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Conspiracy Theory, the Religion
One of my perennial favorite topics is the similarities between conspiracy theory research and religion. I’ve written about it in the past, and Kylark turned me on to an interesting discussion of it over on Urban Survival. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have a permanent link directly to this piece, but never fear: I cross-posted it over at the Rigorous Intution Intuition Forum. Here’s the direct link. I’ve not actually read through the entire thing myself yet, but I think the author, Pete Markiewicz, makes one hell of an excellent summary here. Basically, what he’s suggesting is that humanity’s natural religious impulses haven’t been switched off, they’ve simply been switched to other targets (government, the state, etc). He lists five basic tenets of the conspiracy belief system:
- Everything is controlled by a higher power - there are no random events. But this power is human, and human only.
- Secret groups of people with this power cause everything to happen.
- They have this vast power because absolutely anything is possible. As long as I imagine it, it can and will happen.
- There are no limits except human ones.
- Since there are limits in my life, they can only have been created by humans.
- If not for the conspiracy, we would be in a Paradise. All bad things in the world were caused by humanity - there is nothing outside humanity. Before humanity had godlike powers, everything was perfect.
The author goes on to examine several underlying assertions which lead to these beliefs. All in all, I think this is a very good breakdown of the situation. Although there are some obvious flaws in it if you’re going to try and look at UFO’s and occult phenomena as part of conspiracy theory (which some people do and some people don’t). Then all that stuff about human limitation has to be modified into stuff about aliens and other shit. Still an interesting starting point for further thought.
His tone in the article, admittedly, is extremely skeptical of there being any actual rational or factual truth in conspiracy theory - which I don’t agree with. And he makes very briefly the argument that he’s “not talking about rational inquiry into alternative causes, but uncritical belief.” And this is sure to piss off a lot of conspiracy theorists, being called religious, and that’s precisely what I think is so interesting about it. A lot of people have made “rational inquiry” into God as well and ended up with all kinds of crazy beliefs. I think there’s a big stigma against rational thinking in religion in the general public image that doesn’t really hold up - at least in my own understanding.
Haha. Somebody over at the forum where I posted this responded:
Except it’s not a religion. It’s the truth, and it’s documented. Conspiracy theory is a science based in facts.
That’s exactly the argument a Biblical Literalist would make about Christianity! Good times…
- Conspiracy Theory, Parapolitics, Whining
- A Definition of Conspiracy Theory
- The Cowardice of Conspiracy
- Conspiracy Eats Itself
- Conspiracy Evangelism
- Prev: Feel the Burn!
- Next: The Jesus Videos
August 2nd, 2005 at 12:25 am
I looked at this guy Markiewicz’s website, and turns out, he’s working with DARPA(Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). Looks like his ultimate goal is to build superintelligent robots who can be our new masters…so of course he would write something like this; he’s a part of the Conspiracy himself!
August 2nd, 2005 at 12:44 pm
whether this guy is right or wrong (or both), i do think it’s pretty hilarious in a ludicrous kind of way that everybody on the ri board got their feathers ruffled over it. they’re all huffy and shocked — SHOCKED! i tell you! — that somebody would DARE compare the two. hee hee. it’s funny.
August 2nd, 2005 at 1:05 pm
Yeah I think I want to just post a bunch of things over there to get people fired up. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel
August 2nd, 2005 at 1:32 pm
[…]
The Jesus Videos
Continuing with the conversation on conspiracy theory and religion and the similarities between the two: You […]
August 2nd, 2005 at 1:39 pm
at first i didn`t see the connection but now i can see how people with a presupposition regarding the power and intentions of the republican/oil interests would take a religious position regarding powerful people conspiring to control people. it`s a rabbit hole that is diffucult to extract someone from once they`ve fallen in.does it mean that liberals are stupid or just prone to magical thinking?
i disagree that there are no athiests though.
August 2nd, 2005 at 6:24 pm
Classical Gnosticism sort of resembles conspiracy theory by your above definition, with the acception of the pseudo-spiritual archons, and more pragmatic look at the ‘power of belief’. (IE contrast with: Chaos Magick)
IMHO, and as far as I can tell, Archons in classical gnosticism may be some sort of pathological memes with great control mechanisms, human-psyche-derived, rather than angels or spirit-monsters. If this be the case, which Jah only knows, Classical Gnosticism fits the definition above pretty well.
August 2nd, 2005 at 6:35 pm
Yeah sparky, I meant to do a modified version of that list using gnostic terminology. Maybe I’ll do it later.
August 3rd, 2005 at 1:45 am
Great post, Tim.
I may need to take a break from all conspiracy forums for a while, since most have been abruptly hijacked by the latest Sherman “The Queen Did It!” Skolnick screed in which he insists that Bush, Blair, Condi, Rove, and a boatful of neocons have been indicted by Special Prosecutor Fitzgeral in the affair-de-Plame. Oh yeah, and that Britain and France are at war.
And people wonder why CT is the subject of ridicule by smart people?
Blecch. It is religion. The CT “true believers” are as blind to truth as the most rabid Christian fundamentalist.
September 11th, 2008 at 7:19 am
[…] It really does pain me that my charming old friend has become a morbid shell of himself, warning anyone that will listen about the coming New World Order. Perhaps right now he’s holed up in his dark one bedroom, watching Alex Jones doomsday videos. Or just staring up at the sky in anticipation of his own demise. And I don’t even think he’s mentally ill. He’s just really religious. Kind of like Tom Cruse. Just a little more necromodern. […]