The Top-Ten Conspiracy Theories

The United States Shadow Government
2.60% of all votes

A little-publicised executive order during the Reagan administration created the National Program Office which established a secret national security team outside the traditional branches of the government. This new agency with a reported multi-billion dollar budget was headed up by covert operations loyalist Oliver North, and included then Vice-President George Bush (Sr.), Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld (who was not part of the administration at the time). Long time conspiracy theorists were ultimately not surprised to see key members of this secret national security agency placed in prominent administration positions, and at key "action stations," at the time of the attacks on September 11, 2001.

Soon after the 9/11 attacks, this office was given a degree of legitimacy by the Bush (Jr.) administration and known more broadly as Project 908 or "Continuity Of Government" (COG). Because of their involvement in national security issues, even when not officially in any administration agency, the NPO and later COG has been the target of a great deal of conspiracy speculation ranging from off-the-books covert activity to having total control of the executive branch of the U.S. government.

More information about this particular conspiracy theory may be obtained from the following topics here on AboveTopSecret.com:
The Shadow Government, A Complete Info Resource
Bush administration is running a "shadow government"
Mount Weather: Secret Underground Complex
The United States' Secret Shadow Government, A Structural Analysis
FEMA The Secret Government
Political Conspiracies Forum: Recent Topics Overview

Controlling Hearts & Minds Through Organized Religion
2.90% of all votes

In the Book of Matthew, Jesus lays out specific instructions, "thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men." This instruction of simple and private spirituality is reflected in the writings of many faiths, but ignored by organized religion.

Martin Luther in the 16th century, with his Ninety-Five Theses, may have been the first well-documented conspiracy theory author. The Christian Reform Movement began from concern over widespread commercial corruption in the Catholic Church. Many in the reformation were burned at the stake for being heretics, but in reality, were initially simply seeking to guide the church back toward the tenets of simple spirituality taught by Jesus.

To this day, the mechanisms used by major organized religions to influence the hearts and minds of followers are a far cry from the teachings that first spawned the faiths. From the suppression of science to the obfuscation of human nature, the attempt to control the actions of the populace have been well-discussed in conspiracy theory circles for centuries.

More information about this particular conspiracy theory may be obtained from the following topics here on AboveTopSecret.com:
Religion is Social Control
The Conspiracy of Organized Religion
Religion as a tool of control
Why would anyone say religion is here to control people?
Escaping Religious Images and Delusions
Conspiracies in Religion Forum: Recent Topics Overview

The Suppression of Alternative And Free Energy Sources
2.99% of all votes

One need only look at the debacle of the EV-1 Electric Car, and how the oil industry and big-auto (at the time) colluded with the government to kill a superior product to understand how similar alternative energy products and ideas have been systematically buried or outright killed. The ruthless oil industry, with government cooperation and sometimes active participation, has been the biggest barrier to the development of alternative energy sources, technologies, and ideas.

Even the father of our technological age, Nikola Tesla, the inventor of alternating current and much more, encountered stiff opposition and suppression of his experiments (which now appear to have been very successful) into "Zero Point Energy," or "free" energy extracted from the fabric of the universe.

And today, given the maturity of known alternative energy technologies, it shouldn't be difficult for the average household to establish nearly complete energy self-sufficiency. However, the barriers in both cost (through suppression efforts) and legal requirements (through government collusion with big-oil) make it nearly impossible.

More information about this particular conspiracy theory may be obtained from the following topics here on AboveTopSecret.com:
Free Energy - Sound To Electricity
Zero-Point Energy Generation
Suppressed technologies
Free Energy and its Political Economic Reality
Brazilian Scientists Have Developed A Vacuum-Energy Motor
Peak Oil Forum: Recent Topics Overview

A Significant Global Catastrophe Will Happen In December, 2012
3.55% of all votes

The ancient Mayans possessed a sophisticated culture with a unique perception of the universe and the role of the planets in cosmic events. Scholars studying the Mayans have found startling accuracy within the Mayan Calendar as it tracked days and weeks in comparison with astronomical data and events, and which is more precise than the Julian calendar. But the disconcerting discovery is that this highly accurate and painstakingly prepared calendar of cosmic events has an end date of 2012, beyond which no data exists.

