Isaiah 66:10-14
Jerusalem, a nursing mother
66:10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her—
66:11 that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast, that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious bosom.
66:12 For thus says the LORD: I will extend prosperity to her like a river and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream, and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm and bounced on her knees.
66:13 As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
66:14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bodies shall flourish like the grass, and it shall be known that the power of the LORD is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies.
Jerusalem is an idol. America is an idol. Jesus is an idol. Dogmas and doctrines are idols. Family is an idol. Love is an idol. Even grace may be an idol. Surprised?
We’re used to thinking of things like “false gods,” money, power, excessive love of sports, gambling, sexual excesses or aberrant practices, politics as idols, and they certainly can be. If we make our own gods, are we not then erecting idols? This is what Israel of old fought against, isn’t it? However, as I have pointed out before, Ludwig Feuerbach, a 19th century German anthropologist and philosopher, criticized Christians by suggesting that most of us write OURSELVES on the heavens and call it God. As others have pointed out, isn’t it interesting that “God” seems to like the same people we do and dislike the same people we do? Or that “God” likes worship just the same way we do, and dislikes too strong an emphasis on social justice, just like we do? For WAY too many Christians, “God” also dislikes people who aren’t “straight” about their sexuality, just like we do, and “God” even endorses our dividing an entire denomination right down the middle over this. Feuerbach would point to all of these instances as evidence of his thesis. In his book, “The Essence of Christianity,” the philosopher is not writing an apologetic for what some would call “biblical authority” or “orthodox Christianity.” He is saying we are “godifying” ourselves and our own ideas. We are making ourselves and our values an idol, and then erecting an entire denomination to it.
As creative human beings, we can make an idol out of almost anything. Here is the “idols made easy” directions for making your own idol:
1.Narrow your focus of interest to some “thing” or idea that is currently grabbing an undue share of your attention.
2.Brainstorm various ways to justify why this disproportionate emphasis IS important or essential to what “people” should believe.
3.Create a system of belief around it, including rules or doctrines, and promote these evangelically.
4.Let it grow to such importance that you come to believe EVERYONE ought to bow to your new “god.”
Why is this such a popular pursuit among so many who would call themselves “people of faith”? There are reasons, the first of which is that in creating such an idol, or “god,” we maintain control. After all, we are the “Popes” of the system! A second reason is that in thus being deviated, we lesson our responsibility to Yahweh, the teachings of the Bible (responsibly interpreted, and not just by US), and even Jesus, himself. Rarely do our self-styled “gods” care much about things like civil rights, social justice, or an overly strong interest in the plight of the poor or otherwise marginalized. In fact, if you are a “Joel Osteen” Christian, your self-contrived system of faith might just include the belief that “god” WANTS you well, wealthy, and significantly of control of both. Now THAT sells! And what of the troubles of the nation and the world beginning to boil up all around your comfortable “island”? Well, Jesus is coming back soon, and he’ll take care of those! After all, YOU are a child of “god”—or at least THIS god.
I know, I’m sounding pretty dark and judgmental here, but let us not forget the only group of people Jesus really got riled up over, shall we? It was the religious leaders who had begun to turn Judaism into idolism, with themselves as its arbiters. Jesus forgave every sinner that came before him. From the cross of his death, he said about the people who had unjustly sentenced him to capital punishment: “Father, forgive them, for they do not realize what they are doing.” Nope, it was only the religious leaders who angered him and elicited his earthly wrath. If you make your own “god” and system of religion, surprise! YOU are now a religious leader! And you may be judged accordingly.
I have seen people—good people—turn wholesome things like family, or even their own offspring, into “gods” and idols, always putting them first, and spending inordinate resources on them, while others—sometimes even in their own family—had myriad needs. I have even seen folk turn JESUS, himself, into an idol by making everything about “worshiping Jesus” or “praising Jesus.” These things are certainly good, as part of a healthy faith, but what of following the TEACHINGS of Jesus in one’s life? Believe me, that is a LOT harder to do, and probably requires a lifetime of trying and practicing to get it “right,” something Methodism’s Mr. Wesley called “going on to perfection.” It’s even harder than singing one of those modern praise songs. (I’m convinced that one of the reasons they repeat the chorus 35 times is so you can eventually get up and down “zips” right, at least enough that your neighbor thinks you can sing.)
