Hypnosis in Jesuit missionary activities in 17th century Vietnam (Part 3)

Abstract

This article is the first attempt to analyze the well-known source of the first half of the 17th century “Catechism explained in Eight days” as an effective tool to change the religious identity of the population of Vietnam from the point of view of psychotherapy and hypnology. 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 been working 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 17th century European missionaries at a high professional level had used battle hypnosis technology, which they applied not for therapy, but for political and even geopolitical purposes. Refs 23. Fig 1. Table 1.

Keywords:

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