Were you ever a brainwashed christian? I consider
myself to have been brainwashed and influenced into
the christian faith from birth. Christianity permeates
American culture - I would submit that anyone who
was once a Christian is more than likely an individual
who has recovered from that brainwashing via vari-
ous means, not the least of which is critical thought.

How does one un-brainwash a christian?

1 - Learn about the brainwashed christian.

Identify why he/she believes. Economic factors?
Social factors? Family pressure (spouse, lover,
child, parent)? When did he/she first believe? Why?
What exactly is his/her belief? What is his/her belief
based on? Was an authority figure a significant part
of his/her belief choice? Did he/she have enough
information to make an informed and considered
choice or was information withheld from him/her
by church or other authority figures?

2 - Based on the response to 1, submit to the
brainwashed christian how he/she can achieve
his/her goal(s) through other more sensible and
rational means. Discuss the weakness of his/her
belief based on the core reason(s) for his/her
belief. Put your position in terms of what he/she
understands and why he/she believes.

Refer to the following books for ideas on how
to un-brainwash a christian and how others have
successfully un-brainwashed themselves or others:

Captive Hearts, Captive Minds : Freedom and
Recovery from Cults and Other Abusive
Relationships, by Madeleine Landau Tobias,
Janja Lalich (Contributor), Michael Langone
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0897931440
"This book will prove invaluable help for both
those with loved ones in a religious cult, and those
coming to terms with leaving a religious cult. The
authors Tobias and Lalich treat this difficult subject
with care and sensitivity. It's a shame more young
people don't get a chance to read this before they
get mixed up in a destructive group... :( "

Cults in Our Midst, by Margaret Thaler Singer,
Janja Lalich (Contributor), Robert Jay Lifton
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0787902667
"Most people believe that cult members are
mentally unbalanced or are misfits who live in
remote places, like the doomed devotees of
Jim Jones and David Koresh. We take comfort
in the fact that the influences of cultures are far
removed from our everyday lives. - Nothing
could be further from the truth!"

The Book Your Church Doesn't Want You to
Read, by Tim C. Leedom (Editor)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0939040158
"Consider this book as a kind of consumer
protection guide to religion, a big step forward
toward religious literacy. Readers will explore
myths, origins, fundamentalism, television
ministries, the identical stories of Stellar /
Pagan / Christian beliefs, unfounded doctrines,
child abuse, the Year 2000, and women's rights."

Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist,
by Dan Barker
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1877733075
"About half of the book is Barker's story of his
conversion and deconversion. The other half are
a collection of essays Barker has put together
about biblical errancy, his TV appearances and
debates, and his experiences in the Atheist
community. A modern classic of freethought
literature."

Leaving the Fold, by Marlene, Ph.D. Winell
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1879237512
"As a former fundamentalist, I have worked over
the past ten years with individuals and small groups
focusing on recovery from religious dysfunction
and addiction. Although there are several other
excellent resources on this topic, Winell's book
is essential for understanding how Christian
fundamentalism and conventional Christian
religion can foster dependency in its adherents."

Leaving the Fold: Testimonies of Former
Fundamentalists, by Edward T. Babinski (Editor)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0879759070
"This riveting new collection offers testimonies
of former fundamentalists who became disillusioned
with their churches and left. Presenting more than
two dozen personal journeys, this book gives
a clear picture of what attracts a person to the
fundamentalist faith and what can drive believers
away from their religion."