Addressing QAnon In a Productive Manner
written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”
I’ve struggled to understand why so many people have been sucked into the QAnon lies. The idea that democrats are satanic baby killers seems so over-the-top, but people are being evangelized to this craziness every day. In an attempt to understand how this could happen in our modern world, I turned to an article by James Clear entitled, “Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds.” Perhaps Clear can help us find the mindset of those who would storm the capital and attempt to overthrow the election, in the name of democracy.
Clear shares, “Humans are herd animals. We want to fit in, to bond with others, and to earn the respect and approval of our peers. Such inclinations are essential to our survival. For most of our evolutionary history, our ancestors lived in tribes. Becoming separated from the tribe-or worse, being cast out-was a death sentence.” I heard a television pundit make the comment that with the decline of religious participation, people have turned to social media to bond and find their truth. Sadly, some social media “truth” is horrific. Yet, when everyone you are communicating with believes the same nonsense, it becomes your truth.
Now, add the pandemic and its isolation, and you have a recipe for bizarre, cult-like beliefs to grow and expand. Clear quotes Kevin Simler who confirms, “If a brain anticipates that it will be rewarded for adopting a particular belief, it’s perfectly happy to do so, and doesn’t much care where the reward comes from-whether it’s pragmatic (better outcomes resulting from better decisions), or social (better treatment from one’s peers), or some mix of the two.” The way beyond these false beliefs is to offer our own pragmatic and social outcomes that provide an avenue to real truth.
Religious organizations are properly situated to provide support and care to those hoodwinked by Qanon and other radical groups. Churches and other religious groups are uniquely situated to provide better, more meaningful outcomes in peoples’ lives. The churches are also able to care for others with better treatment. The key is to speak truth, name the sin, but do so with compassion. Rather than trying to win the truth argument, the way to transformation is to embrace the wayward and better outcomes will be learned as they feel cared for. Let this be our prayer and action.
