Church propaganda Archives - noir

May 5, 2024July 4, 2024

Perpendicularity in Eastern and Western Concepts of the Antichrist Ideomyth

Prompt: Look for perpendiularity in how the concept of the ideomyth of antichrist is used in Russia by comparison to the manifestation of the satanic paradigm in the West as a disinformation model.

Perpendicularity of the Antichrist Ideomyth: Russia vs. the West

Objective: Analyze the concept of the Antichrist ideomyth in Russia and the West, identifying potential perpendicularity between the encoded message and strategic intent within each context.

Russia:

Encoded Message: Russia as the defender of true Christian values and the Orthodox faith, standing in opposition to the decadent and “satanic” West, which embodies the Antichrist.
Strategic Intent:
- Justifying Aggression: The Antichrist narrative serves to demonize the West and justify Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and other perceived enemies.
- Promoting National Unity: It fosters a sense of national unity and purpose, rallying the Russian people around a common enemy and solidifying support for the government.
- Legitimizing Power: Portraying Russia as a divinely chosen nation with a messianic mission reinforces the legitimacy of the ruling elite and their policies.

Perpendicularity: The encoded message of defending Christian values operates perpendicular to the strategic intent of justifying aggression and consolidating power. This creates a misleading framework where actions that contradict Christian principles, such as war and violence, are portrayed as necessary to combat evil and defend the faith.

The West:

Encoded Message: Promotion of secularism, liberalism, and individual rights, often framed as progressive values and a rejection of religious extremism or fundamentalism.
Strategic Intent:
- Countering Russian Propaganda: The West utilizes this narrative to counter Russian propaganda that portrays it as “satanic” or morally corrupt.
- Promoting Democratic Values: Advocating for secularism, liberalism, and individual rights aligns with Western democratic principles and serves to distinguish Western societies from authoritarian regimes.
- Building International Alliances: This narrative helps to attract allies and partners who share similar values and concerns about Russian aggression and influence.

Perpendicularity: The encoded message of promoting progressive values may operate perpendicular to the strategic intent of maintaining geopolitical power and influence. While advocating for individual rights and democracy aligns with Western ideals, it can also be used to justify interventions in other countries or the support of regimes with questionable human rights records, under the guise of promoting democracy or combating threats.

Semiotic Squares:

Russia:

	Encoded Message	Opposite
Disinformation	Defender of Christian values / Opposing the Antichrist	Embracing “satanic” values / Supporting evil
Opposite	Rejecting Christian values / Aligning with the Antichrist	Upholding Christian values / Combating evil

Analysis: The semiotic square highlights the hypocrisy within the Russian narrative. While claiming to defend Christian values, Russia’s actions often contradict these principles. This suggests that the true intent lies in the opposite direction, aligning with the characteristics typically associated with the Antichrist.

The West:

	Encoded Message	Opposite
Disinformation	Promoting progressive values and democracy	Supporting authoritarianism and oppression
Opposite	Rejecting progressive values / Supporting tyranny	Upholding progressive values / Promoting freedom

Analysis: The semiotic square reveals the potential for contradiction within the Western narrative. While advocating for progressive values, the West may engage in actions that contradict these principles, such as supporting authoritarian regimes or engaging in military interventions. This suggests a potential hidden agenda or a disconnect between stated values and actual practices.

Conclusion:

The concept of the Antichrist ideomyth and its application in both Russia and the West illustrate the complexity of information warfare and the manipulation of narratives for strategic purposes. By analyzing the perpendicularity between encoded messages and potential strategic intents, we can reveal the contradictions and hidden agendas behind these narratives and better understand the motivations and objectives of the actors involved.

It’s important to note that both Russia and the West engage in information warfare and utilize narratives for strategic purposes. Recognizing the potential for manipulation and critically evaluating information is crucial for discerning truth from falsehood and making informed decisions in the face of complex geopolitical challenges.

May 4, 2024July 4, 2024

Abducting the Russian Deep State

[User: Let’s abduct the characteristics of the Russian deep state secret paradigm which employs the antichrist ideomyth] (Thought: I’d like to see more about Ivan IV:Dracula but that is still pretty good as an output.)

(Raw Gemini Pro 1.5 Output)

Abducting the Russian Deep State: Decoding the Antichrist Ideomyth and its Instruments

Delving into the murky depths of the Russian deep state, we encounter a recurring pattern of authoritarianism, mystical beliefs, and information control, often intertwined with the potent symbolism of the Antichrist ideomyth. By abducting the characteristics of this enigmatic paradigm, we can shed light on the motivations and strategies employed to maintain power and influence.

