Ninjas Are Butterflies, Episode 170 - Summary

Episode Title: Ancient Tech of Solomon’s Temple, Greek Fire & Black Market Morgue
Release Date: November 28, 2025
Hosts: Josh Hooper, Andy DeNoon, Andrew, Lily
(Advertisements, intros, and outros excluded)

Episode Overview

This high-energy episode of Ninjas Are Butterflies delivers the podcast’s signature irreverent, laugh-out-loud banter layered with unexpected dives into wild history, dark mortuary tales, biblical mysteries, and futuristic AI discomforts. Together, the hosts unpack conspiracy-laden stories about Solomon’s Temple, the mysterious “Greek fire” weapon, a macabre black-market mortician, and plenty of modern-day oddities—balancing deep dives with a feast of comedic asides.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thanksgiving Chaos & Running Joke Themes

• The episode begins with chat about Thanksgiving traditions, family mayhem, and the podcast’s unique takes on holiday music.
  • Josh performs a darkly funny Thanksgiving song (10:48).
  • Jokes revolve around problematic family members and awkward family situations.
  • "Apologies for Grandpa." - Andy (12:05)
• Thanksgiving’s historical origins are briefly discussed, with comedic skepticism about American and Canadian celebrations, colonial myths, and holiday purpose (52:15–53:13).
  • “Thanksgiving is actually not that great to celebrate because they were basically just exploiting indigenous people.” – Lily (52:25)
  • Canadians catching heat for celebrating early: “Stop it, y’all. That’s our thing.” – Andy (52:50)

2. Pop Culture & Tech Satire

• Nostalgia for old social networks and animation styles, and playful frustration with modern platforms (02:18–04:23).
• Light debate about TikTok facial filters and the unsettling rise of AI-based photo/video augmentation (02:35–03:02).
• Joking about integrating ChatGPT into daily life and how people and governments vie to influence AI for their own ends, raising questions of trust, manipulation, and state-sponsored narrative control (34:05–36:51).
  • “Israel wants to train ChatGPT to be more pro Israel... that’s crazy.” – Josh (35:13)

3. AI, Black Mirror Reality & The Death of Wonder

• The team explores bizarre and uncomfortable AI advances:
  • AI tools creating music and the blurred line between artist and algorithm (23:11–25:15).
  • The “two-way” app allowing video chat with AI-recreated deceased loved ones:
    • “We are living in Black Mirror more than ever before.” – Andy (32:05)
• Increasing dementia among young people is attributed to internet content consumption (39:10–40:14).
  • “Scrolling online is just biologically changing... it’s literally corroding our minds.” – Josh (39:40)
• The crew laments loss of wonder and patience in the “instant knowledge” age.

4. Biblical Mysteries & Ancient Tech: The Shamir of Solomon’s Temple

[Starts ~1:06:52]

• Josh leads a captivating retelling of the mysterious “Shamir”—an alleged supernatural tool described in the Talmud, said to have aided in building Solomon’s Temple without iron tools.
  • “Apparently, it is...a green ray that splits stone as a flower splits from above. A living creature whose gaze carves rock.” – Josh (1:09:08)
  • The tale involves catching the Shamir from a “rooster-like bird” on a mystical mountain after intoxicating a demon king.
  • Parallels are drawn to similarly precise ancient construction worldwide and speculation around lost nuclear or energy-based technology.
  • “The only thing that could contain this Shamir: lead. ...the only thing that can contain radioactive material.” – Josh (1:74:36)
• The Talmudic account is recognized as apocryphal but sparks deep intrigue and speculation among the hosts.

