was joseph smith a sociopath?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ChristIsLord
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

ChristIsLord

Guest
open to debate i believe, it’s tough to tell now simply because too much time has gone by and we can’t confirm whether or not smith had some symptoms or others. however i believe he could be, his glib charm and charisma are well documented, he was an exceptional liar, had run ins with the law etc… the symptoms are below according to Hares checklist for sociopathy:

I’ve bolded the ones I believe Joseph Smith fits into very easily, some others are definitely possible but impossible to tell.

**Persistent lying or stealing
Superficial charm
Apparent lack of remorse or empathy; inability to care about hurting others **
**Inability to keep jobs or stay in school
Impulsivity and/or recklessness[4][5]
Lack of realistic, long-term goals – an inability or persistent failure to develop and execute long-term plans and goals
Inability to make or keep friends, or maintain relationships such as marriage **
Poor behavioral controls – expressions of irritability, annoyance, impatience, threats, **aggression, and verbal abuse; inadequate control of anger and temper
Narcissism, elevated self-appraisal or a sense of extreme entitlement **
A persistent agitated or depressed feeling (dysphoria)
A history of childhood conduct disorders
**Recurring difficulties with the law **
**Tendency to violate the boundaries and “rights” of others **
Substance abuse
Aggressive, often violent behavior; prone to getting involved in fights
Inability to tolerate boredom
**Disregard for the safety of self or others **
 
It might be best to ask someone who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons). Any other responses you may get would probably simply be whatever people have heard; some of which may be true and some may not be true. Whatever Joseph Smith did or did not do there is no doubt that the Church has grown and continues to grow.
 
I think he was a typical Capricorn. Paternalistic, used people, good at convincing people of his authority, loved woman, good storyteller, and definitely wanting to climb that mountain of success.
 
I am not sure that it is fair to even have this conversation. Most, if not all, of the personality disorders were defined during the 20th century based on an industrial nation. JS lived in the 19th century in a more rural culture.
 
Forensic psychiatry, when events are so far back, is a useless speculation.

I have no hesitation, however, in saying that he was a schizophrenic by the time of his death. I have serious reservations about any labels that imply some inherent personality disorder that caused him to do what he did.
 
ralphinal said:
What does that have to do with anything?

And no, he is not.
Click to expand...
No, he is not.

But What does the question “Is the pope the anti-christ” have to do with the topic of this thread?

It shows the true intent of the OP. As some very thoughtful people have written in it so far, it is not possible at this stage to diagnose Joseph Smith Jr. The question is not answerable in any scientific or psychological sense. The time was different, the culture was different, everything was different.

The only possible motive for posting such a question is to attack his character and the church, not to make any reasonable scientific or modern psychological assessment. There is no charity there, only attack.

So the response “Is the pope the anti-Christ?” is a very appropriate rejoinder; it is exactly THAT level of insult and attack that “was Joseph Smith a sociopath” occupies, and for the same reason.
 
dianaiad said:
No, he is not.

But What does the question “Is the pope the anti-christ” have to do with the topic of this thread?

It shows the true intent of the OP. As some very thoughtful people have written in it so far, it is not possible at this stage to diagnose Joseph Smith Jr. The question is not answerable in any scientific or psychological sense. The time was different, the culture was different, everything was different.

The only possible motive for posting such a question is to attack his character and the church, not to make any reasonable scientific or modern psychological assessment. There is no charity there, only attack.

So the response “Is the pope the anti-Christ?” is a very appropriate rejoinder; it is exactly THAT level of insult and attack that “was Joseph Smith a sociopath” occupies, and for the same reason.
Click to expand...
first off i’m not religious, i am under the impression that most self proclaimed prophets are most certainly sociopaths.

certainly we can take an educated guess as to whether or not people of the past were sociopaths or not. ghengis khan definite sociopath, caligula again sociopath. just because the markers for what is described today as sociopathy were developed in the 20th century doesn’t mean that the condition hasn’t been around for millenia. even the inuit indians have a term for it and it doesn’t get more “rural” and “different culture” than that. there way of dealing with them was to push them off an ice block into the freezing water as they were irredeemible. sociopathy spans every generation and every culture in the world, so the idea that we can’t ask ourselves if joseph smith were a sociopath because it was the 1800’s is total nonsene.

the markers listed above are the accepted marks of sociopathy, based on eye witness accounts and joseph smith’s own writings i’m fairly certain he was a sociopath. he clearly fits more than the requirement for sociopathy. one in 25 people in the west are sociopaths so it isn’t like i’m saying he was a deranged killer, simple a conscienceless sociopath.

i’m sure there have been plenty of popes in the past who were sociopaths too…
 
ChristIsLord said:
first off i’m not religious, i am under the impression that most self proclaimed prophets are most certainly sociopaths.
Click to expand...
And thus you confirm what I said about your intent.
ChristIsLord said:
certainly we can take an educated guess as to whether or not people of the past were sociopaths or not.
Click to expand...
Not when you have not only made up your mind, but have declared that you have made up your mind. (shrug) Here’s the deal: no reputable psychiatrist or psychologist has attempted to make a study like this, because quite frankly it’s not possible. Different times, different cultures, different rules.

Therefore someone who has already made up his mind that “most self-proclaimed prophets are most certainly sociopaths” a claim that in and of itself is ludicrous, certainly places your OP in the 'troll" class.

That being said, I’m going to stop feeding it. Have a nice weekend.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top