Conspiracy theories drawing believers from the faith

[Carl Emerson]

Friends I have noted a trend that folks drawn away from the faith in many cases chase conspiracy theories of one sort or another.

Is this a basic crisis of relating to authority.

Is it that authorities are becoming more corrupt?

I am not asking for a thread that opens the door to discuss various theories, maybe some scriptures that warn against this - can we keep the topic general.

Thanks,

Carl Emerson.

 

[topher694]

Friends I have noted a trend that folks drawn away from the faith in many cases chase conspiracy theories of one sort or another.

Is this a basic crisis of relating to authority.

Is it that authorities are becoming more corrupt?

I am not asking for a thread that opens the door to discuss various theories, maybe some scriptures that warn against this - can we keep the topic general.

Thanks,

Carl Emerson.

I think there is nothing new about this (except new flavor of old things) the enemy has always tried to divide and draw people away. This is all the same old same old.

What is different is the internet. The access to information, the ability to disseminate information, and connect to those who think the same way.

What this does is strengthen what has always been there like never before, and it shines a greater light (not the good kind) on it like never before.

So, in my veiw the issue isn't the existence of such things by themselves, but the strengthening and emboldening of them.

 

[Petros2015]

Yes it's a real problem.

I have noted a trend that folks drawn away from the faith in many cases chase conspiracy theories of one sort or another.

Often, as they do so, they profess that it is *because* of their faith they are going down the rabbit hole.

Usually the conspiracy involves some sort of professed biblical linkage to the lie that is presented, for example Nibiru promoters tie it in to a biblical apocolypse or something.

Conspiracy theorists love to rope paranoid undiscerning Christians in - tie it to a bible verse they are expecting to come true, present a lot of false evidence, a lot of supporting sources that draw from sources that are completely made up, tell them everyone is lying to them... boom. Gotcha.

I thought I had seen the last of this in 2012, but it *STILL* comes up, pastors encouraging others to pray that Nibiru's course changes. My gf showed me a large workbook from a end-times revelation workshop her church had done. Nibiru was included in it. *groan*

Truth will set you free; take the time to learn it and value it.

Nibiru cataclysm - Wikipedia

 

[mark kennedy]

Friends I have noted a trend that folks drawn away from the faith in many cases chase conspiracy theories of one sort or another.

Is this a basic crisis of relating to authority.

Is it that authorities are becoming more corrupt?

I am not asking for a thread that opens the door to discuss various theories, maybe some scriptures that warn against this - can we keep the topic general.

Thanks,

Carl Emerson.

I was into the UFO thing for years, invariably it turns into some kind of modern mysticism. Most conspiracy theories are based on fast and loose facts. It just blows me away how many of these paranormal shows are on the history channel but when you abandon real truth, there is always a substitute.

 

[sfs]

Is it that authorities are becoming more corrupt?

Authorities have always been corrupt, and usually more so than today (at least in developed countries).

 

[thecolorsblend]

Friends I have noted a trend that folks drawn away from the faith in many cases chase conspiracy theories of one sort or another.

Is this a basic crisis of relating to authority.

Is it that authorities are becoming more corrupt?

I am not asking for a thread that opens the door to discuss various theories, maybe some scriptures that warn against this - can we keep the topic general.

Thanks,

Carl Emerson.

I think it could take centuries for us to fully understand the way in which the Internet has affected mankind. Today, we have access to more information than was even conceivable just a century ago.

With the good comes the bad. More information doesn't necessarily result in a clearer understanding of something. There are all types of ways people might read a few out of context facts and then they go straight into a panic.

Don't believe me? Tell a friend or co-worker that their plumbing sends dihydrogen monoxide straight into their homes morning, noon and night. Tell them it's absolutely true (because it is) and just watch for panic.

You've given them out of context information they probably didn't have before. Based on precisely nothing, they decided it was time to panic.

People are not rational creatures. None of us. Zero. So expecting us to be rational is simply asking too much.

 

[JackRT]

Over the last while I have been pondering a phenomenon that has actually been going for a very long time. I am referring to Denialists and Conspiracy Theorists. While they might seem to be different behaviours, I think they have a commonality in the sort of mind that subscribes to them. What also struck me as curious is the number of them that are centered around science, technology and medicine. Let me list a few.