Characteristics of the Deep State Paradigm:

Continuity of Power Structures: A hidden network of individuals within the security services, political elite, and potentially religious institutions, operating behind the scenes to maintain control and influence policy decisions.
Secrecy and Information Control: A culture of secrecy and a tight grip on information, utilizing propaganda and disinformation to manipulate public opinion and suppress dissent.
Messianic Beliefs and Russian Exceptionalism: Adherence to mystical or messianic beliefs that portray Russia as having a unique destiny and mission, often intertwined with the concept of the “Third Rome” and the defense of Orthodox Christian values against the West.
The Antichrist Ideomyth: Utilizing the Antichrist as a symbolic enemy, often associated with Western leaders, ideologies, or institutions, to justify aggression, promote nationalism, and consolidate power around a strongman leader.

Instruments of the Paradigm:

Security Services: The FSB, GRU, and other security agencies play a central role in maintaining control, suppressing dissent, and conducting information warfare operations.
Russian Orthodox Church: The Church often serves as a tool for promoting nationalist ideology, justifying the actions of the state, and reinforcing the idea of Russia as the defender of true Christian values.
Oligarchs and Business Elites: Wealthy individuals with close ties to the government can exert significant influence on policy decisions and economic activities, often benefiting from the existing power structure.
Media and Propaganda Outlets: State-controlled media and propaganda outlets play a crucial role in disseminating disinformation, shaping public opinion, and promoting the narratives of the deep state.

Abducting the Antichrist Ideomyth:

Historical Roots: The Antichrist ideomyth has deep historical roots in Russian culture, dating back to the Byzantine Empire and the concept of the “Katechon,” a figure who restrains the forces of evil and prevents the end times.
Modern Manifestations: The Antichrist ideomyth is used in contemporary Russia to demonize the West, justify aggression, and promote a narrative of Russia’s unique role in the world as the defender of traditional values and Orthodox Christian faith.
Political Utility: The Antichrist serves as a powerful symbol for rallying support around the government and its policies, creating a sense of unity against a common enemy and reinforcing the legitimacy of the ruling elite.

Implications and Considerations:

Erosion of Democracy: The deep state paradigm and its reliance on the Antichrist ideomyth contribute to the erosion of democratic values and the consolidation of power around an authoritarian regime.
Geopolitical Tensions: The use of the Antichrist as a symbolic enemy fuels geopolitical tensions with the West, justifying aggressive foreign policy and increasing the risk of conflict.
Internal Repression: The deep state’s control over information and its suppression of dissent create a climate of fear and mistrust within Russian society, limiting freedom of speech and political participation.

By abducting the characteristics of the Russian deep state and its utilization of the Antichrist ideomyth, we can gain a deeper understanding of the forces shaping Russia’s political landscape and its approach to information warfare. This analysis highlights the importance of vigilance, critical thinking, and a commitment to democratic values in countering the manipulative and divisive tactics employed by authoritarian regimes.

July 24, 2021August 27, 2022

The ROC’s Pro-Vaccination Conspiracy Theories

In American conservative media, there has been a recent push encouraging vaccine adoption. Notable examples of figures making public statements advocating for vaccines over the past week include Mitch McConnell, Steve Scalise, and Sean Hannity. Such gestures have been welcomed by semi-puzzled liberals, who have come to associate conservative politics during much of the pandemic with skepticism of vaccines and an embrace of conspiracy theories [1].

In the past month, a similar push for the acceptance of vaccines has been furthered in Russia. This seems to have been kicked off on June 30 with Vladimir Putin’s annual call-in show where he said he had received the Sputnik V vaccine. This added additional detail to quieter earlier disclosures that the Russian president had received a second shot in March. While promoting the safety of domestic Russian vaccines, Putin continued to stoke fears in Western vaccines, saying: “thank God we haven’t had tragic situations after vaccinations like after the use of AstraZeneca or Pfizer.” [2]

Putin’s patriotic vaccine statements seemed to form a cue for senior clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) to come out publicly in favor of vaccination with domestic vaccines, using many of the tropes of conservative conspiracy theory. This vaccine promotion is interesting because these figures have themselves often been associated with national ideology, conspiracy theories, and disinformation – and even rumors of involvement with the FSB. Their approach may offer some constructive lessons in how conspiratorial language can be repurposed to promote vaccine adoption. But it also raises more questions about the state of disinformation in Russia and its effects abroad.

