A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to travel to India. I anticipated that there would be major cultural differences, and made an effort to educate myself on what to expect, in hopes of not inadvertently offending our hosts and the local people through careless words, actions, or expressions.

One thing that I found strange and unfamiliar was the pervasive presence of shrines, temples, and idols. The people of India are predominantly Hindu, and as such, pay homage to millions of gods. There were shrines, temples, or idols erected at seemingly every major intersection, in every town and village, and on the fronts of most houses and businesses. In addition, cows, which are considered sacred to Hindus, were decorated with paint and ribbons and flowers, and roamed the streets freely.

It was very strange and fascinating, since idolatry is not much of an issue in America. Or is it?

The gods worshipped in the Hindu culture in India were easily identifiable, not just by the shrines, temples, and statues, but also by the daily routines of the people, who would stop to kneel briefly, or tilt their head in acknowledgement. Every store displayed posters or mini-statues of the national and local gods. Restaurants and hotels had them on display as well. Even the homes and businesses had carved images on their facades, or statues perched on the corners of their roofs. I learned that not all the statues and images were worshipped as gods; some were merely used to ward off evil spirits or bring good fortune. Some of the statues and items were not gods or charms of any kind, but simply reminders of national pride and values. It became very confusing trying to distinguish between idols and icons when there was no observable difference in the people’s behavior in relation to them.

Encarta Dictionary defines idolatry as “the worship of idols or false gods” and “excessive admiration or love shown for somebody or something.” The Bible defines idolatry as having more devotion to, or reverence for, someone or something other than God. The first three Commandments of the ten given by God to Moses deal specifically with the issue of idolatry.

It is much easier to recognize idolatry among other cultures than it is to identify it within your own. I began to wonder what American culture must look like to the average Hindu.

The average American home has more televisions than people living in them. In those homes, the seating is usually arranged in relation to the TV. I saw similar scenes in homes in India, where the furniture was arranged around shrines and family altars. In America, fast food restaurants and big-box stores occupy every street corner, as testimony to our love of food and stuff. Tabloids and entertainment magazines line every checkout at grocery stores and take up prime floor space in bookstores, revealing our obsession with beauty and fame. Sex and lust are on full display on the covers and pages of magazines, as well as on TV shows and commercials, and in movies and the lyrics of our songs. And although our currency states “In God We Trust” we exchange our health, families, friends, and relationship with God to get more money. Some may argue that these are not gods or idols but merely icons of the new American values. It seems to me that the lines between idols and icons have become blurred.

Idolatry begins by defining what we believe hell to be, imagining what we believe heaven to be, and then pursuing something or someone who can save us from hell and get us to heaven.

If we believe hell is being poor and heaven is being wealthy, we will pursue money as our savior.

If we believe hell is being single and heaven is being married, we will pursue marriage and romance as our savior.

If hell is being bored, then we pursue recreation and entertainment as our savior.

If hell is being stressed and heaven is experiencing pleasure, then we will pursue alcohol, drugs, or even sex as our saviors.

But if we believe hell is being overtaken by sin and selfishness and being separated from God, and heaven is being free from sin and living in full undiluted relationship with our Heavenly Father and one another, then we will pursue Jesus, the one who paid the penalty for sin, showed us how to live and love one another, and restored us to a right relationship with God, as our savior.

The question isn’t “Do you worship?” but rather “Who or what do you worship?” So who and what has your “excessive admiration or love”?