Welcome to Cyclopaedia 28: Conspiracy Theories. Cyclopaedia is a monthly article on the InnRoads Ministries website. April 1st, also known as April Fools’ Day, was just last week. It is the ultimate “fool your friends” day with funny videos, fake commercials, and weird images all over the Internet. Think of it as the holiday for conspiracies. Knowing that was quickly approaching got me to thinking about Conspiracy Theories which inspired this month’s Cyclopaedia. So put on your tin foil hat and let’s determine who is telling the truth.
If you have questions about this article or topics you would like me to consider researching for future Cyclopaedia articles, please leave a comment below.
Overview
Conspiracy theories abound, especially when we can either not explain something or do not want to believe the explanation given to us. These theories speak of an unwanted conspiracy that contradicts the facts and/or history as we know it. Most often, these theories involve governments or secret societies.
Michael Barkun, in Chasing Phantoms: Reality, Imagination, and Homeland Security Since 9/11, discusses how conspiracy theories become a “matter of faith rather than proof” as they build upon themselves, incorporating contradictory evidence as fact, proving their theories. Thus, it becomes a closed loop unwilling to accept the contradictory nature of some of their evidence.
Some conspiracy theories are only intriguing, such as whether Elvis is still alive and in hiding. Other theories seem like science fiction and arouse our curiosity, such as the Roswell Incident and Reptilian Humanoids running world governments. But others have an impact on our history and possibly our daily lives, such as chemtrails and the hoax theories of 9/11. Each conspiracy theory must be evaluated individually, including the impact it has on our lives.
Before the Internet and social media, most conspiracy theories were shared via word of mouth or printed stories, so they did not disseminate or gather followers quickly. Now, these theories spread quickly, amassing huge groups of followers. What do you believe? What should you believe?.
Famous Conspiracy Theories
So many conspiracy theories to choose from, but here are some of the most popular still today.
- 9/11 Faked
- Apollo Moon Landing Hoax
- Area 51/Roswell Incident
- Black Helicopters
- Chemtrails
- Elvis is alive!
- JFK Assassination
- Men in Black
- MK Ultra
- New World Order
- Reptilian Humanoids
Following are sources of information pertaining to Conspiracy Theories to assist prospective game masters, game designers, writers, and storytellers in knowing where to start their research.
ARTICLES
Conspiracy Theories Do they threaten democracy?
By Katel, Peter
Source: CQ Researcher, v19 n37: 885-908
Does it take one to know one? Endorsement of conspiracy theories is influenced by personal willingness to conspire.
By Douglas, K.M.; Sutton, R.M.
Source: British Psychological Society 2011-04
BOOKS
American Conspiracies: Lies, Lies, and More Dirty Lies that the Government Tells Us
By Ventura, Jesse
Area 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base
By Jacobsen, Annie
Climate Change: The Facts
By Moran, Alan
Conspiracies and Secret Societies: The Complete Dossier
By Steiger, Brad and Steiger, Sherry
Critical Path
By Fuller, R. Buckminster
The Da Vinci Code
By Langdon, Robert
Dreadful Sanctuary
By Russell, Eric Frank
Foucault’s Pendulum
By Eco, Umberto
Gravity’s Rainbow
By Pynchon, Thomas
Hammer of the Gods: The Thule Society and the Birth of Nazism
By Luhrssen, David
Hidden History: An Expose of Modern Crimes, Conspiracies, and Cover-Ups in American Politics
By Jeffries, Donald
History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time
By Meltzer, Brad
Illuminatus!
By Shea, Robert and Wilson, Robert Anton
The Mammoth Book of Cover-Ups: The 100 Most Terrifying Conspiracies of All Time
By Lewis, Jon E.
Mental Liberation in the Age of Thought Control: Deprogramming Satanic Ritual Abuse, MK Ultra, Monarch & Illuminati Mind Control
By Barker, Kerth
The Manchurian Candidate
By Condon, Richard
Mind Wars: A History of Mind Control, Surveillance, and Social Engineering by the Government, Media, and Secret Societies
By Jones, Marie D. and Flaxman, Larry
Ministry of Fear
By Greene, Graham
None Dare Call It Conspiracy: The inside story of the Rockefellers
By Allen, Gary and Abraham, Larry
The Oath of Nimrod: Giants, MK-Ultra and the Smithsonian Coverup (Templars America)
By Brody, David S
Project MK-Ultra and Mind Control Technology: A Compilation of Patents and Reports
By Balthazar, Axel
The Occult Roots of Nazism: Secret Aryan Cults and Their Influence on Nazi Ideology
By Goodrick-Clarke, Nicholas
Proofs of a Conspiracy: Against All The Religions and Governments Of Europe, Carried On In The Secret Meetings of Freemasons, Illuminati, and Reading Societies
By Robison, John
Propaganda
By Bernays, Edward
Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion
By Marsden, Victor E.
