I am a Christian, with a background of Nursing for most of my adult life and now working in partnership with a Clinical Hypnotherapist Adam Eason selling a large range of self-hypnosis products.
This is the backdrop to this article which I have been intending to write for some time. I have finally been nudged into action by seeing this web page. Readers are asked to comment on this question -
“What does the bible say about hypnosis? My sister is involved in this and I’m not sure what to tell her when she talks to me about it. I don’t think it’s right but can’t find anything to support my answers.”
I must say that there are a huge range of answers and pleased to see many totally sensible and informed answers – however there are several negative responses and I personally know people with similar views. Here are a couple of typical answers from that blog.
“I know that the Bible tells to be sober minded and watchful for we do not know when the master cometh. Hypnosis is an alterted state of conscousness so that it is not ‘sober minded’. In fact it would be considered worse than drunk or on a drug because you do not remember anything after hypnotized and are completely unaware and subject to your environment when under its influence.”
OR – how about this response.
“Please tell your sister that is demonic, no matter how medical it looks. We should never allow someone to take control of our minds like that it’s dangerous, and puts a person in a helpless ,vulnable condition for demons to enter. Only God should take over our minds”
Take control of our minds – What utter uninformed nonsense. I wonder if this person knows the first darned thing about the subject.
Thank goodness though that there were many comments – indeed some from Christian hypnotherapists – making it clear that it is not about mind control.
Here are a couple:
“NOT TRUE. The hypnotist does NOT have control of you, they CAN NOT make you do any thing you wouldn’t normally do. Naturally we enter that state many times during every day. All I see here is ignorance. God doesn’t administer meds, so is that wrong too? God doesn’t fix broken bodies that cant conceive , so is IVF a sin too? We are given tools to HELP OURSELVES and so long as they are used for good not evil then there is no sin. In my mind, NOT helping yourself to become a better person is a sin.”
and another
“I am a Christian hypnotherapist. Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state, commonly experienced on a daily basis when we lose awareness of surrounding distractions. We all enter the hypnotic state just before we fall asleep at night, & again just before awakening in the morning. Other forms of hypnosis include daydreaming, becoming engrossed in a book, movie, or sport. While in hypnosis, the subconscious mind will not allow a person to do or say anything against their moral or ethical beliefs.”
The problem is that these perceptions are there partly as a result of the way hypnosis is written about in the media and most of the journalistic comment is based on opinions formed from watching stage hypnotists in action. You are given the illusion by watching people acting abnormally on stage that the hypnotist does have control of their minds. Not true in fact – but that is another discussion.
Clinical hypnotherapists do have a problem explaining all this and most of them have an explanatory section on their websites.
Adam is no exception.
Hypnosis is very different to what you may have learned from the TV it really can’t make you do anything you don’t want to. Hear me dispel some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding hypnosis and explain the phenomena of stage hypnosis
I have plenty more to say on this topic as I don’t want to continue to be on the defensive about it. I want a reference point that I can just send any of the vocal critics of my work.
(Continued…..)
Technorati Tags: Christians, Hypnosis, Misconceptions, Religion, self-hypnosis
About Keith Watson
Hi - I am Keith Watson.
This blog is dedicated to Banger - a teacher from my teenage years who - at least once a week - insisted upon cracking the hilarious - and I have to say - never heard before line "What's on Watson?".
I would smile demurely - the rest of the class would fall about with sides aching - and life would go on for another week.
'Wats-on My Mind' I have decided will assist me personally as well as be of interest to others (I hope) who share my challenges. It will help keep me organised and document my activities so that I know what I did yesterday.
You think I am joking!!
I have been in the website development game since 1993 and have been involved with over 2000 website builds (with the help of my fantastic team of freelance programmers)
It was only in the last two years though that I have moved over to making money for myself on line and in particular linking up with an amazing talent called Adam Eason to produce and distribute self help and hypnotherapy products.
As a result of looking to promote these products I have downloaded hundreds of internet marketing articles and e-books, studied countless reports, tested list building tactics, butterflied, boot-camped, buzzed, adsensed, affiliated, met a jerk, jv'ed, plr given-awayed, and generally suffered from information overload.
My computer - presumably in a fit of pique or simply demanding a holiday has given up the ghost on at least two occassions - causing me even more stress.
Oh this simple business of making money online.
BUT the great news is that it is all working and our list has grown - I have found some gurus I have complete faith in - and Adam and I are actually making money from our endeavours.
Some way to go but I am more relaxed and can spot a phoney over hyped, sexed up, must have latest product which you must either buy or if not, simply fade into oblivion. There’s not room on this Internet for the two of us.
This ramble of an introduction is really to set the scene for I am sure an interesting journey which I invite you to join. In fact I want you to help me find the right tools, scripts, plugins etc. etc, that will catapult me into the stratosphere of success. I hope you will be there with me.
I don't just consider success in a monetary sense. I so want to help some friends of mine who are involved in Christian missionary work in some pretty harrowing parts of this world. If I can bring any help to their missions that will give me more satisfaction than anything else.
I really, really do love this web stuff and the people you meet. I am convinced that this powerful technology can be harnessed to do some good.
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