Missionaria Protectiva
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The Missionaria Protectiva is an arm of the Bene Gesserit, a fictional organization in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.
The Missionaria Protectiva carry out "religious engineering" by spreading contrived myths, prophecies and superstition (collectively known as Panoplia Prophetica) among the populations of the Imperium. A Bene Gesserit may take advantage of the prophecies, casting herself as a guide, protector, or some other figure in fulfillment of the prophecy, in order to manipulate the religious subjects for protection or other purposes. These myths also exploit religion as a powerful force in human society; by controlling the particulars of religion, the Bene Gesserit have a manipulative lever on society in general.
One example of the myths of the Missionaria Protectiva is that of the messianic Mahdi. The Mahdi legend is planted only in the most inhospitable environments, where a Bene Gesserit might require maximum leverage.
In Dune, Paul Atreides and the Lady Jessica were able to make use of myths planted by the Missionaria Protectiva among the Fremen in order to find refuge after the Harkonnen/Imperial invasion of Arrakis and the fall of House Atreides. Paul's meteoric rise to power was greatly facilitated by his association with the Mahdi legend.
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