15 Grams of Religion

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15 Grams of Religion Welcome to my channel, “15 Grams of Religion”!

My name is Michal Puchovský (Institute for Sociology of Slovak Academy of Sciences), and my goal is to share with you the knowledge about religions I have gained during my academic career.

Did you know that the beautiful fairies from your childhood stories were once believed to literally dance young men to d...
19/08/2026

Did you know that the beautiful fairies from your childhood stories were once believed to literally dance young men to death? 🧚‍♀️💀 Or that monsters from The Witcher, like the Leshy and the Kikimora, have deep, often wildly different roots in Slavic folk religion?

In my newest video, I put on my religious scholar hat to explore Slavic demonology. I discuss the history behind Vampires, Werewolves, Baba Yaga, and some bizarre territorial creatures you’ve probably never even heard of (looking at you, Grgalica).

If you think you know Slavic folklore, prepare to be surprised—and maybe a little bit terrified. Or not, if you watch horror movies all the time.

Check the video -> https://youtu.be/_6WdWchISOw

22/07/2026

Discover the powerful moment when W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless realized the Holy Spirit was directly inspiring the lyrics for the album Golgotha. Listen to his genuine testimony on why remaining authentic to his Christian faith is the ultimate driving force behind his music today.

20/07/2026

Ever wondered why a heavy metal rebel dabbled in the occult only to walk away completely? Listen to this fascinating story of how dating a Wiccan witch made him realize that magic rituals are just another form of organized religion.

THE W.A.S.P. PARADOX: FROM DRINKING BLOOD TO PREACHING CHRIST Who would have expected that the guy drinking blood on sta...
19/07/2026

THE W.A.S.P. PARADOX: FROM DRINKING BLOOD TO PREACHING CHRIST

Who would have expected that the guy drinking blood on stage with a circular saw on his crotch would eventually become a born-again Christian? 🤘✝️

In my newest mini-documentary, I dive deep into the fascinating spiritual journey of Blackie Lawless from W.A.S.P. – from his wild 80s shock-rock days to his deeply religious later albums. This is also the very first music and religion video where I finally gathered the courage to use actual music and video clips! I’ve always been terrified of the YouTube copyright strike hammer, but I decided to face my fears. It was actually super fun playing around with all the video filters, overlays, and editing tricks to make it work.

Check it out to hear exclusive quotes from my interview with Blackie and learn how heavy metal and Christianity can perfectly align. Or not, depending on your point view.

Check the video: https://youtu.be/Ki8OXz0Fi-8

FRIDAY’S UPDATE #25Hello everybody! Two things happened recently that made me very happy. First, I was invited to speak...
06/07/2026

FRIDAY’S UPDATE #25

Hello everybody!

Two things happened recently that made me very happy. First, I was invited to speak about Fallout and religion at Rusthaven, a spectacular Czech post-apocalyptic festival. The talk was based on the script of my most successful YouTube video so far, and it was a great experience!

I also managed to launch my long-planned series, Metal Pulpit, for the Czech rock magazine Spark. In it, I write about religion and metal—wisely, but not too wisely. The first two articles (based on my YouTube scripts) are already out, and I’m currently working on the third. The amazing thing is that none of this would have happened without 15 Grams of Religion—the scripts always came first.

This brings me to the upcoming schedule for 15 Grams of Religion. I am currently writing the script for the W.A.S.P. episode, which, with a bit of luck, will be out by the end of next week. My goal is to keep working hard to find an even better and more dynamic style for my music videos, so fingers crossed!

See you soon with my next video!

14/06/2026

Did you know that your bizarre journey through Oblivion's Shivering Isles perfectly mirrors an ancient religious initiation known as "shamanic sickness"? Discover how surviving Sheogorath's realm of madness actually transforms you into a divine champion through a real-world mythological ritual.

10/06/2026

You're Not a Holy Crusader, You're a Corporate Pope

Did you know that your heroic underground crusade in Oblivion's Knights of the Nine DLC is actually a textbook example of how radical cults inevitably turn into boring corporate bureaucracies? Join me as we use Max Weber's sociology to uncover the hidden truth behind the Order of the Nine and your role as the Holy Crusader.

NEW EPISODE OUT!It took some time, but here is video I am proud of - my analysis of religion in Shivering Isles and Knig...
08/06/2026

NEW EPISODE OUT!

It took some time, but here is video I am proud of - my analysis of religion in Shivering Isles and Knights of The Nine. I really played throught both DLCs, did lots of notes, lots of video editing and here is the result. Hope you like!

You can expect:
⚔️ an overview of in-game factions and cults such as the reformed Order of the Nine or Church of Arden-Sul
⚔️ an analysis of mythological figures like Pelinal Whitestrake and Sheogorath
⚔️ few fancy academic words like the routinization of charisma, divine madness, the Jungian Shadow, and apotheosis
⚔️ real-world inspirations behind the lore, from Greek epics and Norse gods to ancient shamanism

Watch the full breakdown here: https://youtu.be/qYLNeZAToAk

Hello everybody!Did you know that I have also been writing for the Czech rock magazine Spark since 2019?Following a rece...
05/05/2026

Hello everybody!

Did you know that I have also been writing for the Czech rock magazine Spark since 2019?

Following a recent change in my professional life, I unexpectedly found myself with the time not only to write several academic studies but also to devote more time to rock journalism for Spark. This has given me the opportunity to interview giants of rock history such as Rudolf Schenker (Scorpions), Ian Paice (Deep Purple), and Adrian Belew (ex-King Crimson), alongside blues ace Joe Bonamassa. From the Czech and Slovak pagan music scene, I've also spoken with Tomáš Kočko & Orchestr and Ramchat. These interviews are gradually appearing in various issues of Spark.

On top of that, I've contributed a few little tidbits in the form of short reviews for live albums by Scorpions and The Dead Daisies, as well as new albums from hard rock projects like Purpendicular, Joel Hoekstra's 13, and Black Swan.

I often use the first-hand information from these artist interviews in my scientific research and YouTube videos! :)

FRIDAY’S UPDATE #23Hello everybody!First, let's talk briefly about my ideas for videos. Next on the menu is a long over...
23/04/2026

FRIDAY’S UPDATE #23

Hello everybody!

First, let's talk briefly about my ideas for videos. Next on the menu is a long overdue analysis of religion in the Oblivion DLCs Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles. It's good to be back in Cyrodiil! After that, I will prepare another gaming video about games, religion, and clichés.

The video after that will again be musical - thanks to my rock journalist job I will have a chance to speak with Blackie Lawless from W.A.S.P. and I plan to use this opportunity to discuss religion and his spirituality with him. Last, but not least, I have a semi-prepared script for either the sacred places of Pagans in Slovakia or mystical creatures and beings from Slavic mythology. Lots of plans, as you can see!

Second, last week, the 17th ISORECEA conference took place in my hometown of Bratislava, organized by researchers from the countries of the former Eastern Bloc.

In addition to presenting a paper on the preliminary findings of my research into the motivations for being a pagan in Slovakia, I had the honour of receiving a diploma for winning the Miklós Tomka Award for my study on the history of paganism in Slovakia.

I was, of course, very pleased with the award, and after a long period of having various projects and competition entries rejected, it gave me the confidence that my research is, after all, worth something :)

Have a lovely weekend, wonderful people!

Adresa

Brno

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