Post Reports: Inside billionaire Peter Thiel’s private ‘Antichrist’ lectures

Date: October 23, 2025
Host: Colby Ekowicz
Guest: Garrett de Vinck (Washington Post tech reporter)

Overview:

This episode explores a series of secretive, off-the-record lectures delivered by tech billionaire Peter Thiel in San Francisco, where he weaves together faith and technology—claiming that efforts to regulate technology and capitalism are, in his interpretation, the work of the "Antichrist." The podcast investigates how Thiel’s religious beliefs now intersect with his significant power in tech and national politics, and what his controversial views reveal about shifting cultural tides in Silicon Valley.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Who is Peter Thiel? (02:09-03:23)

• Background: Wealth comes from founding PayPal, early investment in Facebook, and launching Palantir—key player in Silicon Valley and U.S. law enforcement data services.
• Political Rise: Notably conservative in an historically liberal tech scene. Supported Donald Trump (2016), served on his transition team, and mentored J.D. Vance, now Vice President.
• Influence: Thiel’s opinions have outsized impact due to both financial and now direct political power.

The Secret Lectures: Format and Access (04:32-06:47)

• Lectures: Four-part series, over four weeks, commitment required for all sessions.
• Exclusivity: Off-the-record, entry required agreeing to secrecy—hundreds attended, driven by curiosity and Thiel’s notoriety as a "cultural villain" among liberals.
• Motivation: “When he says, hey, I’m going to do this lecture series about the Antichrist, it definitely gets people talking.” (Garrett de Vinck, 06:18)

Thiel’s Central Argument: God, Technology, and the Antichrist (06:47-13:15)

• Premise: Tech and capitalist progress are righteous; those promoting regulation are “the forces of the Antichrist.”
• Religious Justification:
  • “In private, a small o orthodox Christian, humble classical liberal... but I am worried about the Antichrist.” (Thiel, 00:24)
  • “The Antichrist is a Luddite who wants to stop all the science.” (Thiel, 00:47)
• Targets:
  • Labels activists like Greta Thunberg (climate action) and Eliezer Yudkowsky (AI safety) as “legionnaires of the Antichrist.”
    • “It’s someone like Greta or Eliezer.” (Thiel, 09:24)
  • Suggests international climate accords and AI regulation are forms of “incipient totalitarianism.”
• Self-interest acknowledged: Thiel personally benefits from deregulation and opposes international financial laws, reflecting a blend of ideological and financial motives.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the Mark of the Beast:
  “The book of Revelation tells us that the Antichrist will abolish financial freedom.” (Thiel, 07:03)
• On the ‘Machinery’ of Control:
  “This Antichrist-like system, this machinery, has been set up not overnight, but relatively quickly. And... could be activated at the flip of the switch.” (Thiel, 08:49)
• On Internal Marketing:
  “Hey, it's a pretty good marketing shtick to just, if you want everyone to hear about something, not to let anyone into the room...” (Thiel, 22:06)
• On Climate & One World Government:
  “I think environmentalism's pretty powerful. I don't know if it's absolutely powerful enough to create a one world totalitarian state, but man, it is.” (Thiel, 19:02)

The Role of Religion and Tech in Today’s Silicon Valley (22:23-25:47)

• Resurgence in Faith:
  • “There’s definitely a resurgence of public Christianity here in San Francisco and Silicon Valley.” (Garrett, 22:31)
  • More tech leaders are openly intertwining faith with business and political ideology.
• Convenience versus Conviction:
  • While Thiel may be genuinely religious, his anti-regulatory stance conveniently aligns with his own financial interests.
  • “At the end of the day... what really matters here in Silicon Valley is, you know, growth and making money.” (Garrett, 23:54)

Critique and Response (18:02-21:19)

• Logical Gaps:
  • The show questions the leap from Antichrist prophecy to arguing against regulation and global governance.
  • Even conservative commentator Ross Douthat appeared skeptical: “I just don't see the promise of safety from AI, safety from tech, even safety from climate change right now as a powerful universal rallying cry...” (Garrett referencing Thiel on Douthat's podcast, 18:22)
• On Trump and Authoritarianism:
  • Thiel evades questions about Trump’s own anti-globalist rhetoric or U.S. democratic backsliding by deflecting to broad themes of individual versus state power:
    • “It's... an unfairly high bar you're giving to Mr. Trump. All right, you're just trying to make a subtle anti-Trump argument. I'm not going to let you do that.” (Thiel, 21:09)

Significant Timestamps

• Thiel’s intro and motivation: 00:03–00:57
• Thiel’s influence and political ties: 02:09–03:54
• Lecture exclusivity & intrigue: 04:32–06:18
• Defining 'Antichrist' in modern context: 06:47–08:49
• Naming ‘legionnaires’: Thunberg, Yudkowsky: 09:17–10:46
• Financial self-interest in ideology: 17:10–17:30
• Internal critique & logical leaps: 18:02–19:56
• Trump, authoritarianism, and globalism: 20:18–21:19
• Rise of faith/conservatism in Silicon Valley: 22:23–23:54

Conclusion:

Peter Thiel’s private “Antichrist” lectures, steeped in religious metaphor, reflect an evolving discourse in Silicon Valley where faith, technological ambition, and political power are becoming ever more explicitly intertwined. While Thiel’s argument that regulation is Antichristian is both self-serving and controversial, his prominence—and the swelling chorus of likeminded voices in tech—marks a shift in the Valley’s cultural identity and political ties. Ultimately, his message is a rallying cry for unrestrained innovation and capitalism, couched in apocalyptic terms and cloaked in secrecy—ensuring that, love him or hate him, people are paying attention.