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Conspiracy Theories and Traditional Catholicism

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JMJ

I just checked my 'Tradical' email and noted an email from Louie Verrecchio.  Its title was enough that I became curious about what he was up to ...


While I'm not certain if we need another 'Traditional Catholic' newspaper, I was interested in the contributor listing:
With an impressive line-up of trustworthy contributors like Fr. Vidko Podržaj, Cornelia Ferreira, Dr. Peter Chojnowski, Randy Engel and others, The Catholic Inquisitor is committed to defending Catholic tradition – every issue, every month – without compromise.
Can you guess which one I found of interest? 

Dr. Peter Chojnowski

Because he is trying to 'prove' his conspiracy theory concerning Sister Lucy - namely that, like the 1980s theory that Pope Paul VI was 'swapped out' with a double, that Sister Lucy was replaced by a 'double'.

To demonstrate this he is trotting out a number of expert opinions that confirm his theory.

I find it laughable that he relies on the 'photographic evidence' and seems to dismiss the evidence provided by relatives because they were 'behind a screen'.  There's more to recognizing a person than just the unimpeded visual aspects.

But debunking this theory is not what I want to highlight ...

I want to highlight the attempts to find a solution for a problem by resorting to this sort of wild explanation.

Basically, it would seem that people are having problems resolving the apparent inconsistencies in Sr. Lucy's actions. The thought being that she couldn't possibly have approved of this therefore ...

In order to resolve this situation ... they start to grasp at straws. 

 In 35+ years as a Traditional Catholic, I have seen a number of people go into the deep-end because of conspiracy theories.  That's why I have a conspiracy site on my blog list.

Irrational arguments made to support a particular perspective irritate me because people start to extend the thought process to other decisions. Taken far enough this can (and has) destroyed materials as well as mental prosperity.

For me this is not a theoretical exercise.

I've seen people believe the "natural person" tax evasion and attendant conspiracy theories and cost their heirs thousands (if not tens) of dollars fighting the legal battles.

I've also seen people enter a mental health death spiral.

How does one break out of the doom-loop?

It is simple in theory, but hard in practice:  Stop and think critically about the information you receive, your own thought processes, and search for the principles behind it all.

... and be wary of anything that resorts to conspiracy theories to explain complex events and actions.

The best prescription for avoiding doom-loop altogether is to foster gratitude for what you have, a deep spiritual life and a perspective based on solid Catholic principles.

P^3


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Comments

  1. SSeptember 21, 2020 at 6:59 AM

    People who think conspiracy theories are all make believe are weak.
    The catch phrase 'conspiracy theories' was coined by the CIA to eliminate
    any doubts about the JFK assassination. Watch the recent interview with
    Ron Paul and Robert Kennedy Jr. , Kennedy states unequivocally and as a
    matter of fact that the CIA did in fact murder his uncle and father. Can this PLEASE be the last nail in the coffin for you 'coincidence theory' dolts?
    Were there 2 Sister Lucy's? It is definitely outlandish at the first pass.
    If you read any of the research you will find it is a quite logical proposition made even more convincing given the current state of Rome.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bill GSeptember 22, 2020 at 11:29 AM

    Have you actually read Dr Chojnowski’s blog? Sister Lucy Truth? If you have and have determined that all of the experts are also apart of the “conspiracy theory” you are extremely obtuse.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hawks OverheadSeptember 22, 2020 at 7:44 PM

    I don't see how anyone who has read Dr. Chojnowski's materials and mountains of evidence could so quickly and smugly disregard them unless they needed to protect their own cherished paradigm at all costs. Your comments seem like just a knee jerk reaction to an idea you're not willing to consider. Ok, so be it. But at least have the honesty to admit that the good doctor DID do everything a valid research investigation requires, and DID amass a large amount of evidence backing up his claim. Then stick your fingers back in your ears and go on whistling your tune.

    ReplyDelete

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