Wrestling with certainty in an age of conspiracy theories and information overload

Do any of us really ever truly know that anything is ever really truly true?

This might sound like a ridiculous question, but in our current age of social media, AI, and endless information streams, it’s becoming increasingly relevant. As we wrap up our series on building solid spiritual foundations through understanding heresy, false teaching, and the Apostles’ Creed, I know some of you are thinking: “Isn’t it suspicious to believe in a set of doctrines that a bunch of people decided for us centuries ago?”

I get it. I really do.

The Problem of Certainty

I’ve often asked myself: What if this isn’t true? What if Christianity is just an elaborate conspiracy? These are important questions to wrestle with, and I think it’s healthy to have these perspectives in the back of your mind.

But here’s what I’ve come to realize: We live in an era where we question everything, yet can we truly know anything with 100% certainty?

Think about the conspiracy theories that circulate regularly:

• What if 9/11 was an inside job?
• What if we never really went to the moon?
• What if JFK’s assassination was staged?

There are always alternative narratives available. In our digital age, you can find “evidence” to support almost any theory if you look hard enough.

The Truth About Truth

Here’s the reality: I don’t think there’s ever enough evidence to support saying anything is 100% true. You can always find information to persuade someone to believe something different. Mind control and brainwashing work precisely because we can change narratives and confuse people.

So if you’re someone who says, “I don’t want to be duped. I don’t want to be taken advantage of. I don’t want to believe in something that’s just a hoax”—I completely understand that concern.

But here’s my question: Is there anywhere you can go where you can truly know that everything you believe is absolutely true?

A Better Question to Ask

Instead of seeking absolute certainty (which may be impossible), I’ve learned to ask different questions:

Who Benefits From This Belief?

Whenever someone tries to convince me of something—whether it’s a conspiracy theory, a religious doctrine, or a political idea—I ask: Who benefits if I believe this?

Usually, the motivation falls into one of these categories:

• Money: Someone is making profit from this belief
• Attention: It’s designed to demand your focus (like a child screaming for candy in a grocery store)
• Power: Someone gains control or influence over others

Does This Make Me Better?

The more important question might be: Does believing this make me a better person?

• Does it improve my life?
• Does it make my legacy greater?
• Does it increase my positive impact on society?
• Does it help me treat others with more love and compassion?

Working With What You Have

Since we can’t achieve absolute certainty about most things, you have to work with what you’ve got and make the best of it.

When it comes to ancient Christian beliefs like the Apostles’ Creed, consider this: These weren’t created by people trying to get rich or famous. The early Christians who developed these doctrines faced persecution, imprisonment, and death for their beliefs. They had very little to gain materially from promoting Christianity.

The Practical Approach to Faith

Rather than getting paralyzed by the impossibility of absolute certainty, try this approach:

1. Acknowledge uncertainty exists in almost everything we believe
2. Look for who benefits from various truth claims
3. Evaluate the fruits of different belief systems
4. Choose beliefs that make you and society better
5. Stay open to growth and new understanding

Ancient Wisdom in Modern Context

The reason the Apostles’ Creed has endured for centuries isn’t because it was imposed by powerful institutions seeking control. It survived because generations of people found that these beliefs:

• Provided meaning and purpose
• Created communities of love and service
• Inspired people to care for the marginalized
• Offered hope in suffering
• Produced positive transformation in lives

Moving Forward Without Perfect Knowledge

You don’t need perfect certainty to live a meaningful life or have authentic faith. You need enough confidence to take steps forward while remaining humble about what you don’t know.

The church may be falling apart in many ways, but that doesn’t mean the core truths that have guided Christians for two millennia are invalid. It might mean we need to separate institutional problems from foundational spiritual truths.

The Bottom Line

In a world where we can never be 100% certain about anything, wisdom lies not in achieving perfect knowledge, but in choosing beliefs that produce good fruit in your life and the world around you.

If following Jesus makes you more loving, generous, honest, and compassionate—if it gives you hope, purpose, and community—then perhaps that’s evidence enough to continue on that path, even without absolute certainty.

The alternative isn’t more certainty elsewhere. It’s often just different uncertainties with different outcomes.

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What role does uncertainty play in your faith journey? How do you navigate questions about truth when absolute answers seem impossible? Have you found that your spiritual beliefs make you a better person, regardless of whether you can prove them with complete certainty?

Related Posts:

• What is Heresy? Understanding True vs. False Teaching
• Essential Christian Beliefs: The Apostles’ Creed
• What is Deconstruction? A Christian’s Guide