Conspiracy Thinking and Advancing Secularization
The hypothesis that the rise of conspiracy thinking is a direct correlate of advancing secularization poses a fascinating sociological and psychological question. In academic literature, this phenomenon is often discussed in the context of the orphaned believer: the person who has indeed left institutional religion, but whose fundamental need for meaning, structure, and community remains undiminished. When religion and conspiracy thinking are considered at an academic level as functional equivalents, profound structural similarities emerge that go beyond mere superficial comparisons. When religion is understood strictly analytically as a system of beliefs, the core mechanisms prove to be virtually identical to those of conspiracy theories. Dogmas such as the Immaculate Conception or the Resurrection are unverifiable claims that appeal to a higher truth that remains hidden to the uninitiated. Both systems employ a teleological worldview that resolutely rejects the idea of chance. Nothing happens by chance; Everything has a purpose, whether it's God's plan or the hidden agenda of an elite. A Gnostic element plays a crucial role here, with the believer or the conspiracy theorist believing they possess a revealed knowledge that the masses lack. Moreover, both narratives offer a moral compass in a complex world by depicting a clear struggle between good and evil and identifying a recognizable, metaphysical enemy. Sociologist Peter Berger spoke in this context of the sacred canopy, an all-encompassing religious framework that protects humanity from the chaos and absurdity of existence. Due to secularization, this canopy has disappeared, and the world, in the words of Max Weber, has become disenchanted. Although science offers facts, it rarely succeeds in giving meaning to individual suffering or global capriciousness. Conspiracy thinking functions here as a form of re-enchantment. It offers a coherent narrative that replaces the arbitrariness of pandemics, economic crises, and geopolitical shifts with an intentional plan. This process is reinforced by what Zygmunt Bauman described as liquid modernity. In a world where established institutions, traditions, and social frameworks have melted, the individual experiences a constant state of uncertainty. In this fluid state, humans are fully responsible for their own success and failure, leading to existential anxiety. Conspiracy thinking offers a necessary solidification in this context. It transforms the elusive fluidity of the modern world back into a solid, understandable enemy. Where Bauman argued that modern humans suffer from an excess of freedom and a lack of security, conspiracy theory offers a paradoxical form of security: the certainty that at least someone is in control, even if that person is malicious. This shift also has profound social consequences that strike at the heart of modern political polarization. Where the historical church community once offered social identity and security within its own pillars, the disappearance of the parish has led people to seek out new epistemic communities. Online forums and private groups have replaced pews. Within these new bubbles, constant mutual reinforcement takes place. The "us versus them" mentality that once separated believers from pagans now creates an unbridgeable boundary between those who are awake and those who are still asleep. Even the joint investigation of new theories functions as a modern ritual that strengthens group bonds and creates a new form of pillarization. This new pillarization, however, is more aggressive than the old one because it is no longer embedded in a broadly socially supported moral framework. When shared reality fragments, political polarization becomes inevitable. The political debate shifts from a discussion of policy to an existential conflict about the nature of reality itself. The other is no longer an opponent with a differing perspective, but a heretic who denies the truth or, worse, is part of the evil conspiracy. The political arena thus becomes a battlefield of secular religions, where compromise equals betrayal of the truth. However, a profound paradox lies in the rationality of the modern conspiracy theorist. Although they often present themselves as hyper-rational or skeptical, they operate within a post-secular spirituality. In the absence of divine authority, the government or a shadowy elite becomes the all-controlling entity. The omnipotence once attributed to God is now projected onto human actors. This form of anthropomorphism is often easier for the human mind to digest than the terrifying idea that world history is a series of coincidences. It is a psychological mechanism that returns agency to the individual: by naming the enemy, one feels as if one has regained control over one's destiny. The hypothesis that conspiracy thinking fills the void left by secularization is therefore highly plausible. In a fluid world, it offers modern humans an explanation for incomprehensible events, a sense of influence, and a warm community of like-minded people in an increasingly atomized society. The resulting polarization is the symptom of a society that has lost its sacred canopy and is desperately trying to glue the shards of truth back together. In this sense, conspiracy thinking is not so much a lack of intelligence as an existential survival strategy in a time when the grand religious narratives have lost their persuasive power, but the human need for a Grand Explanation remains undiminished, DZD (2025, Almere-Haven).