From Belief to Conditioning: Unpacking the Hypnotic Dimensions of Religion and Baba Culture (Editorial)

In an age of unprecedented access to knowledge, religion remains one of the most powerful forces shaping human identity, morality, and meaning. At its finest, it provides psychological grounding, ethical direction, and communal belonging. Yet under certain conditions, faith can calcify into something resembling self-hypnosis, a state in which beliefs operate not through conscious reflection but through deep, automatic internalization. Understanding this phenomenon, its causes, consequences, and remedies, is essential for any society that values both spiritual vitality and intellectual integrity.