Conspiracy theories have always been present, but lately they seem to be abounding.
Most of them beggar belief, but it is simply astounding to note from how certain articles go viral, or how some friends cite such theories as what is ”really going on”.
This is my take on why people subscribe to such “revelatory exposés”.
1. It makes them feel smarter than others
“Aha! This is something I found out that you ignorant masses have no clue of.”
“See? You are being exploited by these evil people/firms/governments and because you never pause to think and just accept everything at face value, you are continually being hoodwinked and taken advantage of!”
They feel that they know the ”truth”, no matter how obscure the ”online news agency” reporting this news is. Everyone knows that any one person can set up a website and pepper it with articles these days to look like a reputable news agency, when there are no verifiable credentials or corroborated sources. They can publish anything they want, because of their fly by night nature. The next day, the website is down, because they have no way of substantiating their bizarre claims, and the instant, all-too-predictable of the conspiracy theory faithfuls will instantaneously be “Oh! Google has zapped them because they don’t want the TRUTH to get out!”. Who are the ones who have parked their brains outside the door, really?
2. It satisfies their itching ears
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
2 Tim 4:3
This verse is directed at doctrine, but the reference to itching ears seems apt. Some just naturally have a predisposition to believe conspiracies, possibly because of their worldview or their innate prejudices.
So when they come across a piece of news that aligns with their mental bias, no matter how scanty the evidence, they chose to believe it hook, line and sinker.
That might not be so bad in itself, but what’s worse is when they choose to share the information to convince others of the ”truth” so that the wool may be lifted from their clouded eyes.
3. Distrust is woven into their psyche
Many times, I feel that proponents of conspiracy theory have a deep distrust of the establishment, systems and structures that have been put in place for the good of the majority. Perhaps life has dealt the hard blows, and they find it hard to trust people, or figures of authority. Distrust has thus been woven into their psyche ever since.
Whilst it is good to maintain a healthy skepticism of everything that the establishment or ”mainstream media” churns out, and maintain a high level of critical thinking at certain headlines (e.g. this is couched a certain way to persuade us to think a certain way), this is distinct from distrusting EVERYTHING you see, and believing EVERYTHING reported on some spurious website with nothing concrete backing it.
What should we do with Foolish Controversies
Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.
2 Tim 2:23
Ultimately, I have chosen to disengage those who circulate conspiracy theories, especially when they are itching for a fight. There is no win. More importantly, the bible warns us against getting caught up in these because they are just the most unproductive use of mental space and time.
Sadly, many of those who choose to believe conspiracy theories appear to be Christians. A friend told me that he would not be surprised that half or more of those in conspiracy theory groups (tellingly naming themselves ”Truth Warriors”) are Christian brothers and sisters. Empirically and anecdotally, this indeed appears to be so.
In fact, entire articles have been written on why Christians seem to be predisposed to believe such conspiracy theories. That is tragic indeed.
Our response to these brethren has to be as gentle and as loving, whilst firmly directing them to corroborate such articles with solid evidence. All too often they grasp at the straw of ”but this must be true, that’s why it will be taken down soon, because the world does not want you to know the truth”. In the same breath, they tend to cite how news disappearing (and even people disappearing) happens all the time in dictatorships or communist regimes. Yes, it does happen in those regimes but to believe that the entire world is as such just doesn’t seem rational.
They will argue that we are the ones in denial. Why can’t we see? Why do we “choose not to see”?
We might never win the argument, and even if we manage to, it is no point winning an argument but ruining a relationship. Ultimately, everyone is answerable to God for what we say, how we live, what news we share. And all I can say is, we have to be ready to answer to God for every action. Because as each day passes, the Lord’s coming only seems more and more imminent.
Lord, have mercy.
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