Nothing New Under the Sun

The Primitivism of Moderns

Idolatry--the elevation of  some aspect of creation into the status of a demi-god--is as natural to the fallen heart as breathing.  Instinctively Unbelief will seek the One--an organising principle, or a precept, or an imagined being, or a ruler--and will devote their loyalty, devotion, and commitment to whatever  manufactured idol is at hand.   Sometimes the idol will be Me--with self being the centre of one's devotion and loyalty.  Sometimes it will be a nation--America the Exceptional, for example.  Sometimes it will be an ideology: socialism or libertarianism, for example. 

Whatever replaces the Living God as the centre and apex of human loyalty, devotion, and service is a manufactured idol.
  Most idols are part of a polytheistic pantheon.  Modern Unbelieving man may live for sport, entertainment, gym workouts, alcohol, work, sex, family, children, each in their turn.  This is no idle concern.  The Bible tells us that behind the pantheon of idols to which the human heart genuflects and makes sacrifices lurks the malice of the demons.  (I Corinthians 10:20)

The Garden of Eden saw the first manifestation in human history of idolatry pure and simple.  This incidence is the clearest example of the essence of idolatry.  It involved only four beings: the Living God, Satan masquerading as the serpent, and Adam and Eve.  Our first parents were presented with a simple choice: either God was God, or man could have a say on the matter.  Adam and Eve chose the idol of determining good and evil for themselves.  Adam's idol was Adam; Eve's was Eve.  Behind this choice lay the malice of the Evil One. 

All idolatry is at root self-worship, and self-devotion.  Amongst the immediate consequences of Adam's rebellion against God was blame shifting:  Adam blamed Eve; Eve blamed the serpent.  Adam said, "The woman Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate."  Eve said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."  (Genesis 3: 12,13) Self-devotion inevitably results in shifting responsibility and blame on to others. 

The modern secular world is a culture in the thrall of idols and idolatry.  Self-worship and self-devotion is arguably more overt, more prevalent than in previous cultures.  The idols of our age are impersonal abstractions or things or experiences.  Behind it lurks the malice of the demons.  Blame shifting is ubiquitous.  Nothing has changed from the manifestation of Unbelief in the Garden.  The modern Western world is about as primitive as things can be.