Have I been brainwashed throughout my life, what do I really believe?

Question

So I have been thinking about this... a lot of atheists, pagans, & people with alternative lifestyle choices say that Christians or people in mainstream religion have been brainwashed, or just bombarded with idea's over and over to the extent that they do not know what to think other than what they have been told.

So, I was brought up in a Pagan family, and most of my young life (up until now, I’m 16) was Wiccan, having found that as my own path. I recently converted to The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) much to my parents' dislike. However, I cannot shake some of Pagan beliefs and principles.

I'm confused. I've attended various churches my entire life, of many different denominations since a very young age, & all the schools i've been to have had daily prayer. I seem to have conflicting idea's that have been drummed into my head. How can I see through all the smoke & work out what I truly believe for myself, rather than what I have been taught?

I could never live as an atheist – I really believe that there is something more… I’m just entirely lost as to what it is! Spells don’t work, but praying does. However, if works even when I’m praying for something that really isn’t Christian – what does that mean?

Answer 1

Wow! That's quite a leap in faiths!

There are a lot of ways of believing and a lot of things to believe-in in this world. Here are a couple other ones that I'm just going to throw out there because they're often overlooked.

For example, Agnostic theism which is the philosophy that encompasses both theism and agnosticism. An agnostic theist is one who disavows knowledge of God's existence but chooses to believe in God in spite of this.

Or... Agnostic atheism is the philosophy that encompasses both atheism and agnosticism. Due to definitional variance, an agnostic atheist does not believe in God or gods and by extension holds true one or more of these statements:

1). The existence and nonexistence of deities is currently unknown and perhaps unknowable.
2). Knowledge of the existence and nonexistence of deities is irrelevant or unimportant.
3). Abstention from claims of knowledge of the existence and nonexistence of deities is optimal.

While the concepts of atheism and agnosticism occasionally overlap, they are distinct because atheism is generally defined as a condition of being without theistic beliefs while agnosticism is usually defined as an absence of knowledge (or any claim of knowledge); therefore, an agnostic person may also identify as an atheist, a theist, or one who endorses neither position.

Ultimately, your beliefs need to by processed by intenstive introspection. Find a quiet, private place where you can be alone and think. Take only water with you, but keep free of distraction. Consider the ground beneath your feet, the sky overhead, the plants and animals, stars and planets. Realize atoms, try to understand wormholes or even string theory. Consider all that you have heard and learned from the various faiths you've experienced. Evaluate your own morals. Acknowledge your faults as a human; accept them. Ponder all that you can, for as long as you can. You will find yourself thinking, wondering, imagining, and eventually, believing.

The process is not short, nor is the path an easy one. It may take years for you to do this. If you're willing to commit yourself to finding your own beliefs, then you must make the time, rule nothing out, and hold true to yourself. As in any relationship, any man (or diety) that attempts to change you, does not love you. You must change yourself in accordance with your moral compass. Do not cut yourself off from the world, your family, or your friends. Those who would coerce you into doing so are not your friends or good people. Stay grounded. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Explore.

Best of luck!!!

Answer 2

First, congratulations on your baptism. This is an exciting time, and you've taken a big step in the right direction. Ignore all the anti-Mormons, they know nothing about our beliefs. Of course we read the Bible, and of course we don't believe in polygamy. But you know that.

Second, it takes time to settle into church activity and get to understand all the terms used and the customs and traditions. People from other faiths, and none, have problems all the time. Most wards are very accommodating and understanding. For example, the church doesn't believe in horoscopes, but I have a friend in the church who was baptised five years ago who still likes to ask people what their star sign is.

Third, what you have been taught is paganism. That's what you grew up with, and, if you like, what you were "brainwashed" with. By joining the Church of Jesus Christ you have surely taken your own step in asserting what you really believe, gonig against what your parents taught you. So - do you believe that Jesus Christ died to save you from your sins? Do you believe that you need to repent and follow him? When you were baptised you asserted that you do.

Finally, do keep praying, and pray for your testimony to grow. Make full use of your young women leaders and later your young single adult and Relief Society leaders, your visiting teachers and friends in the ward. Don't be afraid to ask questions or admit that you're new and you don't understand everything just yet. What's really important is following the saviour. It doesn't matter if your steps are a little clumsy at first.

