Conspire ~ from Latin conspirare: to breathe together, to agree, to act or work together (nefariously, or not), to ally, to unite, to cooperate.
To conspire literally means to breathe in unison. It has come to be defined in a negative light only, where it probably involves making secret plans, and is synonymous with verbs such as plot, scheme, connive, and collude.
Conspiracy ~ from Latin conspiratio: a breathing together, singing together, being in agreement, in unison.
Today, a conspiracy is considered to be the plan or agreement between parties to conduct an illegal, unethical, and/or harmful action. This understanding is based upon the premise that, if the activities in question were lawful, and were not otherwise objected to, there would be no reason to plan them secretly. Of course, this is non-sensical. Are birthday parties illegal or immoral? Planning a surprise can be perfectly lawful, thereby invalidating the argument. When a conspiracy is thought to be an agreement between parties to deceive or mislead in order to gain an advantage, what would you then call a football huddle? If you define conspiracy as an agreement between people whose goal is acquiring or increasing control or power, or achieving some political objective, all at the expense of others, have you not also likely defined the careers of most all business leaders and politicians?
Conspiracy Theory ~ popularized from an internal CIA memo dating back to 1967 (see image, above). Labeling any who dare suggest an alternate explanation, Communist or otherwise, to the officially-sponsored narrative “Conspiracy Theorists” has come to infer they are paranoid, irrational and delusional, anti-government types, therefore, whatever they say must be totally disregarded. Wickedly brilliant!
US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy is quoted having said, “I want to splinter the CIA into a thousand pieces and scatter it to the winds.”
Once the President had been assassinated, the media began parroting the supplied script regarding “who did it.” Public outcry demanded an investigation, and the government put forth its response via the Warren Commission Report in an effort to control public discourse. Operation Mockingbird was initiated to counter any criticism of the report by spreading false information sufficient to redirect blame. Questioning the (ridiculous) official story could not be tolerated, so operatives were instructed to “Point out also that parts of the conspiracy talk appear to be deliberately generated by Communist propagandists. Urge them to use their influence to discourage unfounded and irresponsible speculation.” This technique appears to have worked perfectly.
Please feel free to acknowledge that when the mechanics of a given event or occurrence are not fully known, let alone the motive(s) behind it, any explanation is theoretical, including that put forth by the government. However, at some point, when non-official speculation is not in step with the status quo explanation, when an alternate explanation challenges the narrative, it is negatively depicted as “Conspiracy Theory.” Promoters of alternate explanations are derogatorily labeled “Conspiracy Theorists.” Thoughtful questioning, once the darling meme of so-called science, is now grounds for dismissal. Public discourse is effectually silenced.
If the phrase was ever to be used honestly, a conspiracy theory would simply refer to a theory of a conspiracy. If a conspiracy must always be an evil plot, then a conspiracy theory would "theorize" the planning of an illegal and/or harmful action or event by two or more parties. Since we all know that any family, group, community, club, business, institution or government could most certainly be involved in schemes of malevolence, a conspiracy theory would be the entertaining, speculating, postulating, proposing, hypothesizing and/or even accusation of such.
But the phrase isn't used honestly. It is used to marginalize, if not to immediately dismiss, any who question the status quo, that being the state-sanctioned explanation of actions or events. It is quite a clever tactic if you are the status quo and/or the state. If you can't or won't kill outright those who disagree with you, and if you haven't successfully censored or silenced them, you can at least hope they are treated like lepers, outcasts, and social pariahs - people to be avoided at all costs - by branding them "conspiracy theorists."
This determination is wickedly brilliant: By deliberately ignoring any details of any alternative notions, declaring even the consideration of any alternative notions to be ludicrous, insane, and dangerous, and refocusing attention on the person(s) espousing said ludicrous, insane, and dangerous notions, accusing such person(s) of being ludicrous, insane, and dangerous, dissent is effectually quelled.
If, rather than acknowledge that the heart of man is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things, you are more comfortable believing that "My government would never {insert despicable action, here}!," while you eagerly parrot the propaganda published by those planning and committing the atrocities, you will likely refer to any who offer alternative explanations, or even hint at the prospect of foreknowledge (let alone those who detail evidence) as "conspiracy theorists."
If I told you that there was an established plan to impose a worldwide authority throughout the Earth, a one world government, would you call me a conspiracy theorist?
