Conformity: mother nature's way of ensuring survival of a species, even if the species is a cadre of fringe topped monks trying to thread a needle with angels whilst busy painting obscene images in the manuscripts' margins, all the while hoping those horned dudes won't come by again.

AG, you left out the sheer and utter lunacy in one of the biggest conspiracy theories around: that a supernatural homicidal entity, later neatly split into triplicate facilimiles, drown nearly all life on the planet, destroyed cities on a whim and ordered his followers to lay waste to less chosen people's civilizations.

Conspiracy theories are also based on the dogma that evil plans, similar to those of the Almighty, are created by omnipotent beings who wish to control their minions.

Even worse, strange sanctuaries indeed are created for those with these 'beliefs', guarded by the Swiss equivalent of many multicoloured Aunt Josephines, many red-robed 'bird men' and one tall hat wearing dude with a poor choice in footwear.