AND DON’T FORGET THE EARTH IS FLAT, THE MOON IS CHEESE AND BRUCE JENNER IS AN ILLEGAL ALIEN HERMAPHRODITE CREATURE FROM THE PLANET ZYGOG

From Roswell and chemtrails to the moon landing and JFK’s assassination, the conspiracy theories America is still obsessed with

By Annabel Grossman

Daily Mail
January 8, 2019

Do you ever get the feeling that everything isn't as it seems? That maybe we're not being told the whole truth? If so, you're not alone.

America has long been obsessed with conspiracies, from suspicions that Jesus married Mary Magdalene to theories that the world is being ruled by the Illuminati, September 11 was an inside job, NASA staged the 1969 moon landing and Elvis faked his death.

When the highly anticipated new series Roswell, New Mexico comes to The CW on Tuesday January 15 at 9/8c, we will revisit one of the creepiest and most entrenched conspiracy theories of our times as we question whether aliens could be walking among us.

To get you in the mood for challenging accepted beliefs and questioning conventional wisdom, here we bring you a rundown of eight of the most popular conspiracy theories of all time.

Roswell, New Mexico

Given Americans' fascination with all things extra-terrestrial, it's hardly surprising that one of the most enduring conspiracy theories centers on UFOs and aliens.

During the summer of 1947, a ranch worker discovered debris from a crashed object near Roswell, New Mexico, sparking speculation about alien crafts and government cover-ups.

The US authorities inadvertently fueled intrigue when they initially stated that the wreckage was from a flying disc or saucer, but they then revised their story and insisted it belonged to a weather balloon.

This did little to quell rumors, and the incident led to half a century of conspiracy theories, with sceptics relaying claims of alien autopsies, multiple crash sites, UFO sightings and witness intimidation.

NASA faked the moon landing

According to a surprisingly large number of Americans, the 1969 moon landing never actually happened and a human has yet to set foot on the lunar surface.

A 1999 Gallup poll found that six per cent of Americans believed that the lunar landing was fake and five per cent were unsure.

Conspiracy theorists claim that the Americans were so desperate to beat Russia in the space race that NASA faked the Apollo 11 moon landing, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin acting out their mission on a top-secret film set.

Critics point to the lack of stars in the lunar sky, shadows falling in multiple directions and the presence of a 'prop rock' labelled with a C.

But the most conclusive evidence they believe can be found in the footage of Aldrin planting a fluttering American flag on the moon's surface.

They insist the rippling flag clearly shows the presence of air or wind, something that would be impossible in the vacuum of the lunar surface.

Theorists have gone so far as to claim that film director Stanley Kubrick was hired to produce much of the footage after his experience on 2001: A Space Odyssey, which featured advanced special effects.

JFK's assassination

On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding in an open-topped limousine through Dealey Plaza in Dallas with his wife Jackie.

Lee Harvey Oswald was charged with the crime, but was himself shot dead by Dallas club owner Jack Ruby while in police custody before he could stand trial.

But was Oswald acting alone? Was he the real killer or just a scapegoat? Conspiracy theorists have examined these questions and come up with their own conclusions.

Some suggest that a second gunman - possibly a CIA assassin - located on the grassy knoll of Dealey Plaza was responsible, as they claim that the trajectory of the bullets didn't fit with Oswald's location.

Others suggest Kennedy was being targeted by KGB operatives in revenge for the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, or mobsters who were furious at Kennedy's brother Robert for his anti-mafia crusade.

Various other theories point to Vice President Lyndon B Johnson, the Illuminati, JFK's driver, his bodyguards, the military, and even Jackie Kennedy.

Chemtrails

Most of us believe that those puffy white lines trailing behind jet planes in the sky are simply plumes of water vapor.

But not conspiracy theorists. These doubters claim that the trails are actually chemicals or biological agents sprayed by the government to control the weather or poison the environment.

Some critics even go so far as to suggest that these 'chemtrails' are the result of shady powerful groups spraying the population with chemicals as a means of control.

Despite assurances from federal agencies and scientists that the trails are just water vapor released from aircraft engines condensing into ice crystals, theories continue to circulate that the truth is much more sinister.

September 11

America was shaken to its core when planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people.

Al-Qaeda took responsibility for the attacks, which was confirmed by US intelligence, but it wasn't long before the internet was flooded with theories that this was not the full story.

The most popular of these is that the attacks were an inside job, with the government orchestrating the events of that day in order to justify subsequent wars in the Middle East.

Critics asserted that the government refused to heed warnings of an attack, the towers were brought down in a controlled demolition, and that the US Air Force was deliberately stood down on the day itself.

Elvis Presley faked his own death

As far-fetched as it may seem, there exists a group of Americans who believe that the King of Rock and Roll did not in fact die in the bathroom of his Graceland mansion on August 16, 1977.

These disbelievers, who claim that there have been thousands of 'sightings' of the star, suggest that Elvis Presley had faked his own death and gone into hiding.

They point to the fact that his middle name is misspelled on his tombstone, reading Aaron instead of Aron, and insist that this was a sign he was still alive.

The New World Order

The world is run by a powerful, shadowy elite that is plotting to rule humankind with a single world government.

This is the view taken by conspiracy theorists who fear that groups such as the Illuminati, the Bilderberg Group and the Freemasons are seeking world domination through control of financial, political and social institutions.

They allege that this secretive elite are willing to use everything from mind control and fear-based propaganda to all-out global war to achieve their goals.

Jesus married Mary Magdalene

In his hugely successful novel The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown made a claim that conspiracy theorists have long espoused - that Jesus had married Mary Magdalene.

The Gospel of Phillip, which was discovered in 1945, refers to the Mary Magdalene as Jesus's 'koinonos', a Greek term for 'companion' or 'partner'.

Other gospels depict Magdalene as being close to Jesus and show she was present at many of the important moments in his life.

Although religious experts dispute the authenticity of the Gospel of Phillip, this has not stopped theorists from seizing on it as evidence that Jesus did indeed marry and have children.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Shit! And I’ve been led to believe the damn Jews were behind the New World Order.

And I do know Elvis Presley faked his death because he lived next door to me for a couple of years after his reported death. We used to take our dogs for a walk together. He told me he faked his death because he wanted to get out of the limelight and away from the drugs he was using.

And I’ve arrested a number of people who swore they were the direct descendants of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. And with their long hair, they did have a strong resemblance to Jesus.