The danger of conspiracy theories

[jayem]

Pasted from an intriguing article from the APA:

“Widespread belief in conspiracy theories is cause for concern, says Karen Douglas, PhD, a professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, because research links support in such theories to prejudice, violence, and terrorism. Several followers of QAnon have been charged with violent crimes, prompting the FBI to label the group a potential domestic terrorist threat in May.”

This is as much—and maybe more—of a public health threat as Covid-19. It’s a threat to our country’s mental health. And it’s spread by the internet and social media. I don’t support media censorship. I support rational, critical thinking. Our democratic republican system of government is endangered when significant numbers of citizens believe these whacked out, crackpot conspiracies.

Speaking of Psychology: Why people believe in conspiracy theories, with Karen Douglas, PhD

 

[dóxatotheó]

Pasted from an intriguing article from the APA:

“Widespread belief in conspiracy theories is cause for concern, says Karen Douglas, PhD, a professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, because research links support in such theories to prejudice, violence, and terrorism. Several followers of QAnon have been charged with violent crimes, prompting the FBI to label the group a potential domestic terrorist threat in May.”

This is as much—and maybe more—of a public health threat as Covid-19. It’s a threat to our country’s mental health. And it’s spread by the internet and social media. I don’t support media censorship. I support rational, critical thinking. Our democratic republican system of government is endangered when significant numbers of citizens believe these whacked out, crackpot conspiracies.

Speaking of Psychology: Why people believe in conspiracy theories, with Karen Douglas, PhD

I agree conspiracy theories ruin minds and causes division instead of unity among the masses.

 

[HTacianas]

Pasted from an intriguing article from the APA:

“Widespread belief in conspiracy theories is cause for concern, says Karen Douglas, PhD, a professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, because research links support in such theories to prejudice, violence, and terrorism. Several followers of QAnon have been charged with violent crimes, prompting the FBI to label the group a potential domestic terrorist threat in May.”

This is as much—and maybe more—of a public health threat as Covid-19. It’s a threat to our country’s mental health. And it’s spread by the internet and social media. I don’t support media censorship. I support rational, critical thinking. Our democratic republican system of government is endangered when significant numbers of citizens believe these whacked out, crackpot conspiracies.

Speaking of Psychology: Why people believe in conspiracy theories, with Karen Douglas, PhD

You mean like people who believe the president is a Russian spy?

 

[Occams Barber]

You mean like people who believe the president is a Russian spy?

I particularly like the one about Covid shots making you magnetic. It effectively proves that there is no lowest level to stupidity.
Fact Check-'Magnet test' does not prove COVID-19 jabs contain metal or a microchip | Reuters

OB

 

[jayem]

You mean like people who believe the president is a Russian spy?

I saw it reported that some QAnon screwballs believe Joe Biden is a robot. He often wears a mask because his mouth sometimes malfunctions. And he’s controlled by nefarious, super-secret, deep state criminals. At least when they’re not cannibalizing babies and drinking their blood.

QAnon believers apparently think Biden is a robot with a malfunctioning mouth

 

[Aryeh Jay]

I saw it reported that some QAnon screwballs believe Joe Biden is a robot. He often wears a mask because his mouth sometimes malfunctions. And he’s controlled by nefarious, super-secret, deep state criminals. At least when they’re not cannibalizing babies and drinking their blood.

QAnon believers apparently think Biden is a robot with a malfunctioning mouth

They had to use a robot because the adhesive and latex were causing allergic reactions to the lizard shape shifter assigned to play Biden.

 

[Rajni]

I particularly like the one about Covid shots making you magnetic.

Me:

*picks up paperclip*
*tries to put paperclip on left arm where shot was administered*
*paperclip falls to the floor*
Debunked.

The only chips that have entered my system are Lay's, Tostitos, and Doritos.

 

[MyOwnSockPuppet]

You mean like people who believe the president is a Russian spy?

Well, the president of Russia definitely was

 

[Henric72]

Free speech may be dangerous for the establishment. For democracy though free thinking and speech is necessary.

 

[Percivale]

If the conspiracy theories are true there is no way of knowing if they are true, or of knowing much of anything. Therefore it is never logical to believe a conspiracy theory.
The way to prevent the temptation to conspiracy theories is to cure the isolation and alienation in our culture. That's a tall order, and will take work by individuals and churches to bring people together in their communities, and our government needs to become a better functioning, more democratic, multi-party system.

 

[Rajni]

The way to prevent the temptation to conspiracy theories is to cure the isolation and alienation in our culture. That's a tall order, and will take work by individuals and churches to bring people together in their communities, and our government needs to become a better functioning, more democratic, multi-party system.

We have to be careful, though, that in all the bringing of people together we don't replace conspiracy theories with group-think. Some of my most misguided notions came through the influence of the community in which I was immersed, allowing my thinking to be assimilated into that of the collective.

There are people who keep to themselves who are also not into conspiracy theories, and who, due to the fact that their minds aren't bombarded with the noise of the crowd, are able to bring fresh perspectives to things. Some of those perspectives might not be popular, but then popularity is hopefully not the goal.

 

[durangodawood]

....The only chips that have entered my system are Lay's, Tostitos, and Doritos.

Doritos Flaming Hot Silicon?

 

[durangodawood]

Change is afoot and people are afraid and vulnerable to any notion that ties the world's chaos up in a neat bow. "The cabal that controls everything". Etc.

They are also vulnerable to demagogues who promise to set everything back aright again.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Of course there is always the danger of ignoring true dangers by shelving them as "conspiracy theories".
Two sides of the same coin. Lies either invented or ignored. The problem is the lie.

