The Christian and Conspiracies

By Dr. Robert Morey

What Christians believe and how they live is to be based upon Scripture alone, i.e. sola scriptura, (1 Cor. 4:6). Vain speculations, guesswork, hearsay, rumors, slander, gossip, and lies do not constitute the basis of a godly life. This is why the Bible condemns the spreading of rumors, gossip, slander, and hearsay accusations:

  • Lev. 19:16; Psa. 15:3; 101:5; 140:11;
  • Pro. 10:18; 16:28; 20:19; Matt. 15:19;
  • Mk. 7:22; Rom. 1:29, 30; 2 Cor. 12:20;
  • Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8;  1 Tim. 3:11; 5:13;
  • 2 Tim. 3:3; Tit. 2:3; 1 Pet. 2:1.

In particular, Jesus warned us not to be panicked or frightened by all the “rumors” that will arise at the end of the age.

And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; See to it that you are not frightened by those things. They must take place, but they are the End. (Matthew 24:6)

The closer we get to the End, the more people will be panicked by rumors of conspiracies. But Jesus warns us not to allow people to panic us by the rumor that this or that conspiracy signals that the End is upon us. A. T. Robertson comments,

See that ye be not troubled (horate mê throeisthe). Asyndeton here with these two imperatives as Mr 8:15 orate blepete(Robertson, Grammar, p. 949). Look out for the wars and rumours of wars, but do not be scared out of your wits by them. Throeô means to cry aloud, to scream, and in the passive to be terrified by an outcry. Paul uses this very verb (mêde throeisthai) in 2Th 2:2 as a warning against excitement over false reports that he had predicted the immediate second coming of Christ. But the end is not yet (all’ oupô estin to telos). It is curious how people overlook these words of Jesus and proceed to set dates for the immediate end. That happened during the Great War and it has happened since.

To this end, we offer the following biblical antidote to modern conspiracy cults that operate on the lunatic fringe of the world and of the church. Let the Christian hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

 

PART ONE: The Bible and Conspiracies
I. The historical books of Scriptures record all kinds of political and religious conspiracies, plots, secret societies, international intrigues, spies, insurrections, and revolutions that caused trouble in each generation. The following conspirators are mentioned

  1. Absalom and Ahithopel: 2 Sam. 15:12, 31
  2. Zimri: 1 Kings 16:9, 16, 20
  3. Jozacar and Jehozabad: 2 Kings 12:20
  4. Shallum: 2 Kings 15:10, 15
  5. Hoshea: 2 Kings 15:30; 2 Kings 17:4
  6. The servants of Amon: 2 Chron. 33:24; 2 Kings 21:23, 24
  7. The people against the conspirators who murdered Amon: 2 Chron. 33:25
  8. David: 1 Sam. 22:8, 13
  9. Baasha: 1 Kings 15:27
  10. Jehu: 2 Kings 9:14; 10:9
  11. Enemies of Amaziah: 2 Kings 14:19
  12. Pekah: 2 Kings 15:25
  13. Enemies of Zachariah: 2 Chronicles 24:21
  14. Zabad and Jehozabad: 2 Chronicles 24:2526
  15. Enemies of Amaziah: 2 Chronicles 25:27
  16. Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites: Neh. 4:8
  17. Arabs conspiring to destroy Israel: Psa. 83
  18. Amos: Amos 7:10
  19. The enemies of Jesus: Mat. 26:3-4; Acts 4:24-28
  20. The enemies of Paul: Acts 23:12

 

II. While conspiracies are recorded as part of the history of Israel, nowhere in the didactic and ethical parts of the Bible does God direct His people to study conspiracies or to spend their time, energy and money to “spread the word” of some conspiracy. Even though conspiracies abounded on all sides, the Patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and even Jesus did not pay them any attention. They had more important things to do with their time and energy.

III. God tells us in His Word how He views conspiracies and how He wants us to view them.

  1. The “passage of full mention” on how God views conspiracies is found in Psa. 2.
  2. The politicians, kings, and rulers of the world plotted and schemed to take over the world. In their pride and conceit, they thought they could overthrow God’s sovereign control of the world.
  3. But God laughed at their futile conspiracies. He was in control of all things and man’s conspiracies are nothing but hot air. Thus He mocks, ridicules, and rebukes the conspirators. He reminds them that He had placed King Messiah in control of the world. Instead of fearing conspiracies, they should fear Jesus and kiss his feet in submission.
  4. Christ is sovereign over the world, not man. As long as He is on the throne, nothing can happen that surprises Him or disrupts His eternal decrees (Job 42:2; 1 Cor. 15:25).
  5. No conspiracy can overthrow God’s sovereign rule over all things (Pro. 16:1, 9, 33; James 4:13-15).
  6. Conspirators assume the sovereignty of man instead of the sovereignty of God (Psa. 2:3). This is why Arminian ministries get involve in conspiracies. For example, some of them state on their website that they believe in “the sovereignty of man.” Thus it is no surprise that they falls into conspiracy theories and set dates for the Second Coming.
  7. Since Calvinists believe that God is sovereign over all things, they have not historically been guilty of setting dates or spreading conspiracy theories. God promises to protect his people from conspiracies: Psa. 31:19-20; 33:10; Jer. 11:6-17; Ezk. 22:24-28
  8. Thus God’s people are not to fear conspiracies: Isa. 8:9-15; Mat. 6:24-33. Fear is the driving force and main fruit of the researching conspiracies.

