Hope and Fear: Modern Myths, Conspiracy Theories and Pseudo History

"A myth-busting journey through the twilight world of fringe ideas and alternative facts. Is a secret and corrupt Illuminati conspiring to control world affairs and bring about a New World Order? Was Donald Trump a victim of massive voter fraud? Is Elizabeth II a shapeshifting reptilian alien? Who is doing all this plotting? In Hope and Fear, Ronald H. Fritze explores the fringe ideas and conspiracy theories people have turned to in order to make sense of the world around them, from myths about the Knights Templar and the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel, to Nazis and the occult, the Protocols of Zion and UFOs. As Fritze reveals, when conspiracy theories, myths, and pseudo-history dominate a society's thinking, facts, reality, and truth fall by the wayside."-- Amazon.com Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Introduction 8 1. Thinking about Pseudoscience, Pseudo-History, Modern Myths and Conspiracy Theories 19 2. Why Do People Believe Strange Things? 37 3. The Many Journeys of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel 51 4. Templars, Secret Societies and Conspiracy Theories 98 5. A Road to Perdition: Germans, Nazis and a Culture of the Supernatural 139 6. The Myth of Roswell 175 Conclusion 221 References 232 Select Bibliography 264 Acknowledgements 266 Index 268 Myth-buster extraordinaire Ronald H. Fritze journeys through the twilight world of fringe ideas, conspiracy theories, 'alternative facts' and pseudo-history.