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Conspiracy Theories

updated 05/05/2011

Conspiracy theories abound in some Christian circles.  I'm constantly surprised at the number of Christians I've met that have bought into various conspiracy theories without any proof or hard data of their existence.  This leads to rumor-mongering, gossiping, lying, and slander, all of which are sinful.

Certainly limited conspiracies and cover ups do exist.  The less people involved, the more likely it is to succeed for a time.  In times where information and news were not instant, a conspiracy or cover up had more of a chance than it does in our information age.  However, the idea that loads of people will either remain mum or actually continually lie to promote the conspiracy or cover up is pretty ridiculous.  Someone will spill the beans, whether it be for wealth or for fame.  Anyone with any REAL knowledge of human nature should be able to see that a vast conspiracy (especially over a long period of time) is simply irrational.

Let's talk a moment about a VAST conspiracy theory.  The difference between a vast conspiracy and a real conspiracy or cover-up is that the vast ones would take thousands (if not more) people to not only perpetrate, but continue.  These people would have to come from a vast range of soci-economic class, race, religious beliefs and political beliefs.  Rationally, how would you bring all these diverse people together to continue the lie?  Further, a vast conspiracy theory ignores what we know of human nature.  The reason most conspiracies and cover-ups get "outed" is because someone finally blows the whistle - either for money (enticing enough) or for issues of conscience.  Think of Watergate, Enron and of the tobacco industry cover-ups.  This is especially true in this information age.  Someone will be enticed to tell.

The vast conspiracy theory also ignores the nature of the American press.  Scandals sell.  Cover-ups and conspiracies sell.  Bad news sells.  A scoop on a large scandal can win a reporter accolades and prizes.  The mainstream press would love to have something like this be true.  If they could prove one iota of it, it would make their career and perhaps break a much hated administration.  Many would not even be adverse to stretching the truth if they could make their case.  It has been done and rather recently.

The vast conspiracy theory also plays on our distrust of government.  Do our elected and non-elected government officials lie to us?  Yes, and quite often!  However, there are people even in these places of high moral character who would not knowingly lie.  The belief that "all politicians are crooks," is simply not rational.  The very nature of the position they have been placed in certainly creates an extreme temptation towards lying, cheating and scheming.  Still, not all will fall. 

One of the ways vast conspiracy theories work is to have one that can't be proved or disproved.  However, no amount of proof can ever be offered against the theory anyway.  Any proof is considered as part of the cover-up itself.  Anyone denying the theory is deemed to be part of the conspiracy.  Therefore, the conspiracy theorist can dispell any eyewitnesses, any proof, any scientific evidence as being part of the conspiracy itself.  It's a win-win situation for the proponents of the conspiracy.

Some modern vast conspiracies concern supposedly secret, sinister organizations out to bring about a "new world order" such as the Illuminati, the Bilderbergs, Skull and Bones (a real and quite silly frat) and such.  Others concern Israel or "Zionists" world control ideas.  There are also the NASA moon landings theories. There are those theories that cannot hold up under facts and science, such as the theory that the 9/11 attack was perpetrated by the American government or that no Muslims were actually involved in it.  Despite the fact that Osama bin Laden and others admitted to being a part of the planning (and very proud of it), they refuse to believe.  Despite the genuine science behind how the buildings fell, they will continue to believe that the only way it could have happened was from planted explosives.  Don't confuse them with facts.

I can detail to you the origins of the modern day Illuminati theories if someone is interested.  G. Richard Fisher has written a great article on it at http://www.pfo.org/illumint.htm.  I have some further information on where the current ideas come from as well.

Vast conspiracy theories are neither reasonable nor sustainable, so why do they exist and further, why do they flourish?  There is more than one explanation.

(1) The first involves the human sin nature.  We are sinners both by birth and by choice.  Fear mongering, rumor mongering, bearing false witness, slander, malice - these are all sinful temptations.  Vast conspiracy theories work with all of these sins.  Generally, this speaks more to the propents of the conspiracy theories than the simple believer, but we can choose to believe because of the same sins as well.  We perversely enjoy fear.  As a Christian, fear is not to be part of our lives.  We know who is in charge.  The temptation to pass along rumors and gossip is one of the most undealt with sins within Christendom and yet one of the most powerful.  My husband is a pastor. We have seen the results of this kind of sin over and over again, yet while a congregation may be fully willing to discipline someone caught in a sexual sin, they seem unwilling to deal with gossip, rumor mongering and slander.  We've seen first hand the damage and godlessness that it produces.  What has bothered me most in reading tales by eyewitnesses and experts is that many are harassed and threatened by the proponents of the conspiracy theories.  In the case of the Twin Towers, the demolition expert who was cited for several articles showing how the towers collapsed said that this had become an albatross around his neck.  An eyewitness in another of the 9/11 theories said that he had been harassed by conspiracy theorists.  We see a degeneration of civility, graciousness and all other godly virtues once the theory is embraced.

