Conspiracy theories ∙

Conspiracy Theories ∙∙∙

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found the stone rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” – John 20:1-2 

Matthew 28:11-15 

Now, while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’” “And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” And they took the money and did as they had been instructed, and this story was widely spread among the Jews and is to this day.

Flat Earthers

Despite considerable scientific evidence, a small yet vocal part of the population insists that the Earth is flat. They argue that the consensus about Earth’s round shape is either an unproven theory or a deliberate deception by powerful institutions. A 2018 YouGov America poll, supported by later findings from Fairleigh Dickinson University, indicates that up to 11 percent of Americans might subscribe to this view.

Initially, Flat Earthers may seem like a curious cultural anomaly. However, dismissing the movement as harmless or eccentric would be a mistake. Its importance extends beyond its claims, revealing how flawed beliefs can persist and spread. Such movements can shape public conversation, deepen mistrust of authorities, and connect with other conspiratorial ideologies. Sometimes, these patterns contribute to social alienation and radicalization.

Therefore, Flat Earthers warrant attention, not because their ideas are convincing, but because their tenacity illustrates how false beliefs survive despite substantial evidence. Their example provides insight into the social, emotional, and cognitive factors that allow misinformation to thrive.

The Appeal and Power of Conspiracy Theories 

The allure of conspiracy theories often lies beyond what they actually advocate. Many people are drawn to the thrill of gaining access to supposedly secret or esoteric knowledge. They often feel excitement, exclusivity, and a sense of superiority. Believing one has uncovered a major deception offers an emotional reward, making individuals feel perceptive, independent, or enlightened. This emotional reward can make conspiracy theories especially hard to correct.

Additionally, conspiracy theories tend to strengthen when linked to existing social and ideological divides. In highly polarized settings, people are more likely to accept claims that favor their side, even when supported by weak evidence, half-truths, or mere speculation, because group loyalty influences judgment. When identity becomes associated with a group or cause, people are more likely to trust those on their side and dismiss those who are not.

This explains why conspiracy theories are often hard to dislodge. Once false beliefs become part of someone’s identity, they are no longer just information but are defended as a core aspect of themselves. As Tomas Nilsson points out, “The problem arises when people internalize disinformation as part of their identity. While news articles can be fact-checked, personal beliefs cannot. When conspiracy theories are part of someone’s value system or worldview, it is difficult to challenge them.”

In this way, conspiracy theories persist not simply because people lack facts, but because they fulfill underlying emotional, social, and psychological needs. They provide a sense of belonging, certainty, and the illusion of having special knowledge. That is precisely what makes them so durable and, in many cases, so dangerous.

The Empty Tomb and the Dissemination of Disinformation

If someone asked when this specific false explanation started, the answer would be the third day after the crucifixion, when Jesus’ tomb was discovered empty.

Luke 24:1-3: 

“But very early on Sunday morning, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus.”

How can the disappearance of the body be explained? Broadly speaking, two possibilities present themselves. The first is that the body was stolen. The second is that the Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, just as He had foretold.

Mark 16:6: “The angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.”

The Deliberate Spread of a False Narrative

The religious leaders rejected the resurrection’s validity and created an alternative story, leading to a conspiracy theory that endures to this day.

Matthew 28:12-15:

“And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’” And they took the money and did as they had been instructed, and this story was widely spread among the Jews and is to this day.”

This passage illustrates that false narratives aren’t always the result of confusion or ignorance. Occasionally, they are intentionally crafted and strategically disseminated to maintain power, protect reputations, or resist unwelcome truths.

REFLECT & PRAY

On the third day, the stone was rolled away, the body of Jesus was missing, but the graveclothes remained intact. What is the best explanation?

Father, thank You for the empty tomb and for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Please grant me discernment to recognize falsehood and the courage to reject baseless and misleading claims. Help me to love the truth, to test what I hear carefully, and to stand firmly in what is true.

INSIGHT 

Harmful Falsehoods

Thomas Sowell insightfully notes: “One common failing among honorable people is a failure to appreciate how thoroughly dishonorable some others can be, and how dangerous it is to trust them.”

