If you worship,and that is the key word,"WORSHIP",anything that is called god,you are an IDOL WORSHIPPER.Why?Because in order for a human mind to be able to worship what it cannot perceive,an idol(or image) has to be created for it to focus on,be it a PHYSICAL IMAGE/IDOL or a MENTAL IMAGE/IDOL.It is the same thing.An i dol is an idol.
This means that apart from the traditional religions that are normally referred to as pagan religions,CHRISTIANITY and ISLAM are both very very pagan religions as well.The only difference is that they are both large in size.

But what would you say is so essentially wrong with Idol worship.

Well,the essentially wrong thing about it is that it turns one away from what matters the most,making the journey inwards to connect to the true self,the God within,the true central self.The focus is turned away from the inner and the true self,hence the disconnect from the true God that lies within each and everyone of us.
Looking outwards and becoming dependent on things on the outside(like gods or images of them) is what is causing a major spiritual dysfunction in mankind which is causing all these sufferings that we see all around us.
We are not supposed to worship anything,but to spend our limited time on this earth evolving spiritually.Like Tolle said,our task is to bring the light of consciousness,or the creator God,if you will,into this world.That cannot be done by the mere ritualistic acts of worshipping.

Pastor AIO:

But what would you say is so essentially wrong with Idol worship.

Please watch this video about mass mind control.It is in 16 parts.Very sobering indeed,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7MUGZ6JuRI

Pastor AIO:

But what would you say is so essentially wrong with Idol worship.

But the main reason behind opening this thread is to let the adherents of the abrahamic faiths who are very quick to accuse other people of idolatory that they are guilty of exactly the same thing.
The christians and the muslims can be proven unequivocably that the gods they both worship are demonic in nature through the scriptural texts of the same religions.

In making a distinction between inward and outward are you not falling into the trap of circumscribing God too? You are basically saying that God cannot be found outwards of the self. But what is outward that is not the self?

an idol worshipper is someone who worships idols that were physically made and created by human hands.


Or is something that can be seen.

If you need more explanations let me know.

tpiah:

an idol worshipper is someone who worships idols that were physically made and created by human hands.


Or is something that can be seen.

If you need more explanations let me know.

. . . and a pagan is literally someone who lives in the countryside. What we would call, in nigeria a Bush man. Ara oko in yoruba. That is was then used to refer to non christians is an extension of it's meaning.

By reading the OP you will be able to gather that the meaning of idol is being extended to mean any human construct. Basically an Idol worshipper is someone who worships something that he has constructed. This would include conceptual constructs.

Pastor AIO:

. . . and a pagan is literally someone who lives in the countryside. What we would call, in nigeria a Bush man. Ara oko in yoruba. That is was then used to refer to non christians is an extension of it's meaning.

By reading the OP you will be able to gather that the meaning of idol is being extended to mean any human construct. Basically an Idol worshipper is someone who worships something that he has constructed. This would include conceptual constructs.

the NORMAL meaning of idol is something constructed with human hands and worshipped.

If you or the OP want to include a symbolic representation feel free to do so.

There is no idol constructed by hands without first having been constructed by the mind.
First it is made in the mind,then it is made by hand.
That is how everything gets created by the hands.Conceptual creation first,then the physical creation follows.Every creation is manifested from within,from inside out.

tpiah:

the NORMAL meaning of idol is something constructed with human hands and worshipped.

If you or the OP want to include a symbolic representation feel free to do so.

tpiah:

the NORMAL meaning of idol is something constructed with human hands and worshipped.

If you or the OP want to include a symbolic representation feel free to do so.

are you suggesting that it is okay to worship a construct as long as it is not a physical one made with the hands?

Pastor AIO:


are you suggesting that it is okay to worship a construct as long as it is not a physical one made with the hands?

is that what you're reading from my post?

jagunlabi:

There is no idol constructed by hands without first constructed by the mind.
First it is made in the mind,then it is made by hand.
That is how everything gets created by the hands.Conceptual creation first,then the physical creation follows.Every creation is manifested from within,from inside out.

look, idol worshippers themselves will tell you idols are physical things constructed with hands.

If you want to attack religion in general and Christianity in particular, then say that's your intent from the getgo.

tpiah:

is that what you're reading from my post?

