Joseph P. Laycock | Lightnews

Joseph Laycock

@josephlaycock.bsky.social

1.9K followers 570 following 210 posts

I'm a religious studies professor. I study new religious movements, exorcism, and satanic panic, among other topics. https://sites.google.com/view/joseph-p-laycock/

Videos

Philosophy 41%

Sociology 14%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · 4d

For years, the Raelians have lobbied for the construction of an embassy to host the return of our alien creators. Now they want Trump's "Board of Peace" to help the build it in Gaza.

www.businessghana.com

Reposted by Joseph P. Laycock

Raven – Satanist in Aotearoa (they/them) @baphokiwi.bsky.social · 7d

Just listened to the episode of the Hail Satan podcast that's an interview with @josephlaycock.bsky.social, author of Speak Of The Devil: How The Satanic Temple Is Changing The Way We Talk About Religion, and now I'm looking forward to reading his book even more!

#Satanism #SpeakOfTheDevil

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · 7d

I was on the podcast "American Hysteria" to hawk my new book: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a...

A Cult by Any Other Name with Joseph Laycock

Podcast Episode · American Hysteria · 02/02/2026 · 1h 8m

podcasts.apple.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · 9d

Spotted by a friend @bookpeople.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · 15d

I did a true crime podcast!

The Exorcist Effect: Horror, Belief and Moral Panic in America with Dr. Joseph Laycock

Podcast Episode · Patterns & Rituals · 01/22/2026 · 1h 1m

nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · 16d

In which I talk about D&D . . . also exorcism . . . and the Necronomicon.

The Exorcism Letters- A conversation with Joe Laycock & Dan Harms Ep 83 D&D Outloud

YouTube video by Reading D&D Aloud

www.youtube.com

Reposted by Joseph P. Laycock

Krassensteins @krassenstein.bsky.social · 18d

Woah! Jack Smith just said that Trump intimidated witnesses via death threats!

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · 18d

Is was determined by the Literature Review Committee to be “inadmissible” because it was “written in code” or in “a manner not reasonably subject to interpretation by Department staff as to meaning or intent.”

They literally banned the Bhagavad Gita because they were too stupid to understand it.

Hare Krishnas to sue over Florida prison ban on Hindu holy text

(RNS) — The Bhagavad Gita As It Is, considered one of the most prevalent editions of the sacred Gita text, has been banned from Florida prison systems since 2022.

religionnews.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · 18d

The family's attorney has also tried to make this into a religious freedom case. This defense will go nowhere.

Pentecostals claim criminal prosecution for 3-year-old’s exorcism death is racist

Three Pentecostals facing criminal charges for exorcism-related death of a 3-yr-old girl in San Jose are asking court to throw the case out.

julieroys.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · 19d

Conference website is live, program coming soon.

Gods and Monsters Conference 2026

www.txst.edu

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · Jan 9

In which I discuss The Amityville Horror:

Most Haunted House in America: The Amityville Horror | After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

shows.acast.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · Jan 6

Here's another podcast appearance where I tried to be diplomatic talking about The Warrens.

The Truth About the Conjuring's Ghost Hunters | After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

shows.acast.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · Jan 5

You hit the nail on the head. More people believe they are being plagued by demons because the church has been telling them they're plagued by demons. But that would be giving the game away, so church authorities blame Harry Potter, yoga, rock music, etc.

Reposted by Joseph P. Laycock

Red Violet Panda ✨ @redvioletpanda.bsky.social · Jan 5

I swear they always have a quote blurb about how "occultism and witchcraft are more popular than ever" sneaked in there somewhere, as though they need some scary words to justify more exorcisms.

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · Jan 5

I have been seeing some version of this headline every single year for as long as I have been paying attention.

Demand for Catholic exorcisms reportedly on the rise

Demand for Catholic exorcisms is reportedly rises - though requests are outpacing priests available to perform them. The post Demand for Catholic exorcisms reportedly on the rise appeared first on Str...

www.yahoo.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · Jan 2

If you are tired of seeing me rant about cults, now you can see me rant about lizard people.

S05E12 The Secret History of Lizard People - MonsterTalk

Friend of the show Dr. Joe Laycock returns to talk about LIZARD PEOPLE with us. He also has a new book: The Penguin Book of Cults Joe’s Books:Penguin Book of Cults (publisher) (amazon affiliate link)T...

www.monstertalk.org

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · Jan 1

Discussing my new book "The Penguin Book of Cults" on Genetically Modified Skeptic.

