How should Christians respond to Conspiracy Theories?

Conspiracy theories have become increasingly popular in society at large, and amongst Christians. Why is that, and how should we as Christians respond? Part of the attraction is the desire to solve mysteries, to be at the cutting edge of research, but they can be unsatisfactory – I confess I have read quite a few of them, trying to weigh truth and falsehood. Christians are of course a people who are committed to truth, and are called to a higher level of moral conduct than the world. There is a balance to be struck between seeking to understand the world at a deeper level, and maintaining sound judgement so as to be a good witness to non-believers. But also, people increasingly want to know what is true in a Post-modern world that sometimes seems dystopian. Christians are asked to provide answers to complex questions.

Q flag with message WWG1WGA - wiki commons Anthony Crider

Firstly, we need to consider what a conspiracy theory is. It may be noted that conspiracies do occur, and there are laws against conspiracies in the legal system. People may be charged with conspiracy to defraud, or to rob a bank, or to commit murder for example. Conspiracies normally involve several people working together in secret to commit a crime. The Police gather evidence, and then it is presented in court by the officers and prosecution lawyers so that it may be tested. In that sense the prosecution case may be described as a conspiracy theory, until the case is proven, or rejected.

Unfortunately, what often passes as conspiracy theory today doesn’t deserve to be called theory. This is because there is insufficient evidence, or no attempt to gather evidence or engage in validation. Conspiracy hypotheses, or conspiracy hunches, or even just plain old-fashioned gossip may be a more appropriate description. Some of the conspiracy claims descend into new age beliefs, with beliefs about aliens mixed in, or that leading western leaders such as the Queen are possessed by lizards. That is a good clue to move on, and pay no further attention.

But on the other hand, increasingly today any political or social position that doesn’t agree with the official narrative of politicians and the main stream media is labelled a conspiracy theory. We may note that politicians don’t always tell the truth, and the media often seeks to establish truth through sentiment instead of through objective discussions; this along the lines of a Humean approach to ethics. Increasingly, the media doesn’t allow honest dialogue over controversial subjects, but promotes its own preferred, and rather narrow agenda. More often-than-not today, television presenters interview their own internal correspondents in a way that establishes the limits of social interaction over various issues. Perhaps they are not even aware of their bias. 

It is in this context that people seek out alternative media. But even here we find increasing censorship, and this is plain to see. Twitter and Facebook ban, or shadow-ban, people for voicing the wrong opinion. An alternative to Twitter, Parler, was closed down by Amazon Web Services because it was becoming popular by conservative voices. As well, Google searches are weighted towards official fact checkers, thus hiding alternative views, which makes weighing competing claims and evidence increasingly difficult.

So, there is a real struggle to get to grips with what is true in our society, and what we are allowed to think or say. But often it is necessary to keep an open mind between the claims of the mainstream media and the alternative media when there is insufficient evidence to form an opinion. Otherwise, we risk being deceived, and if we share such things, we may spread false gossip. We can say that some conspiracies are true, and are tested, some may be true, but are not tested, and some are obviously false. Real discernment is needed sorting the wheat from the chaff.

Christian response to conspiracies

We also need to recognise that unscrupulous people can play both sides of an argument at the same time to sow division. The devil may even appear as an angel of light for instance (see 2 Corinthians 11). Paul warns against listening to those who might lead us away from the gospel and a pure devotion to Christ, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent.

In secular terminology, there is the concept of Hegelian dialectics. The formation of a thesis and an anti-thesis, with the devil, or people with evil intent, influencing both sides of the argument. This allows the formation of a new synthesis away from biblical Christianity. In the context here deception may arise through the official narrative of the mainstream media, and / or through the conspiracy narrative of the alternative media. We may be led to act in ways that are not Christian by allowing us to become angry through false beliefs and fears for example, whether from official sources or alternative ones.

Q

An example of conspiratorial thinking and the danger of error on both sides is possibly QANON – for several years cryptic messages were posted on the web, which seemed to support Donald Trump against the so-called Democrat ‘swamp.’ This led to groups of people, and many Christians, to search out the hidden meaning. Q seemed to have access to inside information, thus supporting his credibility. But Q failed in the end to stop Trump losing, and many Christians are deeply troubled by this – they perhaps loved Trump too much thinking he is a saviour. But it takes away from faith and true prayer. Some have suggested the Q cryptic game was a way of getting people hooked. There is another possible darker motive: that Q’s ‘Trust the Plan’ was similar to the Marxist Operation Trust from the former Soviet Union, which ran from 1921-26. It deceived patriots into thinking there was a plot to get rid of the communists, when there wasn’t – it only exposed the patriots to capture and defeat. The devil, and the ideological forces of this world, can play both sides, left and right, at the same time to ensnare God’s people.

Heavenly Wisdom 

It is in this context that we need heavenly wisdom – it is a blessing to have the Scriptures that are full of wisdom. The Word of God is our only true foundation.

