Scarlett Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 He sent me a copy of a letter from the department of Army with the subject Preparation for Martial Law. I just can't believe he believes this stuff. It takes 2 seconds to prove it is a hoax. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Paranoia is going to find something to latch onto, if one thing is disproven it will just find another. I'm sorry your brother is suffering from this, I hope he doesn't do anything dangerous to himself or others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted August 25, 2016 Author Share Posted August 25, 2016 I let him he should send it to the media. He said no way he doesn't want a target on his back. Do I tell him it is a hoax? That I don't believe it for 1 second? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 I think I would just ignore stuff like that that he sends you. Don't acknowledge it at all. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Ignore. I don't think people who spread these believe them. They're just on high alert and want to make sure you are on your guard against (insert whatever they despise) at all times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Telling him probably won't make him stop sending it, and it certainly won't make him believe it. I'd ignore it completely. This is not worth a family fight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Ugh, this martial law thing is really widely circulated now. I don't understand why some people are so vulnerable to this... it's almost like some psyches crave emergency and danger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted August 25, 2016 Author Share Posted August 25, 2016 Ok I am not going to say anything more than I already did.....his note to me was "see I am not so paranoid and delusional after all!" Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 My advice also is not to engage. My dad was so persistent with the email forwards that my brother and I finally had to block him. It was always worse during election seasons, or during major events such as Y2K. I know he made calls to the FBI, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 He sent me a copy of a letter from the department of Army with the subject Preparation for Martial Law. I just can't believe he believes this stuff. It takes 2 seconds to prove it is a hoax. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Like many assertions, there is a grain of truth here: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-ff-na-jade-helm-20150508-story.html Military Training exercises and a lot of extrapolation. I found that in 2 seconds. Maybe your brother just finds it all interesting? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 From what I recall, your brother is unwell. I would just not engage, I really wouldn't. It is so hard. I have a family member who is descending into conspiracy theories, although not as far as he is, and I just thank them for thinking about me and ignore it otherwise. You cannot reason with someone who is in this state. Any counterevidence is merely viewed as evidence of a conspiracy. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Some well meaning people on facebook (friends of friends - not mine) are posting warnings that by the middle of November we will be under 'marshall' law. Right. Sigh. This is why I've narrowed my facebook friends down to the bare minimum. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 (edited) Trying to discuss or "prove" to someone who is paranoid will not work and will probably alienate you from him (he may believe you and your family are part of the conspiracy, etc.). I believe you said his wife is ill? So I am guessing you want to try to be supportive. I would suggest not engaging in the paranoia and try to steer conversation to more appropriate topics. Edited August 25, 2016 by jelbe5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 I just realized that I must know your brother.......... Pretty sure he used to be my brother-in-law........ everything you've ever said about your brother makes me think of my former brother-in-law....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theelfqueen Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 I would be tempted to send a series of crazy ancient aliens and crypto zoology articles in response. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theelfqueen Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 I especially like Hogzilla. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherGoose Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Yes, assuming you have already had a rational conversation about conspiracy theories, I'd ignore it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 among the stuff my brother has sent me . . . was some CERN scientists supposedly opening a portal to another dimension so now they're on the run from men in black suits who want to kill them. I did send him the proof it was someone's really *really* REALLY bad attempt at writing unfinished science fiction (and there are websites of people waiting for the rest. some people just like really bad fiction. - and they knew it was fiction.) he ignored me. I occasionally point out the holes in the garbage, mostly I ignore. I have a life. he mocked me for my naivety for not believing the gov't was out to get everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 (edited) Some well meaning people on facebook (friends of friends - not mine) are posting warnings that by the middle of November we will be under 'marshall' law. Right. Sigh. This is why I've narrowed my facebook friends down to the bare minimum. you could do them a favor and correct their spelling. after all, correct spelling and grammar go along way in building credibility. / btw: I had far left nephew sending me similar conspiracy theories 8 years ago. Edited August 25, 2016 by gardenmom5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted August 25, 2016 Author Share Posted August 25, 2016 And the thing is.....I really don't trust any government. I know citizens are lied to often by all governments. But this stuff is just so far fetched. My brother was once a brilliant person. I dontt know what has happened to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 How is his wife doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted August 26, 2016 Author Share Posted August 26, 2016 How is his wife doing? I think she is doing well. She told me last night they are letting her combine the 5th and 6th week of treatment so she gets to come home a week early. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted August 26, 2016 Author Share Posted August 26, 2016 I think she is doing well. She told me last night they are letting her combine the 5th and 6th week of treatment so she gets to come home a week early. Then last night my brother told me that is not correct. She comes home for one week, then goes back for 7 more weeks. 6 weeks radiation, 1 of chemo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 The scary thing is, I know a lot of seemingly normal, educated people who believe conspiracy stuff. One very sweet, smart homeschooling mom I know was explaining to me how the government was going to be assigning career paths to each child at birth soon, and that her children were probably the last generation in the U.S. who would be able to choose their own. Another older gentleman I know, another smart, educated man (he is a doctor) was telling me how Obama is not actually a citizen and is in fact part of ISIS, and how could our country have been so blind to not realize this and elect him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 And the thing is.....I really don't trust any government. I know citizens are lied to often by all governments. But this stuff is just so far fetched. My brother was once a brilliant person. I dontt know what has happened to him. I'm sorry. Perhaps he has an undiagnosed mental illness going on? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 The scary thing is, I know a lot of seemingly normal, educated people who believe conspiracy stuff. One very sweet, smart homeschooling mom I know was explaining to me how the government was going to be assigning career paths to each child at birth soon, and that her children were probably the last generation in the U.S. who would be able to choose their own. Another older gentleman I know, another smart, educated man (he is a doctor) was telling me how Obama is not actually a citizen and is in fact part of ISIS, and how could our country have been so blind to not realize this and elect him? That could be dh's doctor. Five minutes dealing with the medical issue. Thirty minutes ranting about government conspiracies. Smart, well educated man. Makes me wonder about my sanity. I've always known there are crazy, phobic people out there. I just never knew any personally, or that I was aware of, before. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SproutMamaK Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 I'm sorry. Perhaps he has an undiagnosed mental illness going on? If I recall correctly, he has a diagnosis (was it bipolar schizophrenia?) but frequently goes off his meds. Feel free to correct me on that, Scarlett! So sorry to hear that it's getting worse even as his wife goes through treatment. :( I guess with everything else feeling like it's spiraling out of control, it's natural for him to reach out for control in some other way... but that's a scary prospect given his suspicions about people and places in his area. :/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted August 26, 2016 Author Share Posted August 26, 2016 If I recall correctly, he has a diagnosis (was it bipolar schizophrenia?) but frequently goes off his meds. Feel free to correct me on that, Scarlett! So sorry to hear that it's getting worse even as his wife goes through treatment. :( I guess with everything else feeling like it's spiraling out of control, it's natural for him to reach out for control in some other way... but that's a scary prospect given his suspicions about people and places in his area. :/ Yes he is diagnosed and I really don't know about his meds. Probably not on them right....although I hear him talk about pain meds. The thing is he doesn't sound frantic about this stuff he is paranoid about. Just believes it and is matter of fact about it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 one thingI was reading is those with less social support are more likely to get it online, and to buy into the cray-cray. I think that's where my brother falls. he's an engineer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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