Christian Conspiracy Theorists

gurneyhalleck1 said:

There are always conspiracy-minded people. I remember back in the 1980's, all my friends were Baptists or evangelicals of some kind. I was the only Catholic.

I had a friend, Josh, who was concerned about me because I listened to heavy metal like Iron Maiden and Led Zeppelin. He thought I was dabbling in dangerous stuff so he let me borrow this evangelical guy on a cassette talking about backwards masking and how heavy metal and even more softcore rock were all in a conspiracy to indoctrinate all the youth into Satanism. The guy went from Iron Maiden to Zeppelin to Blue Oyster Cult to Electric Light Orchestra (!!! ) to, yes, even the Eagles!!! I couldn't get over how nutty that tape was. It just made me want to listen to those bands more!

Josh ended up the biggest doper in high school and all my evangelical buddies got way into drugs while I never lit even a cigarette or drank a beer.

Back in the 60's, Republicans tried to spread the word that Kennedy's election would mean the Pope controlling the country. That was a good conspiracy. Now it's Romney supposedly handing over the country to the LDS powers-that-be sounds like. Always a conspiracy.

Guys like Jack Van Impe, that fruit loop on TBN, thinks the EU is the Beast and that the end of the world is here. He swears every episode it'll happen and it never does.

This stuff is silly and more fodder for a good laugh than serious.

The Tea Party thinks Obama is an atheist one minute hell-bent on making sure we're all Soviet communist atheists by the time he's done melting our brains. Then the next minute Obama is supposedly a Muslim who's on a world apology tour trying to make us accept Islam. So the dude's a Muslim atheist. Interesting combo. They can't even get the story straight.

Then Frank Costanza on Seinfeld thought the Orthodox Church mutilates squirrels. Everyone has a conspiracy theory!

Click to expand...

Your story about your friend who eventually ended up on drugs seems to represent a larger picture in the conspiracy theory crowd: there's something going on inside themselves but they try to shine a brighter light on things (manufactured theories or not) elsewhere to avoid attention their "flaws".

I can't stand TBN, it's just chalk full of rubbish IMHO. I'm sure some people, somewhere are edified by what they do but altogether they're just an evangelical dispensationalist propaganda machine to me.

When I was much more conservative I thought the Tea Party was great but I've since evolved away from that substantially and now see everything you see—inconsistencies and a slightly disconcerting zeal.

+Infinity points for Seinfeld reference.

rusmeister said:

There are certainly plenty of silly or crazy ideas about conspiracy.

But it seems to me that we have a tendency to take it to the point where we begin to think that there is no such thing as conspiracy at all. While men in secret may or may not be rubbing their hands in conspiratorial anticipation or glee, it is obvious to me that men do conspire for wealth and power. So obviously we shouldn't write aoff all ideas of conspiracy as crazy.

Click to expand...

Yes that's true, I think the "ridiculous" conspiracy theories kind of neutralize any hope of the actual ones ever gaining traction. I don't doubt that there are actual conspiracy's circulating, like the type that involve a regime change in a third world country or terrorism. Things like that, but when it comes to conspiracy's about aliens, reptilian-people, or one-world governments I can only roll my eyes.

gzt said:

Oh, there are some Orthodox out there with conspiracy theories. You haven't run into them because you're running into Orthodoxy mostly on the internet, probably, and the Orthodox internet in these parts is mostly from a demographic that isn't into conspiracies. If not on the Internet, again, you're probably running into a demographic that isn't much into conspiracies.

Click to expand...

I suppose it's inevitable, it's true I haven't made any Orthodox friends in real life so all I have to go on is what I experience here on CF. I don't think I've ever seen an Orthodox member in Eschatology at all, let alone there to post conspiracy related claptrap.

Dylan Michael said:

Back during WWI, Florida's governor was Sidney Catts. He was anti-german and anti-catholic) He honestly believed
(San Antonio is a tiny town which was made up of German Catholic immigrants, most of which are related to me)

Click to expand...

