Hypnosis in religion

[Void]

I once read a text about mass hypnotism in religion. Don't remember the authors name or the name of the text. But the point he was expressing was a deep concern about what he claimed to be mass hypnotism in religion, particularly in Asia. I don't think I understood his point correctly at the time I read it. I thought he was talking about religion being like hypnosis for the masses, not actual hypnotism.

However, at a religious gathering a while back, I witnessed something that to me appeared to be real mass hypnosis. I have been hypnotised once before on a show, so I have a basic idea what hypnosis look and feel like. All the attendants that wanted to would come up to the stage, where I swear I saw the priest use hypnosis on them. It was about 15 - 20 people after turn.

I know that priest have 4 - 5 other churches as well. And from what the people says he does this all the time. And I know from experience that this has caused huge personality changes in a5 least one of the victims.

What do you think about this? And how would you react if it happened to someone near you?

[Norman Humann]

Not exactly a mass hypnosis, but something a bit similar.

The catholic church uses simple methods of getting into the parishioners' subconscious. For example, there are some songs that are only played in certain moments of the service, including certain words. When the money is being collected, they play songs about giving or being grateful. The act of collecting money is a psychological trick in itself -- if you collect regularly, at a fixed time, people will be more likely to give. Some churches in small villages also include a list of donors. At the end of the service they read the list so everyone knows who gave how much. In such small villages, where everyone knows everyone, it makes people feel compelled to give more not to be frowned upon. The positions -- standing, sitting or kneeling -- are also important. The language. The ornaments, tall ceilings, the image of god or Christ being elevated to create the feeling of inferiority in attendants. Everything counts. They have it polished to perfection, though most of them likely don't realise it.

[Nope]

One of the Pentecostal churches I attended used songs that had a lot of phrases that repeated again and again. It was strange and different than other churches I had attended. The man on stage kept urging everyone to let the holy spirit move them(I can't remember his exact words). Some people were dancing or shouting. I think that was a form of self induced hypnosis. I tried to explain to a Pentecostal lady that her experiences at her church didn't prove the existence of her god because primitive humans did the same thing when they danced around a fire or called down the gods. That didn't go over well.

[Void]

I have been to catholic churces and heard that song, Norman. And to me it was kind of sickening, cause I didn't want to be moved by it, but also it was hard not to.

But in the church where I witnessed what I claim to be hypnotism, they also did the singing which Nope describes. But after that, they went up on the stage where the priest directly hypnotised them. The music and the singing was quite similar to the music the hypnotist used on me in his show.

[robvalue]

I've heard about this kind of thing before, along the lines of subliminal advertising. It can be all carefully planned to push your subconscious buttons and get you to tow the line.

[Mr Greene]

I've learned hot to do hypnosis (level 2) and what you're describing sounds like conversational induction which would ring all sorts of alarm bells. Not least of which is the matter of consent.
You could also try looking up Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) which would explain the repetitive elements.

[robvalue]

There's a lot of problems with consent in religion. Indoctrination is mind rape in my opinion, and children are certainly not old enough to consent to it, given its severity.

[Aoi Magi]

I've been to a few gatherings where they offer mild hallucinogenics or drinks with psychoactive properties, and that combined with the long drawn out sermons normally lead people to behave similar to a mass hypnosis session.

[dyresand]

Its the music the fact you are cramped into a small building with other people with on person leading the delusion its not wonder how it works.

[Void]

I've learned hot to do hypnosis (level 2) and what you're describing sounds like conversational induction which would ring all sorts of alarm bells. Not least of which is the matter of consent.
You could also try looking up Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) which would explain the repetitive elements.

Well, I know my alarm bells are ringing. I tried to contact the guy that hypnotized me to ask what he thinks about it. But he did not respond. In general it seems like a subject that people are avoiding. Either out of fear, or out of disbelief from hypnosis. Plus, I think hypnosis is hard to prove legally. I'm a lawyer, and I know in my country we have only had one case where someone was sentenced for hypnotism.