No, this essay is not about critical study of the New Testament. Many scholars believe that the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, in addition to making use of Mark, used a source that is now lost, which they call "Q" (from the German Quelle, "source"). In some circles the Q hypothesis might be called an enemy of Jesus, although in my opinion it does not threaten any essential Christian doctrine.
Our Present Problem
This essay is (partly) about the Q of the recent QAnon conspiracies, but we have to start earlier, during the Obama administration. Several conspiracy theories tried to deny the first Black President status as a real American, saying that he was born in Kenya, was secretly a Muslim, etc. These lies were spread mainly through the Internet, both by individuals and by outlets like Breitbart and WorldNetDaily that catered to white nationalism.
In even darker corners of the Internet, more outlandish theories arose. One of the worst was "Pizzagate," which was promoted by, among others, the notorious Infowars. It placed Hillary Clinton and other prominent Democrats at the center of a pedophilia ring housed beneath a Washington pizza parlor. Eventually, one man burst into the restaurant with an assault rifle, wanting to free the children held in the basement (the building has no basement). Fortunately, nobody was hurt. After this incident (and Clinton's electoral loss), Pizzagate quieted down for a while.
In late 2017, "Q" emerged on a fringe Internet message board, claiming to have a high security clearance and making cryptic comments about impending arrests of Hillary Clinton and others. These messages were amplified by many who found ways to profit from it. Soon, a whole cult evolved, built on Pizzagate and other conspiracies. In QAnon dogma, Donald Trump is saving the world from an elite cabal of pedophiles and Satan-worshipping murderers. Most of the alleged evildoers are Democrats, and (no surprise) many of them are Jews. Social media and the profit motive combined to produce an online ecosystem in which conspiracy theories flourished.
As QAnon grew, it often joined forces with other conspiratorial thought, such as claims that school shootings were hoaxes, denial of Covid, anti-vaccination lies, paranoia about Antifa and socialism, and, most recently, false claims of massive fraud in the 2020 Presidential election.
It is easy to dismiss these people as crazy. But, sane or not, it became clear on January 6, 2021 that we cannot ignore their influence. Fueled by false "Stop the Steal" rhetoric, tens of thousands gathered in Washington, DC, and many of them violently stormed the U.S. Capitol. Even the majority who were not QAnon followers still believed in ludicrous conspiracies about the election and had a cultlike devotion to Donald Trump that rivaled that of QAnon. The influence of this fringe is reflected by the many members of Congress who endorsed bogus election claims – and, incredibly, polls have shown that over half of Republicans still believe the lies about election fraud, Dominion voting machines, secret ballot dumps, etc.
This should be deeply disturbing to all who care about the political health of the United States, but that is not my concern here. My concern is the health of the Body of Christ as it is infected by these lies. We saw Christian symbols and prayers on January 6, and many who follow QAnon and its ilk also claim to follow Jesus. I don't know of any QAnon disciples in my church, but I'm sure at least a few believe the false theories about the election and could not be dissuaded by recounts and audits and legal findings, because their truth is whatever their political idol says.
Friends, it should not be so among us. The Way, the Truth, and the Life is Jesus, period. It isn't Donald Trump, nor is it others like Q or Alex Jones or Michael Flynn or Eric Metaxas who peddle conspiracy theories for power and/or profit. Of all people, we who follow Jesus should reject lies that please our "itching ears" (2 Tim. 4:3), and instead prize and pursue the truth.
Nothing New Under the Sun
This is not a new problem. For as long as I can remember, conspiracy theories and false stories have captured Christians. When I was young, many feared a "one-world government" to be ushered in by the U.N., or the Trilateral Commission, or whoever made a convenient suspect. I recall the "Satanic Panic" of the 1980s and 90s, where wild stories of Satanic child abuse ruined innocent lives and damaged the cause of actual abuse victims. There was also the widely spread rumor linking Procter and Gamble to Satanism. I have seen Christians spread science-related falsehoods, ranging from the mostly harmless (NASA verifying the Sun standing still for Joshua), to the slanderous (the theory of evolution being a huge conspiracy by scientists, including Christians), to the dangerous (climate science and creation care being a Communist plot; Covid-19 being a hoax).
Perhaps the closest parallel to our current problem is the John Birch Society. The JBS was founded in the 1950s and was most influential in the 60s and 70s, although its spirit has recently enjoyed a renaissance on the political right. While white nationalism played a role, the dominant theme in Bircherism was fear of Communism. Not just legitimate worries about China and the Soviet Union, but conspiracy theories that saw Communists under every rock, especially in the government (even President Eisenhower was accused). While even at its peak it had well under half a million members, the vigorous promotion of its views gave it (and the conspiracy theories it promoted) an outsized influence in American conservative politics.
