mental health

Restoring the Temple – Your Mind Can Make you Sick

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Science is beginning to confirm what certain wise men have said at different points in history. King Solomon said, “A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Proverbs 17:22. Your mind and mental state can have a profound affect on your physical body, your spiritual experience, and your over-all quality of life. The mind, the body, and the spirit are all inextricably interconnected. When one is affected, the other two suffer. We can live a healthy lifestyle and perform our spiritual duties, but if the mind is not healthy, the other two cannot make up for the lack, and we are not truly wholistically healthy or healed.

Physical Problems

Worry, anger, jealousy, hate, ill will, grudges, vindictiveness, irritation, resentment, guilt, depression, anxiety, lack of joy and happiness, and all other negative emotions and thoughts have a negative effect upon the body and open the door for sickness and disease. There are now quite a number of cases where a disease or sickness or altered health can be traced back to a mental cause. Here are a few: Decline of physical energy and vitality due to guilt following a series of sins or resulting from a string of lies; chronic aches and pains due to a long-held and suppressed grudge; skin rash after a quarrel with someone; colds due to mental stress over such things as exams, trips, and arguments; heart rhythms changing in response to positive or negative thoughts; high blood pressure from bouts of anger, fear, and stress, or imagined problems.

As a girl was about to be forced into an unwanted marriage, she experienced repeated attacks of rheumatoid arthritis. One physician was convinced that one of his patients died of “grudgitis” because of the hatred he held for so many years. Another doctor put it this way: “It is not a question of whether an illness is physical or emotional, but how much of each.” Dr. Flanders Dunbar, Mind and Body, Random House, New York, 1947.

Many health problems (often including cancer, chronic fatigue, depression, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, insomnia, irritable bowel disease, certain digestive disturbances) do not entirely clear up unless the mental aspect is also addressed. You may not have any of these diseases, yet be assured that your negative thoughts and emotions have their toll. There are physiological reasons why the body reacts so dramatically to our thoughts and emotions. Every part of our being, including our cells, sympathize or respond to the positive and negative states of our minds.

Emotional Problems

Negative emotions left unattended breed greater mental or emotional problems. This often results in sickness and sometimes death. Even though people experience negative results from their negative emotions, they often fail to trace their problems from cause to effect. The repetition of the same problem over and over again should lead them to seek answers that would totally eliminate the tensions, irritations, and anxieties, but, instead, they go right back to taking temporary solutions in the form of drugs or various medications.

It is very important that those who deal with individuals suffering from emotional problems approach such with a spirit of open-mindedness, sympathy, and understanding. Some people can handle more stress than others, and some can be so emotionally fragile that just a little pressure can cause immeasurable harm. Much care must therefore be taken to minister appropriately and tenderly to the abused and emotionally disturbed, especially since emotional problems can be so traumatic and long term that they can shut down all the vital forces of the body and the mind. The interconnection and sympathy between mind, body, and spirit is so strong that in the treatment of emotional problems a wise person will pay attention to every part of his or her being with the understanding that this is essential for total or complete healing.

Spiritual Problems

A disturbed mental state causes harm that can be manifested in various spiritual problems. This could include a decline in spirituality, loss of interest in spiritual things, pulling away from fellow believers, ceasing to attend worship or spiritual gatherings, and anger toward God or fellow believers. This is unfortunate because the true solution for mental unrest, and support for mental strength and health, must include the spiritual.

When a person is spiritually awake and uplifted, he or she usually exhibits a cheerfulness, faith, and boldness that gives consistency and momentum to all his or her pursuits in life. When spirituality is affected, reactions of discouragement, despondency, hopelessness, doubt, inconsistency, and laziness are exhibited, as well as guilt and fear, which have already been scientifically implicated with many mental and physical handicaps. If spiritual problems are not addressed, not only is our happiness in this world at stake, but also our future in heaven and the earth made new is in jeopardy.

Solution

Learn to become aware of the cause of the effect. A knowledge of this will help to get rid of many long-standing problems. Remember that all aspects of man—the mental, physical, and spiritual—are interconnected and therefore sympathize with each other. As one area is affected positively or negatively, its effects will overlap into all the other areas and have a similar effect on them as well. Thus, always try to work on every part of your being in order to get total healing when one part is affected.

