It’s a scandalous and controversial cliché … the “B” word: BRAINWASHED
Introducing religious practices and mantras at a very young age, before children can critically evaluate information, leverages their developmental stage. Young children are highly impressionable and more likely to accept teachings without skepticism.
If children are simply made to repeat phrases without any age-appropriate explanation or context, it can foster rote learning and discourage critical thinking. This lack of understanding can make them susceptible to accepting ideas without questioning their validity.
Encouraging children to recite mantras in group settings, such as family gatherings or religious services, can create social pressure to conform. This peer reinforcement can make deviation from the practice feel isolating or wrong.
By constant recitation, it can be difficult for them to separate their beliefs from who they are as individuals. This can create a fear of losing their identity or community if they were to question or abandon those beliefs later in life.
A testimony is a spiritual witness, given by the Holy Ghost, of the truthfulness of the gospel. When we bear testimony, we declare to others what we know to be true by the power of the Spirit. The foundation of a testimony is the knowledge that Heavenly Father lives and loves us, that Jesus Christ is our Savior, that His gospel has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Savior’s true Church.
A Mormon Perspective on Santa and Testimony
Children’s belief in Santa starts when they’re between 3 and 4 years old. It’s very strong when they’re between about 4 and 8. Then, at 8 years old, we start to see the drop-off in belief, the same time as the Mormon baptism.
For most Mormons, learning the full story of Santa is difficult in later life because of the seeds of doubt it plants after learning he is a fiction. It makes some wonder how their parents could claim that they always told the truth and yet encouraged children to believe something false. Of course, this is explained as mom and dad wanting the kids to experience the excitement of Santa’s magic like they had when they were children.
As a comparison type of tale that is told and engendered in the young Mormon mind is the development of a “testimony,”a key goal within Mormonism that defines one’s identity within the group. Having a strong testimony is a gating requirement for full fellowship and is a requirement for many of the positions or callings within the organization, including essentially all leadership positions.
The development and sharing of “testimonies” begins at an early age. Perhaps 90% of all testimonies shared by those under the age of 10 in weekly worship services start with the words, “I’d like to bear my testimony that I know that this church is true”.
The Santa Claus tradition is a beloved part of childhood for many. The anticipation of gifts and the wonder of Christmas morning create lasting memories. For many Mormon children, the discovery that Santa Claus is not a real person can be a jarring experience. Mormons are raised to value honesty and integrity, yet the Santa Claus tradition involves deliberate deception. This revelation often prompts a sense of cognitive dissonance where children are left wondering why their parents, who have always emphasized the importance of truthfulness, would perpetuate a falsehood.
This experience can also plant seeds of doubt in young minds. If Santa Claus is not real, what other things have we been told that might not be true? This question can be particularly troubling in the context of Mormonism, where faith and belief are paramount. It can lead children to question the validity of their own testimonies and the teachings of the church.
“I want to emphasize that I have no quarrel with that well-fed gentleman with the red suit and the white whiskers. He was very generous to me when I was a boy, and we are looking forward with great anticipation to his visit at our home. All of those things with reference to Christmas are appropriate and good, and all of them are for children—except, I suppose, the mistletoe.”
~Boyd K. Packer, From “Keeping Christmas,” a 1962 BYU Devotional.
While the intention behind perpetuating the Santa myth is often rooted in the desire to provide children with the same magical experiences parents enjoyed, the Santa Claus tradition involves a well-intentioned deception, one that can leave children feeling disillusioned.
This dissonance is particularly pronounced when considering the emphasis placed on developing a personal testimony within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From a young age, children are encouraged to bear their testimonies, often reciting phrases like “I know the Church is true” before they fully comprehend the meaning behind these words. While well-meaning, this practice can inadvertently conflate faith with rote memorization, potentially hindering the development of a genuine, heartfelt connection to religious principles.
In the Mormon Church, having a strong testimony is not only a key goal but also a requirement for full fellowship and participation in various church roles, including leadership positions.
