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02C - Reflecting and Distorting God's Image
Important
Easy
Video
Image of God
8 Lessons
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About 02C - Reflecting and Distorting God's Image
If God’s image is as it has been described in the previous videos, it should easily be seen everywhere in life – and it is! You will see how the image of God is reflected and distorted in songs, movies, religions, relationships and even in personality tests. When the right proportion of the image of God is not used in anything, it will not work well.
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02C - Reflecting and Distorting God's Image
Important
Look at the hymn below. The bold phrases represent the Powerful (Separate), and the underline represents Relational (Belonging).
Important
God’s image shows up in secular songs also, especially love songs. This does not mean that God is being spoken of, but the point is that His image is displayed everywhere.
Important
Movies have powerful and relational themes that often emphasize one more than the other. If the relational is not in the movie, it is more like a documentary of facts without much substance. Adding the relational element gives it meaning to make it real. The explosions and action increase the entertainment value, but they are primarily powerful but impact the relational when people are hurt.
Important
Religions often distort God’s image by focusing too much or even exclusively on one element. Separate or Powerful examples are Islam, Deism, Agnosticism, Animism, and African Tribal religions. Any religion that focuses on the fear of God or sees Him as some distant force has missed who God says He is.
Important
You can even see God’s image in personality traits. The words in the following table are part of several different personality tests. When you consider the definition of each word, it is relatively easy to put them into Separate or Belonging categories. Some words have elements of both, but the way they are arranged in the chart is the primary use of the word.
Important
On the graphic, the red bar on the black line can move to the right or left and be anywhere on the line. The red bar is shown on the Separate or Powerful side, so the words are bigger. But the red bar can move to the Relating side also. If it were on the other side, those words would be bigger.
Important
Again, most people have developed to be more on one side than the other – more results or more relating. No matter your design, God wants us to depend on Him to reflect that design and His image accurately. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." – 2 Timothy 1:7
Important
Identifying your tendency may create an undesirable reaction – you move to the other side or even the extreme other side. But, once you try to operate on the other side, you find a lack of experience or less capacity to work that way, which will likely cause you to return to your basic tendency. When you go back, you feel that is wrong, so you swing back to the other side again. These decisions create a pendulum effect – swinging back and forth from Separate to Belonging and back again.