 

[Aaron112]

“Widespread belief in conspiracy theories is cause for concern,

Is not the biggest danger in this,
that the ones who are involved in the business, profit making or other ,

that the truth about their business would hurt their profits if
, if,
people learned and believed the truth ?

i.e.the danger, a very true and real destructive force, is the one that
prevents the business at hand from being brought out into the light.

 

[Robban]

Pasted from an intriguing article from the APA:

“Widespread belief in conspiracy theories is cause for concern, says Karen Douglas, PhD, a professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, because research links support in such theories to prejudice, violence, and terrorism. Several followers of QAnon have been charged with violent crimes, prompting the FBI to label the group a potential domestic terrorist threat in May.”

This is as much—and maybe more—of a public health threat as Covid-19. It’s a threat to our country’s mental health. And it’s spread by the internet and social media. I don’t support media censorship. I support rational, critical thinking. Our democratic republican system of government is endangered when significant numbers of citizens believe these whacked out, crackpot conspiracies.

Speaking of Psychology: Why people believe in conspiracy theories, with Karen Douglas, PhD

All things are possible, but not all things are probable.

 

[Aaron112]

All things are possible, but not all things are probable.

Or, some things are probable, and some things are possible. Some of what is claimed is not only improbable, it is impossible, but continues for money ?

 

[Robban]

Or, some things are probable, and some things are possible. Some of what is claimed is not only improbable, it is impossible, but continues for money ?

Well what is there to say?

There is so much lying, corruption, deceit, cover ups, contempt, spitefulness and hate.

Yet there are many wonderful people too.

 

[apollosdtr]

Pasted from an intriguing article from the APA:

“Widespread belief in conspiracy theories is cause for concern, says Karen Douglas, PhD, a professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, because research links support in such theories to prejudice, violence, and terrorism. [snip]

This is as much—and maybe more—of a public health threat as Covid-19. It’s a threat to our country’s mental health. And it’s spread by the internet and social media. I don’t support media censorship. I support rational, critical thinking. Our democratic republican system of government is endangered when significant numbers of citizens believe these whacked out, crackpot conspiracies.

I've [snipped] that woman's last sentence because it's even more prejudicial, in nature. That, and her (or someone else's) research parameters have not been given.
In court it would all be called leading the witness.
In journalism, it's called telling you what to think about and what to think about what you should be thinking about.

"His earlier thought returned to him: probably she was not actually a member of the Thought Police, but then it was precisely the amateur spy who was the greatest danger of all. He did not know how long she had been looking at him, but perhaps for as much as five minutes, and it was possible that his features had not been perfectly under control. It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smallest thing could give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of muttering to yourself -- anything that carried with it the suggestion of abnormality, of having something to hide. In any case, to wear an improper expression on your face (to look incredulous when a victory was announced, for example) was itself a punishable offence. There was even a word for it in Newspeak: facecrime, it was called."--Orwell, 1984

_________________________________________________________
Terms like "Representative Democracy" must be NewSpeak.

"A Republic, if you can keep it."

Republic: A political order in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who are entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them.

Democracy: The common people, considered as the primary source of political power.

So, if any "we the people" don't like __X__, then they shouldn't vote for a Representative who supports __X__.

What they should never do is burn a Galileo at the stake for being "a crackpot".

 

[Aaron112]

There is so much lying, corruption, deceit, cover ups, contempt, spitefulness and hate.

AI Overview (summary of reviews/ complaints/ corruption)



Allegations of corrupt and biased moderation at Cf .net forum are frequently voiced by users on various platforms, including review sites and other forums
. Former and current users describe a pattern of inconsistent enforcement of rules, censorship, and a perceived bias towards certain theological positions.
Allegations of biased moderation

• Favoring specific viewpoints: Numerous users allege that the forum's moderation is biased in favor of fundamentalist interpretations of Christianity, while those with differing beliefs—including non-literalists or progressive Christians—are more heavily scrutinized and penalized. Some users on Reddit have even suggested that the site's rules favor a Catholic viewpoint, prompting them to look for alternative forums.
• Censorship of criticism: Complaints indicate that moderators suppress posts critical of certain evangelical theologies or the site's own practices. Some users report being banned for attempting to discuss controversial topics or for criticizing the moderation itself. In one case, a user wrote that moderators "penalize people for presenting actual facts, then ban them".
• Punishing "unorthodox" beliefs: The site's own rules state that "unorthodox, non-Nicene Christian theology may only be discussed in the Controversial Theology forum". This reinforces the perception that certain beliefs are considered outside the "real" Christianity and are subject to stricter oversight by moderators.
• Lack of transparency: The site's rules dictate that moderator actions are "final and private to the people involved," and members are forbidden from publicly objecting to or discussing these actions. This approach can fuel frustration and the perception of corruption, as users are not allowed to publicly question moderation decisions.

Concerns about inconsistent rule enforcement

• Over-moderation: A recent review on Trustpilot (July 2025) from a new owner described the site as "over-moderated," more concerned with providing safe spaces for a shrinking user base than permitting free discussion. This has led some users to believe that the rules are being applied more strictly over time.
• Ignoring misconduct: Some users accuse moderators of turning a blind eye to inflammatory or harassing comments from users who share their favored theological viewpoint. This leads to a sense of injustice among those who are penalized for similar or lesser transgressions.
• No public accountability: While users can appeal moderation actions to administrators, the site explicitly prohibits public complaints about moderation. This lack of public accountability means that perceived inconsistencies cannot be openly debated or addressed, leading to increased mistrust.

Official stance and site rules
Cf net forum has a comprehensive set of rules and guidelines that, on paper, advocate for civil and respectful discourse. However, user complaints focus on how these rules are implemented in practice. The site's rules reinforce moderator authority and limit avenues for public challenge, which contributes to the perception of a biased or corrupt moderation system.