More importantly, our thoughts affect both our emotions and our actions. Therefore, if we can change negative thoughts, we can also change our negative emotions and actions. Negative thoughts can paralyze or freeze up one’s entire being and inhibit progress in all pursuits or goals in life. Yes, my friend, the solution begins from within: transform the mind and you will transform the person. Hence we are told: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2.

For more information on having peace of mind and/or living a healthy lifestyle, please contact us at:

The Gilead Institute of America
6000 Live Oak Parkway, Suite 114
Norcross, Georgia 30093
Phone: (770) 270-1087
Website: www.gileadinstitute.org

Diane Herbert is a naturopath and lifestyle consultant. She received training from the NAD Lifestyle Consultant program, Thomas Edison State College, Clayton College of Natural Healing, and Bastyr University. Diane teaches health classes at the Gilead Institute located in Norcross, Georgia, gives health presentations, and contributes to the Institute’s literature and health flyer series. She may be contacted by e-mail at: gilead.net@usa.net.

Battle for the Mind: Cybernetic Warfare, part 2

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Before attempting to exercise some form of mind control, you have to know something about who you are going to try to control. You need to discover something about their spiritual and psychological makeup.

Based on their studies of American soldiers, the Chinese Communists found that American soldiers had a very weak sense of loyalty. They found that their concept of right and wrong was poorly formed, predisposing them to be opportunistic. They learned that when they are alone, they are frightened and insecure. They also found that the American soldiers, even those who were well educated, were ignorant of social values and had a poor understanding of the American political system and how it worked. Not only were these men uneducated regarding their own system but they had little understanding of other countries and other systems. They discovered that the Americans held an unrealistic concept of America’s eternal and inherent, rather than earned or proven, superiority and absolute military invincibility. This, they believed, was their most vulnerable weakness.

They found that the American soldiers did not see the value of any form of order and discipline, they had a low level of patriotism, and they did not see the necessity of military service but viewed it as a hateful, though unavoidable form of servitude, to be escaped as soon as possible. On the basis of these facts, they found the reeducation of American prisoners a relatively easy and very successful form of control.

As I have thought about this situation, I have realized that there are supernatural agencies that are on our track and that they are doing an analysis of each of our spiritual and mental makeups, trying to figure out what type of mind control technique will work best.

The first point that the Communists’ report mentioned was the weak loyalties that the American soldier held for his family, his community, his country, his religion, and to his fellow soldier; and they capitalized on that weakness.

Several years ago I read the book, Fee the Captor. It tells the story of a young lady who was taken captive by the Gestapo in Nazi Germany. Unfortunately, she had on her person a list of people who were working in the underground. They took her to where they were beating a man who was strapped down to the table. They told this young lady, “You either tell us what these names are in this little booklet that you have, or you are going to the table.” She gave them the information they wanted, and, as a result, there was a large number of people who were taken prisoner and lost their lives. You see, her loyalty was not strong enough to the people she was working with that when she was put to the test, she could remain faithful.

There is a decision of loyalty that is going to be made by the whole world. Everyone will be called to choose between the Law of God and the laws of men. There is going to be some pressure applied. You will not be able to buy or sell, and eventually there will be a death decree. Is your love for God and you loyalty to Him so strong that you will be able to say, “I am going to be faithful to the Lord and obey Him whatever takes place”? Have you asked the Lord to help you develop a loyalty that will stand up under pressure and will not give way?

“All will be called to choose between the Law of God and the laws of men. Here the dividing line will be drawn. There will be but two classes. Every character will be fully developed; and all will show whether they have chosen the side of loyalty or that of rebellion.” Desire of Ages, 763.

A second weakness of the American soldiers was their poorly formed concepts of right and wrong. Are your concepts of right and wrong hazy and ill-formed, or are they crystal clear in your mind?

