in the press and not based on the content of what the proposal said, that Trump officially “paused” the war and a tenuous ceasefire began. Annihilation is now on hold for the next two weeks to give the two sides a chance to iron out their differences and scale down the conflict.So let’s look at the 10 points of Iran’s peace proposal that was released publicly:* A guarantee of no further US attacks against Iran.* Iran maintains control of the Strait of Hormuz.* Ending the regional war on all fronts, including against Hezbollah in Lebanon.* Withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from all bases and positions in the region.* Reparations to Iran for war damages.* Acceptance of Iran’s right to nuclear enrichment.* Lifting all primary sanctions on Iran.* Lifting all secondary sanctions on Iran.* Termination of all resolutions against Iran by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency.* Termination of all United Nations Security Council resolutions against Iran.iIf you read that carefully, it doesn’t look like an acknowledgment that the USA and Israel have won the war. It looks like Iran still has a lot of leverage, and they are demanding that the USA not only back off, but completely leave the area, and pay them war reparations. In addition, if the primary goal of the war was to completely dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, there is absolutely nothing in this proposal that indicates Iran has even budged an inch on this demand.If Iran was really a defeated power and they just wanted the American military to stop killing their soldiers and destroying their infrastructure, the proposal would look drastically different. You would be hearing them say, “Please stop, we will do what you say.” But that’s not the messaging that is coming from Iran. Instead, it is still defiant. Iran’s proposal reads like a victory proposal in which they, not the USA and Israel, are demanding the terms to end the war.The additional goal of regime change also seems to have failed, or at least it has not yet gotten started. If there was any indication of a rising civilian power in Iran actually threatening the rule of the IRGC,ii you would be hearing reports about it in all of the major news outlets. The mainstream media may not like the Trump administration, and they may skew the news to try and make him look bad, but they would not completely ignore a reality that is happening on the ground if it is actually there.The internal security apparatus of Iran apparently remains as strong as it was before the war started. The massive nationwide protests across over 100 cities in Iran back in January was so severely repressed, with tens of thousands killed by the regime, that it seems that there is no will among the population to rise up against their government. The IRGC and the Basij, who enforced the crackdown, have not fractured and remain as defiant as ever against the USA. There are no reports of military defections, which would be a key component for a revolutionary uprising to take root and succeed.So what have been the effects of the war? Here are some of the things I have observed. I am not making any judgments on this; just observing the facts.* The Iranian leadership from before the war was killed off, allowing a new crop of leaders to come to power.* The IRGC and the Basij remain in control, solidifying their grip on the entire country, and are able to solidly deter any uprising through severe repressive measures.* Iranian offensive weapons, as in missiles and drones, have been destroyed by the thousands.* We do not know how effective the destruction of production factories for the Shaheed drones and other missiles has been.* As far as we know, Iranian offensive missile capability against Israel has been significantly degraded for the time being.* We do not know what their capability will be to rebuild a missile arsenal, and we have no evidence that the material support and resupply efforts by Russia and China have been degraded.* The war was begun while an American team was involved in active negotiations for peace with an Iranian delegation. This signals to America’s enemies that American led negotiations will never be trustworthy, and could likely be considered a ruse to distract them before hostilities begin.* The enriched uranium fuel which was buried beneath rubble by bunker buster bombs last June remains unaccounted for.* The Strait of Hormuz has closed, sending oil prices significantly higher, putting stress on global trade relationships.* Sea mines that were laid in the strait are still there. Maritime insurance agencies don’t want to insure ships passing through the strait, which significantly raises the cost and reliability of shipping of any products coming out of that region.* Iran fully controls the Strait now, requiring a payment for permission to transit, whereas before the war it was free passage.* Based on various news reports, in April so far, maritime reporting agencies said that 11 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on the 7th and the 8th, and then 7 ships on the 9th, the first day of the ceasefire. So on the first day of the ceasefire, only 7 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz. This is compared to a pre-war average of around 130 ships per day transiting the Strait.iii* Petrochemical refineries and infrastructure all through the Middle East region have been damaged and taken off line. This has had a significant effect on the many products, including oil, natural gas, LNG, helium, ammonia, fertilizers, and others.