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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Religions & Faiths > Judaism

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  #1  
Old 06-12-2010, 06:38 PM
A Glass named Esther
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Idolatry: a common practice in today's world?

When I first tried to understand idolatry I thought of the literal version:
a person worshiping a little statue asking it to bring rain, fertility, success, etc. etc.

To some people in this scenario might seem a little ridiculous. I know it seemed a little ridiculous to me I mean, how can a tiny little figure have that kind of power? While it's possible that someone might pull out a statue of a deity and ask it for a new car, there is a more likely type of idolatry that we can fall prey to.

The essence of idolatry is attributing power to something that does not have such kind of power.

Idolatry began with worshiping nature. I heard that it started with the thought that even though there is G-d, He has "ministers" that should be thanked for doing their job. For example, since the Sun brings light, what's wrong with thanking the Sun? But this easily becomes thanking the Sun without realizing that the Sun's light is actually from G-d. Then it can slide one step further: if you don't thank the Sun, the Sun will stop shining for you, and you will suffer from lack of Sunlight. So, if you want Sunlight, you need to worship the Sun.

With idolatry there is commonly the situation of "getting the cookie". If you worship <insert deity here> you will get what you want. Doing something for a reward is routed in selfishness.

So how does this apply to today's world? Let's say you want a promotion at work because it will give you enough money to buy a new sports car. So, you believe that your boss holds the power to your promotion and the way to get your sports car. There is an important work function that your boss wants you to attend on the same day as your brother's wedding. Your boss dangles the carrot of a promotion telling you that you need to attend the work function if you want to be considered for a promotion. So you skip your brothers wedding. This is essentially idolatry.

Why?

1) You are attributing complete power to something other than G-d. If you are working hard and G-d desires to give you more money, G-d will do so the way He decides. You should ask G-d for more money rather than believing that your boss is the ultimate decider of your wealth.

2) Your focus is on "getting the cookie" rather than doing the right thing.

Idolatry can easily be used to justify selfishness.

The economy is bad, and my money is tight, so I'm not going to have any children.
(I don't believe that G-d will help provide for my family. I believe in the economists and would like to keep my two vacations a year)

I have to make other people look bad at work in order to be successful.
(I don't believe that G-d is One and is everywhere. I believe that the industry/society sets our measures of what is ethical at work)

I know I'm married, but I have an "agreement" with my spouse that we can have some fun on the side as long as we are open about it. We decided it's ok because it's between consenting adults and scientists proved that humans (who are essentially like animals right?) by nature are not monogamous.
(I don't believe in G-d's plan for humanity. I believe in the scientists who can determine what is moral behavior for humans.)


And even...

If I get people to believe in <insert deity here> I will be rewarded in heaven with riches and beautiful women. If I don't believe in said deity, I will experience an eternity of suffering.
(I don't believe that G-d teaches selflessness. I believe that <insert deity here> is important to worship because if I do whatever I'm told I will get lots of rewards.)

-esther
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  #2  
Old 16-04-2018, 10:37 PM
AHIYAH AHIYAH is offline
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Cool and I was just wondering if disobeying the commandments of YHWH given to Moses is a form of idolatry. Yes that was a rhetorical statement. Since there is a commandment that forbids a certain people from mentioning the names of other gods and they go along and use a name of a pagan deity for their calendar month if that is seen as idolatry. I'd say so. Oh and by the way that so called Jewish calendar doesn't even line up with the so called scriptural calendar so I was wondering if that was idolatry.
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  #3  
Old 15-04-2019, 12:37 PM
dybmh dybmh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AHIYAH
Cool and I was just wondering if disobeying the commandments of YHWH given to Moses is a form of idolatry. Yes that was a rhetorical statement. Since there is a commandment that forbids a certain people from mentioning the names of other gods and they go along and use a name of a pagan deity for their calendar month if that is seen as idolatry. I'd say so. Oh and by the way that so called Jewish calendar doesn't even line up with the so called scriptural calendar so I was wondering if that was idolatry.

My opinion...

Question: "A Jewish person disobeying the commandments of YHWH given to Moses is a form of idolatry?"

Answer: "Yes, if it is done **knowingly**"

But in regard to the OP...

The most common form of idolatry from a Jewish perspective: Anger.