Some years ago I was attending a class in a Seventh-day Adventist university in which we were studying behavioral psychology. The lecture this particular day was on values clarification. I was already a minister at the time, so I was older than most of the students in the class. As the teacher was lecturing, I looked around at the other students, intently watching the teacher and taking notes on all that was being said. I began to wonder if there were any other students in the room who were thinking. In our educational process, we shoot information at people so fast and so heavy and with such pressure to memorize things that they have no time to think.

I began to evaluate what was taking place and asked myself, “Why do I need to be interested in this? After all, I am a Seventh-day Adventist minister and I know the Ten Commandments, but I do not know anything in them that is not clear, or that needs to be clarified. I have a value system and I do not need someone to explain and clarify it. The Ten Commandments is an all-inclusive value system that works.”

How is it in your mind? Is your concept of right and wrong crystal clear? or does someone need to clarify your values for you so that you now what right and wrong is?

“A government, of whatever character, requires a governor. This world has a Governor—the God of the universe. His guardian-care is universal, extending to man and beast, reaching even to the little sparrow; for Christ declares, ‘Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.’

“In God’s moral government, which is a government based upon a distinction between right and wrong, law is essential to secure right action. God’s Law is the expression of His character, and in His Word it is pronounced holy, just, and good. David says, ‘The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.’

“Lucifer took the position that as a result of the Law of God, wrong existed in heaven and on this earth. This brought against God’s government the charge of being arbitrary. But this is a falsehood, framed by the author of all falsehoods. God’s government is a government of free will, and there is no act of rebellion or obedience which is not an act of free will.” Signs of the Times, June 5, 1901.

Though it is a total contradiction to behavioral psychology, the truth that God’s government is a government of free will and there is no act of rebellion or disobedience that is not an act of the free will is a truth that it is very important to understand.

“As Creator of all, God is Governor over all, and He is bound to enforce His Law throughout the universe. To require less from His creatures than obedience to His Law would be to abandon them to ruin. To fail to punish transgression of His Law would be to place the universe in confusion. The moral Law is God’s barrier between the human agent and sin, thus infinite wisdom has placed before men the distinction between right and wrong, between sin and holiness.

“God is supreme. It is not for finite men to question His right to govern the universe. God asserted His right to rule when He declared, ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before Me;’ ‘for in six days the Lord make heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.’ He is the Creator and Preserver of the worlds. He upholds the universe by the Word of His power. Nature and science bear witness that He has a right to govern His own creation. Angels are subject to His rule; therefore let man bow in adoration before Him.

“The Scriptures make it plain that God is Ruler, and that man is under the highest obligation to acknowledge this, and to obey His Law with heart and mind, trusting in His power for help and protection. This Law, which man is called upon to obey as a standard of right for the universe, is the wise and holy counsel of God. It is a moral law, and has its foundation in the difference between right and wrong. Moral law is universal; positive law is not necessarily universal, but may be restricted or extended according to the will of the lawgiver. Moral law must be immutable, while positive law may be changed or abolished, as the lawgiver may choose.

“The Decalog, or moral code of God, consists of ten precepts, engraven on stone by the finger of God. These precepts contain the whole duty of man. . . .

“To admit that God made a law so imperfect that it needed to be changed would be to stamp God as changeable and imperfect. God has spoken on this point. Let us heed what He says: ‘My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that has gone out of My lips.’ Psalm 89:34.” Ibid.

The whole Sabbath-Sunday controversy is not over just a day. At the root of the whole thing is the issue of God’s Law and who is going to be God.

The third point that they discovered about the American soldier is that when he is alone, he is frightened and insecure. Can you maintain yourself when you are all by yourself? Now for the Christian, we have the assurance that we are never totally alone; and we need to remember this or we are not going to make it through the times that are coming when we may be separated from every earthly friend. “The perversity and cruelty of men will reach such a height that God will reveal Himself in His majesty. Very soon the wickedness of the world will have reached its limit, and as in the days of Noah, God will pour out His judgments.

“But even when wickedness is at its height, we may knowthat our Helper is close by our side.” Upward Look, 334.

The commander of a concentration camp once became so angry with a Bulgarian pastor who would not yield his Christian convictions that he told him, “I am gong to throw you down into a dark hold and you are never going to come out of there. You are going to rot in there.” They put him in a dungeon where there was no light. One of the things that takes place when you are in total darkness is that you become totally disoriented in regards to time, and this affects every system in the body, because your whole body is regulated by the sun. Under these circumstances, your mind becomes completely disoriented; and you can very easily go crazy.

