God created us in His image, not the other way around.

[William]

Obviously the claim in the OP title is that human beings did not create the idea of GOD in their own image, which appears contrary to the evidence when aligning Abrahamic imagery to human social and cultural behavior, and thus people see this connection and contend that the idea of that GOD most certainly was created in the image of humans.

What does it actually mean "God created us in His image"?

[janavoss]

Obviously the claim in the OP title is that human beings did not create the idea of GOD in their own image, which appears contrary to the evidence when aligning Abrahamic imagery to human social and cultural behavior, and thus people see this connection and contend that the idea of that GOD most certainly was created in the image of humans.

What does it actually mean "God created us in His image"?

I'm just talking doctrine here, not making any claims to truth:
As beings created in the image of God, it means that we were created by God with some of his same characteristics. Not that we necessarily look like God, since God does not have a physical body like we do, but spiritually we share characteristics. Which is what makes us able to share in the Holy Spirit, a piece of God dwelling within humans according to Christian doctrine.
But because of sin we have separation from God and are not able to fully understand the characteristics we were created with. Our human nature takes over and replaces the Godly nature. And since we do not understand we tend to assign human characteristics to God instead of the other way around. Biblical writings are full of this. Old testament writers describe God with very human emotions and reactions. Paul writes of the struggle between his human desires and what he knows should be his Godly desires. Just people trying hard to describe their experiences with God and the nature of God as they understand it.
Christianity is, I think, mostly about learning to re-capture the Godly characteristics that were suppressed by the sinful human nature.

[William]

[Replying to post 2 by janavoss]

I see that many religious people - not just Christians - share the same basic understanding as you have shared in your post.

[ttruscott]

But because of sin we have separation from God and are not able to fully understand the characteristics we were created with. Our human nature takes over and replaces the Godly nature.

Our GODly nature is our personhood, that which makes us an individual person, self and other aware, with a free will.

But because of sin we have separation from God and are not able to fully understand the characteristics we were created with.

Sin not only separates us from GOD but destroys by degradation our being in HIS image. Our free will is enslaved by the addictiveness of evil which is not restored until we are reborn.

[janavoss]

[Replying to post 2 by janavoss]

I see that many religious people - not just Christians - share the same basic understanding as you have shared in your post.

Sure, that makes sense. All humans were created in the image of God, not just Christians.

[2timothy316]

Spiritually, and by spiritually I mean the complex human range of desires and emotions, there is nothing that God didn't already possess before us.

A sense of love and justice was in God before us. But not just these things. Sadness, joy, anger, self-control, faith, and yes humor are not unique to only humans. The Almighty God had these qualities before we existed. This is the image the Bible speaks of in Genesis. So, give some thought to the basic human range of feelings and even desires and rest assured the Almighty also has these qualities. Of course He has the perfect versions of these feelings and while we can be controlled by our desires and feelings, Jehovah God doesn't have this problem.

[William]

[Replying to post 5 by janavoss]

Sure, that makes sense. All humans were created in the image of God, not just Christians.

Or Abramites in general.

Some Christians have come to that understanding, but generally they are hogtied to the idea that 'no one comes to The Father except through the son' and understand this to mean 'if you are not a christian, you do not and can never have a relationship with The Father' and this type of attitude has cause much grief in the world and resulted in terrible atrocities administered on non Christians in the name of Christ, and consequently besmirching the image of GOD through these human actions.

I see such thinking derives - not from understanding the deeper meaning in the phrase 'made in the image of' - but the distortion of that idea through making GOD into the image of man and then proclaiming that image as GOD.

Below is a far better example of what 'the Image Of GOD' refers to.

[font=Comic Sans MS]Worship of me in coin or moral consideration is unnecessary. Simply express your authentic feelings of appreciation to my inmost presence within you and others, and you broadcast your worship unfailingly into my realm.
This is the feeling that you should seek to preserve in the face of life’s distractions. This is the revelation of my heart to your heart. Live in clarity. Live in purpose. Live in the knowledge that you are in me and I am in you, and that there is no place separate from our heart.[/font] ~ Excerpt from Chamber 23—One of three written elements from the body of work known as the WingMakers, ascribed to First Source.

As it conveys a good enough reason for why we should all treat each other with loving-kindness through truthful words and actions.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 7 by William]

I believe nobody can enjoy full relation with God except through Christ because Jesus said "'no one comes to The Father except through me".

This is one reason as one of JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES I preach from door to door, in the street and informally to those around me, because the bible says God wants all people to have the opportunity to enjoy a personal relationship with him.


JW

[dio9]

[Replying to post 1 by William]

[dio9]

[Replying to post 1 by William]

We humans cannot relate beyond our human capability. Simplistically speaking we cannot relate to God other than as we are humanly able..
Likewise creatures cannot relate to man as other than what they are. Our pet dog is only able to relate to us are a dog to other dogs.
It is not surprising we humans relate to God as if God were human. That's the best we can do.
So do we create God ? No but we do create our understanding and relationship with God through things like acts religion prayer and meditation.
The idea we created God is untenable , its like saying we created the universe , of which we are a part.