 

PART TWO: The Present Situation
Instead of spending their time, energy, and money on deepening their walk with God, growing in holiness of life, expanding their knowledge of Scripture, and getting involved in the defense of the Faith, some Christians have left the path of righteousness and become lost in the maze of conspiracy cults. They spend countless hours reading books and magazines on conspiracies instead of reading the Bible and theological works. To their shame they spend more time watching videos on conspiracies instead of Christian videos; attending conspiracy seminars instead of church services, etc.

Down through the years I have seen good men destroy their sanity, careers, families, and their testimonies by the mental disease of conspiratorialis. Men who began as sincere Christian brothers with great families, good jobs, and a solid church life descended into the black pit of conspiracies.

One brother became so consumed with the conspiracy that civilization would end on Y2K that he quit his job, sold his home, moved to Idaho  – after his wife divorced him for being a nutcase.

The last time I saw him, he was wild-eyed, unshaven, disheveled in appearance, and absolutely convinced that civilization would be over at the stroke of midnight. Cars would not run, planes would crash, all computers would fail, the banks would lose all records of money in your accounts, the government would collapse, and only those hiding in some isolated secure place would survive.

Of course, the fear merchants were ready to take the sucker’s money. Various so-called Christian ministries tapped into the conspiracy network and sold building lots, houses, generators, survival food, candles, guns, and medicine. (To their shame, they did not offer to return the guy’s money after Y2K came and went without a ripple.)

After Y2K was a total bust, he sat in Idaho – all alone: no job, no family, no church, no reputation, nothing but boxes of survival food. He had gambled everything on a conspiracy theory and lost everything.

It is interesting to note that I never heard one word of repentance or confession of false prophecy by those ministries that promoted Y2K hysteria. They simply moved on to another conspiracy theory!

I have heard every conspiracy fad come and go in the last forty years. The end of the world, the identity of the anti-Christ, the secret group that is really ruling the world, they have all passed my desk by the dozens. The following list is a only a SMALL sample of the parade of endless conspiracy theories that have been promoted during MY LIFE TIME!

The Catholic Church

Da Vinci Code

The Masons

The Illuminati

The Federal Reserve Bank

The Council on Foreign Relations

The Bohemian Grove

The Club of Rome

The Passover Plot

The Bilderberg Group

Order of Skull and Bones

The Trilateral Commission

The World Bank

The Jews (Protocols of Zion)

The Communists

The Fabian Socialists

The Marxists

World Economic Forum

The Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm

The Druids

Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

The Hibernians

The Satanists

The Rosicrucians

The Witches

The Jesuits

The Knights Templar

The gays and lesbians

The Priory of Sion

Ordo Templi Orientis

The Golden Dawn

The Knights of Malta

The New Age Movement

Judean People’s Front

The Liberals

The Rothchilds

The Rockafellas

The C.I.A.

The United Nations

The Queen of England

Prince Charles

The K.K.K.

Nation of Islam

The Oil Companies

Hurricane Katrina was created and directed by Bush

IBM

The Bush family in league with the Saudis

The Muslim terrorists

The Mafia

There was no moon landing. It was done on a stage.

The C.I.A. created Aids to kill blacks

The C.I.A. sells drugs to blacks to keep them down.

The C.I.A. created LDS and other drugs.

911 was done or allowed by Bush

The Ascended Masters rule the world

The Shadow People

Lizoids

Mole people from the center of the earth

Princess Diana was murdered by the Queen

 

In my grandmother’s attic, I found a WWII tract that “proved” that Mussolini was the anti-Christ, the Pope was the false prophet, and Christ would return  in three and one half years.

Many people have been identified as the Anti-Christ: Hitler, Stalin, Roosevelt, Kissinger, Nixon, Reagan, Bush, etc.. It seems that the conspiracy cults put up new candidates all the time. When will it end? When will they admit that they have been wrong every time?

Those who become possessed by a conspiratorial spirit must be confronted with the truth for their own good, the good of their families, their careers, their church, community, and nation.
I will speak to the few Christians who have lost their way in the world of conspiracies and secret societies. I speak to them because I have no leverage with non-Christians. I can quote the Bible all day long and they will ignore it because they don’t believe in the Bible. If I appeal to Christ and His cause, it will fall on deaf ears. If I bring up holiness of life and the importance of a good testimony before a watching world and church, they will shrug it off as nothing.

