Idolatry: a common practice in today's world?

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Pewdiepie

What about celebrity idolatry?

We've all seen it. Typically you see pre-pubescent women and sometimes full grown men fawning and screaming in the presence of their favorite celebrity, asking for an autograph, not washing their hand for months if they manage to "touch" their idol.

Same thing with politicians. The democrat party literally worshipped Obama and Hillary as their saviors. Now the Republican Party is doing something similar with Trump.

I truly believe celebrity obsession is the idol worshipping of the 21 century.

Same thing with electronics. You see how some people react when they don't have their smartphone.

Same thing with Big Government. Big government will give you everything, it is the beast in the Bible.

I agree with BigJohn. You have raised some very good points about "idolatry".

[Pewdiepie]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

You seem to be very observant. Nice points.

Thanks.

Also I'm Jewish and I was taught that worshipping Jesus is a form of idol worship. I tend to take a more moderate view of that, and so I personally admire the personality traits and actions of the textual Jesus but at the same time I don't think that he is the Son of God

[7luminaries]

Agreed...worshipping anyone is a form of idol worship Definitely including Jesus, Buddha (i.e., Siddharta Gautama), or whomever...

As is the worshipping of / obsession with / enslavement to any of our desires or any material aspect of existence:

Money, sex, violence, power, control...
Ego worshipping and ego gratification...
Reification or deification of any concept or thing or person...

..what else did I leave out?

Peace & blessings
7L

[Altair]

Idolatry: 1) The worship of idols, 1.1) Extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone.

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/idolatry

To me, ''Idolatry'' is not a negative thing. It's also about a reverence for all the beautiful and worthwhile things in life. Many people enjoy sunbathing, others love exploring nature, enjoying the frequent company of other people. With definition 1.1 we can also include any sort of religious practice, whether that is worship of a divinity or a love of a spiritual practice.

Is ''idolatry'' common in today's world? Most certainly! And guess what, it has always been and always will. It is part of the human experience. Accusing other people or belief systems of ''idolatry'' hints at religious supremacism, another way of saying ''We don't do that, we eschew and hate the external world. Bah! We don't need any art! Our God is invisible!'' It's sober, almost depressingly so. The term ''idolatry'' is then used in insulting ways, to condemn other beliefs.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Altair

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/idolatry

To me, ''Idolatry'' is not a negative thing. It's also about a reverence for all the beautiful and worthwhile things in life. Many people enjoy sunbathing, others love exploring nature, enjoying the frequent company of other people. With definition 1.1 we can also include any sort of religious practice, whether that is worship of a divinity or a love of a spiritual practice.

Is ''idolatry'' common in today's world? Most certainly! And guess what, it has always been and always will. It is part of the human experience. Accusing other people or belief systems of ''idolatry'' hints at religious supremacism, another way of saying ''We don't do that, we eschew and hate the external world. Bah! We don't need any art! Our God is invisible!'' It's sober, almost depressingly so. The term ''idolatry'' is then used in insulting ways, to condemn other beliefs
.

I always found it interesting to see picture(s) of God Jesus in the Catholic Catechism ....... they do not look the same.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by 7luminaries

Agreed...worshipping anyone is a form of idol worship Definitely including Jesus, Buddha (i.e., Siddharta Gautama), or whomever...

As is the worshipping of / obsession with / enslavement to any of our desires or any material aspect of existence:

Money, sex, violence, power, control...
Ego worshipping and ego gratification...
Reification or deification of any concept or thing or person...

..what else did I leave out?

Peace & blessings
7L

You left out THEOLOGY, the conceptual stuff that gets one bogged down in intellectualism and obscures the clear vision.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

You left out THEOLOGY, the conceptual stuff that gets one bogged down in intellectualism and obscures the clear vision.

Thankfully the voice of reason prevails....

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

You left out THEOLOGY, the conceptual stuff that gets one bogged down in intellectualism and obscures the clear vision.

Originally Posted by sky123

Thankfully the voice of reason prevails....

Yes. The voice of reason eventually does prevail but sometimes it takes so long for that to happen.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

Yes. The voice of reason eventually does prevail but sometimes it takes so long for that to happen.

Better late than never.... You have to have patience and that's a virtue according to Piers Plowman

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by sky123

Better late than never.... You have to have patience and that's a virtue according to Piers Plowman

Eventually, when one meditates with no expectations, all that is important to know is revealed.

Patience is indeed necessary ! Things happen quite naturally when the "timing" is right !