With the advent of the internet, conspiracy theories are on the rise. Just as the printing press broke the Romans Catholic Church's monopoly on 'truth', so has the digital age broken the establishment media's monopoly on publishing truth. It is no wonder that theories and ideas which were previously censored are taking hold.  Governments around the world are seeing their control over information erode and so they are introducing legislation like the Australian Misinformation Bill. 

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Conspiracy theories are not automatically 100% true or false. Usually, they contain elements of both truth and error. Sifting through theories requires wisdom. When we encounter a new idea, we should not automatically accept or reject it, but take time to process new information and be okay with 'I don't know'. It is a sign of maturity to live with a healthy level of ambiguity and scepticism. A conspiracy theory is 'revealing special information about powerful agendas that impact our world'. Agendas are not new. King David wrote that the kings of this earth and elites continue to conspire and plot against God and His plans. 

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Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed,  saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”

Psalm 2:1-3

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Conspiracies and mis-information can be promoted by governments and endorsed by fact checkers just as much as they can be spread by influencers and individuals. Ultimately, the original conspiracy is the devil's plot to deceive people. While there are too many conspiracy theories to confirm or debunk here, we will look at two current examples which are emblematic examples of modern conspiracies. The first conspiracy comes from the 'enlightened individual' who has discovered hidden knowledge. The second conspiracy comes from the 'woke establishment' which mandates its knowledge as the only approved way of thinking. 

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1. The Book of Enoch: The Book of Enoch is an ancient Jewish text which covers the early days of the Patriarchs.  It focuses on fallen angels - known as "watchers" - and their interactions with humanity in the days of Noah. Enoch expands on the Nephilim of Genesis 6:4 describing them as hybrid demon/human offspring. Enoch's depictions of giant aliens with advanced knowledge is used to develop modern theories of government cover-ups of UFOs and global attempts to alter human genetics through DNA experiments. 

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While the Book of Enoch may provide insight into the ancient's thought patterns, it never became canonical Scripture and for good reason. It is both internally and externally contradictory and only fragments of the book were preserved. Internally, the book describes the earth as both flat and as a globe. Externally, the book references places that did not exist in the days of Enoch, hence dating its authorship after Enoch himself.  Adherents of the Book of Enoch often find themselves going down the rabbit hole of ever expanding theories while mistakenly conflating Enoch's interpretations back into the Bible.  Obsession with extra-biblical sources can distract and distort clear Biblical teaching. 

2. Global Mandates: At the other end of the spectrum, a recent conspiracy theory that captured most people was the notion that mandatory, universal mRNA vaccination would stop the spread of COVID. While the early research was chaotic, many churches jumped onboard with the world-wide narrative. Church leaders adopted 'scientism' and twisted Romans 13 and 'Love thy neighbour' to justify a totalitarian position both in their pulpits and their policies. In violation of God's commands, churches shut down their gatherings and excluded unvaccinated people from fellowship. At this point, the vaccine theory migrated from a political conspiracy to one with significant spiritual implications.

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While the COVID virus strain was real, time has proven the theory of mRNA efficacy was false. Yet, few have reflected on their actions or how they were deceived and manipulated. Failing to see that conspiracy theories can be spread by 'mainstream media' and 'the ruling elite', is a blindspot both from a Biblical and historical perspective. Throughout history, Pharaohs', Caesars' and other leaders have all ruled by paranoia and unilateral decree. Because, the human heart has not changed, but church should be an essential defence against tyranny.