In some respects, this seminar will be a good test of salvation for those into conspiracies. If you are tangled up in the world of secret societies and conspiracies; if you are consumed with conspiracy theories; if you ignore my call to repentance; if you really think that man is sovereign; then you need to examine yourself to see if you truly know the Lord (2 Cor. 13:5).

 

Part Three: The Devices of Satan
A. We should not be ignorant of Satan’s Devices (2 Cor. 2:11).

B. Satan’s devices or schemes are twofold:

    1. Satan desires to keep people from being saved. To this end Satan does not let people hear the gospel.

 

    1. Instead of spreading the good news of the Gospel, Satan diverts or side rails Christians into spending their time spreading the fearful news of some conspiracy.

 

    1. They are deceived into spending all their time, energy, and funds to convert people to the conspiracy-of-the-month theory. They have unlimited zeal and funds to study and to promote the frightening news of some conspiracy plot.Note: The 911Truth site urges its followers to “spread the light” by evangelizing relatives and neighbors. People are urged to “join today” and “donate now.” They have meetings and seminars to attend. They sell tracts and videos to promote conspiracies. It even has a “high priest” named David Giffen, a New Age professor who merges Christianity and Buddhism. This is why it is a cult.
    2. Once someone gets trapped into one of the conspiracy cults, they do not spend their time telling sinners of Jesus and his love. They are fixated on generating fear and panic about some plot to take over the world.

 

    1. What is the great commission of conspiracy cults? Go into all the world and spread the news of some fearful conspiracy! Shout it from the roof tops!
      • The government staged 9\11!
      • The moon landing was a fraud!
      • The Bilderberg Group is running the world!
      • The Jews are in control!
      • The Jesuits are behind it all!

 

  1. Christians get their great commission from Matt. 28:19-20. They are to proclaim the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christ and Him crucified is their message.Question: Now, where is there a great commission in the Bible to study conspiracies and to evangelize people about those conspiracies?

    Answer:

    • There is no biblical command to study, investigate, spend time on, and or spread the word about conspiracies.
    • There is no biblical example of the Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Apostles or the Lord Jesus Christ spending five minutes on the conspiracies of their day.
    • There is no biblical precept to research and spread conspiracy theories.

 

C. The second device of Satan is to sidetrack Christians from being and doing what God commands them to be and do in Scripture.

    1. What has God called Christians to do with their time, energy and money?
      • Matt. 6:25-33
      •  Matt. 28:19-20
      •  2 Cor. 7:1
      •  Eph. 5:7-12
      •  Phil. 4:6-9
      •  Col.3:1-2
      •  1 Thess. 4:3
      •  Heb. 12:14
      •  2 Pet. 3:18.

 

    1. If you obey God’s Word by doing what He commands you to do, you won’t have any time to run around like Chicken Little proclaiming “the sky is falling!”

 

  1. I studied church history to see if any of the great men and women of God ever spent their valuable time researching the political and financial conspiracies and plots of their day. Despite the fact that there have always been secret plots to take over a country and the world, the godly spent their time advancing God’s kingdom rather than man’s kingdom. They searched the Scriptures daily, not the internet for the latest conspiracy gossip. They spread the gospel, not conspiracy theories.

 

PART FOUR: Why do people get caught up in conspiracy cults?

  1. A conspiracy mindset is a form of Gnosticism in that gives people the psychological illusion that they are intellectually superior to everyone else. It authenticates their existence. They are not like the dumb masses. They are “in the know” and have secret information that no one else has. They look at everyone else as fools. It empowers them and makes them feel special.
  2. A psychological profile of those who get drawn into the conspiratorial mindset reveals that most people who get trapped are insecure, pessimistic, and depressed. They believe the worst about themselves and everyone around them.
  3. They are paranoid. Everything and everyone is against them.
  4. They are helpless in the face of a vast conspiracy. Thus they are victims. They are not really responsible for their pathetic lives.
  5. Studying conspiracies avoids practical holiness. Those who get sucked into the world of conspiracies and secret societies do not have their spiritual life under control. Their personal life is messed up. Their marriages are failures. Their finances are a disaster. They can avoid repentance and personal holiness by focusing on conspiracies.
  6. The Bible commands us to do only those things that are “unto edification” (1 Cor. 14:16). Running after conspiracies does not edify anyone. The mad pursuit of conspiracies has spiritually  harmed many.
  7. For the most part, those who get involved in a conspiracy mindset are immature, irresponsible, and unreliable. They live on the lunatic fringes of society and the church.

