I came across the following description of brainwashing:
"During the practice of brainwashing, the subject will be convinced to change their beliefs about something through a combination of different tactics. There is not just one approach that can be used during this process so it can be difficult to put the practice into a neat little box. For the most part, the subject will be separated from all of the things that they know. From there, they will be broken down into an emotional state that makes them vulnerable before the new concepts are introduced. As the subject absorbs this new information, they will be rewarded for expressing ideas and thoughts which go along with these new ideas. The rewarding is what will be used in order to reinforce the brainwashing that is occurring."
Isn't this an exact description of what goes on in a mission?
The Mormon "rewards" are only false promises, and nothing real at all. For example missionaries are promised a beautiful, perfect wife, and a family, and prosperity and glories in the CK--all in the future. The cult will reward him with nothing; he will have to earn his own rewards.
Also, in Mormonism, fear and threats are used more than rewards. The Mormons believe that fear is a more effective tool to control others, than rewards. For example, if the missionary does not obey, he will be punished. He will have to leave the mission in disgrace, and no Mormon woman will want to date or marry him, and he will be shunned by most of his friends. I know of families who have dis-owned sons for leaving a mission early, or for not going on a mission at all.
The cult members are trained to back up these threats. There used to be more rewards, in the past, like a big open house in honor of the missionary who returns "with honor." He was the main speaker, and the highlight of the "missionary homecoming" sacrament meeting, and asked to speak in other wards, and at firesides. The Mormon youth were groomed to look up to the missionary. These days, it's business as usual, as the RM struggles to catch up with his/her education or career.
The Mormons are best at the "breaking down" stage of brainwashing, that's for sure.
My mission- Seperated and isolated - check Emotionally broken down - check Rewarded for expressing new ideas - check
The "reward" part is interesting- I just think about all the numbers we had to rack up in terms of stopping people on the street, how many formal discussions we gave, and then of course how many baptisms we got. And that's what the mission structure and mission president did- it's main objective was to give props and kudos to the mishies who did well. Consequently many strived for the props, many lied (made-up numbers) to get the props, and many got very demoralized from not getting them and burned out. I sure tried hard to the end to work hard and get more props. I was brainwashed good. The emotional breaking down is tough to take- I had some mental health issues, as many do. It was traumatic to be out in the middle of nowhere, on my own, sometimes with a companion who was cruel or abusive.
It's interesting to look at other "cults" that use brainwashing like this- for example the Scientologists have their navy camps, the Sea Org. I gather it has a very similar way of isolating and breaking folks down.
Isn't this what the handcart treks and girls camp and boy scouts are too? Isolate, break down, and indoctrinate?
Other little cults do their things too- camps and retreats and forced isolation.
Concur with above. Other practices include constant repetition, following the Brethren, do your duty like giving messages via HT and VT, enduring the same curriculum in SS every four years and having all lessons aligned to reinforce the repetition of pay, pray and obey. Wearing temple garments is a form of brainwashing via being enveloped in the cult's script of controlling your fashion and sex life, etc. WoW, tithing, missions, callings = more control and brainwashing via lifestyle, family life, present and future rewards. The cult linked your eternal life based on your perfect performance now sacrificing and living the law of consecration. The problem is that we are saved by God's grace, not works, least. any man boast. Rewards go to GA's and their families, all related somehow to JS and BY tribes. The cult is s family business, real estate empire masquerading as a church. Total scam.
I don't think it's brainwashing. I think the Mormon church targets vulnerable people, but I don't think it actively separates them from their loved ones and breaks down their defenses to make them more susceptible to indoctrination. I do think they take advantage of people who are already highly vulnerable.
I do think the Mormon Church uses brainwashing techniques to manipulate people into believing and joining, but I don't think they're systematically brainwashing investigators.
I think a significant number of churches use brainwashing techniques to manipulate people into joining, but TSCC is more aggressive and comprehensive than most other churches in their tactics to gain converts.
Brainwashing techniques are most used in the temples and definitely with the young missionaries. They are real.
The brainwashing type-things such as isolation is more subtle otherwise---but actually, some isolation is achieved anyway because of the strong we-other mentality that is cultivated, along with the strong teaching of obedience to authority, for both belief/world-view and also for behavior. If you are in the church, you are expected to say "yes" to any and all calls to service, and you are checked up on to make sure you are doing what you are supposed to do. (The assigned-friends called home teaching--with your priesthood authority calling you every month to make sure you did your assigned visits, for example!!!!----hello---is that normal behavior? NO!!! Or how about when your home teacher invites you over for dinner, then uses the conversation with dinner to check on how you are doing with your food storage? Or the home teacher who verbally attacks the nevermo spouse with each visit? etc. etc. etc. grr
What was glaringly apparent to me as a nevermo when first learning about the Mormon church, was the excessive amount of time that Mormons spend on church and church activities. I mean, three hours on Sunday, who does that? Not to mention FHE, weekly youth activities, firesides, Girl's Camp, EFY, family prayer, scripture study, callings, HT, VT, etc. The Mormon church is a HUGE time suck. You have to wonder why the Mormon authorities insist on so very much time being given over to church indoctrination.
Steven Hassan differentiates between "Brainwashing" from his experience as a Moonie and "Mind Control" that is used, either intentionally or coincidentally, by the Mormon church. Mind control is more subtle but has the same effect over a longer period of time. That's probably the reason convert retention is so low.