Destructive Mind ControlDestructive Mind Control

In Evolutionary MormonismIn Evolutionary Mormonism

By Lyndon LambornBy Lyndon Lamborn

Destructive Mind ControlDestructive Mind Control

A Social Process (meme) that:A Social Process (meme) that: Encourages obedienceEncourages obedience Champions conformityChampions conformity Suppresses autonomy and independenceSuppresses autonomy and independence Disrupts and displaces authentic identityDisrupts and displaces authentic identity

End state: the individual feels completely End state: the individual feels completely dependent on the group for survival dependent on the group for survival

Mind Control Often Found In:Mind Control Often Found In:

Religious cultsReligious cults Military organizationsMilitary organizations Pyramid sales schemesPyramid sales schemes Drug cartelsDrug cartels Feuding tribesFeuding tribes

Key CharacteristicsKey Characteristics

Authentic Identity suppressionAuthentic Identity suppression Threatening propheciesThreatening prophecies Secrecy, Shrines for the eliteSecrecy, Shrines for the elite DeceptionDeception Isolation, Time monopolizationIsolation, Time monopolization Confession, privacy infringementConfession, privacy infringement

Key Characteristics (cont.)Key Characteristics (cont.)

Preoccupation with $$, $$ extractionPreoccupation with $$, $$ extraction Demand for purity, hyper-vigilanceDemand for purity, hyper-vigilance Top-down obedienceTop-down obedience Information censorshipInformation censorship Fear, shunning of defectorsFear, shunning of defectors Circular reasoning, sacred scienceCircular reasoning, sacred science Heavenly soldiers for God themeHeavenly soldiers for God theme

Key Characteristics (cont.)Key Characteristics (cont.)

Exploitation of cognitive human biases:Exploitation of cognitive human biases: Groupthink biasGroupthink bias Authority biasAuthority bias ‘‘Saying is believing’ biasSaying is believing’ bias Escalation of commitment biasEscalation of commitment bias Confirmation biasConfirmation bias Reciprocity biasReciprocity bias Survival biasSurvival bias Hindsight BiasHindsight Bias

Identity SuppressionIdentity SuppressionBecome as a little child doctrine

Temple rites include assignment of a ‘new name’, and ordinance work by proxy for the dead, which is identity substitution rehearsal.

Take upon self the name of Christ, natural man is an enemy to God doctrine

1800 1900 2000

Peculiar people doctrine emphasized – New Pride is found in group identity/traits.

Patriarchal blessings denote lineage and often ‘adoption’ into family blood lines

Aim: Groupthink replaces individual thinking….

Threatening propheciesThreatening prophecies

1600 1700 1800 1900 2000

New England Puritans are certain the end is near.

1662: M.Wigglesworth pens poem “The Day of Doom”

Puritan Mather predicts second coming in 1697, then 1716, then 1736

1835: Smith predicts the 2nd coming NLT 1891.

1937: Church introduces 1-yr food supply. 1980’s: 72-hr emergency kits. Disaster is always imminent.

Survival BiasSurvival Bias

1800 1900 2000

1880: Book of Abraham canonized, which includes 1/3 of the host of heaven are demons surrounding us.

1830: Lehi’s dream in the Book of Mormon – Hold to the Rod!

1833: Word of Wisdom given by Smith 1834, 1842, 1851, 1870 Word of Wisdom increases in importance & enforcement

Threatening prophesies abound in early sermons given by Smith and Young and others

Secrecy, Shrines for the EliteSecrecy, Shrines for the Elite

1800 1900 2000

1833: Temple building begins in Kirtland, Ohio

1980s: Church officials purchase documents from Mark Hofmann, most are hidden. Hoffman is exposed as a forger and convicted of murder.

1990s: Hinckley announces focus on temple building and temple worthiness.

1959: Church releases financial holding information for the last time. Perfection of the ‘art of silence’ begins.

1820-1844: Smith’s life is shrouded with secrets. The golden plates, angels, how he did translations, the doctrine of polygamy and secret spiritual wifery… “no man knows my history”

DeceptionDeception

1800 1900 2000

1850: John Taylor continues tradition of lying about polygamy in an interview in Boulogne, France, even when he himself was a practicing polygamist.

Trial of 1826. Joseph Smith admits deception for gain, and that he could discern nothing with peep stones.

1990’s: Dallin Oaks acknowledges deception by church leaders. “The whole experience with polygamy was a fertile field for deception… “If some of these Mormon leaders or members lied, therefore, what?”

1843: Smith conjures an Egyptian ‘alphabet’. 1844: Smith lies about polygamy.

Smith falls for the ‘Kinderhook plate’ trap, providing a quick ‘translation’ of gibberish.

Hinckley & $$

‘‘Translation’ TechniqueTranslation’ Technique

Translation method as portrayed by LDS Church.

