Monster Media 1994 #2/Monster Media No. 2 (Monster Media)(1994).ISO/soundu/dg2.zip/MARKOV/WASH.TXT

Text File | 1993-10-27 | 19KB | 305 lines

CONVERSION   is   a  "nice"  word  for  BRAINWASHING   and  any
study  of brainwashing has to begin with a study of  Christian   revivalism
in    eighteenth   century   America.    Apparently,    Jonathan    Edwards
accidentally  discovered the techniques during a religious crusade in  1735
in Northampton, Massachusetts.  By inducing guilt and  acute   apprehension
and   by   increasing  the  tension,  the "sinners" attending  his  revival
meetings would break down and completely submit. Technically,  what Edwards
was  doing was creating conditions that wipe the brain slate clean so  that
the mind accepts new programming.  The problem was that  the new  input was
negative.   He  would  tell them, "You're a sinner!   You're  destined  for
hell!"

As a result, one person committed suicide and another  attempted   suicide.
And  the  neighbors of the suicidal converts related that they,  too,  were
affected  so  deeply that, although they had  found  "eternal   salvation,"
they  were  obsessed with a diabolical temptation to end their own lives.

Once  a preacher, cult leader, manipulator or authority figure creates  the
brain phase to wipe the brain-slate clean, his subjects are wide open.  New
input,  in the  form  of  suggestion, can be substituted for their previous
ideas.  Because Edwards didn't turn his message positive until the  end  of
the  revival,  many accepted the negative suggestions and acted, or desired
to act, upon them.

Charles  J.   Finney  was another Christian revivalist who  used  the  same
techniques four years later in mass religious conversions in New York.  The
techniques   are  still   being  used  today  by   Christian   revivalists,
cults,   human-potential trainings, some business rallies, and  the  United
States Armed Services to name just a few.

Let   me   point   out here that I don't think  most  revivalist  preachers
realize  or know they are using brainwashing techniques.   Edwards   simply
stumbled   upon  a technique that really worked, and others copied  it  and
have continued to copy it for  over  two  hundred  years.   And  the   more
sophisticated  our knowledge and technology become, the more effective  the
conversion.  I feel strongly that this is one of the major reasons for  the
increasing  rise  in  Christian fundamentalism,  especially  the  televised
variety, while  most  of  the  orthodox  religions  are declining.

The   Christians   may  have  been  the  first  to  successfully  formulate
brainwashing, but we  have  to  look  to  Pavlov,  the  Russian  scientist,
for   a   technical explanation.   In  the  early  1900s,  his   work  with
animals  opened the door to further investigations with humans.  After  the
revolution  in Russia,  Lenin  was quick to see the potential  of  applying
Pavlov's research to his own ends.

Three   distinct   and  progressive  states  of  transmarginal   inhibition
were  identified by Pavlov.  The first is the EQUIVALENT phase,  in   which
the   brain gives  the  same  response  to  both strong and  weak  stimuli.
The  second  is  the PARADOXICAL phase, in which the  brain  responds  more
actively   to  weak  stimuli than  to  strong.   And  the  third   is   the
ULTRA-PARADOXICAL   phase,  in  which conditioned  responses  and  behavior
patterns turn from positive  to  negative  or from negative to positive.

With  the  progression through each phase, the degree of conversion becomes
more  effective and complete.  The way to achieve conversion are  many  and
varied,  but the  usual  first  step in religious or political brainwashing
is  to work on the emotions of an individual or group until they  reach  an
abnormal level of  anger, fear, exitement, or nervous tension.

The   progressive   result   of   this   mental   condition  is  to  impair
judgement  and increase  suggestibility.   The  more  this  condition   can
be  maintained   or intensified,  the  more it compounds.  Once  catharsis,
or  the  first  brain phase, is reached, the   complete   mental   takeover
becomes   easier.   Existing  mental programming can be replaced  with  new
patterns of thinking and behavior.

Other    often-used   physiological   weapons   to   modify  normal   brain
functions   are  fasting,  radical  or   high   sugar    diets,    physical
discomforts,   regulation  of breathing,  mantra  chanting  in  meditation,
the  disclosure  of  awesome  mysteries,  special   lighting   and    sound
effects,  programmed  response  to  incense,   or intoxicating drugs.

