Conspiracy theories

Someone just asked me...

"can anyone name a conspiracy theory that has not come true?"

Well...

Santa Claus.

I mean seriously, it is THE conspiracy theory - millions of people all working together to perpetrate it at every level - parents, relatives, companies, film makers, even US Defence Santa tracker. It is a massive, huge, co-ordinated, conspiracy way beyond what flat Earther’s could imagine. It really is...

It is almost as bad as most religions

Easter bunny and tooth fairy do not get close.

So... My kids, and even more so my grandkids... Santa has been sold as make believe, fun, let's play a game.

Never sold as reality, always a "pretend" and "fun".

I feel massively happier about that approach than selling as "real" until you get older.

It also causes issues with trust, I think.

If there can be a massive conspiracy, as there really is, of "Santa Claus", what, and whom, can you trust. 

And religion is another one - sell as "some people have these ideas and it reassures them, but think for yourself", and "there are some things nobody knows for sure, and you can consider". Religion can be a comfort for many. I am happy with that as a "comfort", sort of. 

We can always have "fun" and "fantasy". Indeed, it should be encouraged, but as such.

But, I really understand why some people come to religion.

I have really not.

I had a proper CoE background (school and parents), but quickly worked out Pascal's wager, and then realised that only worked with one specific "God or not" and so not a thing. No way to do with many Gods.

I understand people find comfort in such things, and why they want to feel comfort in such things.

I prefer to feel my own morality and my own judgement or my own actions, than something divine over me. I am responsible for what I do.