One of the nice things about idols is that you can keep them in front of you. The real God is kind of pesky that way, as Yahweh can be all around you, just as St. Patrick said in his oft-quoted “Breastplate” prayer. You can hide things from idols, if you even need to—idols actually don’t care about your behavior, as long as they are getting their due. Truthfully, if they are just a contrived thing, do they care at all? As Doctor Evil would say, “How about NO!” Another nice thing about idols is that, when we feel compelled to move on to something else, they can just either be packed away or discarded. This is another nasty thing about the real Yahweh—the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Apostles, and Paul—is always hanging around, keeping an eye on us and the world. And NOT because God is nebby, or even desiring to judge the world, but as the Bible tells us, because God “SO LOVED the world.” If God was more judgment than love, God would have sent Jesus to bring the hammer down, not have one put nails into his hands and feet.
I have a confession to make. I have idols. Every day, I erect a couple, just to order my schedule. Then, after a time of reflection and meditation in the presence of Yahweh and the Holy Spirit, I decide to tear them down, doing my best to yield to the will of God. Some might call this “taking three steps forward and 2.75 backward,” but I see it as just growth. Oh, there are days when my idols stay perched, and dictate what I do that day, and then I have to call upon that Christian practice of “confession” to fix the side-tracking (if not outright harm) my idols have caused. As a retired person—and now “newly retired,” after having served a church for a year again—one of my idols is television. You see, in serving busy churches for 36-plus years, I missed a lot of TV shows I thought would be interesting to watch, but which aired on nights I was busy, or were initially only on pay services to which I did not subscribe. Now I have the time to “catch up” on those, and doing so can certainly become an idol, especially when my retirement “curriculum” includes continuing to be a growing Christian servant. About this particular idol, I have found it to be a real seductress. Being an unapologetic “multi-tasker,” I had convinced myself that I could be watching “Law and Order,” “Ted Lasso,” or some other show, AND be doing some writing, or painting, or even reading—you know, the actual stuff that feeds the soul. Nope. I’m just not that good a multi-tasker, I guess. (Of course, maybe it’s my choice of TV shows? Ones that actually require brain activity on the part of the viewer, unlike most of the “sitcoms” or “reality” shows that now populate the airwaves?)
That last comment sure sounds like one of those “GET OFF MY LAWN” things…sorry. I AM getting older…
Here’s another righteous idol for you: “perfection,” or “becoming Christlike.” If there’s one thing I have learned in almost 71 years, it is that neither of those is a reasonable goal. (John Wesley didn’t think so either. Prove me wrong.) I will settle for a serious effort at understanding the basic teachings of Jesus—such as the Sermon on the Mount—and trying with all my heart to incorporate these core teachings into my values AND whatever efforts of thought I engage in daily. If I EVER come to anything even CLOSE to fully loving God and my neighbor as myself, I’ll let you know. Of course, if I ever actually do this, THEY will let you know! This is another thing I have learned. Unlike the lyrics of a modern praise song, just repeating verses from the Bible over and over again—even ones Jesus said, like “Love God with all your heart, mind, and strength and your neighbor as yourself”—doesn’t bring them to pass. This requires one of my favorite “seminary” words to make work: “Praxis.”
You can make an idol out of about anything. If it distracts you from loving your neighbor, or allows you to compartmentalize your faith so it is easy to carry, it’s an idol. If it allows you to believe you are “right” about things, it is an idol. The Hebrew Bible shows how “land,” and most particularly the “holy city” of Jerusalem became an idol for Israel. Still is. Jesus said “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” not “Fight for control of her.” The Jews were (are) convinced that if they had control of Jerusalem, everything would be right with the world, and God would be on their side. Christians feel the same thing about “manifest destiny” and nationalism. Don’t believe that? How many Christians do you know who will tell you that if America just: “puts prayer back in schools,” “outlaws abortion,” or “returns to its Christian roots,” it will be “great” again? These are all idols.
Fact is, GOD LOVES US ALL, and sent the only begotten Son into the world because God didn’t want us to “perish,” but have “everlasting” life. This great “mission statement” of Jesus Christ is about including everyone into the “non-perishables,” and that “everlasting” part is less about heaven and more about a just, sustainable, and nurturing society NOW. Prove me wrong. And don’t spend so much time idoling. Amen.
