*IDOL/*IDOLS/*IDOLATRY - see WORSHIP, VENERATION, IMAGE, MATERIALISM, SELF, IMPERFECT, ILLUSION, LIE, IGNORANCE, DESIRE, SIN
Antonyms: GOD, REALITY, TRUTH, WHOLENESS, ONENESS, COMPLETE, CONNECTEDNESS
The 2nd commandment prohibits any man-made inventions to worship, which formed a basis for Protestant criticsm of Roman Catholic liturgies.)
Even though the Catholic Church has perverted my true teachings in many ways, especially by turning me into an idol, there are still elements of truth in the Catholic religion. (http://www.askrealjesus.com/K_JESUS_ANSWERS/K_TRAD_SPIR_TEACHINGS/saintsfalsereligions.html)
Violation of the 1st commandment (idolatry - Thou shall not have any other gods before me) tends to be the root of all sin. But violation of the 2nd commandment (blasphemy - Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain) - use of the name of the Lord in such a way as to trivilize God is the sin of sins, the lie of lies. (p211) Saint Augustine said "You made us for Yourself and we cannot find true rest except in You." (p225)(Further)
That state of oneness with God is granted by Him only when He is convinced the devotee does not want anything else. "O Lord, I have no desire, because I already have You." (2nd Coming, Vol 1, p529)
Pascal wrote "We make an idol of truth itself; for truth without charity is not God, but His image and idol, which we must neither love or worship." The worship of truth apart from charity results in the kind of situation which now confronts us. Every idol, however exalted, turns out, in the long run, to be a Moloch, hungry for human sacrifice. (http://www.psychedelic-library.org/loudun.htm)
False gods. Anything you place above God; Girlfriend/Boyfriend, sports, television, addictions, etc.
Modern man has taken the biblical God and re-designed Him to fit today's culture. This re-vamped "god" is used to sanction the idolatry of causes, biblical ignorance, experiences, comfort, success, and national sins... No person ever rises above his/her idea of God. The greatest factor in religion is not what one confesses to believe but what one's heart believes God to be. There is a secret law of the soul that moves one toward their mental image of God (cf. Ro 1:21-23). http://freegroups.net/library/www.christianlibrary.org/authors/John_L_Kachelman_Jr/idolatry
Proper thanksgiving toward God is an effective antidote to idolatry. See http://www.luc.edu/faculty/pmoser/idolanon/Gratitude.html
"They traded the true God for a fake god [idol], and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them. (The Message, Romans 1:25)" (Bible Versions, p155)
Satan has no will but to brand us forever with his mark; that if we do not worship God and find Him everywhere and re-worship Him there again, the whole world turns into an idol, into a thousand idols. (Revelation, p40)
Pride is idolatry of ourselves. If we are dependent upon money, security, self-esteem, then they become idols to us. (Randy)
I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me. (Ex 20:2) is the 1st commandment: to respect God. (Life, p230)
It is quite possible to get in touch with the strength the Lord can give you by surrendering something on which you have been depending for strength - a false god. (ThemesOT, p39)
The blessing of pleasure quickly becomes a curse when idolized. For example, over 1.5 million abortion take place in America annually, because people value their desire for sexual pleasure more than they value the lives of unborn children. (Vanity, p21)