One day it got so bad that he began to wonder what he was going to do to keep from going crazy? As he was praying, he saw a light. That light, which was a Person, came over to him, picked him up, and held him in His arms. “After that,” he said, “I was all right.” Oh, friends, the worse things become, the more help you are going to receive if you put your faith and trust in Jesus.

The fourth point that was mentioned in the Communists’ findings about the American soldiers was their lack of understanding of social problems and tensions. Jesus said,

“And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.” Matthew 10:22. Is that social tension and conflict? “We ought to be thankful that these words are left on record. Every child of God that is brought into difficulty and trial because of his faithfulness to Jesus, may claim the promise, and will receive sufficient grace for every emergency.” Review and Herald, April 15, 1890.

You are preparing day by day to either stand or to fall when the test is applied. Will you be loyal to the cause of God? Will you be able to clearly determine the difference between right and wrong? When you are all alone and you are told that everyone is giving in, will you have the strength to stand and say, “Lord Jesus, by Your grace, I am going to be faithful and true. Help me”?

A fifth weakness that the Communist psychologists learned about our soldiers was their lack of understanding of our political system and how our government works, and they used that to tremendous advantage. Let me ask you, Do you understand the character, the government, and the purpose of God? If you do not, you will not be able to stand through the time of test that we are approaching. We are to be the people of God, and we need to know the system that we are operating in. We need to understand God’s character, the nature of His government. Ellen White says that if you do not understand the character of God, His government, and His purposes, you will not be able to honor Him. (See The Great Controversy, 593.) You will not be able to make it. “None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict. To every soul will come the searching test: Shall I obey God rather than men?” The Great Controversy, 593.

There are those who do not believe that God will actually burn people up. They use the life of Christ to try to prove it. Listen, friends, Jesus spoke about the terrors of hellfire more graphically than the prophets. It was Jesus Christ who said that it would be better to cut off your hand or poke out your eye than to be cast into hellfire, because when you go there, the fire will not be quenched, and the worm will not die. Do not take any of this soft, syrupy talk that is all one-sided about the character of God based on a partial understanding of what Jesus is like. Read all of the Scriptures of what He said. Yes, Jesus is loving and kind and merciful, but He is just, and He will not connive with our sins. He expects us to overcome. Do you see that a misunderstanding of the character of God prepares people to fall? If people believe that you can just go on sinning and that when Jesus comes everything will be all right, when the pressure is applied to break the Law of God, what defense do they have? They are prepared to believe that you cannot keep it anyway.

A sixth point that these people learned by studying the American soldier was this: he has little or no idea of the problems and aims of other countries. In other words, he does not understand the enemy that he is fighting against. God wants us to understand the enemy that we are fighting against and to be alert and on guard at all times. We are to be like a soldier that has armor on from head to foot. (See Ephesians 6.) “We should study the nature, character, and extent of this spiritual wickedness in high places, lest we become the dupes of the powers of darkness. But how difficult it is to awaken minds to realize the continual activity and great earnestness of our wily foe, notwithstanding the warnings and cautions of the Bible, and the experience of many who have been overthrown by subtlety. The testimony loses its force; the warning passes out of the mind. Men cease to watch and pray; they do not solicit the aid of holy angels, who would lift up for them a standard against the enemy.” Signs of the Times, August 5, 1886. This is the reason for our study of this subject, that we may be better able to understand what is going on and the attempt that is being made to gain control of our mind without our even being aware of it.

The seventh point, and the one on which they believed the American soldier was most vulnerable, was his unrealistic concept of America’s eternal and inherent, rather than earned or proven, superiority and absolute military invincibility. How is this applicable to us today? Have you ever heard, “Oh, the church is going through”? Do you see why it is important to know who and what the church is? If you think that something is going through and you cannot prove from the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy that that thing is going through, you might be headed for a terrible disappointment. I have been asked, “Do you believe that the church is going through?” Yes, I believe that the church is going through; but the question is, Who and what is the church?

