Dr. Robert Lifton has done extensive research and writing on the topic of brainwashing in large groups, using fascist countries who do "re education" as a template to study how thought reform operates. His book "Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism" changed my life.
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His 10 steps to brainwashing:
1. Assault on identity
2. Guilt
3. Self-betrayal
4. Breaking point
5. Leniency
6. Compulsion to confess
7. Channeling of guilt
8. Releasing of guilt
9. Progress and harmony
10. Final confession and rebirth
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As I read his book (thanks to Dr Clint Heacock @Mindshift2018 for introducing me) the direct correlation to organized religion is impossible to miss. I'l break it down:
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1. Assault on identity. This is done immediately by Christianity with the concept of sin, especially the doctrine of Original Sin. This teaches that you are not a good person, but a sinner, and therefore destined for eternal damnation. You are not good, you are bad.
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a quick pause here to say that this is not an evangelical concept. All orthodox versions of Christianity have their own versions of Original Sin. We sin because we are sinners, and we are sinners because we sin. Again, you are not good, you are bad bad bad.
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2. Guilt. This is the natural result of being told you're a bad person. You are handed a moral code that you must adhere to, and if/when you fail, it serves as a reminder that you are, in fact, a despicable human being. In reformed theology this is called Total Depravity.
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This guilt is assured because the moral code is intentionally impossible to maintain. No one can keep the moral code. Even an amazingly "good" person can only keep 5/10 commandments perfectly. And then Jesus came along and made it even more impossible with the Beatitudes.
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Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7) not only confirmed the 10 Commandments, but expounded them to include thoughts and intentions, not just actions. Thereby insuring that no person is capable of keeping the moral code. You are bad bad bad.
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3. Self-betrayal. Your new awareness of your own sinfulness causes you to loath yourself and no longer trust yourself. Jeremiah 17:9 explicitly teaches that you cannot trust yourself because you are, at your core, "deceitful above all else, and wicked".
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This step causes you to hate yourself, "how could I be so vile?!", "why do I keep sinning?", "I'm such a bad Christian". And teaches you that you cannot trust your own instincts because, after all, it's "your own best thinking that has gotten you into this mess"
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4. Breaking point. This leads you to a place where you come to the conclusion that "salvation cannot come from within, it must come from without", and causes you to throw yourself on the mercy of the deity, because the deity is the only one who can save you.
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Note that this is why Christianity is fixated on the concept of the death of Jesus - penal substitutionary atonement. "I am a worthless sinner, not even capable of paying for my own sin, so someone else had to die in my place to take my punishment."
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As I used to preach, "Jesus lived a life we could never live, and died a death we could never die, to pay a debt we could never pay." This drives the subject to the breaking point - I must have Jesus. And...I am forever indebted to him.
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This moment creates what Lifton calls "the second self", where you leave behind your old identity, and take on a new one. Your life is for a new purpose, new goals, and in a new direction. You are indebted, and your life is spent in payment of that debt.
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5. Leniency. This is the rush of elation that comes when you create your "second self" because "the old you is gone, the new you is here." Now you have good standing with the deity, peace in your mind, and meaning to your life. The problem is, it's got huge strings...
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This begins a cycle of assault and leniency. The psychological assault and threats for when you sin, and then leniency when you repent. Threats of judgment/promise of good things. You're always somewhere in that cycle of assault and leniency. This free salvation isn't free.
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Assault: threats of consequences, shame, shunning, hell, death.
Leniency: Promises of grace, community, mercy, new life, family, heaven.
You remain in that cycle for your entire life as a Christian. You are never at peace. You are always on the verge of losing it all.
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You are constantly reassured that your salvation is a "free gift" and that "Jesus has done it all" and yet you are loaded down with impossible expectations of performing in a way that "proves your faith", and threats if you don't meet the standard.
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You are also promised that the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, will come to live inside you and transform you. The HS enables you to have victory over sin because he transforms your very desires and motivations. But you find out that it's still 100% up to you.
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"The Holy Spirit doesn't just take away your sinful desires, you have to do the work" becomes a massive cognitive dissonance as you realize that the only way you change is if you do it yourself. By now you're stuck deep in the cycle of assault and leniency.
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6. Compulsion to confess. The cycle of assault and leniency has only one outlet: confession. Since you cannot fix yourself, and apparently the HS isn't going to, all you can do is admit what a horrible person you are & confess your sins. The culture of confession is key.
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Confession is lauded in Christianity. The Bible teaches that confessing your sin glorifies god (Joshua 7:19), to confess your sins to god (1 John 1:9), and other Christians (James 5:16). Confession means admitting you are bad bad bad, to yourself and others, over and over.
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7. Channeling of guilt. This is critical is establishing the "us vs. them" mentality in Christianity. The guilt is blamed on your own flesh, Satan, and the world who loves and promotes sin. This teaches you to hate other religions, and eschew any other forms of thought.
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8. Releasing of guilt. The culture of confession gives a release to the buildup of guilt by providing a temporary euphoria of feeling that your sins are forgiven, and that you're not alone. The struggle of others helps you feel like "we're in this together"
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As time goes on, this becomes problematic because you start to realize that no one is actually wining at this. No one is being victorious. Everyone is either languishing in sin, or faking success.
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9. Progress and harmony. Occasionally in this journey there are breakthroughs where progress is made, and companionships is found with your fellow sojourners. Those "highs" become addicting to the weary sinner who desperately needs affirmation and hope.
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To solidify this feeling, the church promotes success stories "testimonies" to prove that the system does work. The often only serves to confirm that if it's not working for you, it's your fault. It's working for them, why not for me?
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10. Final confession and rebirth. All of this leads to an ultimate promise of peace, fulfillment, meaning, purpose, joy, and bliss. In religion, this is only attained in eternity, to the carrot is always just out of reach.
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"In the sweet by and by" is the refrain of those who are struggling in the cycle of assault and leniency. SOMEDAY it will be worth it. We will understand. We will be happy. We will be whole.
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Thanks for reading. I know there are other (better) interpretations of Lifton's work as it applies to Christianity, but that's my take on it. What are you thoughts?