The
Presbyterian Standard
The Magazine of the James Begg Society
More Viewpoint articles from past issues of the Presbyterian Standard are available online here.
T
HE French parliament is currently debating a bill which criminalises
the act of "mental manipulation". The whole purpose of the bill is to
outlaw many of the techniques used by the sects who prey on vulnerable,
emotionally fragile, people who get caught up in these organisations
and who end up dependent upon them. Whilst we must agree that such
people need our protection and help, we cannot help thinking that the
framers of this bill have a far more sinister aim in mind, namely the
eradication of all minority religions, amongst which orthodox,
Westminster Standards Christianity will no doubt be included.
However, it seems to have slipped the minds of the politicians who
framed this dangerous bill that it is not only religious groups that
can be involved in the shady activity of "mental manipulation".
Probably the greatest "mental manipulator" of the twentieth century was
Adolf Hitler, who was a politician, not a religious leader! Also, there
are millions of people today who are brainwashed by the media and the
state education system into believing that the Theory of Evolution is
true. Are these now to be prosecuted?
The whole art of successful brainwashing is to feed people information
in such a way that they do not realise that they are being brainwashed.
Indeed, advertising works, as do most of the techniques people learn in their modern management training schools.
We therefore fear that if such a bill should ever get onto the statute
book of any country, biblical Christians, as a minority group, would be
unfairly persecuted by having their leaders charged with this crime. At
the same time those who ought to be prosecuted for the crime of "mental
manipulation" would be allowed to continue their brainwashing
techniques - for no other reason than that they are in the majority.
Safety in numbers means that the masses will never accept that they are the ones being duped by politicians, educators and other 'experts'.
The above is but one example of a burgeoning trend. We are aware of a full-scale onslaught on our religious freedom which is being planned by our 'euromasters', styled an 'employment directive' and dressed up in the usual specious garb of the anti-discrimination lobby. We do well to be on our guard - or we shall quickly lose our liberties.