Tin-Foil Hat Theology [3]

With this post, I finally wrap up my thoughts about tin-foil hat theology and conspiracy theory driven Christianity. It is my contention that any person obsessively indulging in speculative conspiracy theories is doing great harm to his spiritual health and will stifle personal sanctification. My previous two posts on this subject can be found here: Part 1 and Part 2.

5) A Conspiracy theory mindset often levels sinful accusations against others based upon pure speculation. Because tin-foil hat theology is based largely upon pure speculation, any one supposedly tied to a specific conspiracy is accused of lying or covering up the truth concerning the particular conspiracy theory under consideration.  If the person can at least convince his accuser of not lying about the so-called conspiracy, he is then accused of being deceived, or woefully ignorant, or misinformed as to the facts.

Accusing someone of lying with no tangible evidence based upon personal interpretations of highly speculative and allegedly suspicious scenarios, especially accusations leveled against a fellow Christian, is dreadfully sinful. Accusing someone of lying smacks to the core of a person’s character and is tantamount to gossip and slander. Neither should cross the lips of a God-fearing Christian.

Yet sadly, tin-foil hat theologians engage in those sinful practices when they accuse decent men and women of acting with deception in a conspiracy theory designed to harm others. Even more disappointing is their refusal to be corrected on the nature of their slander. Many of them even believe they are justified in naming other Christians and tying them to all sorts of hidden malfeasance to “protect” the Church or provide a “wake-up call” to the Christian community.

Let me share an example of what I mean.

Back in the mid-to-late 2000s, I  interacted with a guy who made the ludicrous charge that our church has been infiltrated by Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life philosophy. For those interested in reading my extend interaction with this individual, you can go HERE, and scroll through the pages.  One of the primary reasons he believed we were saturated in PDL philosophy was that he claimed our fellowship groups had become hotbeds of Hegelian-Marxist dialect. Our home Bible studies were more like discussion groups that were seeking to determine biblical truth rather than teaching biblical truth, or so said our accuser.

At any rate, probably the biggest issue for this guy was that Al Mohler was regularly invited to our Shepherd’s Conferences.  My conspiracy-driven critic believed Al was the devil incarnate.

He claimed that Dr. Mohler was some undercover change agent for the United Nations who was tasked to infiltrate churches and destroy them. He drew that conclusion based upon the fact that Dr. Mohler was a founding member of some morality organization connected to the Southern Baptist Convention, and that the organization is listed on the U.N.’s group of non-governmental organizations.

Now, just as an aside, I am mystified Christians have tied all sorts of evil plotting to the United Nations.  Among conspiracy theorists, the U.N. is primarily identified with the final, one-world government of the end times.  But the reality is quite the opposite. The U.N. has only demonstrated a general incompetence and impotence in unifying any nation under a so-called “one world government.”  In all honesty, they are only good for eliminating hook worms in 3rd world countries, not organizing a “one world government” with the Anticrhist as its head.

Now granted, I have quibbles with Al Mohler at times. For instance, I am annoyed he hasn’t used his influence and leadership to call out the sinful shenanigans in the SBC like Ergun Caner becoming president of a SBC college in Georgia. That stated, it is nonsense to suggest he is some diabolical change agent sent from the U.N.

But that doesn’t matter for our tin-foil hat wearing theologian. In his mind, it doesn’t matter how theologically sound Dr. Mohler comes across on his daily radio program, or even how anti-U.N. he may be in his various comments when addressing anything happening in the U.N. at times, my tin-foil hat theologian insists it is all a big ploy to deceive and he should be considered a liar.

Additionally, all those people who benefit from his ministry by radio and the Internet, along with all the hundreds of thousands of pastors who listened to him preach at a Shepherd’s Conference, are either blind to the truth, or in agreement with his lying. But, really? Everyone can’t possibly be a liar.

I’d say the same thing about individuals who accuse me of “blindness” in regards to such absurd conspiracies as chemtrails and the 9/11 truthers, which by they way have absolutely no genuine bearing upon anything remotely Christian. I guess the “deception” runs so deep that everyone is effected by it. Except of course the only people telling the truth, who just so happen to be tin-foil hat theologians.

6) A hardcore belief in conspiracy theories deny the sovereignty of God. The Bible is clear that God is sovereign over the affairs of this world. The book of Daniel in chapter 4, for example, clearly teaches that God is sovereignly directing the governments of the world, setting up and taking down kings and world leaders, to bring about His ultimate purposes. Can we not conclude then, that God is using the so-called conspiracy theories?

Let us say for the sake of argument that the U.N. is out to secretly usher in a one-world government ruled by an Antichrist figure. Even if they could pull off such a thing, would it not be God’s purpose in establishing that one-world government? It could very well be that tin-foil hat theologians who decry the U.N., the Illuminati, the big oil syndicates, world bankers, etc., are fighting against the will of God.

Tin-hat theology places way too much ability on men to overturn the decrees and works of God.  It is as if God is powerless to do anything against these nefarious individuals, or that the individuals have all the power to thwart God.  But I guess that should be expected seeing that most of the conspiracy believers rise from the fever swamps of independent fundamentalism and who happen to be Arminian in their overall view of life.

I am sure I could think of some more, but the  6 problems I considered prove to me that tin-foil hat theology only serves to bring a Christian to spiritual ruin. An unhealthy preoccupation with conspiracy theories stunts a person’s growth, takes their attention off of Jesus Christ and the gospel, and causes sinful division with in the Body of Christ. I pray Christian conspiracy chaser would open their eyes to the harm they are causing themselves and the work of the gospel in the local Church.