Richard Syrett (Twitter) was joined by author Derek Gilbert, who hosts the weekly video programs SciFriday and Unraveling Revelation. Referencing giants, pagan gods, and dragons, he offered a fresh look at the end of days, drawing on the worldview of the prophets and apostles, who understood that the spirit realm is far more real than we've been taught. "All of the early Church Fathers understood that the giants were real and... they were the origin of the demons that afflicted the world," Gilbert explained, noting Saint Augustine was among first to suggest the giants mentioned in Genesis 6 were not literal entities. The Book of Enoch describes how the spirits of deceased giants are condemned to wander the earth and torment humanity until the judgment, he added.
According to Gilbert, the Watchers who fathered the giants described in the Book of Enoch are the titans of Greek mythology, and the pantheon of Greek and Roman gods were ultimately derived from Mesopotamia. Zeus of the Greeks is Baal of the Canaanites, he revealed, acknowledging a direct god-to-god comparison between the pantheons is difficult to make. These gods are fallen angels or residents of the spirit realm, he noted. Gilbert connected the four horsemen of the apocalypse (along with Hades) mentioned in Revelation to the Greek pantheon as well. He also commented on supernatural entities described as dragons in the New Testament and in much older accounts. "I would say they're real," he said, suggesting the creatures known as Seraphim are dragons in heaven.
The Publishing World
During the first hour, Bob Guccione Jr., publisher of Spin, Gear, and, most recently, Wonderlust, discussed his life in publishing, and growing up in the shadow of his father, Bob Guccione, founder of Penthouse magazine. "He was very mindful that his work was provocative and controversial... he made sure that he and all of us were utterly respectful," he recalled. Guccione admitted he modeled Spin magazine after Rolling Stone, which he suggested had dulled in the 1980s and did not cover the music of his generation. "There was a fantastic world beyond what Rolling Stone covered," he said. Guccione also spoke about his digital media publication, Wonderlust, noting the guiding principles of the online magazine are built on a solid foundation of journalism mixed with humor and irreverence about travel but without being click bait.