[Craic] FW: Thinking about conspiracy theories and Censorship

[David Walsh]

This article considers some points we discussed in our CRAIC conversation yesterday. A few summary points are outlined below if you don’t have time to read the full article.
Subject: Why Your Christian Friends and Family Members Are So Easily Fooled by Conspiracy Theories | by Joe Forrest | Interfaith Now | Medium
Why Your Christian Friends and Family Members Are So Easily Fooled by Conspiracy Theories | by Joe Forrest | Interfaith Now | Medium<https://medium.com/interfaith-now/why-your-christian-friends-and-family-members-are-so-easily-fooled-by-conspiracy-theories-5c36a835ef07>
Summary Points

While most conspiracy theories are driven by partisan agendas<https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/why-do-people-believe-covid-19-conspiracy-theories/>, they’re not one and the same. You can have a right- or left-leaning perspective on current events and not be guilty of spreading unfounded conspiracy theories — this is an important distinction to make. (And, it should be noted, while my exposure to conspiracy theories is conditional upon my social environment — conservative and evangelical — liberal democrats have their own pet conspiracy theories<https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2014/08/21/conspiracy-theories-arent-just-for-conservatives/>).

For the sake of my argument, by conspiracy theory I mean, the assumption that “a well-organized effort initiated by an elite group of powerful men and women secretly working toward a singular goal or vision that often involves collaboration between government agencies and the media.”

I’m talking about conspiracy theories related to false flag attacks<https://www.vox.com/2018/10/25/18018606/false-flags-clinton-soros-alex-jones-infowars-cnn>, Deep State, Illuminati, Freemasons, QAnon, Flat Earth, shadow government, or any other belief system that hinges on the assumption that much of our lives are controlled by plots hatched in secret places by a select few individuals.

In a sense, most conspiracy theories aren’t much different than the “mystery cults<https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/myst/hd_myst.htm>” the apostle Paul had to contend with at the city of Ephesus<https://doctrine.org/pauls-mystery>. Mystery cults were very common in Ancient Rome, and they attracted followers by promising to reveal the “mysteries of the universe” to those who joined. This was a very seductive hook. And it’s one of the reasons conspiracy theories are more likely to spread among people with lower levels of education<https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/4/25/15408610/conspiracy-theories-psychologist-explained>. But that doesn’t mean people who are higher educated are immune to their allure. Conspiracy theories are just as likely to spread among people with radical political ideologies<http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.932.4588&rep=rep1&type=pdf>.

In a weird way, the idea of a secret cabal of powerful men and women pulling the strings on international events (like assassinations, pandemics, terrorist attacks, world wars, etc.) is somewhat comforting because at least it implies someone is in control of all this madness.

So, when someone posts a conspiracy theory video on social media with the message, “Don’t give in to fear! Stay informed!”, they’re most likely writing to themselves.

In a modern world devoid of danger and threat, conspiracy theories help bring purpose and urgency to the mundanity of our lives — which may help explain why they spread so quickly among lifestyle bloggers<https://www.insider.com/lifestyle-influencers-using-covid-19-to-spread-qanon-conspiracy-theory-2020-5>, Instagram influencers<https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemcneal/wayfair-qanon-influencers-instagram>, and the “wellness” community<https://instrumentofmercy.com/2020/02/24/essential-oils-hoax/>.

After renowned pastor Ed Stetzer wrote an article for Christianity Today<https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2020/april/christians-and-corona-conspiracies.html> calling for Christians to avoid posting conspiracy theories about COVID-19, the Christian publication had to amend the original article with a note commenting on the flood of vitriol the article received.

And it’s important to note that a lot of Christians share conspiracy theories out of good faith. They believe they’re “exposing the truth.” But most conspiracy theories are rotten at the core. It’s obvious they’re rooted in fear, insecurity, and loneliness. And they’re often designed to give us more reasons to loathe our ideological enemies.

“If there was ever a group of people that should care about the truth, it should be the people who believe ‘the truth sets you free.’ Integrity should matter for Christians, but too often it does not.

Conspiracy theories aren’t harmless<https://www.economist.com/open-future/2019/08/12/conspiracy-theories-are-dangerous-heres-how-to-crush-them>. To this day, conspiracy theorists still harass the families of the first-grade children who died in the Sandy Hook school shooting<https://www.npr.org/2019/12/14/788117375/his-son-was-killed-at-sandy-hook-then-came-the-online-harassment>.

In his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, the apostle Paul wrote<https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+5%3A20-22&version=MSG>, “Don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted by evil” (The Message).

Before sharing something, ask yourself: Does this worldview diminish or ignore other people’s real suffering? If the answer is yes, you probably shouldn’t share or post it.
 “Darkness cannot drive out darkness,
 only light can do that.
 Hate cannot drive out hate,
 only love can do that.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.   – Strength to Love, 1963




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