Taylor Marshall Conspiracy Theories: Why I Ignore Them

This exchange and further statement (via past comments of mine) occurred in a Facebook discussion of my article, Taylor Marshall Groupie Makes a Typical Personal Attack (11-2-19). Rob Cui’s words will be in blue.

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I have made it clear several times that my critiques of his [Taylor Marshall’s] stuff are not personal. For example, in a paper shortly after I began my critiques:

I’m responding publicly to public materials. . . .

I have no personal issues at all, as I stated in my paper: none whatsoever. Zero, zilch. This is about defense of Holy Mother Church against calumnies. . . .

We live in an age today where every criticism of ideas is immediately collapsed into a supposed personal attack. It’s the influence of postmodernist subjective mush. Now, assuredly a lot of personal attacks do take place online. But my critique of Taylor Marshall’s errors is not an example of that. (5-31-19)

Dave. I agree with some of what you wrote, especially the pope bashing, but I believe you failed to comment on the book’s premise which is that there has been an infiltration of Masons and Communists that is destroying the Church from the inside. You failed to comment on the section about the St Gallen mafia that orchestrated Bergoglio’s election. I have been edified by your knowledge and teaching for many years but I believe your blanket criticism of reactionaries is quite extreme. Have all your experiences with reactionaries been so negative? There are many saintly and holy people that you would consider reactionaries.

It wasn’t my purpose to refute all the conspiracy theories in the book (as already reiterated in this [i.e., the previous] post). Someone else can do that. I have neither the patience nor the slightest desire to do so. My business is the defense of Holy Mother Church: not delving into conspiracy theories and examining charges like Pope St. Paul VI being an active homosexual (which was claimed in the book).

Have all your experiences with reactionaries been so negative?

Yes.

Now that they and more and more traditionalists and even plain “orthodox” allies are going after Vatican II and the ordinary form Mass and espousing virtual belief in the defectibility of the Church, my concerns over the last 25 years have been rather spectacularly validated. What you call “extreme” is simply orthodox Catholicism: St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI Catholicism (if you don’t like Pope Francis).

So now you are going down this road. I see on your Facebook page that you cite the schismatic Lefebvre twice [I would link them but the posts are not set to “public”]. You’ll end up in despair going this route. For the love of God and Church, don’t do it!

Here is what I think about conspiracy theories in general, as I wrote in papers dated 6-5-19 and 7-8-19 and my censored Amazon review (6-1-19):

I made it clear that my purpose was not to discuss the various conspiracy theories in the book. I have no interest in them. . . .

As Fr. Longenecker’s review highlighted, I am not in the least opposed to the bare idea that the Church has been “infiltrated.” The question is in the details and facts and degrees. I didn’t really address this in my first long paper (here critiqued), but I did in my (censored) Amazon review, that was considered the “top review” for over two weeks, the top critical review, and the one that had the most “helpful votes” (over 250 before it was mysteriously removed. There I wrote, as the ending section:

Lastly, I agree that many groups have tried to infiltrate the Church. The radical homosexuals are the ones in our day. The liberals have been trying to wreck Catholicism since the French Revolution. My mentor, Servant of God Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ (who received me into the Church and enthusiastically endorsed my first book, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism) said often that modernism is the culmination of all heresies, and that the modernist crisis is the greatest in the history of the Church. I agree 100%!

My response to that, though, is that the Church is led and protected by the Holy Spirit and is indefectible; therefore, all such attempts fail in the long run. Reactionaryism is the counsel of despair. The orthodox Catholic is always hopeful and believes that God is in control and that all things work together for good (Romans 8:28).

Conspiratorialism is a dead-end street; the fool’s way out, and a plain dumb and intellectually naive and vacant interpretation of very complex events and ideas. Much better is traditional Catholic grace-empowered faith: particularly in the indefectibility of the Church, God’s providence, and the scriptural knowledge that sinners are always present in the Church (parable of the wheat and tares, seven churches of Revelation, etc.).

In this vision and way of life, we know and believe that God is always in control and protects Holy Mother Church despite our repeated attempts to bring it down to the dirt and filth of human sin and nefarious aspirations for power, rebellion against God, and all the rest.

I have not delved into all these conspiracies, since it was not ever my goal or intention, but a good friend of mine, Paul Hoffer (an attorney and Catholic apologist) has embarked on a multi-part point-by-point examination of the conspiracies suggested in Infiltration (three parts done thus far):

A Chapter-by-Chapter Refutation of Dr. Taylor Marshall’s Book, Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within (+ Part II / III) (Paul Hoffer, starting on 6-9-19) . . .

I put out my article: Freemasonry? I’ve Had Links About it On My Site Since 2000 (I have vigorously opposed theological liberalism all this time, too) [6-5-19] I wrote in this paper:

I’m glad Taylor is educating Catholics about the danger of Freemasonry (including the infiltration of Catholic institutions). Welcome to the club, Taylor! I’ve been doing this for many years: as well as decrying theological liberalism from time immemorial (all the way back to 1982, as a Protestant apologist and researcher).

One can see my web page: “Theological Liberalism and Modernism (and “Dead” and “Nominal” Catholics)” in an archived version, dated 16 April 2000, filled with tons of links and many of my own articles on this dreadful error. Moreover, my book, Twin Scourges: Thoughts on Anti-Catholicism & Theological Liberalism dates from June 2003.

My concern and warnings about Freemasonry in particular have continued to the present time. On my site right now is the paper, “Catholic Refutations of Freemasonry (Collection of Links).” It is dated 6-28-10, back in the good ol’ days of Catholic unity, when Marshall still thought I was “one of the best cyber-apologists out there.” I added additional links on 9-26-16. It now contains 14 educational links.

The web page, “Liberal Theology & Modernism” is still there now, too.

So I have opposed this from the time before Taylor was even a Catholic [2006]. The difference is that I deny that Freemasonry has subverted an ecumenical council and popes. I think all such conspiracies to change the Catholic religion have failed. They’ve caused tons of damage to souls (I agree), but they haven’t succeeded in changing Church doctrine. [see source of entire citation]

If the point of your work and that of Taylor Marshall’s work is to win souls for God then it is a shame that you would attack him. I am a fan of you both and I wish that you could work together as opposed to being so divisive.

I’m not attacking him; rather, his false ideas. Do you intend to actually interact with what I wrote or not?

Marshall blocked me on his Twitter page within 24 hours of my first critique. Then he accused me of writing about him merely for “click bate” [sic] motivations (i.e., money). Sounds really ripe for a working relationship, doesn’t it?

Previously, he had warmly recommended my books, and for several years carried a book ad of mine on his site. At the moment I dared to disagree with him, he started acting like I was a moron and worth no one’s time.

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See many more articles about Taylor Marshall in his own section on my Traditionalists vs. Reactionaries web page.

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Photo credit: Ordercrazy (12-28-13) [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication]

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