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Monica Pignotti has deliberately
misrepresented what Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of
Psychiatry says. She has claimed more than one on this (and other)
newsgroups that the brainwashing entry is contained in a section about
spiritual and religious problems.
It is Monica's contention that since
brainwashing is contained in a section on spiritual and religious matters
brainwashing is considered a religious problem by psychiatrists.
Monica has lied. The discussion of
brainwashing appears in an entirely separate entry in the book. It appears
under the entry entitled "Acculturation Problem," which consists of a
discussion of culture shock, brain fag, brainwashing, and prisoners of
war. Religious and spiritual problems are not covered under that entry.
Again, as I've pointed out to Monica Pignotti
in another thread, I state that *cult mind control* -- specifically the
theory forwarded by Margaret Singer and Steven Hassan -- is not accepted
in psychology.
Brainwashing is interpreted as requiring both
mental *and physical* coercion. That is the objection which is raised most
consistently about Dr. Singer's application of Robert Jay Lifton's
criteria to the cult experience. Public scientologists[tm] undergo nothing
even conceivably similar to imprisonment. Lifton maintains quite clearly
in his book that milieu control is necessary before any thought reform
tactics have a chance of success.
Diane Richardson
referen@bway.net |
