AnalysisofMindManipulation

ModuleM015A1FranklinIriarteA.MasterOfTheology

Satanatmanipulatingtheangelsachievedthehardestpartofall.Humanbeingwaseasier,
becauseourintelligenceisminor.ButGodhasdefendedhumanfromthedistortion,persuasionand
inducement,sohumansarenotyetfullyonhisside.However,Satanhasntstopped.Inourtimes
with the help of technologies andcommunication has now become possible to influence large
masses.Thisisatremendouschallengeforapologistswhoneedtobepreparedtounmaskallthe
errorsanddefendthetruth.
Whenwespeakaboutmindcontrol,wemustunderstandthatithasadeepconnectionwith
spirituallife,becausehehumanmindisacriticalcomponentinthespirituallifeofeveryperson.In
theBiblethisissueisveryimportantanditcanbeknowncountingthenumeroustimeswhenthe
wordmind/minds/thought/thoughts/think/thinks/heartandheartappearsintheBible.Itmeansthat
thisisanissueofbigimportance.Oncethemindsarecontrolledorinfluencedpeoplegetintoall
kindsofimpuritywithgreed.
Nowwemustunderstandthattheinabilityofourreasoninghassomuchtodowiththe
inabilityofguardingourhearts.Itmeansthatmostofpeopledonotinvestinguardingtheirhearts,
instead,theyseekothervaluesnotprioritizingtheonethattheBibleexaltsthemost:Keepand
guardourhearts.Inordertounderstandhowthemindmanipulatingworksitisessentialtoknow
howthemindworks.
Humansactthroughaprocessofthoughts,wordsanddeeds.Fromthebiblicalperspective
thehumanmindhassomeranges:AllPossibleactionsincludeactionsthatcanbeproperand
improper.TherearetheEssentialactionswhicharethesmallestgroupandarecompoundedbythe
entireessentialactionsforeverybeliever.ThisincludesloveforGod,commitment,honesty,etc.
There are the Desirable actions. These Desirable actions are not compulsory. These are the
activitiesandchoicesthatstrengthenabelieversholywalkandviewpoint.Theotherrangeisthe
groupofTolerableactions.Thoseactionsthatarenotexpectedinabelieverbuttheyarenotsinful
ones.However,therethingscanleadapersontosinifhedoesnotabandonthemashematures.
Finallywehavetheforbiddenactions.Thesearethecollectionofallthosethoughtsandactions
thataretotallyforbiddenforabeliever.
Alltheseactionsareseparatedbyinvisiblebarriers.Thesebarriersareformedthroughthe
repetitions process produced in our minds through our lifetime. For example, things told by
parents,byfamily,churchbrothers,teachersandalsosociety.TheultimatebarrierisGodhimself.
Thesebarriershavesomepropertiesthatareusedtomanipulatepeople:
 Invisibleornonmaterialnature.Thebarriersareinvisiblesotheyarehardtoevaluateor
checked.Itseasytoattackitbuthardtoseetheerosionsofit.
Perishablenature.Thebarrierscanbealteredanddestroyed.
Formationnotautomatic.Itneedstobereinforced.
Volitionalnature.Everybodyhastoremainwithintheseboundariesoutofhisownwill.

Thehumanmindistheultimateseatofalltheboundariesobservedbyaperson.Thatiswhy
theScripturesencourageustoplantholythoughts;nottodesirethecompanyofevil;andnotto
listentheirbadinfluence.
Satanhasattackedthehumanmindforthelastsixthousandyears.Andintheselastyears,
mindcontrolmethodsplayabigroleagainstChristianity,becausehumanmindisthebaseofthe
humanbehavior.Thatiswhytherearesomeprinciplesatthetimeofusingmanipulationofmental
barriers.
1. Manipulationbyblinding.Everyhumanbeinghastheirbarriersformedbyrepetitionused
byparents,family,andschool.Butoncethesebarriersareblindedthepersoncanfallintoa
pit. Apersoncanbeblindedbyemotions;bythehelpofliesandonesidedreports;by
overpoweringandwipingtheinformation.
2. Manipulationbyimprinting. Themoralboundariesaretheonesthathelpustoseparate
goodandbad.Butwhenanideaisrepeatedoverandover,itproducesaninnerimpression
thatcanconfusewhatisrightorwrong.Anotherwayisbyshockandfantasycreationand
emotionalmanipulation.
3. Manipulationthroughdesensitization. Thecompanyoffriends,societywithloosemoral
values,hostels,TVprograms,andvulgarjokesarethewaysusedtomanipulatethemind.
OncethedesensitizationisdonethefeartoGodisgone.
4. Manipulationthroughexpansion.Abelievershouldknowhowtocontroltheboundariesnot
givingspacetotheirdesirestotakeoff.Whenfantasiesarefreetheseboundariestendto
expandtheimaginationandthefeartoGoddisappears.
5. ManipulationthroughFearCreation.Whenthefearisusedtoattackthemind,itproduces
thementalalertnesstoparalyze.Thisresultincompromiseandconformation.
6. Manipulationthroughvalueshifting.Whenthementalbarriersshiftandthemoralbarriers
change, values change. Doubt creation and subversion are some methods used to hift
values.
Mindmanipulationisveryusedinourdays. Wecannotimaginehowharmfulitcanbefora
Christian mind. Apologists should be aware with fear and a very close attention of these
techniques.Therefore,theBibleteachesusthatwemustkeepourheartsbecausethatisthecenter
ofouremotions,ourmoralbarriers, ourvalues. They keepourbehavior,butif something is
manipulatedinamindlevel,ourholinessandfeartoGodcansuffertheworstconsequences.Every
oneofthemethodslistedabove,arenotafantasy,theyarepowerfulweaponsinthehandsofSatan,
andtheyhavebeenusedagainstChristiansoverandover.Ifwearenotcarefulofit,thiscanbethe
foxthatproducesdeephurtinourhearts.Impressionscaneasilyremovesomebarriers,butthese
barriersarenotveryeasytorebuild. Itmustbeguardedandnurturedbecauseitwillproducea
cleanheart.