Cynical Bollocks About Compelling Characters
What makes us tick? Find out by prodding it with a big stick. Blogs about consciousness, archetypes, philosophy, Jesus and Paul—I mean, even super heroes! It's an illness.
Wednesday, 5 November 2025
On Being a Contrarian
Sunday, 19 October 2025
The Shadow Magician and The Saint
The Corporate Takeover of Christianity: How Paul, the Shadow Magician, Killed the Original Jesus Movement
A Case Study in Power: Controlling the Narrative
10 min read
A man is executed. His community is crushed. The messianic movement he started - one that promised the immediate arrival of God's Kingdom on Earth- is dead.
For a few desperate years, the Jewish Christians (Jesus's original followers and family) clung to the fragmented hope of their departed saviour. They were sharing their story, but they remained weakened, leaderless and limited in number.
Then, he enters the narrative.
He never knew the executed holy man, yet he was a former rival, an enemy and outsider. He didn't seem to ask permission; he saw the power revelation could bring—the Resurrected Christ elevated Apostles to respected church leaders and community figures, and then, the same grace was also mysteriously extended to him. With this came the freedom to rewrite rules. His new church gradually rose to prominence as Jewish Christianity slowly declined.
This isn't a theory about theology; it's an analysis of power. We're picking apart how a first-century entrepreneur executed history's most effective corporate takeover comparable to a Shadow Magician archetype—a Jungian pattern describing machiavellian world builders, those who might manipulate with claims of secret knowledge, bypass authority with mysterious credentials, or even control you with words rather than force.
Such an archetype can make quite a compelling character study, the pattern is so recognizable once you see it. They begin by concealing their game. Star Wars has Palpatine who fooled everyone; reduced and then disbanded the Jedi Order. Harry Potter's Lord Voldemort rejected the established ethical order and pursued immortality and dominance instead. Donald Trump was an outsider, a cuckoo born to republicanism. This Shadow Magician re-wrote their party's entire structure, while rejecting its soul: he replaced much of US conservatism with Trumpism.
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| Gentile vs Jewish Christianity is an academic field |
What I'm exploring in this blogpost isn't hot off the shelf. We all know the history of the long standing issues Paul and James started over their arguments about Jewish Law. It's the very core of the 'Parting of the Ways' and a legitimate scholarly subject still actively debated
But we can still play.
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Stage 1: Filling The Power Vacuum
I am not the only one to draw parallels between St. Paul and a Magus. The Jungian Shadow Magician is also ready to pounce whenever a golden opportunity to strike presents itself.
The movement led by Jesus of Nazareth provided just that. Historians and critical thinking scholars widely agree that Jesus was a nationalist apocalyptic Jewish preacher who professed the imminent arrival of the Kingdom of God on Earth (Ehrman, 2014; Sanders, 1993). This divine appearance became a political and concrete expectation of his followers: Rome would fall, Israel would be restored.
Within 20 years of Jesus's death, the eventual saint, Paul, was already writing letters. The original disciples? Silent. We see no letters, no real documents, no counter-narrative. Yet, they were the ones who had all the vital eyewitness testimony, but, I guess he had the power of using words?
The Problem: Spectacular Failure
As expected, the prediction didn't happen. Jesus was likely executed for blasphemy or sedition, we don't know, but still, it was the ultimate proof of a failed messiah (Deuteronomy 21:23).
The original followers—the eyewitnesses in Jerusalem—were left leaderless, their core belief shattered. This world crushing crisis of meaning was the ideal entry point for a change in direction.
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Stage 2: Unfalsifiable Authority
We don't know his intent, speculation is all we can do with matters of motive. However, if this is a Shadow Magician was his claim of the risen Christ appearing before his caravan genuine? It served well as a status springer despite the disappearance of his anonymous travelling colleagues who were also witnesses. Again all established Jewish Christians were eventually superseded.
This word-caster had once actively opposed the early Jewish Christians! His cultural and communication methods were mostly Greek and he was a Roman citizen. It's no wonder he became 'Apostle of the Gentiles'. He was clever, highly educated in theology, but strangely, before his religious honour reduced his tent making time, something miraculous happened.
The Powerful Vision
His mystical vision on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) is a report of a phenomenon that elevated him to an Apostle, despite the requirement of having to have known Jesus but exceptions were made and he surpassed the authority of Jesus's actual companions, like Peter and James! The vision strongly resembles a Greek narrative from the heavenly apparition that struck down Heliodorus in 2 Maccabees 3.
