Believable?

Western values 'are causing mental illness.'

I suspect the assertion has merit. What are "Western values" today? Well, they're lots of things, some of which are good, but the article focuses on the ones that revolve around self-centeredness. I've long held that excessive self-regard can lead to mental instability. It's part of my view that sin leads to all sorts of troubling things. Note: I'm not saying that mental instability comes only from one's sins or selfishness. I'm just saying that excessive self-regard can lead to instability.

Do I have proof? No, not really, just some common sense and one piece of evidence.

The common sense: What is sin? It's conduct that violates truth, goodness, and beauty. If a person lives his life detached from the three transcendentals, he will lose his spiritual stability, and that can lead to mental instability (since mind and spirit are closely related).

The evidence: When people get mentally sick, we're finding out that sometimes the best cure is to put them back with their traditional extended family. Link. There's something about living with others and constantly dealing with them that brings a person out of himself . . . and restores mental stability.

A picture of stability? My wife's family and me at Houghton Lake, Michigan: