What do a Tesla car, an Xbox peripheral, and a smartphone have in common? All of them have been used to detect ghosts in various ways. In this episode, Matt explains what is actually going on, how these devices work, and why even knowing all that may not stop us from thinking our tech is detecting the spirits of the departed.
Tag Archives: deamons
121. Pursuing Demons and Spectral Hounds
In this episode, Matt discusses two settings where Christians have told him tales of strange encounters. In one, there is pressure to see even mundane events as demonic activity, and in the other, there is room for ambiguity. Through this, we see how the same religion can produce very different ways of looking at the world.
97. “Of Ghostes and Spirites, Walking by Night” Part 2
In this episode, Matt concludes his discussion of Ludwig Lavatar’s 16th-century book on Protestant Demonology, Of Ghostes and Spirites Walking by Night. In this part, we learn that ghosts are actually demons, that Medieval and late Roman sorcerers got up to some freaky stuff, and that Bulgaria was once ruled by a werewolf. We also find that Lavatar has a rather upsetting yet mundane explanation as to why God allows evil spirits to torment people.
96. “Of Ghostes and Spirites, Walking by Night” Part 1
In this, the first of two episodes, Matt discusses the first part of Of Ghostes and Spirites, Walking by Night, a book in which a 16th-century theologian tried to explain why, in a world that he believed to be ruled by a Christian God, people saw ghosts. This book provides fascinating insights into Renaissance folklore, beliefs about the afterlife, and theology. And there’s a lot of smack talk.
95. Sleep Paralysis
In this episode, Matt discusses sleep paralysis, one of the most common and controversial topics in discussions of ghost folklore. Matt will talk about the folklore surrounding sleep paralysis, the origins of the modern study of the phenomenon, and how a folklorist appears to have spurred the medical community to take the matter seriously.
61. Robert Johnson, Reconsidered
In this episode, Matt revisits the story of Robert Johnson and his supposed deal with the Devil at the crossroads. Along the way, we discuss the history of Blues music, Jim Crow-era racism, and how the culture of the 1980s led to the story of the bluesman who sold his soul becoming permanently affixed to Johnson.
60. Bloody Mary
You have likely heard, especially if you have ever been a pre-teen girl, that if you stand in front of a mirror in a dark room and perform a specific ritual, you will summon a ghost, or demon, or witch or some other such being. It’s dangerous, thrilling, and, for many, a rite of passage. In this episode, Matt discusses one of the most widespread ghost stories on earth – Bloody Mary.
71. The Exorcist (Crossover Episode w/ Ghosthropology)
In this special crossover episode, Kaylia (Pages and Popcorn) and Matt (Ghosthropology) talk about that 1970s classic: The Exorcist. We discuss the “true story” that inspired the novel, the novel that inspired the movie, and the movie that has inspired fear for almost 50 years.
44. Talking About Exorcisms (With James Tyner)
In this episode, James Tyner returns to speak with Matt about his time as a monk and, more specifically, about an exorcism that he witnessed, group sleep paralysis at the monastery, and a few other strange things worth talking about.