Isolation, Time MonopolizationIsolation, Time Monopolization[Groupthink Bias Reinforcement][Groupthink Bias Reinforcement]

1800 1900 2000‘Gathering’ of the Saints is SOP Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, then Great Basin

1961: McKay “Every member a missionary”.

1964: Monthly home teaching and visiting teaching

1968: ‘Family home evening’ program – every Monday night

1970s, 1980s: Daily personal and family prayer and scripture study emphasized, 3-hr block, temple attendance reports

1938: First temple records microfilmed. Genealogical research emphasized, consuming hobby for many.

1953: McKay forms the Church Educational System

Confession, privacy infringementConfession, privacy infringement

1800 1900 2000

1830-1900: Confession of sins was routinely done in public in the early church and often reqd after church court conviction… Sabbath day obligation: “offer thy sacraments confessing thy sins unto thy brethren and before the Lord.” D&C 59:12 1970s: Youth interviews are made an

annual event – and get personal

1856-57, “The Mormon Reformation”, (Revival) Teachers hear confession, ask 27 questions: everything from murder to bathing.

1972: Spencer W Kimball publishes “The Miracle of Forgiveness”, a repentance & confession cookbook

1860-1934: Church slowly moves away from detailed public confessions – bishops more involved

1956: Private confession deemed adequate except in case of public scandal

1976: Public awareness of transgressions limited to announcements to adults

1913: Instructions for private confession

Preoccupation with MoneyPreoccupation with Money

1800 1900 2000

1838: Smith’s speculative bank in Kirtland, Ohio fails. Smith and Rigdon flee from angry investors, finding refuge with members in Missouri.

1825: Smith is an accomplished money digger, learning how to prey on human superstitions for $

1830: Smith attempts to sell copy write for the Book of Mormon in Canada

1899: Lorenzo Snow institutes tithing

2000-2008: In order to avoid disclosing financials, church settles misconduct lawsuits

Temple ceremony includes consecration of all worldly goods to the church.

2004: Church buys 88,000 acres in Nebraska, making it the 2nd largest landowner in that state with 228,000 acres. Church assets are ~40 billion, with 925,000 acres in N. America, and the largest foreign landowner in Great Britain. The church is rumored to be the largest beef producer in the USA, and easily the richest per capita religion in the world. Appeal to wealth….

Demand for purity, hyper-vigilanceDemand for purity, hyper-vigilance

1800 1900 2000

Purity of thought: “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” “No unclean thing can enter the Kingdom of God.”

1921: Purity of body: No alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea [Word of Wisdom] enforced

Moral purity: Sexual relations outside marriage are sins “like unto murder”.

“he that looketh upon a woman with lust hath already committed adultery in his heart”

1989: Masturbation is a deplorable sin. Young men with a masturbation habit are not allowed to serve missions.

Memorization of hymns, scriptures, and slogans to be used as ‘thought-stoppers’ to displace evil thoughts. Always work in pairs.

2000+ Utah #1 for porn….

Top-down obedienceTop-down obedience(Reinforcing Authority Bias)(Reinforcing Authority Bias)

1800 1900 2000

1945: ‘Once the prophet speaks, the thinking has been done’ article is published in Church media.

1830: Smith reveals that the Lord considers words spoken by Smith to be “as if from my own mouth”. D&C 21:4,5

~1845: Brigham Young institutes blood oaths of obedience to church law in the temple endowment ceremony, “in preference to the laws of the USA”.

6/19/1838: ‘Salt’ sermon is delivered, calling for unquestioning obedience to the prophet, for right or wrong, on penalty of death.

1890: Wilford Woodruff announces “The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands at the head of this Church to lead you astray….  If I were to attempt that, the Lordwould remove me out of my place…

1980: Ezra Benson delivers landmark “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following a Prophet” speech.

1919: Policy change: pass sacrament to highest authority first.

Information censorshipInformation censorship

1800 1900 2000

1980: Church archives are closed.

Censorship through dilution is perfected. Teachings of past prophets are whitewashed in new lesson manuals. Member inundated with new materials annually.

1844: Joseph Smith leads a raid on and illegally destroys the “Nauvoo Expositor”, setting off a series of events that would culminate in his death

1981: Signature Books is founded, in direct response to the cancellation of Leonard Arrington's 16 volume "History of the Church" project

1998, 1999: FAIR and FARMS websites step up to ‘combat’ true history and other doctrinal critiques.

1981: Boyd K Packer gives famous “we are one-sided” speech

Fear, shunning of defectorsFear, shunning of defectors

1800 1900 2000

Sept 1993: six prominent scholars who were deemed too liberal are expelled.

2004: Grant Palmer, 34-yr CES instructor, is expelled for publishing ‘Insiders View of Mormon Origins’, a purely factual book.

1873, 1904: Bill Hickman publishes “Brigham’s Destroying Angel”, his involvement in crimes and murders ordered by bloody Brigham.

1830s & 40s: Any daring to challenge the authority of Smith are expelled: Examples: Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, William Law

1844: Death penalties become the consequence for divulging temple secrets.

