We moderns fool ourselves thinking we choose between “religious” and “normal” when the entirety of our being is prone to rituals, values and structure.
If you “opt-out” of it, it ONLY means that you worship other things, and probably lower things (sex, technology, are very sacred for the modern “non religious” type if you pay close attention, not to mention ephemeral meaning seeking riots, political brain washing, twitter shaming, whatever group rituals we get pulled into like angry animals with no sense of where is up or down.
Indeed, there is no opting out. You're only going to worship other things, which might be even more dangerous, because you're not even aware you're worshipping it.
This in turn creates chaos, as everyone has a different point of focus, or a "demon"
Especially in the arts, it seems that the idolatry you speak of manifests itself in two ways: an obsession with the creations of human hands, and a glorification of self-expression. The first takes the form of endlessly analyzing, studying, and preserving the slightest scraps of an artist's creations (quick pencil sketches by people like Rembrandt get put in museums, and unfinished musical pieces by major composers get "restored" and performed). The second is seen in how anything an artist does is considered valid and worthwhile. There are few voices telling artists that they need to study their craft, edit themselves, or otherwise curtail their own self-expression.
As you say, God is the ultimate source of being, but when artists begin to venerate self-expression, and when the critics, collectors, and museums start to venerate the artists, it can seem like God has been forgotten. There need to be more Christians in the arts, pointing towards the Creator, who is the only true object of worship.
Indeed, there is indeed idolatry of older artists. The further going back into time, the less there is focus on the artist, the more there is on the art. This art again points towards God.
All veneration of things lower than God is idolatry and it is very dangerous.
Further, religion is simply not an option.
We moderns fool ourselves thinking we choose between “religious” and “normal” when the entirety of our being is prone to rituals, values and structure.
If you “opt-out” of it, it ONLY means that you worship other things, and probably lower things (sex, technology, are very sacred for the modern “non religious” type if you pay close attention, not to mention ephemeral meaning seeking riots, political brain washing, twitter shaming, whatever group rituals we get pulled into like angry animals with no sense of where is up or down.
Indeed, there is no opting out. You're only going to worship other things, which might be even more dangerous, because you're not even aware you're worshipping it.
This in turn creates chaos, as everyone has a different point of focus, or a "demon"
Especially in the arts, it seems that the idolatry you speak of manifests itself in two ways: an obsession with the creations of human hands, and a glorification of self-expression. The first takes the form of endlessly analyzing, studying, and preserving the slightest scraps of an artist's creations (quick pencil sketches by people like Rembrandt get put in museums, and unfinished musical pieces by major composers get "restored" and performed). The second is seen in how anything an artist does is considered valid and worthwhile. There are few voices telling artists that they need to study their craft, edit themselves, or otherwise curtail their own self-expression.
As you say, God is the ultimate source of being, but when artists begin to venerate self-expression, and when the critics, collectors, and museums start to venerate the artists, it can seem like God has been forgotten. There need to be more Christians in the arts, pointing towards the Creator, who is the only true object of worship.
Thank you for the comment.
Indeed, there is indeed idolatry of older artists. The further going back into time, the less there is focus on the artist, the more there is on the art. This art again points towards God.
All veneration of things lower than God is idolatry and it is very dangerous.