Your conspiracy theory needs to change…

Flowers in bullet holes in the windows of the Carillon Bar, Paris

It’s been a while. Took an atrocity in one of the most beautiful cities in the world to bring me out of hiding.

You may have noticed, that isn’t what I want to write about – others have done a much better job than I ever could. If you really need more on Paris, you can’t go far wrong by reading Omid Safi’s wonderful piece, here.

Nope. What tipped me over the edge was the litany of conspiracy theories rolling across my social media.

I have news for you.

Not only does your preferred conspiracy theory, applied to such a heinous act, offend every fibre of decency within any right thinking individual; but, the one thing I can almost certainly guarantee, is that, whatever form taken by the delusion to which you so stridently ascribe the world’s ills, it is wrong.

There is no Zionist Overlord Banking Cartel plotting the downfall of Western Society. There is no Secret World Government waging war on the Global Citizenry. Nor are there Dark Agencies flying around in Black Helicopters. No Aliens running things behind the scenes. No New World Order. No ruling elite…

The truth is much, much worse.

The truth is: there is only us.

All the horror in the world; we create. All the bombs, guns, wars; we create. All the injustice, inequality, intolerance; we create. All the hate, fear, greed; we create.

All of it…

Until we collectively embrace our mutual responsibility for ALL of the problems in the world then nothing will change. Continuing to espouse xenophobic, polarising, elitist views; whilst simultaneously denying the role that such a worldview plays in generating the reality we perceive around us; merely guarantees the status quo.

Want a conspiracy theory worth pursuing?

Adopt the one that calls for equality in all things. Adopt the one that calls for compassion, acceptance, understanding. Adopt the one that calls for peace. Adopt the one that calls for meaningful, lasting, sustainable change in the world.

Nothing else is worth believing in…