Come And Reason Ministries
Come And Reason Ministries – helping you learn to discern.
Come And Reason Ministries
Come And Reason Ministries – helping you learn to discern.
This is the fourth and final segment in our series based on the program entitled COVID and The Manipulation of Your Mind, which I presented on July 15, 2022, at the United Healthcare Summit. In our first installment, we examined the differences between a healthy and unhealthy mind. In part two, we examined the differences between healthy and unhealthy decision-making and factors that interfere with healthy decision-making. In part three, we examined the first two steps of a nine-step process used to manipulate minds and get people to make decisions that they would not otherwise make. We will now complete the unpacking of that nine-step process in this final part.
The nine steps are:
Step 3. Present conflicting messaging to increase uncertainty in order to undermine the ability of people to resolve the threat on their own. This couples the fear of the threat with a sense of helplessness, conditioning people to be more willing to follow directions without questions.
Some of the conflicting messaging:
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Step 4: Provide a voice of authority to direct toward “safety.” Anthony Fauci, M.D., became this voice of authority, giving various kinds of directives and recommendations that changed all too frequently and were not based upon reproducible evidence.
But from where does real authority come? Office, credentials, academic degree, position, fame, enforcing power? No, true authority comes from the truth itself. The truth on any subject is authoritative—and to the degree someone speaks the truth, they speak with authority. But sadly, much of what Dr. Fauci has recommended, regardless of intention or motive, has turned out not to be true.
Step 5: Present the sense of group acceptance. As human beings, we are psychologically wired to conform to group pressure. There is safety in numbers. It is dangerous to be out on our own. So when fear increases, people not only are less capable of thinking clearly, but they are also more willing to follow the crowd. In our society, one doesn’t need to actually get a majority to agree; one only needs to control the media and make it appear that the majority agrees. And every major media outlet advanced the same false COVID narrative—including medical news outlets.
For example, in Psychiatric Times, July 22, 2021, an article entitled “Anti-Vaxxers and Water Witches: Mistrust of the Science and the Limits of Reason” appeared. The article contains the following:
The common thread … is, of course, a deep-seated denial of science and a mistrust of scientific experts—a word that is nowadays pronounced with a kind of dismissive hiss. Indeed, experts in epidemiology and infectious disease, such as Anthony Fauci, MD, are not merely doubted by a substantial proportion of the public—they are threatened with bodily harm for advocating vaccination against COVID-19. It is easy to explain away such science denial as the result of mistaken information and biased reasoning. …
Equating the opinion of Dr. Fauci with science and calling those who reject Dr. Fauci’s opinion science-deniers is propaganda; it is not evidence—it is a form of mind manipulation, which was part and parcel of the false narrative advanced regarding COVID and its risks.
Step 6: Prescribe specific actions that may or may not reduce the threat.
Mask wearing:
COVID mandates did not:
COVID mandates did:
If the various mandates harmed and did not help, why did so many comply?
Step 7: Silence dissent. All of the following and more were done to obstruct the voices that asked questions, that had objective evidence that countered the narrative, that wanted to examine alternative options:
Under the guise of seeking to help, normal civil liberties were set aside. Why? Because those who do not have truth and are not interested in truth cannot tolerate open and free exchange of information. The truth will destroy positions based on falsehood.
Step 8: Add new threats to increase fear.
Not only do you need to fear the virus, you also need to fear the punishments and hardships put upon you by those in power.
Step 9: Repeat steps 2–8 over and over again.
How many people would have complied with all these mandates if we were told from the beginning, from the earliest moment the truth was known, the following:
This is why they lied and continue to lie:
This is not the last time we will see these methods used. It is important to recognize what has happened and arm your mind with God’s methods and principles in order to be able to resist the next nebulous threat designed to manipulate us to make choices we would not otherwise make.
In closing, I will summarize nine steps you can take to protect your mind from such manipulation:
Brain science documents that those who meditate regularly on a God of love show growth in the love circuits of their brain, which in turn calms the fear circuitry of the brain. And healthy decision-making starts with a calm mind.
Be determined to practice only the methods of God and resist the pressures to lie, exploit, or coerce others just to make yourself feel safe or avoid the threats facing you.
Don’t let others do your thinking for you. Listen and gain input, but ultimately decide for yourself what is the healthiest action for you to take in governance of yourself.
Don’t ignore feelings, but when making choices, prioritize facts and godly principles over feelings.
Recognize the difference between evidence, facts, and truth versus the opinions of others, including expert opinion, professional society protocols, and government agency guidelines.
Be wary not only of the untrustworthy who have malevolent motives, but also trusting people with good motives— remember that good-hearted people can still be wrong and themselves be deceived. This is why the Bible teaches that every person must be fully persuaded in their own mind (Romans 14:5).
If the data and facts are too confusing to figure out on your own, then watch the methods being employed. Truth loses nothing by investigation. If you see methods of coercion, censoring, silencing, force, threat, intimidation, refusal to have positions questions, and restrictions of liberty, you can be sure those utilizing such methods have something to hide and are not advancing truth.
Be at peace with others rejecting your conclusions. Don’t conform simply and merely to be liked. Require those who disagree to persuade with evidence, logic, facts, truth, and reason.
A single person disagreeing, voicing opposition, and asking questions will cause many others who also doubt what is being presented but who fear rejection to break away from the conformity and stand for truth.
Healthy minds are not inherited—they are developed!
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