The Rise of the Fourth Reich: The Secret Societies That Threaten to Take Over America
By Marrs, Jim
The Romanov Prophecy
By Berry, Steve
The Roswell Incident
By Berlitz, Charles and Moore, William L.
Rule by Secrecy: The Hidden History That Connects the Trilateral Commission, the Freemasons, and the Great Pyramids
By Marrs, Jim
The Thirty-Nine Steps
By Buchan, John
Unacknowledged: An Expose of the World’s Greatest Secret
By Greer, Steven M and Alten, Steve
The Unseen Hand: An Introduction to the Conspiratorial View of History
By Epperson, Ralph
GAMES
Conspiracy: A Spy Game of Bluffing and Betrayal – Tabletop Game
Conspiracy Theory – Tabletop Game
Conspiracy X – RPG
Dark Conspiracy – RPG
Delta Green – RPG
Deus Ex: Invisible War – Video Game
Feng Shui – RPG
Guide to the Technocracy – RPG
GURPS Illuminati – RPG
Hidden Invasion – RPG
Illuminati: The Game of Conspiracy – Tabletop Game
Illuminati: New World Order – Tabletop Game
Illuminatus – Tabletop Game
It’s Just a Theory – Tabletop Game
Men in Black: The Roleplaying Game – RPG
The Merchant’s Guide to Rokugan – RPG
Over the Edge – RPG
Paranoia – RPG
Secret Hitler – Tabletop Game
Secret Societies of Théah – RPG
A Study in Emerald – Tabletop Game
Unknown Armies – RPG
The X-Files – Tabletop Game
The X-Files – Video Game
CINEMA
24 – TV Series
All The President’s Men
Angels and Demons
Antitrust
The Arrival
Blow Out
The Bourne Identity
Burn Notice – TV Series
Capricorn One
Changeling
The China Syndrome
Conspiracy – TV Series
The Conspirator
Conspiracy Theory
The Da Vinci Code
Enemy of the State
Eraser
The Fugitive
Futureworld
The Good Shephard
Hudson Hawk
The Ipcress File
The Insider
The Interpreter
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Jacob’s Ladder
JFK
The Last Boy Scout
Manchurian Candidate
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Marathon Man
Men in Black
Mercury Rising
Minority Report
National Treasure
Nixon
The Parallax View
The Pelican Brief
The Philadelphia Experiment
The Prisoner – TV Series
Seven Days in May
Silkwood
Sneakers
Soylent Green
The Stepford Wives
Syriana
They Live
Three Days of the Condor
Valkyrie
Wag the Dog
The X-Files – TV Series and Movies
Zootopia
LOCATIONS
Area 51
http://www.area51.org/
Conspiracy Con
http://conspiracycon.com/
HAARP
https://haarp.net/
Mantauk Air Force Station
http://www.illuminati-news.com/montauk-history.htm
Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
https://www.jfk.org/
The Watergate Files
https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/museum/exhibits/watergate_files/index.html
PEOPLE
Gary Allen
Jack T. Chick
Steven M. Greer
David Ray Griffin
Morris K. Jessup
Alex E. Jones
David V. Icke
John A. Keel
John Lear
Jim Marrs
Jordan Maxwell
William L. Moore
Geraldo Rivera
John Robison
I hope you find these resources informative and inspiring for your adventures, storytelling, or game design.
Stay Creative!
T.R. Knight
( If you would like to save this list of resources as a convenient PDF for later reference, you can find that HERE )
WHO IS T.R. KNIGHT?
He is a freelance editor, proofreader, and writer in the game industry. He is also a Husband and Caregiver to his wife Angie, Father of Twins Emily and Rachel, Gardner and Hobby Chef, and Director of Academic Technology and User Services at Taylor University. You can learn more about T.R. at his blog http://www.thomasrknight.com.