 

PART FIVE: How Conspiracy cults deceive people

    1. Conspiracy groups use half-truths, lies, distortions, and downright fraud.
    2. They never admit they were wrong and foolish. Y2K did not end the world. Kissinger was not the anti-Christ. The Nazis, the Communists, etc.  did not take over the world, etc. They have been wrong EVERY time they predicted things.
    3. When you catch them in a lie, they will turn the tables on you by accusing you of being part of the conspiracy!
    4. Their paranoia does not allow anyone to criticize their theories. They go emotional on you and lose their temper.
    5. It does not matter how many lies you refute, they will just move on to the next one. They remind me of cultist like the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
    6. This is why Scripture tells us not to waste our time on useless conspiracies

      But refuse stupid and ignorant speculations,
      knowing that they produce quarrels, and the
      Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome,
      but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when
      wronged (2 Timothy 2:23-24)
      But shun stupid controversies and genealogies
      and strife and disputes about the Law; for they
      are unprofitable and worthless. (Titus 3:9)

    7. Their favorite trick is to overwhelm you with an avalanche of questions without waiting for you to deal with the first one. Each question is given with triumph as if they are PROVING their theory by ASKING questions. Of course, asking questions cannot logically prove anything. Facts prove things, not questions.
    8. There are two kinds of questions:
      1. There are valid questions that have been justified by documenting the facts on which they are based.
      2. They are invalid questions that have not been justified by documenting the facts on which they are supposedly based.
      3. For example, when someone asks, “If a plane crashed into the building, why is there no debris?” he is ASSUMING that there was no debris. He doesn’t prove there was no debris. He foolishly assumes there was none because he heard a rumor that there was no debris. Conspiracy minded people are very gullible and are ready to believe rumors without demanding proof.
      4. Even if you show him pictures of the debris, he will say that the conspiracy leaders put it there!
      5. Any theory that is based on undocumented questions is erroneous and a waste of time.

 

  1. Those possessed by a conspiratorial mindset are guilty of engaging in the sins of gossip and slander (Lev. 19:16; Pro. 10:18; Mk. 7:21-22; Rom. 1:29-30; 2 Cor. 12:20; Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8; 1 Pet. 2:1-2, etc.).
  2. They violate the biblical command to show honor and respect to government leaders (Rom. 13:7; 1 Pet. 2:17; 3:2)

 

PART SIX  The “Hey, but…” Syndrome

  1. Those possessed by a conspiratorial mindset have been so brainwashed that even after you explain that the Bible forbids you to spend time and money on running after rumors, they will demand that you refute all their questions! They want you to watch videos, read books, go to seminars, and, most important, go to a hundred internet sites that support whatever conspiracy fad is in vogue at that time.
  2. They don’t get it!!!! The whole point of the Scriptures is to set your mind on things above and not things on earth. Why would you spend all the time and effort to refute their questions one by one when the point of Scripture is not to waste your time on such things? You have a God to glorify, sinners to convert, saints to edify, churches to serve, a Bible to study, hymns to be sung,
  3. A few professing Christians have attempted to quote Scripture to support their lust for conspiracy theories. But the only passage that they have ever managed to use was taken out of context and twisted.

 

Mr. Conspiro: Dr. Bob, the Bible tells us to “expose the deeds of darkness” done in “secret” (Eph. 5:8). Thus we must spend time exposing the secret societies and conspiracies that threaten us and our way of life.

Dr. Bob: Not so fast, Jose! If you read the verses before and after the verse you just quoted, it is clear that the “deeds of darkness” are such things as immorality, impurity, greed, filthiness, silly talk, coarse jesting, idolatry, covetousness, deception, and empty words (vs. 3-6). The “deeds” are sins, not secret societies and conspiracies. Paul then tells us to spend our time learning what is pleasing to the Lord (v. 10). We are to “walk as children of the light” and not to “partake” in the deeds of darkness. There is nothing in the context about secret societies or conspiracies. You are taking a verse out of context.

 

Conclusion
The Bible tells that at the End of the age, Satan will bring about a one-world government and a one-world religion. They are inevitable and irresistible. It is going to happen. All the conspiracies will merge into one vast open conspiracy.

The Anti-Christ and the false Prophet will be quite visible and open about their hatred of God and Christians. You will see on TV when the Anti-Christ sits in a rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem and claims to be God. The TV will record when the two witnesses will be killed and left for dead. There is nothing secret about the End. Jesus told us about it.

The ultimate conspiracy of Satan at the End makes all the other little conspiracies along the way look like Sunday School picnics. This is why Jesus said not to sweat the little conspiracies that we see around us today. Those conspiracies will go nowhere and they pose no real threat to the Christian. Thus we need not fear them said Jesus.

Put your faith in the sovereignty of God; get busy living for Christ;  preach the gospel; bless the saints; serve your church; read some good theology books; sing good hymns; stop wasting your time on foolishness.

Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning;
for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to
your shame. (1 Cor. 15:34)

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