Joseph Laycock

New October paperbacks err on the spooky side From horror for a spooky start to the month to nonfiction for those not looking for a fright, these new paperpacks offer something for everyone.

The Penguin Book of Cults is in the Settle Times:

How the Supreme Court is fast-tracking Trump’s cases on its ‘shadow docket’ | CNN Politics As President Trump continues to test precedents, the Supreme Court is seeing a high number of “shadow docket” cases. Here’s why that’s so controversial.

We need to create a whole new "School House Rock" type series to explain what is happening in 2025.

WTF LDS Interviews: Joe Laycock Podcast Episode · Some Place Under Neith · 09/17/2025 · 1h 10m

Here's an interview I did for Some Place Under Neith.

Texas State to reinstate professor fired over remarks at socialist conference A professor fired by Texas State University after making remarks at a socialist conference earlier this month will be reinstated, he told CBS Austin on Friday.D

cbsaustin.com/news/local/t...

Pope Leo XIV sends message to exorcists gathered in Rome Pope Leo XIV addressed a message to the approximately 300 exorcist priests who gathered in Rome from Sept. 15–20.

I think this is the same strategy used by Francis. A progressive pope can soothe conservative Catholics by making the exorcists feel included.

Natasha and I have had a lot of students lately who are majoring in concrete. It seems a bit overspecialized to me, but Texas loves construction and it loves concrete, so maybe they're on to something.

The demons in 'The Conjuring' movies may not be real -- but the family tragedies are The lucrative franchise is based on real stories — and the professional ghostbusters who saved the day. But critics say the real-life couple profited off of people's pain.

"These are cases where people are in distress, and I don't think it helps to have a couple of people who have no training and no clinical background show up, tell you it's a demon, and walk away with book and movie contracts," Hendrix said.

The Penguin Book of Cults: 9780143138693 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books A chilling documentary history of the most notorious cults of the past two thousand years, from the Celtic druids whose ritual sacrifices inspired the folk horror film The Wicker Man all the way up to...

My new book drops October 7: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/771266...

With shirts off and breasts out, women rally for equal exposure laws on Boston Common Topless protesters hit Boston Common to advocate for a bill allowing women to bare their chests in public. The protest was co-organized by a fringe religious group based on a belief in UFOs.

It's the Raelians.

God in the Machine: Inside the Growing AI Religious Movement - Decrypt Scholars say tech worship isn’t new, but warn that AI faith may stem from loneliness and mental health struggles, not divine truth.

"I’m scared of a scenario where no one thinks for themselves—they just defer to AI for everything—and Elon Musk gets to tell it what to say," Laycock said.

"Catholic Church Sex Abuse Scandals Push Chileans to Join Temple of Satan As Hundreds Apply for Membership"

(This is not TST headquartered in Salem)

Are those not typical of tantric exorcisms in Mumbai?

Texas Spirit Gathering The Texas Spirit Gathering brings together leading experts on the occult and Spiritualist history.

I'll be in San Antonio October 18 at the Texas Spirit Gathering to talk about a very spooky topic . . . Marian apparitions!