Category: The Devil in the Details
JD Sword is a member of the Church of Satan who examines mysteries involving claims of the supernatural and diabolical. In this column, he’ll be focusing on historical and contemporary cases of exorcism and demonic possession, the history and practice of superstition, magic, and witchcraft, as well as urban legends and conspiracy theories related to pseudo-Satanism and devil worship. He also writes for the website AIPT Comics where he provides a skeptical analysis of pop culture references to the infernal, and is the host of the podcast ‘The Devil in the Details.’
A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing: Was Gilles de Rais One of History’s Worst Child Killers?
The lurid tales of witchcraft and child sacrifice that QAnon believers swallow wholesale are nothing new. For centuries, Christians accused the Jews of blood libel, an anti-Semitic canard in which the blood of virgin children was allegedly used in the preparation of matzos. However, no figure is more indelibly linked to the idea of ritualistic …
Kookcytus: Where Anti-Semites and Devil Worshippers Meet
Much has been written about the QAnon conspiracy theory and how believers have begun mingling with armed and dangerous extremist groups such as the Proud Boys. Since QAnon (and its core belief that Hollywood celebrities and political and financial elites are all part of a Satanic cabal that secretly rules the world while kidnapping and …
Lockdown for Evil Spirits: What Does It Mean to Have Good Reason?
I think it’s fair to say that at some point an investigating skeptic has to pose the question, “Why did you believe that?” It’s a fair question and should be asked in an honest and respectful tone: understanding why someone interpreted some phenomena in the way they did can be crucial in solving the mystery. …
Gideon’s Groceries: Conspiracy Messages Found in Grocery Items
It’s not uncommon for proselytizers looking to “get the word out” to adopt a guerilla tactic of casually leaving leaflets or booklets in heavily trafficked areas for unsuspecting folks to find. I’m sure many of you, like me, have at one time or another found a copy of a Gideon’s Bible in the drawer of …
Diabolus in Musica: Did the Catholic Church Ban the Tritone for Being “the Devil in Music”?
Frequently referred to as the “Devil’s music” by religious fundamentalists, rock and roll was born from a music genre indelibly linked to the diabolical: the blues. Robert Johnson, one of the greatest blues guitarists who ever lived, sold his soul to the Devil at a crossroads in exchange for supernatural talent (or so the story …
The Kremlin and the Kabbalah: Is the Letter ‘Z’ on Russian Tanks a Reference to the Jewish Zohar?
Uri Geller, the infamous Israeli spoon-bender who claimed not to be a magician, recently took a break from promoting his own museum and boldly declaring that he would be the first person to discover the Ark of the Covenant to share his thoughts on the Russian invasion of the Ukraine by pondering “Regarding the ‘Z’ …
Mother Teresa – Exorcised but Not Possessed?
In Catholicism it’s not always lay people who need exorcisms. From St. Colette of Corbie, for whom demons would appear in the guise of insects, snails, and reptiles, to St. Nicholas of Tolentino who was physically assaulted by the demon Belial, there’s a long history of saints having been allegedly tormented by demonic spirits. So …
Pastor Claims Demon Revealed Identities of Six “Witches”
In the long, sad history of human atrocities the witch trials of Europe and Colonial America stand out. While the data are disputed, according to the conservative estimate of historian Jeffrey Burton Russell, “no more than 40,000 to 60,000” people were executed for witchcraft. That is to say, somewhere between 40,000 and 60,000 people were …
The Devil’s Plaything: Did Bob Larson Exorcise a Demon Doll?
I’ve written about exorcism and demonic possession in the past and covered the subjects on my podcast, The Devil in the Details. However, it’s not every day that someone—let alone a skeptic—gets a front row seat to witness an exorcism. So, when my friend Kenny Biddle sent me a link to a YouTube live event …
Not Deer, or a Deer?
The Appalachian region of the United States is allegedly home to several well-known cryptids including Mothman, the Appalachian Chupacabra, the Pennsylvanian White Bigfoot, and many others. To that list we may add more recent reported sightings of what’s referred to as the “Not Deer.” Although websites such as 4chan, Reddit, and Tumblr are host to …
Seized By the Spirit: Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and the Exorcism of Anneliese Michel
On July 1, 1976, Anna Elisabeth “Anneliese” Michel, a twenty-four-year-old college student from the town of Klingenberg in Bavaria, Germany, died of what appeared to be severe battery and starvation. A physician was called to the house to issue a death certificate, but refused on the grounds he was not convinced she died of natural …
Texting With the Devil: Priest Claims Exorcists “Getting Texts From Demons”
When it comes to skills, demons are a versatile bunch. Various powers have been attributed to demons, such as the ability to inflict mental illness (Mark 5:4,5), muteness (Matthew 9:33), blindness (Matthew 12:22) and physical deformities (Luke 13:11). The claims at times mutate into outright absurdity, as in the case when a self-proclaimed exorcist claimed …
The Satanic Skeptic Investigates the Demon of Brownsville Road
A time-tested Hollywood formula for success is to find a harrowing story of a demon possessed house, adapt it into a film, release it as “based on a true story,” and watch the money roll in. The Demon of Brownsville Road, detailing the “harrowing true story of the evil presence” that tormented author Bob Cranmer and …
The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Dumbness
In the preface to The Satanic Bible, founder of the Church of Satan Anton LaVey wrote, “Herein you will find truth—and fantasy. Each is necessary for the other to exist; but each must be recognized for what it is.” While fantasy is necessary and important to the human animal, it is reason and critical thinking, …
Malefice or Malady? Mental Health and Exorcisms in the Age of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating—financially, socially, and emotionally. As of March 25, worldwide there have been 2,759,331 deaths associated with COVID-19. In the United States, the CDC says rates of infection of COVID-19 have been rising, with the seven-day average of new cases estimated to be 56,225. COVID-19 isn’t just an existential threat to our physical well-being. Based …
Meowleficia: Exorcist Says Demon Using Cat’s Face
Cats have a unique relationship with humans as domesticated animals; they’re either loved or loathed. Cats are criticized for being selfish (as much as a nonrational being can be said to be selfish), lazy, and mercurial—and, worst of all, fickle compared to “man’s best friend,” the dog. Black dogs notwithstanding, no other furry four-legged companion …
Did Katharine Hepburn ‘Escape’ from the Old Dark House?
There’s no shortage of ghost stories when it comes to Hollywood. Whether it’s the Knickerbocker or Roosevelt Hotels or the infamous Chateau Marmont, Tinseltown has its fair share of allegedly haunted locales to titillate the curious. So when I read about a couple fleeing their home “on notorious L.A. land where screen goddess Katharine Hepburn …
The Queensland Creeper or One More Reason to Fear Hospitals?
I imagine for most people, a hospital is one of the most stressful places you can be. Most of the time, you don’t go to the hospital unless something’s wrong. Especially during these times when a global pandemic has killed millions of people worldwide, there are fewer places I can think of I’d rather avoid …