Proselytizing Techniques and Inoculation Against Brainwashing: Lessons For Psychotherapy

Abstract

Proselytization is the activity of inducing someone to convert to ones faith. In same vein, a proselyte is seen as a person who has been converted from one opinion, faith, beliefs, religion or party to another. Though, it has its origin from historical perspective of a Gentile who was considering conversion to Judaism. In modern times, there have been several attempts to covert people to a different point of view and beliefs through brainwashing. In Nigeria, the politicians and military have used psychic duress to alter people political or moral convictions to convert “settle” them. For the purpose of this paper, proselytizing techniques is conceptualized as the management and direction of human beings by a clever use of their desires, wishes, beliefs, value and attitudes in order to control and manipulate them for scientific, social, religious and political ends. Therefore, this paper examines proselytizing technique and the need to develop inoculation against brainwashing. The paper concluded that psychotherapy should not be created to persuade or proselytize people but rather it can intervene without being divisive, giving priority to sole preserve of psychotherapy which addresses the soul without capturing it and lastly people should be allowed their own destiny accordable to their own creative insights in life.