Concerning the American soldier, they said, “He fails to appreciate the meaning and the necessity for military or any form of organization or discipline.” Do you understand the meaning and necessity for organization and discipline among God’s people, or are you one of those people who think that everyone can just go their own way? We do not have time to fully consider this point here, but this was one of the items of information that they were able to capitalize on and bring our men into absolute mental submission. You cannot successfully resist unless you are organized. Ellen White has a lot to say about organization.

There probably are some people who are quaking, wondering how they are going to make it. Here are some wonderful promises.

“The soldier of Christ must meet many forms of temptation, and resist and overcome them. The fiercer the conflict, the greater the supply of grace to meet the need of the soul.” Review and Herald, June 16, 1896.

“The important future is before us. To meet its trials and temptations, and to perform its duties, will require great faith, energy, and perseverance. But we may triumph gloriously; for not one watching, praying, believing soul will be ensnared by the devices of the enemy. All heaven is interested in our welfare, and waits our demand upon its wisdom and strength. Neither wicked men nor evil spirits can hinder the work of God or shut out His presence from His people, if they will, with subdued, contrite hearts, confess and put away their sins, and in faith claim His promises. Every opposing influence, whether open or secret, may be successfully resisted, ‘not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.’ If the Lord had a company of workers who would rely wholly upon Him, He would accomplish a great work through them. One could chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight. God is just as willing now as anciently to work through human efforts, and to accomplish great things through weak instrumentalities. We shall not gain the victory through numbers, but through full surrender of the soul to Jesus. We are to go forward in His strength, trusting in the mighty God of Israel.” Review and Herald, January 11, 1887.

Oh, friend, do you want to have that experience? When you receive the Holy Spirit in your life and Jesus is abiding within, He put His love into your heart and into your mind; and a divine miracle takes place inside your mind so that your mind will be a fortress for Jesus Christ that will be impregnable to all of the assaults of Satan.

Cybernetic Warfare, part 1

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When I was a freshman attending a Seventh-day Adventist college, I took a psychology course. One sentence in our textbook so intrigued me that I have never forgotten it. It was telling about the purpose of psychology. It was discussing why a person should want to study psychology; and it stated that if you understand the human mind, it would enable you to control the human mind. In other words, if you will understand the way that people’s minds work, you will be able to control them.

There is someone who has been studying the human mind for much longer than any human has. “For thousands of years Satan has been experimenting upon the properties of the human mind, and he has learned to know it well. By his subtle workings in these last days he is linking the human mind with his own, imbuing it with his thoughts; and he is doing this work in so deceptive a manner that those who accept his guidance know not that they are being led by him at his will. The great deceiver hopes so to confuse the minds of men and women that none but his voice will be heard.” Medical Ministry, 111. The people whom he has in control, he has linked their mind with his own mind and they do not even know.

One of the things I studied about in psychology was a man by the name of Pavlov. Pavlov was a Russian scientist who did his research with dogs. He developed a system that whenever the dogs would be given their food, a bell would ring. He found out that after this had been repeated many times, all that he needed to do was ring the bell and the dogs would begin to salivate. Psychologists call this a conditioned reflex, and it is a concept that has been much more highly developed and expanded in NLP. It is called anchoring.

With a totally unrelated, external stimulus, Pavlov was able to control physiological functions in these dogs. Now remember, one of the ultimate goals of psychology is to control the mind, that is, other people’s minds.

“This entering in of Satan through the sciences is well devised. Through the channel of phrenology, psychology, and mesmerism [the modern term is hypnotism], he comes more directly to the people of this generation, and works with that power which is to characterize his efforts near the close of probation. The minds of thousands have thus been poisoned, and led into infidelity. While it is believed that one human mind so wonderfully affects another, Satan, who is ready to press every advantage, insinuates himself, and works on the right hand and on the left. And while those who are devoted to these sciences laud them to the heavens because of the great and good works which they affirm are wrought by them, they little know what a power for evil they are cherishing; but it is a power which will yet work will all signs and lying wonders—with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. Mark the influence of these sciences, dear reader, for the conflict between Christ and Satan is not yet ended.” Selected Messages, book 2, 351, 352

As time went on, this research by Pavlov was further developed by Skinner and others, and it has reached astounding levels by the practitioners of NLP who claim fight along with the behavioral psychologists that all behavior is the result of some stimulus and that if the right stimulus is present, any desired behavior can be elicited.

