Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. – Isaiah 8:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 2, 2017): Isaiah 8

“People love conspiracy theories.” At least, according to Neil Armstrong. And he should know. After all, there are people that still today believe that the lunar landing in the late 1960’s was a hoax. What the world witnessed as “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” was filmed on a Hollywood sound stage. At least according to some, we never went to the moon. We didn’t even try.

Conspiracy theories come in many different forms. Some are harmless. I choose to believe that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I can see no reason not to, but if you believe that it was a hoax, it really doesn’t matter. Thinking that we didn’t go to the moon will shape your personal worldview, but I can’t see it having a lasting effect on our world. But there are conspiracy theories that are dangerous. Believing that global warming is a story made up by the Chinese just means that we will not act on decreasing our ecological footprint. The hottest planet in our solar system is not Mercury, which is closest to the sun. It is Venus, our sister planet because it has an out of control greenhouse effect taking place in its atmosphere. Global warming is an epidemic on Venus, and unless we change the way we do things, we may be headed in the same direction.

But then, some conspiracies are hurtful. I have been in conversation through this blog with people who do not believe that the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School ever took place, even though much of the proof of the conspiracy has been debunked. Could you imagine the pain of losing your child and then having the conspiracy theorists tell you that you are lying – that your child, who you know that you buried in a grave, is still alive? Even with all the photographic evidence, there are still people who believe that the Holocaust was nothing more than a conspiracy against the Germans and world. These conspiracy theories increase the pain that we suffer as a people by telling us that the cause of our pain is imaginary. There is nothing worse than being told that your very real pain isn’t really there.

Isaiah says simply this, refuse to believe in conspiracy theories. And the reason isn’t that the ideas are not valid, but that God is in control. He knows the truth even we don’t. Don’t argue about whether global warming is a real thing. Just care for the planet, and all of the animals as God has instructed you to do. Don’t worry about whether the Muslim neighbor that moved in down the street has been radicalized by ISIS. Just love them as Jesus has instructed us. The real problem with conspiracy theories is that they destroy our trust in God. And, in the end, that lack of trust is the thing that will destroy us.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9