Reconciling Conspiracy Theory and Religion/Faith

A couple of qualifiers if you will allow me before I proceed ...

1. For the record and for those who may not know, and if labels are required, the most approximate way to describe me would be as a non-dual spiritual agnostic. That is to say that I recognize my extremely limited understanding of the universe on all things. As such I consider and respect all possibilities, faiths, ideas but do not hold any single one of them as the truth, although I do recognize that there is truth in everything.

I am aware that the following maybe an seemingly odd question coming from a person like myself who claims to dwell in non-duality ... you're just gonna have to trust me that it is and it isn't.

2. I do this thread in the spirit of honest inquiry, hoping as usual to learn something new from my fellow members. The questioned contained within it isn't a loaded one nor is it meant to question any beliefs ... it is simply a consequence of my natural inquisitiveness towards all things unasked.

Having said all that ...

I've always wanted to ask folks who ere fluent in theology and/or devout christians to help me/us understand was is to my mind a seemingly existential paradox ...

Being devout, in christianity or any other faith for that matter, requires a total trust and handing over of one's will to the divine, for example as the expression "God's plan." But being a conspiracy theorist requires a certain distrust, cynicism, and constant reevaluation and questioning of paradigms and veiled realities.

Now I understand that one is a matter of inward knowledge and the latter one of mind knowledge. And obviously the two are not mutually exclusive as there are many many devout ats members. I also understand that to have faith doesn't necessarily make one blind to the history of their own religion and as such one may even be able to approach subjects in let's say the "conspiracies in religion" forum with a degree of personal detachment.

Still, it has always seemed like one would have to wear two existential hats ... one with which they totally and unconditionally hand themselves over to their faith and one where one questions everything.

I would appreciate any input that would help my understanding in this regard.


In closing, I would ask from my heart that we try to keep it civil and respectful, there's no need to knock another's spiritual view simply because it may differ from our own.


[edit on 28 Sep 2009 by schrodingers dog]

i'm not a theologist or anything but I believe that it's not so much about, "questioning everything." It's more about coming to your own personal conclusions based on all the information presented to you up until that point. How much you wish to question and research a subject is entirely up to how much detail you require to come to your conclusion. If you're satisfied with the information, make your decision. If you feel it is lacking, do more digging.

It's situation specific I suppose. Just know throughout the whole scenario that whatever has come to you has come to you for a reason (e.g. you "called" for it).

I gave it a shot. This kind of stuff is difficult to put into words.

Originally posted by CSquared288
i'm not a theologist or anything but I believe that it's not so much about, "questioning everything." It's more about coming to your own personal conclusions based on all the information presented to you up until that point. How much you wish to question and research a subject is entirely up to how much detail you require to come to your conclusion. If you're satisfied with the information, make your decision. If you feel it is lacking, do more digging.

True, but that is not the foundation of faith ...

Faith is required and needed in the absence of enough information to come to purely cerebral knowledge. Hence the expression "leap of faith."

On the other hand the honest investigation of CT is founded on demonstrative facts.

Hence my original question of how one can be one way towards one and have a diametrically opposed approach on the other.

Again, it is not a loaded question, just honest curiosity.

reply to post by schrodingers dog


Simply put (IMHO)......

We are the question.

Because we are the question we are living the answer. We are propagating the Universe, nothing more, nothing less.

Someone whom I consider wise explained this very good to me recently, and I must agree.

[edit on 9/29/2009 by jkrog08]

reply to post by schrodingers dog


Well, I have experienced this myself, being a Christian for many years. I could see this dualism. One where I totally put my faith in God, the Trinity and everything. The other part where I could not reconcile reasons and logic with what I believed.

It did not last that long. Reason eventually won over. Yeah, it was like a "balance" for a while.

I am willing to bet you that those ATS members you talked about will tip over to the other side. Understanding ALWAYS wins.

And yeah like jkrog said above me, WE ARE THE QUESTION.

Growing up as a Christian, there is one thing I kept hearing over and over again. They kept saying how Satan has deceived the whole world.

They are very into conspiracy theory. NWO, false religions, false prophets, movies, etc, etc are tools of the Satan.

I always ask them, "How do you know that Satan hasn't deceived you?"

It is hard to be a Christian and a conspiracy theorists and not think like that. I know, I've experienced this. It has punched a hole in my belief.

I know a few ATS members here but I won't name names. It will take them a while, maybe soon, but they'll see reason (actually understanding).

In essence, it's hard to be a Christian and be a conspiracy theorist.

I guess paranoid wins over every time

reply to post by jkrog08


What an extraordinary thing it is that I still learn from you after so much time has passed ....

We are indeed the question and the answer ... still, it has been my observation that for many faith can distort truth if the two don't coincide. Thus when truths arise which do not validate said faith, one's personal commitment and stake to their faith will either discard the truth or adjust it to fit into the doctrine.

It seems to me that a choice need be made at the start, for there's not point in pursuing truth lest one be ready to undertake its costs ... but for the faithless there is no such choice and as a result no such cost.

However faith is not restricted to religion, most things we take on faith, thus even intellectual/scientific dogma is subject to the same dynamic and resistance ... although slightly less immovable than spiritual faith when the truth comes knocking.

I wonder where you are ...