Our hope in conspiracies

"The government caused the tornado!"
"Money mongers are killing us with GMOs!"
"Worship leaders are secretly working to subvert true holiness!"

Conspiracy theorists abound. With every disaster, someone, somewhere will cry "Conspiracy!"

Jim and I were spending our meal the way we usually do; chewing on the deeper things of life as eagerly as our ham and cheese sandwiches. In fact, likely a little more eagerly. Here are a few of our combined thoughts on conspiracies.

We assume that nothing should ever change. If it does, there has to be a cause that goes beyond the obvious. There has to be a deeper meaning. Someone is to blame for shoving us out of the comfort in the familiar. It's seen in our love of our own culture, not wanting anything to be altered. We love our worship as we know it, not allowing others to intrude on our version of propriety and liturgy. We even bring it to the supper table, assuming that if anything is different than we have become convinced that it should be, it's just plain wrong. Jim actually heard of those who were blaming the government for the tornado in Oklahoma. Everything from the pencils we use to the way we stand before God becomes an issue for debate and often protest.

It would seem to me that we increasingly live in a culture of paranoia. We're terrified of anything we don't understand. The technology about which we cry, "Foul!" is the very tool we use to promote our lifestyle of fear. Facebook, Twitter, educational documentaries, YouTube and yes, even blogs like mine are used to flood vulnerable minds with seemingly logical arguments. Someone, somewhere, is out to get us.

It's actually a rather convenient method of dealing with the incomprehensible. It gives reasons for those things that overwhelm us; natural disasters, chronic or terminal illness, the hideous acts committed by other humans or even those nagging pains in our bodies. If we can convince ourselves that someone is to blame, then perhaps we can make that person or institution change and our problems will be solved. In a weird sort of way, conspiracy theories hold out hope for an otherwise hopeless situation.

I would suggest that we have sorely misplaced hope. Christ made a couple promises that we would do well to carefully consider. They're tucked away in John 16:33; "...I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." Life is tough... sometimes really tough! Take heart! He has overcome! Rather than looking to people to blame and asking them to fix everything that's wrong, may I suggest that we prayerfully wait in the presence of our loving, holy God? He's not having a panic attack. In fact, I'm pretty sure He has a much better idea of the unseen than we do. Rest. Cease striving. He is God.