The   same   results   can   be   obtained   in   contemporary  psychiatric
treatment  by  electric shock treatments and even by purposely  lowering  a
person's blood  sugar level with insulin injections.

Before   I  talk  about exactly how some of the techniques are  applied,  I
want  to  point  out  that  hypnosis  and  conversion   tactics   are   two
distinctly  different things--and  that conversion techniques are far  more
powerful.  However, the two are often mixed  with powerful results.


If  you'd  like to see a revivalist preacher at work, there  are   probably
several  in  your  city.   Go  to  the  church  or  tent early and  sit  in
the  rear,  about three-quarters of the way back.  Most  likely  repetitive
music   will   be  played while  the  people  come in for the  service.   A
repetitive  beat, ideally ranging from 45 to 72 beats per minute (a  rhythm
close  to the beat of the human  heart), is very hypnotic and can  generate
an  eyes-open altered state of consciousness in a  very high percentage  of
people.  And, once you are in an alpha state, you are at least 25 times  as
suggestible  as you would be  in  full  beta  consciousness. The  music  is
probably  the  same for every service, or incorporates the same  beat,  and
many  of  the  people will go into an altered state almost immediately upon
entering the sanctuary.  Subconsciously, they recall their state  of   mind
from   previous  services  and  respond  according  to  the   post-hypnotic
programming.

Watch   the   people waiting for the service to begin.  Many  will  exhibit
external signs of trance--body relaxation and slightly dilated eyes.
Often,   they  begin swaying  back  and  forth  with  their  hands  in  the
air  while  sitting  in  their chairs.  Next,  the  assistant  pastor  will
probably come out.  He  usually  speaks with a pretty good "voice roll."


A   "voice   roll"   is a patterned, paced style used  by  hypnotists  when
inducing a trance.  It is also used by many lawyers, several of  whom   are
highly   trained  hypnotists,   when  they  desire  to   entrench  a  point
firmly  in  the  minds of the jurors.  A voice roll can  sound  as  if  the
speaker  were talking to the beat of  a metronome  or  it  may   sound   as
though  he  were  emphasizing every word in a monotonous, patterned  style.
The  words  will  usually be delivered at the rate of 45 to  60  beats  per
minute, maximizing the hypnotic effect.

Now  the  assistant pastor begins the "build-up" process.  He  induces   an
altered  state   of   consciousness   and/or   begins   to   generate   the
excitement   and the expectations of the audience.  Next, a group of  young
women  in "sweet and  pure" chiffon  dresses  might  come  out  to  sing  a
song.  Gospel songs are great for building excitement and INVOLVEMENT.   In
the  middle  of  the  song,  one  of  the girls might be  "smitten  by  the
spirit"  and fall down or react as if possessed by the Holy  Spirit.   This
very  effectively  increases the intensity in the room.   At  this   point,
hypnosis  and  conversion tactics are being mixed.  And the result  is  the
audience's   attention   span   is  now   totally    focused    upon    the
communication while the environment becomes more exciting or tense.

Right   about   this  time,  when an eyes-open  mass-induced  alpha  mental
state  has  been achieved, they will usually pass the collection  plate  or
basket.    In  the background,  a  45-beat-per-minute  voice roll from  the
assistant preacher might exhort, "Give to God  Give to God
Give to God"  And the audience does give.  God  may  not  get   the
money,  but  his  already  wealthy representative will.

Next,   the   fire-and-brimstone  preacher  will  come  out.    He  induces
fear  and increases the tension by talking about "the devil,"   "going   to
hell,"  or  the forthcoming Armegeddon.

In  the  last  such  rally  I attended, the preacher talked about the blood
that would soon be running out of every faucet in the land.   He  was  also
obsessed with a "bloody axe of God," which everyone had seen hanging  above
the pulpit the previous  week.   I  have no doubt that everyone saw it--the
power of suggestion given to hundreds of people in hypnosis assures that at
least 10 to  25  percent would see whatever he suggested they see.