Why this works:
- The claim is unverifiable without witness testimony (only he was given the message)
- It's unchallengeable (what Christian would try to disprove anyone claiming to have witnessed their risen saviour?)
- It bypasses institutional authority (Peter, James, the Jerusalem church)
- It makes him accountable to no one but his own risen Jesus
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Stage 3: The Ultimate Rebranding Strategy
A Shadow Magician may be inclined to rewrite the core narrative in order to make the movement viable again, sacrificing authenticity for viability. The true genius of rebranding a catastrophe is supply on demand. In the bible, St Paul is, in essence selling the failed apocalyptic mission as a successful spiritual salvation theology instead (Dunn, 2005). People wanted easier access to heaven.
For centuries that passed the same church M.O continued to rewrite the pagan world view; appropriating old gods and transforming them into saints like St Brigid or St Nicholas. They even took ancient festivals as Christian tradition. It's not right to call it syncretism when it's plagiarism!
Narrative Control: Moving The Goalposts
To execute a takeover, any market strategist would need to discard the parts of whatever failed and was restrictive.
Original Goal (Jesus): The physical, imminent Kingdom of God on Earth.
New Goal (Paul): Personal Salvation from Sin - a spiritual and cosmic transaction.
This was the core power move: widen the goalposts, declare the failed political mission retroactively ‘successful’ by reinterpreting it as a spiritual win!
The Entrance Requirements: Simplifying the 'Difficult' Law
This strategic shift was primarily achieved by refuting the necessity of Jewish custom for new followers. The original movement required adherence to the Torah (circumcision, kosher laws). A Shadow Magician might strip these rules away but would an end-times Nazarene do the same? Especially if he claimed he would change nothing in the law, and follow the prophets? Essentially, this means the Torah.
Original admission: Strict adherence to the Jewish Law (Torah Observance).
New admission: Justification by Faith (The Law is irrelevant).
This was the real workable tweak (Koester, 1982). By eliminating the 'difficult' barrier of Jewish law, a shadow magician might instantly pull something different out the hat for the wealthy, mass Greco-Roman communities across the Empire.
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Stage 4: Monetizing Humility and Enforcing Obedience
The Shadow Magician operates on money and will use a hardship narrative or two, but the evidence of both St Paul's poverty and personal risk lacks any external proof but serves to downplay the financial support he had.
His Churches as a Personal Franchise and Power Base
The most damning evidence of power is that his churches were answerable to him and him alone. It was a personal franchise. Of course, it was enforced, and it was with his confrontational, argumentative, and demanding character.
Enforcing Obedience and Authority:
- To the Corinthians, he ordered specific punishment for immorality (1 Cor. 5:3-5), asserting his distant authority was as binding as his presence
- His writing style is notoriously argumentative and confrontational, dismissing rivals as 'false apostles' (2 Cor. 11:13)
- He used severe, aggressive language to correct perceived disloyalty (Galatians 1:6–9)
Asking for Money and Control:
- He commanded churches to participate in organized collections (1 Cor. 16:1-3)
- Explicitly defended his right to be financially supported by them
- Boasted he had 'robbed other churches' (2 Cor. 11:8–9) to serve others
- This power over the cash flow strengthened his dominance
The Tent-Maker Who Made Fewer Tents
Paul of Tarsus was a former Pharisee who said tent-making was his income. The substantial funds required to maintain his staff, constant travel, and living expenses did not come from his personal labour.
What he actually received:
- Multiple financial payments from the Philippian church (Phil 4:15-18)
- The money from 'robbing other churches' (2 Cor 11:8-9)
- Wealthy female patrons (Lydia, Phoebe) provided housing, meals, travel funds and goodness knows what else
- The Organised collections he controlled (1 Cor 16:1-3)
- He expected the Roman church to fund his Spanish mission (Rom 15:24)
The maths: Constant Mediterranean travel, urban living (Ephesus, Corinth, Rome), paid staff (Timothy, Titus), secretaries (Rom 16:22), writing materials: the operation cost serious money! You can't keep travelling continuously across the Roman Empire whilst working full-time making tents.
The Tell Tale Signs of a Shadow Magician?
He protests his poverty obsessively. Why? Well his churches were clearly accusing him of profiteering. 2 Corinthians is essentially one long defence of his financial arrangements - the kind you need when people are regularly asking where the money keeps going.
The economic reality: a subsidised lifestyle built on the donations of followers whilst claiming the moral high ground of self-sufficiency.
The Unverifiable Devotion and Noble Intent
Another legitimate proof for his authority comes from his elaborate lists of personal sufferings and arrests, which serve as great credentials.
