Is Religion a Choice or It's Just a Brainwashing - Research Paper Example

Introduction Transitions in human life are inevitable but when human beings are confronted with problems they seek the support of the religion. The term ‘religion’ gives rise to different emotions in different people as religion is just another form of dictatorship or bureaucratic attitude. As the minds of the people have become more turbulent and agitated, as atrocities have risen, there has been an increase in the number of new religious movements and cults that promise peace of mind and a “future paradise on earth” (Walsh 2001, p. 119). There is also “medicalization of deviance” approach to new religions (Wright 1982, p. 173). For decades organizations and associations have been using pressure tactics and mind control in the name of religion. Through brainwashing an individual is forced into conversion, which not just violates the human rights, but also has negative psychological consequences. They realize the extent to which they had been under influence, when they exit or defect from the system. Free will in religion is essential to maintain human rights and dignity but the way things stand, religion is not a matter of choice. The concept of brainwashing The concept of brainwashing originated from the communists with the intention of overpowering the free will of the victims or forcing them to become communists (Anthony 1999, p. 424). It was then applied by religious cults in converting people. Religious experiences and beliefs are caused due to hallucinations and delusions (p. 428). Anthony cites Abgrall who believes that brainwashing, mind control, mental handling, coercive persuasion, are all methods to replace the thinking process (p. 426). Hypnosis makes people highly susceptible to “suggestions” (p. 428) and the altered states of consciousness results in conversions based on overwhelmed will (p. 429). Psychological consequences in conversion Even though America has rejected the brainwashing model, Robbins cites three shocking events where violence resonated – Jonestown, Synanon and Rajneeshpuram (Robbins, p. 171). How the court or the judges interpret law widely differs from psychological reality or how transformations or beliefs can be affected or influenced. This has been found in not one but series of conspicuous events. Evidences from France, Belgium and Geneva demonstrate that various techniques have been used to recruit members and retain them (Richardson and Introvigne, p. 147) although there are allegations that America has exported the concept of brainwashing to all other countries. A French psychiatrist compares conversion or brainwashing to seduction which is used as an alternative to the difficulties of everyday life. The potential recruit is involved in many meetings and activities and this adhesion process is known as “fascination”. In Belgium it has been called a prison term where beatings, violence, threats and psychological manipulation is used to persuade an individual (p. 149). Geneva states that the freedom of the member is violated (p. 150). Coercion and imposition of religious beliefs lead to psychological damage. It is even a waste of emotional and psychological energies (Wright 1984, p. 172). Walsh (2001, p. 121) cites several papers that have reported the use of mind control and coercion with negative psychological consequences including a study of 102 patients with prior involvement with religious cults, confirming the use of techniques similar to the brainwashing techniques used in Communist China during the 50s. Entertainment is seen as corrupting and the members are allowed information that is group originated (Walsh 2001, p. 124). This alienates the members from the society at large and serves to estrange the cult members’ families. The members are even dictated how to think, act and feel. Wright (1984, p. 172) cites several studies where participation in religious movements takes people out of their social network and career paths and it could hinder one’s educational and occupational oppurtunities. Some even face psychological problems when they are forced to join cults or have to undergo conversion. Deprogramming can be done and mind control and psychological manipulation can lead to brainwashing of individuals. Once people leave such cults or religious organizations, they demonstrate characteristics of mental aberrations (Wright 1984, p. 173). Consequences of ‘exit’ or defection People that defect out of an organization without the support of deprogramming or ‘exit therapy’ experience a feeling of having been cheated which is supposed to be quite natural (Wright 1984, p. 174). Why should one have to undergo an exit therapy to leave a cult? Those that defect voluntarily explain the greater levels of tolerance and understanding. Wright however does not agree that people are brainwashed into believing or following a certain religion. This study found that most people joined between the age of 18 and 23 which is a very vulnerable age and the mind is easily influenceable. The subjects still expressed that they were wiser for the experience. Since 71% of the respondents joined at the tender age of 18 and 23, how valid is their realization that they are wiser for the experience? They could have been made to believe that they are wiser. Walsh (2001, p. 124) clarifies that there is control not only over what and how one can communicate with the outside world but also over what the outside world can communicate to the individual. They could have learned certain religious terminology and perhaps preach on certain subjects of self development but this does not make them any wiser. Besides, if they had positive experience and if they felt wiser, why would they defect at all? A study by John Lofland and Rodney Stark found that there are ‘forces’ that “push” a person into conversion and this is usually applied on those that are weak and destabilized (Richardson 1985, p. 168). This study found that subjects would sometimes self-define themselves as religious seekers and take action to change themselves by interacting with selected people or allowing affective ties to develop with