mind control is a tricky thing. the people in control of the congregations, were raised under that same control (in most situations). It's like someone who is abused that becomes the abuser. a child is more likely "willing" to be abused, as in, not stand up for themselves.(how can they? adults are supposed to guide them in a safe direction via dicipline, not into a situation that causes mental breakdowns if you try to leave). and by abuse, I was referring to mental abuse in this situation. what kind of adult, tells a child, that God will destroy them if they don't prance in front of thousands of people in a bathing suit to demonstrate their devotion to God? and what kind of child is encouraged to question their beliefs, until they take the big dunk in un-chlorinated water shared w/lots of other people, and after that, their beliefs are set for life?
it's so unreasonable. it's an amusing question to ask children, "what do you want to be when you grow up?". Usually, they tell you something idealistic, something they have perceived as fun. Adults don't take it too seriously b/c they know a child will grow up, change their mind, their interests, their thoughts, become more educated....they realize at the time they are asked this question, they are not the person they will be later in life. there is a logical reason why 10 year olds don't apply to college ~ that's not the time in their life to be making decisions about what they want to be ~ they simply aren't smart enough, or experienced enough. but at 6, or 9, or 11, or 14...that is considered old enough to know what belief system they want for the rest of their life.
Crazy.