⇒ PDF Religions Values and PeakExperiences Compass Abraham H Maslow 9780140194876 Books

Religions Values and PeakExperiences Compass Abraham H Maslow 9780140194876 Books

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Religions Values and PeakExperiences Compass Abraham H Maslow 9780140194876 Books

Religions, Values, and Peak-Experiences by Abraham H. Maslow

On the request of a local pastor who said he would be interested in my views of it, I read this book.

Maslow was a well known Psychologist who is best known for his theory of the hierarchy of human needs. In this book, he delves into the realm of values and their formations. It was his belief that these can be scientifically examined, analyzed and that religion would benefit from it.

First, he looks at the designated leaders of religions. He states in his Introduction that

“Most people lose or forget the subjectively religious experience, and redefine Religion [1] as a set of habits, behaviors, dogmas, forms, which at the extreme becomes entirely legalistic and bureaucratic, conventional, empty, and in the truest meaning of the word, antireligious. The mystic experience, the illumination, the great awakening, along with the charismatic seer who started the whole thing, are forgotten, lost, or transformed into their opposites. Organized Religion, the churches, finally may become the major enemies of the religious experience and the religious experiencer. This is a main thesis of this book.”

He supports this by dividing people into two categories: people (peakers) who experience “peak experiences and those who don’t (non-peakers.) The peakers are the ones who were mystics, who experienced a state of being revealed the world in a nonjudgemental ecstasy and whose descriptions became the founding of religions. This peak experience is entirely internal to the person experiencing it. The non-peakers either haven’t experienced this or have repressed it. The two types of people really do not understand each other according to Maslow. He associates the highest values with the peakers. But even the peakers can error if they continually seek peak experiences, need the peak experience to be happy and become selfish in the pursuit of those experiences. In fact, Maslow considers them becoming evil.

Maslow states that he believes that self actualizers, the highest of those on his theory of human needs, are people who have experienced peak experiences.

Then Maslow goes on to say that believes the dichotomy between science and religion has become too wide. He believes that a scientist needs values, values provided by religion, to be good scientists. If they do not have these values, then they are no better than the scientists working for Adolf Hitler, experimenting on other humans and those producing weapons of war. On the other hand, religions need to accept science and realize that religion is not fixed by ritual and canonical law. By becoming fixed, they deny the peak experience and in fact become antithesis of what they profess as religion. Such religion produces sheep rather than men as the religion becomes rigid and authoritarian. Maslow believes that religious questions should be scientifically examined and discovered.

Maslow goes on to state, “Also this kind of study leads us to another very plausible hypothesis: to the extent that all mystical or peak-experiences are the same in their essence and have always been the same, all religions are the same in their essence and always have been the same. They should, therefore, come to agree in principle on teaching that which is common to all of them, i. e., whatever it is that peak-experiences teach in common (whatever is different about these illuminations can fairly be taken to be localisms both in time and space, and are, therefore, peripheral, expendable, not essential). This something common, this something which is left over after we peel away all the localisms, all the accidents of particular languages or particular philosophies, all the ethnocentric phrasings, all those elements which are not common, we may call the “core-religious experience” or the “transcendent experience.” In making this statement, Maslow believes all religions are essentially the same with exterior clothing of different words and rituals. And yet, he writes, “But to say it even more simply, each “peaker” discovers, develops, and retains his own religion.”

A particularly interesting passage to me is, “It has sometimes seemed to me as I interviewed “nontheistic religious people” that they had more religious (or transcendent) experiences than conventionally religious people. (This is, so far, only an impression but it would obviously be a worthwhile research project.) Partly this may have been because they were more often “serious” about values, ethics, life-philosophy, because they have had to struggle away from conventional beliefs and have had to create a system of faith for themselves individually.” As I personally searched for the origins of morals, I too have had to shed conventional beliefs about morals and observe that religions seem to follow morals rather than precede them. In other words, morals tend to create religions rather than religions create morals.