>> the link between tobacco and cancer, particularly lung cancer

>> the fluoridation of water supplies to prevent tooth decay

>> the role of chlorofluorinated hydrocarbons in the deterioration of the ozone layer

>> the build up of DDT in the food chain and its effect on both reproduction success in birds and human health.

>> the link between HIV and AIDS

>> the role of vaccination in causing other health issues

>> the historicity of the moon landings

>>UFOs and aliens

>>flat earth

>> chemtrails

>> the human role in CO2 production and climate change

This is hardly an exhaustive list and it is easy to also point out others that have very little, if any, linkage to science, technology or medicine. For example, the historicity of the Holocaust, of the Twin Towers, of the assassination of President Kennedy and of both President Obama's birth place and religion.

What most puzzles me most is the state of mind of both those who advocate these theories and those who so readily subscribe to them. I will throw out a few random thoughts here in the hope that they will generate some discussion.

>> fear and powerlessness --- people feel overwhelmed by events that are beyond their control and require a scapegoat on which to pin their frustration and their anger.

>> fear and ignorance --- people are frightened by their own lack of understanding of the concepts and issues involved and suggest that 'the intellectuals' are trying to put one over on them.

>> the 'little guy syndrome' --- people fear big organizations, big government in particular, and feel the need to lash out at them by suggesting that the little guy is being somehow exploited.

>>contrarianism --- some people love to be different just for the sake of it

>>special knowledge syndrome --- a form of elitism where people like to feel they have some special or secret knowledge that makes them feel smarter and/or better informed than the rest, even if it doesn't have much practical application.

>> religion and political ideologies --- in at least a few cases the culprit is viewed as challenging religious and/or political beliefs.

To illustrate this last point we could look at two examples.

Political --- the fluoridation of water supplies to prevent tooth decay was opposed as a tactic by communists to poison the whole nation. This was particularly effective in the days of the 'red menace' but has a modern counterpart in the paranoia surrounding international terrorism.

Religious --- new technologies are viewed as challenging religious understandings. This goes back a long way in history. Two hundred years ago Timothy Dwight, Presbyterian minister and president of Yale University wrote “If God had decreed from all eternity that a certain person should die of smallpox, it would be a frightful sin to avoid and annul that decree by the trick of vaccination.” Today we see an echo of that religious fear in the debate surrounding stem cell research.

My final observation is that it seems to me that denialists, conspiracy theorists, and biblical fundamentalists / creationists are often the same people.

 

[Romans 8]

Friends I have noted a trend that folks drawn away from the faith in many cases chase conspiracy theories of one sort or another.

Is this a basic crisis of relating to authority.

Is it that authorities are becoming more corrupt?

I am not asking for a thread that opens the door to discuss various theories, maybe some scriptures that warn against this - can we keep the topic general.

Thanks,

Carl Emerson.

I think that anyone allowing their time to be consumed by conspiracy theories is foolish. But I don't think every conspiracy theory is false. The authorities are not becoming more corrupt, they've always been this way. Some of the conspiracy theories broadcast are done so by the government itself. The more noise that's in the air, the more difficult to distinguish the truth.

In my opinion, many of the older generation has more difficult a time separating the wheat from the chafe because they trust the government more. Many having gone through the cold war, Vietnam, and being closer to the time of the world wars, they have stronger "faith" towards their government and nationalities. Their identity is wrapped up in it. This can put blinders on some (not all) individuals to look objectively at certain possibilities.

From my research, some of the theories are true. If one has a discerning mind he can navigate far enough to gain a bigger picture and view of what is going on. I learned enough to figure out the enemy is real and it brought me to God. Since then, I don't care about these theories so much now as I only care about the truth of the bible.

God Bless Carl.

 

[Romans 8]

Over the last while I have been pondering a phenomenon that has actually been going for a very long time. I am referring to Denialists and Conspiracy Theorists. While they might seem to be different behaviours, I think they have a commonality in the sort of mind that subscribes to them. What also struck me as curious is the number of them that are centered around science, technology and medicine. Let me list a few.