In   most  revivalist  gatherings,  "testifying"  or  "witnessing"  usually
follows  the fear-based sermon.  People from the audience come up on  stage
and   relate  their stories.   "I  was  crippled and now I can  walk!"   "I
had  arthritis  and now it's gone!"  It is  a  psychological   manipulation
that  works.   After  listening  to numerous  case histories of  miraculous
healings,  the average guy in the audience with a minor problem is sure  he
can be healed.  The room is charged  with  fear, guilt, intense excitement,
and expectations.

Now those who want to be healed are frequently lined up around the edge  of
the  room, or they are told to come down to the front.  The preacher  might
touch  them on  the  head  firmly and scream, "Be healed!"   This  releases
the  psychic  energy  and, for many, catharsis  results.   Catharsis  is  a
purging of repressed emotions. Individuals might cry, fall down or even  go
into  spasms.   And  if  catharsis  is effected,  they  stand a  chance  of
being  healed.   In  catharsis (one of the  three  brain  phases  mentioned
earlier),  the  brain-slate  is  temporarily  wiped  clean   and  the   new
suggestion is accepted.

For  some,  the healing may be permanent.  For many, it will last four days
to  a  week, which is,  incidentally,  how  long  a   hypnotic   suggestion
given   to   a  somnambulistic  subject will usually  last.   Even  if  the
healing doesn't last, if they come back every week, the power of suggestion
may continually override  the problem or sometimes, sadly, it  can
mask  a  physical problem which could prove to be very detrimental  to  the
individule in the long run.

I'm   not  saying  that legitimate healings do not take  place.   They  do.
Maybe the individual was ready to let go of the negativity that caused  the
problem  in  the first  place;  maybe  it  was  the  work  of  God.  Yet  I
contend  that  it can be explained with existing  knowledge  of  brain/mind
function.

The  techniques  and  staging will vary from church to  church.   Many  use
"speaking in  tongues"  to  generate catharsis in some while the  spectacle
creates intense excitement in the observers.

The  use  of  hypnotic  techniques  by  religions  is  sophisticated,   and
professionals  are  assuring  that  they  become  even more  effective.   A
man in Los Angeles is designing, building, and reworking a lot of  churches
around  the  country.   He tells  ministers  what  they  need  and  how  to
use  it.  This man's track record indicates that the congregation  and  the
monetary    income    will   double   if   the   minister    follows    his
instructions.   He  admits  that about 80 percent of his efforts are in the
sound system and lighting.

Powerful  sound  and  the  proper  use  of   lighting   are   of    primary
importance  in inducing  an altered state of consciousnes--I've been  using
them  for  years in my own seminars.  However, my  participants  are  fully
aware  of  the  process  and  what they can expect as  a  result  of  their
participation.

Cults  and  human-potential  organizations  are  always  looking  for   new
converts.  To attain  them, they must also create a brain-phase.  And  they
often need to do it within a short space of time--a weekend, or maybe  even
a  day.  The following are the six primary techniques used to generate  the
conversion.

The meeting or training takes place in an area where participants  are  cut
off from  the  outside  world.   This may be any place:  a private home,  a
remote  or rural setting, or even a hotel ballroom where  the  participants
are  allowed  only limited bathroom usage.  In  human-potential  trainings,
the  controllers  will give a  lengthy  talk  about   the   importance   of
"keeping agreements" in life.  The participants are told that if they don't
keep  agreements,  their life will  never work.  It's a good idea  to  keep
agreements, but the controllers are subverting a positive  human  value for
selfish  purposes.   The participants vow to themselves and  their  trainer
that  they  will keep their agreements.   Anyone  who  does  not  will   be
intimidated   into   agreement  or forced to leave.  The next  step  is  to
agree to complete training, thus assuring a high percentage of  conversions
for  the   organizations.   They  will USUALLY have to agree  not  to  take
drugs,  smoke,  and sometimes not to eat or they  are  given  such
short  meal breaks  that it  creates  tension.   The  real reason  for  the
agreements  is  to alter internal chemistry, which generates  anxiety   and
hopefully   causes   at   least  a  slight malfunction   of   the   nervous
system,  which  in  turn increases the conversion potential.

