The Science of Conspiracy Theories

Conversions conspiracy

Conversions conspiracy

While we're on religious conspiracies, there are a number of famous people whom theorists claim have converted to Islam. Religious conversion shouldn't generate a conspiracy. We're supposed to be tolerant of all religious beliefs.

The Dali Lama is supposedly a Muslim who is masquerading as a Buddhist, according to the rogue monk Kelsang Gyatso. This monk's followers believe that the Dali Lama is a Muslim because he never explicitly admitted to being a Buddhist. He was allegedly from the Muslim village of Taktser and came from a non-Buddhist background. One reason to disqualify this argument is that this theory is from the Geluk Tibetan Buddhist sect, which is sanctioned by China. China took over Tibet.

A 1997 article in the Middle East Quarterly claimed that Prince Charles was a convert to Islam. The article also claimed that the Royal family has ties to Islamic governments. When Prince Charles visited Oman in 2003 this rumor was dragged out of the trash again, especially when Charles was seen to be sympathetic to several Muslim customs. So what if Charles has an interest in Muslim culture! It doesn't prove anything.

This one is a stretch. Supposedly Neil Armstrong heard strange sounds in an unfamiliar language on the Moon and then later heard similar sounds while in Egypt. He was told it was the Islamic call to prayer, and this supposedly converted him to Islam. Really!

This is even worse. When Paul Ryan grew a beard during his 2015 Republican presidential run, he was accused of being a closet Muslim, which is what President Obama is accused of being. Another politician accused of converting to Islam is Anthony Weiner because his wife was born in Saudi Arabia. Big Deal!

Michael Jackson was though to have converted to Islam because of the efforts of an Inman with Canadian songwriter Dawud (David) Wharnsby and British singer Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens). This rumor was propagated by a U.K. tabloid and intimated that Jackson's family were adherents of the Nation of Islam.

Other people that were accused of converting to Islam include: Jacques Cousteau because of an Islamic friend; John Brennan (head of the CIA) converted while stationed in Saudi Arabia; Princess Diana because of her relationship with al-Fayad; Adolf Hitler because he considered it the religion of men. Say what?

The last one surprised me because Hitler was a Catholic.

Thanks for reading.