Tue May 27, 2008 1:41 am by SaintBastard
I feel that "Brainwashed" is an inaccurate term. Mentally Conditioned I believe is closer to the truth. The funny thing is what the CoS does is not actually cataloged. We can quantify brainwashing as a technique that utilizes duress, rewards and various commands or other conceptual stimuli (text, pictures, objects etc.)
The CoS starts with an idea that seems reasonable and can be argued, except that it is an inarguable point. Something like "communication leads to understanding" therefore "more communication leads to greater understanding" and qualified by statements like "quality of communication is key." Once you also set up "understanding" as synonymous with "agreement" with drills and examples in everyday interactions then the person is conditioned to subconsciously believe that understanding something means that he must agree with it. Now you have mentally conditioned somebody to agree with you just by explaining something and getting them to understand your position.
This completely excludes the possibility of EVER respectfully disagreeing, agreeing to disagree or coming to a compromise. Please also note that there is no duress in the process and it is a process that take place over the course of a persons interactions with the church not ever with just one person so it is very subtle.
I think the scariest thing I ever said to somebody in the church was "I understand what you are saying, I just don't agree." To them I am sure it seemed like an utterly psychotic statement.
The power to destroy a thing is the absolute control over it.
Frank Herbert
