Convincing a Psychopath with Religion(s)

[ThinkingSapien]

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) is characterized by “…a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood.” People with this condition are known for engaging in behaviours that most of us would find immoral. For those that don’t have a DSM manual handy here are some of the characteristics from Wikipedia (page here).
Wikipedia.org:

1. 
   *]failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest;
   *]deception, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure;
   *]impulsiveness or failure to plan ahead;
   *]irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults;
   *]reckless disregard for safety of self or others;
   *]consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations;
   *]lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another;

1. 
   There’s also indications that such a person may totally lack a sense of empathy. The person may be able to predict a typical response that a person may have to an interaction the person may not be able to relate to it. When being treated such a person may imitate making progress to accelerate getting out of treatment but may not be making actual internal changes. So treating them can be difficult.
   
   Within these forums and else where I’ve often heard stated that people with behaviours that in my opinion seem to match those of a person with ASPD are not likely to be convinced by secular arguments. I’m not inclined to disagree with that. But I wonder whether religiously inspired techniques would show to be more effective or if such individuals are hard to treat in general. I’ve not yet found information on this yet, so I want to see if any one had any thoughts.

 

[Petersmate]

My ex wife was one of these. She had an amazing way of impressing people when she first met them as she did with me but once your married to them and living with them the scary truth comes out. She was moral in that she never stole anything and she never accepted Church teaching on issues of love ( which she is totally incapable of experiencing ) contraception, homosexuality etc. I just simply could not reason with her.

 

[Waiting]

A sick mind is not capable of rationally facing personal faults and making a change due to repentance. Prayer, alone, can help.

 

[ThinkingSapien]

A sick mind is not capable of rationally facing personal faults and making a change due to repentance.

That’s compatible with what I was think. I don’t even think such a person would be convinced that he is at fault.

Prayer, alone, can help.

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

My ex wife was one of these. She had an amazing way of impressing people when she first met them as she did with me but once your married to them and living with them the scary truth comes out.

I’ve heard of experiences similar to this. I’ve got a friend whose ex-husband had neurological and personality disorders. He had learned to be an expert at hiding them and shaping the perception that others had of him. After they were married the real him came out. I didn’t believe some of her claims on him until I got to see them myself. He’s quite deceptive and antagonistic but it largely goes unnoticed.

 

[ASimon]

Within these forums and else where I’ve often heard stated that people with behaviours that in my opinion seem to match those of a person with ASPD are not likely to be convinced by secular arguments. I’m not inclined to disagree with that. But I wonder whether religiously inspired techniques would show to be more effective or if such individuals are hard to treat in general. I’ve not yet found information on this yet, so I want to see if any one had any thoughts.

It’s difficult to say. On one hand, if you could convince a psychopath that Hell actually exists, and that eternal punishment awaits him/her if they don’t straighten up and fly right, then it would seem to me that such change would be possible, at least in principle. One thing that we notice about psychopaths is that not even they would want to live in a world populated by no one but psychopaths.

In practice, there’s another factor to be considered. And that is that psychopaths typically show a marked lack of a fear response to dangerous situations. I don’t know how you convince such a person they be avoiding eternal torment, if internally, they don’t recognize eternal torment as any sort of threat.

 

[ThinkingSapien]

It’s difficult to say. On one hand, if you could convince a psychopath that Hell actually exists, and that eternal punishment awaits him/her if they don’t straighten up and fly right, then it would seem to me that such change would be possible, at least in principle.

I was thinking the same but the interfering factor that stands out for me is that some number of people can be reliably found to act against their own advantage to satisfy some other interest.We see this in play in people without this personality disorder (ex: spending behaviours for some one in debt, eating behaviours for some one that wants to loose weight, and other scenarios where a little self imposed restriction would help). If such a person were convinced of hell this makes me wonder if that would be enough to alter behaviour just like a person convinced of the impact of an extra slice of cake may have on their desired weight may go ahead and eat the cake any way.

 

[Petersmate]

I was thinking the same but the interfering factor that stands out for me is that some number of people can be reliably found to act against their own advantage to satisfy some other interest.We see this in play in people without this personality disorder (ex: spending behaviours for some one in debt, eating behaviours for some one that wants to loose weight, and other scenarios where a little self imposed restriction would help). If such a person were convinced of hell this makes me wonder if that would be enough to alter behaviour just like a person convinced of the impact of an extra slice of cake may have on their desired weight may go ahead and eat the cake any way.

I think the only way someone can alter behaviour is by acknowledging that there is a problem.Most Psychopath think everyone else has the problem. Mind you it may be possible that a good quality therapist could help them.