The first half of the book is an essay while the last half of the book are appendices trying to define certain concepts. I really found the appendices detracting from Maslow’s thesis that he presents in the first half of the book. I think Maslow’s essay stands on its own, it is clear and doesn’t need the extra explanations.

What do I think of Maslow’s message? I find truth in much of what he stated. I do think there is a dichotomy between the prophets and the following legalists of religions. Having myself experienced the “peak experience,” and having found it ineffable, I can understand why such a dichotomy exists. I also believe scientists need morals, especially the ones who develop the sciences needed for technologies. I believe religions need to grow as well as accept scientific findings and adjust their theology in a suitable way.

However, I do not accept Maslow’s statement about the commonality of the core belief in religions. In fact, I find some religions pure evil: some were made that way and some were created that way. I think a good test of whether a religion is evil is this: if a religion needs to force its members to accept it, either physically, by law or by psychological manipulation, then it is evil. A religion that is intolerant is evil. I do believe in peak experiences but I do not believe they all have common characteristics but I also believe we should not pursue them. It is good and well when they happen but they can not and should not be forced. I have not studied these in the depth of Maslow so I reserve judgement of their commonalities.

The book is a worthy read by a person examining religions, morals and human experiences with regards to these.


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Religions Values and PeakExperiences Compass Abraham H Maslow 9780140194876 Books Reviews

I read a summary of transpersonal psychology and this book was recommended. I love the way science and religion are merging and Maslow was apparently an early proponent. Great stuff.
Still relevant today. A wonderful insight from 1964. Interesting comparison with neuroscience today. Read Iain mcGilchrist, the Master and his Emissary about the two ways of thought. 5 Stars
Maslow makes a good distinction between the peakers and the non-peakers and makes an excellent connection between this and organized religion. His use of the term "non-peakers" is not to refer to people who do not have peak experiences, for he believes that every one has peak experiences but he uses this terminology to refer to a person who is afraid of peak experiences The purpose of organized religion for him is to communicate peak experiences to non-peakers. His position tend to advance personal revelation over dogmatic revelations. The question he leaves unanswered is how personal revelations can be verified or validated? I believe organized religion will help in confirming peak experiences. If not, what most people might call peak experiences might just be neurosis.

He also advances a religious pluralism that will accommodate every person, both the atheist and the believer. Maslow gives us good insights into peak experiences and helps us to appreciate more these experiences. His book is interesting to read and easy to follow. I enjoyed reading the book.
This essay, written in the mid-sixties, shows no signs of being dated. Though written by an academic, it is incredibly grounded. The ideas put forth in this material are some of the most valuable concepts related to the nature and challenge of the human condition I have encountered.
This book of Maslow's is way underrated! Though a child of the 60's I just discovered this book a week ago.

The book touches on many important life themes. It explains why so many people can not swallow organized religions, which in turn explains why so many people describe themselves as atheists. At the same time, it explains the commonality of values shared by most people and makes an important case as to why such universal values should be taught in schools. There are also implications about child-rearing practices and how it is done best. The book also shows why the mystics in any religion struggle with the administrators and clerics (and visa versus). The struggles and causes of struggles between men and women are also examined. It is fairly easy reading though it may send you to the dictionary a little.
like
This is an interesting viewpoint with plenty of resources and references from the psychological to the religious.
However, with so many references the central idea is too repetitive.
Religions, Values, and Peak-Experiences by Abraham H. Maslow

On the request of a local pastor who said he would be interested in my views of it, I read this book.

Maslow was a well known Psychologist who is best known for his theory of the hierarchy of human needs. In this book, he delves into the realm of values and their formations. It was his belief that these can be scientifically examined, analyzed and that religion would benefit from it.

First, he looks at the designated leaders of religions. He states in his Introduction that

“Most people lose or forget the subjectively religious experience, and redefine Religion [1] as a set of habits, behaviors, dogmas, forms, which at the extreme becomes entirely legalistic and bureaucratic, conventional, empty, and in the truest meaning of the word, antireligious. The mystic experience, the illumination, the great awakening, along with the charismatic seer who started the whole thing, are forgotten, lost, or transformed into their opposites. Organized Religion, the churches, finally may become the major enemies of the religious experience and the religious experiencer. This is a main thesis of this book.”

