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Should a Christian be interested in conspiracy theories?



    
    

Clarify Share Report Asked July 01 2013 Mini Anonymous (via GotQuestions)

Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.

15
Shea S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries
Who killed JFK? What is the Illuminati? Was there equipment on the space shuttle that caused earthquakes? If God reveals the answer to any of these speculations, we should be thankful He has brough...

July 01 2013 1 response Vote Up Share Report


6
Data Becky Blanton Supporter
Conspiracy goes back to the garden of Eden - beginning with the Devil's attempt to twist the truth and create in Eve the desire to act on misinformation. At its very base conspiracy is about the attempts, efforts, beliefs and actions of one party or group to sway the actions, beliefs and faith of another in a direction away from the truth. 

There are "conspiracies" that say King David knew Jesus would be born at a time in the future and provided for him with his inheritance, creating the first secret society - the Magi - who were to "wait and watch" for the signs in the heavens of the birth of Christ. David left an inheritance to ensure the members of this secret society had the funding to travel to Mary, Joseph and Jesus to give them the gifts they would need to live on while in exile, hiding from Herod. Other "conspiracies" say that Adam told his son Seth about the "star" that used to rest over the tree of life in the Garden of Eden but that disappeared when Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden. Adam supposedly told Seth to watch for the star because it contained the secret to eternal life and to man's return to the garden of Eden. 

When conspiracies motivate us to search out scripture, to study the Bible, to question truth vs myth or story, they can drive us deeper into the word and the study of the Bible and the mystery and truth that is God. 

Genesis 6:6 talks about fallen angels coming to earth to mate with human women and produce offspring called "Nephilm," who became the giants and creatures we know today through Greek and Roman mythology. There is enough archeological and scientific evidence to back up conspiracies about aliens (demons) and supernatural creatures that this conspiracy is worth studying. In fact, many of those who do so - Chuck Missler, Tom Horn, Chris Putnam, LA Marzuli and others are conservative Christians who follow, document and detail conpiracies from a Biblical perspective.

It's easy to get sucked into a rabbit hole of conspiracty about things that lead to a study of darker, demonic agendas, but I do believe that the study of conspiracy theories is Biblical. It wasn't until I started reading conspiracy theories that I turned back to God, the BIble and my faith. It was in connecting all the dots of history, wars, personalities, people and events that I realized how prophetic and accurate the Bible was. In other words, the truth and scope of events I saw in history proved to me the prophecy, truth and events in the Bible.

When I saw that Satan had plotted the overthrow of God, then man - from Adam and Eve, through time, through two world wars, the targeting of Jews, and all the events that have come together to create the ongoing spiritual struggle the Bible describes - it was like a light went off. The more I study conspiracy in terms of Biblical prophecy, the more my faith grows. 

As with any interest or study, turn to the Bible and have a grounded, strong and clear foundation of the word. Don't become so distracted and enamored with talk/stories of giant, UFOs, secret societies etc. That you become more interested in the entertainment than the truth. Have a goal in mind when reading conspiracy theories - and always, always, always read the Bible for the original word on things. I've seen many conspiracies twist scripture or make outrageous claims based on an interpretation, not the actual scripture itself. Remember the Bible holds the biggest conspiracy stories of all - and that all that is out there merely embellishes what true Christians already know - That Christ is the answer and way to our salvation and that throughout time God has shown us that and will continue to do so.

November 19 2016 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


0
Chuck jr 2 Chuck Smith Jr Supporter Soul-shaper
For me the definitive statement on conspiracy theories is found in the prophecy of Isaiah, "For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, saying: 'Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread'" (Isaiah 8:11-13, ESV)

A remarkable feature of this passage is that the prophecy links conspiracy theories with fear and dread. We are familiar with the unnecessary (and sometimes silly) precautions people have taken on the basis of conspiracy theories.

But there is another side to conspiracy and fear.

In 1964 Richard Hofstadter wrote an essay (published in Harper's Magazine) in which he addressed "The Paranoid Style In American Politics." There he linked conspiracies and the sort of fearful thinking that produced them. Since then, others have researched the conspiracy theories of various subcultures and nationalistic and religious groups.

Conspiracy theories are intriguing, even seductive, and we are easily distracted. Nevertheless, God's instructions are specific could not be more clear, "Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread." Even if there were sinister conspiracies behind world or national economies and events, those are not the concerns we are to worry about or allow to become the focus of our attention.

For the church, it is not merely in some things, but in "everything" that Jesus is preeminent (Colossians 1:18).

July 27 2019 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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