Before  the  gathering is complete, the agreements will be used  to  ensure
that  the  new converts go out and  find  new   participants.    They   are
intimidated   into  agreeing  to  do  so  before  they  leave.   Since  the
importance  of keeping agreements is  so high on their priority  list,  the
converts will twist the arms of everyone they know, attempting to talk them
into  attending a  free  introductory  session offered at a future date  by
the  organization.   The new converts are zealots.  In fact,   the   inside
term   for   merchandising   the   largest   and   most  successful  human-
potential training is, "sell it by zealot!"

At  least  a  million  people are graduates and a good percentage have been
left with a mental activation button that assures their future loyalty  and
assistance  if  the  guru figure or organization calls.   Think  about  the
potential  political implications  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  zealots
programmed to campaign for their guru.
Be  wary  of an organization of this type that  offers  follow-up  sessions
after  the  seminar.   Follow-up  sessions might  be  weekly  meetings   or
inexpensive   seminars given  on  a  regular basis which  the  organization
will attempt to talk you into taking--or any regularly scheduled event used
to  maintain control.  As the early Christian  revivalists   found,   long-
term  control  is  dependent  upon  a  good follow-up system.

Alright.    Now,   let's   look  at  the  second   tip-off  that  indicates
conversion  tactics  are  being used.  A  schedule   is   maintained   that
causes  physical  and mental  fatigue.   This  is  primarily   accomplished
by  long  hours  in which the participants are  given  no  opportunity  for
relaxation or reflection.

The  third  tip-off:  techniques used to increase  the   tension   in   the
room  or environment.

Number   four:    Uncertainty.   I  could  spend  hours  relating   various
techniques to increase tension and generate  uncertainty.   Basically,  the
participants  are concerned  about  being  "put on the spot" or encountered
by the trainers, guilt feelings are played upon, participants are   tempted
to  verbally  relate  their innermost secrets to the other participants  or
forced to take part in activities that emphasize removing their masks.  One
of the most successful human-potential seminars  forces  the   participants
to   stand on a stage in front of the entire audience while being  verbally
attacked  by the trainers.  A public opinion  poll, conducted  a few  years
ago, showed that the number one most-fearful situation an individual  could
encounter  is  to speak to an audience.  It ranked  above   window  washing
outside   the   85th floor of an office building.  So you can  imagine  the
fear  and tension this situation generates within the  participants.   Many
faint,  but  most  cope  with the stress  by  mentally  going  away.   They
literally  go into an alpha  state,  which  automatically makes  them  many
times  as  suggestible  as they normally are.  And another  loop   of   the
downward  spiral  into  conversion  is successfully effected.

The   fifth   clue   that   conversion  tactics  are  being  used  is   the
introduction  of  jargon--new  terms  that  have  meaning  only   to    the
"insiders"   who   participate.  Vicious  language   is   also   frequently
used,  purposely,  to make participants uncomfortable.

The final tip-off is that there is no humor in the communications
at  least  until  the  participants are converted.  Then, merry-making  and
humor  are highly desirable as symbols of the new  joy   the   participants
have  supposedly "found."

I'm   not  saying  that good does not result  from  participation  in  such
gatherings. It can and does.  But I contend it is important for  people  to
know  what  has happened  and  to  be  aware that continual involvement may
not be in their best interest.

Over  the years, I've conducted professional  seminars  to   teach   people
to  be hypnotists,  trainers,  and  counselors.   I've  had  many  of those
who  conduct trainings and rallies come to me and say, "I'm here because  I
know that what I'm doing works, but I don't know why."  After showing  them
how  and why,  many  have gotten  out  of  the business or have decided  to
approach it differently or in a much more loving and supportive manner.

Many  of  these trainers have become personal friends, and it   scares   us
all  to have  experienced  the  power of one person with a microphone and a
room  full  of people.  Add a little charisma and  you  can  count   on   a
high   percentage   of  conversions.    The  sad  truth   is  that  a  high
percentage  of  people  want  to  give  away  their  power--they  are  true
"believers"!

Cult  gatherings or human-potential trainings are an ideal  environment  to
observe first-hand what is technically called  the  "Stockholm   Syndrome."
This   is  a situation  in  which  those  who are intimidated,  controlled,
or  made  to  suffer, begin to love, admire, and  even  sometimes  sexually
desire their  controllers  or captors.