| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | exposes flaws in each step of the process, from |
| It seems everyone you meet these days is a | | | | stating the problem, forming and testing the |
| self-proclaimed psychologist. From radio talk shows, | | | | hypothesis, to testing the conclusion. He also |
| television interviews, romance novels, weekly | | | | identifies several philosophical contradictions and in |
| magazines, to cliques at work; everybody has an | | | | some cases, actual misrepresentations. The spread of |
| opinion on the latest mental illness. I was first | | | | this bad science and faulty philosophy is believed by |
| introduced to practical psychology when I joined the | | | | the author to have contributed to the destruction of |
| United States Air Force in 1970. It was expected that | | | | families. Additionally, the entire recovery group |
| Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) would become | | | | mentality convinces the person with low |
| counselors to their subordinates. Profession military | | | | self-esteem that their ills are due to trauma |
| education devoted entire chapters and lectures on | | | | inflicted on them in the past. Recovery group therapy |
| non-directive or eclectic counseling techniques. | | | | strokes the patient with self-pity thereby convincing |
| Maslow's hierarchy of needs was drilled into our | | | | the clients are victims. Once labeled, the victim |
| heads. We were sternly warned to avoid any | | | | now assumes the attitude of victimhood. |
| mention of religion, but instead to make ample use of | | | | Values clarification has become the model taught in |
| psychological techniques. | | | | schools and begins with the assumption that man is |
| Paul Vitz in his book Psychology as Religion | | | | naturally good. Since the developers of values |
| attempts to expose psychology for what it really is, | | | | clarification reject moral teachings, Vitz claims that if |
| i.e., religion. He begins by giving the reader a brief | | | | responsible adults, i.e., teachers, don’t promote |
| biography on the fathers of the modern psychology | | | | good values then someone else will. Providing a |
| movement along with some of their theories. The | | | | permissive environment supposedly nourishes the |
| opening chapter was dry reading but I suppose | | | | child by granting satisfaction for the child’s |
| necessary as a historical backdrop. My interest | | | | desires and interests. However, this philosophy is |
| peaked when I immediately recognized Carl Rogers | | | | bankrupt because kids will assume the values of |
| and Abraham Maslow since I was forced to study | | | | irresponsible sources in lieu of responsible ones. This |
| them for 26 years while in the military. Vitz also | | | | combined with the aforementioned teachings has |
| discusses Carl Jung, Erich Fromn, and Rollo May as | | | | produced a society of victims where everyone is |
| being significant contributors to the movement. | | | | pointing to blame someone else for their misfortunes. |
| Vitz quickly transitions into explaining the concept of | | | | Vitz takes three chapters to present a Christian |
| self-esteem which he promotes as the center of the | | | | analysis and criticism of humanistic self-theories. He |
| entire selfism movement. This became important to | | | | gives the credit to our educational system for the |
| me as it seems no matter where you turn, a lack of | | | | transformation of our society into a culture of pure |
| or poor self-esteem appears to be the cause of | | | | selfism. He notes that the New Age movement has |
| every ill known to mankind. For a movement to be | | | | many founders, but Abraham Maslow’s |
| so widespread to the point where psychology has | | | | theories have been the most influential. Vitz argues |
| been woven into the gospel message, Vitz says that | | | | his Christian critique within a historical framework and |
| the self-esteem concept has no clear intellectual | | | | the impact it has had on the evolution of our society. |
| origins. That’s a surprising claim considering | | | | Unfortunately he gives scant attention to biblical |
| the impact selfism has had on academia and the | | | | references for his position, but does show how the |
| practice of counseling. | | | | selfism heresy affects teachings on depression, |
| Vitz states that self-esteem should be understood as | | | | idolatry, and suffering. He closes his work with the |
| an emotional response and not a cause. He says it is | | | | observation, "never have so many people been so |
| a reaction to what we have done and what others | | | | self-conscious, so aware of the self as something to |
| have done to us. High self-esteem is a desirable | | | | be expressed...., the self has become an object to |
| feeling to have (like happiness), but the feeling itself | | | | itself." (I think this may make the case that |
| isn’t the cause of anything. In trying to obtain | | | | self-esteem has become a new barometric indicator |
| a feeling of self-esteem, the only successful way is | | | | to the question everyone asks, "How are you doing |
| to do good to others or accomplish something. In so | | | | today?") |
| doing, you’ll get all the self-esteem you want. | | | | Overall, Vitz's book uses a cerebral approach in |
| However, the downside is people begin to pursue | | | | attempting to prove that self-worship is simply a |
| happiness as a far greater goal than the goal of | | | | religion. Biblical counselors looking for material to help |
| obtaining personal holiness. | | | | their counselees break free of a selfish worldview of |
| Not only is selfism a self-defeating goal for the | | | | life will be disappointed. Then again, Vitz didn't write |
| Christian, Vitz goes on to make the case that it is | | | | his book for that purpose. Moreover, he provides a |
| also simply bad science and a warped philosophy. The | | | | wealth of information and a refreshing argument |
| little clinical evidence that does exist is mostly based | | | | against those who say, "You can't teach religion in |
| on empirical observations and doesn’t stand | | | | public schools. |
| the test of solid scientific problem solving. He | | | | |