According to a growing number of people researching this particular phenomenon of the calendar agree that "something significant" will happen on the end-date. Opinions range from a simple "cycle back to the beginning and start over," to a cosmic catastrophe that will end all life on earth. And as more information becomes apparent, many now believe that "the government" is fully aware of what will happen and is very carefully suppressing the truth. One tantalizing glimpse of this potential foreknowledge lies in the manner in which the "Y2K Bug" was repaired in many mainframe computers -- the problem was simply pushed forward to, you guessed it, 2012.

More information about this particular conspiracy theory may be obtained from the following topics here on AboveTopSecret.com:
Could this cause the end in 2012? New pulsar found.
Tibetan Monks See Aliens Saving Earth From Humans In 2012!
David Wilcock - Best theory on 2012 to date?
Catastrophic sun storm possible, NASA warns
The Web Bot Project Predicts Apocalypse In 2012!
2012 Forum: Recent Topics Overview

The Cover-Up Of Alien Technology Research at Area 51
3.56% of all votes

Few government installations inspire more speculation and flights of fancy than the most public of secret government facilities, Area 51 in Groom Lake, Nevada. Known to be the testing facility for the ultra-secret "Skunk Works" projects that gave birth to advanced technologies such as the stealth aircraft, this highly-guarded location is the stuff of conspiracy legend.

Believed to be the final destination of the debris recovered from a alien space craft that crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico, many feel the installation has been the epicenter of projects that reverse-engineer captured extraterrestrial technology.

Those who watch and track what appear to be government tests into highly-advanced technologies believe most of the activity at Area 51 has been moved to other locations. However, occasional hints and tidbits of information indicate there still may be significant efforts including the continuation of highly advanced research, possibly with the aid of actual extraterrestrial entities.

More information about this particular conspiracy theory may be obtained from the following topics here on AboveTopSecret.com:
Special Report: Area 51 Uncovered - New images available
Pictures from Inside Groom Lake
Recent trip to Area 51 - Guards cross the line
How do you get a job in Area 51?
Groom Lake - Here's the Truth!
Bob Lazar and Element 115
Area 51 And Other Facilities Forum: Recent Topics Overview

The Collapse of the Global Economy Was A Controlled Demolition
3.88% of all votes

While this may, justifiably, be a sub-set of the conspiracy theory coming in at number-one, the contemporary nature, and real emotional and economic pain being felt by the average person, makes this worthy of a position in the middle of our top-ten. Taking a cue from terminology often used in our number-three conspiracy, the "controlled demolition" refers to the decades-long plan to destroy the collective wealth of the average person.

In the first half of the previous century, people's financial savings were almost exclusively tied up in bank savings, pensions, and personal real estate (homes). Since those three simple vehicles for building or sustaining personal prosperity were not easily controlled or manipulated by the "powers that be," new methods were required to shift the finances from those relatively static, uncontrollable sources, to a more fluid and easily manipulated destination, the stock market. As a result, the government created and promoted several methods of "saving for retirement" that were tied to equity markets. Over time, an epic shift of wealth storage occurred that gave rise to huge global "investment banks" and drove equities indexes to unthinkable highs.

But savings was only part of the plan. The "powers that be" needed access to the equity in homes. So the shift in wealth storage soon focused on personal real estate. Unconventional mortgages were devised and sold at a dizzying pace to unqualified buyers. In order to fund highly exotic and risky mortgage-backed securities, both conventional and unconventional mortgages were pushed in a frenetic sales effort. The public was encouraged to use the equity in their personal real estate as credit for a massive consumer culture through home equity lines of credit, which were also folded into the exotic securities. With these strategies, the final component of the wealth storage shift was complete -- nearly every mortgage was tied to impossibly complex and highly-leveraged investment products designed to bring about catastrophe.