The Problem of Proof: When this man details his beatings, shipwrecks, and near-death experiences (2 Cor. 11:23-28), the claims are entirely free from verification by any external sources. They function as emotional currency, disarming need for eyewitness accounts from Jesus's life.
The Intention vs. The Result: We can't ever know if his position was truly taken up with noble intent, we only have his own word! The Shadow Magician's rulebook would frame his noble actions as clever power play, but still, that doesn't prove anything. What's a salvager of a fading religion recognised for shaping believers thoughts while writing about his own piety?
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Stage 5: Elimination of Competition
The Shadow Magician's ultimate victory requires the removal of legitimate authority—sometimes through active effort, often through historical accident.
The Jerusalem church would oppose a Shadow Magician bitterly (Galatians 2). Remember, the Jewish Christian Community had the eyewitnesses, legitimate succession and the true story:
- Jesus's actual family members like James, his brother
- Eyewitness disciples such as Peter and John
- Institutional legitimacy
- Geographic authority of being the original location.
St Paul had:
- Private revelation of Christ's plan
- Gentile churches loyal to him
- Financial and domestic infrastructure
- Written letters establishing his theology
In reality, the eyewitnesses should have won. But life isn't always fair, is it?
Victory came by Historical Accident
70 CE: The Destruction of Jerusalem
The Romans destroyed the Jerusalem Temple, which meant the cultural, physical base and leadership of the original Jewish Jesus movement was totally wiped out (Dunn, 2005). The Shadow Magician was a Diaspora Jew born in Tarsus (Acts 22:3) and a trained Pharisee (Philippians 3:5). He was rigorously educated in the Hebrew scriptures, trained well, but positioned outside the blast radius.
Meanwhile, his widely disperse Gentile churches survived intact. His letters, already circulating, became the new scripture for a new version of the religion. That is definitely taking control.
When the dust settled, his version was the only organised, written, and well-resourced movement left. If he is a Shadow Mage, he didn't defeat his rivals - history did it for him. Undeniably, he positioned himself to engage with the catastrophe. Of course, the winner writes history, and his theology was secured.
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How to Spot the Pattern
The true power of this analysis is in recognising the pattern elsewhere. This playbook isn't unique to Christian history; it's a blueprint for any charismatic leader seeking power through narrative control.
Shadow Magicians in History:
Joseph Smith: Formed a new religion based on private revelations and claims of secret knowledge (not unlike St Paul) that superseded all prior religious authority.
Rasputin: Claimed direct, mystical access to the divine to gain power over the Russian Imperial family, bypassing the state and the Church. Sound familiar?
Elizabeth Holmes (Theranos): Promoted a revolutionary blood-testing technology requiring extreme secrecy. She cultivated powerful patrons, bypassed scientific authority, and monetised her product that didn't work aggressively. It was fake. The Shadow Magician archetype is a recognisable theme.
The Checklist
The next time you encounter a leader who:
- Claims special, unverifiable knowledge or divine access
- Bypasses institutional accountability
- Demands financial support whilst preaching purity
- Aggressively eliminates critics and competition
- Controls through narrative rather than transparency
...you'll recognize the Shadow Magician in action.
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Why This Matters
This analysis isn't an attack on Christianity—it's a case study on how self-appointed charismatic authority operates, especially when institutional structures collapse. The pattern repeats because it works:
1. Crisis creates vulnerability
2. Outsider claims special knowledge
3. Legitimate authority is bypassed or eliminated
4. New narrative becomes reality
5. Financial/power structure consolidates
The Shadow Magician didn't invent this playbook. It's just an archetype, a character of the human race! It's also the will to power.
We aren't merely questioning whether or not this biblical person believed his own vision. The real question is: Can you spot the pattern when someone uses it today?
Why? Because somewhere, right now, another Shadow Magician is claiming unverifiable authority, rebranding someone's misfortune while taking power.
Will you recognize them?
Conclusion
References
Dunn, J. D. G. (2005). The Partings of the Ways: Between Christianity and Judaism and their Significance for the Character of Christianity. SCM Press.
Ehrman, B. D. (2014). How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee. HarperOne.
Koester, H. (1982). Introduction to the New Testament, Vol. 2: History and Literature of Early Christianity. De Gruyter.
Sanders, E. P. (1993). The Historical Figure of Jesus. Penguin Books.
Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Can We Prevent The Ruin of the West?
