Another Discernment Fail: BYU Law Hires Sociopath

[_Equality]

A recent article in Psychology Today has made some waves. It is written by a self-described sociopath. The author is a faithful Mormon who describes the church as the perfect organization for a sociopath. Here is a link to the article:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201305/confessions-sociopath

It's actually an interesting read, even without the Mormon connection. Recently, the author went on Dr. Phil (anonymously). But she gave so many details of her life away that she was fairly quickly identified as one Jamie R. Lund, who most recently taught at St. Mary's Law School in Texas. See here.

Well, it seems that the Spirit was asleep at the switch again. Of all the qualified candidates for a position at BYU Law School (I assure you the market for law teaching jobs is incredibly competitive--there were likely hundreds of candidates, even for a position at BYU, which requires even non-Mormons to keep the so-called Honor Code, including the prohibition on coffee and tea), the inspired leaders of that fine institution landed upon a confessed sociopath as the one to hire. Or maybe sociopathy is a trait that Mormon God prefers in the people who teach at the Lord's University?

Edited to add: The Orwellians strike again. BYU used to have a video presentation from Professor Lund up on their web site. It has quickly been dispatched down the memory hole: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:PtdyIxK2rEAJ:https://www.law.byu.edu/Law_School/Recordings+&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

[_Chap]

What Is Evil, Really?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a sociopath's dream. Mormons believe that everyone has the potential to be godlike—I believe this includes me. Every being is capable of salvation; my actions are what matters, not my ruthless thoughts, not my nefarious motivations. Everyone is a sinner, and I never felt that I was outside this norm.

When I attended Brigham Young—where students were even more trusting than the average Mormon—there were myriad opportunities for scamming. I stole from the lost and found, saying I lost a book, but then I would take the "found" book to the bookstore and sell it. Or, I'd take an unlocked bike that sat in the same place for days. Finders, keepers.

But I am functionally a good person—I bought a house for my closest friend, I gave my brother $10,000, and I am considered a helpful professor. I love my family and friends. Yet I am not motivated or constrained by the same things that most good people are.

I don't mean to give the impression that you shouldn't worry about sociopaths. Just because I'm high-functioning and nonviolent doesn't mean there aren't a lot of stupid, uninhibited, or dangerous sociopaths out there. I myself try to escape people like that; after all, it's not like all sociopaths give each other hall passes to avoid harassment.

Despite having imagined it many times, I've never slit anyone's throat. I wonder, though, had I been raised in a more abusive home, whether I would have blood on my hands. People who commit heinous crimes—sociopath or empath—are not more damaged than everyone else, but they seem to have less to lose. It's easy to imagine a 16-year-old version of myself being handcuffed in an orange jumpsuit. If I had no one to love or nothing to achieve, perhaps. It's hard to say.

Diagnosed sociopath M.E. Thomas is an author, law professor, and founder of sociopathworld.com.

God Almighty ...


Actually that was meant as a meaningless exclamation expressive of shock and horror (read the whole article). But now I look at it again, my little burst of blasphemy seems quite tellingly apt.

[_Everybody Wang Chung]

When I attended Brigham Young—where students were even more trusting than the average Mormon—there were myriad opportunities for scamming. I stole from the lost and found, saying I lost a book, but then I would take the "found" book to the bookstore and sell it. Or, I'd take an unlocked bike that sat in the same place for days. Finders, keepers.

This disclosure alone would make it very difficult for one to be licensed to practice law, especially in Utah. The other disturbing disclosures she makes would make it impossible.

I guess teaching at BYU is a good fit. Maybe someone can introduce her to DCP, Hamshanks and Gee.

[_Some Schmo]

When I attended Brigham Young—where students were even more trusting than the average Mormon—there were myriad opportunities for scamming. I stole from the lost and found, saying I lost a book, but then I would take the "found" book to the bookstore and sell it. Or, I'd take an unlocked bike that sat in the same place for days. Finders, keepers.

This disclosure alone would make it very difficult for one to be licensed to practice law, especially in Utah. The other disturbing disclosures she makes would make it impossible.

I guess teaching at BYU is a good fit. Maybe someone can introduce her to DCP, Hamshanks and Gee.

I think it really was DCP. He changed his sex to female and his looks to good in the article to protect himself.

[_3sheets2thewind]

I wonder, though, had I been raised in a more abusive home,...

"more abusive"? Is this an indictation that she considers her home life abusive?

[_bcuzbcuz]

A recent article in Psychology Today has made some waves. It is written by a self-described sociopath. The author is a faithful Mormon who describes the church as the perfect organization for a sociopath. Here is a link to the article:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201305/confessions-sociopath

It's actually an interesting read, even without the Mormon connection. Recently, the author went on Dr. Phil (anonymously). But she gave so many details of her life away that she was fairly quickly identified as one Jamie R. Lund, who most recently taught at St. Mary's Law School in Texas. See here.

Well, it seems that the Spirit was asleep at the switch again. Of all the qualified candidates for a position at BYU Law School (I assure you the market for law teaching jobs is incredibly competitive--there were likely hundreds of candidates, even for a position at BYU, which requires even non-Mormons to keep the so-called Honor Code, including the prohibition on coffee and tea), the inspired leaders of that fine institution landed upon a confessed sociopath as the one to hire. Or maybe sociopathy is a trait that Mormon God prefers in the people who teach at the Lord's University?

Edited to add: The Orwellians strike again. BYU used to have a video presentation from Professor Lund up on their web site. It has quickly been dispatched down the memory hole: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:PtdyIxK2rEAJ:https://www.law.byu.edu/Law_School/Recordings+&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Scary reading. She really is a sociopath. Her internet site http://www.sociopathworld.com/ is frightening, as well as her need to "bare all".

But I do agree that sociopathy and Mormonism is a good fit.

[_Kishkumen]

Ha!

This lady's not a sociopath. She's a narcissist.

[_Bob Loblaw]

Ha!

This lady's not a sociopath. She's a narcissist.

She'll fit in just fine in a church that was founded by a narcissist.

[_DrW]

This is unbelievable. (One would normally be tempted to preface such a comment with "If true", but given the source, and the fact that BYU is involved, I am pretty sure it is true.)

For what it's worth, the referenced article in Psychology Today reinforced my longstanding low opinion of that magazine, as well. The PT "article" was on the level of a blog post as far as I am concerned, and not a great one at that.

[_Kishkumen]

Oh, you'd better believe it is true. My spouse, a law professor, learned about this some days ago and was hoping her identity would come out so that she (my wife) would not be asked about it. She had narrowed down the options (there are few) to Lund, and was curious about how BYU would handle the situation.

She concurs with me that Lund is probably a narcissist.