In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Joseph Laycock, a scholar of religion, moral panic, and new religious movements, to explore how fear and belief take shape in modern culture.

We talk about the feedback loop between horror and “real life,” and why certain supernatural narratives feel plausible in America. We discuss stories of demons, Satanism, and conspiracy theories, and how they spread through media, institutions, and everyday life. From The Exorcist to Satanic panic, from the Warrens to cults, this conversation examines belief as a force that organizes meaning, offers comfort, obscures harm, and sometimes escalates into real-world consequences.

You can find Dr. Laycock's book here:

The Exorcist Effect: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-exorcist-effect-joseph-p-laycock/1143790831

Speak of the Devil: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/speak-of-the-devil-joseph-p-laycock/1134799944

The Penguin Book of Cults: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-penguin-book-of-cults-joseph-p-laycock/1146799962

Find more information at www.patternsandrituals.com

Follow us on Instagram @patternsandrituals

Patterns & Rituals is written and produced by your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Follow her @cameronhollydexter

Sound Design and Editing by Robert Dyck. Follow him here @robertdyck

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part Two of The Amityville Horror, the conversation shifts from history into lived experience. Blair Scares shares her own personal horror encounter, grounding the discussion in firsthand reflection. We examine Ed and Lorraine Warren’s involvement in the investigation and trace Amityville’s lasting cultural impact, from books to films, showing how the story has come to symbolize the dark side of the American Dream, where safety, home, and stability give way to fear and uncertainty. We are endlessly drawn to stories where our safe place is threatened, as reflected in films like The Shining, Paranormal Activity, and Poltergeist which is exactly why this story has cemented its place in American Lore.

Blair Scares Social Channels

IG: https://www.instagram.com/blairscares/?hl=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blairscareshorror

Find more information at www.patternsandrituals.com

Follow us on Instagram @patternsandrituals

Patterns & Rituals is written and produced by your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Follow her @cameronhollydexter

Sound Design and Editing by Robert Dyck. Follow him here @robertdyck

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part One of The Amityville Horror, host Cameron Holly Dexter is joined by horror influencer Blair Scares to examine the events that turned 112 Ocean Avenue into one of the most infamous houses in America. Together, they break down the 1974 DeFeo family murders, the unanswered questions surrounding the crime, and the haunting claims made by the Lutz family after moving into the home. In this episode, they explore how a single case evolved into a legend, and why the line between fact, fear, and belief remains so difficult to define.

Blair Scares Social Channels:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/blairscares/?hl=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blairscareshorror

Find more information at www.patternsandrituals.com

Follow us on Instagram @patternsandrituals

Patterns & Rituals is written and produced by your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Follow her @cameronhollydexter

Sound Design and Editing by Robert Dyck. Follow him here @robertdyck

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.