Now that the collective wealth of the average person had been transitioned to easily manipulated equity markets, the stage was set. Those few who devised this decades-long plan reaped the financial rewards as the "bombs" were detonated and the economy collapsed inward, resulting in the hard-earned savings of millions of people very-nearly vanishing in mere months, and the values of their homes crashing so hard it created millions of people with negative equity. The populace was successfully stripped of their wealth.

More information about this particular conspiracy theory may be obtained from the following topics here on AboveTopSecret.com:
RED ALERT: FX Dislocation In Process
History of Housing Prices Chart - SHOCKING
U.S. Dollar Biggest Decline In Quarter Century
The End of The United States: The Bush Administration Plan
US Banking Collapse a 'Controlled Demolition'
VIDEO: In Debt We Trust
Global Economic Meltdown Forum: Recent Topics Overview

The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
6.10% of all votes

Many consider the assassination of JFK as a pivotal event that was the catalyst for evolving the culture of the United States from one of optimism to that of skepticism. It's a defining moment as arguably the first time where major segments of the population found reason to reject the "official story." From that moment on, distrust in the government began to fester with measurable impact, and the popularization of the term "conspiracy theorist" began to take root.

With the possible exception of our number-two conspiracy, the JFK assassination is perhaps the most discussed and most widely-accepted conspiracy theory. The notion that factions within the government planned the murder of the president finds itself deeply entrenched within the culture through countless books, television shows, broadcast and cable specials, and feature movies.

While potentially massive in scope, this theory has not achieved the closure of lessor-scale proven conspiracies such as Iran Contra, Watergate, and the FBI involvement in LA gang wars (to name a few). Many believe this is because the event occurred prior to the eventual skeptical-of-government environment that later ensued, which made exposure of subsequent conspiracies more likely. Before the assassination, we generally didn't want to consider our government would lie to us, now, it's a generally accepted fact of life.

More information about this particular conspiracy theory may be obtained from the following topics here on AboveTopSecret.com:
JFK Assassination: John Connally - A Question of Position and Angle
Was Officer Tippet Supposed to Have Killed Oswald?
JFK Assassination - Old Story New Questions - The Green Man
A New Angle on the JFK Assassination
New Analysis of Oswald's Backyard Photo – JFK Assassination
Search for more JFK Assassination topics on ATS

The Attacks on September 11, 2001
14.26% of all votes

If we had performed this survey three years ago, this conspiracy theory may have come in at the number-one spot. This is not to say there is a diminished amount of speculation about various levels of government involvement, but that a layer of fatigue has found its way into traditional conspiracy theory circles.

The basic premise behind 9/11-related conspiracy theories are relatively simple: elements within the United States government either made possible the events of the day, or turned a blind eye so as to allow the attacks to happen unhindered. The core notion is very similar to the conspiracy theories surrounding the attacks on Pearl Harbor. But compounding these theories are two disturbing items: 1) The discovery of Project Northwoods which was a 1962 Joint Chiefs of Staff plan to inflict civilian casualties with hijacked aircraft as a pretext to invade Cuba, and 2) Conspiracy theory "chatter" during the spring of 2001 that a "false flag" terrorist attack on American soil was imminent. When conspiracy theorists discover alarming coincidences that include key "Shadow Government" members at action stations the morning of 9/11, previous plans drafted by the government to do exactly what happened on 9/11, and growing rumors of a terrorist attack that will be used as a pretext for war, the speculation begins in earnest.