The Santa Paradox: Innocence and Doubt
The paradox of Santa Claus in Mormon childhood is that while parents encourage belief in Santa to create a sense of wonder and joy, the eventual revelation that Santa is fictional can lead to a questioning of other beliefs taught in the same period. When children discover the truth about Santa, they might begin to wonder about other narratives their parents have presented as truth. This can be particularly troubling in the context of developing a testimony, where young children are encouraged to make declarations of faith they may not fully understand.
On the first Sunday of each month, customarily assigned sermons offered by a few are replaced with an opportunity for anyone in a Mormon congregation to stand and bear his or her testimony of the truths of the gospel.
The Nature of Testimonies
A testimony in Mormonism is a personal declaration of belief in the truth of the church, its teachings, and its leadership. It is considered a cornerstone of individual faith and communal identity. However, the process of developing a testimony often begins at a very young age. It’s not uncommon to hear children under the age of 10 in weekly worship services start their testimonies with, “I’d like to bear my testimony that I know that this church is true.” These words are often recited with the same innocence and sincerity as a child’s belief in Santa Claus.
The question then arises: how much of this testimony is a genuine expression of personal faith, and how much is simply a repetition of what they’ve been taught to say? Young children, while capable of profound insights, often lack the cognitive maturity to fully understand complex religious doctrines. Yet, they are encouraged to publicly affirm their belief in these doctrines, a practice that can lead to internal conflict as they grow older and begin to critically examine their beliefs.
Can a young child truly comprehend the complex theological concepts that underpin a testimony? Can they differentiate between genuine belief and parroted phrases? And is it appropriate to pressure children into making public declarations of faith before they have the capacity for critical thinking?
This Christmas, let us let Santa take his proper place as a symbol of Christmas—as a symbol of Christ. Just as the evergreen tree symbolizes everlasting life, and the candy cane reminds us of the Shepherds—the first witnesses of Christ; just as the angel or star atop the Christmas tree turns our thoughts to that glorious night in Bethlehem; Santa can also be a symbol of Christmas that directs our thoughts to Him.
This Christmas, I believe in Santa Claus—because I believe in Christ.
Mormonism teaches that it is the “One and only church upon the face of the earth with which God is pleased.” It teaches that only members of the faith who have obtained certain ordinances will be saved in the best part of heaven. It is one of only two major American religions who teach that people who are not of their faith cannot achieve salvation. In part for this reason, when one partner in a relationship leaves the faith, divorce rates are higher than for many mainstream faiths.
The development of testimony is a key goal within Mormonism and defines ones identity within the group. Having a strong testimony is gating requirement for full fellowship and is a requirement for many of the positions or callings within the organization, including essentially all leadership positions.
The development and sharing of “testimonies” begins at an early age. Perhaps 90% of all testimonies shared by those under the age of 10 in weekly worship services start with the words, “I’d like to bear my testimony that I know that this church is true.” In about half of the testimonies, the next sentence is “and I know that my family loves me”. The truth of the church is tied to love that one feels as being part of a family or larger church group.
“The LDS church is run 100% by volunteers. Every member above the age of 18 – and many below that age – have a “calling” in the church that assigns them a specific duty. Every Sunday my family and I would go to church for three hours of meetings. Often, my mom or dad would stay at church later or go earlier for organizational meetings or to fulfill their calling. In addition to the three hours of meetings on Sunday members of the LDS church participate in activities together throughout the week. “High involvement” scarcely begins to describe the life of active Latter-day Saints.”
This personal account was submitted to ChatGPT requesting a psychological analysis and here is the response:
TBM, or “True Believing Member,” is a term often used to describe a devout member of the LDS Church who wholeheartedly embraces its teachings and authority. They exhibit unwavering faith in the leadership and rarely question the church’s doctrines. This individual may have encountered challenges or doubts in the past but has successfully resolved them, maintaining a firm commitment to their faith. Their social circle primarily consists of other Mormons, and they find fulfillment and happiness within the church community.
