[Ep 135: Answering atheism Tuesday.]
Tuesday’s post is usually of the “Answering Atheism” variety. And today is no exception.
In fact – this entire series has essentially been “answering atheism” – as we looked at how Jesus calls us to turn every last bit of our life over to him – our worldly concerns, our relationships and even ourself. And He doesn’t give us a choice. He lays it out plain and simple – that is the only path to discipleship. If we want to be on “Team Jesus” we have to strive each day to turn every bit of our life over to Him.
We compared that to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs – arguably the leading secular road map of life. Maslow placed “spiritual” concerns (i.e. actualization/transcendence) at the tippy top of the hierarchy – and only saw them as a nice bonus – sort of like getting free videos when you sign up for Amazon Prime. Here’s how one summary words it:
“Maslow referred to self-actualization as a “growth need,” and he separated it from the lower four levels on his hierarchy, which he called “deficiency needs.” According to his theory, if you fail to meet your deficiency needs, you’ll experience harmful or unpleasant results. Conditions ranging from illness and starvation up through loneliness and self-doubt are the byproducts of unmet deficiency needs. By contrast, self-actualization needs can make you happier, but you are not harmed when these needs go unfulfilled. Thus, self-actualization needs only become a priority when the other four foundational needs are met.”
You see – you only experience “harmful or unpleasant results” from the “deficiency needs.” Oh, how this misses the mark. When we separate Christ from our life, and leave ourselves to our own devices, we set ourselves up for endless misery.
The first reading from this past Sunday (Wisdom 9:13-18) provides a tour-de-force of psychology and anthropology of modern man:
Who can know God’s counsel, or who can conceive what the LORD intends?
For the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans.
For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.
And scarce do we guess the things on earth, and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty; but when things are in heaven, who can search them out?
Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high?
And thus were the paths of those on earth made straight.
There is one important caveat – things are different now than when the book of Wisdom was inspired. Then, only a chosen few received the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Now, we have the Holy Spirit available to all of us through the Church and Her sacraments. And through the Holy Spirit our paths are made straight, and we can, to an extent, “conceive what the LORD intends.”
And yet, there is Maslow and so much of the fallen world with him, proclaiming that we can do it all on our own. We can work out our worldly problems. We can make our human relationships beautiful and fulfilling. We can arrange for our own self-esteem.
And only then, when we’re done being the gods of our own life, need we trifle with transcendence.
At the time of his death, Maslow was struggling with a problem with his hierarchy of needs – why was it that so many people who had satisfied their basic needs still did not become self-actualized? Maslow did not solve this problem before passing from this life (please offer a prayer for his soul).
Many atheist researchers, in the mold of Maslow, continue to search for an answer to this seeming deficiency in Maslow’s theory. Why, after all our worldly needs are satisfied, do people still struggle to self-actualize? They search and search, high and low. But, apparently, not as high as heaven.
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith – Interior Life