I can remember a book published back in the late 1980’s called 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988. Obviously, the book was not accurate. However, it did manage to sell 4.5 million copies and caused the Trinity Broadcasting Network, the “World’s Largest Faith Channel”, to periodically include instructions for what to do as the Rapture approached. Obviously, Pastor Harold Camping had a similar experience with his prediction of the Rapture in May of 2011. He managed to get Family Radio to support his prediction and similarly include regular instructions for what to do as the date approached. For centuries, the Christian community has suffered through bouts of end-times fever that generally lead it into embarrassment and allow the name of Christian to be mocked by non-Christians. Part of what makes end-times fever possible is precisely our proclamation that someday Our Lord will return, “and he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead … .” But, as many a teacher has pointed out, there is a difference between believing that he will come again and thinking that you know the date of when he will come again.
That same type of thinking is found among conspiracy theorists. They will come up with what appear to be ironclad reasons why something must be true, and hold onto it tenaciously regardless of any possible evidence against their opinion. For instance, among many Arabs there is a popular belief that America planned the 9/11 attacks in order to have an excuse to either invade the Middle East or to destroy Islam. Among Americans there are groups that are regularly convinced that the UN is about to somehow take over world control, or the Federal government, or some shadowy private organization. The American science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein wrote a science fiction book in 1982 called Friday which saw a world in which globalized corporations where the true shadow government behind the ostensible national governments. And that was before the term globalization was in wide use!
What make all these theories possible is a confusion. Those involved in either end-time predictions or in conspiracy theories fail to differentiate between causal relationships and casual relationships. Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is with an idea that became popular a few years ago called, Six Degrees of Separation.
===MORE TO COME===
I have a theory about conspiracy theories (and rapturist theories in particular). It’s easier to believe the conspiracy theory (no matter how complicated) because it gives the believer a way to make sense of the nonsensical life here, to control that which cannot be controlled, a simpler solution to a complex problem, and gives them a sense of being “in the know” without actually having to do any educational work, critical thinking, etc.
I once had a boyfriend (not for long) who did not believe, or was entertaining the non-belief, that we went to the moon. Any attempt to convince him otherwise was met with “you have your evidence and I have mine.” It ended the relationship because I saw it, not as a legitimate way to view the world, but an attempt to be “knowledgeable” about something without being “educated.”
Conspiracy theories always play to our most basic and exciting emotions, with really very little work. And very little impact on anything that may actually need to be addressed or changed…
…and gives them a sense of being “in the know” without actually having to do any educational work, critical thinking, etc.
The Essence of Gnosticism — the Secret (Occult) Special Knowledge (Gnosis) We and We Alone possess.
People will believe anything in order to not have to change. Religion proves that.
Well, conspiracy is by its nature related.
The official version of events provides an isolated explanation. The events on out world seem non-sensible to someone who has not developed the mental faculties to perceive lateral patterns or the relationships between events.
The conspiracy version of events tie into the same root cause. Once enough theories have been critically analyzed relationships to a central structure become apparent.
Accepting the truth present in conspiracy requires a much more complex worldview than accepting what everyone else believes. Or similarly accepting what someone deemed credible says because their credibility removes the readers responsibility to evaluate the validity of the idea themselves. (Good example of subconscious naive ignorance)
When you integrate conspiracies to a knowledge of why things happen the way they do and how the world functions you are solving the most complex problem there is on our planet. You develop a model that deals with the multi-dimensional nature of the universe, politics in the galaxy, spiritual and science, absolution of the concept of time. The nature of consciousness, religion & spirituality all of it conspiracy theorists strive to explain with a universal philosophy closest to the truth.
In no way is a belief in a conspiracy easier than belief in what one is told. I am a highly intelligent person whom you would identify as a conspiracy theorist. I have spent four years at university getting a systematic training as an engineer. Which puts me in a position to claim origination from the same position as the everyday skeptic.
I am socially adept to and can fit in with crowds that subscribe to the belief conspiracy theorists are “mentally challenged”
I tell you this because it establishes the context for my next statement. – Forcing my belief system to undergo a complete restructure based on analysis of conspiracy theories has been the hardest and most educational thing i have ever dealt with in my life. Ever. It is not the easy way out.
If someone subscribes to conspiracy because it makes a part of their life easier, you will find they will “grow out of it” This happens because they see no relevance to the information other than that it is to make an aspect of their lives easier (temporarily) They do not the analyse and learn the information they are exposed to and so the information does not change who they are. (As opposed to life experiences seasoning or maturing a human)
Belief in conspiracy isolates and alienates an entity socially, requires incredible will power.
I hope this has helped you to perceive your theory from a new perspective. It is a decent idea and could be applied to many things in life similar to conspiracy.
My criticism however if you will accept it is that it is too simplistic to be applied to conspiracy. It requires much more psychology and investigation into the mechanisms of human belief. For example, through what mechanism is a human in a specific state of consciousness gullible? so on so on. I state things are being orchestrated far in excess of superhuman intelligence. There are no simple answers to why?
I would apply your theory to rapturist ideas however. Its seems to be quite common the tendency to deny responsibility and wait for the rapture…. Again ignorance
Additionally i should add that stereotyping of conspiracy theorists and skeptics is another symptom of humans tendancy for ignorance.
If you take half of the population at random you will find they are of low intellect, incapable of discerning fact (Lets use marketing as proof) from fiction and easy to manipulate. They take no responsibility for their health (look at all the obese humans and those on antidepressants etc) and learn little from their relationships in life (Look at all the people in dysfunctional relationships)
If you take half of the population of skeptics you will find that they are insecure and looking to address it with nonconstructive bickering.
If you take half of the population of conspiracy theorists you will find similar.
So, folks, we should all agree that any preconceived ideas of conspiracy theorists or skeptics abilities to determine the truth are erroneous.
With that being said all that matters is your own beliefs and the information you analyse. You will never be responsible for others beliefs and you will always be wasting your energy should you try to make a sleeping human see the light…
One more thing…
Derp.