Docetism

Samuel Stirpe on From Mormon to Gnostic: The Demiurge & the Divine

Aeon Byte Gnostic RadioOct 16, 2026

Author Samuel Stirpe recounts his journey from a Mormon upbringing through 15 years of New Atheism to Marcionite Gnosticism, sparked by a stroke at 29 he describes as the Demiurge trying to kill him. He discusses his book 'Surrender: From Joseph Smith to Marcion' with host Miguel Conner, exploring surprising overlaps between Latter-day Saint temple rituals and Gnostic cosmology. Along the way he argues that Mormonism's own scriptures imply Elohim is an unknown God who appears only in the New Testament, much like Marcion's alien God.