* In particular, the impact on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is as follows. Qatar’s Ras Laffan refinery was damaged, taking 20% of global LNG production off-line.* LNG is critical for Europe and South Asia’s energy needs.* Fertilizer shortages are likely to have an impact on global food supply over the next year.* On April 9 (the day I started writing this), Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, after the supposed peace proposal negotiations started, said that Israeli strikes on Lebanon would render negotiations “meaningless.”ivThose are just a few of the facts.Thanks for reading Intersections with Orbis-Sentry! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Here is what the situation looks like to me. President Trump was hoping that an attack on Iran, because of the overwhelming firepower of the US military, would quickly topple the Iranian government and cause a civilian uprising. There are 2 factors internal to Iran it seems that he didn’t consider. First, the violent suppression of protests in January which killed anywhere from 15,000 to 30,000 Iranians likely scared the remaining Iranian people so badly that they have no fight left in them. They didn’t rise up against their own government. Second, the IRGC is so deeply embedded in all aspects of Iranian social, civilian, and economic life, that the act of killing off the leaders of the government would not have the effect of causing its collapse. The IRGC has been preparing for this kind of attack for years, and that is why they embedded themselves the way they did. There is no reason now to believe that the Iranian people are going to rise up and topple the IRGC or their government, especially now that a supposed ceasefire and negotiations have begun. This seems to have been a huge systemic and strategic failure on the part of the Trump administration when they were choosing to decide whether or not to initiate the war.In addition to the above, with the re-supply lines for armaments and munitions continuing from Russiav and China,vi we can expect that Iran will be able to re-arm and make more Shaheed drones and make more missiles over time, just like they did from last June until the start of this war. They also now have complete control over the Strait of Hormuz, and all of their adversaries in the region are economically crippled due to attacks on refineries. With the price of oil staying elevated, though it is not all the way up at 120 anymore, it could go there over time (the initial spike in the price was a reactionary event). If the ceasefire holds, the price could go up slowly on account of the significant reduction in supply. If the ceasefire fails and the war restarts, price will likely spike again. Regardless, damaged infrastructure will take years to rebuild. The fundamentals are in place for a rise in energy prices until these things work their way through the market. This is likely to cause a slowdown in economic activity over the entire world. Eventually this could result in a massive fall in energy prices, but for now energy prices are set to continue higher.Remember at the beginning of the pandemic when it was in the news that the price of a barrel of oil went negative for a short bit? That was because economic activity had stopped as everyone went home. Nobody needed oil because all of the factories were shut down and nobody was driving anywhere. Any time there is an economic slowdown, one of the effects is a drop in the price of oil because of what is called “demand destruction.” Factories that couldn’t afford to purchase the energy at the higher prices ended up closing their doors. The workers in those factories end up going home, maybe going back to some provincial area in their home country, planting gardens for food, and doing what humans do in order to figure out how to survive. That is what happens in a severe economic slowdown, also known as a depression. So even though the economic effects will start out with what looks like inflation, with energy prices rising, the longer term effect will be to slow down the economy, and even bring some parts of the economy to a complete halt.Here is the way I see the economic sequence of events playing out, assuming that things play out on a massive scale (which all indications are that they will). Either a slow or rapid rise in the price of oil due to this war causes a scramble for dollars in international markets as companies look to try and keep their factories going. This causes the strength of the dollar to go up compared to other currencies, which induces more selling of US dollar denominated assets, like US stocks and US treasury bonds. The reason those get sold off is that the owners of those assets need the dollars to buy the more expensive energy to pay debt and try and keep their businesses going. Many of the sellers are foreigners, as there are a huge number of foreigners that own both US stocks and US treasury bonds.viiYou can see from this graph I pulled off the Federal Reserve’s website that around $15 trillion of US stocks are held by foreigners, which makes up somewhere around 25%-30% of the overall market.As US treasury bonds sell off, US interest rates rise, making it very difficult for the US government to continue to finance its debt, something that is deeply integrated