This week I was able to hear Maria 'Hansi' Hirschmann at the Woodbury Prayer Breakfast and the Intellectual Takeout Event held the next day. Hansi truly captivated the audience with her story of struggle and faith. One aspect I could relate to was that she said she had been "brainwashed" by those working for Hitler. That's a term we haven't heard for a while.
The brainwashing she experienced was total, being trained at age 14 to be a 'Hitler Youth' leader. She became a true believer to the very end. When Germany lost WW2 and Hitler killed himself, she was totally devastated. You see, Hitler had chosen her, a poor orphan from her village and paid for her education. She lost her faith in God during that time and believed the lies she was told of the "Master Race" and the "Arian Nation".
Another example of brainwashing was Jonestown, where Jim Jones of the Peoples Temple cult, caused the 1978 mass suicide-and-murder, in Guyana. He convinced his followers to drink poisoned Kool aid. The world was shocked to see the bodies of over 900 members covering the ground from aerial photos of the compound. Thus the saying: "Don't Drink the Kool aid".
Youth who grew up in 1960's America through present day are a captive audience to professors and teachers, at all levels, and there is a tendency to believe what is taught without question.
During my college years, we were taught: "war is always bad", "corporations are greedy". Industries supporting South Africa, where Apartheid forced strict segregation, were boycotted. Feeding into our white guilt, we believed them.
One of the worst lies I came to believe was that the Vietnam War was wrong - that we had no right to be there. It took over 20 years to finally learn the other side of the argument: the truth of dedicated enlisted soldiers, the most highly educated in history, who themselves were devastated when we abandoned the South Vietnamese and reneged on our promises, leading to the Communist take over and the holocaust of the Cambodian 'Killing Fields'.
Wasn't this also brainwashing? Many other untruths were taught and I never bothered to look at the other side. Can we honestly say we look at both sides today? or are we led like sheep - the Hitler Youth of our day?
Hansi's message at the Prayer Breakfast was clear: after she found the Truth she was freed to love (not hate) and inspired to serve. Freedom is a privilege, a precious commodity, and a choice. Let us choose not to be brainwashed into giving up our freedom due to our own ignorance and refusal to hear both sides.
As Hansi said: "Be careful what you pray for, God may put your own feet under those prayers!" Thank you Hansi for coming out of retirement at age 83 to spread your message to seekers of the truth.
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