Idolatry

In the classic sense, Idolatry is praying, sacrificing or worshiping statues. Scripture makes it clear that idolatry is highly offensive. I have been pondering what idolatry really is, what is it about worshiping idols that angers God so much? I have tried to look beyond the act, or outward manifestations to look at what is going on at the core of idolatry. If we can understand the why of the sin of idolatry, we can examine our own lives and actions better. My intent at the end is not to come out with a list of "idolatrous" practices in the modern day, but rather that I might better equip my reader in their own spirituality.

First, we should look to elements of idolatry, why is it so enticing? Why has this such a major stumbling block? The first thing that comes to mind is peer pressure, everyone else is doing it, what's wrong with us? Creating the excess to create an idol, more especially a good one, was huge. If we take into account that most of their economy was subsistence based and many lived hand to mouth then just making an idol was an enormous sacrifice. Any nation worth it's salt would have one as a symbol of how rich they were that they could waste that much on something useless. Any nation without an idol was considered very poor.

Now another interesting thing about idolatry was the "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" attitude anciently. There was nothing wrong with worshiping one idol when you are at home and another when you are traveling. It is interesting in 2 Kings 17 that after the northern kingdom of Israel is carried and Assyrian settlers are brought in and start having problems they decide to bring back some Jews to teach them how to worship the local god. This mixture of Jews and Assyrian idolatry is the foundation and the Samaritans, who I should really do a blog on.

Now when foreigners, traders, sailors etc came to Israel (it sits on top of some extremely valuable trade routes) wanting to honor the local gods to ensure safe passage home they would have been told that there were no idols and would either thought the Jews were to poor-or would have judged them to be greedy and immoral for not sacrificing some of their wealth to honor the gods. Now when they learned of sacrifice at the Temple they might have wanted to go there but then would have been told that they were excluded from worshiping there. The Jews would have come off and intolerant and racist for not allowing all nations to worship with them and denying others the blessings of their God.

Now the gods of the polytheists are an interesting thing to study. I am unsure how much they were thought of as actual beings verses aspects of nature. Greek spirituality, with which I am most familiar, made the gods to be exactly like themselves. When they worshiped one god on another they were trying to improve an aspect of themselves. Apollo, considered the most Greek of the gods, represented music, medicine and learning, things highly valued by the Greeks. Women, wanting to improve as lovers could meditate on improving themselves while worshiping and vowing to follow Aphrodite; if on becoming a better respected wife, worship Hera.

Next, is moral relativism. The True God is cheapened with a "yeah, everyone worships their own idol, you got yours and I got mine." attitude. When you are dumb enough to worship some hunk of medal, that will do you no good, your belief in the efficacy of God will wane. Every man looks for his own god, according to his own strength and intellect.

Thus, Idolatry is worshiping yourself and the workings of man and the fine things of the world. You are setting aside the councils of God because you think you know better. When I think of Idolatry, as well as most sins, this is the thing I think of most. God has told us what to do to be happy and choosing to do different because we think we know better is a manifestation of a lack of faith. I think it is the galling lack of faith, not the actual praying to a golden calf, that is so offensive to God.