Now this advancing knowledge of the human mind was not lost or unnoticed by people who wanted to control the world, such as Hitler and Stalin. In the purges in Russia in the 1930s, high-ranking leaders made some confessions that were simply unbelievable. They sounded completely unreal and we did not understand at the time what was going on. How did they get these people to make those kinds of confessions? Of course, we could postulate that they were made under torture or some terrible, tyrannical pressure. But in the 1950s, for the first time we got some firsthand knowledge of these new, psychological weapons. They were so powerful that they affected changes in people’s thinking and behavior that seemed to be almost permanent.

These techniques that were referred to first of all as brainwashing and later as cybernetic warfare or mind control, have been further developed in the ‘70s and ‘80s and are what is known today as NLP.

I have a list of twelve principles that are used in cybernetic warfare. I would like to try to look at just two if we can, because you have been and are meeting this, not just in the world but in the church and even among independent ministries. Most people are not aware of what is going on. We get telephone calls and letters from these people constantly. They do not have the faintest idea that their thinking has been twisted by someone else. They have been put in a mental trap and changed and they do not even know it. They are “Historic Adventists.”

They are utterly amazed that we do not immediately go along with the conclusions that they have drawn. They would say, “I am an independent thinker,” but they are not. The content of their conversation and letters plainly indicate to any person who has a little training in psychology that they have been influenced by and usually have even adopted some of the techniques of cybernetic warfare, although almost all would vehemently protest this.

By the way, I personally do not have much regard for the concept of independent thinking because I am not convinced that it exists, except for the person who is in Christ. “In the Word of God are represented two contending parties that influence and control human agencies in our world. Constantly these parties are working with every human being.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1119. [All emphasis supplied] There are two parties. They are supernatural parties, and they are contending for the influence and control of human agencies. And how often are they working on every human being? Constantly. Right at this moment, if you have not placed yourself under the control of the Holy Spirit, the devil’s angels are controlling your mind. “Either the evil angels or the angels of God are controlling the minds of men.” Ibid., 1120. It is just that simple. We do not think independently; we are either under the control of God’s supernatural agencies or the devil’s. “Our minds are given to the control of God, or to the control of the powers of darkness; and it will be well for us to inquire where we are standing today—whether under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel, or under the black banner of the powers of darkness.” Ibid.

One of the most wonderful promises we have is the promise that Jesus can keep us from being brought under the control of someone else.

“The soul that is yielded to Christ, becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies, is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not cooperate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it His abiding place. [Matthew 12:43-45] The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin.” The Desire of Ages, 324

During the Korean War, some of our soldiers were taken prisoner by the Chinese. These soldiers had heard of how the Japanese tortured their prisoners in various ways; and they were expecting similar treatment; but something happened that they did not expect. They were gathered in little groups. With these little groups there was an instructor. The Chinese instructors were people who spoke 1950s U.S. English. They had been trained in psychology and sociology at the best universities in the United States and Europe. They wore no uniform and had no gun.

Here is what they said. “Gentlemen, we welcome you to the ranks of the people. We are happy to have liberated you from the imperialist warmongers who have sent you here. We know that you did not want to come here.” By the way, this was true. “You did not start the war. You really do not even know why you are here.” Unfortunately, for the most part, that was true also. “Therefore, we have nothing against you. We want to offer you a proposition. All we want from you is your physical cooperation. We just do not want you to fight.” So the philosophy was, do not fight the problem.