The John Birch Society is not a Christian organization, but it attracted many Christians. There was even overlap with those who led and financed the political "Christian right" that emerged around 1980. One area of common purpose was opposition to regulation and taxation; this was phrased by some as opposing "socialism" and by others (rather illogically) as "freedom in Christ," but the effect in either case was to benefit the wealthy and powerful. That Jesus spoke quite differently about wealth and power did not seem to matter.
So, there is nothing new under the sun. Today's QAnon delusions feature Satanism and pedophilia, not unlike the Satanic Panic of 30 years ago. Modern conspiracy theories that invoke the Chinese Communist Party or the specter of socialism revive the spirit of the John Birch Society, as does much anti-immigrant rhetoric. Covid misinformation piggybacks on existing anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, and medical quackery (cures that THEY are trying to hide from you!) is reminiscent of laetrile, the bogus cancer cure that was promoted in the 70s (by, among others, the John Birch Society). The Internet now allows rumors and lies to be amplified faster, but their content is not much different.
Why?
Why do so many people find conspiracy theories attractive? In particular, why do so many Christians embrace them?
One reason has to be a lack of critical thinking. While that is far from unique to Christians, we seem to have at least our share of those unable or unwilling to think. In Mark Noll's landmark 1994 book The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, he lamented the pervasive anti-intellectualism in Evangelical culture, and I don't think the situation has improved. Too often, careful thought is seen as something for liberal eggheads, not for people of faith.
Conspiracy theories satisfy deep-seated human cravings, like the desire for certainty and the need to feel in control in an uncertain world. There also seems to be a wish for secret knowledge to unlock mysteries that others are missing, which is similar to the ancient heresy of Gnosticism. It is worth asking whether our churches do a good enough job of training people to resist these cravings.
Even beyond the obvious cultlike qualities of the QAnon movement, there is a kinship between conspiracy theories and religious cults. They appeal to people seeking refuge from insecurity and from a world that is dangerous and uncontrollable. They tend to attract people who are already disconnected from healthy community. They feed on fear, and often offer simplistic answers to complex problems. Again, we should ask what our churches might be doing (or not doing) that forms people into receptive targets for these lures.
The other "why" question is Why should we care? Does it matter if some in our churches believe crazy things? Beyond the obvious point that Christians should reject lies, the events of January 6 made clear that conspiracy theories, especially when pushed by charismatic leaders, can have tragic consequences. It is not a big step to go from believing horrible things to committing horrible acts.
What can the Church Do?
For starters, we can stop discouraging critical thinking. Most churches would say they want their people to develop sound minds, but often the culture says the opposite. Every time a child (or adult!) is marginalized for asking an uncomfortable question, every time a speaker implies that scholarship and science are threats to faith, every time a church promotes unthinking loyalty to a political leader or party (or to a pastor), every time doubt is treated as sin, every time we pretend the Bible is always clear and without difficulties, we condition disciples to avoid using their minds. Not all churches are like that by any means, but too many (especially in the Evangelical world) treat critical thinking as though it is a hindrance to faith. With a "don't think, just believe" culture, we should not be surprised when Christians fall prey to conspiracy theories that fall apart with a little reasonable thought.
We can also think about the needs being met by the cultlike world of conspiracies. One thing cults provide is a sense of being part of something greater. Is the church failing to teach that the "something greater" we are a part of is the Kingdom of God? Do we mimic American consumer culture by offering a small "me and Jesus" gospel, instead of inviting people to participate in God's grand mission? Have we made the faith so self-centered (God loves you [singular] and has a wonderful plan for your life) that we no longer find community in Christ?
Perhaps the church needs its own conspiracy – or perhaps we already have one. Tom Sine wrote a book 40 years ago titled The Mustard Seed Conspiracy, and more recently Scot McKnight gave us Kingdom Conspiracy. I have not read either book, but I believe they argue that we Christians are God's co-conspirators in the mission of reconciliation. Like a conspiracy, much of it is hidden, taking place within lives, relationships, and communities, often without visible coordination. But in other ways it is a very public conspiracy – anybody can join and its fruit should testify to the Leader behind it all. One way for the church to fight harmful conspiracy theories is to show people that they can be part of the most amazing conspiracy of all: the Kingdom of God. They will have less reason to turn elsewhere for meaning if they can see that the conspiracy led by Jesus is far greater than anything Q could invent.
| Disclaimer: The views expressed in this essay are the opinion of the author of this essay alone and should not be taken to represent the views of any other person or organization. |
Originally written February 2021. Page last modified July 14, 2021.
