The news was recently dominated by the story of Shawn
Hornbeck, allegedly kidnapped by a man who held him captive for four
years. He was discovered when the man kidnapped another boy who was
subsequently rescued. |
Many were puzzled by the fact that Shawn was reportedly
given much freedom as well as access to the Internet, but reporters,
knowing he had mentioned threats that his captor would use a gun,
immediately mentioned the possibility that Shawn was under the influence
of the Stockholm Syndrome. |
This Syndrome is a survival mechanism common to many
hostage situations and comes into play when a captive cannot escape
and is isolated and threatened with death. It allows the victim to
bond with the captor, and occurs when the following conditions are
met: |
- Perceived threat to survival and the belief that
one's captor is willing to act on that threat.
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- The captive's perception of small kindnesses from
the captor within a context of terror.
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- Isolation from perspectives other than those of
the captor.
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- Perceived inability to escape.
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As I listened to news reports, I realized that these
symptoms fit (and explain) another phenomenon - how people can subscribe
to the terrible doctrine of damnation and still believe they are worshipping
a "loving" god. |
Consider the "perceived inability to escape."
An essential part of the god religions is that the god is said to
have the power to read one's thoughts as well as actions. God becomes
the ultimate jailer. He needs no chains or material boundaries, because
one can never escape this mind control. |
There can be no threat worse than eternal damnation,
and hell-fire preachers seem to enjoy threatening listeners with the
assurance that their god is quite willing to act on that threat. Only
belief and good behavior can prevent your consignment to hell.
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These same preachers, however, seem to instinctively
realize that small kindnesses on the part of their god help further
the Stockholm Syndrome, as they assure the believer that this god
can dispense happiness and wealth through prayer to those he favors.
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And of course, "isolation from perspectives other
than those of the captor" insures that the hostage will remain
under the captor's influence. Hence many religions preach that theirs
is the only correct belief system. |
People often make a total investment in religion - emotionally,
socially, and financially. This makes them more likely to adopt an
unreasoning belief to support and justify that investment. Studies
show we are more loyal and committed to something that is difficult,
uncomfortable, and even humiliating, such as initiation rituals of
college fraternities or Marine boot camp. These can create a strong
bonding - even if the bonding is unhealthy. |
The Stockholm Syndrome, first named for a hostage situation
in a Swedish bank where the captives bonded with the robbers, doesn't
occur in every hostage situation. In another bank robbery, a police
sharpshooter shot and wounded the terrorizing bank robber. After he
hit the floor, two women picked him up and physically held him up
to the window for another shot. |
This shows that hostages can resist establishing a psychological
dependency on a captor. If my theory that god-religions represent
the Stockholm Syndrome is correct, it also indicates that religionists
can and should resist the idea of a god who holds them hostage.
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