He supports this by dividing people into two categories people (peakers) who experience “peak experiences and those who don’t (non-peakers.) The peakers are the ones who were mystics, who experienced a state of being revealed the world in a nonjudgemental ecstasy and whose descriptions became the founding of religions. This peak experience is entirely internal to the person experiencing it. The non-peakers either haven’t experienced this or have repressed it. The two types of people really do not understand each other according to Maslow. He associates the highest values with the peakers. But even the peakers can error if they continually seek peak experiences, need the peak experience to be happy and become selfish in the pursuit of those experiences. In fact, Maslow considers them becoming evil.

Maslow states that he believes that self actualizers, the highest of those on his theory of human needs, are people who have experienced peak experiences.

Then Maslow goes on to say that believes the dichotomy between science and religion has become too wide. He believes that a scientist needs values, values provided by religion, to be good scientists. If they do not have these values, then they are no better than the scientists working for Adolf Hitler, experimenting on other humans and those producing weapons of war. On the other hand, religions need to accept science and realize that religion is not fixed by ritual and canonical law. By becoming fixed, they deny the peak experience and in fact become antithesis of what they profess as religion. Such religion produces sheep rather than men as the religion becomes rigid and authoritarian. Maslow believes that religious questions should be scientifically examined and discovered.

Maslow goes on to state, “Also this kind of study leads us to another very plausible hypothesis to the extent that all mystical or peak-experiences are the same in their essence and have always been the same, all religions are the same in their essence and always have been the same. They should, therefore, come to agree in principle on teaching that which is common to all of them, i. e., whatever it is that peak-experiences teach in common (whatever is different about these illuminations can fairly be taken to be localisms both in time and space, and are, therefore, peripheral, expendable, not essential). This something common, this something which is left over after we peel away all the localisms, all the accidents of particular languages or particular philosophies, all the ethnocentric phrasings, all those elements which are not common, we may call the “core-religious experience” or the “transcendent experience.” In making this statement, Maslow believes all religions are essentially the same with exterior clothing of different words and rituals. And yet, he writes, “But to say it even more simply, each “peaker” discovers, develops, and retains his own religion.”

A particularly interesting passage to me is, “It has sometimes seemed to me as I interviewed “nontheistic religious people” that they had more religious (or transcendent) experiences than conventionally religious people. (This is, so far, only an impression but it would obviously be a worthwhile research project.) Partly this may have been because they were more often “serious” about values, ethics, life-philosophy, because they have had to struggle away from conventional beliefs and have had to create a system of faith for themselves individually.” As I personally searched for the origins of morals, I too have had to shed conventional beliefs about morals and observe that religions seem to follow morals rather than precede them. In other words, morals tend to create religions rather than religions create morals.

The first half of the book is an essay while the last half of the book are appendices trying to define certain concepts. I really found the appendices detracting from Maslow’s thesis that he presents in the first half of the book. I think Maslow’s essay stands on its own, it is clear and doesn’t need the extra explanations.

What do I think of Maslow’s message? I find truth in much of what he stated. I do think there is a dichotomy between the prophets and the following legalists of religions. Having myself experienced the “peak experience,” and having found it ineffable, I can understand why such a dichotomy exists. I also believe scientists need morals, especially the ones who develop the sciences needed for technologies. I believe religions need to grow as well as accept scientific findings and adjust their theology in a suitable way.

However, I do not accept Maslow’s statement about the commonality of the core belief in religions. In fact, I find some religions pure evil some were made that way and some were created that way. I think a good test of whether a religion is evil is this if a religion needs to force its members to accept it, either physically, by law or by psychological manipulation, then it is evil. A religion that is intolerant is evil. I do believe in peak experiences but I do not believe they all have common characteristics but I also believe we should not pursue them. It is good and well when they happen but they can not and should not be forced. I have not studied these in the depth of Maslow so I reserve judgement of their commonalities.

The book is a worthy read by a person examining religions, morals and human experiences with regards to these.