by Trent Wilde
What does the Branch Davidian message have to say regarding conspiracy theories? The bottom line is that conspiracy theories are inconsistent with certain fundamental principles promoted by the Branch message. Here are some of those principles:
1. Reality is strictly physical/material. (See Why We Need Materialism and FAQ.)
2. What it means for statements or ideas to be “true” is for them to match material reality.
3. Belief is warranted *only* when there is sufficient evidence to establish that a claim is true in material reality.
4. Anecdotal stories, personal experience, and the fact that something aligns with your worldview don’t count as sufficient (or even legitimate) evidence.
5. Legitimate evidence is defined as being 1) exclusively supportive of a single hypothesis and 2) experimentally verifiable in such a way that withstands the most rigorous scientific scrutiny.
6. We need to be as cautious when it comes to accusing others as we would want them to be in accusing us.
So, can a Branch Davidian believe in conspiracy theories such as that 5G radiation causes COVID-19? Well, since that claim is not even scientifically plausible, a Branch Davidian simply could not believe it, at least not without being blatantly inconsistent with the core principles promoted by the Branch message. Conspiracy theories thrive on anecdotal stories and claims of destroyed or hidden evidence, and of course, confirmation bias. Also, it is important to keep in mind that believing or promoting conspiracy theories entails accusing someone, or some group, of evil intentions and/or behavior. But if you do not personally have evidence for their guilt that would stand up in the most just court of law, you shouldn’t make the accusation. It is easy to accuse people and to portray their character in a negative light. Having scientific evidence of their guilt, however, is another thing entirely. What standard of evidence would you want people to have in accusing you of crimes or evils? I’m sure you wouldn’t want people to believe claims that you are an evil conspirator based on anecdote; you would want them to use high standards of evidence. We, then, should do to others as we would have them do to us by not accusing others without experimentally verifiable evidence.
If you want scientifically sound info regarding COVID-19 as well as conspiracies related to it, we recommend the following sources:
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/
https://theness.com/neurologicablog/
Oh, and beware of Miss Misinformation and go to Lady Learning!
