Chapter — Slater, Cases I
Case 3. A Dangerous Advertisement
Caius, a young Catholic, reads in a Catholic newspaper a notice (advertisement) concerning a certain man who was prepared to teach hypnotism and similar things to all who paid the price. Caius wrote to the man and bought his book, in which the method of hypnotizing, of writing with a planchette, and so forth, was described. For the sake of curiosity, recreation, or acquiring knowledge, he began to hypnotize his brothers and sisters and to ask the planchette for messages concerning absent friends. Julius, his parish priest, found him occupied in this way one day when he was visiting the family, and, asking whence Caius had learned those things, heard what has been narrated above. Hence it is asked:
- What is divination, and what is its malice?
- Is it lawful to practice or to undergo hypnotism?
- What is to be said of the newspaper, of Caius, and of Julius in the case?
Divination is the express or tacit invocation of the devil to gain knowledge of the occult. We obtain knowledge lawfully by using natural means or by studying the revelation given by God. If we try to obtain knowledge of occult matters from the devil, we commit sin by associating ourselves with the enemy of God and of ourselves, an enemy who is certain to do us harm, and to whom we offer a sort of worship by attributing to him knowledge of the occult. Such communication with the devil is specially prohibited in Holy Scripture.1 By the very fact of employing means which are altogether incapable of themselves to give us the knowledge which we seek, we invite the intervention of the devil and tacitly invoke him.
- Is it allowed to exercise or to undergo hypnotism ?
Experts, for good cause, with proper precautions, may practise hypnotism as the Holy Office answered July 26, 1899. Under similar restrictions, therefore, one may undergo hypnotism. In other circumstances it is not lawful either to practise or to undergo it. It is obvious that it is not lawful for the purpose of divination, but neither is it lawful as a means of recreation, or for the sake of satisfying curiosity. At the lowest it is the induction of an abnormal state in which the nervous system is interfered with by one who is, as we suppose, no expert. Thus it is trifling with a very delicate machine and in a matter which is still mysterious to a great extent. There is considerable danger to morals while one person in a state of unconsciousness is to a great extent in the power of the hypnotizer. A rapport is established between the hypnotizer and the subject, which to a greater or less extent puts the latter in the power of the former.
- The case. From what has been said it is clear that the Catholic newspaper should not have admitted the advertisement offering to teach all who would pay for it how to hypnotize others and write with the planchette. Caius did wrong in buying the book, and in practising hypnotism on his sister and automatic writing out of curiosity, or for recreation, or to gain knowledge. He should devote himself to less objectionable means of gaining knowledge. Julius, the parish priest, who catches them at their game, should warn them and their parents of the danger of meddling with occult matters, and tell them to throw the book and the planchette into the fire.