Watchtower’s magical outcast is helping educate Mormons about mind control

Nearly four months ago I posted a blog article about a YouTuber named Chris (AKA “askreality”) – a Mormon who has succeeded in objectively examining his own religion by comparing it with Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Now, in the latest instalment of his video series, Chris has enlisted the help of a certain exiled warrior-wizard named Sparlock to help explain how mind control is used so effectively by Watchtower and similar organizations to control people’s thoughts, behavior and emotions.

Bringing his viewers right up-to-speed with recent JW developments, Chris also references the “Human Apostates” talk from the 2013 “God’s Word Is Truth” district convention to highlight how fear is used to prevent people from accessing information from outside the organization.

A year ago when the “Listen, Obey and be Blessed” Sparlock video was unleashed on Witnesses, this website warned Witness parents that there are powerful psychological mechanisms being used in the video that could prove detrimental to young minds. The fact that a non-Witness can see and articulate these mechanisms so clearly should give Witness parents further cause to stop and ponder whether they want their young ones to be exposed to such psychologically potent material.

The video highlights how the BITE model is used to keep Witnesses in absolute conformity

Chris has done his homework by viewing the Caleb video through the framework of Steven Hassan’s BITE model, which emphasizes how behaviour, information, thought and emotion can all be manipulated to achieve mind control.

As Chris explains, “While it may seem irrational to demonize magical toys, or prevent members from voting, or prevent children from receiving proper blood transfusions, these arbitrary rules along with many others serve an important role for the Witnesses. Not only do they enforce behaviors that strengthen their belief in the Watchtower organization, but they also cause enough societal differences and tension to separate the members from the world and increase reliance on the group.”

So effective is this technique that countless Witness children all over the world are now living under the illusion that Jehovah can be saddened by plastic wizard toys. And if a child can bring himself to throw away a harmless toy as an act of loyalty, then what other things would he be prepared to do (or forego) to make Jehovah happy later in life?

The Power of Words

Chris also explains how language is used to great effect in controlling thought processes among Witnesses. A great example of this can be found in the way the expression “The Truth” has become synonymous with the Watch Tower Society.

A nine-year-old sweeps the steps in preparation for the 2013 convention unaware of the mind control techniques being used on her

As Chris explains, “While it looks harmless on the surface, altering the meaning of words can overflow into other areas of life, controlling a vast array of thoughts.” He adds, “if a Jehovah’s Witness thinks ‘The Watchtower organization is not true,’ he may feel confused without knowing why. This happens because his thoughts are actually saying, ‘The Truth is not true.’ The effect is heightened by the fact that there are literally hundreds of redefined words in the Jehovah’s Witness vocabulary. All of these words gain more power through repetition in kingdom hall meetings, prayers, conventions, magazines, handouts, lectures, books, and social activities with other members.”

A Subservient Generation

Chris’ observations resonate on a number of levels, but it is perhaps the opening sequence with Sparlock and Caleb that really drives home how blatant Watchtower’s use of mind control really is. Here we have an animated film, designed to appeal to children, that is being used to enforce the will of a faceless organization.

It is supremely ironic that a fictional character created by the Watch Tower Society to control young minds is now being used to great effect by a member of another religion to help loosen the bonds of mind control. Despite drawing some consolation from this knowledge, I cannot help but continue to despair at the number of young children, including my own relatives, who routinely watch the Caleb videos and thus fall deeper under Watchtower’s mind control spell.

 

 

 

 

 

To visit Chris’ new site askreality.com, click here.

19 thoughts on “Sparlock helps Mormons understand mind control

  • June 28, 2013 at 3:50 am
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    Great video. JWs should watch it. A couple of parents said Caleb videos were just what they needed! I really feel for the poor little kidlets.

  • June 28, 2013 at 4:56 am
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    Again a good article. Just another Interestingly, the fact that my ex jw afraid, “Who will give us the major cases of sudden death held a funeral speech because we left and the last religion.

  • June 28, 2013 at 5:44 am
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    Would someone please get me out of this damn trash can?!?

    • May 7, 2016 at 4:56 am
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      Use your wand !!!!

  • June 28, 2013 at 6:59 am
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    Amazing article Cedars! I’m so happy that even what we go through can help others see the B.I.T.E in their own Church and help them to achieve freedom. Keep up the good work!

  • June 28, 2013 at 1:52 pm
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    Awesome article Cedars and awesome job on the video Chris!!!! I recommend EVERYONE to watch it.

  • June 28, 2013 at 6:42 pm
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    Thanks for the nice review of my video Cedars! I’m surprised that you were able to whip it up within hours of my video going live :) I just linked back to your site from askreality, so others can benefit from your insights and knowledge. Keep in touch!

  • June 28, 2013 at 11:16 pm
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    Thanks for all of your dedication and hard work Cedars. I really respect and trust you. I just want to thank you for helping me leave the Watchtower Society . You have saved me and my two children from a very dangerous, mind controlling CULT!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!

    Awesome job on your video series Chris!!!! I really admire your courage and honesty. I know you will help many to escape the clutches of mind control. Great Job!!!!!!!

