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Joseph A. Cannon: Change: Whether it's selfish or spiritual, it's all up to you

Selfishness pervades popular philosophy. Always popular has been the flattering view of self.
Self esteem is taught at school and is lapped up faster than arithmetic and English.

Who doesn't want a philosophy which seems to confirm "it's all about ME"? I esteem myself, I love myself, but don't ask me to love or respect anyone else.

That about sums it up. Check it out.

Part of the problem with teaching "self-esteem" is that students don't experience failure and they end up with a false view of themselves as being flawless. I don't believe in tearing down others or belittling people, but a rational person needs to know their weaknesses as well as strengths. The esteem movement believes that no one should get bad marks on their school papers. No one should fail. This unrealistic atmosphere creates individuals that later end up being failures in life, unable to hold jobs, unable to communicate, and unable to learn.

I've read and then re-read Mr. Cannon's article over and over and over since it first appeared just after midnight early Sunday morning.

This last month as I've walked the streets into the early morning hours pondering why people do what they do and what experiences lead to hopelessness, I've wondered over and over and over again why seemingly healthy robust people simply give up instead of seeking help.

Mr. Cannon's column seemed to contain some of those answers. The "me, me, me" complex doesn't work. No one is fully capable of walking the path of life alone without facing utter and complete failure, while those who learn to off-load their burdens onto Christ never have to carry more than they can bear.

That concept is so very important. It can mean the difference between choosing life and choosing death.

Looking inward only shows what we have done. Looking towards Christ shows what we can do. Life is to precious to ever look inward when the answer is outside of ourselves.