An Idol could be a physical one as well as a mental one. Mentally we create images or things which we love more than our God. Catholic as well as some protestant Churches use images of saints and angels as well as Apostles in their church and many tempt to pray to such images. As per the ten commandment give to Moses: The first command (some view it as the second command) it says " I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."
Again it says: "You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments."
For Church, the urgent need of the hour is to remove all the Idol's from its buildings and clean them from all Idol's, just like Jesus did at His time on earth.
I don't know how the pop and other priests in the catholic churches preach the Ten commandments and at the same time keep many idols in their churches.
Either they should remove all the idols from the church or preach the first and second commandments are wrong. By their actions they are silently preaching that the commandments God given to Moses are wrong by making and keeping idols in the church. They proclaim that they are the representatives of God yet they deny the commandments of God. Very strange???
Either they are least concerned about the commandments of God or they are ignorant of the truth. This is the time to know the truth, so that the truth will set you free.
Bible clearly tell us what is an idol all about. In Psalms 115: 4-8 "But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them."
It is true with Christianity an with all other religions. We are trying to make God!!! We are trying to create the creator! What a strange thing to do!!! No one has ever seen God. Then how can a man make God. Worshiping men in the place of God is also wrong. Good peoples and saints lead a good life. They are an example for us to follow. But not to be worshiped as God.
People worship sun, moon and stars. That too are done out of ignorant. Because it was said that "You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."
Again Bible says that Isiah 40:18-23 With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him? As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple. Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing."
Again Bible condemn the logic and foolishness of making an idol. Isiah 44: 8-23 says "Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.” All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing? People who do that will be put to shame; such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and shame.
The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint. The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.
It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.” From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!”
They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, “Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
“Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” Sing for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.
Again Prophet Isaiah says: "All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced; they will go off into disgrace together." “Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save." "their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary."
The act of church is written in the bible: "Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols."
There is warning against those who worship idols and they will be punished by God. "I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols.”
