The Most Neglected Need

“A Theory of Human Motivation” is apparently a classic in the field of psychology. It was written by Abraham Maslow in 1943 in the journal Psychological Review and has been widely quoted in books and articles.

It is quoted in a book I just finished called, “Wild Happy: Dreams, Crises and Acceptance in the Jungles of Papua New Guinea” by Ryan Casseau.

Maslow’s article describes a hierarchy of human needs that includes, from the bottom up, physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem and self-actualization. His theory is much more complex than this brief description but basically attempts to prioritize basic human needs.

Although dated, his theory has validity today, in my view.

Author Ryan Casseau uses the theory in his description of his experience years ago in Papua New Guinea where, as a young scientist, he was collecting samples of native plants for possible use in medicines.

Relationship with People

But Casseau’s story is not so much about the plants and their potential use but his relationship with the people of a small island in that country and the cultural shock of living there for several months. The people lived simply, seeming to require only the basic needs mentioned in Maslow’s article.

Casseau is generous in his praise of the people of the island, counting his time there as a personal wakeup on how to live simply and lovingly, telling stories of the people’s generosity and care for him and for each other. With only tangential contact with the outside world, they are satisfied with what they have and how they live.

In his only mention of religion in the book, Casseau says the islanders were evangelized (without using that word) years previously by Catholic missionaries. The people of the island asked him about his own religion, but he declined to say, fearing they would disapprove of his lack of religious faith and that he wouldn’t be able to adequately defend his position.

“Spiritual but Not Religious”

It doesn’t occur to Casseau to attribute any of the islanders’ qualities to religious motivations. Like so many of our contemporaries, he describes himself as “spiritual but not religious,” writing that he “hates religion,” citing the old untruth that religion promotes and has been responsible for the majority of violence in the world, and that he “hates doctrine.”

I’ve cited the numbers before, but if you have any doubt Google the numbers on the violence and deaths caused by atheistic governments, such as the Nazis, the Soviets, the Chinese, Japanese and Cambodians, compared to such “religious” disputes such as the often-cited Inquisition, the violence caused by the Reformation, the troubles in Northern Ireland, the Middle East and Africa. You’ll see that the violence that can be attributed to religion and religious differences is a fraction by comparison.

As for “doctrine,” your attitude – as in everything – will depend on how you view it. My view is that doctrine isn’t the imposition of other people’s views but a compendium of believers’ common beliefs.

I thought about all this recently as I listened to an interview on a National Public Radio station about the religious feast of Hanukah. A Jewish woman explained the feast – considered a minor one in the Jewish calendar – and provided some history of the congregation to which she belongs.

Dwindled Dramatically

She described how her once-thriving congregation had dwindled dramatically in size in recent years to the extent of having to combine her congregation with one in another nearby city.

It may not be a surprise to regular readers of this blog that this saddens me because in my view, we as a society need more religion, not less. From the Christian viewpoint, it’s hard to imagine that the Beatitudes (Blessed are the poor, etc.) promote violence or are anything but beneficial to society.

To reject religion because some believers fail to follow the tenets of their faith is like rejecting education because some educators do a poor job or rejecting “business” because some businesses engage in fraud.

Though I believe Maslow’s list of human needs is useful, it omits the most important human needs: a relationship with the author of life and adherence to the religion-inspired commands in the New and Old Testaments to love God and neighbor.