Last week on Youtube, I hosted a livestream with
to discuss a his "Vengeful Son" thesis - an idea that resonated with me after seeing it unfold in real time across social media and in our broader culture.A Spiritual Awakening
Before diving into the thesis itself, Jason shares his personal journey from atheism to Orthodox Christianity. During the 2020 lockdowns, while recovering from an injury and witnessing the George Floyd protests outside his window in Montreal, something clicked.
He described having an epiphany that what he was seeing was essentially religious ceremony, which sparked a spiritual awakening. As he put it, he realized he was "wrong about everything" and needed to rebuild his understanding of reality.
The Inverted Family Trinity
Jason laid out a compelling framework for understanding our cultural moment. Following the era of the "Tyrannical Father" (early 20th century through the 1950s) and the "Devouring Mother" (1960s through 2020), we've now entered the age of the "Vengeful Son."
Each represents an inversion of divine archetypes - the wise Father, the nurturing Mother, and the prodigal son. What ties them together is the revolutionary spirit that seeks liberation from perceived oppression, whether that's tradition, history, or God himself.
Understanding the Vengeful Son
The Vengeful Son spirit is characterized by resentment magnified tenfold and directed with precision. It's the urge to "burn it all down" that's particularly appealing to young men who feel betrayed by society. This betrayal is key - it's a response to discovering that much of what they've been told is a lie.
What makes this spirit particularly dangerous is how easily it can be confused with justice. As Jason warned, "The problem with the Vengeful Son is it's going to feel good." When vengeance feels righteous, it becomes harder to resist.
Returning Home
What struck me most was Jason's antidote to this spirit of vengeance: "return, repent, redeem." He referenced the biblical story of the prodigal son, who leaves his father's house, faces ruin, and returns in humility.
The challenge we face is that many men are returning to churches not in humility seeking sanctification, but carrying their bitterness and looking for validation of their anger. This creates a dangerous dynamic where spiritual institutions can be weaponized.
The Path Forward
So what can we do? Jason offered wisdom that I found deeply practical. Rather than trying to change the world or influence mass movements, focus on being a peaceful heart. As he quotes Saint Seraphim of Sarov saying, "A peaceful heart saves a thousand souls."
The mimetic theory that drives much of our cultural moment works both ways - we can choose to model righteousness rather than becoming models of vengeance. By focusing on fulfilling the duties of our immediate roles - as fathers, sons, husbands, community members - we create ripples that extend beyond our awareness.
Conclusion
This conversation reminded me that we're all susceptible to these cultural forces. The vengeful son lives in each of us to some degree. The task isn't to fight this spirit on a global scale, but to recognize it in ourselves, submit it to God's sovereignty, and find true peace through sanctification.
As we closed our talk, Jason emphasized that humility is the starting point. Acknowledging we're wrong opens us to learning and growing, regardless of age. It's not about having vast influence, but about being faithful in small things - the impact of which we may never fully know.
