Conspiracy theories inherit the mythic good-versus-evil frame of American religious zealotry.

Evidence

It is worth noting that conspiracy theories frequently echo the spirit of the religious zealots who founded this country. Julie Ingersoll, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Florida, writes that such theories frame world events in monolithic, black-and-white terms: “Conspiracy theories seek to explain events not merely in terms of human actors but in terms of all-inclusive mythic narratives or worldviews, rooted in a fundamental division between Good and Evil.” — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 55

It is worth noting that conspiracy theories frequently echo the spirit of the religious zealots who founded this country. Julie Ingersoll, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Florida, writes that such theories frame world events in monolithic, black-and-white terms: “Conspiracy theories seek to explain events not merely in terms of human actors but in terms of all-inclusive mythic narratives or worldviews, rooted in a fundamental division between Good and Evil.” — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 55

Categorization

• XREF: This religious-framing claim prefigures the author’s later exploration of Christian apocalypticism; it also resonates with the chapter’s claim from Khalil Gibran-lover Raquel’s ‘brotherhood of man’ utopianism and with millenarian readings across cult studies and jihadist studies. — connects to: Americans recurrently embrace religiously framed conspiracy panics about children and the Devil — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 236; Liberal framing of the good-bad Muslim divide enables right-wing conspiracy theories; Conspiracy theories become dangerous when fused with resurgent nationalism and white supremacy — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 108 (+3 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 55

Broader Connections

• Americans recurrently embrace religiously framed conspiracy panics about children and the Devil #exemplifies (0.85) — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 236
• Anti-Catholic conspiracy claims about takeover plots recur verbatim against American Muslims today #exemplifies (0.80) — Sahar F. Aziz, The Racial Muslim, 310
• Liberal framing of the good-bad Muslim divide enables right-wing conspiracy theories #exemplifies (0.75)
• Conspiracy theories become dangerous when fused with resurgent nationalism and white supremacy #expands (0.75) — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 108