Quote:
Originally Posted by NeedofHelp
Just to tag along on the end of this, while we are mentioning brainwashing. I have a friend of my friend who is in the church. My college best friend came about this new friend, and they hang out a lot.
Anyways, I told her that she's in a cult. I brought up how it was in that encyclopedia and all that. She said it was dispelled with that "we were wrong" article. And I said the author of that article has also been called corrupt.
So we dropped the subject for a second, and I mumbled "You're more gone than I thought."
And she says, "what?"
And I looked her in the eye and said, "They brainwash you there, do you know that? You're brainwashed."
Now here's the kicker, her reply:
"What is wrong with brainwashing when it is in the name of the Lord and it brings you to His Kingdom?"
That's when I felt like I had no shot at getting through to her. Because brainwashing in any sense is wrong, to me at least. They should be allowed to think for themselves but I can't seem to get through to them. I'm going to try to ask them to read Psalms and James, like you guys have suggested.
I just know they both don't belong there. I pray all the time about it, and I feel that the Lord has directed me to help them come out of it.
InChristAlone, have you had any success with your wife? I've been going through the same encounter practically with my best friend.
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I have been to a college training. I have also been to a number of college conferences for that matter. I tended to be fine with college conferences, but I had a hard time at the college training. The environment seemed strict and tense.
When I look back at the time when I was in college and why I went to a college training, I think my main motive was that it made me feel "important" and I knew I would get props for going. I realize that some are pushed to go even though they don't want to. That wasn't the case with me. I felt like I had something to prove by going.
My experience of the college training was that I had to follow a strict schedule, sit through 3+ meetings a day and basically act like I was being "trained". I look back on it and realize it was all a big act I was putting on. I think all the rules and regulations really kept it from being a more positive experience for me.
I think that it goes without saying that the posted rules are strict and you wouldn't expect to see rules like that at a retreat for any other church. I don't necessarily have a problem with strict rules, but it would do one well to ask what is the motive and purpose is behind those rules? Who is making those rules and why are they necessary? Their superficial answer to that question is that the college students need to be "trained". I think that the whole issue of the whole trainer/trainee idea is just that they need people who are willing to do what they are told and accept LC doctrines without question.
Regarding "brainwashing", I never experience anything like it. I will say that sitting in meetings for 6 or more hours a day can be quite stressful and can have ill effects on people, I know it does for me. Looking back the result of a week of the college training, was that it created a bit of a superiority complex in me. By that I mean I felt I saw a "vision" unique to those who were there.