Idols and Idolism

[alteregosteve]

Im sorry to say i will soon forget this site,
so anyone who can help me please email me at sthomson@kgv.net
i am currently devising a piece of drama for my school play
it is all about idols and idolism, and i am aware that the bible
has some rather strict views on the worship of idols
if anyone could please email me with some scriptures or bible verses
it would be greatly appreciated, and would help me to further educate
my audience about christian teachings
the email address once again is sthomson@kgv.net
thankyou very much
Simon

 

[Rafael]

Your query about idols:
Ofcourse, one of the ten commandment is to not have idols or false gods. Putting anything before love of God and recognizing Him in all our ways is idolatry. The letter to the Church in Colossia metions sexual sin (fornication) as idolatry.

Le 26:1 ¶ You shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither raise you up a standing image, neither shall you set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down to it: for I am the LORD your God.

Colossians 3:5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry.

Idolatry is listed under the works of the flesh:

Galatians 5:19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, 20 idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Today, many people think that idolatry is people worshipping little statues, etc. but actually our world has engineered, through television and the media, a way of flashing graven images before our eyes at a rate similar to the brains function in cycles per second. Materialism and Hollywood provide enough idols and things to keep us quite busy thinking of ourselves and what more we can get instead of us serving the poor in the world with food and clothes, as Jesus told us to do when He returns and asks, did you feed me when I was hungry, did you clothe me when I was naked, "did you visit me when I was sick, or did you give me shelter when I was a stranger?"?? The idols of the world, and the amusements (which means "not think") we have shown to ourselves and our children for hours of the day help us to forget that people of the world, that we have responsibility for as humans, starve to death at a rate of 20 to 30 thousand a day, just in the rate for children. This doesn't speak of the true misery most of the world suffers under in poverty and ignorance.
Worship of self, putting selfish lust and desires before God's commandments, and is by nature, mans worst problem to overcome as an idolatry. This can only be accomplished by death to self (denying self) and living by the abiding Spirit God gives us in the new birth (spiritual birth - being "born again").
Yes, idolatry still is a problem, today, bigger than little statues.

 

[alan650]

I feel I need to repent of this more than ever. I am so consumed with my own little world here in the boonies of PA. I am usually alone here because not many people are around and I get so obsessed with things. I think of God off and on again during my day but don't devote the time I should to the Lord. It depresses me so much that I so easily fall into this sin. Please, Lord, have mercy on me because I am a sinner!!!!

 

[heron]

In God's reprimands, He usually brings up the point of how silly it appears, "gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell." It's sort of like when a friend catches you talking to your dog about the bill overcharge you just got in the mail.

People want a focal point they can ramble and complain to, or hope for windfalls from. All the while, God is tapping His feet wondering when we'll come to Him for real help... real assistance.

Often we would rather not deal with a personality that we're responsible to -- an intelligent being with opinions and sometimes conditions. Compare asking for directions on a trip... asking about parts at Home Depot -- it's humiliating to show we're not fully competent or knowledgeable. We prefer to do things the hard way, without risk of condescension.

And sometimes we don't really believe that He wants to help us, so we scurry and scrounge and overwork ourselve to prove how worthy we are of accomplishment.

In addition to avoiding personal contact, there were some horrid atrocities committed in the names of idols (and yes, I know about the Christian ones too.) Children were sacrificed to Molech. Women served on a rotation basis as temple prostitutes. People melted down their valuables to create statues.

Mayan remains show proud dedication to human sacrifice and torture. What might have started as a simple prayer to a volcano god turned into an abusive regime.

Throughout history, kings oppressed and robbed the common people so they could build great temples and statues -- people starved so the kings could look important.

God wants to protect us from losing what we worked hard for in life, and from losing self-respect... our value for each others' lives.

I am so consumed with my own little world here in the boonies of PA. I am usually alone here because not many people are around and I get so obsessed with things.

It's great that you're catching this while it's happening. Not easy. I find that I pray more when I have a challenge in front of me -- when someone asked me to pray, or when I'm concerned about an issue, or God placed someone in mind, or I scheduled myself to pray in a time slot at church.

It's not just you -- I think we all need the structure and challenge... a little tension or adversity to motivate us.

 

[heron]

alteregosteve

You are Alter Ego Steve? He's my idol!!!