Would you assume I would only be referring to the beast of Revelation 13? Or the United Nations' Agenda 2030? Or the "Great Reset?"
What if I told you that the Living God intends to rule the Earth? If you believed me, would that not make you a conspiracy theorist, according to the ridiculous definition? And worse, if you intend to rule with Him (as kings and priests), would that not also make you a co-conspirator?
Connecting the Dots is a euphemism for combining what may appear to be disparate bits and pieces of information to form a cohesive story. Connecting the Dots can be contrasted with blindly accepting a prescribed narrative on a given topic, as it not only allows for, but requires independent thought.
The assembly of separate components which may appear unrelated is the hallmark of Conspiracy Theorists. Conspiracies (plots, schemes, strategies, wiles, evil plans, etc) are by nature secret. Conspiracy details are therefore deliberately obfuscated in order to throw off suspicion and prevent detection and exposure.
Those who are suspicious but lack overwhelming, demonstrable and convicting evidence are branded "theorists." Those who are convinced they know, but cannot prove the existence of a conspiracy are likewise branded "theorists." Even those who can prove the dots are connected are branded "theorists" by the conspirators and their supporters.
A smart fox would arrange for the hunters to believe their hounds may have contracted a contagious and deadly sinus infection and should immediately be quarantined. The hunt would be called off.
An even smarter fox would get word to the hunters saying that the very notion of foxes having a scent that a hound can detect is all in the dog's head, and such a dog is in need of immediate psychiatric help. The hunt would be actively protested.
The world's smartest fox would convince the hunters that foxes don't exist, and baying hounds are nothing more than dangerous, racist, hateful conspiracy theorists. Hunts would be deemed acts of terror and banned, altogether.
Today's successful conspirators are deceivers and liars. They skillfully fabricate and masterfully manipulate information, misinformation, disinformation, malinformation, events, pseudo-events, stories and narratives to achieve their ends. The shameful act of parroting the product of conspirators is not something to be proud of, or to receive awards for. Broadcasting or re-broadcasting such deceit, wittingly or un-wittingly, should qualify one as a co-conspirator.
You are from your father The Devil, and the desire of your father you are willing to do; from the beginning he has been murdering men and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him; whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from what is his, because he is of falsehood and is also its father.
The Devil is a conspirator. He devises schemes with intent to steal, kill and destroy. We are warned to not only be aware of his conspiracies, but to confront him and his accomplices. The principalities, rulers and powers of this dark world, along with the wicked spirits under Heaven are not to be confused with flesh and blood. It is against these, not men, with whom we are to engage and do battle, using armor and weaponry supplied by the Living God. (see Ephesians 6:10-18)
The weapons of our warfare are not according to the flesh, but of the power of God ...
Stop participating in the word games of the ungodly. Let me share with you some examples of real conspiracy:
And the LORD said unto me, "A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them ... "
Let everyone beware of his neighbor, and put no trust in any brother, for every brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity. Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they refuse to know me.", declares the LORD.
Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do, because of my people? Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully; with his mouth each speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he plans an ambush for him. Shall I not punish them for these things?", declares the LORD, "and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?"
Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed ...
Deliver me from evildoers and save me from those who are after my blood. See how they lie in wait for me! Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, LORD. I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight!
O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish.
And the LORD made his people very fruitful and made them stronger than their foes. He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.
The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains. Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets. Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire — they all conspire together.
Mankind is not merely capable of conspiring, but has a history full of it: subjects against rulers, rulers against subjects, even men against God.
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet ... Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price." Peter said to her, "How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also." At that moment she fell down at his feet and died.
If you are one who is quick to claim to "leave speculation to the ungodly," be just as quick and eager to embrace the TRUTH, and do not fear it. There is no need to hide from the knowledge that we have an enemy intent upon stealing, killing and destroying. Do not remain ignorant of the wiles, strategies, schemes, plots, or conspiracies of the Devil. Learn to listen to the Spirit of Holiness, Who " ... brings to light the things hidden in the darkness and discloses the motives of men's hearts ... "
In all this, as we continue to pray to God to save and rescue us from the hands of our enemies, from those who conspire against both Him and all who are His, be mindful to obey our LORD Jesus Who commanded us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and to do good to those who hate us. (see Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27,35)
Grace and Peace be with you,