U.S. billionaire's lectures on Antichrist draw scrutiny from RCC officials

Paolo Benanti, Pope Francis’s adviser on artificial intelligence. Photo: www.huffingtonpost.it

The Vatican has sharply criticized American billionaire Peter Thiel, who organized a series of secret lectures in Rome devoted to the figure of the Antichrist. Vatican officials described the businessman’s activities as a dangerous challenge to the modern world order, Reuters reports.

Paolo Benanti, Pope Francis’s official adviser on artificial intelligence, published an essay titled “American Heresy: Should Peter Thiel Be Burned at the Stake?” The cleric described Thiel’s appearances as “a prolonged act of heresy against the liberal consensus.” In Benanti’s view, the billionaire is acting as a “political theologian” who calls into question the very foundations of civic coexistence. The Italian bishops’ newspaper Avvenire also joined in the criticism, publishing a series of critical articles.

The series of meetings in Rome is being held behind closed doors: the organizers are not disclosing the location and are barring members of the press from attending. It is known that the discussions involve people from academic, technological, and religious circles. Thiel previously held similar events in San Francisco, where participants were forbidden to make any recordings.

At the center of the billionaire’s concept is a warning about the emergence of the Antichrist, who will create a one-world government. Thiel argues that this future tyrant will come to power by manipulating humanity’s fears of global catastrophes – nuclear war, climate-induced collapse, or uncontrolled artificial intelligence. In his view, under the pretext of saving humanity from Armageddon, the false messiah will establish total control over the world.

Thiel also believes that the Antichrist must be young, drawing a parallel with the age of Jesus Christ – 33. Among the potential “legionaries of the Antichrist,” he named well-known advocates of limiting technology, such as Greta Thunberg and Eliezer Yudkowsky, arguing that their calls to halt scientific progress are signs of preparation for world domination through fear of the future.

Businessman Peter Thiel was raised in an evangelical family and has openly stated that Christianity shapes his worldview. He is a co-founder of PayPal and Palantir Technologies, holds multibillion-dollar contracts with the Pentagon, and maintains close ties with conservative politicians in Washington.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Netanyahu hopes Israel will hold out in the war until the coming of the Messiah.

Read also