Computer-Antichrist rumors grew so common even believers later repudiated them

Evidence

So prevalent did these beliefs become after about 1980 that a 1994 tract on computers and the Antichrist explicitly repudiated them: “False reports and silly rumors only damage the credibility of one of the most powerful prophetic passages in Scripture.” — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 259

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Antichrist folklore makes every new supranational body a suspected Antichrist vehicle — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 257; Refuted conspiracy theories persist for decades after being debunked — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects…, 240; COINTELPRO’s tactics seeded paranoia across later conspiracy communities. — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 856 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Refuted conspiracy theories persist for decades after being debunked #exemplifies (0.85) — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof, 240
• People often resist or reverse belief updating rather than tracking evidence #corroborates (0.85) — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof, 104
• COINTELPRO’s tactics seeded paranoia across later conspiracy communities. #corroborates (0.75) — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 856
• Urban legends and rumors fuel conspiracy beliefs through shared truth-claims. #corroborates (0.72) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 113
• A fake AI image of the Pope fooled millions into believing it was real #exemplifies (0.72) — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 688