Christians: What *is* a sociopath, spiritually speaking?

Question

Is it someone who is *severely* demonized? Can a sociopath be healed?

I ask this because I have read statistics that seem to indicate that up to 4% of Americans are sociopaths. Just a note, in Asian countries and other places where individualism isn't so championed, the figure is closer to 1%.

Just for reference, from Webster's: a person, as a psychopathic personality, whose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience.

In other words, this is someone who enjoys controlling, manipulating, lying to and hurting other for its OWN sake and who feels *no* remorse in doing so. We often associate serial killers with sociopathy, and this is true, but *most* sociopaths are not violent or at least not killers.

Sociopaths *never* seek psychiatric help since they have no conscience and feel no need to do so. The only time they are ever studied is when they are in prison and the state mandates it.... continued ...

So here's my question: If a person feels *no* compulsion to repent of his wrongs or even thinks that he is doing anything wrong, and *never* seeks help, what is the prognosis?

I'm *not* saying that Jesus cannot heal a sociopath. Obviously, Jesus can heal anyone. But *does* He? They don't *want* help --- if anything, they think that those with consciences are the fools and that *we* need help.

Does anyone have a story of someone like this being genuinely emotionally and spiritually healed?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Psychologically speaking, the prognosis for improvement is very poor to non-existent. Unlike demonic possession, psychopathy/sociopathy has physiological and environmental roots. Clinical studies and FBI behavioural analysis have revealed some benchmarks that are indicative of psychopathy: early brain trauma, parental abuse, non-parental sexual and/or physical abuse, emotional trauma, maleness (unfortunately).....among others. Another well known indicator, often referred to as the "Homicidal Triad", is a combination of:

1) bed-wetting (often into adolescence);
2) animal or younger child cruelty/torture;
3) fire setting and an intense interest in fire.

That doesn't mean that every 13 yr. old who peed the bed, hit his little sister, and let off a fire cracker is destined to become another Jeffrey Dalmer!!!

And, as you have correctly noted, not all sociopaths are violent. Some are con artists who scam old folks out of their savings, or sell you an unsafe car.....they won't rape or murder anyone.

Demon possessed persons, on the other hand, normally have a previous disposition of goodness and normality. After all, Satan would much rather defile a Godly person that one who is intrinsically evil. However.....I digress. :)

This is a great discussion topic, but my fingers are tired, I can't see my keyboard too well, the tea is getting cold, and I still have to bury that body.....oops! (jk)

Good night all and God bless!

Answer 2

Spiritually speaking, you approach the subject of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. There is a point of no return but I would not be so bold as to say what that point is exactly. I would reserve hope for anyone who might possibly come to their senses and seek help. There are obviously those however who would succumb totally to evil and in effect experience a complete reversal of conscience. In this paradigm, the person would count anything good, pure or holy as profane and likewise would count brutality, deception and betrayal as signs of strength and power. Love would then be a sign of weakness to be exploited. Within this frame of mind the individual shifts from being deceived to becoming a deceiver in that they believe that truth in and of itself is a lie and must be opposed, even violently opposed if need be.

A person so deceived could only be reached by someone who could fearlessly penetrate the thick web of lies and deceit around such a person to reach their conscience if indeed they still have one.

Answer 3

There is a vast difference between being a hermit and a sociopath. People who are sociopaths usually have an absence of any kind of emotion, they are extremely superficial, impulsive, manipulative and have poor behavior controls. Just because someone chooses to take themselves out of society and be a hermit does not make them a sociopath.

Answer 4

Well, unfortunately sociopaths do exist in society.

Can they be healed? Yes they can. And they can come to a realization of their illness. This is possible through treatment.

I do not have an example of a sociopath being completely healed.

I do not think that all sociopaths are demon possessed. In fact I would say very very few are. Demon possession is real and very scary. I actually just had a friend who had a friend who had a daughter who had a friend (LoL) who experienced real demon possession. The doctors labeled him schizophrenic but they could not explain his strength capabilities or his miracles knowledge of Arabic through any science.

Answer 5

Jesus can heal anyone including sociopaths. Unless I'm called to do something in a sociopath's life, I'm keeping my distance. They have a severed conscience and are very dangerous! If they happen to be in power like a demented dictator they need to be removed. Manuel Noriega was saved in prison while Saddam and Hitler weren't. It's up to God whom to save and whom not to.

Answer 6

Being a sociopath has nothing to do with one's soul. It's all in the head and genetic code, some can be cured, most can't. There's a difference between sociopaths and just plain evil people.
Having a mental problem doesn't hurt your soul, but feeling gratification from hurting others does.

Answer 7

Biblically speaking--the sociopath can be found in the scriptures!

Look under conscience and heart.

The conscience can be seared!

We can pray for restoration of the conscience. We can pray for the hardened heart to be softened.

Here are some references:

God gave man a conscience:

Romans 2:14-15, "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another)"

1 Corinthian 8 shows us we can have a weak or strong conscience.

This shows the importance of the conscience in the Christian faith:

1 Timothy 1:19, "Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:"

We can have a pure conscience:

1 Timothy 3:9, "Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience."

Read this entire passage in context:

A person can have a seared conscience:

1 Timothy 4:2, "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"

A conscience can be defiled:

Titus 1:15, "Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled."

A conscience can be evil:

Hebrews 10:22, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

We can purge our conscience from dead works:

Hebrews 9:14, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

A person who is dead in their sins, who is the walking dead--spiritually, emotionally and whose conscience is dead can be made alive again--they can wake up--they can experience the second birth!

Luke 1:37, "For with God nothing shall be impossible."

Intercessory prayer is necessary for such a person to wake up or God's sovereign work alone. It is a miracle when it happens but it can and does happen.

When is the last time someone told you to pray over your conscience?

Here's an example of such a prayer:

Father in Heaven,

I just thank You for Your Word. That in it is all the truth we need. That we can find our answers in Your word. Lord, I just ask that You help all of us to fill our deep spiritual hunger with Your scriptures. That we may drink the milk and eat the meat of the Word and grow up into matured Christians.

Lord, I just ask that You cleanse and purify my conscience. Whenever I relied on works instead of your grace I pray for forgiveness and ask that You completely restore and heal my conscience from dead works.
Lord, I ask that You strengthen my conscience through your grace.
Lord, if there be any seared, evil or defiled conscience in me I ask that you totally and completely restore and heal my conscience. I seek forgiveness for accepting the conscience of the World and ask that You place in me a conscience based on the Your Word.

Father, I ask that You help me to have the kind of heart that You want me to have--one that is not hardened to the things of God, one that is alive and awake and softened. Help to cleanse my heart and mind so I may walk stedfast in you always.

In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen.


James 4:8, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."

Answer 8

sociopaths are incapable of loving while they are sociopaths, but it is possible through much soul searching and guidence, for a sociopath to change.

Answer 9

You're asking for a religious reaction to a psychiatric condition. Apples and oranges.