Author Topic: Six brainwashing techniques they use (Read 1777 times)

Matthew · « **on:** August 16, 2011, 10:40:17 PM »

http://usahitman.com/brainwash-tech/

Elizabeth · « **Reply #1 on:** August 17, 2011, 12:21:10 PM »

:cheers: excellent

herbert · « **Reply #2 on:** August 17, 2011, 11:47:59 PM »

Quote from: Elizabeth

:cheers: excellent

i disagree izzy. brainwashing bad.

St Jude Thaddeus · « **Reply #3 on:** August 18, 2011, 01:57:15 PM »

This article bothers me. It sounds like a compendium of modern liberal arguments in favor of indifferentism and tolerance, for example by teaching people to be suspicious of anyone who has strong beliefs and convictions and mistrust anyone who says they know the Truth.

It's six main points could very easily be used by our opponents against Catholicism.

Examples:

No. 1: Supposed Brainwashing Us vs. Them

We have: Catholics vs. Protestants, Catholics vs. Muslims, Catholics vs. Pagans, etc.

No. 2: Supposed Brainwashing Black and White Choices

We have: good vs. evil, God vs. Satan, life vs.death, etc.

No. 3: Supposed Brainwashing Keeping You in Line with Shame

We have: confession, penance, excommunication

No. 4: Supposed Brainwashing Controlling What You Watch and Read

We have: The Index of Forbidden Books, lists of movie ratings posted on church walls in the old days, books need imprimatur, etc.

No. 5: Supposed Brainwashing Slipping Bull***t into Your Subconscious

We have: liturgy, sermons, Catholic forums, etc.

No. 6: Supposed Brainwashing Chanting Slogans

We have: Rosary, litanies, chaplets, etc.

Sometimes an article against brainwashing can very easily be a kind of brainwashing itself.

Matthew · « **Reply #4 on:** August 18, 2011, 02:38:09 PM »

Those who wish to fill our minds with error are working with the same human beings that Christ's Church is working with.

Are you saying that "teaching" is bad, because someone can teach error? The Church teaches too -- but it teaches the Truth.

Even if the Church made use of human psychology -- brainwashing/advertising techniques -- it wouldn't make that bad. It would be used only for a good end (Truth).

Unless the techniques are intrinsically evil or sinful, I don't see a problem with using them "for good".

Like I said -- brainwashing techniques work on human beings. The Catholic Church might very well use similar techniques to propagate its religion. Just because it's the true religion doesn't mean it isn't a system of beliefs.

And the one about chanting is a bit of a stretch. I've never seen or experienced anything (at least in Traditional circles) that compares to a "mob" mentality: "USA! USA! USA!", "Glove don't fit, must acquit!", "Hell no, we won't go", etc. which drowns out all rational thought.

I also disagree with #5 -- sermons don't put anything into your subconscious. They appeal directly to your CONSCIOUS mind. Your reason, the part of your mind you're well aware of. I don't know of any priests that use subtle "hypnosis" or brainwashing techniques in their sermons!

Matthew

St Jude Thaddeus · « **Reply #5 on:** August 18, 2011, 04:11:13 PM »

If you read carefully what I said in my post, I was pointing out that the same techniques mentioned in the article could be used by a bad-willed person to describe the Catholic Church as an organization that maintains its power by brainwashing people. The examples I listed were clearly intended to show how an anti-Catholic reader could use these techniques to accuse the Church of brainwashing.

My comments were obviously a defense of the Church, not an attack on Her.
Many modern people consider the Church, or in fact any organized religion, to be a kind of a cult. You have to be careful when accusing other organizations of being cults because the same arguments used against them can be used against the Church as a whole or any of its parts, i.e. the Dominicans, the SSPX, the Fatima Crusaders, etc.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #6 on:** August 18, 2011, 04:19:12 PM »

Quote from: herbert

Quote from: Elizabeth
:cheers: excellent

i disagree izzy. brainwashing bad.

Neither Matthew nor I are FOR brainwashing. I believe it is very good to understand and be aware of the techniques people use toward self-seeking, evil ends.

In another thread someone called these links scary and said he "takes it" that I am all for Jєωιѕн speculation and some other anti-Catholic rubbish because of this link's source.

I used them as examples of cult like behavior in a specific group of people-had no idea it would be controversial.

Religious cults always have an us-versus-them theme going on, for example.

The self-serving "bad guys" use what works to form the True Faith to bring souls to themSELVES, not Our Lord.

Matthew can explain it way better than I.