Thegodthatfailed Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 What is up with the seemingly disproportionate conversion of serial/spree killers like Jeffery Dahmer,Ted Bundy,the Son of Sam,some of the Manson murders,etc. to the Xian faith. What is it about it that appeals to them? Is it the chance to wipe the slate clean in their minds of their terrible acts? Or maybe the blood sacrifice? Could it just be sick people attracted to a twisted ideology? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shyone Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 What is up with the seemingly disproportionate conversion of serial/spree killers like Jeffery Dahmer,Ted Bundy,the Son of Sam,some of the Manson murders,etc. to the Xian faith. What is it about it that appeals to them? Is it the chance to wipe the slate clean in their minds of their terrible acts? Or maybe the blood sacrifice? Could it just be sick people attracted to a twisted ideology? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. I have wondered this myself, but after considering the possibilities, I think it comes down to two things: 1. Almost everyone (9/10) is religious, and mostly Christian 2. Crazy people have less ablity to reason, and therefore are less likely to be atheists. So Crazy people (a very broad category) have twisted motives, tend to believe in the fantastic and would be more likely to incorporate religion into their overall pattern of aberrant thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiddlingAround Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Well...making a bit of a blanket assumption that most of these people are sociopaths... Since sociopaths have no conscience and cannot care about other people, their interactions come down to manipulation and control. Playing the role of a repentant sinner, and adopting the dominant religion of the nation, allows them to pull emotional strings, even become something of a poster child for the saving power of Jesus. It's a game to them. Much as I dislike Xtian ideology, I don't think that it's really to blame in this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ameen Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 What does a life in jail offer someone? The same thing horrible conditions day in day out until you die. On the other hand, Christianity offers hope (albeit false hope, in my opinion) of something better in the next world. It also tells you that your crimes are forgiven and that you are now blameless. I may be wrong, but I think Islam gains more U.S. prison converts than Christianity. Here is an interesting article about how one out of ten incarcerated men in the U.S. become Muslim--and what some of the dangers are: http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090201/NEWS01/702019905&news01ad=1 Finally, I cannot forget the scene in A Clockwork Orange where Alex is drawn to Christianity while in prison and has fantasies about being a Roman soldier whipping Christ on the way to crucifiction. Violence breeds violence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godlessgrrl Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 I'm with FiddlingAround on this one. I think conversion is just a tool sociopaths can use to manipulate people. Anybody ever seen Ted Bundy's final interview before he was executed? Uberfundy James Dobson was the interviewer. I can remember watching portions of it and getting this creepy feeling that Bundy was playing Dobson like a violin, feeding him just the sort of anti-porn, repentant sinner crap Dobson wanted to hear. If there was any real "conversion" involved there, it was only a means to some self-absorbed end. Just an opinion though. I could be full of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thegodthatfailed Posted September 6, 2009 Author Share Posted September 6, 2009 Yes,it could be lack of sincerity and manipulation on the part of sociopaths,gwenmead, but I think that a lot of them are drawn to it for some reason. Much as I dislike Xtian ideology, I don't think that it's really to blame in this case. No,I wasn't trying to lay the blame on Xianity for sociopathic killers. Just thought that it was interesting that so many turn to it after their "careers" are over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted September 6, 2009 Super Moderator Share Posted September 6, 2009 Sounds to me like Fiddling nailed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shyone Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Yes,it could be lack of sincerity and manipulation on the part of sociopaths,gwenmead, but I think that a lot of them are drawn to it for some reason. Much as I dislike Xtian ideology, I don't think that it's really to blame in this case. No,I wasn't trying to lay the blame on Xianity for sociopathic killers. Just thought that it was interesting that so many turn to it after their "careers" are over. For the sociiopathic serial killer, their "conversion" could simply be manipulation post hoc. I was thinking of Mass Murderers who are generally religious and frequently have religious motivations for their crimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thegodthatfailed Posted September 6, 2009 Author Share Posted September 6, 2009 What does a life in jail offer someone? The same thing horrible conditions day in day out until you die. On the other hand, Christianity offers hope (albeit false hope, in my opinion) of something better in the next world. It also tells you that your crimes are forgiven and that you are now blameless. I may be wrong, but I think Islam gains more U.S. prison converts than Christianity. Here is an interesting article about how one out of ten incarcerated men in the U.S. become Muslim--and what some of the dangers are: http://www.heraldnet...9905&news01ad=1 Finally, I cannot forget the scene in A Clockwork Orange where Alex is drawn to Christianity while in prison and has fantasies about being a Roman soldier whipping Christ on the way to crucifiction. Violence breeds violence. Yes,there is the pie in the sky afterlife motivation that I am sure some of them would find attractive,since they essentially ended their's through their crimes. Very powerful motivator, I think. I'll have to watch "A Clockwork Orange" someday. Stanley Kubrick was a great filmmaker! