Mind control?

[Guest tbaird22]

What is your opinion of the BITE model?

[ChooseTheSun]

What is your opinion of the BITE model?

What about it? Are you asking if it is a faulty, uncinscientific theoretical model? Is it good/bad to have beliefs/behaviors outlined in the model?

[slamjet]

What is it?

[Guest]

I'm all bark, myself.

[Guest tbaird22]

i was just curious as to your thoughts. Anything. Good/bad. Scientific/Unscientific.

Google BITE model if you dont know what it is

[slamjet]

What's the issue with posting what it is and some sources? You're the one who is bringing it up.

[Blocky]

4. Spying on other members is encouraged

a. Pairing up with “buddy” system to monitor and control

b. Reporting deviant thoughts, feelings, and actions to leadership

Totally reminds me of visiting teaching. I totally reported to the Relief Society President when one of my sisters was really sad because her father died. We must be a cult!

None of the BITE cult things really describe LDS if you've been to the Santa Cruz Stake. We defy all expectations:P

[Guest Sachi001]

Here I'll make it easy. I looked it up.

BITE Model

IMO the criteria given can be applied toward any grops social thinking. Be it religious, political, government, etc...

[RipplecutBuddha]

4. Spying on other members is encouraged

a. Pairing up with “buddy” system to monitor and control

b. Reporting deviant thoughts, feelings, and actions to leadership

Totally reminds me of visiting teaching. I totally reported to the Relief Society President when one of my sisters was really sad because her father died. We must be a cult!

None of the BITE cult things really describe LDS if you've been to the Santa Cruz Stake. We defy all expectations:P

4. It's not spying if we walk right into the room with them. They know the purpose of the visit because it is explained ad nauseum in regular church meetings. If a member doesn't know what Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers are responsible for doing, they're either very new to the church, or very inactive.

a. This also serves as a protection for all involved, not to mention additional resources available to one who may need assistance from the 'spys'....er....Home Teachers...

b. This isn't the main thrust of the HT/VT system however. The actual purpose is that of support and aid.....whatever the need may be. Granted it may occur from time to time, but I've never had the occasion as a HT myself.

Finally, this is all cast in a negative light compared to what the actual purpose of HT/VT is. We are to be a source of support and comfort for each other...not spies. Again, it can't be spying if it's all taking place in their home with them present. Let me share my favorite experience.

I was on my mission in California and my companions and I (yep...three of us) were teaching this amazing family and we only had one discussion left. Before we could meet, the wife's father became critically ill in Texas and she immediately left to be with him.

We met with the husband and his three children, but all were in agreement that the last discussion wouldn't happen without mom there. We met with them weekly, and after the third visit, we realized that dad's cooking skills had been fully tapped. There was a jar of peanut butter on the table with the knife still in it, an open loaf of bread, and a bottle of honey.

When we got home we called the ward RS president and explained the situation to her. We asked if she could have someone take dinner to them that night. She immediately agreed to help out.

She took that night's dinner to them herself, and by the next night, had dinners scheduled through the RS for the next two weeks. Not only was this overwhelming to us, but the husband was blown away...they weren't even baptized yet. He called his wife and told her what was happening and he told us she cried on the phone for five minutes with him. She agreed that her father was stable and improving regularly so she headed home the next day.

As soon as she arrived she called us and told us to come give the last discussion. We did, and the baptism the following weekend was tremendous.

Now, what makes all this more remarkable is the area I was in was the largest area in the mission. We were allocated 1800 miles a week, and we still depended heavily on members giving us rides. At its height the area had three wards and a branch. Due to inactivity and people moving out of the area it was down to two wards.

The family we were teaching lived quite a distance from town and once we committed to a visit, it usually shot our afternoon and part of the evening.....yet the RS president didn't even pause in accepting the call to help.

The HT/VT programs of the church are in place to serve others and support those in need...not mind control.

I can see how it could easily be twisted to such a use, but this is Christ's church. I think we'll be okay.

