Christian/Religion Studies

Idolatry:

The worship of an idol. An idol is generally an image of some sort, possibly of a pagan god which would be made for worship, image worship. The idol can be a representation or a  symbol of something and then people have an unhealthy deep liking to that symbol - people adoring a car company is a good example of a symbol being adored in this time of history.  Some believed that if they prayed and bowed to an idol the god associated with that idle will bring them good crops for the year. Some had idols (gods) for all sorts of things. These  people would put their hopes in the idol. They hoped and even believed that the idol would give them what they wanted. In Bible times a carved or molten image was often used for idol worship. Baal the pagan god of war and fertility is an example of this. It has been said that within us all is the room for God in our hearts - to idolize something is to fill the gap that was intended for God with a false idol. Idols were made of wood, metals, gold and silver - and some were even made with clay. A sculpture. The making of the golden calf at the base of Mount Sinai is an example of the people wanting to worship a god. When they seemed to lose faith in one they switched to another. The Old Testament has many examples of idols in those times. Some were household idols, some were the size of humans and some were much bigger. Around 300 A.D some images were introduced into Christian churches for instruction and as ornaments only. But this was to change. Eastern Emperor Leo issued edicts against them. But Empress Irene introduced idol worship into the Eastern church. Then the Second Council of Nicaea gave them ecclesiastical sanction. It is not odd to see people praying to statues of people from the past such as the mother of Jesus, Mary and other people that are now classified as Christian saints. The Romans had emperor worship, and some were even worshipped when they were alive. They were to be treated as living deities.  In modern day terms idolatry is rampant with people adoring movie actors, people involved in the local or international music scene, or even a company because of the products that it makes, baseball teams, television people, even a news reporter can be idolized, people can idolize the human body or even parts of it. People wear hats and clothes proudly that have the company name on it to show that they support that company over other companies of the same type - this is a form of adoration - idolization. People can idolize their own self. In modern times people often have trouble realizing that they have personal idols. People sometimes become violant when they feel that the item that they idolize has been shamed or somebody speaks bad of it. Some sports fans become very upset when the team  that they idolize fails and as a result the fans becomes violent. Exodus chapter 20, verse 4   Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:  When people adore idols they put Gods ways aside for the belief in the idol. When the laws allow idols the follower of God must be educated not to follow idols. In Bible times people thought that having idols was harmless and that there could even be advantages to idolizing something - today we have the same situation but with different idols and the same relaxed laws and attitudes. Just because a person is not idolizing another god does not make other types of idols alright to like or adore.