The Religious Right's Tactics Haven't Changed in 2,000 Years

YouTube video by Genetically Modified Skeptic

www.youtube.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · Jan 1

This just in: Donald Trump might *not* be much of a Christian.

Trump's Faith Under Scrutiny: New Claims Raise Concerns of Scientology, Counterfeit Beliefs in White House - Charisma Magazine Online

In an interview with The New York Times, Marjorie Taylor Greene claimed that the president "does not have any faith."

mycharisma.com

Reposted by Joseph P. Laycock

Sharon of the Strange Times @sharonahill.bsky.social · Jan 1

Day 8 of the 12 Days of Cryptids

moderncryptozoology.wordpress.com/2026/01/01/t...

The Tragedy of the Cryptids

Why are many cryptid tales associated with tragedy? Is the cryptid a curse, a symbol of the things we fear, or a way to come to terms with guilt or trauma?

moderncryptozoology.wordpress.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · Dec 12

“For a long time, it was only popular with this subset of male college student gamers who were interested in military history,” says Joseph Laycock, an associate professor of religious studies at Texas State University and author of Dangerous Games. “There was a lot of math in it.”

When Dungeons & Dragons Cast Its Spell on 1980s America

The D&D craze also brought controversy.

www.history.com

Reposted by Joseph P. Laycock, David Darmofal

Rich Raho @richraho.bsky.social · Dec 6

In the Nativity scene outside Lake Street Church, Mary and Joseph are wearing gas masks, Jesus is nestled in a reflective blanket with his hands bound with zip ties, and behind the family stands three Roman centurions wearing vests with a very modern label: ICE. religionnews.com/2025/12/05/i...

ICE Nativity scenes: Churches reimagine Christmas story amid deportations

(RNS) — 'We know that Jesus was born into a Roman imperial occupation, and pretty much immediately becomes a refugee in Egypt, has to flee and faces political violence,' the Rev. Michael Woolf said.

religionnews.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · Dec 1

"So far, the oldest example I’ve been able to trace is Hampshire College’s Deathfest . . . The annual game has been organized for over three decades."

I DM-ed at the first Deathfest. We changed the name from the "October Ravenloft Tournament." I guess this is my mark on Grognard history.

Dimension 20's sold-out show at MSG shines a light on decades of TTRPG performance

These live shows are actually part of a much longer tradition

www.polygon.com

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · Dec 1

Talking about The Exorcist Effect on Rejected Religion.

[Free Content] Patreon RR Book Club_Exorcist Effect_ with Joe Laycock & Eric Harrelson

YouTube video by Rejected Religion

www.youtube.com

Reposted by Joseph P. Laycock

Pod Only Knows @podonlyknows.bsky.social · Nov 11

Spooky season isn't over yet!

The one and only @josephlaycock.bsky.social joins @johnbrooks.bsky.social and @kellyjbaker.bsky.social in a follow-up to our last episode where we discuss the cultural impact of THE EXORCIST

Here or wherever you get podcasts!

#058 – THE EXORCIST EFFECT with Joseph Laycock by Pod Only Knows

Scholar and author Joseph Laycock joins us to talk about his book "The Exorcist Effect" and how movies influence what and how we believe.

cms.megaphone.fm

Reposted by Joseph P. Laycock

Seth Skorkowsky @sskorkowsky.bsky.social · Nov 10

Behold! The massive RPG Moral Panic video I've been researching and assembling for years, and why people who call the whole affair the Satanic Panic are wrong.
I'm so damned happy to finally have this beast out of my system.
youtu.be/OpjV-melB-c

The 3 Waves of the RPG Moral Panic - RPG History

YouTube video by Seth Skorkowsky

youtu.be

Joseph Laycock @josephlaycock.bsky.social · Nov 5

I don't know enough yet to have a take, but I'm confident Bartolo was a Spiritualist, never a Satanist. He described his Spiritualist phase as being "in the arms of the devil," then Catholics misinterpreted this to claim he was a literal Satanic priest. Media coverage on this claim has been awful.

Reposted by Joseph P. Laycock

John Brooks @johnbrooks.bsky.social · Oct 31

I'm increasingly convinced that American politics does not exist between traditional left/right ideological divisions but between people who believe movies are real and those who know they aren't.