Deceptive Diagnosis

The book, Deceptive Diagnosis: When Sin is Calledis understandably disliked by the world. Moreover, what
Sickness, explores the major shift in how Christianis alarming and tragic is the opposition Christians have
evangelicals view and deal with sin. The authors, Dr.for the doctrine of sin. There was a time when sin
David Tyler and Dr. Kurt Grady, believe that thewas clear and definite. But who can say that is true
Church stopped calling sinful and deviant behavior "sin,"today? Vagueness characterizes what we think of sin.
and started calling it "sickness" beginning in the midSin is sin, but it is sickness too and Christians must
1960's. The sexual sinner Apostle Paul wrote aboutconsult the "experts" who are trained in detecting
became the sex addict. The thief became thethese things. There is no clarity of view, no definition of
kleptomaniac. The drunkard became the alcoholic. Theposition and the language is confused. In fact, any
rebellious child became afflicted with "Oppositionalattempt to recognize a clear distinction between sin
Defiant Disorder." A family in which the husband will notand sickness is branded as being anti-Christian and
work, the wife will not keep the home, and the childrenunloving. The apparent glory of Christianity today is in
will not obey is no longer considered sinful; it isits vagueness.
dysfunctional. The liar became a compulsive liar. TheTyler and Grady promote the case that labeling sin as
gambler became a compulsive gambler. The "deeds ofsickness is seen nowhere more clearly than in the
the flesh, which are immorality impurity, sensuality,fields of clinical psychology and psychiatry. From the
idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts ofworld's perspective, clinical psychology and psychiatry
anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying,are the answer to the mental and emotional problems
drunkenness, carousing" (Galatians 5:19-21) were allof man. The word "psychology" actually means "the
redefined using psychopathological words.study of the soul." Sigmund Freud, in what was lauded
Tyler and Grady believe the landscape ofas breakthrough scientific exploration, cast aside the
evangelicalism today is very disturbing. Christians havestudy of the soul and redefined psychology in terms of
jettisoned their commitment to the Bible and embracedhuman behavior. Freud placed practical theology in the
psychology. Biblical definitions and categories havecrosshairs of psychology through his underlying
changed and a new vocabulary has emerged withinpremise that man's problems are based in man and
the Church. Behaviors and attitudes once regarded asare solved through man and man alone. He knowingly
sinful have undergone a dramatic change. Sin is calledor unknowingly created a religion around man with
sickness and confessing sin has been replaced withtheories that are in direct opposition to God's word.
recovering from sickness. The word "sin" has nearlyToday's mental health industry is largely built upon
disappeared from our vocabulary. As such, the impactFreud; some 250 to 450 counseling theories are in
of the Gospel to a non-believer is less pronounced andpractice worldwide. They are either directly Freudian,
the need for progressive sanctification in the believer isbuilt from underlying Freudian philosophy or are built in
minimized. Although we try to make ourselves feelopposition to Freud
better by calling sin by another name, it is always there.In man's attempt to run from sin, he also reduced
It never fully goes away.man's lifespan thus sparing him from a miserable
"Deceptive Diagnosis" claims that in 1946 the federalexistence mired in sin. Since the Garden, man has
government took responsibility for promotingcontinued to run and hide from God, shift the blame for
American's mental health. Some of the initiativeshis behavior onto others, and cover his sin so no one
included the National Mental Health Act (1946), thewill see how miserably depraved he is. The Diagnostic
National Institute of Mental Heath (1949), the Nationaland Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is
Mental Health Study Act (1955), and the creation of theman's attempt run, hide, and cover-up. A collection of
Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Health (1955). Itsins or sin-related behaviors have been composed into
was believed that American society would beconvenient lists, labeled as diseases, explained to the
dramatically transformed with the building of newlay public using fundamentally flawed research tied to
mental health centers, the incorporation of trainingunproven chemical imbalances...and the list goes on and
programs as well as countless locations disseminatingon.
mental health principles. On February 5, 1963 PresidentThe authors believe we have witnessed a severe
John F. Kennedy delivered a national speech on mentalblow to the body of Christ as a result of the DSM and
health. He referred to mental health as the nation'sthe disease-oriented culture it has helped to create.