Holy men Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), Vladimir Putin, and Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov)

Continue reading “The ROC’s Pro-Vaccination Conspiracy Theories”

June 13, 2021August 27, 2022

Russian Origins of the Vaccine Microchip Conspiracy Theory

I recently read an article which suggested that the conspiracy theory that vaccines contain microchips emerged following a March 18, 2020 Reddit AMA with Bill Gates [1]. In response to the AMA, biohackers began to write positively about the potential for chip-based medical devices to combat epidemics and deliver vaccines.

Within several days of the Reddit AMA, a Baptist pastor from Jacksonville Florida named Adam Fannin – known best for his anti-Semitic conflicts with comedian Sarah Silverman in 2019 – found one of these biohacking blog posts online. Fannin then developed it into his own interpretation of apocalyptic prophecy largely based on his “deep distrust of Gates”. Fannin made a 9-minute YouTube sermon which went viral and accumulated nearly 2 million views before it was taken down. “The pastor titled the post, “Bill Gates – Microchip Vaccine Implants to fight Coronavirus,” adding one pivotal word to the biohackers’ title: vaccine.”[1]

Looking more deeply into the origin of the vaccines and microchips story, I think it is important to observe how it may emerge from and complement Russian Orthodox nationalist geopolitics and information warfare. Continue reading “Russian Origins of the Vaccine Microchip Conspiracy Theory”

March 6, 2020August 27, 2022

Notre Dame Fire Conspiracism as Reflective of Russian Ideological Competition with the West?

Attached is my most recent peer reviewed paper which was accepted for publication in the proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security (ICCWS) to be held on 12-13 March 2020 at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. The paper is based on an analysis of the online conspiracy theories which surrounded the 15 April 2019 fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. (While the paper was published I am not attending the conference for personal reasons.)

Included in the milieu of conspiracy theories circulated online were fake Nostradamus prophecies evoking a kind of conspiracism known as ‘popular eschatology’. The sharing of such conspiracies drove a large global increase in Nostradamus interest, as revealed by Google Trends.

The overall mix of the Notre Dame fire conspiracy theories – to include notions of false flags, Islamophobic sentiments, and Nostradamus prophecies – seem to be similar to 9/11 conspiracies, and may share commonality in their links to Russian influence.

A model of Russian information warfare based on ‘katechonic’ Russian Orthodox and nationalist ideology

In a related sense, conspiratorial Nostradamus prophecies attributable to Russian proxies are associated with the visit of Pope Francis to North Macedonia in early May 2019, causing a massive spike in Nostradamus interest there (leading it to be the second highest region in the world for Nostradamus interest, and having no apparent relation to the Notre Dame fire except in terms of influence on Catholic and Western Christian culture). Such conspiracies about Popes involving Nostradamus as reflected in Google Trends have been similarly observed during times of Papal transitions such as in 2005 and 2013, and seem similar to other instances where Nostradamus interest spiked in association with probable Russian ‘active measures’.

The new paper argues that Nostradamus prophecies can be seen as similar in how they promote Islamophobia and anti-Catholicism as to how the Russian secret police concoction ‘The Protocols of Zion’ may have been useful in promoting anti-Semitism in furtherance of fin de siè·cle Russian influence campaigns. It dives deep into a cultural examination of Russia’s apparent sense of hostility to Catholicism based on its historical legacy as a Russian Orthodox country, and it attempts to frame the described 2019 ‘anti-Catholic conspiracies’ within a framework of Russian disinformation sympathetic to such nationalistic ideas.

Since the time I wrote this paper, the most notable development in Nostradamus propaganda is the broader acceptance that Russia uses figures like Nostradamus or Baba Vanga in spreading coronavirus conspiracies. I’m very happy to see that disinformation researchers are beginning to accept the idea of Nostradamus (and similar ‘prophets’) as a kind of information warfare and are educating the public about it.

Here is the new paper: Notre Dame Fire Conspiracism as Reflective of Russian Ideological Competition with the West (2020)

If you are interested in my prior peer reviewed works on Nostradamus, please see:

Russian Active Measures and September 11, 2001: Nostradamus Themed Disinformation (2017) – International Journal of Cyber Warfare and Terrorism (IJCWT)
Nostradamus Prophecy as a Russian Information Warfare Concept (2017) – Proceedings of the European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security (ECCWS)
Nostradamus Ratios: Why is Russia an Outlier? (2018) – Proceedings of the International Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security (ICCWS)
Russian Information Warfare and 9/11 Conspiracism: When Fake News Meets False Prophecy? (2019) – Developments in Information Security and Cybernetic Wars (chapter in edited book)