ChatGPT: The account of an LDS (Latter-day Saint) member’s involvement in the church highlights several psychological implications about freedom of individual thought and the ability to make personal choices. This high level of commitment and structure can significantly influence members’ autonomy and cognitive processes. Here are some key points:
Socialization and Conformity: The strong emphasis on volunteerism and assigned duties fosters a culture of conformity. Members are socialized to fit into specific roles and adhere to group norms, which can diminish individual autonomy. The pressure to conform can lead to a reduction in independent thinking as individuals prioritize group cohesion over personal beliefs.
Identity and Group Membership: Participation in church activities and fulfilling callings become central to members’ identities. This deep integration into the church’s social structure can blur the lines between personal and group identity, making it challenging for individuals to distinguish their personal beliefs from those of the church.
Cognitive Dissonance: High involvement in church activities may create cognitive dissonance when personal beliefs or desires conflict with church teachings or expectations. To resolve this dissonance, individuals might suppress personal doubts and align more closely with church doctrines, further limiting individual thought.
Time and Commitment: The significant time commitment required by the church, with activities spread throughout the week, can leave little room for members to explore interests or ideas outside the church. This limits exposure to diverse perspectives and experiences that are essential for independent thought and personal growth.
Psychological Control: The structured environment and constant engagement can serve as a form of psychological control, subtly guiding members’ thoughts and behaviors. This high level of involvement ensures that church teachings and values are consistently reinforced, reducing the likelihood of members questioning or deviating from the prescribed path.
Sense of Community vs. Individual Autonomy: While the church provides a strong sense of community and belonging, it can come at the cost of individual autonomy. The need to fulfill callings and participate in numerous activities can overshadow personal choice, as members may feel obligated to prioritize church duties over personal preferences.
Role of Authority: The hierarchical structure of the LDS church, with its clear lines of authority and decision-making, can influence members’ willingness to question or challenge directives. Deference to church leaders can undermine critical thinking and independent decision-making, as members may accept guidance without scrutiny.
Impact on Personal Development: For younger members, growing up in such an environment can shape their development significantly. The early assignment of responsibilities and the constant reinforcement of church values can mold their worldview, potentially limiting their ability to think critically and make autonomous choices as they mature.
In summary, the high level of involvement and structured environment of the LDS church can significantly impact individual freedom of thought and personal choice. While it fosters a strong sense of community and belonging, it can also limit autonomy, critical thinking, and the ability to explore diverse perspectives, leading to a highly conformist culture where personal identity is closely tied to group membership.
ExMormon Reddit commenter on his “testimony”…
Being raised in the church, at 5 years old, I went up to the podium at Fast and Testimony meeting and someone in the bishopric overlooking the congregation asked me if I “needed help”. I said yes, so he whispered in my impressionable ear: “I know this church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.” I was 5 years old. I had never read the BoM.
I didn’t know the core principles of the church, and I had no clue who Joseph Smith was.
I didn’t get out of there until I was 15 and it took a lot.
We’re being encouraged and told to testify of something that we don’t actually know. Is Oaks encouraging us to lie? Is it to fool ourselves into believing? Are we really learning and gaining knowledge or just expressing a desire for knowledge and a reliance on the emotional high we get when sharing to reinforce our beliefs as fact? An interesting side-effect of this is when we hear repetitive statements, we are more likely to believe them as true, this is called the illusory truth effect.
Honesty is a church value, but we’re taught to testify even if we may not actually know something. Do the church leaders believe it is ok to lie for the Lord?
Those familiar with the practice of law, as Oaks, is (remember he was a Lawyer and a Judge), would call this perjury: Perjury is the intentional act of swearing a false oath or falsifying an affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to an official proceeding. Those familiar with the 10 commandments (as all Christians should be), call this bearing false witness. To the Mormon church though, it may be called gaining a testimony.
The unwavering trust that a Mormon child places in their parents’ guidance is carefully cultivated from a young age. As they grow, this trust subtly shifts from the familial to the ecclesiastical, transferring to the leadership of the LDS Church. This transition isn’t merely about faith; it’s about embracing a deeper dedication to following the Church’s “Word of Wisdom,” a commitment that extends beyond personal choices and preferences, shaping every aspect of their lives.
