Psychosis

History is helpful, when we pay attention to it. Sometimes we learn all the wrong lessons from history. Many people today throw around the term "Nazi" in reference to anything that they do not like. If we really knew the Nazi tactics, we might be a bit more careful in our speech. The heavy handed efforts of the Nazis are only a small part of what they were doing. It is highly unlikely that every single German who accepted the Nazi party was forced into it by totalitarian control.

We need to consider more how they brainwashed people for that is what is the really scary part. Looking at history we can see there were many Germans who really did believe that Hitler was correct. They followed him unquestionably ("cultic" is an appropriate term) because they had been deceived. Yes, some were afraid not to follow, but that often came later. At the beginning many really believed in what he said.

If we understand this simple point, we can look at their situation a bit more clearly. The German society was living in very anxious times. Many things were on shaky ground, and the people were largely disconnected from one another; they needed to be united. Hitler chose to do this by focusing them on a single "problem"; portraying his one solution as the only possible solution. This led to a cultic following for Hitler and those other leaders he gathered around himself.

Now to the present. A large number of Americans have been brainwashed in much the same way as the German Nazis were (you can say "never again" until you are blue in the face, it does not make you immune!). It is obvious that many today are trying to latch onto a "problem" to use as the rally point. They thought it would be Covid (they are sorry it turned out to be no more than another common cold, but still want you to believe it is worse than the Black Plague). Some are still trying to use "climate change", but that too is pitiful. In principle it does not matter what they use (even if it is traditional Catholics!), we need to resist.

The manner that it worked for the Nazis is the same way that it will take people in today (and has already taken some in: hook, line, and sinker). The only thing worse than their deception is the arrogance that runs it; arrogance both for the deceivers (who think they can defeat God) and arrogance for the deceived (who believe they have found a new virtue to make them feel good about themselves). The practice is called "mass formation psychosis"; question their foolishness and we (!) are the enemy who is deceived (!). My dear brethren, question it; question all of it and be ready to accept their persecutions--this is what we are called to (right?).