Brief: Eulogy for Joseph Baker, Faithful Listener

Matthew Remsky delivers a heartfelt eulogy for Joseph Baker, a longtime listener and intellectual companion of the Conspirituality podcast, who passed away in February 2026 at age 51 after a 14-year battle with rare appendix cancer. Though they never met in person, their virtual friendship profoundly shaped Remsky’s worldview, particularly through their deep dialogue on A Course in Miracles—a spiritual text Remsky had long criticized. Joseph, a social worker and theology student, reinterpreted the book not as a tool of escapism but as a radical, anti-capitalist, and socially engaged spirituality rooted in justice and compassion. His insights challenged Remsky’s entrenched cynicism, exposing a double standard in how spiritual beliefs are judged based on race and culture. Joseph’s commitment to abolitionist social work, anti-Zionist politics, and non-reductionist views of resistance revealed a rare balance of radical critique and deep empathy. The episode closes with a moving tribute to Joseph’s funeral, which blended spiritual readings, protest songs like Bella Ciao, and a celebration of life that embodied his ethos. Remsky reflects on the power of online connection, the importance of honoring those who shaped us from afar, and the enduring responsibility to carry forward the work of love and justice.