into the functioning of the world economy. As US stocks sell off, US tax receipts fall because they are directly correlated to the value of the stock market, making the problem worse. The only way to save the treasury market at that point and prevent the system from collapsing will be if the Federal Reserve not only cuts short term interest rates, but caps long term interest rates by purchasing US treasury bonds with printed money. This is the reason why the Trump administration had been pushing for the Fed to cut interest rates late last year. They were seeing that there is likely to be a coming economic crisis which will hit us hard, and they wanted to force cuts, rather than wait until the crisis gets here, when it may be too late. If they would have cut rates at the beginning of this year, instead of worrying about inflation, it might have been enough to induce economic activity strong enough to overcome the condition we are about to face. Of course it would have been inflationary, but inflation is only a problem when it is inflation without economic growth. If there is economic growth alongside inflation, and that economic growth is stronger than the inflation, goods and services may get more expensive, but most people still have the means to sustain themselves because of the growth. By waiting to cut rates, however, we are now facing inflation without economic growth, which will eventually reverse itself into a severe deflationary environment. That is the point where recession or depression sets in.The perfect economic storm happens if the price of oil rises at such a pace that at first it causes a selloff in US treasury bonds and US stocks, and then it stays elevated long enough to induce manufacturing shutdowns all over the globe. Trade will slow down significantly as economic growth stagnates with rising energy prices. The selloff in US treasuries and US stocks will make it very difficult for the US government to get financing for its operations. Rising energy prices will also cause a rise in fertilizer prices, especially nitrogen fertilizer, a petrochemical byproduct. This is a primary ingredient for corn, which is not only a food staple, but it is also a feedstock ingredient for many of the packaged foods that we all consume. So we are also looking at potentially significant inflation in food prices in the coming months.With oil and gas prices soaring, there will be a drive to push harder into other sources of energy, such as nuclear and solar. In order to facilitate this transition, we need to produce tons more copper and other industrial metals. Yet producing these metals will be problematic. Without copper, nickel, and uranium, this transition will go only in fits and starts. Then on top of this, there is the need for data centers, which would not only facilitate economic growth, but would help businesses and consumers remain competitive. However, the ability to build out data centers will be stifled. Not because of the lack of funds, but on account of the lack of materials available to physically build the electrical infrastructure needed for the transition. We need copper, nickel, steel, aluminum, uranium, and other industrial metals.So, why don’t we just produce more of those metals, especially copper, nickel, and uranium? Just ride over the regulations that get in the way and build more production plants and dig more mines? We have the resources for those materials in the ground in North America and can also get a lot of the ore from friendly countries. Well, all 3 of these metals that are critical for building out the electric grid depend not only on burning fuel to have the energy for production, but also on sulfuric acid as a reagent in the metallurgical process. Did you expect to hear that? Where does sulfuric acid come from? It is made in acid plants from raw sulfur. Raw sulfur is shipped all over the world in bulk, because it is safer to ship raw sulfur than to make the acid and ship the acid. So where does raw sulfur come from? It is a by-product of processing what is called “sour crude” into usable fuels.So let’s talk about sulfur and its connection to global energy markets. But first, what is sour crude? There are many different grades of crude oil, and sour crude is one of the ones that most of America’s refineries are designed to process. Where does it from, being the primary source of sulfur? Primarily the Middle East, and most of it passes through the Strait of Hormuz. There are other sources, thankfully, such as Canadian oil sands, but this is being held back from export by the environmental lobby’s influence on the Canadian government. There is also sour crude sourced from both Mexico and Venezuela, but those both have serious political obstacles to getting the sour crude to US refineries. Mexico has a challenge in that a cartel controls one of the areas their oil pipelines pass through, and the cartel members have been siphoning off much of it to sell for their own profits. Mexico is working on taking out the cartel that has been stealing oil, but that will take considerable time. Venezuela will be able to eventually begin supplying large volumes of sour crude again, but that also will take time as the oil fields need to be re-developed after years of mis-management under Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro’s leftist governments.So the loss of sour crude imports from the Persian Gulf means a reduction in sulfur