Brainwashed ...

[StuartJ]

Brainwashing (also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and re-education) is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques.

Brainwashing is said to reduce its subject’s ability to think critically or independently,[1] to allow the introduction of new, unwanted thoughts and ideas into the subject’s mind,[2] as well as to change his or her attitudes, values, and beliefs.[3][4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainwashing

Is this an accurate description of religion ...?

[StuartJ]

[Replying to post 30 by RedEye]

Firstly, accusing atheists of being "lost in sin", "truth suppressors" and "blind" is a kind of bigotry and may constitute a personal attack. You can't generalize in that way about any group of people. Secondly, none of what you have posted relates in any way to brainwashing. My question remains unanswered.

At the risk of another selective moderator warning ...

I have found that this is standard practice from this member.

[Tart]

Brainwashing (also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and re-education) is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques.

Brainwashing is said to reduce its subject’s ability to think critically or independently,[1] to allow the introduction of new, unwanted thoughts and ideas into the subject’s mind,[2] as well as to change his or her attitudes, values, and beliefs.[3][4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainwashing

Is this an accurate description of religion ...?

Is it an accurate description of atheism?

Who is brainwashing atheists and how are they doing it?

I think 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 give an accurate explanation of it.

10 Those who are lost in sin will be fooled by the things he can do. They are lost in sin because they did not love the truth that would save them. 11 For this reason, God will allow them to follow false teaching so they will believe a lie.

It is a suppression of the truth... They are suppressing the truth, in the spirit of falsehood... And in reality, we should be very cautious of this spirit, which God warns about in the Epistles of John... In fact, i think i should be cautious in speaking about this with anyone... They dont understand it becuase they are blind... Ill allow you guys to continue in your nonbelief, and sometimes its best without a word said... Perhaps at the right time, someone can open your eyes, but beware, your spirit is being judged and you dont even know it.

Firstly, accusing atheists of being "lost in sin", "truth suppressors" and "blind" is a kind of bigotry and may constitute a personal attack. You can't generalize in that way about any group of people. Secondly, none of what you have posted relates in any way to brainwashing. My question remains unanswered.

What about calling believers brainwashed?

Ill tell you what brainwashed me when i was living in nonbelief... It was society, it was my so called peers, the masses... When people discredited Jesus, mocked and spoke down about Him, i just kind of went along with it, and i was a fool for doing so.

[otseng]

It is a suppression of the truth... They are suppressing the truth, in the spirit of falsehood... And in reality, we should be very cautious of this spirit, which God warns about in the Epistles of John... In fact, i think i should be cautious in speaking about this with anyone... They dont understand it becuase they are blind... Ill allow you guys to continue in your nonbelief, and sometimes its best without a word said... Perhaps at the right time, someone can open your eyes, but beware, your spirit is being judged and you dont even know it.

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[Tart]

That is my mistake, I should refrain from making comments like that. Sorry

[RedEye]

What about calling believers brainwashed?

The question asked in the OP was: "Is this an accurate description of religion ...?". There seems to have been a sincere effort not to make it personal.

Ill tell you what brainwashed me when i was living in nonbelief... It was society, it was my so called peers, the masses... When people discredited Jesus, mocked and spoke down about Him, i just kind of went along with it, and i was a fool for doing so.

That doesn't make sense to me. If you were living in non-belief how could you be brain-washed into non-belief? Remember the definition from the OP: "the introduction of new, unwanted thoughts and ideas into the subject’s mind by certain psychological techniques".

You can't just arbitrarily label all criticism of an idea as being brain-washing. Atheism actively encourages critical and independent thinking. That is the direct opposite of brain-washing.

[Tart]

Atheism actively encourages critical and independent thinking. That is the direct opposite of brain-washing.

He said it so it must be true....

Hey just out of curiosity, you believe Jesus is a myth?

[Elijah John]

Brainwashing (also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and re-education) is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques.

Brainwashing is said to reduce its subject’s ability to think critically or independently,[1] to allow the introduction of new, unwanted thoughts and ideas into the subject’s mind,[2] as well as to change his or her attitudes, values, and beliefs.[3][4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainwashing

Is this an accurate description of religion ...?

It's an accurate description of fundamentalism (Christian or Islamic) and cults, but not of religion in general.

[Tcg]

Brainwashing (also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and re-education) is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques.

Brainwashing is said to reduce its subject’s ability to think critically or independently,[1] to allow the introduction of new, unwanted thoughts and ideas into the subject’s mind,[2] as well as to change his or her attitudes, values, and beliefs.[3][4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainwashing

Is this an accurate description of religion ...?

It's an accurate description of fundamentalism (Christian or Islamic) and cults, but not of religion in general.

I'm not sure it can be strictly limited to fundamentalist branches, but you have a good point that this would apply only to certain religious sects.

Another determining factor to consider would be the family of origin. Almost any religious viewpoint could be the content of brainwashing by coercive families.

I suppose this could be true of any viewpoint though, so perhaps I am veering off-track a bit.

[StuartJ]

Brainwashing (also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and re-education) is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques.

Brainwashing is said to reduce its subject’s ability to think critically or independently,[1] to allow the introduction of new, unwanted thoughts and ideas into the subject’s mind,[2] as well as to change his or her attitudes, values, and beliefs.[3][4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainwashing

Is this an accurate description of religion ...?

It's an accurate description of fundamentalism (Christian or Islamic) and cults, but not of religion in general.

Thank you ....

It's a matter of degree.

[rikuoamero]

Atheism actively encourages critical and independent thinking. That is the direct opposite of brain-washing.

He said it so it must be true....

Hey just out of curiosity, you believe Jesus is a myth?

One of the few times I agree with you Tart. I would instead say skepticism actively encourages critical and independent thinking. If we take someone and the only thing we know about them is they are an atheist (they lack a belief in a god or gods), that isn't an indicator that they think critically/independently.
I have sadly seen plenty of atheists discourage independent thinking. Steve Shives is a well known internet joke for having the world's biggest block list for his twitter feed.