His observation is especially pertinent here. Falsehoods are not always benign, nor are all widely accepted claims made in good faith. Some lies are embraced because they protect deeply held beliefs from scrutiny. Others are deliberately spread to defend personal interests, maintain influence, or advance a larger agenda.

The empty tomb vividly demonstrates this point. Despite strong evidence, people can still oppose the truth. Rejection isn’t about a lack of information; it often stems from the fact that accepting it requires repentance, humility, and faith. Resisting truth is simply a defiant personal choice.

This makes falsehood particularly pernicious. When a lie provides comfort, identity, or usefulness, it is fiercely defended. The question isn’t just about truth but about whether someone is willing to face what the truth might reveal. The resistance to the resurrection of Jesus Christ shows that even evident realities can be rejected if the heart refuses to accept them.

The Implausibility of the Official Story

The architects of the false story intentionally hid the truth. They bribed soldiers to spread a misleading account of what happened at the tomb. From the outset, the story circulated by Jesus’ opponents was highly implausible. Roman guards who fell asleep while on duty faced serious punishment, potentially even execution. For that reason alone, it is difficult to believe they would willingly admit to such a grave failure. The claim asks the audience to accept that trained soldiers publicly confessed an offense that could have cost them their lives.

Overall, both the content and the setup of this narrative were deliberate misinformation meant to conceal the truth rather than reveal the facts.

Richardson observes, “The elders gave the soldiers instructions about the lie they were to tell the public. It is ironic that the thing the elders feared (theft of Jesus’ body by the disciples, the reason they posted soldiers at the tomb) became the story they concocted to explain the empty tomb.”

The Contradiction at the Center

The account becomes even less credible when its internal logic is examined. If the guards were genuinely asleep, they could not have known what happened at the tomb, much less identified who took the body. Their testimony therefore collapses under its own weight. It presents them as witnesses to events they supposedly slept through, which makes the explanation self-defeating from the start.

A Story That Refutes Itself

Like many conspiracy theories, this narrative unravels because of its own contradictions. It attempts to explain the empty tomb by claiming that the disciples stole Jesus’ body while the guards slept. Yet that very claim exposes the story’s flaws. Sleeping men cannot offer reliable testimony about actions they did not see. What is presented as a confident explanation turns out, on closer inspection, to be little more than an admission of ignorance. Far from resolving the question of the empty tomb, the story only reveals how fragile and unconvincing the official narrative truly was.

Matthew presents this story with clear irony, highlighting the flaws and absurdity of the official account. The rumor meant to discredit the resurrection instead exposes the desperation behind it. Instead of offering a convincing alternative, the religious leaders proposed a logically weak story that unintentionally strengthened the case for the resurrection.

The Silence of the Opponents

One of the most striking features of the resurrection account is that no one ever produced Jesus’s dead body. If the aim had been to disprove the resurrection and stop the Christian movement, the clearest response would have been to show His corpse publicly. Doing so would have directly challenged the apostles’ message and silenced their claims immediately. However, no dead body was ever produced.

The Truth of the Resurrection

So, what actually happened? Jesus was crucified, buried, and on the third day He remarkably rose from the dead. This is not a peripheral claim of Christianity. It is one of the faith’s central and indispensable truths, standing at the very heart of the gospel proclamation.

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ confirms the Father’s public declaration that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. By raising Him from the dead, the Father confirmed that Christ’s atoning work was accepted, that His sacrificial death was not defeat but victory, and that the rule of death had been overthrown.

Through His resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ conquered sin, death, and the grave. For those who belong to Him, sin no longer has the final word, death is no longer the ultimate end, and the grave has lost its lasting power.

The resurrection is the cornerstone of Christian hope. Because Christ lives, children of the King can trust in forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and eternal life. It affirms that faith in Him is not in vain, that His promises are trustworthy, and that all who trust in Him will share in His victory. More than just a historical event, the resurrection is the pivotal act of redemption through which God secured eternal life for His people.

1 Corinthians 15:57: “Thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

HE IS RISEN!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 10-16-2

© Dr. H 2023