production, leading to a reduction in sulfuric acid production, leading to a reduction in copper, nickel, and uranium production, leading to longer lead times in what is already a very delayed process to building out the US electric grid. Add onto this the current political backlash to building new datacenters in communities around the country, and things look even slower.In the meantime, China has already built out much of their electric grid, they are not stifled by an environmental lobby, and they already have significant competitors in AI to the American AI companies. If American datacenters can’t be built on account of not having a strong enough electric grid, American AI companies are going to lose the competition to China, because China’s grid is robust and growing. Then when the economic recovery finally begins to happen, at that point Chinese AI companies will have already surpassed American AI companies. The world will look to China instead of America for implementing AI processes as part of the necessary means to bring back economic growth, and China will become the new global hegemon as America fades into the background. In so doing, China will be able to export not only their economics, but their political philosophies of Maoism, Marxism, authoritarianism, and communism, along with their complete lack of ethics, all over the globe. Christian missions will come increasingly under scrutiny, as those authoritarian systems always look with suspicion on Christian activity.As far as the effects of rising oil prices on China, they will be somewhat insulated for several months on account of their huge strategic petroleum reserve. America also has a strategic petroleum reserve, but the Biden administration unnecessarily depleted it 3 years ago, and our government has only partially been able to re-fill it since then. So we don’t have the cushion that China has. Not only that, China controls rare-earths, the necessary materials to produce the magnets that our military needs for so many things, especially missiles. Since we have used up most of our stock of missile defenses in fighting Iran on the other side of the world, having pulled missile defenses out of South Korea and Japan in order to do so, China’s extra large military footprint in the Asia-Pacific region is by comparison growing even stronger and larger. It is possible that every country in the entire region could pivot to be becoming vassal states of China over the next 5 years, and forsake their relationships with the United States. This won’t happen because of sentiment; it will happen because it will be necessary for their survival. The United States will not be able to re-arm without China’s permission (i.e. sale of rare-earths to the USA), and hence the United States will not be able to defend Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, or any other country in that region. They will all be subject to bullying from China. After all, why would China sell rare-earths to the USA if it knew that the USA was just going to use those rare-earths to build up weapon systems to fight China?So this brings up the question, what will happen to Israel? I will have to hold onto that question for another essay, as it delves deeply into the religious ideas of many people and how those religious ideas are affecting geopolitics. The only thing I will point out here is that we have re-entered an era where religion is playing a role on the international stage in a much more prominent way once again, as it has through most of human history. The secularists of the past 80 years would say the solution is for the majority of the world to become non-religious. Of course, that is an absurd proposition and it will never happen. Human beings are religious by nature and this cannot be forced out of them, as much as Mao and the Chinese communists have tried to do for decades. Neither can it be educated out of them, as Western secularists pushing modernist ideas in schools have tried and failed to do for decades. It is far better to understand religious differences, just as we understand other areas of disciplined study, and develop frameworks for understanding each other so that we minimize conflict.Ultimately, when it comes to the war, the winner of the war is the one who dictates the terms. Even though tactically the USA has completely dominated Iran, we are very very far from a strategic victory. So far, Donald Trump has backed down on threats and indicated that he is ready to compromise on certain terms. On the other hand, Iran hasn’t backed down on hardly any of the terms, and their primary point of leverage is the Strait of Hormuz. They may end up compromising on some areas, but if they retain full control of Hormuz, when they didn’t have control of it before the war, that will indicate that regardless of the headlines, they are the strategic winners in this war.Of course eventually things are going to shift around. Iran’s neighbors will have a say if Iran tries to control the Strait of Hormuz unilaterally. They will do things like build new pipelines and infrastructure to ship out their oil that in some way is able to bypass the Strait. Also, other oil fields around the globe will be developed. Other energy sources, despite the difficulties in building them, will eventually become more established. In 5 or 10 years the Strait of Hormuz may not have nearly as much global significance as it does now. But all of those things will