That's about as insane as they come... I mean really? The Vatican in Florida? I guess the Pope wanted to retire...

GTAsoldier said:

2 words: Dan Brown

Enough said....

- Jadd

Click to expand...

Ha true.

Protoevangel said:

Hey, the only reason I don't wear a tinfoil hat is because by my calculations, "they" figured a way past it already.

Click to expand...

That looks hot... like baked potato hot.

Dorothea said:

There are some really nutty theories on the End Times and Christ's return that I've heard and read, and some from a friend from a forum I used to frequent. Sweet guy, but his ideas on the End Times is very convoluted.

Having said that, I tend to agree with Rus. Not all are hogwash. I don't have examples of ones that aren't, but just speaking generally.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I've heard just about everything out there, though some members here continue to surprise me with the new inventions they conjure up. It's too bad cause, like you say, they're often excellent people but they're caught up in these horribly off-track obsessions that really only seem to serve to make them ineffective in serving Christ.

knee-v said:

My reaction tends to be to ask about their view and question it a little, but ultimately I have to remember to let them be, as nothing I say will likely change their minds about anything.

Click to expand...

Yeah, at the end of the day that's usually the case. I've actually been very surprised to see a member here appear to reconsider at least some of their eschatological positions. I think they held some pretty heavy dispensational and conspiracy-related ideas but are now paying more attention to historical facts and such. Ultimately though, I think you're right, most people here, especially in that sphere won't change their minds. Asking difficult questions though is always a good thing.

ProScribe said:

Well, there is no obligation to pay attention to the News Media.


You can just turn off the T.V.


And there is no obligation to the online forums either.

Click to expand...

Yeah I can, the pros outweigh the cons, it's just sometimes the cons are pretty ridiculous.

freezerman2000 said:

But..but..but I LIKE "Ancient Aliens"!
Some is outrageous, but some makes me wonder...Puma-Punku for instance..How did they do it...what was it used for?
Ancient Mysteries - Puma Punku in Tiahuanaco

Click to expand...

Yeah that's pretty trippy, maybe it's one of those "the foolish confound the wise" instances and the builders really just did something extremely primitive that happened to work.

Protoevangel said:

Get... OUT... of... my... HEAD!

Click to expand...

You got me, I actually LOL'ed.

file13 said:

Here's one of my personal favorites (he's an SDA).

Walter J Veith Islam Catholic Connection 1 - YouTube





Yes, there are conspiracy theorists in Orthodoxy just like there is anywhere else. They're generally called "Old Calendarists" or some other group who is the real "One True Orthodox Church."

The Heresy of Ecumenism and the Hope of the West - YouTube

It's all a part of the RCC conspiracy...or the Masons...or maybe the Jews...but usually the Rome (see the links under "show more" on the youtube site).

So yeah, you have fanatics everywhere and Orthodoxy isn't immune anymore than anyone else. Remember, most of the ancient heresies came from the East and Russia is still going strong. So it's not just the US and it's not just Protestants. It's people everywhere who believe a whole bunch of crazy things and how spawn all sorts of crazy conspiracies and cults.

Click to expand...

You're right, I guess my exposure has been limited to American Protestants/Evangelicals and so I thought it was mainly a theological root issue more than anything else. I guess it's true though, it doesn't matter what tradition you subscribe to there's always a propensity to get sucked down the rabbit hole if your priorities are slightly out of whack.

I would still speculate though that there's a slightly higher probability in Evangelicalism (and perhaps most strongly in non-denominationalism) to be attracted to conspiracy theories because of the various beliefs that conflict with orthodoxy and because they've "rejected the norm" so much already as it were. I guess that's more of a pseudo-psychological take on it than anything else.

rusmeister said:

Or like this:
How Jurassic Park Should Have Ended - YouTube

Click to expand...

Haha, those videos are great.

If any of you have ever seen the short-lived ABC series "V"... yeah some conspiracy theorists actually think there's truth to it, lol.