Answer 3

I have very basic concerns about LDS doctrine, but I'll not go there at the moment. Let me address your question paragraph-by-paragraph:

It's unfortunately too common for various non-mainstream religious groups to say that mainstream adherents are "brainwashed" into believing something "traditional"--but those who make the claims that others are brainwashed don't take the time to tell what beliefs are indicative of brainwashing. Granted, there are far too many people of all religious backgrounds who have never stopped to examine what they believe--they're just following their parents' faith without making it personal in their own lives. This doesn't mean that their parents' faith is necessarily wrong, just that they haven't taken the time to figure out whether it's true or not. This is the first step that needs to be taken, because unless someone really stops to examine what they believe, how will they know what it really is? Maybe your parents have been pagans their whole lives but never stopped to ask themselves why--my question for them would be why they believe what they believe. If they or anyone else just attack LDS doctrine without giving any answers themselves, then they are just as bad off as anyone else of any other group who just parrots what they've been told withouth thinking about it themselves.

I'd be interested in knowing why you chose to convert to LDS, but if you've been in a pagan family your whole life until now, it'd make perfect sense that you have a hard time changing the only way of thinking and the only belief system you've had. I'd like to urge you to examine why you believed what you did as a pagan--was it because you thought that was true at the time, or what your parents told you was true? Do the same thing with LDS beliefs--have you become a member of the LDS church because you're convinced it's true, or because others have told you it's true? Once you find what you know is unshakeably true despite what others are telling you, hold onto it and never let it go, but keep examining it to know what and why you believe.

Having said that, I'm an evangelical Methodist minister who grew up going to church but never thought about what I really believed until I got to the point of suicide in high school. You can read a little about my life at the links below. Please feel free to e-mail me at [e-mail] if you'd like to talk.

Answer 4

well if you want to learn more in the true church of god which your in read the book of mormon from top to bottom and really pray about what you read. also other interesting reading. go to the lds book store and buy the book called "He walked the Americas," it is full of facts that prove that the lord has visited the lamanites and nephites. also if you have a real hard time understanding these reading then pray and contact your Bishop or Branch President, or your Stake President so that he might help you clear up any questions you have. Also tell me how many years you have been a member of the church of jesus Christ of latter day saints in your feedback. I've been a member for all my life and i've read the Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, The Book of Mormon, and The King James version of the Holy Bible. I like to share my testimony that i know that joseph smith was a true prophet and that he restored christs true church in this dispensation, also that the book of mormon is a true history of the people who lived in the Americas, also that Gordon B. Hinckley is a true prophet that presides next to Jesus Christ, and that Jesus Christ runs this church and loves everyone, also that i believe in the power of forgiveness and not forgiveness by the grace of god. and i like to say these things in the name thy son, and our savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

Answer 5

First, don't worry about it. You are experiencing the same thing as the first Christians. They were pagans too; and it must have been just as confusing for them.

They must have been just as amazed when prayer worked where spells failed. And now you find it works even when you pray for something unworthy. And you are right. It works even if you ask for something unworthy and even if the asker is unworthy.

Let me tell you why. He made us because he loves us. That is a strange concept for a human because we make things only to serve us. God's intent was to share existence. He loved the concept. And for God the concept is the reality. So he loved us before he made us.

He knew he would set limits for us. To forestall problems, he could have programmed us so the we were inacapable of disobedience. But that is not the definition of existence. Such a creature would be a robot; and it was not his intention to build robots.

So he gave us free will. We may do whatever we please, even to breaking his laws, and he does not inetervene. When Cain killed Abel, God did not destroy him, simply sent him out of the company of his family. When terrorists kill, no bolt of lightning destroys them.

It is the same with prayer. Jesus promised that if we believed, we could ask for anything we wanted and get it. He didn't specify that it had to be Christian. It may not be un-Christian to move a mountain, but what makes it Christian?

Such things as moving mountains and seeking cures involve only the will of the asker. What if you ask that the boyfriend of your girlfriend stops loving her and starts loving you? That prayer will fail; but not because it is unworthy. It will fail because to fulfill it means intervening with the boy's free will and that of your girlfiend. And that He does not do.

But be warned. If we do unworthy acts in life, we often pay earthly penalties. The boyriend may become your boyfriend, then run off with another woman. Or may you'll discover too late that he loves to beat up women; and that when you won, you lost.

In all this, keep one thing in mind. The earth will punish us for our earthly sins. So there is jail for criminals, and vengeance from those we have hurt.

But God will punish us for our spiritual sins. That means he waits until our flesh has released our spirit. That is the important judgement. Because, one way or the other our spiritual judgement affects our spiritual lives. And that life lasts forever.

The rules are simple. Try to act in all ways lovingly. Help, don't hurt. Forgive, don't seek revenge. Apply the Golden Rule. And think and act lovingly to the God who provided both the time of the flesh and the time of the spirit. Then, if you stumble, reflect on the damage you have done to your fellow man and to any of his children. When it really sinks in so that you really regret your actions, confess those actions to him (Might as well..He already knows), and ask his forgiveness. It will be yours.

Nine little lines above. Yet that, and beleiving in Jesus are all you really need.

Be persistent with your Chistianity . It doesn't even come easy even to life long Christians.

But you might say the payoff is big time.

Answer 6

dont worry , u will find ur true religious path the problem with religions is not what is taught but who teaches it and who gets teached all religions basically
teach the same thing and the goal is same the union of the soul with the god now which path u choose to achieve that depends on many things amongst which is the way ur brought up .it so happens that during the course of life u encounter many religious beliefs which are totally different from ur own and u do get influenced by other religions and their religious teachings and beliefs too and it does create confusion but then look at it this way that instead of having just one light to guide u u have a whole luminous system of lighting to guide u in ur life .try and follow one religion ,though that's not necessary but just for the sake of lessening the confusion,while looking at the spiritual sides of all religions and learning from the spiritual teachings of all religions

Answer 7

Looks to me as you draped one Non christian Cult for another. Mormonism teaches heretical tenets like becomes Divine, Jesus and Satan being brothers. Most of the teachings of Mormonism aren't even in the Book of Mormon. That book is more christian than the church has ever been. Even the three witnesses said there the Father Son and spirit were three persons in one God. You find today that the church teaches that they are three separate persons of flesh and bone.. If you want to worship God find a good teacher in some christian church and find out what Christianity really is..

Answer 8

There is only one answer to your question that will take you where you want to be and that is on your personal walk with GOD

Buy a bible, not a book of Mormon, just a simple plain basic bible.

Read it, pray about what you read, re read it , repeat over and over again. Take no humans explanation of it over your own heart and prayer answers.

We humans are so fallible, but the bible on its own is not.
You will find that the mormons believe that they will become GODs and populate their own planets. This is not ever in the bible, but please read it and learn for yourself.

Find a church that only teaches from the bible and no other book of anything. There is where you will learn and grow and get the answers your mind and soal are crying out for.

As for why your prayers work, even for so called non christian things, GOD tells us to pray as little children, meaning believing that anything we ask for will be done. I once prayed for the ability to catch a lot of fish, as usually I would come up with nothing. That day, i caught fish left and right. It wasnt a huge prayer for world peace or healing of someone very ill, it was just a childs prayer of what I wanted in my heart, and GOD was merciful to my selfishness of the moment and granted my desire.

Answer 9

Yes there are many churches and different beliefs but I would say just go by what you feel deep inside you and if for no other reason just go to your higher power. It don't have to be a church. I learn this in treatment programs that use the higher power by whatever you believe in.
Maybe just step back for awhile and not try so hard to understand sometimes we all need to give ourself a little break from church and religion. you may see all of this clearer after a little time to yourself.

Answer 10

Only you can answer your question. I personally have no reason to believe any type of religion or prayer works. If you pray often enough, statistics say a certain percentage of what you address will eventually come about. For instance, if you pray for a loved one to be cured of an illness and they get better -- that doesn't necessarily mean some higher power had anything to do with it. And vise versa. Just my opinion.