The Health Effects of Idolatry

Today's post is brought to you by none other than Joe Scarborough from "Morning Joe" on MSNBC - thanks to my friend Rev. Charles Reynolds. Last Friday, there was a segment (see link) that was really powerful. The 8-minute segment brought together a Rabbi and Pastor who were asked what they were preaching about this weekend. The dialogue started with the prevalence and impact of idolatry, went to demonization and it's link to the former, and ended with truths. I highly recommend that you watch it - more than once. If you lost the link you can find it again on the Possibilities Journey website (www.possjrny.org) under the "Prayer for You" - "God Moments" tab and sub-tab.

I wanted to focus today on the health effects of idolatry - and specifically the impact on wellness and wholeness. Humans make things idols almost without thinking. Sporting games and teams, jobs, fame and fortune, relationships, worldviews, military might, our healthcare system, Medicare and Medicaid, the federal government, etc. Seemingly everything we do can be turned into an idol - that which becomes all encompassing. Thus, money in and of itself is necessary to live and thrive. However, when pursuit of money becomes all important and the primary focus of one's life, then it has turned into an idol.

Funny thing about idols - they are never satisfied with our offerings, they always want more. More time, more effort, etc, until they are an all consuming way of life. Think about how much you are working right now. My wife and I had a discussion yesterday morning about trying to bring some sanity to the worklife of our pastors (asking them to take comp time for working evening meetings, and have a Sabbath). My wife stated that the expectation is that managers work a 60 hour week! My response was, is that really what we want, or has that expectation become an idol?! Idols desire blood sacrifice (and sweat and tears) and will often consume our families along the way.

The Pastor noted that demonization only happens when we engage in idol worship. Thus, the world's expectation that we work longer and longer hours to get ahead, means that if we don't, people look down on us and we don't climb the corporate ladder. People don't even realize that they are performing idol worship, because they've lost the words and the wisdom of the Book since they've left the faith communities behind in their pursuit of wealth and the "American Dream".

Idols don't care about our health, wellness or wholeness (HW2) - in fact, they thrive on our brokenness. We find ourselves more and more broken, and we don't know how to get ourselves out of the trap. Our idols keep promising us that we will be better off next year, but they lie (another truth about idols). It's only when we let G-d be G-d that things begin to get back into balance. Once we name our idol(s) and ask for help in overcoming them, we find a peace that we've never known. We are now on the way to healing and balancing our lives.

What are your idols - what controls your life? How is your idol worship affecting your HW2? Let us know what you find and how we might be of service in your path away from idol worship. Enjoy your week and the 8 minutes of life changing program.
Peace,
Dan