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MENTICIDE

The systematic effort to break down the beliefs and allegiances of a person by physical or psychological means, in order to substitute one's own. Also called brainwashing, it has been made possible mainly because of modern discoveries in psychology and the use of the mass media. (Etym. Latin mens, mind + -cidium, a killing.)

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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