Trained Catholic exorcists in the USSpam canned meat sales
Between 2011 and 2023, trained Catholic exorcists in the US and Spam canned meat sales both grew, correlating at 0.966 across just seven data points. The theological implications are considerable. Either demonic activity increases appetites for shelf-stable pork products, or the exorcists themselves are fueling Spam demand at a rate that implies each one consumes roughly 50,000 cans per year. Neither explanation survives contact with common sense, but with only seven data points, nothing needs to. Seven data points is not evidence; it is a very short anecdote told by numbers.
Catholic exorcist training expanded in the US following Vatican encouragement and the establishment of formal programs by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, growing from roughly a dozen to over 100 practitioners. Spam sales grew during the same period, boosted by pandemic stockpiling in 2020, sustained by the brand's cultural resurgence on social media and in Asian-American cuisine, and supported by the broader trend of premium canned meat products. With only seven data points, any two series with a generally upward trend will produce a high correlation coefficient.
Seven data points should never be trusted to reveal a relationship. They can barely be trusted to describe a trend. The exorcist and the canned meat share a growth direction and a number that proves nothing.
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Want to learn more about why correlations like “Trained Catholic exorcists in the US” vs “Spam canned meat sales” don't prove causation? Read our guide to statistical thinking.
