How do we undo the brainwashing?

A letter from Emma

Image by jenschmen via Flickr

My sister became a Baptist in the UK four years ago. From being happy and smug for herself and her husband (whom she followed down this path), she has become paranoid about the Devil in the world and desperate to convert me and others she loves. She believes every word in the Bible is true and the Word of God - an indication to me that those that are teaching her are insane. I know many lifelong and good Christians who recognise the Bible as being man-made, mistranslated, having tenuous links to Christ's true message etc., etc., yet maintain their love of Christ and God and live according to Christ's word.

My questions are:

Do I try to show her the error of her ways? (So far a waste of time. She doesn't listen, only thinks up Bible-speak counterarguments and resorts to the old retort: "That's the Devil speaking in you").

Or, do I try to ignore it and seek the old personality of my sister that still in there somewhere? She was loving and happy-go-lucky. Now she is arrogant, self-satisfied, bigoted and hateful.

She's really put her brain on hold to see how far she can suspend her sense of disbelief. One little step towards believing Christ is the Son of God has led to the giant leap of believing (no, sorry: "KNOWING") that just because she believes in this thing, it doesn't matter what she DOES in life -- she will still be saved and live happily ever after with Christ when the rest of humanity, who doesn't think exactly like her, will perish.

There is no talk of Love in their beliefs, only about being Right.

Will she be devastated when/if she finally sees how STUPID she's been??

Does anyone else out there know what I'm going through?

Thanks, please help.

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