Idolatry
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"The Adoration of the Golden Calf" by Nicolas Poussin
"The Adoration of the Golden Calf" by Nicolas Poussin
Idolatry is usually defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monothestic God. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered as sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent. Which images, ideas, and objects, constitute idolatry, and which constitute reasonable worship, is a matter of contention with some religious authorities and groups using the term to describe certain other religions apart from their own.
Contents
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* 1 Etymology
* 2 Idolatry in the Bible
o 2.1 Do idolaters really worship idols? - Idolatry as a negative stereotyping process
* 3 Idolatry in Jewish thought
* 4 Christian views of idolatry
* 5 Idolatry in Islam
* 6 Sikh views
* 7 Hindu views of idolatry - Linguistic Symbols as Idols of Divine
* 8 False idol
* 9 See also
* 10 References
[edit] Etymology
The word idolatry comes (by haplology) from the Greek word eidololatria, a compound of eidolon, "image" or "figure", and latreia, "worship". Although the Greek appears to be a loan translation of the Hebrew phrase avodat elilim, which is attested in rabbinic literature (e.g., bChul., 13b, Bar.), the Greek term itself is not found in the Septuagint, Philo, Josephus, or in other Hellenistic Jewish writings. It is also not found in Greek literature. In the New Testament, the Greek word is found only in the letters of Paul, 1 Peter, 1 John, and Revelation, where it has a derogatory meaning. Hebrew terms for idolatory include avodah zarah (foreign worship) and avodat...
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