Hypnosis in Jesuit missionary activities in 17 century Vietnam (Part 2)

Abstract

This article is the first attempt to analyze the well known source of the first half of the XVII century “Catechism explained in Eight days” as an effective tool to change the religious identity of the population of Vietnam from psychotherapy and hypnology’s point of view. The study describes by modern terminology the techniques and technologies of verbal influence and suggestion used by the missionaries, which allowed them to reprogram the mind and change the behavior of local residents. This approach explanes not only why, but also how a Jesuit Alexander de Rhodes could begin the process of mass Catholization in Vietnam with his book “Catechism explained in Eight days”. This technology is compared to the methods of another prominent Jesuit Matteo Ricci, who had worked in China. The research and systematization of the available information leads to the conclusion that during the conversion to Catholicism in Vietnam in the first half of the XVII century European missionaries used battle hypnosis technology at a high level: however, they did not apply it in therapy, but in the political and even in geopolitical purposes. Refs 9.

Keywords:

Catholicism, catholization, catechism, conversion technology, cultural adaptation, defamation, hypnosis, psychological correction