INTERNET: THE NEW god???

     Name a subject and I guarantee there is a sermon about it.

Politics and relgion are doing their "I hate you" tango as onlookers boo from the sidelines. Each are stepping on the other's toes which does allow for a laugh or two. As Trump continues to supported, regardless of pending court cases, I find myself wondering, "Can this get any crazier?" Of course the answer is, "Of course it can and will get crazier."

PROOF - MSNBC has taken to saying, "What will Republicans do if or when Donald Trump gets raptured?" I kid you not. This is in response to Evangelicals supporting Trump no matter what he does. They do not seem to have a line in the sand where if Trump crosses it, he loses their support. So, the commentators on MSNBC are saying only a rapture (put in jail), if Trump disappears and they cannot vote for him, will Evangelicals, reluctantly, vote for someone else. 52% of Republicans say they won't vote for Trump if he goes to jail. What will the rest of them do is the question.

This unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump and his supporters waiting to read his tweets name-calling, bullying, and giving out of false information, have people accusing them of being in a cult. Most people in a cult do not realize they are in a cult while doing the bidding of the cult leader. But Trump's supporters are using biblical examples and parallels when they speak about him making America great again. They repeat with full belief, only he can save America. Yes, people have crossed over to idol worship and it is dangerous in my opinion. 

I know you may be thinking, "She sounds as out there as those over the top Trump followers." Well, I'm in good company with everyone trying to figure out what the heck is going on with people. I've written about cults, now I tackle IDOL WORSHIP. 

"I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF EGYPT, OUT OF THE LAND OF SLAVERY. YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER gods BEFORE ME. YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELF AN IDOL (any graven image) in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them: for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:1-6.

When a minister would go off on a tantrum telling the listening congregation that they have made an idol out of their automobile or their home, I would have to force myself not to roll my eyes. Then the minister would go on to throw all kinds of nick-knack paddy-whack into the mix as everyone was shouting and agreeing with him that "they" or "others" had made idols out of possessions. Okay, sometimes I am bad, but I reflect on my actions and seek truth to become a better person. From eye rolling to "idol" study come on this journey with me. 

The word graven is Hebrew (pacal or pecel) meaning to carve, whether wood or stone, hew, carved image. There is no Hebrew definition for the word 'image' that follows the word 'graven' in the King James Bible in Exodus 20:4. Even though throughout the Bible there are 12 specific definitions for the use of the word 'image'; a pinpoint definition is not given by scholars in the Exodus usage. Remember, IDOL means graven image.

I checked to see if the substituted word 'idol' used in the New Internation Version of the Bible (NIV) had a definition and it also was not listed. Thankfully, the passage is clear enough that no further defining is necessary. Nothing carved out of stone or wood in any image of anything in heaven, on earth, or in the water should be made and bowed down to or worshipped. I guess we should look at the true definition of the word worship to have a complete study for my upcoming fake sermon.

KJV of the Bible uses the word 'serve' (and not worship like the NIV Bible) in this passage = Hebrew (abad). It gets a little complicated after that, because the prime root means to work (in any sense) to serve, till, enslave. Serve is used 227 x's, do 15 x's, till 9 x's, servant 5 x's, work 5 x's, worshippers 5 x's, service 4 x's, dress 2 x's, labour 2 x's, and miscellaneously 14 x's meaning be kept in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, execute, husbandman, keep, and be wrought. 

As a verb it means to serve, cultivate, enslave, work. So, the passage means we are not to bow down, work for, till for, be enslaved by any graven image. I will propose to you that it is not the carved image itself, (but it is the beginning), but our actions towards the carved image that is idol worship. We pledge our allegiance to it; we give ourselves in labor and deed to it. We wait on its command to us as in a servant and master relationship. The car (item of worship), then for me, is not the idol. A person may love their car, but they do not serve or swear allegence to the car as many clergy may teach.

The one a person listens to for instructions telling them which material things (i.e. THE CAR) they must work for, have, and/or which possession to love for the person to belong to a group in status and favorability is more in line as 'idol' worship. It is not a material possession a person is striving to have and hold in high regard, but a person or group saying have this or behave like that to be a part of my world you desire. When a person or a group can get you to pledge an unwavering allegence, able to recruit people to do harmful acts, and make an individual believe the allegence is worth killing for or dying for, it is more in line with idol worship. NOTE Serving in the military to defend your country is not in this same vein. Serving to protect your country is not about hoping to gain favor from a certain person or group who gives you instructions at their whim at times.

It is easy for religious leaders to use objects as an example as being worshipped easier than saying a person is worshipping a man or a group. I WILL USE THE INTERNET AS AN EXAMPLE OF IDOL WORSHIP and how clergy try to demonstrate that people give too much of their time and energy to a possession instead of their God.
The idol, the golden calf, has always been man made. It was only given power when men believed it had answers and looked to it to solve problems. All hope for ease, wellbeing, safety, security, and prosperity was seen to be given by the man made image (idol). 

Enter the age of internet. It has the power to give instant fame. It can answer all questions. We work harder and longer to have more and better access to it. It is the source of all information. We are getting to the point where we are unable to function without it. It blesses those who can afford it and leaves others behind who cannot get it. It is great. It has changed the world. We are allowing internet to raise our kids and head our lives. We cannot eat, socialize, or function without going into this cyber space. The only question to ask is DOES THE INTERNET SERVE US OR DO WE SERVE IT? Remember the idol is worshipped by you. It enslaves you by what you will do to have it or keep it. 

The internet is not the origin of evil nor a new idol. People do not need to throw their computers away. But, Christians must always monitor what they give their allegence, loyalty, priorities to, forgetting the true source for everything in their life comes from God. Reliance, trust, and faith in anything or anyone other than God, as Christianity teaches, leads to sin which is punishable up to the third and fourth generation.How do we avoid making things or people into idols?  BALANCE is key people. No one needs to lead a crusade to get rid of the internet and computers, but just be aware of where your security in life lies. That with internet or without it you live - love - learn and continue to grow. Remember life does not begin or end with internet as we have come to believe. And mostly it should not be your source of evil as many use it to curse out or torment others anonymously. Just be mindful, the internet does not become your new idol, your new god. SERMON OVER.

Instead of using a material object (internet, computer), insert a person's name (*****). Evaluate, using the definitions and sermon example, your reliance, devotion, and faith are you putting in the person. Our lives are suppose to point to God, not point to a person. Remember, with or without (*****) you live, love, learn, and continue to grow. Do not make (*****) into your god.

Thanks for for indulging my take on idol worship.