>> the link between tobacco and cancer, particularly lung cancer

>> the fluoridation of water supplies to prevent tooth decay

>> the role of chlorofluorinated hydrocarbons in the deterioration of the ozone layer

>> the build up of DDT in the food chain and its effect on both reproduction success in birds and human health.

>> the link between HIV and AIDS

>> the role of vaccination in causing other health issues

>> the historicity of the moon landings

>>UFOs and aliens

>>flat earth

>> chemtrails

>> the human role in CO2 production and climate change

This is hardly an exhaustive list and it is easy to also point out others that have very little, if any, linkage to science, technology or medicine. For example, the historicity of the Holocaust, of the Twin Towers, of the assassination of President Kennedy and of both President Obama's birth place and religion.

What most puzzles me most is the state of mind of both those who advocate these theories and those who so readily subscribe to them. I will throw out a few random thoughts here in the hope that they will generate some discussion.

>> fear and powerlessness --- people feel overwhelmed by events that are beyond their control and require a scapegoat on which to pin their frustration and their anger.

>> fear and ignorance --- people are frightened by their own lack of understanding of the concepts and issues involved and suggest that 'the intellectuals' are trying to put one over on them.

>> the 'little guy syndrome' --- people fear big organizations, big government in particular, and feel the need to lash out at them by suggesting that the little guy is being somehow exploited.

>>contrarianism --- some people love to be different just for the sake of it

>>special knowledge syndrome --- a form of elitism where people like to feel they have some special or secret knowledge that makes them feel smarter and/or better informed than the rest, even if it doesn't have much practical application.

>> religion and political ideologies --- in at least a few cases the culprit is viewed as challenging religious and/or political beliefs.

To illustrate this last point we could look at two examples.

Political --- the fluoridation of water supplies to prevent tooth decay was opposed as a tactic by communists to poison the whole nation. This was particularly effective in the days of the 'red menace' but has a modern counterpart in the paranoia surrounding international terrorism.

Religious --- new technologies are viewed as challenging religious understandings. This goes back a long way in history. Two hundred years ago Timothy Dwight, Presbyterian minister and president of Yale University wrote “If God had decreed from all eternity that a certain person should die of smallpox, it would be a frightful sin to avoid and annul that decree by the trick of vaccination.” Today we see an echo of that religious fear in the debate surrounding stem cell research.

My final observation is that it seems to me that denialists, conspiracy theorists, and biblical fundamentalists / creationists are often the same people.

Jack the "Flat Earther waking up". Does this mean you believe the earth is flat?

It looks like you've done some reading on conspiracy theories. But it seems all in disgust.

I agree with some of the motives you've listed, but I disagree with your world-view. Not every theory you listed is a mere theory. Which ones are which, I don't care to discuss.
But just because you know what the theories are, doesn't mean you understand why they exist.

But Jack, you fit into the older generation of men that I described in my previous post, so I understand where you're coming from. I just don't happen to share the same biased opinion. God Bless sir.

 

[crossnote]

Friends I have noted a trend that folks drawn away from the faith in many cases chase conspiracy theories of one sort or another.

Is this a basic crisis of relating to authority.

Is it that authorities are becoming more corrupt?

I am not asking for a thread that opens the door to discuss various theories, maybe some scriptures that warn against this - can we keep the topic general.

Thanks,

Carl Emerson.

Perhaps it makes one 'special' as if they are 'in the know' or 'have the inside scoop'?

 

[Lost4words]

It truly amazes me. How can people be so gullible? One of the biggest ones on on these forums is flat earth. How anyone can believe it is flat is beyond me. How can people get sucked into such conspiracy theories in this day and age is mind blowing.

 

[Petros2015]

Some of the conspiracy theories broadcast are done so by the government itself. The more noise that's in the air, the more difficult to distinguish the truth.

Could you link to a broadcast example sourced from the government which supports this statement?

I feel like we've reached a point where there IS an actual conspiracy.

It's a conspiracy of conspiracy theories.

 

[Petros2015]

The operating principle is fear.

Fear that the government or powers-that-be are hiding something or controlling something that God can't or won't resolve out according to His will.