Also, after a brief study of the BITE model, none of it fits the LDS Church unless the observer is a desperate pessimist. Under those conditions, as stated earlier, any religion could possibly be seen as fitting this model in several ways. As it stands now, there are parts of the model that are utterly contradictory to the stated purpose and missions of the LDS Church.

Edited August 7, 2011 by RipplecutBuddha

[slamjet]

Here I'll make it easy. I looked it up.

BITE Model

IMO the criteria given can be applied toward any grops social thinking. Be it religious, political, government, etc...

This is asinine. "look it up?" "I'll make it easy?" You don't want a discussion. You want to play and control. It's the only conclusion I can come to since you refuse to do what is advised. As far as I can see, you've made no compelling argument that this is worth my time to even click on the link since it's not worth your time to post any type of explanation. *Plonk*

[Blocky]

4. It's not spying if we walk right into the room with them. They know the purpose of the visit because it is explained ad nauseum in regular church meetings. If a member doesn't know what Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers are responsible for doing, they're either very new to the church, or very inactive.

a. This also serves as a protection for all involved, not to mention additional resources available to one who may need assistance from the 'spys'....er....Home Teachers...

b. This isn't the main thrust of the HT/VT system however. The actual purpose is that of support and aid.....whatever the need may be. Granted it may occur from time to time, but I've never had the occasion as a HT myself.

Finally, this is all cast in a negative light compared to what the actual purpose of HT/VT is. We are to be a source of support and comfort for each other...not spies. Again, it can't be spying if it's all taking place in their home with them present. Let me share my favorite experience.

I forgot that sarcasm doesn't doesn't carry well on the internet:( Of course VT has nothing to do with spying but is a wonderful way for us to love and support each other and I'm very thankful of it. That was why I thought it was funny, it's so far from the truth.

[Blocky]

This is asinine. "look it up?" "I'll make it easy?" You don't want a discussion. You want to play and control. It's the only conclusion I can come to since you refuse to do what is advised. As far as I can see, you've made no compelling argument that this is worth my time to even click on the link since it's not worth your time to post any type of explanation. *Plonk*

I should have followed your example. Nothing good is going to come out of this.

[Soulsearcher]

This is asinine. "look it up?" "I'll make it easy?" You don't want a discussion. You want to play and control. It's the only conclusion I can come to since you refuse to do what is advised. As far as I can see, you've made no compelling argument that this is worth my time to even click on the link since it's not worth your time to post any type of explanation. *Plonk*

Just to point out it wasn't Sachi who started the thread and then didn't provide sources or reasoning, he just posted the link so others could be informed if they wanted to be. He has no vested interest at all in the topic other than being kind enough to provide a link.

[Guest Sachi001]

This is asinine. "look it up?" "I'll make it easy?" You don't want a discussion. You want to play and control. It's the only conclusion I can come to since you refuse to do what is advised. As far as I can see, you've made no compelling argument that this is worth my time to even click on the link since it's not worth your time to post any type of explanation. *Plonk*

What are you talking about SJ! Your making mountains out of molehills. Since some of you were chastising the OP for not putting a link to the Model. I thought I would do a nice thing. You know what. Your contentious spirit is not LDS. In fact this behavior you predispose is disgusting.

I'm done wit you. Do not reply to me. In fact fore get this site. No Aloha for you bozo.

[pam]

Because some people have blocks on their computers both at home and at work and can't always go to links, Bite control is an acronym for the following:

Behavior Control

Information Control

Thought Control

Emotional Control

Keep in mind that not everyone can access something by links. Therefore it does help when having a conversation about a specific topic to explain what the topic is about.

[Blackmarch]

What is your opinion of the BITE model?

Dunno much about it.... But if thats what certain critics use to substantiate their claims that LDS brainwash folks either they dont understand it well or its pretty faulty.