In return for this cooperation, the Chinese made some offers: 1) “There is no work. There are no slave camps here. We do not have those sort of things.” Now, that happened to be a lie, but the prisoners did not know that. “That is capitalistic propaganda that they feed you in the United States. We have no coal mines for you, no road gangs, and no overseers.” 2) “We will give you the best food, clothing, shelter, and medical care that we possibly can. Now, it will not be good because we are a poor country, but we will give you the best that we have.” 3) “We will give you the thing that we know you Americans really like most of all, a chance to learn the truth. We are going to tell you what we think the truth to be about what is going on in the world, about your system and ours. You have only heard one side of the story before because it is the capitalist imperialists who publish your papers and run your radio stations and publish your comic and text books. All we ask from you is just a little American fair play. Just listen to both sides. After you have heard our side, you can make up your mind what the truth is. When the imperialist, Wall Street warmongers have decided that they have used up enough of the excess tanks that have been made by General Motors and the excess petroleum produced in Texas and the profits are high enough and the people have been exploited enough and they let this senseless slaughter end, we want you to go back to your own home and find families and simply tell them the truth as you yourself decide the truth to be.”

In World War II the American soldiers were known as the best in the world for escaping under impossible circumstances and conditions, but in Korea there was not one POW who escaped. Not only that, in a camp that had 600 American POWs, they only had 6 armed guards. Does cybernetic warfare work? It works.

The fact is that what our prisoners of war in North Korea were told was almost all true. The truth, however, was placed in a completely different context than they had ever heard it before. Was it true that the United States was using oil out of Texas? Of course. Was it true that they were using tanks manufactured by General Motors? Of course. But the facts were given a different interpretation.

By changing the context and the words used, the message conveyed may be completely changed. Let me give you a few examples. In the account of an officer in the Nationalist Chinese Army who was captured by the communists, he said that the communists are always turning words upside down. When they say protective custody, what they mean is that they are going to put you in jail. Protective custody does not sound as bad as a jail, does it? When they say protective custody, they try to make you believe that they are trying to protect you, the man, from the mob.

When the Chinese found out something about someone, one of these plain clothed officers would take that person for what was called a walking conference. The two of them would go walking. The instructor would put his arm around the prisoner of war and say, “Now we know such and such about you. You do not need to deny it; we know that it is true. I just want to tell you, we are not going to punish you for this.” Oh, that person felt so relieved. “Now it is anti-social, and we do not want you to get into trouble with your fellow prisoners [or your fellow comrades]. All we want you to do is to decide not to do that again. Sign your name on a document that you will not do it again, and that is all that we ask. No punishment.” They said, “We just want to protect you.” That means they want to put you in jail.

Let me just explain how this technique works in Adventism. In Testimonies, vol. 1, 321, Ellen White says that God requires of His servants today that they preach an even straighter message than John the Baptist. Is John the Baptist’s message a message of reproof? Yes, it is. The Lord said that if His servants do not preach these messages, they will not be acknowledged as His.

But do you know what you can do? You can take that message of reproof from the Lord, and all that you need to do is call it by a different name and it will turn people off. One of the buzz words to call it is criticism. Have you ever heard that? Do you realize that this is cybernetic warfare? It is taking something that God impressed His servant by the Holy Spirit to do and giving it a different name that has a different connotation.

“Paul longed to speak to the church in Corinth of spiritual things. But to his sorrow he found it in great weakness. The church members could not even bear to hear the truth concerning themselves. The spiritual growth of this people was so dwarfed that a plain ‘Thus saith the Lord’ was an offense to them. Paul knew that by giving them the truth he would be ranked as an accuser and faultfinder.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1086

By the way, if you reprove and rebuke, if you preach according to what Ellen White and the New Testament says to do as your duty as a Christian preacher, you will be accused of being an accuser and a fault finder, the implication being that you are obviously one of the devil’s agents. This is an example of cybernetic warfare.

The devil criticizes and accuses people, trying to destroy them! God’s servants reprove and rebuke people to try to get them to turn around so that they can be saved. That is completely opposite. But with cybernetic warfare, you can turn something, with just a few words, in 180 degrees.

The devil is trying to take control of people’s minds, and he is doing it by the words that are being communicated between people in sermons and in print; and people do not even know it. Our only safety is in a moment by moment communion with Jesus Christ, with His Holy Spirit filling our hearts, giving us a supernatural barricade.

Much of the information in this article was gleaned from the booklet, Brainwashing, an address by Major William E Mayer, M.D. and published by Taft Broadcasting Company.