I know people routinely scratch their heads at why white evangelicals (and fundamentalists, and others) fall so hard right into the hands of conspiracy theorists. I’ve heard many of these conversations, frustrations and laments. I share those feelings and experiences, as I have many family and friends who have been swept away by any number of conspiracies. It’s exhausting, and so disheartening.
One day, I got to thinking about WHY. Why them, specifically? It made sense pretty quickly. Here are some of my observations/connections:
In no particular order ….
1.) They are conditioned to believe in invisible evil forces that others are unaware of
2.) They are conditioned to believe they have a higher awareness/inside truth that others don’t see or know or have access to
3.) They are conditioned to OTHER – meaning, they are conditioned to see certain (and usually vague) groups/people as an enemy with a nefarious agenda. The all-powerful “THEY!” (“THEY are coming for your children!” “THEY are trying to destroy the family!” “THEY are trying to take your freedom!”)(See also “the gay agenda” “the liberal agenda” “the gays” “the liberals” “the woke liberal mob” “the godless left” “the mainstream media” etc)
4.) They are conditioned to believe they will be or are being persecuted
5.) They are taught anti-intellectualism and anti-science ideology, which makes using facts and empirical data (i.e. evidence) to debunk their misinformation/conspiracy an exercise in futility. Facts don’t matter to those who magically know more and better than everyone else.
6.) They are not only generally not taught critical thinking skills, but they are actually discouraged from critical thinking. They are discouraged from questioning, from pulling at threads – especially when those threads lead to facts and empirical data, etc. that disprove their “higher” truths. (And by “higher” truths, I mean the things they believe that deny and contradict facts – things like a vaccine to help end a public health emergency is actually a plot of the government – and, bigger picture, the devil himself – to take away their freedom …… while they themselves are actually working fretfully to severely limit or take away entirely the freedoms of people who believe differently than they do….)
7.) They believe they get THE truth directly from God, and since God’s thoughts are “higher” than ours, his ways higher than our ways, (Isaiah 55:8-9) it basically gives them a sense of authority on all things because whose arms are long enough to box with God?
8.) They are conditioned to distrust other bodies/people in of authority and leadership, including but not limited to the government, academia, physicians/healthcare (science in general), other religions (even other denominations within Christianity), educators, etc. They are conditioned to be suspicious of anyone outside of their specific belief system, their insular circles, and their chosen leaders and teachers.
9.) They are conditioned to trust without question leaders who “God has ordained,” regardless of (mere mortal) qualifications. Example: MANY pastors in white evangelical spaces have no college and/or seminary background. They are not qualified the way we require other types of leaders/practitioners to be qualified – but, for them, if someone is a “gifted” or “powerful” or “anointed” (code for ‘made me feel feelings’) speaker, it doesn’t matter that they are not qualified to lead an organization, run a business, or teach with educational authority about/from a book of ancient texts, ancient mythology, ancient literature, etc. It only matters that they “move” people (stir their emotions). This one right here is enough to make them prey to conspiracy theorists, as conspiracy theorists are often very charismatic.
So, when you have an idea that, in order to gain traction and to thrive, needs people who lack critical thinking skills, who dismiss facts and empirical data, who are convinced of secret evils at work in a grand scale way, who believe they know more than the next person, who believe that their feelings (fear, paranoia) are actually intuition and Knowing, who believe that credentials and facts do not matter as much as persuasive speaking that gives you a FEELING does, who are conditioned to be afraid and suspicious, etc ….. white evangelicals make the perfect breeders and spreaders for conspiracies.
For people who claim to follow teachings centered around truth, ultimate knowledge, not living in fear, praying for your enemies, loving your neighbors and centering their needs, a god who (according to them) “is in control,” and SO MUCH MORE, it’s all so tragically ironic.
Anonymously Open 