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Costanza comments on Building rationalist communities: lessons from the Latter-day Saints - Less Wrong
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Well, sort of. There is a common understanding that one of the biggest effects of "missionary work" is on the missionaries themselves. A joke line I've heard is "I had one convert on my mission: me." This is a common theme in Mormonism, for example.
But I see this as experience rather than cognitive dissonance/brainwashing. For example, if you spent two years exclusive trying to explain to people about rationality, you'd probably get a far better understanding of what rationality is. As a result, you would become more rational. You would also be happier that you were able to become more rational.
But isn't the "experience" of a Mormon missionary rather different than trying to argue with people rationally? Aren't missionaries forbidden to debate or argue ? Aren't they required instead to attempt to lead potential converts along the so-called stairway to heaven ? What would happen to a missionary who said to his superiors, "If Joseph Smith was a prophet, I desire to believe he was a prophet. If he was not a prophet, I desire to believe he was not a prophet"? Is Mormonism trying to win converts by rational means?
Costanza, I'd be happy to answer that. But for purposes of keeping the thread more on the community organization topic, I wanted to channel discussion of my religious beliefs over on this discussion thread. Would you like to repost your comment over there?