It's a possible interpretation. It would be kind of you to make yourself clear.

Are you not attacking religion in general, already?Is idol worshipping(both mental and physical) not part and parcel of all religions?Is that not what makes them religion?The very act of worshipping, itself?

tpiah:

If you want to attack religion in general and Christianity in particular, then say that's your intent from the getgo.

Pastor AIO:

It's a possible interpretation. It would be kind of you to make yourself clear.

to the best of my knowledge, the thread isnt about the rightness or wrongness of worshipping idols per se.

The OP seems to be trying to attack Christianity as usual.

Now, when you mold say a clay figurine, then attribute all kinds of powers to it, which you use as justification for your worship of the same object you made, and which used to be a formless physical lump of clay before YOU cut out two eyes, a head and a mouth, then I see a big difference between that and worshipping a creator.


We're allowed to disagree however!

jagunlabi:

Are you not attacking religion in general, already?Is idol worshipping(both mental and physical) not part and parcel of all religions?Is that not what makes them religion?The very act of worshipping, itself?

Many religions worship idols doesnt mean all religions are idol worshippers.

tpiah:

The OP seems to be trying to attack Christianity as usual.

You see everything as an attack,don't you?Well nothing wrong with that.Christianity is definitely not beyond attack.Afterall,you attack other religions,too.It is all fair in love and war.

tpiah:

Now, when you mold say a clay figurine, then attribute all kinds of powers to it, which you use as justification for your worship of the same object you made, and which used to be a formless physical lump of clay before YOU cut out two eyes, a head and a mouth, then I see a big difference between that and worshipping a creator.

None!No difference whatsoever.Your arguement is badly flawed.The same arguement can be applied to a mental image,and it goes thus;
When you mold an image in your mind,then attribute all kinds of powers,plus,genders,chosen people,human traits(emotions like anger,jealousy,nepotism),enemies,which you use as justifications for your WORSHIP of the same mental object you made out of nothing but your own imagination,then there is no difference whatsoever.
Moreover,this conceptual idol becomes physical once it has been given a BOOK representing his word.I have heard that being called,BIBLIOLATORY.

A pagan is someone who doesn't follow your faith or worships other dieties different from yours. . .simple.

before the advent of the current wave of brain numbing ideologies, polytheism was clearly differentiated from monotheism.

tpiah:

Many religions worship idols doesnt mean all religions are idol worshippers.

That is exactly what it means.They are all idol worshippers.Every single one of them.The only differences are the names attached to each respective deity.

jagunlabi:

That is exactly what it means.They are all idol worshippers.Every single one of them.The only differences are the names attached to each respective deity.

I'm sure you want to redefine the English language. The meaning of idol is pretty clear, but as usual, this being the internet, feel free to give it whatever interpretation you wish.

You can even say  is an idol.

tpiah:

before the advent of the current wave of brain numbing ideologies, polytheism was clearly differentiated from monotheism.

So?Besides,the three abrahamic faiths are more accurately referred to as HENOTHEISTIC religions,and not monotheistic.Henotheism means that other gods are recognized as existing,but a particular one is the head of them all.And by the way,all religions do make such claims of their own deities.

tpiah:

I'm sure you want to redefine the English language. The meaning of idol is pretty clear, but as usual, this being the internet, feel free to give it whatever interpretation you wish.

You can even say is an idol.

Don't be too downcasted.It ain't that bad to be an idol worshipper.Even Christiano Ronaldo is an idol.

Tudór:

A pagan is someone who doesn't follow your faith or worships other dieties different from yours. . .simple.

And talking about paganism,christianity and islam are so full of pagan elements that if these elements are removed,there will be almost nothing of them left that is original.Christianity,for example,is 99% pagan.

jagunlabi:

And talking about paganism,christianity and islam are so full of pagan elements that if these elements are removed,there will be almost nothing of them left that is original.Christianity,for example,is 99% pagan.

99%. Is that the exact statistic?

Well,i quoted scholars who have researched the hell out of the historicity of the christian religion.That is what they are quoting.Whether it is exact or not is another story.What is original to christianity is next to nothing,anyway.

Pastor AIO:

99%. Is that the exact statistic?