  • June 29, 2013 at 1:43 pm
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    Excellent. I enjoyed the video and it made so much sense, I wish more JW’s could see this. Thanks for putting it out there and for the article.

  • June 30, 2013 at 10:31 am
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    Another great article, Cedars. In his video, Chris clearly describes how the BITE model functions to control the thinking of both individuals and groups. The Watchtower has become expert in manipulating the thoughts and emotions of their followers with almost scientific precision. When they fail, they resort to disfellowshipping and shunning to weed out those who manage to resist a complete takeover. Unfortunately, as those of us who have left the Witnesses can attest, the toxic residues linger in our brains long after we have freed our bodies from the organization.

  • June 30, 2013 at 8:58 pm
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    Another example of language manipulation in the Sparlock video clip has Caleb’s mother using the word ‘sad’ in place of ‘mad’. Manipulating the emotions of a child by inviting him to picture YHWH with a frown and tears in his eyes, all because young Caleb is playing with a plastic wizard toy.

  • July 1, 2013 at 3:41 am
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    And what about this kind of manipulation!!

    11 Jehovah has provided a bounteous supply of written spiritual food to give us strength. No doubt, you can think of a time when after reading a publication, you thought: ‘That is exactly what I needed! It is as if Jehovah had that written just for me!’ That is not a coincidence. Through these provisions, Jehovah does instruct and guide us. He has said: “I shall make you have insight and instruct you in the way you should go.” (Ps. 32:8) Do we strive to take in all the spiritual food we receive and meditate on it? Doing so will help us to continue to bear fruit and not wither spiritually in these difficult last days.—Read Psalm 1:1-3; 35:28; 119:97. (Read it on this link: http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20130415/do-not-tire-out/)

    This is what Jehovah’s witnesses were taught yesterday, Worldwide!! SPIRITUAL POISON!!

  • July 1, 2013 at 11:10 pm
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    More mind control!!!! “Not Forsaking Christian Gatherings” “NONE OF OUR CHICKENS DIED.” This is from 2013 YEARBOOK pp, 138-139. It reads:

    Consider, for example, Cin Khan Dal, who lived with his family in a remote village in Sagaing. “We wanted to attend the district convention in Tahan, a two-day journey away by boat and truck,” he explains. “But no one would watch over our chickens while we were away. Still, we put our trust in Jehovah and attended the convention. Returning home, we found that we had lost 19 chickens—a serious economic blow. Yet, one year later, our small flock had increased tomore than 60 chickens. And while many villagers lost their chickens to disease that year, none of our chickens died.”

    Who will escape? The book is available at http://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/

  • July 4, 2013 at 11:06 pm
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    This video is great! It has one of the best explanations of the BITE model that I have ever seen. I will be forwarding it to some never JW relatives of mine to help them understand why my family is the way they are. Thanks to Chris for making this and to Cedars for sharing.

  • July 6, 2013 at 4:53 pm
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    The video is a joke from the outsiders view. It seems almost to odd for me as an ex-JW to see such blatant displays of control and mind manipulation. So I watched it when it was released months ago and I felt it drew to much attention to a single object. The object can be replaced with any other and the core principle is Jehovah hates whatever object or item is targeted at that time. Lack of knowledge plus the input of a single strong idea may manipulate and also harden a new false idea. Religion often does this to its members which is frustrating to me. I love this Sparlock character because he is about illusion and mystery much like the WTBS plays with its members. Cedars you are getting my point much clearer now about how the WTBS is always using the FEAR CAMPAIGN in their works. I enjoyed your focus on these aspects of appeal to pity and appeal to fear which are fallacies in an argument. Thanks for the opportunity to allow us to express ourselves.

  • October 11, 2013 at 10:08 pm
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    Thank you for posting the video. This clearly explains exactly what I have been concerned about. My daughter married into a Jehovah family and it has been an interesting few years. I have been trying my best to respect their beliefs and make adjustments like holidays and birthdays. But, I have noticed a big change in my grandson who is now 8. For the past 2 years, he is being raised as a Jehovah and has been having problems. He is now afraid to sleep alone and terrified that he will not be able to see us. What I don’t understand is the ” big picture”. What is the purpose of the Watchtower? Is it power, money, what? Can someone please help me with this?

  • October 23, 2013 at 6:38 am
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    Sparlock, the Magician Warrior dislikes the fact that you JW are waking me up at 7:00 AM to leave your trash that’s coming out of your Watchtower mouths.

  • August 14, 2014 at 7:22 pm
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    My children couldn’t stand the Sparlock video! I guess they were smart enough to see and feel the B.S. and control in this poorly produced movie.
    Hurray! I have successfully taught them enough so that they can resist their mother and her evil parents.

  • December 20, 2016 at 2:09 pm
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    I quite literately benefited from this exact same process of looking at the psychological methodologies used in the JW congregations, to then see how the Mormon Church operated. I was then able to open my mind to research much deeper into the Mormon Church’s past and present lies regarding events and doctrines.

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