Why I’m No Longer a Conspiracy Buff, by Michael Beck

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/oncebuff.htm

I suppose it boils down to whether you believe there are fairies at the bottom of your garden, or that you find the real magic within the biological make up of the forna and flora of the said garden.  I suspect conspiracy buffs, see intrigue in 9/11, believe in UFO’s, fear the grip of illuminati dominion, disbelieve their overly bureaucratic governments but still believe them capable of mass inter-agency conspiracy and lie-dissemination.

They probably believe in a biblical god too, together with his son (a man as the son of god, yeah right!), his archangels and his miracles.  They probably think it is fine to subjugate women or openly despise gays, gypsies and jews.  They will often distort or refute rational ideas such as evolution, which originated in scientific observation and a struggle between competing scientists (Wallace v. Darwin). This theory is now universally accepted amongst the scientific and wider communities and has had no real counter-refutation (unlike every JFK conspiracy theory).

I would rather believe in scientific fact, or support or refute a theory from a position of logic and rationality.  It does not mean that I do not have faith.  I have faith in a deeply entrenched humanism; that love, truth and honesty are the positions to stand up for, and that we need to stand against all forms of human evil, ignorance and brutality.  Is there a benign unknown truth guiding the universe? I hope so.  However, I also know that if there is, whatever its name is, it is not telling me to go out, convert and proselytize on its behalf,  beheading and blowing up people as I go.

Again, I suspect it is futile to seek this ultimate truth out and I should really use my time on things of common sense, like spending my energy on living a good life, having lots of laughter, being a good husband and father, and help my family, friends and fellow-man and woman wherever I can.

P.S.  Before any serious speculation on the JFK non-conspiracy, I would advise you to read the Warren Commission report first.  Not only would you be giving any possible refutation of its methods and findings some referential credibility, but you will probably be doing something that most conspiracy buffs haven’t done, i.e. actually read the bloody report that they have no faith in!

The report is available to download here:

http://www.gpo.gov/newsroom-media/presspage/13presspage43.htm

“In every one of your speeches you make a mockery of the Spirit, which you have silenced, and you forget that the private thought, the thought born in sorrow and loneliness can be more deadly than all your implements of torture.  You threaten all who oppose you with death; but you forget our hatred is a deadly poison.  It will creep into your blood, and we will die shouting with joy when our hate pulls you down with us into the depths….

If you banish God from the earth, we will meet him under the earth.  And then we, the underground men, will sing a song to God, who is Joy…

Friedrich Percyval Reck-Malleczewen, Diary of a Man in Despair, (New York, 1970), p. 123.