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: . THE BIRTH OF CONVERSION Conversion is a 'nice' word for brain washing, and any study of brainwashing has to begin with a study of Christian revivalism in 18th century America. Jonathan Edwards apparently discovered the techniques by accident during a religious crusade in 1735 in Northampton, Massachusetts. By inducing guilt, acute appreh ension and by increasing tension, the 'sinners' attending his revival meetings would break down and completely submit. Technically, what he did was create conditions that wipe the brain! mind slate clean to accept new programming. The problem was that the new input was negative. He'd teU them, "You're a sinner -destinedfor hell!" As a result, one person .committed suicide, another attempted suicide, and the neighbours of the suicidal converts related that they, too, were affected so Nexus #JD 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, their subjects are wide open. New input, in the fonn of suggestion, can be substituted for their previous ideas. BecauseEdwards didn'tturnhis message positiveuntil theendoftherevival,many accepted the negative suggestions and acted, or desired to act, upon them. Charles J. Finney was another Christian revivalisn who used the same techniques 4 years later in mass religious conversions in New York. These techniques are still used today by Christian revivalists, some human potential trainings, business rallies and US Armed Services, to name a few. From a talk delivered f:~l at theWorId's Con~ress of I,(.,t :~I Professional Hypnotists 5, Convention, Las Vegas. Nevada USA Let me point out that I don't think most revivalist teachers realise or know they are using brainwashing techniques. Edwards simply stumbled upon a teclmique that really worked, and others , copied it and have continued to copy 'it for over 200 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 3 BRAIN PHASES The Christians may have been first to successfully formulate brainwashing, but we have to look to Pavlov, the Russian scientist for a technical explanation. ...continued over> >> 29