In Matthew 7:24-27 we are told to put into practice the words that Jesus spoke – it is like building our house upon the rock, who is Christ. Jesus said that we shouldn’t cast our pearls before swine, or give to the dogs those things which are sacred (Matthew 7:6). If these pearls are pearls of wisdom, then it is analogous to searching for truth from amongst non-believers. We may be deceived – instead let us build our houses upon the rock by searching out truth in Christ and in his word.

We are told in this passage that we can pray and that God hears us. We can pray for deliverance from the world system. Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

But some may respond that the Bible encourage conspiratorial views. Revelation 17-18 speaks of mystery Babylon, a controlling world system ruling over the affairs of mankind. It seems conspiratorial. Both Daniel and Revelation give prophecy in terms of hidden coded information (for example the 7x70 of Daniel 9:24-27), although the code begins to unfold when centred upon the work of Christ. But even so, for those who love to search out these prophecies, we need to remember to focus upon the main theme of Scripture, which is Christ and the health of his Church, and hold future prophecy lightly when it has not yet been fully revealed.

Daniel 2 also speaks of the great statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, with head of gold, chest of silver, thighs of bronze, and legs and feet of clay and iron. This represents world powers, and yet the final power is brittle – we are told that the statue will fall, crushed under the feet of the stone kingdom that will be established – that is interpreted as the Church with Christ as head. Jesus said to Peter and the disciples that He (that is Christ) is the great rock-face, and that Hades will not prevail against the Church which is built upon the rock. In this light we as believers have spiritual authority to prophecy in the world – and to the world. To bind evil spiritual powers through prayer, and to pray for righteousness, bringing people into God’s freedom through faith in Jesus (Matthew 16:18). If we are going to trust the plan, then let us trust God’s plan, and use the authority that God has given us, not casting our pearls carelessly before the world by getting carried away with untested conspiracy theories. 

Putting Luther and the holocaust into context

It is important to remember the suffering of Jews and offer regret for anti-Semitism at this time of remembrance for the inhumanity of the Holocaust (Holocaust Memorial Day 27 January). Simon Ponsonby makes some valid points in his Christianity Magazine article on Luther and the Holocaust The shocking truth about Christianity and the Holocaust The shocking truth about Christianity and the Holocaust (premierchristianity.com). But we need to put this into context so as not to create a narrative that may undermine Christian faith and become anti-Christian. It may for example lead Christians to a sense of guilt that is not warranted, or to reject Christianity altogether. How far Christians today should repent for the actions of our distant forefathers is an open question, but we need to learn the lessons of history so as to avoid repeating them.

While Luther’s contradictions are well known, we should not forget the great sacrifice that many people, largely from Christian nations, made during the war-time struggle to end Nazi tyranny. This action brought an end of Hitler’s death camps. Even in Germany, brave theologians such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer stood against fascism and paid with their lives. The darker side of Luther’s more complete teaching were in fact revealed at the time in Britain, with its negative influence on the German psyche. For example, Peter Weiner’s Win the Peace pamphlet Martin Luther: Hitler’s Spiritual Ancestor laid it out in detail for the British reader in the 1940s. 

Historical context

In historical context, a sometimes-fierce struggle for identity developed between Jewish and Christian believers from the earliest centuries. This struggle is related to the personhood of the Messiah and the entity that is Israel. With this struggle, anti-Semitism grew in response from the fourth century after the joining of Church and State. The Christian Church gained a power and wealth from Rome it had not had before, and with power came opportunity for abuse. The Roman Church claimed authority over all of Christendom, and Jews faced discrimination and forced conversion.

Augustine had taught that Jews should at least not be killed, which partially tempered Jewish suffering. But regrettably the rhetorical preaching style of some other early theologians, such as John Chrysostom, led to riots and violence against Jews – and pogroms have continued into modern times. Chrysostom was well read by Luther, although we may note that the golden-mouthed theologian also applied his rhetorical preaching against Christian luminaries such as the Roman Empress Aelia Eudoxia, thus at least not showing favouritism. But the lesson for modern evangelists and theologians is that we need to be careful with how we preach and teach. Through respectful dialogue, and in humility, we can at least build understanding between Jews and Christians over questions of identity.

Reformation

After initially embracing Jews in the hope of their salvation, Luther came to fiercely oppose them with his later teaching, thus showing himself to be inconsistent and a poor follower of Augustine. As well, absolute obedience to the state formed part of Luther’s teaching, which partly explains German acquiescence to the Nazi regime. But we should not forget some of the good teaching that Luther recovered, such as the doctrine of justification by faith. And with the coming of the Reformation there was a desire to break from the corruption and power of Rome. Unfortunately, it only put in place a new set of power structures based upon nation states. Protestant and Catholic states used their power to put to death opponents across Europe, measurable in terms of hundreds of thousands of bodies, and justified in terms of a divine mandate.

