Atheists still can't explain the miracles of JESUS!

Tell that to the Catholics who are shutting down churches all over America left and right. If religious indoctrination is so powerful, why is American Catholicism crumbling? - pb

I suspect that many have switched over to the more popular megachurches. I also suspect that many were turned off by the rash of child molestations by preists. My guess is that the overwhelming majority who have left the RC church still believe in God and Jesus, but have chosen to practice their beliefs elsewhere or just informally.

Americans in general are becoming less religious, not just Catholics, who are still the largest single Christian sect in America. Evangelicals have for years set their sights on absorbing their followers, constantly keeping score of membership and crowing about their inroads into Catholic territory.

The long term stability of hereditary Catholicism will outlast the opportunistic "conversion" strategy of Evangelicals, which is a short term game plan.

PowerToThePeople Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tell that to the Catholics who are shutting down
> churches all over America left and right. If
> religious indoctrination is so powerful, why is
> American Catholicism crumbling? - pb
>
> I suspect that many have switched over to the more
> popular megachurches. I also suspect that many
> were turned off by the rash of child molestations
> by preists. My guess is that the overwhelming
> majority who have left the RC church still believe
> in God and Jesus, but have chosen to practice
> their beliefs elsewhere or just informally.

No doubt they still believe, pt. But, if they were really indoctrinated, they'd not have the will to leave mother church.

But, I do appreciate this 'sam' thing you're doing. It even brings back memories of Newton Joseph, Ph. D.. Ah, the good days.

linc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Americans in general are becoming less religious,
> not just Catholics, who are still the largest
> single Christian sect in America. Evangelicals
> have for years set their sights on absorbing
> their followers, constantly keeping score of
> membership and crowing about their inroads into
> Catholic territory.
>
> The long term stability of hereditary Catholicism
> will outlast the opportunistic "conversion"
> strategy of Evangelicals, which is a short term
> game plan.

Thanks, linc. I wonder what you definition of religious is. From what I can tell, postmodern people are much more inclined to be religious than their parents but more inclined to be spiritual than the likes of isle and Hank.

I'm talking about indoctrination into Christianity, not a specific version of Christianity.

But, pt, do you think that specific brainwashers are really content to generically brainwash?

Why do you think it would be possible for anyone to answer that with yes or no? I'm sure it varies according to who's doing the indoctrination.

Most religious people start indoctrinating their children into their religious beliefs years before they develop critical thinking skills or read a science book - iow during the child's most impressionable and formative years, which is what makes the programming so effective.

PowerToThePeople Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why do you think it would be possible for anyone
> to answer that with yes or no? I'm sure it varies
> according to who's doing the indoctrination.
>
> Most religious people start indoctrinating their
> children into their religious beliefs years before
> they develop critical thinking skills or read a
> science book - iow during the child's most
> impressionable and formative years, which is what
> makes the programming so effective.

You attended a packed Lutheran Church as a child. How did your parents indoctrinate you?

Absolutely.

Apparently they were inept indoctrinators.

Well it seems to have worked very well on my 3 siblings, who all attend indie megachurches.

My escape from religious indoctrination is a commentary on my skeptical nature and critical thinking skills as opposed to the efficacy of my parents' and church's indoctrination.

***

"When they say there’s not enough money, they mean there’s not enough money for YOU." - Jill Stein, Green Party presidential nominee.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2010 12:38AM by PowerToThePeople.

PowerToThePeople Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well it seems to have worked very well on my 3
> siblings, who all attend indie megachurches.
>
> My escape from religious indoctrination is a
> commentary on my skeptical nature and critical
> thinking skills as opposed to the efficacy of my
> parents' and church's indoctrination.

Lucky for you that you have a mind of your own. I wish I had critical thinking skills.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2010 01:12AM by pb.

Everyone has a mind of their own and can think critically. It would have been more correct for me to say "willingness to use my critical thinking skills". In the context of overcoming religious indoctrination, especially Christian, it's mostly a matter of confonting your deepest fears about abandoning what you've been indoctrinated to believe is essential for your salvation. I'm sure that can be a showstopper for some.

PowerToThePeople Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Everyone has a mind of their own and can think
> critically. It would have been more correct for me
> to say "willingness to use my critical thinking
> skills". In the context of overcoming religious
> indoctrination, especially Christian, it's mostly
> a matter of confonting your deepest fears about
> abandoning what you've been indoctrinated to
> believe is essential for your salvation. I'm sure
> that can be a showstopper for some.

Fair enough.

Would you mind telling me what methods your parents and church employed to steal your mind from you?

Filling my head with Christian dogma as soon as I could understand English instead of allowing me to find God/Jesus on my own.

OTOH, I realize that it was all well intended, and I certainly hold no malice towards my family or church. In fact, I enjoyed most of my church experiences.

Indoctrination comes in many forms, e.g. political, ideological. In some families, children are indocrinated to be fans of certain sports teams. Some children are indoctrinated to hate gay people, or conservatives, or liberals. Or to eat certain foods. Or to appreciate a certain genre of music. There probably isn't any facet of our lives where some indocrination hasn't taken place. It's very difficult to avoid being on either end of indoctrination. Most people participate in it without even giving it a thought.