depend on the world figuring out how to overcome the economic difficulties caused by this war.I can’t think of any reasonable American that would be happy with an outcome of seeing Iran come out ahead at the end of this war and still being able to build nuclear weapons. Even most of Trump’s political opponents for the most part don’t want that to be the result, even though it would be a major strategic defeat for Trump, which would make them happy. But as unpleasant as that the idea of an Iran win is, reality dictates that we must consider it as one of the possible outcomes that may happen. After all, if you are like me, we don’t have an effect on policy decision makers; we are just observers. We have to prepare for what’s coming, but in general we can’t affect it except by normal democratic means, such as voting, writing your representative, and living life as a good citizen. Regardless, it does not affect my hope and my outlook on life. God is still God, and He is still a loving heavenly Father, we are still made in His image, and we still have a relationship with Him through Christ. And He is still sovereign over the affairs of nations in this world, so we have no reason to despair. We have a responsibility to do our part, and to keep the faith, but there is no reason to become despondent. The promises of God are certain and true for those who believe. So let us not lose hope, no matter what the outcome.I hope this was an encouraging message for you. Please stay tuned to our channel, and we will have more to share with you soon.Endnotes:i https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/08/world/middleeast/iran-10-point-proposal-trump-us-ceasefire.htmlii The IRGC is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a military organization set up to protect the Islamic revolution in Iran. The Basij are a paramilitary volunteer militia that serve as the IRGC’s auxiliaries. Together they have about 220,000 soldiers. These are responsible for sowing domestic terror among the Iranians to keep the Islamic revolution in power. They are also the ones who have sought to empower and equip the Iranian terrorist proxies in the Middle East, such as the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah. They are deeply embedded in all aspects of Iranian life, controlling businesses and trade in addition to their military duties. Extracting them from power would be extremely difficult.iii https://www.wsj.com/business/logistics/see-which-ships-are-slipping-through-the-strait-of-hormuz-24eb931div https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/iran-update-evening-special-report-april-9-2026v https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-supplies-iran-with-cyber-support-spy-imagery-hone-attacks-ukraine-says-2026-04-07/vi vii https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/BOGZ1LM263164100Q This chart shows that around $15 trillion of US stocks are held by foreigners, which makes up somewhere around 25%-30% of the overall market. If they need dollars to pay their bills, which is common, they will sell US stocks and US treasuries in order to get those dollars. At this volume, it could have a very outsized effect on all of the global markets.Thanks for reading Intersections with Orbis-Sentry! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackHere are some other links - Click one of the links below or copy and paste the URL beside the description into your browser.Carl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire youtube geopolitical playlist from GeorgeOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Donation URL This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com
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  2026 SXSW Day 2 - UFO Disclosure by Steven Spielberg and the Energy Grid 03.04.2026 43min

  For the video version of this podcast, click the link below:In this debrief, we go over the interview of Steven Spielberg in which he talked about his movie making philosophy, the UFO Disclosure movie coming out, and his views on alien life. We also go into an in depth discussion on the limitations of the energy grid based on a seminar that was presented by a Google executive.Here are some other links:Carl Teichrib’s book about the changing worldview landscape, titled “Game of Gods”, on AmazonThe entire geopolitical playlist from GeorgeSome other links:Orbis Sentry websiteCarl Teichrib’s substackGeorge Olson’s substackOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for Dayton DialogueOrbis Sentry Rumble channel for postings similar to this podcastFull audio podcast link on substackFull audio podcast RSS feed for podcast search enginesOrbis Sentry is a non-profit ministry that exists to equip and educate the body of Christ in the worldview changes and trends that are happening all around us. We are not monetizing through analytics or advertising, and are supported by generous donations from viewers like you. If you believe in what we are doing and would like to support our ministry, please click the link below or copy and paste the URL below into your browser to setup a donation. Orbis Sentry is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Texas and has approved non-profit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.Click here to donate to support our work!Thanks for reading Intersections with Orbis-Sentry! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schinaseatribe.substack.com