Poster for the 1956 film adaptation of Orwell’s “1984,” directed by Michael Anderson.
In George Orwell’s “1984,” Big Brother exemplifies extreme charismatic leadership, shaping a society where state loyalty trumps personal freedom. His influence permeates Oceania through relentless propaganda, notably through ubiquitous posters bearing his image and the slogan “Big Brother is watching you.” These symbols serve as a constant reminder of his surveillance, instilling a mix of fear and reverence in the citizens.
Big Brother’s control extends to the manipulation of information. The Ministry of Truth, tasked with rewriting history, ensures that Big Brother appears infallible. This manipulation of facts consolidates his authority, as citizens are led to believe in his unerring wisdom.
One of the most illustrative examples of this influence is the adherence to the Word of Wisdom.This health code, revealed to Joseph Smith, the church’s founder, is more than just dietary guidelines for the members. It is a set of principles that resonate deeply with the followers, stemming from their belief in its divine origin.
This phenomenon within the LDS Church illustrates how charismatic leadership can extend beyond mere admiration or respect for a leader. It shows how such leadership can deeply intertwine with followers’ belief systems, shaping their actions, choices, and overall way of life in significant ways.
The inherent dangers of charismatic leadership, as demonstrated in George Orwell’s “1984” and within the context of the Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Church, lie in its capacity to suppress critical thinking and dissent, leading to potentially harmful consequences.
The Negative Effects of Perpetrating the Santa Myth
Just how psychologically and intellectually healthy is it to foist upon children the lie that Santa is real?
In answer, author Tom Flynn offers ten compelling reasons “Why Thoughtful People Should ‘Just Say No’ to Santa Claus.”
Reason #1:”To teach and perpetrate the Santa Claus myth, parents must lie to their children.”
Flynn contends that the Santa story “is not innocent ‘sharing of fantasy,’ as defenders claim. It is a lie, and one in which parents are always caught, eroding children’s trust at a critical time.”
Flynn notes that children who discover that they have been lied to by their parents about Santa may cause damage to them in later years. Flynn quotes the observation of John Shlien, who warns that the destruction of belief “leaves a cynical disillusionment which occasionally shows up among the trauma in case-histories of maladjusted adults.”
Flynn also cites the warning of Dr. Lee Salk, director of pediatric psychology at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center: “A child should be told from the beginning that Santa is a make believe person or it might create an early credibility gap between parent and child.”
The Santa myth is such an elaborate deception that it can be the breaking point in a fragile relationship. If parents can lie so convincingly and for so long, it raises the question of what else they might lie about. Research on the ethics of lying to children indicates that this myth can disrupt a child’s moral compass. Deceiving children, even with something as seemingly harmless and fun as the Santa story, can undermine their trust in their parents and lead to profound disappointment when they eventually learn the truth.
Reason #2:”The Santa Claus myth exploits characteristic weakness in young children’s thinking, perhaps obstructing their passage to later stages of cognitive development”.
Flynn explains how lying about Santa exploits childhood tendencies to accept simplistic religious claims:
Parents who lie about Santa Claus catch their children at a vulnerable age. Youngsters have trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality as it is.
Reason #3:”To buoy belief, adults stage elaborate deceptions, laying traps for the child’s developing intellect”
Flynn describes how the Santa lie breeds distrust and cynicism in children toward everybody:
Disillusioned eight-year-olds don’t just learn that their parents lied to them, they learn that society invested tremendous energies to drag out the lie a little longer. No one can be trusted.
Reason #4:”The myth encourages lazy parenting and promotes unhealthy fear.”
It is unwise parents who hold Santa over the heads of their children as a god-like promise of reward for good behavior and as a divine threat of punishment for bad.
Flynn writes:
Children see Santa as an all-seeing judge who holds in one hand the carrot of Christmas, in the other a stick shaped like a lump of coal. The temptation for parents to abuse the myth is strong. “Mothers get a lot of mileage out of Christmas,” Erma Bombeck once observed. Parents do not imagine the damage they may do when they use the Claus as a club.
