3227. It was shown also how the minds of others are kept bound up by such spirits, for when such a spirit is engrossed in his conviction, thinking there is nothing of evil in it, as those do who are in Gehenna, then all perception perishes of those opposing goods and truths, which are almost snuffed out, so that the upright spirit then thinks he is also like that. In this way the conviction of one is able to bind up another, so as to persuade the other that he is the same.
3227. It was also shown how the minds of others are held bound [chained] by the like; for when he is such in his persuasion as to regard nothing as evil, like they who [are] in Gehenna, then perishes all perception of those things which are opposed to the good and true, which are, as it were, destroyed [extincta], so that then the spirit also thinks himself to be of such a nature. The persuasion of one can thus bind another, and induce, as it were, that he should be similar.
3227. Ostensum quoque, quomodo tenentur a similibus vincti aliorum animi, dum enim talis in persuasione sua est, ut putet nihil mali [esse], sicut qui in Gehenna, tunc perit omnis perceptio eorum quae opposita bona et vera sunt, quae quasi exstincta sunt, ita ut tunc spiritus [probus] putet se talem quoque esse; persuasio alius ita vincire potest alterum, et inducere quasi similis esset.