Today on the Cognitive Dissidents Podcast we dive into what is Dogma and why Dogma is bad? and specifically how unhealthy systems distance their dogma from criticism and how the mechanisms play out.  HEqFG3xEDNrB5xCk6j0N

Resources:
Youtube Video of Sam Harris and Jordan Peterson Part 1

Youtube Video of Sam Harris and Jordan Peterson Part 2

Quotes from LDS History declaring Temple ordinances unchangeable

From August 2001 Ensign (page 22), in big bold print above a large colorful portrait of Joseph Smith: “The Prophet Jospeph Smith taught, ‘Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed.'”

“No jot, iota, or tittle of the temple rites is otherwise than uplifting and sanctifying. In every detail the endowment ceremony contributes to covenants of morality of life, consecration of person to high ideals, devotion to truth, patriotism to nation, and allegiance to God.” Apostle James E. Talmage, The House of the Lord, 1968, p. 84

He set the temple ordinances to be the same forever and ever and set Adam to watch over them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them.” Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol.4, p. 208

some members wonder if the ordinances can be changed or adjusted. These ordinances have been provided by revelation, and are in the hands of the First Presidency. Thus, the temple is protected from tampering.” W. Grant Bangerter, executive director of the Temple Department and a member of the First Quorum of Seventy, Deseret News, Church Section, January 16, 1982

the endowments have never changed and can never change; as I understand it; it has been so testified, and that Joseph Smith Jr., himself was the founder of the endowments.” Senator Reed Smoot, Reed Smoot Case, vol. 3, p. 185

And I will show unto my servant Joseph all things pertaining to this house, and the priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built.” Jesus Christ Himself, Doctrine and Covenants 124:27-28, 40-42

“The Gospel can not possibly be changed…. the saving principles must ever be the same. They can never change…. the Gospel must always be the same in all of its parts…. no one can change the Gospel… if they attempt to do so, they only set up a man-made system which is not the Gospel, but is merely a reflection of their own views…. if we substitute ‘any other Gospel,’ there is no salvation in it…. the Lord and His Gospel remain the same–always.” Prophet’s Message, Church News, June 5, 1965

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Today on the Cognitive Dissidents Podcast we discuss Elevation Emotion which is the idea that

Elevation is an emotion elicited by witnessing virtuous acts of remarkable moral goodness. It is experienced as a distinct feeling of warmth and expansion that is accompanied by appreciation and affection for the individual whose exceptional conduct is being observed. Elevation motivates those who experience it to open up to, affiliate with, and assist others. Elevation makes an individual feel lifted up and optimistic about humanity. – Wikipedia

We discuss today how religion take this normal human emotional reaction and co-op and hijack it to be understood by adherents as a evidence that their faith system is the one true faith.

The studies on Elevation Emotion

found that participants in the elevation conditions reported different patterns of physical feelings and motivations when compared to participants in the control conditions. Elevated participants were more likely to report physical feelings in their chests—especially warm, pleasant, or “tingling” feelings—and they were more likely to report wanting to help others, become better people themselves, and affiliate with others. In both studies, reported feelings of happiness energized people to engage in private or self-interested pursuits, while feelings of elevation seemed to open people up and turn their attention outwards, toward other people.

Religions utilize this as a sign of their truthfulness or their being directed by God.

We use several audio example to show how they do such and when we are finished one is left to re-evaluate how they interpret their “warm fuzzy feelings” outside a religious paradigm.

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevation_(emotion)

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/wired_to_be_inspired

http://www.elevationresearch.org/content/jonathan-haidt

http://people.stern.nyu.edu/jhaidt/articles/haidt.2003.elevation-and-positive-psychology.pub026.html

http://faculty.virginia.edu/haidtlab/articles/haidt.2000.the-positive-emotion-of-elevation.pub020.pdf

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Today on the Cognitive Dissidents Podcast we discuss Gaslighting. What it is, where it originates and how it is a deeply unethical mechanism that institutions use to shield themselves from accountability.  We then use Mormonism as an example and run through 4 major issues wherein Mormonism uses Gaslighting.  We use the article “Mormons, you aren’t going crazy — it’s called gaslighting” as the foundation for this episode

Resources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201701/11-warning-signs-gaslighting

https://lonerwolf.com/gaslighting/

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Today on the Cognitive Dissidents Podcast, We explore the Institutional mechanism of “Tattle Telling”.  We explore both the Formal mechanisms as well as the informal.  How High Demand Fundamentalist Religions incorporate ideas such as the internet being bad, that questions are good but doubts are bad, and how cultures of reporting people for discrediting the religious narrative are implemented. As usual we use Mormonism as the main example but also tough on Jehovah’s witness and Scientology as well.  In this episode we speak at length about FairMormon an organization that claims to answer the critics questions but in reality has acknowledged its main goal is to protect and defend the Mormon Church.  We show how its own Board member, John Lynch, admits that it is willing to collect and share information with the LDS Church, info that it has unique access to.

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Today on the Cognitive Dissidents Podcast, Host Bill Reel tackles the religious mechanism of faith leaders discouraging research into their faiths claims and history from outside sources.  Whether that is asking a church member to not trust the internet, not trust unauthorized sources, or even asking them to disassociate from friends and family who ask hurtful questions.  We also hit on how religious institutions always blame those who lose trust and belief regardless of which religious institution we are looking at.

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Today on the Cognitive Dissidents Podcast we dive into the idea of the “Illusory Effect” which is the idea that the more we repeat, hear, or recall information the more we believe what it is that is being taught.  We show how this psychological phenomenon is a tool that religions utilize in getting people to believe something they did not believe to begin with.  We use the example in Mormonism of “A Testimony is gained in the bearing of it” to show how this works within religion.

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusory_truth_effect

http://library.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/ft/rh/rh_reiteration_1997.pdf

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fighting-fear/201405/telling-yourself-something

www.spring.org.uk/2010/12/the-illusion-of-truth.php

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1983/01/the-candle-of-the-lord?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/04/testimony?lang=eng

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Today we talk about the religious mechanism of doublespeak.  The idea that a religious institution benefits from seeming holding multiple contradictory perspectives at the same time.  That by having multiple contradictory messages simultaneously you maintain deniable plausibility on the problematic nature of any one issue perspective.

Elder Christofferson’s talk that included Amish and Mormon Shunning

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Today on the Cognitive Dissidents Podcast we talk about when it is a good time to get out of the boat.  Using Mathew chapter 14 from the new testament as our backdrop we talk about why churches or religious institutions are useful and what purpose they serve and then turn our time to understanding that sometimes those institutions having served their purpose no longer are the most useful.  That at times we are invited by Christ to leave the boat in the midst of some new tension in our lives.  Stay in the boat?  Get out of the boat?  It all depends on the tension in your life, the invitation from the Master, and whether you are ready.  All that today on the Cognitive Dissidents Podcast

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