Reason #5:”The number of characteristics that Santa Claus shares with God and Jesus verges on the blasphemous.”
Children do, indeed, make definite connections in their minds between Santa and God. As Flynn notes:
Research studies, personal anecdotes, and press reports illustrate the links between Santa Claus, God, and Jesus in the popular mind. One psychologist . . . [reported] that children’s belief in Santa Claus “lays the groundwork for later belief in God.” . . . Arnold Gesell, director of the Yale Clinic of Child Development, revealed that three-year-olds he had studied understood the concept of Santa Claus before they knew the concept of God. John Shlien reported that four- and five-year-olds would not eat candies shaped like Santa Claus, a behavior thought to show reverence. Another writer complained in the 1930s about overhearing his daughter praying to Santa Claus.
“Choose to believe in Jesus Christ. If you have doubts about God the Father and His Beloved Son or the validity of the Restoration or the veracity of Joseph Smith’s divine calling as a prophet, choose to believe and stay faithful. Take your questions to the Lord and to other faithful sources. Study with the desire to believe rather than with the hope that you can find a flaw in the fabric of a prophet’s life or a discrepancy in the scriptures. Stop increasing your doubts by rehearsing them with other doubters. Allow the Lord to lead you on your journey of spiritual discovery.”
~ Russell M Nelson, Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains
President Nelson himself claims that members should disregard our doubts and just choose to believe. If we have doubts, just choose to believe anyway. If we must research our questions, only look at faithful sources and study “with the desire to believe” – start with a conclusion (the church is true) and look for anything we can find that will help us retain that conclusion, while ignoring anything that doesn’t support the conclusion. The only acceptable conclusion is that we can and should still believe the church. Even if there are issues, if church history is messy, or we feel uncomfortable with any of it, choose to believe it anyway.
Take Santa Claus for example, there is plenty of evidence in popular culture that he is real. There are books and movies and songs all talking about him. You can even sit on his lap! But looking deeper as we get older, we spot the issues and the logical limits of such stories. We deconstruct the story and find that it’s really just that, a story. It was meaningful but in the end not true. We can even continue living with the “Spirit of Santa” beyond our actual belief in him. Do we continue to believe he is real despite the evidence to the contrary?
Like every human, Truman seems to have an innate desire to transcend the predetermined paths of his scripted narrative. However, just like external forces such as culture, society, and personal obstacles prevent an individual from finding personal autonomy, Truman struggles to overcome the sense of attachment he feels to his fake reality despite knowing how it is holding him back from achieving freedom. He feels bound by the fake fears, insecurities, and traumas the show’s creators instilled in him all his life.
This book tells the story of my privileged birth, indoctrination, and missionary service. It tells of my sin and my excommunication from the Mormon Church for committing this sin — a sin for which I will pay, I am told, for all eternity. And if I understand that correctly, that is a long time.
Mormon indoctrination attempts to duplicate what was done in “The Truman Show.” Rather than using a physical dome to separate Mormons from the outside world, The Mormon Show uses a psychological dome, locking Mormons safely inside a feeling-based reality. This feeling-based reality has to coexist alongside a contradictory fact-based reality, so keeping the dome impermeable is no easy task. Apostle James E. Faust told members they must work harder at it, saying, “Somehow, some way, we must try harder to make our homes stronger so that they will stand as sanctuaries against the unwholesome, pervasive moral dry rot around us.”
Just like Truman’s friends and family, the actors in The Mormon Show are trained to consciously create a false reality for children, both their own and the children of others, members and nonmembers alike. They are made to believe that doing so is “a noble [and] blessed life.”
The Mormon Show uses a very effective three-step program of child indoctrination: first, indoctrinated parents are commanded to indoctrinate their children; second, parents and others who are responsible for teaching children are given detailed instructions on how to indoctrinate them; and third, they carry out the indoctrination. Mormonism then adds one key ingredient that makes the whole process of indoctrination work very well: Mormons teach children that the truth of Mormonism is proved through feelings. This means that no evidence is required, and that no amount of conflicting empirical evidence could ever prove the Church to be false.
