The Art Of Mormon Programming
Thought Reform And Comparisons With Mormon Teachings
It isn't just Mormons brainwashing people. Religions brainwash people. However, over 35 years, my experience has been inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, more commonly known as Mormons. As a local and regional leader within the church for many years, I saw the results of such brainwashing, often more damaging than most members would ever admit. There are reasons that, on average, only 33% of Mormon members attend church semi-regularly. One big reason is that a large proportion of people either become disenchanted or damaged to an extent they do not fully grasp until much later. This is compounded by the well-known fact that any sign of 'weakness' on the member's part is apparently due to their lack of faith or continual sinning. At least according to thoroughly indoctrinated Mormon leadership. This bedrock of Mormon belief is in itself a brainwashing technique. If faith doesn't work, then fear will is the true Mormon doctrine.
I recently read an enlightening article on Reddit by u/curious_mormon from 12 years ago. The author pointed to a report demonstrating how brainwashing or thought reform was used on American POWs by their Korean and Chinese captors in the 1950s Korean war. Brainwashing is a severe form of social influence that . . . [causes] changes in someone's way of thinking without that person's consent and often against his will [source: Working Psychology].
So let's compare.
- Assault on identity: You are not who you think you are.
- Guilt: You are bad.
- Self-betrayal: Agree with me that you are bad.
- Breaking point: Who am I, where am I, and what am I supposed to do?
- Leniency: I can help you.
- Compulsion to confession: You can help yourself.
- Channeling of guilt: This is why you're in pain.
- Releasing of guilt: It's not me; it's my beliefs.
- Progress and harmony: If you want, you can choose good.
- Final confession and rebirth: I choose good.
Now, compare this with how the Mormon church operates:
- Assault on identity: (You existed as a better person before — pre-existence, but debased yourself by being born.) If you join the Mormon church, you will find out who you really were, are, and who you pre-destined to be. IF you do what you are taught, that is.
- Guilt: (You are a natural man/woman. Impulses are wrong.) And there is only ONE way to be good, the Mormon way.
- Self-betrayal: (Everyone on earth sins. You do too, right? Puberty/immodesty, anyone?) You are deficient, even evil. Confess your wrongness and sins to be saved and given a new, better life. A Mormon life.
- Breaking point: (Have you built your testimony, or are you still relying on others' testimony) Who am I, where am I, and what am I supposed to do? The Mormon church has the key to save you. It is the ONLY true and living church of God on the earth today; the others are hoaxes. Only by being totally obedient, paying your money, and learning Masonic teachings can you enter Heaven.
- Leniency: (The church is 100% true and the only way to salvation) We have a plan—the eternal plan of happiness. We will help you because you are chosen and special like us—even golden.
- Compulsion to confess: (Have you confessed your sins to the bishop?) Start by acknowledging how bad you are; give us a clean slate, and we will reprogram you to be how Jesus wants you to be.
- Channeling of guilt: (You're sad because of sin. All bad things in life are due to sin) Because you don't have the true teachings of Jesus in your life, that's why you are sad or depressed. That's why your child just died. That's why you just got divorced. That's why you are uneducated and poor. Etc Etc. Mormon missionaries are taught to seek out the ‘elect’ or chosen, who also happen to be in severe physical, emotional, and mental health trouble. Only by becoming members of the Mormon church can these people become happy is the mantra.
- Releasing of guilt: (You don't have to be perfect, you just have to give us time, energy, money, and convert your friends.) You are special and chosen by God; you are His child; it's just your belief system that's wrong. We can help you change your thought system and lead you back to Heavenly Father, who misses you.
- Progress and harmony: (Don't you feel happy now that you know all the essential truths for salvation?) You will know good when you feel it and see it. Let us show you what good is according to God. You will learn by a burning in your buxom. That feeling will also testify to you that all the crazy things we are going to have you do from now on are what God wants you to do. Honestly. We swear on the Book of Mormon.
- Final confession and rebirth: (Welcome to the church, brother.) I am now a blank slate. I can be programmed to be a faithful Mormon. A unique and chosen person. There are so few of us. We have to stick together, no matter what. The temple is not secret; it's very sacred. So say nothing. After all, we don't want others to show you how you are being socially influenced and reprogrammed, do we?
© Stephen G. Arrowsmith 2022
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