Christian Theology or Conspiracy Theory?

Hi guys! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve sat down to write!

So, how is Rona treating everyone?

All sarcasm aside, I pray this blog finds everyone as physically and mentally healthy as possible during this crazy time.

Just in case the virus hasn’t made you lose your ever loving mind quite yet, have you taken a scroll through social media recently? If your newsfeed looks anything like mine previously did, staying sane may present a bit of a challenge. That is until I decided to do a massive newsfeed cleanup. And I can tell you, it has made a huge difference in my mood.

Now, I know you are probably judging me a little, I would be judging me as well by that statement. I mean why would I delete people whom I have known for years? Am I that shallow that since we don’t all believe the same way in every matter, we can no longer be “friends”? Not even a little bit.

But hear me out.

Religious conspiracy theories.

I’m sure you have seen them. Maybe you have circulated one or two or even believed a few. But it has gotten me thinking; why does it seem that religious folk tend to be the most vulnerable to believe and share utter nonsense?

I am not talking about posts pertaining to Biblical Christian views and values. I am talking about the extreme, tin hat type conspiracy theories. The kind that insinuate everyone in the world has it out for them and their very fate lies in some far off (probably government ran) orchestration of behind the scenes puppet string like evil.

Now, if you are one who is always looking for these types of hidden agendas, maybe you should stop reading now. I don’t want you believing the antichrist directed me to write this through some secret portal in the hole my dog dug in the backyard.

That was a joke.

In all reality, I truly don’t want to offend anyone for any reason. Which is precisely one reason why I had to strain out my social media friends. It was getting really hard for me to keep scrolling and not stop to comment on some of the posts.

Here’s the thing, the nonreligious world thinks we are crazy enough. Throw in some good old fashioned conspiracy theories and viola you have severed any avenue of opportunity for common ground.

Before anyone can take the stance of Biblical end time prophesies, let me just say, the Bible clearly states no one knows the exact time or the hour it all ends, and if you are a true believer, why be afraid of anything that lies ahead? Your ultimate goal is eternity with Christ anyway right? Why fret?

Religious folks have been at the root of conspiracy theories for decades, just look at the Salem Witch Trials. In 1668, Joseph Glanvill stated ingenious men should believe in witches and apparitions, and if they doubted the reality of spirits they not only denied demons but also the almighty God. Puritans not wanting to look less than “ingenious”, coupled with the fears arising from a smallpox outbreak, and dealings with the Native American tribes in the area, people began finding the evils of witchcraft everywhere. Before it was all over, the mass hysteria caused more than 200 people to be accused of witchcraft including several children and 20 to be executed.

Sound familiar? How many times have you seen or heard someone say something was “of the devil”? Coronavirus? Racial tensions? It’s almost like we are relieving a little bit of the 1660s for the Puritans. Add in the far reaches and fast sharing of information from social media and all of a sudden mass hysteria ensues.

But why is it religious people have the tendencies to so quickly find evil everywhere and to spread untruths without even taking the time to fact check them?

This is the question I am grappling with.

Spreading fear and distrust is not of Christ.

Philippians 4 states this:

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

1 Timothy 1 says:

…so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

The Bible makes it clear how Christ followers should speak, behave, and interact with others. Not once can I find anything in the Bible which states we should incite fear, spread lies and hysteria, or bias political propaganda. (I am a Christian before I am an American, but that is a different discussion for a different day).

As a Christian, I know that if Christ is for me, who can be against me? I also know that times and seasons are in God’s hands, and in whom shall I fear?

If everyone in the world truly is out to get me, so what? If I sincerely believe my salvation lies in Christ and eternal rest lies ahead, why be afraid?

I conclude with this thought:

My Christian brothers and sisters, don’t be so gullible. Don’t aid Satan, the Father of Lies in his quest to bring down the children of God. He doesn’t need any additional assistance. The world is a scary enough place trying to navigate peacefully through life and eventually to death without making up asinine conspiracy theories to complicate it. It’s hard enough just parenting teenagers! I don’t need the additional stress of worrying about all of the ridiculous crazy things people come up with by twisting valid news stories.

Check your sources, make educated decisions, don’t be tossed to and fro by every wind of conspiracy theorists.

And for the love of Pete, stop posting on Facebook from the bathroom, you know they’re listening to you! 😉