How Puppet Masters Keep Us Fighting Each Other
You really can see sad income inequality in the UK. Not to put a downer on this before even writing it but, most of us have little trust in the system - it's not just because of the failing services or the country's political polarization either. Nope, it's the social cohesion, unity's gone. Doesn't it make you think the entire West is undergoing a collapse? Okay, enough of that! But yeah, it really is going down.
The Way Forward: Stop Playing Their Game
7 min readLet's cut the bollocks and get to the simple truth. The average person in Britain, America, China, Russia, or anywhere else wants the same basic things - safety, prosperity, dignity, and peace for their families. 14.4 million people in the UK live in poverty, and 13.8% of households are food insecure, see here. These are real problems, not culture war nonsense.
The average British family wants:
- Affordable food shopping
- Bills they can actually pay
- Safe streets for their kids
- Decent schools
- Maybe a holiday that doesn't require selling a kidney!
The system is dividing us and it serves the interests of fewer, but yet, more powerful human beings. We know some of those in positions of power dissociate from us; they convince themselves that normal moral constraints don't fully apply to their 'necessary' work of managing the populace. Look at the psychology behind shit like Tony Blair's Dossier for WMD, America's Project Northwoods, MKUltra, Operation Crossroads and our ugly Post Office Horizon Scandal.
The Sage vs. Modern Rage
For the sake of 'keeping it real,' the historical Jesus (you know what I mean), I'm not talking about the third century ancient fan edited version! This gentleman lived in Galilee - during his ministry it came under Northern Palestine, a multicultural spot. Yeah, strange how Jesus was Palestinian but also a Jewish man (not being political). The geezer was a very spiritual figure, operating under a brutal Roman occupation. On that note, we shouldn't deny humanism's contributions to British morality, as well as, other things like stoicism, or the old golden rule, our morality is not exclusive to the church, civilised ethics existed BCE.
- Nazareth was a tiny village of maybe 400 people at a guess, where Aramaic-speaking Jews rubbed shoulders with Greek-speaking gentiles
- Jesus taught down in Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee - fishing town full of tax collectors, Roman soldiers, and mixed ethnicities
- His message was dead simple: Love God, love your neighbour, and put compassion into action, especially for the marginalised.
What Jesus never said was: 'Wave flags for our country' or 'countrymen with opposing views are the enemy!'
The Puppet Masters: Meet Your Overlords
Bohemian Grove: Where Power Goes Spooky
The Manhattan Project was planned there! A fact. Nuclear weapons. Decided by blokes who'd just cremated their cares!
The grove the Bohemian Club's property. The Bohemians are part of a larger Bilderberg Merry-Go-Round of conspiracies, likely because it's the same faces, just different venues. So what about conspiracy? When the world's most powerful all gather under complete media blackout it's not to play a Street Fighter championship, is it?
The following three men frequented The Bilderberg Group Meetings and Bohemian Grove. I hope it conveys power and attitude:
- David Rockefeller: Trilateral Commission founder. Western plus Japan cooperation and diplomacy
- Henry Kissinger: Escalated Vietnam War and Negotiated its end. Won a Nobel Peace Prize. Supported Authoritarian Regimes.
- Zbigniew Brzezinski: The man who authorized CIA support for Afghan fighters against the Soviets, contributing to later extremist groups
This isn't totally organic. Normal people aren't naturally this fucking mental. But division keeps us from asking awkward questions like 'Why are we giving millions away in foreign aid when my nan has to use a food bank?'
The Enemy From Outside
Nowadays, China will likely spy on us, threaten our media because of its perceived unsuitable coverage, or hit our governance with cyber-disruption. Jaguar Land Rover and M&S were hit recently, NHS a few years ago.
The Manufactured Patriots: When Grassroots Aren't So Grassroots
Apparently, according to various people I've listened to in life, the textbook manipulation to watch out for is distraction; using incidents, media or authentic movements to redirect attention away. Even Greco-Roman power used controlled opposition that served them while appearing to challenge it. Julius Caesar's First Triumvirate, for example.
Labour's Grooming Gang Cover-Up: Sacrifice in Action
Conclusion
Bohemian Grove: Mock human sacrifice rituals and unsubstantiated allegations of child trafficking
Epstein network: Documented blackmail through sexual compromise
Bilderberg Group: Alleged coordinated deception of entire populations
Is there a class of wrong minded people psychologically capable of doing the fubar? This isn't Christian, Secular or Islamic, neither is it every day common decency. So how do we, the ordinary people build enough power to challenge things? As we know, voting every few years isn't cutting it. Ignore the radicals, the fringe, the extreme and be compassionate. Unite. Make politics boring again.
Friday, 19 September 2025
Is Britains DEI Dodgy?
