1) information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.
2) the deliberate spreading of such information, rumors, etc.
3) the particular doctrines or principles propagated by an organization or movement.
4) in the Roman Catholic Church.
-a) a committee of cardinals, established in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV, having supervision over foreign missions and the training of priests for these missions.
-b) a school (College of Propaganda) established by Pope Urban VIII for the education of priests for foreign missions.
5) Archaic. an organization or movement for the spreading of propaganda.

--dictionary.com/propaganda

What's the first thing that comes to mind? Respond below.

I'll start with the idea I was raised with about what what a mission is supposed to be like. Imagine those bratty know-nothing 19 year old elders. I was raised to think of them as heros. Nothing but faith-promoting stories were told about people's missions. They swam in the spirit. Everyone mentioned the great experiences they had on their mission. I was made to sing as a child "I hope they call me on a mission, when I have grown a foot or two. By then I know I will be ready to teach and preach and work like missionaries do!" I was told over and over that I wanted to go on a mission. The age of 19 became a frame of reference for me; all my teenage years were counting down to 19.

I served a mission, and it was nothing like what I had expected, at all.

In fact, my mission might have been a happy experience (to my tbm self) if I hadn't wasted so much energy fretting and chasing after a Platonian archetype of a "perfect mission." And I would have used the word "perfect" to describe the kind of mission I was expecting from the start.

Most of it was just --blah-- to my dismay. I really think the only purpose a mission serves is sear a testimony into the soul by pure tribulation. They cut you off from except for a trickle of information, and forbid you from exposing yourself to anything but the standard works, the "approved missionary library", and other church magazines.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2015 08:18PM by Cold-Dodger.

But then I'm a child of the Cold War.

The church essays.

By far, most of the propaganda I've been exposed to is Mormon. Intensive indoctrination throughout childhood followed by the morbid curiosity of a disaffected adult has given me a lot of time with it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2015 08:25PM by donbagley.