Be Gentle

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Have you ever tried to escape your own mind? See things differently? Fit a square-shaped thought through a circular passageway?

Sometimes, my own mind gets the best of me. The human brain is something that can be
toyed with
tampered with
and
easily deceived.



Mine has taken it's beating. I don't generally like to use the term brainwashing, but that's exactly what my mind has gone through. Being taught at an incredibly young age what to believe is unfair. Being baptized at 8 is too young. Most kids only think about stuffed animals and crayons at that age. How on earth can you decide whether or not you believe in something so complicated at that age? I think there should be a checklist before claiming yourself as a believer of your religion or not.
  • Have you studied other religions?
  • Do you feel it's okay to tell somebody their religion is wrong when it is something they believe in just as strongly as you?
  • Have you studied psychology and the creativity of the human brain?
Something that's hard to get through to people is how love and kindness can be taught through evolution. Before we bombard little ones with stories, let's show them love. Let's teach them kindness in the real world. The mind is a very sensitive thing. It can be trampled on very easily.


Be gentle with it.

4 comments:

  1. I don't think teaching your children what you believe is brainwashing. When you have kids someday (assuming you have kids) you probably won't take them to church. How is that any different than a religious person taking their young child to church. You will teach them things you find important, that isn't brainwashing. In many ways, religion does teach kindness and love in the real world. There are, of course, people who do stupid things in the name of religion; But i think the LDS church and its members do a lot of good in a world where most groups do nothing. What better way to teach a child than by actions?

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    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous,
      If I have kids, I won't teach them to be Atheists. I'll tell them all about my personal story with religion and what I believe, but I won't tell them it's the truth. I don't know what the truth is. Nobody does. THAT is what I will tell them. I can tell you right now that I was brainwashed in church. I was TOLD to believe because it was the truth. I didn't have the opportunity to research things for myself til only a few years ago.
      Also, I agree that it's good to teach children by actions and examples. That is possible without religion.

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    2. Yeah, but if a kid grows up in a family where no one goes to church he/she is almost certainly not going to go to church either. Kids grow up believing what their parents believe because that's what they are surrounded with. Even if you tell a child they can believe whatever they want, if they are the only ones that believe they will feel alone; Making it unlikely that they will believe contrary to their parents. There are exceptions obviously. In your case, you will show them what to believe by your actions, actions speak louder than words. How is that not brainwashing by your definition? I don't know what you experienced in church, but it just sounds bizarre. The church doesn't tell people to believe because it's the truth. That has never been the way it has operated. The church invites you to find out for yourself if what it teaches is true. There is a big difference there. If you were truly brainwashed, as you believe, then your parents deserve just as much of the blame. Especially if you were unable to research things for yourself until recently.

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    3. My parents were never the problem. They were only teaching me what they thought was the truth. With the LDS church, you're encouraged to bring your kids to church with you. That's all I ever knew, like you said, and I was never taught in church that I should look at other religions. Instead, kids get up to bear their testimony and their parents WHISPER into their ears what to say. That is brainwashing.

      If I have kids, I will not tell them the church isn't true. I won't tell them I have all the answers. Because I don't. I will tell them there are many different religions, and that they should go out and find what works for them. I plan on taking them to different churches and opening their eyes to different cultures. I want them to choose for themselves when they're old enough. I don't want them to choose based on what I believed. I want them to think for themselves.

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