Some Americans believe that an “evangelical coup” is being mounted by Christians in the United States’ military.  The concept is absurd to mainstream America, which is why the constant tide of press releases by organizations trumpeting such a conspiracy is most often ignored.   

Many Christians agree that those who accuse them of attempting to establish an American theocracy are fringe.  While downplaying their conspiracy theories is wise, Christians cannot simply dismiss or ignore them.  Every now and then such accusationas erupt into “scandal,” as occurred at the Air Force Academy several years ago.  There are people in the United States today who honestly believe that Christians (especially those in the military) are a threat to freedom, democracy, and national security–and those people and organizations are part of the growing movement to impact Christians in the government and military today.

On a recent internet comment regarding “The Evangelical Christian Takeover of the Military,” one such person opined that 

[The] key military person overseeing the nuclear arsenal [is] part of this kabal, which made me wonder about the B-52 that “mistakenly transported” cruise missiles armed w/live nukes over parts of the US.  This plane landed at…Barksdale, which is a launching ground for all things headed to the Iraq war…

Were the evangelicals thwarted in their armageddon moment?  Are there any other overt efforts in Congress, the courts, the military to thwart them some more?  I hope so ’cause this is truly frightening!!  

Certainly, Christians should give little weight or credibility (and even less publicity) to absurd conspiracy theories–but that doesn’t mean Christians shouldn’t know about them, understand them, and be prepared to counter them when absurdities suddenly become the “normal” watercooler topic of mainstream America.

Ideas that are unopposed by free and open public debate may be accepted for the truth, even if they are wrong.