Bannon’s War Room Battleground EP 890

Date: November 13, 2025
Main Theme:
This episode dissects the convergence of contemporary issues in the Catholic and Protestant churches, focusing on how LGBTQ+ inclusion, migration policy, and institutional priorities play out both in the U.S. and abroad. The panel discusses media narratives around church leadership, the apparent performativity of “conservatism” among bishops, recent viral “progressive” church events, and a sensational marriage ceremony in Germany involving four men.

1. Opening: The “Primal Scream” of a Dying Regime

• The show opens with trademark combative rhetoric, framing the current moment as existential for traditionalists, and establishing the adversarial tone against mainstream institutions and media.
  • Quote (A, 00:03): “This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies because we're going medieval on these people.”

2. US Catholic Bishops Conference: Paul Coakley’s Election & Media Framing

Key Segment: [00:54–15:57]

Media Portrayal of Coakley

• Host and panelists question the mainstream depiction of new USCCB president, Archbishop Paul Coakley, as a “conservative.”
  • Quote (B, 00:54): “They are spinning this guy as a conservative… which is code for basically saying he's against abortion.”
• Skepticism about whether Coakley is truly conservative or simply a placeholder, emphasizing media manipulation—particularly by the Associated Press and The Guardian.

Coakley’s Record and Immigration Policy

• Liz Yore highlights Coakley’s past roles and suggests his policies align with the Vatican’s pro-immigrant stance.
  • Noted that Coakley is “hiding behind Oklahoma” and, despite conservative signals, was aggressively opposed to Trump administration policies, specifically on immigration.
  • Yore details conflict of interest: the Church allegedly lost funding under Trump due to immigration enforcement, and USCCB stands to gain billions via migration/refugee programs.
  • She’s frustrated by bishops’ silence on crime attributed to illegal immigrants.
  • Quote (D, 03:08): “They have been responsible for placing hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied minor children in UNVETTED homes. ... They do not belong in this realm. They belong in the salvation of souls.”

Bureaucracy vs. Spiritual Leadership

• The panel expresses skepticism about institutional motives, suggesting bishops act in their own interest for money and influence rather than genuine spiritual guidance.
  • Quote (D, 13:11): “They elected a bureaucrat... But mark my word, they're going to be battling... Donald Trump for the next three years on immigration.”
• Brief discussion on Coakley’s previous support for Archbishop Viganò, a favorite of hardline traditionalists, is dismissed as “lip service.”

3. LGBTQ+ Events in Catholicism: The Gio Benitez Confirmation

Key Segment: [15:57–27:00]

The Event

• ABC News anchor Gio Benitez was welcomed back into the Catholic Church alongside his husband, with Fr. James Martin officiating at St. Paul the Apostle Church in NYC—a parish known for LGBTQ+ inclusion.
  • Ceremony curated for media impact; multiple priests participated.
  • The event was shared across major platforms, garnering widespread attention.

Panel’s Critique

• Panelists describe the event as a “staged reality TV type thing” and see it as propaganda to signal changes in Catholic doctrine and practice.
  • Quote (C, 19:14): “These kinds of gay parishes in big cities have been going on for I don't know, 10, 20 years now. And they've always been an abomination but they're going to a new level now. They're turning into propaganda sites.”
• Dismissal of Benitez’s expressions of faith as hollow, interpreting them as part of a carefully orchestrated campaign by Father Martin to change perceptions of Catholicism.
  • Quote (B, 22:25): “It’s quite clear… this is a theatrical production manipulated by Father Martin… seeing the Catholic Church spiritually prostrating herself before the secular values of this world.”
• The event is portrayed as evidence of a larger “reality show” approach, designed to make “low information” viewers believe the Catholic Church has fundamentally changed its doctrine.

4. Migration, Money, and Institutional Priorities in the Church

Key Segment: [31:33–43:50]

USCCB’s New Migration Campaign

• Bishop Mark Seitz, head of the USCCB’s Migration Committee, launches a “You Are Not Alone” campaign, highlighting the Church’s role in welcoming and supporting immigrants.
• Panelists characterize this and similar initiatives as manipulative emotional appeals (“Disney effect”), masking what they allege is a financial motive—the Church’s dependence on taxpayer funding for migration and related social services.
  • Quote (D, 32:56): “They are using this you are not alone program to whip up the immigration activists… this is about the money.”

Outcry Over Military Chaplain Funding

• Discussion turns to the outgoing USCCB head, Timothy Broglio, threatening legal action over terminated federal contracts for military chaplains.
  • Yore argues that spiritual needs shouldn’t be tied to government contracts—if bishops cared about true ministry, “they would be there for free.”
  • She criticizes the prioritization of institutional funding over authentic spiritual work and blames ongoing church closures for undermining new priestly vocations.

5. Progressive Trends in European Protestantism: “Marriage” of Four Men in Germany

Key Segment: [47:02–51:22]

The Berlin Ceremony

• Protestant/Lutheran pastor in Berlin officiates a “marriage” of four men, dubbed a “polycule wedding.”
  • Pastor described as nonchalant—didn’t know all participants’ backgrounds; ceremony focused solely on “love.”
  • Pastor dismisses traditional/legal definitions of marriage: “In God's eyes, I think they're all married. And why would God stop them from loving?”
  • Quote (C, 47:02): “She just said they were all radiantly happy. I wonder how lit they were… she says, ‘I think they were married. In my eyes, they were married. In God's eyes, I think they're all married. And why would God stop them from loving?’”

Panel’s Reaction

• Panel sees this as a logical extension of arguments used for gay marriage, warning that, “where are they heading with this anyway?”
  • Concern is raised over the criminalization of dissent in Germany—Bishop of Berlin threatens to prosecute critics.

Societal Implications

• Speculation that the normalization of polyamorous and non-traditional unions will further “marginalize” traditional marriage values, possibly as outreach to Muslim communities or as part of progressive secular trends in Europe.

6. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The grift has been exposed." – D (13:11, regarding church money and influence)
• “It’s a theatrical production manipulated by Father Martin.” – B (22:25, on LGBTQ+ confirmations)
• “This is about the money. They have become dependent on the federal government… It just falls hollow to me.” – D (40:33, on military chaplain contracts)
• “In God's eyes, I think they're all married. And why would God stop them from loving?” – C (47:02, quoting the German pastor)
• "This won't change until we the laity change it." – B (43:50)

7. Conclusions & Final Thoughts

• The episode frames both Catholic and Protestant institutions as having abandoned traditional Christianity for “worldly” goals—whether they be media attention, progressive values, or funding.
• The hosts argue that “performative conservatism” among church leaders obscures actual leftward shifts in practice and policy.
• They close with a call for accountability and grassroots action among "faithful laity" to resist these trends.

8. Resource & Follow-Up

• Canon212.com: daily updates on church news (per Frank Walker, [51:22])
• Liz Yore: yorechildren.com and substack/ElizabethYore for further commentary

Note:
This summary is structured for clarity, incorporating the major topics and recurring arguments in the panel’s own words and tone. Timestamped quotes highlight pivotal exchanges and points of contention.