The instructions for indoctrination include three parts:
1. Start when children are very young.
2. Frequently tell them you know the Church is true.
3. Get them to frequently say they know the Church is true.
I was made to speak specific “truths” to an audience, which is a very powerful reality-molding technique. Mom, or a Sunday school teacher, stood at my side and carefully whispered the words into my ear for me to repeat.In this manner, I told large groups of people that I “knew” Joseph Smith was a prophet, that this was God’s one and only true Church, and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I was thus initiated into a culture in which such proclamations of knowledge are publicly made again and again and again by every active member.
Can’t the same be said of traditional Christian parenting which includes training in Biblical truths?
It’s been said that if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything. As in nature, so with the human heart: a vacuum can’t exist for long without some kind of content rushing in to fill it.
This principle has a profound bearing upon the spiritual aspect of the parenting process. Little children don’t come into the world with fully formed, independent thoughts of their own about God, nor do they have the wisdom, experience, or intellectual capacity to “make up their own minds” about the deeper questions of human existence. In the spiritual realm, as in every other area of life, they are utterly dependent on you to feed them, nurture them, and point them in the right direction. If you don’t, somebody else will.
What makes this assignment all the more urgent is that you have a fairly narrow window of time in which to carry it out with maximum effect. There’s a brief period during childhood when kids are wide open to spiritual and moral training – when they’re full of wonder, curiosity and questions like, “Who made the stars?” and “What happens to grandma after she dies?”
Kids need to see active faith demonstrated in their parents’ lives. No one expects you to be perfect, but your actions truly speak louder than your words. Letting your children see you read the Bible, for instance, shows them the relevance of Scripture to your life. It can also lead to some important discussions of spiritual things.
There is a difference between the Mormon vs Christian models.
This post from Oak Ridge Baptist Church clearly illustrates the distinction between a Mormon vs Christian approach to child rearing…
Raising godly children is a bit more complicated than disciplining them. Parents are called to love their children, listen to them, show them right and wrong, and lead them in their walk with Christ by example. The following blog goes over the ways Christian parents should raise their children.
If you want your children to have a strong faith in God, you have to let them grow it themselves. Let them ask questions and make the decision to follow Christ by themselves.
Don’t be upset if they are expressing their doubts to you about their faith. Talk to them in love to help them work through these doubts. Then let them come to their own conclusions. No one has ever been strong-armed into an authentic relationship with Christ.
An even more troubling aspect of telling our children that Santa comes down the chimney each year to leave their gifts is that it is, obviously, a lie. We live in a society that believes that lying for the “right” reason is acceptable. As long as it doesn’t hurt anyone, it is not a problem. This is contrary to what the Bible tells us. “For the Scriptures say, ‘If you want to live a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies'” (1 Peter 3:10, NLT). Of course, telling our children that Santa is real is not a malicious deception, but it is, nevertheless, a lie.
To someone raised in the Mormon Church, the phrase “Oh ye of little faith” is one of the most stinging criticisms you can receive. Conversely, to be called “a person of great faith” is one of the highest compliments a Mormon can receive. The church goes to great lengths, starting with young toddlers barely old enough to talk and continuing non-stop throughout each member’s life, to ensure that faith is held as one of the highest virtues in the minds of all members.“Great people have great faith. Weak people have weak faith.” The message is repeated endlessly in as many different ways as possible.
Everything in the end all comes back to the indoctrination that Mormons receive regarding the importance of faith. One high ranking Mormon who I had loved and trusted my whole life told me in response to my questions that he had never ever doubted the claims of the church… not even for one second. He had never questioned the teachings of the leaders. He had FAITH… and if I would just do the same then my life would be fulfilled, just like his was. He had never even QUESTIONED whether or not the church was true. That was what finally decided the matter for me. That was the point where I stopped wearing the temple garments. That was the point when I walked away, never to return.