The Reformation in Britain followed more closely the teaching of John Calvin, especially as escaping French Huguenots settled in the country. Calvin persistently believed in a future revival amongst Jews because of divine election, and called for respect towards them, so moderating the Lutheran hostility. And many Jews have come to faith over the centuries and made a positive contribution to the growth of the faith. The struggle for ascendency between Protestants and Catholics lasted for several centuries in Britain, but with the new settlers there was also a growing non-conformist tradition that faced persecution from both sides – for example as outlined in Joseph Besse’s Collection of Sufferings of the People called Quakers. When we look at anti-Semitism in context, we need to remember that Christians of different persuasions persecuted each other through many centuries, and this collective suffering was because of an abuse of power by state-sanctioned churches and poor theology.

The naturalistic influence upon the holocaust

The other influence that led to the rise of fascism and anti-Semitism in early twentieth century Germany was a liberal, naturalised faith. As a result, many came to reject faith altogether with a preference for Paganism and nature worship, and acquiescence towards acceptance of evolution. The German Church was compromised by a liberal faith through theologians such as Friedrich Schleiermacher, and with the influence of higher biblical criticism the authority of Scripture was undermined, as was the moral voice of the Germanic churches. This helps to explain why, in response, Karl Barth, the main author of the 1934 Barmen Declaration, was so set against natural theology.

Hitler’s belief was in essence Positive Christianity – a faith devoid of any real meaning, and without a divine being that one might be relationally accountable towards. Hitler spoke of Almighty God in Mein Kampf (My Struggle) but it was in terms of the ‘iron logic of nature’ having creative power over humanity – a power that could not be resisted. Essentially, God was the power of evolution through violent struggle and natural selection. Arthur Keith, in Evolution and Ethics, commented that the Nazi leader in Germany was “an evolutionist not only in theory, but, as millions know to their cost, in the rigor of its practice.” Darwinian survival-of-the-fittest and eugenics informed the Nazi mindset to rationally justify genocide, as much as any real commitment to the Lutheran faith.

Issues of identity today

The question of identity still divides Jews and Christians into the twenty-first century, and divides Christians who hold to the Reformed Covenantal theology on the one hand, and Christian Zionism on the other. Ponsonby uses the opportunity of his article to promote some of the doctrines of Christian Zionism. The Reformed tradition is often accused of holding to super-secessionism: a position that is sometimes asserted to be anti-Semitic. Put simplistically, it is the belief that following the death and resurrection of Christ, God rejected Israel and chose the Church instead. On the other side, some supporters of the State of Israel advance a dual-covenant theology: one for Jews that maintains the continuation of the Old Covenant, and one for Gentile Christians under the New Covenant. And yet when we read Paul's teaching about the weakness of the Law, that it was a curse to those who fail to keep it perfectly (Galatians 3:10), is it really loving to call for Jews to live in that light by denying them the blessing of the gospel? 

When we study Scripture, we ought to place Christ at the centre of our theology. In this regard, it is possible to find a way forward that builds bridges across the identity crisis – it is a way of faith for Jews and Gentiles. Reformed theologian David Holwerda explains it well in his book Jesus and Israel: that through His life, ministry and sacrificial work Christ became Israel and so offers redemption to both Jews and Gentiles. Within the Reformed tradition the Messiah is seen as fulfilling Israel’s mandate as one born King of the Jews. He is the rock of our salvation, and the root in to which we are all grafted, Jews and Gentiles alike. It is in this sense that Christ brings Jews and Gentiles together in Him as one-new-man (Ephesians 2:14-15), thus establishing peace. It isn’t that God rejected Israel, but Israel and the Jews are included in the divine plan of salvation alongside Gentile believers.

Ongoing political questions today

With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 Jews were given the opportunity to live in their historical homeland, with the hope of peace. The advance of a Jewish State followed the horrors of the Holocaust. Unfortunately, the land of Palestine, or the Holy Land as Jews perceive it, was already occupied by Palestinians, a third of whom were Christian in the early twentieth century. As a result of this new Jewish homeland, the two sides have often been at war, and many Palestinians have died, lost their homes or been exiled. Palestinians refer to the forced expulsion of hundreds of thousands of people as al-Nakbah, meaning disaster. And Jews continue to struggle to find peace in the land. It is our duty as Christians to work for peace, justice and reconciliation between both sides in the ongoing struggle in the Middle East.

Summary

The practical outworking of anti-Semitism arose through an abuse of power and the careless rhetorical preaching style of a number of Christians, both of which need to be acknowledged, and we can learn the lessons of history. This also raises questions with regard to the proper relationship between Church and State. While we ought to offer regret over anti-Semitism and remember the horrors of the holocaust, let us not develop an unwarranted narrative that becomes anti-Christian. We need to seek understanding through dialogue between Jews and Gentiles over the question of Israel’s identity, and between different Christian positions.

Andrew Sibley