God representation and its psychological reflections in rollo may

Abstract

The aim of this study is to reveal Rollo May's views from his God Representation by means of findings obtained by archival scanning method. According to Rollo May, the basic motivation of man is to resemble the God he imagined. For this reason, the accuracy of the God representation must be constantly questioned. According to May, the God representation is mutually related with man's development. While God representation develops man's inner visions, pure inner visions develop the God representation. Rollo May argues that God only as a source of love, helps those who are good, who constantly protects the human beings, an authority that needs to be obeyed and human serving representations prevent the man's development. He believes that God representation, which strengthens man's freedom, responsibility and self-consciousness, contributes to human development. Rollo May benefited from the Old Testament, mythology and existential philosophy about God representation. The influence of the Old Testament and mythology led him to the development of anthropomorphic God representation. May has an anthropomorphic God representation that will not allow man to be like Himself, His God representation is one who struggles with man and who has difficulties in control of human. This is a paradox in May, because transcendental God representation contributes to human's development more than anthropomorphic God representation.