Have you ever noticed that Preachers, Teachers, and Parents control people by manipulating their thoughts?
820990
Why do you limit yourself to these professions?How about lawyers,doctors and politicians,newspeople union leaders and even our friends.There is a difference between coercion and persuasion and adults have free will and can make their own mind up.Even in a dictatorial state people find subterfuges to get around the ukases of their leaders(black markets,sabotage etc.).
658252
a lot of people seem to view those questions as opportunities to proselytize and condemn every religion but their own.
345721
I've known plenty of homeschooled people who were either morons or messed up in the head.\n\nIf you're talking about them being more conservatively minded, well hell, if you're around your parents 24/7, chances are you're more likely to take in whatever they think regardless of whether its right or wrong.
521801
Not all religion. I would have to say though that FUNDAMENTALIST religion IS INDEED a tool of mind control that allows a small group of people to wield enormous influence over the masses, and I think that's wrong.
394480
That's a very interesting question. I never thought of it that way before. The three patterns that play out with that theory do seem to fit into religions. Makes sense that it would be prevalent in their daily lives also, it's so ingrained to believe they are helpless unless they count on an outside source. Kinda twisted in away...that outside source is what will punish then for not being good enough. I'll say it again.....No child should be afraid of his/her parent.
1052512
I think alot of parents are teaching their kids at home because they want to control what is being taught  to their kids. I am one of those parents. They are teaching kids therorys instead of facts. I teach my kids facts about life.
855061
In a way, yes. Their parents want them to avoid learning facts such as science and evolution. They also want to force their beliefs down other people's throats instead of being mature and accepting other people's beliefs.\n\nThe Christian parents preach ignorance and hatred towards people with other beliefs.
1049054
I think that not only do they have a high ego, but can actually be dangerous to society.  I believe in God, but I disbelieve in organized religion.  I believe that our hearts are the temples we worship God in.  Basically, any small group of people who get together to make decisions for a large group of people make me uneasy.  If you back one of those fundamentalists into a corner and ask the hard questions like "Why did my Mom die of cancer?" or "Why did my little boy get hit by a car?"....you're going to get "It's God's will"  or  "the Lord works in mysterious ways".  The truth is, they don't know.  But they DO know that God wants you to vote Republican, and He's against raising taxes but He's for the defense, and even though it's one of His creations, He desperately hates marijuana.   Personally, they just make me nervous.
119633
Everything is about what we are taught. If you put three children together who are not old enough to have misconceptions and bigotry, they will play and have fun based on their base feelings. \n\nThis way of thinking is taught and I say "shame on them" to the parents allowing this, but then again, the parents were taught as well.\n\nLike all bad habits, the chain must be broken by rethinking the way of believing ones own truths.
949166
Certainly!  But religions use EVERYTHING to scare and manipulate.
1037610
If you look deeply into what the christian religion is, you'll find its a means of controlling, through fear of damnation, the general public.  the best way of controlling  people is convince them that they have a common enemy,  the devil.  Its motivates people to do things they wouldn't normaly do like kill other humans or give all their money to a church.  Anyone who doesn't believe in the church degrades the churches power over people and therefore must be hated.  This includes pagans.  That's a very very condensed version and I hope it still made sense.
612824
Social conditioning = A new word for Brainwashing.
781171
Had my head and mind played with not by a preacher from the pulpit but by someone who put themselves up as a leading light....led groups.......claimed to love God etc etc.  Preached...but to small groups on truth etc and told many lies I fouind in the end.  Yes the word hypocrite and self centred and self obsessed as in looking good....creating the impression but not living the life.
742257
I believe that they have a thing called Reprobate Mind \n\nAnd even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.  Romans 1:28-32
1086389
That's hard to answer.\n\nI grew up thinking that I did the thinking for my family.  And I was allowed to make more decisions than any child should make.  But as an adult, I can see that I was manipulated.  I was in charge because others abdicated their responsibilities.  It wasn't my idea, and it was largely reactive.\n\nI did hold up my science class asking questions about evolution.  I guess there are some who would argue that I let church think for me, but I realized that what I had been taught was not going to help me argue in science class.  I learned everything I could from other books.  My biology teacher, bless his heart, would tell you I have a mind of my own.  I gave all the required answers on the final, wrote an essay on the back about why I disagreed with all my answers on the front, and passed with an "A" and a clean conscience.\n\nDo I ever take someone else's word for something?  Sure.  Do I have preconceived ideas as a result of my upbringing and influences?  Probably.  But I am responsible for what I believe.  So it behooves me to know what I believe and why I believe it to the best of my ability.
1142658
Many people like to control others. They believe that unless they are in control, then they must be victims. It's an all-or-nothing zero-sum game to them.\n\nAnd many people like to impose their beliefs on others, because it justifies (to them) that what they believe is valid. If someone disagrees, that is a challenge and a threat, and all threats must be destroyed. At least, that's how many fundamentalist mindsets work.
507382
It's the way they are brainwashed to think by their church.