2007: Lamborn expelled for distributing true history information.

Circular reasoning, sacred scienceCircular reasoning, sacred science

1800 1900 2000

Absolute power is granted to feelings, which then become capable of displacing reality.

1830: Book of Mormon ‘promise’ – a study in circular reasoning

1842: Smith expounds on physics, time, space ether, etc in the Book of Abraham, all popular theories in his day.

1970s: Scientific progress is advancing because Gods work must go forward… but wait….

Oops… change of plan… “When confronted with evidence from the rocks below, rely on the witness of the heavens above.” – Packer, 2005

Heavenly soldiers for God themeHeavenly soldiers for God theme"You and each of you do covenant and promise that you will pray and never cease to pray to Almighty God to avenge the blood of the prophets upon this nation, and that you will teach the same to your children and to your children's children unto the third and fourth generation."The oath remained a part of the temple rituals until February 15, 1927.

1857: Mountain Meadows Massacre ~120 innocents murdered. "Vengeance is mine saith the Lord, and I have taken a little of it." - Brigham Young

1800 1900 2000

1834: Zions camp militia is formed to liberate the Saints in Missouri.

1838: Danite band formed, also referred to as “Armies of Israel” by Smith

1846: The Mormon Battalion is only religious military unit in US history

‘‘Saying is believing’ biasSaying is believing’ bias

1800 1900 2000

3/27/1836: Kirtland temple dedicated, early testimony bearing free-for-all.

1830: Smith recruits witnesses for the Book of Mormon & initiates missionary work, calling his brother, Samuel Smith to serve. Not only does this add converts, it made loyalists.

1974: Kimball – “Every able, worthy young man should serve a mission.”

1806-1825: Smith grows up in an environment of testimony bearing (Pentecostals)

1900-present: Lesson manuals routinely request that the instructor “bear testimony of the principles as the spirit dictates” at the end of each lesson.

1896: Church institutes “Fast and Testimony” meeting once a month on Sunday

Escalation of commitment biasEscalation of commitment bias

1800 1900 2000

1826: Smith perfects EOC in money digging business.

1828: Smith woos Martin Harris into heavy investment in the Book of Mormon ‘translation’.

Smith sees the EOC effects of ‘gathering the saints’ and consecration doctrines

1834: Zion's camp participants become stalwarts, reinforcing the power of the EOC bias.

1846: Brigham Young feigns persecution to muster men for the Mormon Battalion - then Saints cross plains

Money and time investment in the church makes every member a beast of burden.

~1990: Handcart treks instituted, a short pioneer experience for ages 14-18.

Confirmation biasConfirmation bias

1800 1900 2000

Church encourages large families. It is the duty of Mormons to give millions of spirits a body through birth. Heber C. Kimball ~1865

August 1878, the first Primary meeting held in Farmington, Utah. Children who were not part of the pioneering experience of the Church were thought to need additional indoctrination.

1962: Gospel to be taught 3X in lifetime; child, youth, adult

Holy Ghost gift doctrine ties life experiences to the myth

1830: Many Book of Mormon stories parallel Bible stories – which then ring true to Christians

Reciprocity biasReciprocity bias

1800 1900 2000

1849: Smith establishes the “Perpetual Emigration Fund”

2001: Hinckley establishes the “Perpetual Education Fund”

Illusory gifts:

Salvation

Ordinances

Revelation

Holy Ghost

Patriarchal blessings

Tangible gifts:

Wedding & funeral

Nice buildings

Social network

Youth programs

Employment services

1990s: Apostolic blessings become popular.

1936: Church formally organizes a welfare program for struggling Saints.

Hindsight bias Hindsight bias (Appeal to Success)(Appeal to Success)

1800 1900 2000

1880 New York: Fertile environment & Joseph Smith collide. Smith answers ALL front page issues and becomes a hero.

Isolation & monopoly = appeal to the masses

1842: Polygamy brings key ingredients:

Persecution

Monopolization

1844: Smith is killed in a gunfight, touted as a martyrdom

“We need to discuss my emotional needs”

~1990: US Govt enforces anti-polygamy laws, Church is forced to evolve

1995-2005: Hinckley attempts to mainstream

1978: Kimball announces Blacks can hold Priesthood

SummarySummary

Mormonism, an complex adaptive organism, has Mormonism, an complex adaptive organism, has evolved into an effective mind control entityevolved into an effective mind control entity

Momentum and emphasis moving away from Momentum and emphasis moving away from ‘truth’ toward ‘survival through feelings’ through ‘truth’ toward ‘survival through feelings’ through mind control techniquesmind control techniques

Mind control victims are generally impervious to Mind control victims are generally impervious to facts and evidence, due to cognitive biases. facts and evidence, due to cognitive biases.

The tie between survival and belief must be The tie between survival and belief must be broken first, but how? (thought question)broken first, but how? (thought question)

ConclusionConclusion

Enlightenment is man's release from his self-incurred tutelage. Immanuel Kant