Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

[Dr. Shane]

Does Maslow's hierarchy of needs have an application for Christians?  Check out what this blog has to say and comment. 

Click this link to read the post --> Self-transcendence

[Dr. Shane]

I actually experience self-actualization which Moslow believe only 10% of the population does. I believe one of the reason that so few do is because they are content with the love and belonging needs being met. They don't desire the higher needs.  It makes me think that there is something even higher than self-actualization that we will not know about until we get to heaven.

[Kevin H]

Maslow's hierarchy does play a role in Christianity, and has been a foundation for further studies such as William Glasser's reality therapy and choice theory and their needs assessment. While not directly connective Eli Siegel's Aesthetic Realism works well with this, and I believe that a general look at their basic principles (not necessary every application or all their ideas) I believe that Siegel and Glasser's works can be used for a secular description of righteousness by faith, and can teach us steps to reach love and belonging, esteem and self actualization (and what may be above it when Jesus comes). 

Other good building blocks is an awareness of our 5 love languages and 5 apology languages,  and the about 6 or so attachment styles of attachment theory. 

There are many different directions that we can go with psychology, theology, philosophy, but I believe that the basic principles of Maslow, Siegel, Glasser works together in a special basic way, and adding the love languages, apology languages and attachment styles can be something very basic that can help to deepen our understanding of the Bible and God's world and how we interact with each other. This interaction can help us in what it means to win victory over sin and to reach the goal of loving the world as Jesus has loved it. 

The Bible is our way of measuring truth and what to accept and what to question among these people's thoughts, and in principle I believe that these people teach what we can call measuring up to the Bible (again in basic principle and not necessarily all their applications).