Tommy Galloway’s new book, Cure for Common Christianity (self-published), presents a strong warning against "microwave messages, economy meal values, and burger believers who want it their way. We've found ourselves catering to everybody to please them when the Gospel is not really to please people, it's to save people."

He continues, "Christians have strayed from their purpose and allowed the worldly system to get into their mind." I’m with him . . . until he dubs this "mad Christian disease" and argues that one of the results is depression. "People have got to understand that depression is real. There are Christians that are depressed."

As someone who is diagnosed as clinically depressed, I’m offended that the author apparently believes I’ve "allowed the worldly system to get into [my] mind." In fact, a lot of so-called "worldly" behaviors can be explained—and effectively treated—bio-chemically. I thank God for Cymbalta which has virtually eliminated my depression! (And a friend who was tormented by "demonic voices" was immediately "exorcised" with Haldol.)

Galloway's dignosis is dangerously close to the youth pastor who claimed an autistic teen was demon possessed--and is charged with abusing him (click for story). So, here are a couple articles that deal with the psychological dynamics of the Christian life:

Keith Drury asks, "Can genetic engineering create Christ-like characteristics?"

Is depression a spiritual or bio-chemical problem? Yes.

What do you think?