Now, some eight years later, it's nearly impossible to perform an Internet search on the topic of the 9/11 attacks and find material that is not related to one or more conspiracy theories. And while the event has sparked a type of online resurgence for conspiracy theorists, in many ways, the Internet chatter has also contributed to the lack of mainstream adoption of this particular conspiracy. A multitude of web sites and Internet forum postings promote a dizzying array of wildly speculative theories that range from holographic projections and nuclear devices to total and complete fabrication of the event through Hollywood-style special effects, and so much more. Many who follow the traditional conspiracy theorist path of sober analysis and relentless research feel that some, if not many of the popularized but wild Internet theories are distractions designed to obfuscate and hide the truth in plain sight.

Indeed, those concerned about a "conspiracy within a conspiracy" need only look at the dozens (if not hundreds) of factions owing allegiance of sorts to the larger "9/11 Truth" campaign. Most of these smaller groups have been engaged in various levels of "one-upsmanship" as ever more speculative theories are aggressively promoted so as to attract attention away from competing groups. The result is an impossible to discern cacophony of competing theories, confusing or conflicting objectives, and ultimate frustration for both those involved and those seeking to learn. It doesn't matter that the confusing mix of theories is by accident or design, the traditional conspiracy theorist will comment that there is no such thing as a coincidence, and that everything happens for a reason.

More information about this particular conspiracy theory may be obtained from the following topics here on AboveTopSecret.com:
VIDEO: 9/11 Press For Truth
FLIGHT 93 - The Biggest 911 Smoking Gun!
Bombs in the Building: Conspiracy Theory is a Conspiracy Fact
Explosions Before Both WTC Collapses and before WTC7 Collapse
9/11 ABL - Smoking Gun - This Is It
9/11 What evidence would make you believe in a conspiracy?
NIST Admits Total Collapse Of Twin Towers Unexplainable
4th Generation MicroNukes Used on WTC1,2 and 7
9-11 lets lay it on the table....please provide evidence
The North Side Flyover - Officially Documented
The Hologram Theory is dead
Why there were no planes at the WTC
New Video: September clues exposes 911 TV Fakery
9/11 Conspiracies Forum: Recent Topics Overview

The Cover-Up of Extraterrestrial Visitation and Their Space Craft
19.28% of combined votes

Coming in number two, we actually decided to combine the votes on two similar categories "Extraterrestrial Cover-up" and "Cover-ups related to UFO sightings." While conspiracy theory purists will be quick to point out that there are quantifiable differences between the cover-up of extraterrestrials and those of "unidentified flying objects" (especially when considering many UFOs may be secret government projects), there's enough crossover to combine the two.

Many respected scientists, politicians, and journalists have become convinced of compelling evidence that not only have we been visited by extraterrestrial beings, our government is actively pursuing collaborative projects in exchange for access to advanced technology. Several declassified government documents provide tantalizing clues of active programs designed to retrieve fallen alien space craft, research into extraterrestrial technologies, and cover-stories for various sightings of aerial craft of fantastic operation.

And the recent widely reported sighting at the Chicago O'Hare airport illustrates the lengths at which the government will seek to cover-up or dispel unexplained sightings of incredible aircraft. While many people, including pilots and tower personnel, saw an airborne object behaving in an extraordinary way in secure airspace at the nation's largest airport, the FAA, airlines, and official government sources did their best to deny any such thing happened.

But unlike many other conspiracy theory categories, it should be noted that this one is riddled with outright hoaxes fake footage of aliens and flying saucers. In most cases, the hoaxed images are nothing more than someone attempting to draw attention to their digital video special effects prowess. In some cases, the hoaxes turn out to be various "camps" of UFO aficionados playing tricks on each other. But in a few cases, the false leads and misdirections of popularized hoaxes have been manufactured by covert government agencies as a means to track the progression of an online meme within the relatively small circle of people engaged in researching the conspiracies.

To many, the mystery has been solved, we are not alone. But until the government finally "discloses" its awareness and involvement, extraterrestrials and UFOs will remain a high-interest conspiracy theory category.

