In the first half, Stephen Post, director of the Center of Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics at Stony Brook University, discussed his research on compassion, health, and the concept of "pure unlimited love." He defined love as "when the well-being and security of another is as real or meaningful to you as your own," emphasizing a selfless, expansive love that transcends selfishness and narrow group loyalties. Post also connects altruism with physical and mental well-being, noting studies showing that volunteering and pro-social activities improve health outcomes. "If you invest in others with kindness, you will find that you have a lot of internal benefits," he said, underscoring the non-transactional nature of compassion.

He stressed the importance of laughter and mirth, recalling the work of Norman Cousins, who demonstrated laughter's healing power in autoimmune illness. "Laughter turns people away from rumination, hostility, and bitterness in a millisecond," Post remarked. He also advocates for personal tranquility as a prerequisite for world peace, and introduced the "seven paths to inner peace" as a framework from his new book. One such path, "healing with kindness," in a medical context, shows that attentive, empathetic listening improves patient adherence to chronic illness treatments.

Other paths include raising kind children through early exposure to empathy, family values, and volunteering; recognizing the divine in one another; and the healing power of nature. Post lamented how technology isolates youth and cited concerns about "AI psychosis" and teen suicides linked to AI's lack of genuine empathy.

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In the latter half, Joseph Laycock, associate professor of religious studies at Texas State University, delved into his extensive research into demonic possession, exorcisms, and satanic cults, and their cultural impact, particularly in films. Affirming the reality of possession cases, he noted that, "Exorcism is relatively common... more exorcisms are happening right now than at any point in modern history." He shared details about the boy known as "Roland Doe," the subject behind "The Exorcist" book, who later lived a normal life and even worked for NASA. Highlighting the impact of "The Exorcist" (1973), he called it "probably the most influential horror movie of all time." He explained how the film revitalized the Catholic Church's interest in exorcism, transforming it from an embarrassment to a recognized practice with an international association based at the Vatican.

He explained the "Exorcist Effect" as a feedback loop where real events inspire films, which in turn increase public reports of possession and demand for exorcisms. For instance, the careers of paranormal investigators and "demonologists" Ed and Lorraine Warren were boosted by the popularity of "The Exorcist." On the nature of demons, Laycock described the Christian view of demons as "fallen angels" motivated by jealousy of humanity's salvation. Exorcisms are not always successful, and sometimes people are hurt in the process, he pointed out.

He reported that exorcism exists in various religious traditions, including Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam, often surfacing in response to communal traumas like the 2011 Japanese tsunami. The film "Rosemary's Baby" (1968), about a conspiracy of witches and Satanists who plot to impregnate a woman with the child of the devil, surprised viewers in that it portrayed the cultists as seemingly friendly or helpful neighbors, he noted. The movie also received critical appraisal and was one of the first of this genre to reach a more elevated status, he added.

News segment guests: John M. Curtis, Mish Shedlock