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Poppyseed wrote:
Ok yeah. I am looking objectively and i don’t think it happens in the LDS church meaning the most extreme definition. i guess I am trying to understand why people use that word when describing LDS upbringing. What are they describing then?
More directly, Poppyseed, I believe people use this term because they are afraid that others are not willingly submitting themselves to the doctrine. I don’t think that it is possible for a grown person to be “brainwashed” by a formal religion any more than by a really good advertising campaign. So in that sense, it’s not the brainwashing that is the concern, it’s the honesty of the message. And that is, I believe, the crux of why people use the term brainwashing; they don’t believe the authenticity or honesty of the religion. That is the true concern. But brainwashing blames the religion instead of the person, so it’s less offensive. Unless you consider how offensive it is to have someone tell you that they think you are weak enough to be brainwashed by a religion – that’s offensive to me.
Children are a different matter in a way. They are young. They are forming abilities to discern and willing to absorb much. So the term brainwashing may have a little more application here. Therefore the need for good parents that are trusting themselves to discern truth and teach. Thus why I appreciate Elder Christopherson’s perspective so much. It’s missing in our day – parents that are bold enough to testify to their children.
I agree with Valoel. The term isn’t being used correctly IMO in this case. Brainwashing is the systematic destructuring of a captive’s beliefs, usually through more strenuous means such as drugs or torture. In modern day it could be said that we brainwash by TV ads 
The rub for me when people use the term brainwashing and the any church is it implies something against our will. Not so! Everyone I know is willingly allowing themselves to let the teachings in. Submission is the more correct term here I believe. So the question really is, “Is it OK that my children submit themselves to my teaching?” The answer to that is this, “How much do you trust yourself?” “Do you trust your children more than yourself to discover truth?”
Lastly, Rix, I appreciate your comments. Though I feel they need to be expanded beyond thinking only religion does this. Or in other words, religion needs to be understood to define many things. Commercialism is a religion and it teaches much the same directives, “Go our way, or you will end up in a lesser place.” “Shop at Target or you will end up buying from Walmart.” This is common to all walks and forms of life. Therefore I don’t feel it is brainwashing – it is dogma though. Most lastly, I like what you said about “family values.”
Here is a pretty good quote from Elder Christofferson from this most recent conference. Is a pretty direct answer of how he thinks on this topic: I have heard a few parents state that they don’t want to impose the gospel on their children but want them to make up their own minds about what they will believe and follow. They think that in this way they are allowing children to exercise their agency. What they forget is that the intelligent use of agency requires knowledge of the truth, of things as they really are (see D&C 93:24). Without that, young people can hardly be expected to understand and evaluate the alternatives that come before them. Parents should consider how the adversary approaches their children. He and his followers are not promoting objectivity but are vigorous, multimedia advocates of sin and selfishness.
Talk titled Moral Discipline.
