The Pillar (pillarcatholic.com) is a news site focused on Catholic Church coverage, operating as a publication on Substack. For a site that asks for subscriptions, it’s got a solid foundation: a domain registered over five years ago, DNSSEC enabled, and a clean reputation record. But there are a couple of things worth flagging.
First, the bitcoin payment option is unusual for a news subscription. Most legitimate publications rely on credit cards or PayPal, which offer buyer protection. Bitcoin transactions are irreversible, so that's something to keep in mind if you're considering a paid subscription.
Second, the site loads over 200 external scripts — far more than necessary for a straightforward news page. That many scripts can slow down browsing and could be tracking you more aggressively than you'd expect from a standard outlet.
On the positive side, the site has a valid security setup, a clear about page, and contact information. It passes Google's security checks and has appeared in online archives since 2021. If you're signing up for the free newsletter, there's little risk. If you're paying with bitcoin, just proceed with awareness.