Not Brainwashed? Really Now?
A Mormon negatively commented on the skeptical book, Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon. If this comment does not show the marks of a brainwashed person, then what does?
So let me quote from the Apostle Paul in a different context here: "Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?" (Galatians 4:16). Listen up. Brainwashed people do not know that they are brainwashed. This term best fits the description. And it is the truth. Now you may want to use a different, benign, term like "socialization" to describe such a person, and this would be accurate as well, even though brainwashing takes place by means of socialization too. But in my opinion if the goal is to change minds then using a shocking term like this to describe the truth of the matter will cause believers to think twice about their faith. No, they will not like it. So what? It best describes the believer, or at least most all of them anyway.
That's why we must demand hard empirical evidence for what we believe, and that's why we should never go beyond what the evidence calls upon us to accept. We are all too easily swayed by emotional factors. We are all too easily led to accept that which we prefer to believe. The human condition forces us to become agnostics, all of us, when there isn't hard empirical evidence for accepting something. That's why science is so important. It tests hypotheses rigorously and repeatedly. And agnosticism leads us directly into atheism. It's a very small step.
I posted this before right here where you can read earlier comments about it.
You know, I could probably spend a few years of my life trying to find dirt on the author of this book and likely, I would find some. The question is: why would I? It seems to me a pretty sad way to spend my life. It also seems to me that if I wanted to learn about someone, I should ask someone who loves them... if I went to someone who hates you and asked them, "what's this person like?" what kind of an answer would I get? Yes it's very easy to find dirt on someone if that's what you are looking for because the bottom line is: people believe what they want to believe. If you want to KNOW something, why not ask the only one who truly knows... God? That was Joseph Smith's message. That was the message of the Book of Mormon. It was also the message of our Savior who said: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" (Matt. 7:7). Or you can refer to the scripture quoted by the prophet himself: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (I would like to continue on through the next couple of verses-) "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." (James 1:5-7).Why is this person not a candidate for deprogramming, just as parents have sought for with regard to their children when they go off into several different cults? This Mormon claims people who don't believe don't want to believe. He's not offering his opinions. He knows because he has the inner witness of God in his heart. Does any of this sound familiar Christian? ;-) Why is this any different for Christians? The parallel is striking and could be repeated for any number of different religious claims. No one can be this sure about much of anything, much less of the God hypothesis.
I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Not because some person told me, and not because some man showed me a book full of evidence (there is much evidence for those who want to find it). I know, because like Joseph Smith, I got down on my knees, in faith, and asked my Heavenly Father if it was true. You cannot know anything, but by God. What do you have to lose? I'm not giving you my opinions. I only invite those who wish to know the truth, and who are not trying to simply reinforce their budding hatred for a man that they simply do not know. If you want to know, ask God, I promise you that He will answer if you honestly seek only the truth. Link
So let me quote from the Apostle Paul in a different context here: "Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?" (Galatians 4:16). Listen up. Brainwashed people do not know that they are brainwashed. This term best fits the description. And it is the truth. Now you may want to use a different, benign, term like "socialization" to describe such a person, and this would be accurate as well, even though brainwashing takes place by means of socialization too. But in my opinion if the goal is to change minds then using a shocking term like this to describe the truth of the matter will cause believers to think twice about their faith. No, they will not like it. So what? It best describes the believer, or at least most all of them anyway.
That's why we must demand hard empirical evidence for what we believe, and that's why we should never go beyond what the evidence calls upon us to accept. We are all too easily swayed by emotional factors. We are all too easily led to accept that which we prefer to believe. The human condition forces us to become agnostics, all of us, when there isn't hard empirical evidence for accepting something. That's why science is so important. It tests hypotheses rigorously and repeatedly. And agnosticism leads us directly into atheism. It's a very small step.
I posted this before right here where you can read earlier comments about it.