More information about this particular conspiracy theory may be obtained from the following topics here on AboveTopSecret.com:
VIDEO: ATS Investigation At Gilliland Ranch
HOAX: Isaac CARET - Drones
HOAX: Project Serpo: Postings by "Anonymous"
HOAX: Haiti UFO Video - YouTube
NASA STS-114 UFO Footage - Can it be debunked?
Robbie Williams' Sightings - In his own words
Untersberg - The Mystery Mountain
Dozens in Texas town report seeing UFO
UFO's over house, son scared to play in the backyard
The Questions U.F.O. skeptics can't answer
Apollo 11 Armrstrong "These babies were huge, sir!"
BBC World News - Unidentified Objects
More "Anonymous" Chicago UFO images
Is every Meier photo a fake?
Aliens and UFOs Forum: Recent Topics Overview

The Secret Cabals Working Toward a Global One-World Government
22.07% of all combined votes

And now, here we are at the number-one conspiracy theory as voted by the members and visitors of AboveTopSecret.com. Combining three very-similar vote categories; "Conspiracies related to the global banking elite," "Bilderberg, Illuminati, CFR, PNAC, etc," and "New World Order & One World Government," we have what is essentially the grand unification conspiracy theory (even before combining the votes, the NWO vote category was in first place).

In many ways, this is the core concept from which many other conspiracy theories spring forth. The "New World Order" is the fabled end-game for the power-hungry global elite that many believe are behind the events that have shaped history and current events. The core theory speculates that long-standing bloodlines and banking families have entered secret arrangements to consolidate power and influence via a global one-world government. The secret societies such as the Bilderbergs and Illuminati (and to some extent elite Free Masons) are at the core of the theory. Suspected members of these groups are associated with major international banks, the Project for the New American Century, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Trilateral Commission.

The people speculated to be at the center of this particular conspiracy comprise a short-list of less than 3,000 of the who's-who in international politics, industry, and finance. Led by the select few who represent multi-generational family involvement for whom power consolidation has replaced wealth accumulation, the goal is global amalgamation in the form of a tightly controlled police mega-state.

Contemporary events, such as the controlled demolition of the economy and purposely failed U.S. foreign policy are seen as the latest necessary steps toward the inevitable global police state. Even elements of the UFO and ET technology cover-ups can be traced back to this unification conspiracy theory as the power elite use all tools at their disposal to refine the technologies needed to control a global population. In one way or another, according to traditional conspiracy theorists, all lessor conspiracies are traced back to this singular but complex theory that is to conspiracies what string theory is to physics.

More information about this particular conspiracy theory may be obtained from the following topics here on AboveTopSecret.com:
VIDEO: End Game
VIDEO: War Made Easy
Who's Going to Join the Zeitgeist Movement?
Get Ready Folks.
Do Not Watch This Video...
NWO Survival Planning
DHS: "You'll get a National ID and you'll Like it"
The Omega Agency: "Above The President"
Is The War Against The NWO Already Lost?
New World Order Forum: Recent Topics Overview
Secret Societies Forum: Recent Topics Overview

Survey Methodology

Members of AboveTopSecret.com were given a week to discuss what they believe are their most important or compelling conspiracy theories. Each member submitted at least three suggested theories for a total of over 200 distinct conspiracies submitted. The master list was condensed and reviewed, with a final master-list of 35 conspiracy theories.

The final list of 35 theories was packed into a Flash-drive web-based voting system that allowed anyone to select their top-three most important theories. All users were allowed to vote once per 24 hours, resulting in 29,112 unique respondents with a total of 53,195 completed ballots... or 159,620 actual votes.

The final votes were weighted as follows:
A vote in the first position, or most-important theory, counted for a value of 1.2.
A vote in the second position, or second-most-important theory, counted for a value of 1.0.
A vote in the third position, or third-most-important theory, counted for a value of 0.8.

The total vote-values for each conspiracy theory in the poll were tabulated and used to determine the top-10 conspiracy theories which represent 81.12% of all votes.

Link to actual survey data.