Thought reform

[Fiat_Lux]

I’m moving the “brainwashing” topic from the missionaries thread, so as not to further derail it from its intended purpose.

Casen:

It bothers me when someone assumes those in their church are sincere but those in another faith must be brainwashed (I admit that attitude exists in my own church also). I personally believe most people are sincere in their religious beliefs and try to follow their conscious based on their experience and perceptions of reality, including those with beliefs I don’t agree with.

For the record, I don’t assume LDS are brainwashed. I do know that “thought reform” (my new, hopefully more politically correct term for what I meant when I said “brainwashing”) is real and that it happens, and I don’t assume that anyone is immune (including Catholics). It happens in degrees, though; thought redirection is sometimes a harmless and useful tool, and can be very beneficial, especially when it is done with the subject’s knowledge. I think Catholics experience thought redirection when they say the rosary.

But there is a point at which one’s ability to think for oneself is compromised, and it turns from redirection to reform, and that, in my opinion, is the point at which it becomes disturbing.

I also don’t think that that beliefs of people who are affected by thought reform are held insincerely. That is pretty much the polar opposite of what I think; I think they are very sincere, but that their perceptions of reality are compromised.

The accounts I’ve heard until now have all been similar to what Paul described. I wish you didn’t find my questions troubling, but rather viewed them as an opportunity to educate. I will look further into the idea that the program changed a few decades ago.