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skiergirl24 Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 What is up with the seemingly disproportionate conversion of serial/spree killers like Jeffery Dahmer,Ted Bundy,the Son of Sam,some of the Manson murders,etc. to the Xian faith. What is it about it that appeals to them? Is it the chance to wipe the slate clean in their minds of their terrible acts? Or maybe the blood sacrifice? Could it just be sick people attracted to a twisted ideology? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. I think it is a total copout. Once in jail they are bombarded with Jesus freaks who tell them they can turn their lives around and these nutters play along with the game, claiming they are "reformed" hahhaha. Watch Dr. Dobson's interview with Bundy. This was weeks after he refused to tell the parents of a 12 year old where he stashed her mutilated corpse. Nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godlessgrrl Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Consider also that adopting a religious faith while in the joint tends to confer more privileges and sometimes greater social status and/or respect on an inmate. That's probably also a motivation at work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ameen Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Consider also that adopting a religious faith while in the joint tends to confer more privileges and sometimes greater social status and/or respect on an inmate. That's probably also a motivation at work. Many North Koreans get out of their country by adopting Christianity and then allowing missionaries to transport them to South Korea. Only a handful remain Christian in South Korea, though--this despite South Korea's being one of the most heavily Christian countries in Asia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agnosticator Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 I'm with FiddlingAround on this one. I think conversion is just a tool sociopaths can use to manipulate people. I agree. Anybody ever seen Ted Bundy's final interview before he was executed? Uberfundy James Dobson was the interviewer. I can remember watching portions of it and getting this creepy feeling that Bundy was playing Dobson like a violin, feeding him just the sort of anti-porn, repentant sinner crap Dobson wanted to hear. If there was any real "conversion" involved there, it was only a means to some self-absorbed end. Just an opinion though. I could be full of it. I saw it. You are totally right in your assessment. Dobson was (and still is) a chump with an agenda to prove that christianity changes vile people into lambs. He didn't really care about the victims family's sufferings, and neither did Bundy. Skiergirl24 proved that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thegodthatfailed Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share Posted September 7, 2009 I saw it. You are totally right in your assessment. Dobson was (and still is) a chump with an agenda to prove that christianity changes vile people into lambs. He didn't really care about the victims family's sufferings, and neither did Bundy. Skiergirl24 proved that. I saw an interview with Jeffery Dahmer where he said that even though he was then a Xian, he didn't know if he could trust himself not to kill and eat people if he were released. A lot of good finding Christ did him. Vile people seldom change,as well as good people usually don't turn into monsters,no matter their religion or lack thereof. And I wonder if Mr.,(oops)Dr.Dobson would have liked to have lived next to Ted Bundy or any of the other wonderful psychos for Christ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shyone Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 I saw an interview with Jeffery Dahmer where he said that even though he was then a Xian, he didn't know if he could trust himself not to kill and eat people if he were released. A lot of good finding Christ did him. He wasn't a True ChristianTM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpheliaGinger Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I'm with FiddlingAround on this one. I think conversion is just a tool sociopaths can use to manipulate people. Anybody ever seen Ted Bundy's final interview before he was executed? Uberfundy James Dobson was the interviewer. I can remember watching portions of it and getting this creepy feeling that Bundy was playing Dobson like a violin, feeding him just the sort of anti-porn, repentant sinner crap Dobson wanted to hear. If there was any real "conversion" involved there, it was only a means to some self-absorbed end. Just an opinion though. I could be full of it. Sociopaths revel in knowing that they can manipulate people, and I would not doubt that Dobson had the wool pulled over his eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts