Your opinion needed -- What is the greatest hoax ever??

Recently I've been reading through the hoax forum, seeing obvious hoaxes, some that I can not believe that anyone ever believed and I got to thinking. I was wondering what the greatest hoax ever pulled off might be. I've seen alot through the years and studied some and there have been some good ones. The one that comes first to mind in The Report From Iron Mountain (which I know is speculated to be real still, but this thread is not to debate the reality or not of the Iron Mountain hoax, thats been done). I was given the book about 12 years abo when I was a teenager and read it front to back imediately and felt like my mind was blown. When I found out a few years later that it was revealed to be satire, my heart just about broke.

That what I want to hear from other members. I know alot of people will come screaming religion, bigfoot, UFO's, but I want to know individual stories. And about real, verified hoaxes. Nothing that is speculated to be a hoax because its hard to believe. Alot of what we talk about and see here on ATS is hard to believe but it doesnt make it a hoax.

So, I ask you all, which honest to goodness hoax fooled you to your core?
and to other who have never been victim to one, which one do you think is the best?

reply to post by youdidntseeme

So, I ask you all, which honest to goodness hoax fooled you to your core?

All three of my ex-wives .

reply to post by okbmd


Not quite what I had i mind,
but I can appreciate that

I believe the greatest hoax of all time are the 3 big western religions: Christianity, Islam, Judaism.

All 3 are adaptations of early Astrology. Biggest. Hoax. Ever.

The biggest hoax ever is that the US is a free country.

reply to post by harrytuttle


Well as you can see I stated in the original post that someone would come out screaming religion, but I honestly thought there may be a few actual admitted hoaxes brought up first, since that is what this thread is about,
admitted hoaxes.

Greatest hoax ever? You'll get a lot on religion for sure. But the greatest of modern times would have to be that ANY politician in Washington actually works for the people. Bought and sold, no matter what party they are affiliated with. One party, 2 faces.

reply to post by pinealexplorer


Could you elaborate on this? Why is the US not a free country?

reply to post by youdidntseeme


Biggest hoax ever must be the War of the Worlds broadcast.

Getting people to stop believing there is a devil, and i mean a real entity that depicted what thedevil was to us.

Its the biggest hoax of the 20th century, tv and movies got rid of the idea that the devil exists.

No proof to tell us why it doesn't, but tv and movies got you lot to believe there is no entity that is depicted as satan, that you all celebrate at christmas called satan, but moving one letter moved the n, and they made santa, which is just a anagram of satan. Satan is what you celebrate at xmas.

So at xmas you celebrate satan, and not even know it.

I'm torn between Organized Religion and Democracy. Of course these days what's the difference?

Hands down I genuinly believe the greatest hoax are the one were all subjects of...the "Untied States Government". Beginning with the idea that every vote counts and no one is above the law. The idea that we are innocent until proven guilty and there are no double standards. Our military industrial complex is to protect the citizens and not corporate interests. Amtrak and the U.S. postal service are money losing ventures and the toll roads are better left controlled by "private" and or foriegn enterprises. And more...

Originally posted by amc621
reply to post by youdidntseeme

 

Biggest hoax ever must be the War of the Worlds broadcast.

I considered that myself. Although I'm not sure if it qualified to what I had in mind. To me WotW wasn't exactly meant to have the effect that it has on the people. It was meant to be a conceptional piece of entertainment. That is why I mentioned the REport in my OP. It was perpetrated to be an actual leaked document a la 1960's wikileaks style a few years before the Pentagon Papers. Then 4 years later the author came out and said, oh no that was just satire.

WotW though is definetly up the alley of the original thought of this thread. Good job thanks star for you.

The hoax that is first among all others are that banks give a service by lending with compound interest.

Why is that you never heard of the alternatives?

Because it's the best (hoax) and it's a gooooood one.

13 replies and no one's said anything about the moon landings????

Originally posted by Jibbs
13 replies and no one's said anything about the moon landings????

Although I dont believe that one, I am surprised that it took 13 replies for that one to come up
so far we've had religion, the US govt, banks, and now the moon landing.
The WotW post was the only one so far of actual admitted hoaxes.
Is that the best we got?

Does everyone remember this one?

Balloon Boy

Originally posted by amc621
reply to post by pinealexplorer

 

Could you elaborate on this? Why is the US not a free country?

Because the reason we came to this country in the first place was to escape from the controlling government we had. And now we have that again but there is nowhere to escape to.

Originally posted by Jibbs
13 replies and no one's said anything about the moon landings????

I think they went to the moon, but with better technology. Also that it happened before 69 that the first time happened, before the apollo thing.

reply to post by youdidntseeme


that we still have representative government instead of a plutocracy. we are becoming a psuedo-kingdom of wealthy controllers. all the rest is machavelli "bread and circuses"

reply to post by youdidntseeme


Biggest hoax ever....? Reality. we all fell for it.