Joseph P. Laycock

In the cult TV series ‘Supernatural,’ the car driven by the two protagonists is a star in its own right. Natasha Mikles

What a biannual gathering of 1967 Impalas reveals about the blurry line between fandom and religion

Since 2019, fans of the TV series ‘Supernatural’ have flocked to Austin, where their encounters with 1967 Impalas customized to mimic the one used in the show arouse elation, astonishment and tears.
Some Bitcoin evangelists see the currency as an answer to problems that plague society. mustafa akman/iStock via Getty Images

Why are people calling Bitcoin a religion?

With mantras, a mysterious founder and promises of societal salvation, there are echoes of religious traditions in the cryptocurrency.
Two women hold mock pro-life signs in what they call an ‘Abortrait room’ at the Satanic Temple’s headquarters to protest abortion laws. Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty images

How the Satanic Temple is using ‘abortion rituals’ to claim religious liberty against the Texas’ ‘heartbeat bill’

The Satanic Temple, a nontheistic group, is invoking the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to challenge Texas’ new anti-abortion law.
The Satanic Temple unveils a statue of Baphomet, a winged-goat creature, at a rally for the First Amendment in Little Rock, Arkansas, in August 2018. AP Photo/Hannah Grabenstein

What The Satanic Temple is and why it’s opening a debate about religion

A group known as The Satanic Temple was started with the political goal of advocating for the value of church-state separation. This group is now challenging the traditional definition of religion.
According to a recent poll, 45 percent of Americans believe extraterrestrials have visited the Earth. Raphael Terra, 'UFO Sunset.'

Why are people starting to believe in UFOs again?

Whether it’s Hillary Clinton’s courting the UFO vote or Donald Trump’s lending credibility to various conspiracy theories, the “triumph of reason” seems to have gone by the wayside.

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