Britain's £50 Million Diversity Question
The UK has been coughing up over £50 million a year on diversity, equity and inclusion programs (DEI). Here's an uncomfortable question: Are they actually working or are we throwing bundles of cash at a fire only to make flames?
This isn't about whether DEI principles matter—of course they do. I'm just asking if it's wise to splash out on morally prestigious awards when other options exist.
5 min read
The Financial Investment
The numbers are getting harder to ignore:
Local councils: Research from the TaxPayers' Alliance show the cost of DEI roles almost doubled from just over £12 million in 2020/21 to almost £23 million in 2022/23!
Government: Diversity managers often earn in excess of £40k, while the rest of us are expected to accept austerity! UK LinkedIn data from 2020 shows almost twice as many diversity and inclusion workers as many other countries.
What is the Research Saying?
This is more than just a political talking point for weddings and funerals, the government's own research is sounding the alarm. The official Inclusion at Work Panel report (2024), concluded that many DEI programs are being implemented without any proof that they work, this shows they can be counter-productive! Not good, especially who lost disability benefits.
Even though employers might want to ‘do the right thing,’ they are ‘resorting to ineffective practices that can be polarising.’ Our own governments research says diversity and inclusion isn't even working. Yet evidently the spending keeps sky rocketting!
On The Other Hand
The supporters of these programs will say that they tackle hidden prejudices, that change requires sustained investment. Fair enough, if that's how best intentions appear where's the evidence to show how it works?
If we go on research from the likes of the London School of Economics (LSE) we can get some clear facts. In a 2024 study they found that having a diverse workforce is associated with stronger long-term market performance!
The analysis from McKinsey & Company conclude that companies with plenty of women and ethnic minorities will likely bring employers above-average profitability.
These are valid points. However the question remains: are current DEI methods benefitting the public? Is it doing what it says on the tin?
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| Don't be an Appalled Paul |
What People Actually Experience:
- At Work: Despite all the money spent, an Ipsos poll in 2025 uncovered deep divisions in public opinion. While there is widespread support for specific things like flexible working, 36% of Britons believe DEI efforts have ‘gone too far.’ To be fair the view is particularly strong among men (43%), those over 55 (47%), and people from white backgrounds (38%).
- At University: The anecdotes of ‘walking on eggshells’ and feeling more divided after diversity training are common.
The focus on demographic differences increases segregation rather than foster genuine integration. Separate ceremonies and support groups for people of different backgrounds still continue!
The Bigger Picture
These numbers often fail to show real progress. For example, while the Civil Service has increased its number of ethnic minority workers, the number of those workers in the most senior leadership roles still lag behind the overall population. We might argue it demonstrates how programs and higher costs do not always equal better results.
The Self-Perpetuating Problem
Diversity consultation is a big business today. Consultants profit when they find inclusion, diversity and equity problems, and of course, their departments will grow when they document inequality.
There is financial incentive for peoples problems to continue, not for them to be solved. NHS Individual Placement and Support (IPS) workers are incentivised to find sustainable jobs for the unemployed who may not even be ready for employment!
What Actually Works: A Path Forward
Why should the path to genuine progress be about abandoning the goal of equality? We should shift resources from the more bureaucratic roles to tangible solutions, ones with a proven track record:
- Address real barriers: For instance, rather than having DEI services, committees and so on, why not pay for a young person from a low-income family to train as a firefighter or a welder? That will attract more diverse individuals from various backgrounds.
- Build shared purpose: Make common goals and shared values count, don't emphasise demographic differences.
- Measure results: Track real outcomes, promotion rates and pay gap closures.
- Let relationships develop naturally: When we force interactions they backfire.
The Bottom Line
We've been presented with a system that increases racial and social class awareness while claiming to reduce these things when they don’t. If we want effective DEI support someone should reform it. The stakes are too high for virtue signalling culture.
After years of division, our towns and cities need something that is genuinely effective. Repeating the same thing while expecting different results isn't progressive—it's just expensive madness.
Conclusion
The demand for these DEI services is driven by both corporate and public pressure, but not the proven results we need to drive this forward. DEI is circulating the problems they hope to end, it has created wealthy people another profitable market!
It's a ‘badge of virtue’ that every company wants to wear. DEI is a strong moral imperative, however, charging money for a training award without knowing whether or not the programs actually work isn't ethical.
The irony is that DEI services widen inequality gaps, which is classism caught red handed: Professional-class solutions for working-class problems. They entrench the hierarchy further as professional administrators who oversee inequality instead of ending it.
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