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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">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. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">Subject:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">
<b>Why Your Christian Friends and Family Members Are So Easily Fooled by Conspiracy Theories | by Joe Forrest | Interfaith Now | Medium</b></span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://medium.com/interfaith-now/why-your-christian-friends-and-family-members-are-so-easily-fooled-by-conspiracy-theories-5c36a835ef07" target="_blank">Why
Your Christian Friends and Family Members Are So Easily Fooled by Conspiracy Theories | by Joe Forrest | Interfaith Now | Medium</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Schoolbook",serif">Summary Points<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Schoolbook",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">While </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%"><a href="https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/why-do-people-believe-covid-19-conspiracy-theories/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">most
conspiracy theories are driven by partisan agendas</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">, they’re not one and the same. You can have a right- or left-leaning
perspective on current events and <em><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">not</span></em> 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 — </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2014/08/21/conspiracy-theories-arent-just-for-conservatives/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">liberal
democrats have their own pet conspiracy theories</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Century Schoolbook",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">For the sake of my argument, by <em><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">conspiracy
theory</span></b></em> I mean, <strong><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">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.</span></strong>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Century Schoolbook",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">I’m talking about conspiracy theories related to </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%"><a href="https://www.vox.com/2018/10/25/18018606/false-flags-clinton-soros-alex-jones-infowars-cnn" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">false
flag attacks</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">, Deep State, Illuminati, Freemasons, QAnon, Flat Earth, shadow government, or any other belief system
that hinges on <strong><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">the assumption that much of our lives are controlled by plots hatched in secret places by a select few individuals.<br>
<br>
</span></strong></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Century Schoolbook",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">In a sense, most conspiracy theories aren’t much different than the “<a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/myst/hd_myst.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:0pt;text-decoration:none">mystery
cults</span></a>” the apostle <a href="https://doctrine.org/pauls-mystery" target="_blank"><span style="color:#292929;text-decoration:none">Paul had to contend with at the city of Ephesus</span></a>. 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 <a href="https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/4/25/15408610/conspiracy-theories-psychologist-explained" target="_blank"><span style="color:#292929;text-decoration:none">spread
among people with lower levels of education</span></a>. But that doesn’t mean people who are higher educated are immune to their allure. Conspiracy theories are just as likely to <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.932.4588&rep=rep1&type=pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:#292929;text-decoration:none">spread
among people with radical political ideologies</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">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 </span><b><span style="background:white">someone is in control of all this madness.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;box-sizing: inherit;word-break:break-word;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px" id="7b66">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">So, when someone posts a conspiracy theory video on social media with the message, “</span><b><span style="background:white">Don’t
give in to fear! Stay informed!</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">”, they’re most likely writing to themselves.<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">In a modern world devoid of danger and threat, </span><b>conspiracy theories help
bring purpose and urgency to the mundanity of our lives </b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">— which may help explain why they spread so quickly among<a href="https://www.insider.com/lifestyle-influencers-using-covid-19-to-spread-qanon-conspiracy-theory-2020-5" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:0pt;text-decoration:none"> lifestyle
bloggers</span></a>, <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemcneal/wayfair-qanon-influencers-instagram" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:0pt;text-decoration:none">Instagram
influencers</span></a>, and the <a href="https://instrumentofmercy.com/2020/02/24/essential-oils-hoax/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:0pt;text-decoration:none">“wellness”
community</span></a>.<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">After renowned pastor <a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2020/april/christians-and-corona-conspiracies.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:0pt;text-decoration:none">Ed
Stetzer wrote an article for </span><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:0pt;text-decoration:none">Christianity Today</span></i></a> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white"><br>
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 </span><b>rotten at the core</b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">.
It’s obvious they’re rooted in fear, insecurity, and loneliness. And they’re often designed to give us </span><b>more reasons to loathe our ideological enemies</b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">.<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">“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.<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">Conspiracy<a href="https://www.economist.com/open-future/2019/08/12/conspiracy-theories-are-dangerous-heres-how-to-crush-them" target="_blank"><span style="color:#292929;text-decoration:none"> theories
aren’t harmless</span></a>. To this day, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/12/14/788117375/his-son-was-killed-at-sandy-hook-then-came-the-online-harassment" target="_blank"><span style="color:#292929;text-decoration:none">conspiracy theorists still harass
the families of the first-grade children who died in the Sandy Hook school shooting</span></a>. <br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">In his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+5%3A20-22&version=MSG" target="_blank"><span style="color:#292929;text-decoration:none">the
apostle Paul wrote</span></a>, “Don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted by evil” (</span><i>The Message</i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">).<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:center">
<strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#202020;background:white"> “Darkness cannot drive out darkness,</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:center">
<strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#202020;background:white"> only light can do that. </span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:center">
<strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#202020;background:white"> Hate cannot drive out hate,</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:center">
<strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#202020;background:white"> only love can do that.” </span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#202020;background:white"> </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:center">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#202020;background:white">Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – Strength to Love, 1963</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#292929;letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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