Idolatry: An Insidious Sin

Have you ever referred to someone as an idol? Or maybe you hear that word and think of a reality TV show about singing. However, in Christianity, idolatry has a much deeper meaning. At times, "idolatry" or "idols" has even been used as a slur against Catholics. For years I wondered what this word really meant. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary there are two definitions: the first is the worship of a physical object as a god, and the other is immoderate attachment or devotion to something. The Catechism of the Catholic Church goes a bit deeper in the definition: “Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship. It remains a constant temptation to faith. Idolatry consists in divinizing what is not God. Man commits idolatry whenever he honors and reveres a creature in place of God, whether this be gods or demons (for example, satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money, etc…” (CCC 2113). The First Commandment specifically forbids idolatry, telling us we must put God first and as the only God. 

Today’s culture is filled with idols. While very few worship pagan gods that are referenced in the Bible, other things and even people have become gods to us. One of the most common is our worship of celebrities. Is there anything wrong with liking a specific celebrity or admiring or appreciating their talent? Absolutely not. However, many of us have gone beyond the appreciation stage to something that is much graver. Too many today believe that their favorite celebrity can do no wrong. Should we expect celebrities to be perfect? Of course not; they are human after all. But, when they do misstep, we should not defend them or wave it off as being okay. We also don’t need to stop enjoying their work because they make a mistake. However, we must ask ourselves how we feel when we learn they make a mistake. If we are giving our favorite celebrities proper appreciation, we should be saddened by their errors, and learning such things should motivate us to pray for them.

Yet, far too many people today will defend celebrities and continue to hero worship them even after being presented with ugly truths or having the skeletons in their closet exposed. While we cannot expect any celebrity to be perfect or think just like us, we also cannot overlook the ways they are woefully misguided. How many celebrities are proudly boasting of being pro-choice or saying abortion is okay or even empowering for women? As Christians, we know that killing innocent babies in the womb is not okay; in fact, it is quite evil. Again, we do not have to hate anyone who is pro-choice, but we cannot wave it off or say it is okay for them to hold such a belief. It is still okay to appreciate their work and their talent, but we must also pray for conversion of their minds and souls.

On the other side, we cannot worship a celebrity just because they do share some of our beliefs. In our secular world, it is always refreshing when somebody professes Christian values; however, no matter how much money, status, or popularity somebody has, they are still human. Even somebody who is seemingly perfect in the light of Christian news media is not actually perfect. With them - and all celebrities - we must consider what we do not know about them because let’s face it, in the grand scheme of things, we know extremely little about any actor, singer, or athlete out there. What we see about them is going to be filtered by their fan base, by social media, or even our own perceptions of not wanting to know the full truth about someone we like. Again, we should be happy that they share their beliefs, we should pray that the Holy Spirit continues to encourage them in boldly speaking the truth, but we cannot take everything they say as gospel.

People - namely celebrities - are not the only idols in our world today. Many of us may place money, success, power, or leisure as an idol of some kind. Worship of money does not look like the worship of God or another person, but it can be an idol nonetheless. This form of idolatry often stems from greed, which is one of the seven deadly sins. Is there anything wrong with having money? Of course not. But, do we place our financial security and comfort at a higher importance than our family, our personal well-being, or God? Are we stingy with what we have or are we quick to give generously? Do we even take the time to show God thanks for what he has blessed us with? Are we content with what we currently have - provided we have enough to meet our needs - or are we so worried about having money that gaining more of it becomes an obsession for us? If our minds are too saturated with thoughts of money, then that is a sign it is very likely an idol for us. If we find we can never seem to get enough riches, then we are committing some serious sins.

Another potential idol for us is sports teams. Now we may have some nostalgia for certain teams because the college or high school is our alma mater or the team is from our hometown or state. Nostalgia in its proper place is not sinful but has the potential to drive us away from God. Do we find Mass or Church events inconvenient because it cuts into our sport watching time? This reeks of misplaced priorities or even worse…idolatry. If we are trying to go to an earlier Mass because we want to enjoy a game in the afternoon or evening that is not idolatry. There are many solid Christians/Catholics who enjoy sports and have it as a healthy outlet, but the line between healthy hobby/outlet and idol is very thin. 

Similarly, work can become an idol for many. We need to work; God created Man to work. We should have a proper dose of pride when it comes to our work, but we cannot let it take precedence over other things, especially God. Additionally, we cannot let thoughts of success and positions of power in our careers take over our good natures. Is there anything wrong with getting a raise or a promotion? Of course not. We should be pleased with well-earned accomplishments, but we cannot let them define us. We cannot let our work goals turn us into workaholics to the point where we are neglecting our spiritual needs. Sometimes, it can be very challenging to balance our faith with our work (how many of us struggle to find a time to attend Mass on a Holy Day of Obligation because we’re also needed at our jobs?). However, everything in life has its place. We must keep our work and career accomplishments in their proper place by being thankful that we were recognized in such a way and proud of what we achieved through our own hard work while also remembering our duties to ourselves, our families, and most especially to God.

Another form of idolatry too many of us experience is the idol of leisure and luxury. Similar to money, we may find ourselves constantly wanting more. We may be under the belief that our life is not complete if we do not have designer clothes and accessories or the latest technology. We may even begin to claim we need these things (but let’s be honest, how many of these things are wants?). Idols of leisure and luxury may not take the form of stuff but of experiences. Do we believe we need multiple luxury vacations every year? Do we believe we’ve earned a trip to the spa every time we’ve had a bad week? Do we feel the need to go to five-star restaurants constantly? Of course, these things in and of themselves are not sinful; our attitudes toward them, however, can lead to sin. It is okay to enjoy a vacation or a bit of pampering once in a while, but do we claim we are “too tired” for Mass yet go out and do these things? Do we find it too hard to find a Mass to attend when we’re on vacation but don’t mind searching online to find all the best attractions? Do we claim we cannot afford to tithe but invest in the latest iPhone the second it is released? We need to sort out our priorities, and our first priority is and always should be God. If we find God, the Church, or our faith priorities are falling behind something else, then we are seriously in danger of breaking the First Commandment.

We are to live in the world, but we are not of this world. God has given us so much to enjoy, and we should enjoy what he has given us. We should also appreciate the gifts of those we share the earth with. However, we must find balance in all these things. This is not easy at times (being a Christian is not supposed to be easy), but we must embrace the challenge and remember where the proper place for everything is. Leisure and luxury can be enjoyed in moderation. Success at work is good as long as it doesn’t come before God or our families. Money is necessary for much of what we do, but we cannot let it consume us. Celebrities have great things to offer, but we must not be under the false belief that they are perfect. If we keep all things in their proper place, then we can enjoy this world and the next one God has prepared for us. Above all, we should follow the First Commandment - and all the Commandments - and put God first. Similarly, we must follow Jesus’ New Commandment to love God above all things and love our neighbors as ourselves. When we do this, we die to self, we die to our wants and our pleasures, and then we can live truly fulfilling lives as Christ’s disciples.