[Spartan117]

Best cult ever. It let me get married for free in the biggest and most beautiful (debatable, yes) temple (SLC) in the world, has given over $1Billion in relief aid in the last 25 years alone and established a lifestyle for it's members that includes health guidelines that usually result with long life into your 90's. And that's after a successful career usually starting with a degree from the cult's top notch dirt cheap highly ranked college. This awful cult also makes available programs like the bishop's storehouse, or church welfare so you can pay your bills and not starve. The worst part is how hard the cult members work to help all the members gain employment and be self sufficient in providing for themselves and their families.

I knew this was a cult the minute they told me I had to love everyone unconditionally. Classic sign of an evil nefarious cult who is scheming to take over the world. Encouraging people to STOP self destructive behavior and addiction, how dare they!

I'm offended. I'm going to go write a strongly worded letter to my Cult Stake President. Tell him I think I've been brainwashed into being a productive member of society. I won't stand for this!

[HEthePrimate]

RipplecutBuddha, you may have missed that Blocky was speaking tongue in cheek.

[kevinandrew]

Every people have this problem, they can't control mind in any one situation. Specially students are facing this problems, if student have don't constrained on studies, they are just doing watching television, chatting on internet with friends.

[Guest mysticmorini]

The BITE model is a model our critics point to. It is their basis for calling us a "mind controlling cult" Fred W. Anson who also goes by the name "Mr. IT" uses this extensively in his anti-Mormon literature.

[skalenfehl]

Because some people have blocks on their computers both at home and at work and can't always go to links, Bite control is an acronym for the following:

Behavior Control

Information Control

Thought Control

Emotional Control

Keep in mind that not everyone can access something by links. Therefore it does help when having a conversation about a specific topic to explain what the topic is about.

Sounds like mainstream media to me: CNN, MSNBC, FOX NEWS, etc...

[Blackmarch]

Sounds like mainstream media to me: CNN, MSNBC, FOX NEWS, etc...

Actually now that i think about it, these are the things that individuals who are very set against something tend to use- They only use selective info, which is used to mess with your emotion and thought process (such as using an illusion) to induce a certain behavior.

So about anything public politic, or anti-whatevers.

[Bini]

Must just be early for me. Clicked on the provided link and was so uninterested.. Didn't give it much thought afterwards. So my conclusion of BITE - BLAH!

[LeKook]

4. Spying on other members is encouraged

a. Pairing up with “buddy” system to monitor and control

b. Reporting deviant thoughts, feelings, and actions to leadership

Totally reminds me of visiting teaching. I totally reported to the Relief Society President when one of my sisters was really sad because her father died. We must be a cult!

None of the BITE cult things really describe LDS if you've been to the Santa Cruz Stake. We defy all expectations:P

I'm familiar with this sort of activity, I left after 9 years with the JWs because of this kind of thing. Instead of leaving members to self-govern based on right principles, the Watchtower Society continuously fed us study articles on what we should and shouldn't do in pretty much every area of life (it seemed to me, anyway), and frequently suggested we report those who "broke the rules" (knowingly or otherwise) to the elders for discipline "for their own good, and for the good of the congregation". I reached my breaking point when I started worrying that other members were spying on me to see what non-JW literature I was reading - none of which was questionable or even anti-JW, but I had become paranoid after so many years and seen people get disciplined and disfellowshipped for ridiculous reasons. I'm not sure any spying was going on, but just the thought that I was worried that it might be happening woke me up to the control the WT Society had on us. And I got out.

[Guest mormonmusic]

I looked it up here:

BITE Model

First, I find it an interesting model. However, I feel reluctant to discuss it because:

a) You gave no context for this discussion, forcing me to make assumptions. Because misguided people like to call Mormons a cult, you seem to be implying we are a cult and need to read about the BITE model. This doesn't sit well with me.

b) A huge number of indicators of the BITE model are so utterly foreign to Mormonism, I don't have time to even describe how we are NOT a cult against the BITE-model criteria.

c) I agree with others that it's somewhat poor form to post a question but refuse to even give the basic links or resources you need to even understand the question. This hurts my enthusiasm for discussing this further.