It seems that those Mormons are up to their Mormonizing ways again. To hear tell these days they got their own radio station. Oh yeah, it’s true. They’re spreading their word and getting it all into the collective subconscious of anybody with a mind to hear it, or at least not be inconvenienced enough to tune away.
Yes, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a radio station. And it seems like a perfect example for cultivation theory. The radio doesn’t seem to be the kind of medium to declare new doctrines or to give out the latest. Rather, their mission is to get the Gospel out on the airwaves 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
In my time as a member of the LDS faith I have wondered time and again if the Church is intentionally flirting with the line between teaching and brainwashing. I get this especially when I think about some of the primary children’s songs. Think of the song Follow the Prophet. Over and over we hear the children chanting repeatedly in a gloomy minor key, “Follow the prophet! Follow the prophet! Follow the prophet! Don’t go astray! Follow the prophet! Follow the prophet! Follow the prophet…”
But it isn’t really brainwashing, it’s cultivation. These kids are getting it into their heads so when the time comes for them to screw their courage to the sticking place, they needn’t even think about it. They just know, “Follow the prophet. He knows the way!”
Now with Mormon radio we can get the same function as they load their programming with interstitials consisting of the testimonies of average, garden-variety, everyday members.
Couple that with our hymns, what a medium. We give everyone books and make them speak in unison what is arguably our scripture put to rhyme. Mormon radio brings us the music of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to complete the cultivation in great triumphant song. They echo the songs we have been cultivating into our brains in every meeting during a 3-hour block, and every day if we are in early-morning seminary.
We use cultivation in our meeting houses by having pictures of pioneers going through hardship as a way to kind of condition us to not be surprised when things are difficult, or as a way to never give us the excuse to think “our lot is hard.”
I don't think we're surprised that we are cultivated by the Church. We hear the parables of the sower of the seeds and we like the idea of thinking we are a "good seed." We don't want to sow the hurricane only to reap the whirlwind in the end.
We like to be cultivated so much, we write catchy songs to brainwash even ourselves.
So. Tell me what you think. Do you think Latter-day Saints are aware of the fact that our teaching methods are akin to brainwashing? Do you think they resent it?
Josh Guest wrote this. And I make it with mine own hand.
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Joshua,
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting take on the Mormon way of preaching the Gospel. I too have noticed how many of these things are simply pounded into our heads, so that we know what to do when the moment comes.
I feel that the Mormon Radio can be treated as the morning pledge to the flag in public schools. The governments reasoning would be " the more we say the pledge and refamiliarize ourselves to our allegence and purpose of existence, the more patriotic we will become."
Likewise I feel this is what the approach to LDS Radio is. Whoever is listening is gaining the same principles and teaching necessary unto salvation. The more we hear the same things over and over (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) the more it will have root into who we feel we are and what we should do as we progress in our lives.
Therefore, although the line may be thin, I do not think that Mormon radio is akin to brainwashing, rather a constant reminder of the simplicities of our beleifs that should help us shape our character and testomny as life progresses.
P.S.- Micheal Loyd Junior is a Jedi, I hope you watched the game today.
If you think about everything can be considered akin to brain washing, going to school we're brainwashed, everytime the bell rings in school, we automatically get up to leave... Why? Because we've been programmed to respond that way.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to learn is through repetition! Repetition is the mother of all skill. I don't necessarily think the church is brain washing kids or us in general, but reinforcing principles as best they can. because 6 days out of the week, the world, or media is repeating many messages that are quite opposite to the message of the gospel. Hopefully children, are being taught in the home, and the church is there to help establish it in our minds
One of the main points of the book of Mormon is for us to remember, because its human nature to forget, the only way to remember is through systematic repetition. So I guess a lot of things are brain washing us.