Am I brainwashed?

Question

People keep using the word "brainwashed" to describe religious folk, Christians in particular.

I was raised in the church, and I'm still a Christian at the age of 24, although I do see this as meaning something differently than when I was 8.

So my question for you is, if you're one of those people who always call Christians "brainwashed," "lemmings," or just outright "unintelligent," will you say it now to my face (or to my avatar at least) not knowing anything else about me except my religious beliefs?

Not homeschooled, went to public schools all my life, including secular university, but thanks for the thought.

Answer 1

Quote from you:

"I don't know if I "question" the stories in the Bible as much as I strive to interpret it correctly. The Bible is hardly an historical account. Sure there are history books, such as I and II Chronicles, but the Bible is also full of poetry, allegory, prophecy, metaphors, parables, etc. You can't read it all literally, you have to take into consideration its genre, intended audience, and application for today. This is called textual criticism, and I think that every Christian should try it out once in awhile."

sounds fair to me. But most of the other answers to that question really shocked me. Bible equals word of God equals 100% literal truth people are brainwashed I'd say, as are the "it's true because the pope says so", but definitely not all Christians are like that. However, I've seen "no one comes to the father except through me" used as an ARGUMENT so many times on this site, I'd say many of the people here are brainwashed to that extent that they have no idea what it actually means not to believe what they believe.

Answer 2

Everyone raises their offspring in accord with their own beliefs,including atheists. It is not brainwashing. All normal humans have the capacity for independent thought,to varying degrees in terms of individual personality. Some will eventually chart out their own course; many will follow the beliefs they were brought up to. I was raised a Catholic but now I am not even a deist. So I obviously wasn't brainwashed. Most atheists were brought up as Christians or Jews. Obviously they weren't brainwashed or they would still be Christians and Jews. Usage of the term "brainwashed" in the manner you describe is simply a slur,nothing more. You would be amazed at how intolerant atheists can become once they cease to be Christian. They act like they've been born again,presumably into an earthy paradise of science and logic. They can also be extremely aggressive in promoting their views. Very much like fundamentalists. I'm surprised they don't go door-to-door with anti-religion pamphlets; they have this zeal for spreading the good news that there is no god. I did not take this path,nor do I endorse it. I quietly go my own way. I do have two children and although I am not actually teaching them my non-deist conception of spirituality,they obviously are absorbing it by osmosis. So what? They'll grow up and decide about all these things for themselves. For all I know they'll go back to the Church and consider my views mere eccentricity. I wouldn't be surprised. They aren't being brainwashed,nor was I and nor were you. And I believe in showing tolerance and respect for others - in particular when it comes to religion.

Answer 3

To a 24 yo Christian:
"Brainwashed" is nothing but a perjoritive for "teachings which conflict with my beliefs"; it is not a specific practice.
However, when a teacher makes a statement, the extent to which a student's skeptical questions are welcomed and respected by the teacher is an important parameter; the response to a student's, "Why is that so?" should not be, "Have faith."

As a life long Atheist, I am always offended by others who attempt to tell me what I do or do not believe to be true, as in, "I can't accept that you are REALLY an Atheist!"; what can be more disrespectful than that?

Although I am a "congenital Atheist" (I have never accepted the existance of a metaphysical universe), I have no quarrel with your particular beliefs; I simply desire that you be aware that people, of all stripes, can be closeminded about the beliefs of others.

Keep seeking the truth as you see it, and if you require more than scientific inquiry and an empirical approach to life to validate your existence, then "Keep the Faith!" and don't be discouraged by name calling.

In brief: We are all,"Brainwashed!"

Answer 4

You are being brainwashed as we all are. The main difference between you and your believe as a Christian is you are encouraged to ask questions like this one. To challenge your faith so that you become more solid in your belief.
But yes, repeating the Lord's Prayer in unison over and over, Bible verse memorization, sing the same songs in church over and over is a form of brainwashing. If you don't believe me, explore the tactics of Nazi Germany in World War II. The main difference between their tactics and ours as Christians is they were not allowed to question anything. Everything they were told was met with harsh treatment for disobedience and questioning.
There are people in churches, and I'm sure you have met them as I have, that question nothing, or turn a blind eye to obvious facts because the facts do not agree with their view of the world. I would call them lemmings, or unintelligent.
Asking questions is the sign of an open mind, what you choose to allow in is up to you.

