the question of sociopaths

[nuthajason]

first post and a big thanks to richard for this valuable resource. i have spent many enjoyble years crossing swords with my atheist friends (i seem to have an aweful lot of them) along these very lines and though God helped me answer every thrust with a parry i was neither qualified nor welll enough informed to put real weight behind my arguments. This website says a lot of what i have said in the past to my friends but with proper biblical and scientific references which must have taken an extraordinary amount of effort. So bless you Richard for all this work.

in this thread i just wanted to specifically address the question of sociopaths because i have never had this argument thrown at at me and i find it fascinating - but then i find all of this fascinating.
the page i refer to is:
http://godandscience.org/apologetics/so ... d_god.html

i think the answer - as so often is the case with God - is too complicated to be judged by a blanket statement: 'yes, sociopaths are going to hell or no, they aren't'. i think as humans we lack the capacity to make judgements on a case by case basis A) because there are too many cases, B) because each case is so very detailed and complicated C) because a lot of the evidence will be too subtle, detailed and impossible for us to collect store analyse and conclude; and D) as humans we are likely to be biased.

Only a being able to exsist outside the confines of time (could overcome A), a being with a perfect memory and unlimited intelligence (could overcome B), a being able to read the mind of the subject case and know and remember every thought and motivation and history that lead to the outcome behaviours in question (could overcome C) and a being with a benevolence and motivation based on true love (would not be biased) - only such a being would be able to judge if a sociopath was essentially innocent because they have a 'condition' or guilty because they chose to commit evil and leaned on their condition as an excuse. I know no human has this capacity, but God does.

So beyond sociopaths to all spectrums of the human condition - all who don't acknowldege Jesus are then putting themselves in line to be judged by God - but though risky, i beleive they are still in a better position than many think because God's judgement is perfect. it is just so much better to be saved in Jesus and be able to respond in this world and time than face God's potential wrath.

in my job i deal with a lot of people with diagnosed conditions and i know that some of them sometimes lean on their diagnosis when it suits them. but i am judging from an external human point of view and so i dare not act on what i suspect. 'do not judge others lest ye be judged' is good life advice but also a serious command.

j

[PaulSacramento]

How up-to-date is that research though?

[PaulSacramento]

http://www.livestrong.com/article/11600 ... sociopath/

[Danieltwotwenty]

One of my friends is a diagnosed socio-path, he became a Christian many years ago, he still struggles to find empathy, love, and a whole host of other issues but he does accept Christ as his saviour.


Dan

[Ivellious]

As with basically any mental condition, there is a huge range of what is considered a "sociopath." This can range from someone who simply has trouble feeling certain things or feels them less strongly than what is considered normal, to the more severe examples where someone is basically incapable of being a part of human societies because of their issues. It is important to keep this in mind, as the term "sociopath" does not actually describe every situation individually.

[ClassicalTeacher]

The human psyche is an enigma--at least for us humans that is. I think that sociopaths and/or psychopaths have varied causes for their condition. Many of them come from dysfunctional environments--but many do not--as in the case of Ted Bundy, Dennis Rader, and Jeffrey Dahmer. What pushes these folks over the edge into the dark abyss of obsession, delusion, and psychopathy? Who knows? Interestingly, John Wayne Gacy's family donated his brain to a scientist who wanted to know if there was some kind of link in the brain structure which caused this behavior. They found none. According to the physical attributes of his brain, he was "normal". Some in the mental health field think that there are "triggers" in each individual case that seems to be the impetus for them to embrace madness. I am not a psychologist. I believe a lot of it has to do with our environment which seems to be on a fast track to immorality and the acceptance--the "normalcy" of deviant behavior. We have, in the last 50 years, pushed God and Godly behaviors out of the way in an effort for more "freedom". But, what's happened is that instead of becoming free, we have become slaves to our passions.

Now, when you add that to the mix of an already aberrant mental/psychological state of mind, it then seems to give permission to explore that aberrant mental/psychological state of mind into the real world. I'm just guessing. It is interesting to note, too, that many serial killers seem to find God while incarcerated. Now, I'm not saying that this may not be true. God works in mysterious ways. But, perhaps the point might be that many of these individuals have never been exposed to God's love and mercy--or if they have, it was inconsistently taught--or flew in the face of the reality of their environments. Again, I am just guessing. I know that a life without God is like the properties of a vacuum--life is going to find something to replace that vacuum be it the gaining of wealth, power, recognition, or something else on the darker side. Nothing and no one will ever be able to fill that void satisfactorily. Only God can fill that void.

I don't know what the answers are, but I can think of one good place to start and that is in the public schools. Children today in public schools are like little science experiments to educrats today. The mission of education is no longer the gaining of knowledge and right living, but to brainwash our children with marxist-atheistic ideology--aka: moral relativism, nihilism, and secular humanism. Building their houses upon sand... Many children to attend public school already live in a dysfunctional family environment--public schools exacerbates this situation with feel good empty platitudes.

Anyway, I didn't mean to get on a rant about public education...

[Danieltwotwenty]

Interesting thoughts CT, I have thought similar things about psychopathic behaviour and agree with what you have written.

I agree that our secular schools provide no real moral teachings or even hope for that matter, it is a cold, dark and bleak existence.

Luckily I went to a Christian school in the primary years, some of the best years of my life, I felt loved and secure.

High school was at a public school, there was a complete lack of love and hope, I didn't like it at all and was probably the first stage of me turning from God for 15 years.

God help our children.