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faith in Jesus Christ. As I say in the second Daniel: How is narcissism related to the
to last paragraph of the article, „Fostering false self?
the true self is fundamentally a task of for-
ming and reforming individuals’ values and Brett: I am not an expert on narcissism, nor
beliefs. The values and beliefs that effec- have a studied it in any depth. However, I
tively promote true self-understanding are would say that narcissism cannot thrive
those that direct people toward what they without a very strong false self-understan-
truly need: life and wellbeing in God. To de- ding. For someone with narcissistic perso-
light in the Lord for satisfaction is a value nality disorder, the false self would be so
that is intrinsic to human nature, as basic ingrained as to be all but invisible to him
to being human as breathing or eating (see or her.
Ps 37:4) ... Fostering the true self can occur
through several different modes of inter- I talked with a friend of mine who has stu-
ventions, but in order to be effective they died both narcissism and the false self,
must always be aimed at conforming in- asking her about how the two relate. She
dividuals’ values and beliefs to those that made some good points that express my
God designed for humans to possess, that thoughts as well, although neither of us
is, to those that reflect the intrinsic value of are experts: „Someone who thinks only of
depending on God.“ The question then be- themselves cannot empathize with the pain
comes, „How do we depend on God?“. We of others, especially if it means they may
can answer that only by following Jesus, the look bad. They tend to have certain beha-
Son of God, who did not live in the shadows viors they exhibit where they react in this
of the false self, but who walked with God narcissistic triad--sometimes showing up as
in utter trust and dependence. Jesus alone Perpetrator, other times Rescuer, and then
shows us what it means to „fear the Lord“ other times the Victim. As far as it relates
and to „love the Lord with all your heart, to the false self, I would suggest all narcis-
soul, mind, and strength.“ If we follow him sists are living lives completely devoted to
very long, he‘ll eventually force us to deci- the false self. Sometimes narcissists can
de: will we continue trying to save our own change, but the humility it takes to change
lives by hiding in our false selves, or will we often is not something true narcissists are
take up our cross and follow him? even capable of.“ (Sharla Goings, Regional
Coordinator for The Cross Ministry Group,
personal correspondence, 08/23/21.)
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