Shit, I thought. I fucked up the title.
Maybe it's not so bad, though. It would have been too long anyway.
But the keywords! The search terms!
That's the thought process when you're a one-man gang building a podcast in your spare bedroom and realize you should have stuck the word kabbalistic into the title of your most recent episode. So it goes.
It is a shame, though, because this is probably my best episode to date. Not only was it the longest episode I've recorded to this point, but it was also the most philosophical -- the "deepest dive" I've taken into just one subject. It's one thing to discuss multiple topics over two hours. It's quite another to stick to just one topic and be able to keep talking about it. (Although we did deviate into a quick discussion of GLOW on Netflix, but nothing of any depth. God bless Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin, btw.)
Regardless, if you're into occult and esoteric teachings, the episode is probably worth a listen. (Especially if you're into the kabbalah! Doh!) If you think Freemasonry is nothing but a bunch of dudes conspiring to enslave us all whilst also circle jerking around a compass, the episode is definitely worth a listen. (There's no actual circle jerking, sorry to disappoint, but there's plenty of kabbalah! Doh!)
My takeaway from it: If you follow popular culture or are privy to any sort of conspiracy theories, the Freemasons are a controversial and often demonized group linked to all sorts of nefariousness. Personally, I have to ask why? Because if the connections outlined by the guest (Greg Stewart) to Hermeticism, Gnosticism and other esoteric and occult teachings -- if these teachings do connect to the original spirit of Freemasonry, I can see why the group would be demonized in popular culture. Empire is not too fond of teaching and preaching self-empowerment to the masses. Of course, I can’t discount the notion that perhaps one bad apple at the top of the pyramid may spoil the infrastructure below it.
Regardless, if you’re delivering a positive message, I’ll listen. We all should. And that's exactly what Greg does here. Empowerment of the individual, enlightenment of the self, empathy for others. Doesn't sound nefarious to me.
I traded comments with a guy on Voat the other day. He was blasting another podcast host for possibly being a Freemason. The ignorance there was strong. Sadly, this seems to be a cultural issue. As if simply being affiliated with such a group makes you a conniving piece of shit who drinks baby’s blood while ejaculating onto a cross during a black magick ritual. (Or jacking off a baby while taking the Eucharist.) (I couldn't settle on an analogy here, so there's the alternative as a parenthetical. Also, this is what most Catholic priests actually do.)
My point is: Judge not, lest ye be judged, as they used to say on the streets of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Wait a minute, you might say, didn't you just judge Catholic priests?!) (And I might say, Fuck yes I did, and then go read some kabbalah.)
