This article picks up the discussion of my recently-published article “Shrewd as Snakes: The Christian and the Psychopath.” In this article, I will begin with two intriguing quotes from John Henry Browne, the attorney who defended notorious serial killer and clinical psychopath Ted Bundy: “Ted was the only person in my forty years of being […]
psychopath
Why “The Wolf of Wall Street” is an evil, despicable film
I haven’t watched Martin Scorsese’s new film “The Wolf of Wall Street”. Nor do I intend to. Consequently, you might think it a bit presumptuous of me to opine — and with such moralizing forcefulness! — on a film I haven’t yet watched. What gives? Well let’s start with the premise. The film stars Leonardo […]
Puppeteer and predator, cannibal and … Christian?
This is an absolutely crazy story which ranks up there for grotesque creepiness with John Wayne Gacy Jr., the community clown cum serial killer. The story concerns Ronald Brown, a popular puppeteer at various Christian churches, camps and on TV. While serving the Lord in various capacities, Brown spent his spare time fantasizing about torturing, raping, killing and eating young children. […]
Psychopaths in the pulpit and pew
Clifford Everybody knew Clifford. He was loud and brash but also had the ability to be charming, even mesmerizing. He had a criminal record longer than your arm, but he could also quote scripture like nobody’s business. The year was 1981 and Clifford was attending the same church in Surrey, British Columbia as “Dave”. (I […]
Why you need to know about psychopaths
Jerry Rivard asked why the interest in psychopaths. The initial catalyst was a new film I have yet to see: “We need to talk about Kevin” starring Tilda Swinton as the shattered mother of a psychopath who commits a massacre at his school. Extreme events like that narrated in the film are rare. But psychopaths […]
The psychopath’s condition: a truly tasteless analogy
If we are to think correctly about the challenge of psychopathy we should seek as close an analogy of the condition as we can to illumine it from the inside. Yesterday I considered the illustration of colorblindness. But as I have reflected on the inadequacies of that analogy it now seems to me that a […]
