Protect Yourself From Misinformation

The truth about conspiracy theories

"Conspiracy theories are playing a bigger role in people's thinking and behavior possibly more than ever," says Shauna Bowes,  a research psychologist. Here is what you need to know about conspiracy theories.

What is a conspiracy theory?  A conspiracy theory is a claim that sinister and powerful groups have secrety plotted to cause a significant or tragic event.

 Why are they dangerous? Conspiracy theoris can undermine trust in legitimate sources of information, and some can cause people to reject health or safety advice.  Such theories  can promoted prejudice and violence against the group thought to be involved in the conspiracy. 

Why are they so popular? Conspiracy theories increase in popularity during "periods of widespread anxiety, ucertainty, or hardship," states the Encyclopedia Britannica, such as "during wars and economic depressions and in the aftermath of natural disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes, pandemics." At such uunsettling times, peope accept consiracy theories because these theories validate what they believe or help them to understand why bad things happen.

How can the Bible help you to protect yourself from conspiracy theories? The Bible offers practical advice that help us control worry during stressful times. It reveals what is really behind the problems that exist as well as how those problems will be solved.  To learn more, watch the video Why Study the Bible?

Next time: He "Continued Growing Up With Jehovah"

From the jw.org publications