Ten Elshof, Gregg A. I Told Me So: Self-Deception and the Christian Life. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009. ISBN: 9780802864115.
Meet the Author
Gregg A. Ten Elshof is Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Biola University. Elshof has written two books: Introspection Vindicated: An Essay In Defense Of The Perceptual Model Of Self Knowledge and I Told Me So: Self-Deception and the Christian Life. For additional information, view his curriculum vitae.
Book Basics
I Told Me So is a book about self-deception written by a Christian for others who
seek to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. This is the rare text written by a philosophy professor that is sound philosophically and theologically yet written in accessible language and with a pastoral tone. While there has been an historic awareness of the pervasive reality of self-deception, there has been very little written about the topic in recent years from a Christian perspective.
The book begins with an introduction to self-deception (chapters 1-2), then continues with a thoughtful consideration of the topic from the main strategies used in deceiving one’s self (chapters 3-4) to consideration of the social aspect (chapter 5). The latter part of the book seeks to answer the so what question by exploring how Christians can live in ways that do not promote self-deception through how not to instruction (chapters 6-7) and concluding with some warnings (chapter 8).
So What?
Take some time for introspection. Look within for ways in which you engage in self-deception. Be honest with yourself. Be open to allowing the process to lead you to confront one or more of these areas and to begin to move beyond it.
How do you deal with self-deception? Elshoff offers many suggestions, including (p.127):
- First, die. Take concrete steps to put to death those aspects of your character that make self-deception necessary.
- Second, find your way into a diverse community of disciples of Jesus. Make sure it’s a group that invites disagreement and critical self-reflection.
- Third, make a plan to pursue relationship with the one who knows you more fully than you know yourself.