And for those that read this that don't think they are brainwashed, do you own a computer? Did you own one 15 or 20 years ago, do you think you need it? Why do you need it now when you didn't then?
Do you drive a car, is it a nice car?
Do you stop at red lights and STOP signs?
Do you have fashionable clothes?
Do you watch television?
Why do you choose the brand of anything you buy?
Do you have a college education?
Have you been in the military?
Do you have a savings account, IRA, retirement plan?
Over 90% of the world's popluation does not and they go about their lives just fine.

Answer 5

I would never say unintelligent, and I understand that lemmings don't really behave the way we were taught in those old school films, so I wouldn't use that term, either.

"Brainwashed" implies that you had some previously held beliefs that were erased. I don't think children have that type of belief before being indoctrinated into a religion. Their brains are already clean before being "dirtied" with religious nonsense, so "brainwashed" would be the wrong word. "Braindirtied," maybe.

Answer 6

Actually I tend to use the word deluded or something like that more. I think people have too many funny ideas about what *brainwashing* means. Churches certainly do use coercive thought control methods but the creation ofd the disconnects ion the believers minds are the more important features.

Delusion is a bit better of a term but even it is to commonly misunderstood. Delusional thinking is most commonly associated with mental illness or insanity by most people. It does not really need to be thought of like that.

The fact that religion requires a certain self delusion to be accepted and a delusional group to survive in is a critical feature though.

I could go on but then I would start needing to quote psychology studies and work on propaganda techniques. You could staret learning about it easier by looking at the "Changing Minds" site and expanding your research from there.

I would have no problem saying anything I say on this site in person to anybody on here.

Answer 7

You are not brainwashed by being a Christian. No one has the right to call you one, because you are a Christian.
I was in a church, turned cult, a long time ago, and the meaning of brainwashed really refers to members of a group that check their brain at the door, and just blindly follow a cult type religion, without proving that their man made rules are false and very harmful.
Just keep being a Christian, and don't worry about other peoples opinions. Only God and Christ's knowedge of what you really are, counts.

Answer 8

You're not brainwashed. I am not either. So many non-believer's on Y!Answers call anyone who is a Chrisitan that - and those of other faith's as well.

I too went to secular schools, etc. and so on, but I am a Christian. And what's worse to me than being called names for it on here, are those who in real life will say those things about me. For many years, although I was a Christian, I wasn't exactly walking with the Lord in all of my behaviors. So when I finally put those behaviors aside and started living in a way, that for me is much healthier and more guided by my faith - those who are still in the bonds of alcohol-abuse, caught up in "partying", etc. have attacked me for it - calling me fundie etc. etc. and so on. I just pray for them. It's all we can do. The few occasions where I've been verbally attacked on Y!Answers, I've just sent up a prayer for that user as well. Keep on keepin' on!

Answer 9

Your most important statement was that you see Christianity differently than you did as a child. For those of us who were raised Christian and have rejected it as adults, this is the key. As adults we questioned it and held it up to the light of common sense, and found it was not giving us what we needed in a religion. Have you taken the time to study any other belief systems? If you have and still choose to be Christian, then that is your choice. However, I would suspect that the fear concepts of hell and sin have kept you from investigating other religions or from having the sense of self to leave it. It's easier to stick with something you know even if it's lacking than to strike out on your own and find what might be truly fulfilling to you. The "brainwashing" accusation fits because obviously it works quite well. Many Christians just go along to get along and are so mesmerized by the glamour of their fancy churches and the oratory skills of their leaders that they no longer use their own brains.

Answer 10

As an agnostic, I will not say you are brainwashed if you are comfortable in your belief - just as I'm comfortable in my non-belief. Your statement is true, though, that many resort to the name-calling. That is an issue with everything in this world now. Is it not the same when a 'good christian' laughs at someone like me with words like, 'I cannot wait to see you burning in hell'? The problem is that everyone thinks they have the right answers to everything and it sure is easy to resort to name-calling. Gives people a sense of 'I am better than you. I know things you do not know'.
Please tell your avatar to quit scowling at me! I mean no harm!