Religious Belief And Conspiracy Theory.

[nailit]

I'm not talking about your average, liberal, God believer so I'll get that out of the way first.
Im talking about the evangelicals and fundamentalists.....

There seems to be a similar mindset between the conspiracy theorists and fundamental religious believers (Whether it be Christians, Muslims or others)
At the moment, we have the Covid deniers with their ideas that Covid is a scam designed so that the 'Elites' (whoever they are...Bill Gates etc) can take over and depopulate the world. Or inject us all with a microchip. Or enslave us all or whatever (Plus agenda 21, Georgia Guide stones etc)
Then we have the Fundy's who believe that we are in the end times and we will all receive the Marl of the Beast...666, Armageddon is upon us, Satan is let loose, 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse and so on.

Not all conspiracy theorists are religious
Not all religious are conspiracy theorists.

But there does seem to be a lot of overlap in the way of thinking.
Are conspiracy theorist drawn to these ideas in the same way that the religious fundamentalists are drawn to THEIR way of thinking?

Just throwing this out for discussion...
Thanks.

[Theland]

And thanks to you.
Yes end time prophecies are quite clear, and lo and behold, what we see going on around us in the world ties in with it.

[douglas9401]

Some say 'oh god, not again'.

[woofgang]

why would they think it if they weren't drawn towards it? That's like asking if people with red hair have red hair because they have got red hair?

[Mozz71]

Their seem to be a lot of evangelical preachers out there who are devout Trumpites, stil pushing the old "he won the election" bs and such rhetoric suggesting that God has told them that Trump will, even now, still be president.

People buy this crap they're spilling. It's pathetic.

[bookbinder]

Seen one conspiracy theory, seen 'em all.

[nailit]

//That's like asking if people with red hair have red hair because they have got red hair?//
EH?
People with red hair dont have a say in the matter.
What a ridiculous response.

[woofgang]

I suspect that many if not all of those people drawn to those thoughts don't have a say in the matter either....like having an addictive personality

[nailit]

Woof,
you're basically saying that people dont have free will or a mind to think with.
I have an addictive personality but I KNOW that I have an addictive personality. And Knowing that I can accommodate it into my life.
Having red hair (something that I have no control over) is another thing..

TBF, I think I know what you're saying now.

[Atheist]

I think that religion fans are lacking a certain faculty of requiring hard evidence to support their beliefs, and so they are vulnerable to falling for false prophets (or snake-oil salesmen). Once you believe anything, you will believe anything (copyright G K Chesterton).

[jno]

no, I don't think there's a connection. People believe what they want. I believe that dingos exist, but I've never see none.

There's a story here about one QAnon devotee. She compares Manhattan to Nazi Germany, won't wear a mask except at the grocer's, believes there's a video of Hillary Clinton committing murder, and she enjoys the sense of community of her fellow devotees. You'll find such thinking on AB - those who use the word EURRS or fill posts with clippings from Breitbart. But she's not religious; her faith is in QAnon.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/17/technology/qanon-meme-queen.html

It's a great read, in its odd way.

[jno]

*EUSSR* that should be, of course

[nailit]

//no, I don't think there's a connection. People believe what they want//
The irony...

[Atheist]

jno; surely she is religious - she believes without evidence, because she wants to believe what suits her.

[fiveleaves]

The beliefs of fundamentalists Christian are based on the Bible. This is no conspiracy theory it has been there for everyone to read for many hundreds of years.
Conspiracy theories are advanced and promoted by attention seekers and fantasists. There have always been nutters around but in the pre Internet age they were easier to ignore.
The Internet gives such people almost unlimited oxygen to spread their delusion and lies.
I have a work colleague who lives and breathes conspiracy theories. Conversations with him are a challenge.
People no longer want to accept a simple, straightforward answer to any accident or catastophe. There has to be some hidden hand behind it. My colleague is not in the slightest bit religious by the way

[jno]

am I religious becasue it suits me to believe in dingos and quarks?

[Theland]

I am, '' religious,'' because that is the convenient adjective applied to me by others, not by me.

[dance2trance]

We should all celebrate and rejoice in the Covid 19 pandemic because it is God claiming his dear souls to himself - those left alive are the evil sinners and will suffer life in this veil of tears. Remember God wants you dead and with him.

[Theland]

Dance - and you got that how? From where?

[Arksided]

Wow, think I'll stick to being an Angelic Jedi, and bow before those ancient aliens when they turn up to save us all.

[nailit]

//We should all celebrate and rejoice in the Covid 19 pandemic because it is God claiming his dear souls to himself - those left alive are the evil sinners and will suffer life in this veil of tears. Remember God wants you dead and with him//

Sick^^