Suggestion as a Method of Linguistic Manipulation in Religious Discourse

Abstract

The research featured suggestive potential of religious discourse. The authors interpret suggestion as an effective tool that allows its users to plant an idea or attitude into the mind of the recipient, the latter being unaware of the object of suggestion. The paper focuses on the problem of interaction between rational and emotional-subjective sides of communication. Suggestion is defined as a way of linguistic manipulation based on the sensory-associative sides of consciousness. The authors study the means and methods of linguistic manipulation of personal attitudes using religious texts as specific examples. The suggestion makes the recipient adopt and include new information in the existing system of views, thus leading to a certain transformation of the worldview, which changes the motivational basis of behavior and may trigger hostile intentions and extremist actions. Suggestive techniques make it possible to avoid legal punishment by disguising facts that can be used to prove the presence of conflict-generating elements in the discourse. Such texts are used to create a certain emotional state, thus facilitating motivation, further contacts, and formation of opinion.