5. Famous Ancient Weapons: The Mystery of Greek Fire

[Starts ~1:78:23]

• Andrew shares the dramatic legend of “Greek fire,” a Byzantine weapon that allegedly saved Constantinople from invasion by unleashing inextinguishable fire upon enemy ships and soldiers.
  • “These bronze structures on the front of these ships begin shooting fire...it burns so bright and so hot that water could not douse it.” – Andrew (1:81:18)
  • The weapon’s formula remains unsolved; some believe it was gifted by an angel according to Byzantine legend.
  • Its use reportedly held back major Islamic expansion into Europe.
  • “Apparently, even where it was manufactured in that city was secret and the captains would use it. But the rumor is that an angel came and gave him the tech.” – Andrew (1:83:00)

6. Modern Horror: The Black Market Mortician

[Starts ~1:88:26]

• Andy delves into the recent history of David Sconce, a California mortician who ran an industrial-scale black-market operation:
  • Mass cremations—hundreds of bodies at a time, mixing remains.
  • Staff paid in gold fillings extracted from the dead.
  • Documented illegal sale of body parts to science; family business involved in forging signatures for body parts.
  • “He was handing out ashes to families that weren’t even their loved ones.” – Andy (1:93:38)
  • The bizarre and macabre nature of the scheme eventually resulted in minimal jail time for Sconce but revolutionized regulation of the funeral industry.

7. Random Curios & Quickfire Side Topics

• AI robots and the discomfort of “hyper-realistic” androids (25:55–28:10).
• Revelation prophecy, AI, and end times speculation (28:07–29:46).
• Super spicy foods, international soccer (Haiti’s remarkable World Cup qualification), and the domestication of raccoons—fun animal science sidebars (41:44–49:42).
• Distinctions between “walking in on” versus “being walked in on” in the bathroom—a classic, lighthearted divisive question (58:53–60:31).

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “We are living in Black Mirror more than ever before.” – Andy [32:05]
• “I think we've lost the ability to wonder.” – Andrew [33:42]
• “The technology was so secret... The rumor is that an angel came and gave them the tech.” – Andrew re: Greek fire [83:00]
• “He was handing out ashes to families that weren’t even their loved ones.” – Andy re: the mortician scandal [93:38]
• “Scrolling online is just biologically changing... it’s literally corroding our minds.” – Josh [39:40]

Highlights & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Thanksgiving Song performance: [10:48]
• Dissecting the dangers of AI chatbots as “replacements” for actual connection: [31:38–32:23]
• The Talmudic tale of the Shamir and Solomon’s Temple: [67:22–76:04]
• Dublin “narcissistic spirit guide” slam poet (cultural oddities round): [06:06–07:22]
• Greek fire’s angelic lore and ancient flamethrower mystery: [78:23–86:24]
• Jaw-dropping funeral home scandal and the show’s darkly humorous reactions: [88:23–100:44]

Key Takeaways

• Humor is the podcast’s throughline: Even as the episode covers unsettling, macabre, and deeply strange topics, the hosts never lose their comedic tone and ability to poke fun at themselves and each other.
• Curiosity and skepticism blend: Whether unraveling biblical myths or discussing AI, the team investigates wild stories with both playful skepticism and genuine awe.
• Human connection in the digital/AI age is a recurring anxiety: The creepiness of future technology (AI, chatbot “resurrections,” algorithmic “prayer”) is repeatedly highlighted as the team wonders about the loss of presence and wonder.
• Hidden histories abound: From ancient “miraculous” technologies to forgotten (and chilling) stories of crime and fraud, the show reinforces its promise of entertaining conspiracy and storytelling.

Key Segment Timestamps

• Thanksgiving Song & Family Chaos: 10:48–12:00
• Digital Life & AI Satire: 23:11–36:51
• Solomon’s Temple & the Shamir: 67:22–76:04
• Greek Fire Mystery: 78:23–86:24
• Black-Market Mortician Scandal: 88:26–100:44

Episode Tone

Playful, irreverent, quick-witted, and sometimes dark. The hosts’ chemistry keeps even the creepiest content oddly enjoyable, using humor as a lens for finding wonder and weirdness in both the past and our rapidly changing present.

This summary covers only the primary content sections, omitting all ad reads, intros, outros, and promotional tangents per instructions.