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It appears everybody you meet today is a self-proclaimed psychologist. From radio discuss exhibits, tv interviews, romance novels, weekly magazines, to cliques at work; everyone has an opinion on the most recent “psychological sickness.” I used to be first launched to sensible psychology once I joined the USA Air Power in 1970. It was anticipated that Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) would develop into counselors to their subordinates. Career army training devoted total chapters and lectures on non-directive or eclectic counseling methods. Maslow’s hierarchy of wants was drilled into our heads. We had been sternly warned to keep away from any point out of religion, however as an alternative to make ample use of psychological methods.
Paul Vitz in his book “Psychology as religion” makes an attempt to show psychology for what it truly is, i.e., religion. He begins by giving the reader a quick biography on the fathers of the fashionable psychology motion together with a few of their theories. The opening chapter was dry studying however I suppose mandatory as a historic backdrop. My curiosity peaked once I instantly acknowledged Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow since I used to be compelled to review them for 26 years whereas within the army. Vitz additionally discusses Carl Jung, Erich Fromn, and Rollo Might as being important contributors to the motion.
Vitz rapidly transitions into explaining the idea of shallowness which he promotes as the middle of all the selfism motion. This grew to become necessary to me because it appears regardless of the place you flip, an absence of or poor shallowness seems to be the reason for each ailing recognized to mankind. For a motion to be so widespread to the purpose the place psychology has been woven into the gospel message, Vitz says that the conceit idea has “no clear mental origins.” That is a stunning declare contemplating the impression selfism has had on academia and the observe of counseling.
Vitz states that shallowness must be understood as an emotional response and never a trigger. He says it’s a response to what we’ve carried out and what others have carried out to us. Excessive shallowness is a fascinating feeling to have (like happiness), however the feeling itself is not the reason for something. In making an attempt to acquire a sense of shallowness, the one profitable means is to do good to others or accomplish one thing. In so doing, you will get all the conceit you need. Nevertheless, the draw back is folks start to pursue happiness as a far better purpose than the purpose of acquiring private holiness.
Not solely is selfism a self-defeating purpose for the Christian, Vitz goes on to make the case that it’s also merely dangerous science and a warped philosophy. The little medical proof that does exist is generally based mostly on empirical observations and does not stand the check of stable scientific drawback fixing. He exposes flaws in every step of the method, from stating the issue, forming and testing the speculation, to testing the conclusion. He additionally identifies a number of philosophical contradictions and in some circumstances, precise misrepresentations. The unfold of this dangerous science and defective philosophy is believed by the creator to have contributed to the destruction of households. Moreover, all the restoration group mentality convinces the particular person with “low shallowness” that their ills are resulting from trauma inflicted on them up to now. Restoration group remedy strokes the affected person with self-pity thereby convincing the shoppers are victims. As soon as labeled, the “sufferer” now assumes the perspective of victimhood.
Values clarification has develop into the mannequin taught in faculties and begins with the idea that man is of course good. For the reason that builders of values clarification reject ethical teachings, Vitz claims that if accountable adults, i.e., academics, do not promote good values then another person will. Offering a permissive atmosphere supposedly nourishes the kid by granting satisfaction for the kid’s wishes and pursuits. Nevertheless, this philosophy is bankrupt as a result of children will assume the values of irresponsible sources in lieu of accountable ones. This mixed with the aforementioned teachings has produced a society of victims the place everyone seems to be pointing accountable another person for his or her misfortunes.
Vitz takes three chapters to current a Christian evaluation and criticism of humanistic self-theories. He offers the credit score to our academic system for the transformation of our society right into a tradition of pure selfism. He notes that the New Age motion has many founders, however Abraham Maslow’s theories have been probably the most influential. Vitz argues his Christian critique inside a historic framework and the impression it has had on the evolution of our society. Sadly he offers scant consideration to biblical references for his place, however does present how the selfism heresy impacts teachings on despair, idolatry, and struggling. He closes his work with the statement, “by no means have so many individuals been so self-conscious, so conscious of the self as one thing to be expressed…., the self has develop into an object to itself.” (I feel this will make the case that shallowness has develop into a brand new barometric indicator to the query everybody asks, “How are you doing right now?”)
General, Vitz’s book makes use of a cerebral strategy in trying to show that self-worship is solely a religion. Biblical counselors searching for materials to assist their counselees break freed from a egocentric worldview of life will probably be disenchanted. Then once more, Vitz did not write his book for that goal. Furthermore, he gives a wealth of knowledge and a refreshing argument in opposition to those that say, “You may’t educate religion in public faculties.” This leaves the reader with an irony: it isn’t a query of ought to we or ought to we not educate religion in public faculties, however as an alternative, what religion will we educate; selfism or Christianity?
