Analyzes dominant religious perceptions among American Christians in light of the theory of psychological defense. Argues that many sincere Christians unwittingly undermine the credibility of their religious beliefs by resorting to self-deception. In order to overcome this deception, the study concludes that authentic Christianity must be founded on an accurate perception of reality as it is, instead of reality as we wish it to be. Useful for students of religion, sociology, philosophy and psychology.