How does the LDS church (Mormon) actually brainwash people?

M4J, (Hi) :)

I am not saying that Mormon's do not mean well, they do. Most are great people! Responsible, loving, and live to the best of their ability. (I would never call you a foul name...)

(Yes, Mormonism piss.. me off, but personal attacks are not called for.)

But sometimes people do not realize what is happening in their lives unless they take a step back and really look at it.

So,

In many people's opinions, The LDS church has an extremely effective indoctrination system that is second to none.

I found that members are taught to lay aside common sense and good judgment into experience the emotional parts of the religion.

Some members may know about the "questionable issues" but make exceptable reasons in their heads to justify it. (Smiths bigamy, violent history of temple endowment, or the nasty statements (over and over) made by so called prophets of GOD) Yes, these are negative, and wrong.

The lifestyle and rules of LDS members demanding and rigid for a reason, to keep them busy following the faith and not straying.(IMHO)

THE LDS church makes a point to make the new convert feel loved, and making the person feel worthless if they are not a member of the church in good standing, and guilt IS USED to control the actions of its members. (Must go to church , must strive for the temple, must wear garments after, except callings, must follow the prophets counsel, etc)

If a potential converts, and or mormon youth, or adult members do not feel the book of mormon IS true, or Joseph Smith as a true prophet, OR that the LDS church is not the "only true church on Earth," the insinuation is that they couldn't have been sincere in their prayer.

Members are warned both about the extreme, eternal, consequences of losing their testimony.

If anything makes them question their faith in the LDS church, in Mormonism, or in Joseph Smith, they are taught to repeat their testimonies, and that something must "be off or wrong or NOT sincere" on the members (or questioning members) part.

BUT,

I would say usually the "real" indoctrination starts with Mormon youth. If a person is raised in that faith, this is all they are taught and all that they are exposed too. Mormon parents whisper into young children ears at the pulpit as to what to say for their testimony. (Very young children)

Once they have gained a testimony they are encouraged to bear it, and are even given the approximate wording that it should take.

Mormon youth sings LDS centered hymns starting for a young age.

AS in hymns.. Follow the prophet, and I want to see the temple...ETC

Mormon youth are "expected" (yes socially expected) TO BE Baptized, to date people only of the Mormon faith, go on a mission and be sealed in a LDS temple. That's just the way it is. (you know this) THE pressure is huge...(for a reason)

Mormon history is totally sugarcoated.

LDS leadership want to expose anything negative. Or the LDS apologetic's take care of the approved answers...(they have some doozies for answers to the outside world.)

Mind control, indoctrination ,or brainwashing IS a conscious effort to keep people from discovering the truth. To keep them following and in line. I found the Mormon church is huge on this.

I am not the only one that see's this....

Sorry so long. Thanks for reading. :)

**NOW.. start with the usual "thumbs down."

(before you really read it. I gave you many reasons that many see this as "brainwashing.") I actually answered the question. imo.

I wouldn t say the Mormon church brainwash, or is into mind control. The only things I d say could be done differently in the church is callings and missions. There s a bit of pressure in serving, when this should be left as a choice. There should be perhaps more trust in their members. The pressure of callings and missions are fear of members going astray if they are not busy. This fear of sinning is a bit over the top in my opinion. We need to stop fearing, and believe in the members more. If they fall, then pick them up. Enough of guilt trip.... Serve in a calling/ mission if u feel right about it. Don t feel pressurised or guilty. Other than that, the church has many good positive aspects. I ve changed from being a mean person, to a more loving, kind, and compassionate one since I joined the lds church.

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RE:

How does the LDS church (Mormon) actually brainwash people?

Because I hear it all the time, yet, I don't remember being brainwashed. Can someone enlighten me? Perhaps you might trigger latent memories or something.

Did anyone get brainwashed, or did anyone from the LDS attempt to brainwash you? What happened, exactly?

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I grew up in a street gang environment. When my mother joined the LDS church she would sometimes drag me and my cousin to church with her. I was about 14 then. We would sneak out into the parking lot looking for things to steal from cars. Sound brainwashed? Once she took us to the Hill Cumorah Pageant (a huge outdoor dramatization of events from the Book of Mormon). We made sure we were as stoned as could be. Sound brainwashed? Eventually, on my own, I quit the gang, quit drinking and I quit smoking, (but still not interested in God or church, I actually hated both). Shortly after that, I was sitting in the living room late one night, and something happened (too special to relate here) that caused me to pick up the Bible and start reading. It was a King James version, and I wasn't at all accustomed to the language, so I didn't understand it. I put it down. At that moment I remembered something my mother told me about the Book of Mormon. Oddly, there was one on the table in front of me. I picked it up and started to read. I couldn't put it down. I was embarrassed to let my street gang friends know I was reading it, so I read in secrecy. I had read only about 11 chapters when my heart was completely changed towards Christ. I finished the book in 1.5 weeks and then asked to be baptized. No one offered me a can of food, though we were poor, and no mortal taught me before I asked to be baptized. 1.5 years after I was baptized, I asked if I could go on a mission. My mission was challenging, but very rewarding, and that was the case with almost every other missionary I knew. We wouldn't trade those two years for anything.

First, this is not as much of a question as it is an attack. It is a ridiculous accusation made by critics of the church (usually Evangelical "Christians") who apply the same standards of teaching to their children and for the same reasons that LDS do.

Not all Evangelicals resort to dishonesty in an attempt to disparage the church or it's members. Fuller Theological Seminary President, Richard J. Mouw, apologized to the LDS church for Evangelical intellectual dishonesty in attacking the church. You can read a report of his comments at http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2004/...

I don't think they brainwash anybody. I mean, if they were brainwashing I'm pretty sure they wouldn't allow anyone they teach to seek after the answers for themselves.

It doesn't. Brainwashing is a technique that uses negative association to discourage rational thought. The point of brain washing is to get a person's emotional response to override their thought process. This is exactly what many other churches are doing; they offer classes to "expose" Mormonism, but what they are really doing is discouraging honest investigation through a blitz of negative propaganda and peer pressure. They stack the deck - it would be like going to a trial where you could only hear the prosecution and not the defense.

LOL - you and I and many others know that there is no such thing.......but for those who choose not to have faith in things not definitively proven (and who are unwilling to look for the proof rather than have it provided in a search on google), operating from the premise that if people are committed to such a belief system it is because they are duped, irrational, or in denial - religion is an inherently irrational choice that must be explained away as the result of some kind of brainwashing.

and because our beliefs are not modified by such "enlightening" evidence that would "normally" cause us to see things differently because we are so very busy acting in very committed ways (paying tithing, attending meetings, sitting through weird temple rites, going to girl's camp....) then it must be these 'actions' that cause us to believe God's word is true, because we mistakenly believe we are rational people and would not be doing all these weird things unless it were true......or unless the church said to. and we do not leave because we are brainwashed into commitment. because we have absolutely no brains of our own and are completely incapable of making a decision on our own ---- rrrrright.

it could not possibly be that we have found here things that we hold dear, that support and enrich our lives (like truth, eternal life, knowledge of God and Jesus Christ). and it is beyond fathoming that these things are worth the sacrifices, disappointments, and the screwy looks and most verbal opinions of those who wonder what we could be thinking. it could not possibly be that we have gained knowledge, answers to life's questions, peace, comfort, assurance.....that we are not blind to the challenges, but think the rewards of this life is worth them.

Well for one thing, Mormon missionaries are only allowed to read books that have been officially approved by the church.

its more along the lines of indoctrination. teaching children from a very young age to say things like "i'd like to bear my testimony, i know the church is true", etc.

it just looks questionable from an outside perspective. surely you can understand that.

just try to look at things from their perspective.

maybe you think that al-queda opperatives are brainwashed, or nazi's. but they don't think so.

don't be offended by it, just explain to people that you don't think you are brainwashed.