The Idolitrization of Contemporary Society

God is the absolute 

ideal because He is perfect by definition. We should adore only Him since everything else is 

transitory. By creating idols, we are moving away from God. Actually, we try to replace Him, 

the Absolute, with something which is finite and visible. But why we do that? The reasons are 

three:

1. In an epistemological sense, our intellect is subordinated to our sensual nature, i.e.,

we perceive the world as a source of sensual pleasures, without looking for truth or the 

ultimate principles. Although human reason is able to go beyond these limitations, this is a 

matter of personal will and strong spirituality. 

2. In an ontological sense, we are finite and mortal beings. Hence we cannot 

comprehend what is infinite and absolute. For that reason, it is natural to us to adore material 

and transitory things. Our disposition to create idols and to worship them comes precisely 

from the limitations enforced on our nature. Even human intellect cannot grasp the Absolute 

as such and perceives it in an anthropomorphic form. 

3. In a psychological sense, idolatry is an outcome of our need for security and safety. 

The strive for them both penetrates all our life. The fear of the unknown, of the endless, of 

what our intellect cannot grasp, makes us create objects of cult, objects which are visible and 

easily accessible. They give us security. In contrast with them, monotheistic religions require 

sacrifice from us, thereby making us overcome our fear of the unknown.