Reference: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, chapter 29:

"Our Rabbis of blessed memory said furthermore, "If anyone becomes angry it is considered as though he worships idols, and the torments of Gehinnom will be inflicted on him as it is written, "Therefore, remove anger from your heart and put away evil from your body."

What is the "Kitzur Schulchan Aruch"? It is, arguably, the most common, most popular reference used for Halacha, Jewish Law. Per Wikipedia: It "establishes what is allowed, and what is not allowed without ambiguity".
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Old 01-05-2019, 05:44 PM
little.nation little.nation is offline
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House of Idolatry

So, a spiritual source I believe was God itself took me through idolatry.

To appreciate the lesson, there are crucial facts to know.

In 2007 I set out on a journey that started by prayer and faith. The journey came to rest almost 2 years later in a town with a biblical name.

Bethel means: house of god, house where god lives, house of idolatry, a holy place.

Imagine how utterly blown my mind was when the name of the road I live on is the last name of some people I had been idol worshiping (without consciously knowing I had been idol worshiping).

Here's what happened: I was taken up into a vast empty space where nothing existed but the idol. It was revealed through knowing that he was not God. I knew all the things he could not do for me. He couldn't, because he isn't God.

An idol can be anything but most commonly occurs in the form of who it is we love and look to the most.

With that particular idol, he spoke to me personally (although indirectly) and so he became my idol. His messages were deeply and incredibly and powerfully personal and so you can see how idolatry formed.

It's funny you mentioned statues. That's been coming up in my world a lot lately, and just this morning I clicked a link of pictures showing a bunch of Catholics bowing to statues. That is certainly idol worship and something God forbids.
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  #5  
Old 23-06-2019, 07:29 PM
Fernworm Fernworm is offline
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Incredibly interesting post. It's blowing my mind to think of all the ways I am accidentally idol worshipping - and I love what OP quoted above about anger. I am really trying to work on my irritability as I know when I react in such a way, I'm straying from G-d's path. I will keep that in mind next time I feel as if it's my responsibility to tell someone off and only cause more pain in the world.
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  #6  
Old 10-08-2019, 12:49 AM
BigJohn BigJohn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AHIYAH
Cool and I was just wondering if disobeying the commandments of YHWH given to Moses is a form of idolatry. Yes that was a rhetorical statement. Since there is a commandment that forbids a certain people from mentioning the names of other gods and they go along and use a name of a pagan deity for their calendar month if that is seen as idolatry. I'd say so. Oh and by the way that so called Jewish calendar doesn't even line up with the so called scriptural calendar so I was wondering if that was idolatry.

I understand the Jewish calendar, but what is the scriptural calendar?
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  #7  
Old 10-08-2019, 12:49 AM
BigJohn BigJohn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fernworm
Incredibly interesting post. It's blowing my mind to think of all the ways I am accidentally idol worshipping - and I love what OP quoted above about anger. I am really trying to work on my irritability as I know when I react in such a way, I'm straying from G-d's path. I will keep that in mind next time I feel as if it's my responsibility to tell someone off and only cause more pain in the world.


The love of money can be a form of idolatry.
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        Happiness is the result of an enlightened mind whereas suffering is caused by a distorted mind.
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  #8  
Old 13-08-2019, 12:10 PM
Still_Waters Still_Waters is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigJohn
The love of money can be a form of idolatry.

While the love of money is an obvious form of idolatry, theology can also be a form of idolatry as it can obscure the clear vision. Theological concepts can interfere with one's re-connection with God.

(We discussed this subject at length in a Bible study group focusing on 1 Samuel as theological concepts were raised and questioned during the discussion.)
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Old 15-08-2019, 06:10 AM
sky sky is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Still_Waters
While the love of money is an obvious form of idolatry, theology can also be a form of idolatry as it can obscure the clear vision. Theological concepts can interfere with one's re-connection with God.

(We discussed this subject at length in a Bible study group focusing on 1 Samuel as theological concepts were raised and questioned during the discussion.)


Excessive devotion to anything is a form of idolatry, including religion....
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Old 16-08-2019, 12:12 PM
Still_Waters Still_Waters is offline
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Originally Posted by sky123
Excessive devotion to anything is a form of idolatry, including religion....

Most people don't realize that when it applies to "religion" but it's true, as you duly indicated.
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