Sad christian brainwashing.

[*Deidre*]

I think a tongue-in-cheek strawman argument is a fine response to an Reductio ad absurdum claim that she may have come by her beliefs on her own.

So what do you think "brainwashing" means?

"Brainwashing" means to cause one to adapt a radical belief by the application of systemic pressure.


The catholics certainly have a polished system and they apply enormous pressure to their children to believe ridiculous things like crackers turning to human flesh in your tummy. That wouldn't happen to a non-brainwashed person. Just because your mommy "taught" you about god, doesn't mean she wasn't brainwashing you about god. In fact, that is exactly what she was doing, just like my parents.

Do you hold any beliefs or opinions that you came to on your own? I'm sure you do. Why is religion any different? Sure, religious indoctrination exists and we see it all over the world, but people can and do come to religious beliefs on their own, as well. I knew an atheist that said she had an "experience" and began to believe in god. It's not absurd. Frankly, I don't think you know enough about this woman to conclude she was "brainwashed", and if you think that opinion is absurd, we don't have much more to say to each other.

And no, my mother didn't brainwash me. Again, she taught me. And when I learned something new, I changed my beliefs. She didn't apply systemic pressure and she always let me make my own choices, even though she didn't approve of some of them.

You need to stop assuming so much about other people.

I don't disagree, but not speaking for Brakeman, but I *think* what he might be inferring is that if religion and the notion of God wasn't already something to 'choose from,' people would never end up clinging to it, in the first place. No one 'needs' religion. Religious folks will argue that it's a necessity, like food and water. It's not.

I know, because I used to believe this, and ''promote'' it as such. Many Christians promote it as such. But, that would be a lie, and we can call it something else, but when we speak dishonest statements, they are in fact 'lies.' Religion is probably the only arena where lies are ''accepted.'' Call it 'faith,' or 'religion,' and the lies become 'okay.'