This keeps people focused on what others are doing to them rather than what they should be doing.

The appropriate treatment for fear is faith. If I see NASA sending back pictures of Jupiter's red spot:

Great Red Spot - Wikipedia

I don't think, "wow everyone and every fact mentioned in this article is part of a lying conspiracy to get me to reject God because the solar system and NASA are all one giant conspiracy cooked up to refute creation passages in Genesis."

I think, "wow. God made a planet that we call Jupiter. It has a giant storm on it, bigger than our planet, that has been going for centuries."

If we make a particle accelerator to see how God constructed the universe, I think, "wow, we are going to learn a little more about how God constructed the universe." I'm maybe a little hesistant because I can *imagine* that we might be dabbling with something we don't fully understand and cause some kind of damage or "tear" we aren't prepared to deal with. Bad stuff happens sometimes in the learning process. Madame Curie, for example, didn't fully understand the damaging potential of radiation and died from it.

Marie Curie - Wikipedia

And we weren't *really* 100% sure that the first atomic bomb wasn't going to cause a continuing chain reaction. But... we went ahead and did it anyway.

But, do I think the particle accelator is being deliberately constructed as means to gate in demonic forces and open a portal to Hell?

No, I think it's being constructed for the reasons we have said we constructed it.

Not, for example, for these reasons:

The Large Hadron Collider ‘is opening a gateway into Hell’, Christian claims | Metro News

So realize, that it seems to me a majority of conspiracies are being propagated by people holding the title "Christian".

Now.

Why is that?

 

[JackRT]

Jack the "Flat Earther waking up". Does this mean you believe the earth is flat?

Ahhhh, you refer to my avatar. It is a gargoyle on a college building in Oxford England intended to represent the horror and grief of a person who comes to the sudden realization of how wrong he has been --- like a Flat Earther. No, I don't believe the Earth is flat but I do realize that Biblical cosmology has a very real Flat Earth bias.

 

[Romans 8]

Could you link to a broadcast example sourced from the government which supports this statement?

I feel like we've reached a point where IS an actual conspiracy.

It's a conspiracy of conspiracy theories.

So every theory ever proposed that's counter to the government is false? And have you done the research and have the evidence to prove this?

 

[Romans 8]

It truly amazes me. How can people be so gullible? One of the biggest ones on on these forums is flat earth. How anyone can believe it is flat is beyond me. How can people get sucked into such conspiracy theories in this day and age is mind blowing.

Speaking on behalf of those who believe every conspiracy theory in front of their face, I think it's a matter of education, and more importantly: the lack of logical thinking skills. The education system we have today has been dumbed down. The only way one is educated in logic is to sign up for a college course. Logic should be taught at an elementary school level. However, logical thinking skills would not eliminate ALL "conspiracy theories". It would only shed more light on the false ones, and the same for those that hold some water.

The other side of the coin is the one who, without research, determines that ALL "conspiracy theories" are incorrect. And how is his "logical thinking" any better than the former? Appealing to authority is a logical fallacy, yet many people appeal to this fallacy for their own reasons.

 

[Petros2015]

So every theory ever proposed that's counter to the government is false? And done the research and have the evidence to prove this?

Not necessarily. I would like you to cite one of these: "some of the conspiracy theories broadcast are done so by the government itself." as an example, and I'll probably go do my own due diligence on it without commenting specifically on it further.

 

[Romans 8]

Not necessarily. I would like you to cite one of these: "some of the conspiracy theories broadcast are done so by the government itself." as an example, and I'll probably go do my own due diligence on it without commenting specifically on it further.

Rather than bite the hook of the line you've cast, I would guide you to do your own research on the matter if it interests you. One needs to connect the dots for himself rather.

I have no desire to prove any theory to anyone. I just don't care anymore since I have come to the realization that the enemy exists and works in many ways. I spend my time now getting to know Him, and praising Him for reconciling me.

God Bless

 

[Petros2015]

Hmm.

Next?

 

[Albion]

People feel a need for certainty. If they sour on the certainty that comes with a religion, they are susceptible to a different explanation. Conspiracy theories offer a carefully constructed answer, regardless of whether it is true or not.