idolatry
Graven image veneration
Idolatry is the worship of idols—images or objects treated as gods.
Religious traditions that forbid such worship use the term critically: The prophet condemned the idolatry of the people.
More broadly, idolatry describes excessive devotion to anything: His idolatry of wealth, the idolatry of celebrity culture.
The implication is that something unworthy has been elevated to sacred status.
Ancient Canaanite deity
- mammonWealth as deity
- golden calfSymbol of misplaced worship
- graven imageSculpted object of worship
- paganNon-mainstream religion follower
heathen · blasphemy · sacrilege · heresy · apostasy · abomination · forbidden · commandment
Profound admiring respect
- reverenceProfound admiring respect
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- altarSacred ritual table
- shrineSacred devotional place
temple · icon · effigy · sacrifice · ritual · deity · cult · paganism
Irreverence toward the sacred
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- apostasyRenunciation of former beliefs
- sacrilegeViolation of the hallowed
- paganismNon-monotheistic religious practice
heathenism · prohibition · abomination · sin · transgression · commandment · forbidden · impiety
Uncritical excessive admiration
- idolizationExtreme reverent admiration
- deificationElevation to divine status
- apotheosisPeak or deification
- glorificationElevating praise or worship
exaltation · lionization · adulation · infatuation · reverence · fandom · celebrity · pedestal
Preoccupation with acquiring goods
- mammonWealth as deity
- acquisitivenessDesire to gather wealth
- greedExcessive desire for wealth
- avariceExcessive desire for riches
possession · status · luxury · affluence · covetousness · commercialism · capitalism · money
Persistent mental attachment
- fanaticismObsessive, unreasoning dedication
- maniaIntense, consuming obsession
- infatuationShort-lived intense attraction
- preoccupationAbsorbing mental focus
monomania · fetishization · compulsion · addiction · craze · devotion · engrossment · single-mindedness
Baal
Ancient Canaanite deity
- mammonWealth as deity
- golden calfSymbol of misplaced worship
- graven imageSculpted object of worship
pagan · heathen · blasphemy · sacrilege · heresy · apostasy · abomination · forbidden · commandment · sin
veneration
Profound admiring respect
shrine · temple · icon · effigy · sacrifice · ritual · deity · cult · paganism · polytheism
blasphemy
Irreverence toward the sacred
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- apostasyRenunciation of former beliefs
- sacrilegeViolation of the hallowed
paganism · heathenism · prohibition · abomination · sin · transgression · commandment · forbidden · impiety · profanity
hero-worship
Uncritical excessive admiration
- idolizationExtreme reverent admiration
- deificationElevation to divine status
- apotheosisPeak or deification
glorification · exaltation · lionization · adulation · infatuation · reverence · fandom · celebrity · pedestal · stardom
consumerism
Preoccupation with acquiring goods
- mammonWealth as deity
- acquisitivenessDesire to gather wealth
- greedExcessive desire for wealth
avarice · possession · status · luxury · affluence · covetousness · commercialism · capitalism · money · accumulation
fixation
Persistent mental attachment
- fanaticismObsessive, unreasoning dedication
- maniaIntense, consuming obsession
- infatuationShort-lived intense attraction
preoccupation · monomania · fetishization · compulsion · addiction · craze · devotion · engrossment · single-mindedness · zealotry
- Hebrew BibleTanakh, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers
- religionChristianity, Islam, beliefs, Judaism, Hinduism
- vicesgreed, envy, lust, gluttony, vanity
- commandmentsTen Commandments, no other gods, honor thy parents, honor parents, no stealing
- cultismcult, sect, brainwashing, indoctrination, fanaticism
- early churchapostles, early church, Church Fathers, apostolic fathers, Acts of the Apostles
idolatryhatred
Intense hostile aversion
loathing · contempt · scorn · vilification · detestation
idolatryiconoclasm
Attacking revered traditions
monotheism · piety · orthodoxy · reverence · theism
idolatrydetachment
Separation or emotional uninvolvement
renunciation · asceticism · non-attachment · self-denial · minimalism
idolatrous, idolater, idolaters, idolatries, idolators, idolator, idolatress