(2) Mental illness is also a factor here.  Schizophrenia usually involves paranoia.  One of the best filmed studies on this issue is the movie "A Beautiful Mind."  John Nash's delusions did not just involve lifelike hallucinations, but paranoia involving vast conspiracy theories.  Some of the proponents and followers of vast conspiracy theories have some degree of paranoid schizophrenia and can seem nearly normal at times.  Those with some degree of self control may choose conspiracy theories over personal paranoia involving family, friends, neighbors, etc.  The remoteness is somehow safe.

Here are some methods you can personally employ to make a determination about the soundness of this particular conspiracy theory or any conspiracy theory for that matter.

(1) Logic:  In learning to do critical thinking (I have taught a course in this) you ask two questions.  1.  Is it possible?  2.  Is is probable?  Is this particular theory possible?  Unlikely but many things are possible?  Is it probable?  Not by any standard of reasonableness as I have described above, i.e. the number of people involved, human nature, etc.

(2)  Evidence and details.  Read all the evidence for an against, not just the proponents of the theory.  A good example would be how the Twin Towers fell.  Physicists and architects have written extensively on the science behind this.  Are they correct or is some actress on a talk show correct?  Is a French vast conspiracy theorist correct that a plane could not have caused the damage to the Pentagon, or is the video, photos and eye-witness testimony correct?

(3) Write to or talk to people who have already been exposed to the theory and have rejected it, especially those who would have very much wanted it to be true.

(4) Examine the life and fruit of those promoting the theory. 

Christians have no business being involved with this stuff.  It's one thing to point out genuine evil, but if you spout this stuff without facts and proof and in the face of all facts and proof, you're just guilty of slander, rumor mongering, lying and bearing false witness.  Don't waste your breath being a witness for the enemy.  Instead, spend your time being a witness of the good news of Jesus Christ. 

One of the interesting things I've found about people who claim to be Christians, yet do nothing but promote these ideas, is that their entire concentration is on Satan and evil.  There is no good news of salvation. In researching one of the major proponents of these ideas who claims to be a Christian, I found his own words telling.  He said that the earth is "marching to a time table based upon Satanic considerations."  In the Bible, the world is marching to a time table fully created by God and fully under His control, leading to final judgment for this world and the final redemption of the saints.  See the difference in focus!  So, what are you focusing on?  What does your belief in a vast conspiracy theory force you to focus on?  Do you see a demon behind every corner, or the hand of God?  Perhaps it's time to take heed of Paul's admonition to the Church in Phillipi: "Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Phil 4:8

Further, let us consider Paul's advice to Timothy:

"As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mighest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. (1 Tim. 1: 3-4)

But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. (1 Tim. 4:7)

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings.  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and estitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw theyself. (1 Tim. 6:3-5)

The best article I've ever read on this issue comes from Dean & Laura VanDruff from Dallas, TX.  

They ask the following question: "Should Christians be involved in the promulgation of esoteric theories as likely wrong as not and with such a dismal history of accuracy?"  They then proceed to answer this question.

Read the following section from this article:

"The sources of Conspiracy Theory notions are suspicious--to be generous. But regardless of a dubious historical pedigree, is Conspiracy Theory true or merely a paranoid delusion coupled with an active imagination? Or is it just the human tradition of "ghost stories" taken to a new level of story-telling believability?

These questions must be asked by modern-day Christians since Conspiracy Theory concepts and assumptions are intertwined with modern pop-eschatology "end times" teaching. This (unfortunately) being the case--and Conspiracy Theory assertions are clearly extra-biblical--we must "test all things" (1Thessalonians 5:21) by doing a thorough "fruit inspection" of these ideas. For we are told to judge a tree by its fruit (Matthew 7:16-20).

Unless we are ready to suggest that fear, paranoia, delusion, slander, and hatred are new "fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-23), we need to go into this with the instinctive spiritual premonition that Conspiracy Theory is likely to fail the test and with the view to let the Holy Spirit lead us to repentance."

I hope this whets your appetite for reading this informative and intelligent assessment of conspiracy theories.  Since the VanDruffs have done such a good job, there is no need for me to comment further, except to urge you to read their article.

http://www.acts17-11.com/conspire.html

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