number one health problem. In order to confront whatBelievers everywhere they are sick, diseased,
was considered a mental health care crisis, Kennedygenetically predisposed to illness, etc. Those same
signed into law the Community Mental Health Centersbelievers have been led away from the language and
Act on October 31, 1963. This gave Federaldirection of the Bible and into themselves. Progressive
Government backing to the diseasing of America andsanctification is a foreign concept to many today.
calling sin sickness. In 1977 President Jimmy CarterBecoming more like Christ each day does not require
organized the Commission on Mental Health. Themedication; it requires submission, humility, reconciliation,
agency studied the state of the nation's mental heathforgiveness, and most of all repentance. It requires a
and concluded a quarter of all Americans neededsteady diet of God's Word, an environment bathed in
mental health services. In the 1980's an eruption ofHis presence, and consistent work for His Kingdom.
twelve step programs provided a disease label forEvangelism begins with believers becoming sanctified
virtually anyone who wanted one. The television talkand developing a burden for the lost. Those wayward
shows capitalized on and added to the success andsouls do not need more therapy nor do they need an
growth of the disease model. From Donahue to Oprah,excuse for blame shifting.
common everyday people and celebrities alike pourDr. Tyler and Grady's book challenges the worldview
out their heart-wrenching stories of codependency andof today's church. Statistics tell us church membership
other addictions, disorders and compulsions. Nohas been steadily decreasing year after year. Sunday
segment of society was exempt. Therapeutic holidaysSchool, which was once popular, has also been
such as National Depression Screening Day, Nationaldeclining in attendance. Prayer meetings, missionary
Anxiety Disorder Day and National Eating Disordersgroups, and fellowship meetings in general are weak
Awareness Week were created. Local malls providedand feeble. Today, because of poor attendance, many
a convenient venue on these special days wherechurches have cancelled mid-week and Sunday
people could be diagnosed and learn more about theirevening services altogether or have limited preaching in
disease. For those who were too busy to go to thefavor of other activities where the activity is the focus
malls, a program of mental health education andand the gospel is absent or only alluded to by
screening for early detection and intervention wasassociation. Mega churches are growing in prominence,
available online or by telephone.but they are generally marketing driven entities short
The authors' of Deceptive Diagnosis believe that if aon doctrine and long on a feeling orientation. Thus, the
person thinks he is morally fine though physically sick,church as a whole is declining in attendance and in its
he will not repent. If one's bad behavior is a disease, heknowledge and commitment to Scripture.
will not go to Christ for cleansing. If, on the other handThe authors believe that the critical necessity for an
one decides to call sinful behavior, sin, he has made aaccurate diagnosis of a person's problem is
major shift in his perception of reality. He hasfundamental to solving, or curing, the pathology. If the
acknowledged, like the prodigal son, something isdiagnosis is wrong, the treatment is likely to be not only
wrong with himself. Confession of sin requiresineffective, but also potentially dangerous. Dangerous in
responsibility on one's part.the sense that the original problem is not addressed
Tyler and Grady believe that evangelicalism hasand that the wrong treatment carries with it the
opened its gates to a Trojan horse by introducing thepotential for side effects or other unwanted results.
teachings of modern psychology. Some ChristianPsychology and Worriers Anonymous will not solve
psychologists have become so beloved that to criticizeman's problem. Psychology may help man feel better
them would be almost like criticizing the Bible itself.about himself, but Jesus is the only hope for his sin
While their intentions may be good, intentions are notproblem. Jesus Christ is the Great Physician who
the issue. The issue is whether today's Christians arepossesses the cure to the most serious, life
mixing men's ideas with the Bible. Amazingly, most ofthreatening problem man faces: his inability to deal with
today's Christian leaders who rightly cry so ferventlyhis sin and separation from a Righteous and Holy God.
against so many false teachings are saying little ifThe book "Deceptive Diagnosis" lays the problem on
anything about subtle shifts in biblical interpretation thatthe front door step of the Christian church and it's up
undermine the faith of millions. In many cases, it reflectsto the church repent and turn back to the Bible as the
a lack of awareness and understanding of thesole source for truth.
teachings of psychology.Johnny is a counselor at the Gateway Biblical
The book states there is a tendency today is to forgetCounseling and Training Center, Fairview Heights, Illinois.
the roots and ignore the essentials. The doctrine of sin