Author Topic: Psychopathy (Read 897 times)

Kephapaulos · « **on:** September 21, 2007, 07:50:14 PM »

Is there such as someone being "born evil"? Would that person be someone who simply would have a harder time fighting the fallen nature that we all inherit, or what?

Miss_Fluffy · « **Reply #1 on:** September 21, 2007, 10:25:49 PM »

I'll just say this, no matter how evil someone is/was. They can always repent and be saved within the last moments of life.

I'd say some folks definitely are dealt a harder hand. Doesn't make it any more difficult for them to find salvation.

Matthew · « **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2007, 10:59:48 PM »

I wouldn't say it isn't more difficult for some souls (being as you admitted they were dealt "a harder hand")

But I would say it's just as POSSIBLE. Because God gives the graces needed for salvation to each and every man. A corollary to this: No one is sent to Hell without justly deserving it. So every soul in Hell rejected God's grace at least once, but usually multiple times, as God is merciful and seldom sends a soul to Hell after the first mortal sin (though He is perfectly justified in doing so). But every damned soul rejected God's mercy that one last time -- the time that mattered, when God chose to judge the soul once and for all.

It's one of those mysteries of God why some people are given more graces than others. Only God is all-wise and all-good. In the face of such greatness, we can only humble ourselves and trust Him implicitly.

We should especially thank Him tomorrow morning, if we wake up alive. Waking up on earth means the "time of mercy" hasn't yet ended for us. We still have a chance to prove to God that we love Him, and that we want to labor and suffer for Him!

In Christ,

Matthew

maymar · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2007, 07:43:22 PM »

Scott Peck, a noted psychiatrist, wrote a book entitled PEOPLE of THE LIE. I don't recall if he believes they are BORN evil. Anyway, he posits the theory that there are people indeed who are simply evil--not just psychopaths, sociopaths, etc with horrid family background. He based this on his extensive work with such patients over the years. Some of the case histories will make our skin crawl. Scott Peck was not Catholic, although he worked closely with a Catholic priest and wrote of this in his final book regarding exorcisms. However, the former book is interesting regarding the subject your are asking about. I agree that God's grace and love is far greater than any evil and such people can truly repent and be save if they are sincere. Thus, such a repentance would be known to God and the person alone. Int his I'm thinking of prisoners who have committed heinous crimes, find God at the last minute and claim to be saved. It is between those epople and God to know the sincerity of the pardon of sin.
N.B. Peck is now deceased. Some of his ideas are not in line with Catholic thought, but his above mentioned book is worth checking out.
Pacem

Trinity · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2007, 08:26:32 PM »

I read that book several times. Notice that Peck called them "people of the LIE". Since God alone is truth, goodness and sanity, it stands to reason that those who have not God would not have truth, goodness or sanity. Somewhere I read that the flight from truth is the flight TO insanity. In this world you have liars, liars and more liars and it seems like what they say, do and think gets more outrageous and nonsensical all the time. I liked Peck's work until I read that he had never slept with one of his patients, but he would if he thought it would help them. However, I still think that he got it right about the people of the lie.

Trinity · « **Reply #5 on:** September 23, 2007, 08:29:17 PM »

Chant, the Bible says that we don't know (and can keep on living after) we have already crossed the line. St. Augustine was always afraid that he would miss that last time Jesus turned back to him.

maymar · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2007, 08:48:08 AM »

I have to agree with Trinity. God is unchanging, good, perfect, love and mercy. Neurosis by one definition is living a lie and psychosis is living that same lie to an extreme degree. Ever the optimist that I am, it seems that with much spiritual and psychological work such a person could change. It would definitely be difficult, but with the right inner motivation I do believe it could happen Probably it is rare. Such people simply do not see the errors of their ways and unfortunately without much of an inner conscience they feel comfortable as they are and hence see no need to change. However, nothing is impossible to God. Interesting isn't it to speculate on this!
Pacem.

Trinity · « **Reply #7 on:** September 24, 2007, 10:34:51 AM »

Interesting, but sad, sad, sad. All it would take is one heartfelt cry for mercy for many souls. Remember the Frenchman---can't recall which one, one of Voltaire's set---who wanted to make his confession before he died, but his friends hid him out so he couldn't. I've never been able to figure that one out. How could he have had a change of heart in the first place without God's grace, and how could he have been kept from the confessional without God's permission. I wonder if it was a case of his hell starting a bit early.

Kephapaulos · « **Reply #8 on:** September 24, 2007, 12:32:42 PM »

Actual grace can still dispose one to receive sanctifying grace from God. In the case of one who is hindered from making it to baptism or confession in time before death, there is still baptism of desire. There is also the case of a Jєω who tried to baptize himself because those he knew would not baptize him. He would have been saved by "the faith of the sacrament," although "not by the sacrament of faith." I am sort of quoting something from Denzinger there.

Trinity · « **Reply #9 on:** September 24, 2007, 12:56:44 PM »

So that means this very evil man was indeed saved? I hope so. I hope and pray that a lot more are saved than it appears to be. If only for God's sake, since we belong to Him thrice over, and this is such a rip off. But also for the soul's sake. Hell is unspeakably bad and the only one I would wish there is satan and his demons.