them. Even though Richardson finds it a positive indication, this is indicative of the control of thoughts and actions, control of the mind, where the mind starts believing what it is fed continuously with. Richardson (1985, p. 171) found that only a small minority stay for a lengthy period with a particular religious group. If people attain transformation, if people attain peace and find the paradise that they had been seeking, why do they leave? The act of leaving has been considered to be recognition of the volitional nature of the actions (Richardson 1985, p. 171) but this decision to leave emerges when the individual is out of the influence. Hence, the act of leaving itself suggests that they had been hitherto under control, and now seeks freedom. This has been supported by Lewis and Bromley (1987, p. 508) who found that such people show definite psychological syndrome and conversion and maintenance of membership is effected by some type of “coercive mind control”. They are unable to disaffiliate because they have lost their “free will”. In other words they are “brainwashed”. Cult membership is “psychologically deleterious” and such groups can induce clinically significant symptoms (Lewis and Bromley 1987, p. 509). Such syndrome has been termed “Atypical Dissociative Disorder”. The authors however do not agree with such theories and argue that the role transition from one religious group to another can cause psychological adjustment problems (p. 512). They only consider it to be an emotional distress (p. 514). Their study concludes that it is only the exit process that could cause trauma and this is equal to the trauma experienced by individuals during bereavement or divorce (p. 520). These are mere justifications as the authors do agree that the individuals experience destability. Long and Hadden (1983, p. 1) confirm that people join unconventional religious groups based on two models of conversion – brainwashing and social drift. When people become converts during times of personal strain, they will come out of the influence when they have overcome the grief or the strain. In brainwashing there is an effort by the cult members to convert the others into their religious faith while in the social drift process, an individual gradually converts over time (Long and Hadden, 1983, p. 3). Free will in religion With the approach of the new millennium pressure tactics to influence the minds of the innocent increased. Forecasts and prediction have been made about the end of the world or worldwide disasters (Walsh 2001, p. 120). Cults like The Family or The Students of the Seven Seals spread words that Jesus Christ would return or that David Koresh would return to raise the dead and judge humankind. The mode of operation of these cults was not in harmony with the external environment in which they operated. For instance, the cult The Aum, which operates in Japan and the Far East, have tried bring about change in the world through use of techniques like the Guerilla warfare leading to death of the innocent bystanders. There is a paradigm shift in the way people are converted into some religion. Individuals have become proactive and exercise their will in deciding to convert to a new religion (Richardson 1985, p. 163). Richardson does not appear to agree with the brainwashing concept and stresses that the educated youth started acting out values learned in their homes and in their educational experiences (1985, p. 163). The psychiatrist hold a negative view of religion and of religious conversion, contends Richardson, citing the example of Freud who thought that unconscious psychological forces might cause a conversion and this indicated that it was bad. To be involved in religion is to be in a state of false consciousness, according to Marxism, as cited by Richardson (1985, p. 166). This is another extreme because the way the word ‘religion’ is interpreted, it implies that one has to follow a certain defined path. Force and coercion cannot and should not come in religion and it has to be evoked from within; one should be able to understand and follow the voice of the inner self and not the external human dictates. Conclusion There is enough evidence to suggest that religion is not a matter of choice. Techniques to control the mind and hypnotize are used to convert individuals. When they are out of the traumatic condition they realize that they were under influence. Controlling the flow of information, the thoughts and actions is brainwashing. Each individual should have the freedom to think and follow whichever path he wishes to, and not be coerced into anything but the evidences suggest that religion is not a matter of choice. Reference list: Anthony, D 1999, Pseudoscience and Minority Religions: An Evaluation of the Brainwashing Theories of Jean-Marie Abgrall, Social Justice Research, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 421 - 456. Lewsi, JL & Bromley, DG 1987, The Cult Withdrawal Syndrome: A Case of Misattribution of Cause?’ Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 508-522. Long, TE & Hadden, JK 1983, Religious Conversion and the Concept of Socialization: Integrating the Brainwashing and Drift Models, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 1-14. Richardson, JT 1985, The Active vs. Passive Convert: Paradigm Conflict in Conversion/Recruitment Research, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 119-236. Richardson, JT & Introvigne, M. "Brainwashing" Theories in European Parliamentary and Administrative Reports on "Cults" and "Sects", Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. Robbins, T, Combating "Cults" and "Brainwashing" in the United States and Western Europe: A comment on Richardson and Introvignes Report, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. Walsh, Y 2001, Deconstructing ‘brainwashing’ within cults as an aid to counselling psychologists, Counselling Psychology Quarterly, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 119–128. Wright, SA 1984, Post-Involvement Attitudes of Voluntary Defectors from Controversial New Religious Movements, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 172-182. Read More