Having an idol is something that has become surprisingly common in the era, especially with our modern technology. We can easily listen, view and even interact with all sorts of artists, influencers, celebrates and more just by carrying a little rectangle that we call a phone. There are many people out there that we can easily know about nowadays and that also means that people can just as easily idolize someone, whether you know the person well or not. However, idolizing someone is not something you should be doing due to the potential dangers and drawbacks it might bring.
Admiring vs Idolizing
It is important to know the difference between admiring and idolizing someone or something. Admiring someone or something is to simply appreciate or respect someone or something, although you don’t necessarily need to like it or be obsessed with it. Idolizing is to excessively admire or love greatly, almost like an obsession. This is important because when I say that if idolizing is something bad and that you shouldn’t do, it doesn’t mean that you can’t be a fan of anything, it just means to not put it so high up on a pedestal. Nowadays, we see a lot of people being fans of things, which is fine, but there is also a great amount of people that are obsessed or fixated on someone or something.
The Dangers
Some of the dangers of idolizing someone are:
- Putting someone/something above you or high on a pedestal, this behavior can lead to a mentality that can lead to self deprecation
- Developing parasocial relationships, which is a side effect of lack of or desire of being social and in some occasions, with that very person that you idolize
- Holds you back from self development or maybe even from accomplishing basic goals
- Having or worshiping an Idol is an actual sin in the Bible stated in Exodus Chapter 20 (read & study for more information)
The Relationships Aspect (Your Social life)
To idolize an someone or something can have impacts in your relationships and social life, even if you don’t realize it. Let’s start with an example of idolizing someone. Say you have a crush on someone, you thinks he or she is the most beautiful person in the world. You are obsessed, and you don’t even realize that you are putting that person in a pedestal. By definition, you are in fact idolizing them, and you doing that is keeping you from reaching out to that person, makes you feel like a lesser being, and that feeling keeps you from working on yourself to be that better person that can talk to that person. For another example, we shall focus on a something, say you are fixated on an item, like a phone. Your obsession with your phone can be considered an idol as well if you are obsessed with it, even though you say you aren’t. You are still susceptible to some the issues listed above, even if you don’t realize it initially.
The Biblical Aspect
In Exodus 20 in the bible it says “You shall not make for yourself any idols or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth”. In the context used, it basically refers to not worshiping anyone else, as it is sin. However it is not only limited to idolizing people as the definition of idol can also be applied to an object as well. Regardless, idolizing someone is something you should not do if it keeps you from God himself, however you shall fail in this without the help of God himself, as we are only humans and we will fail, but it doesn’t mean that we should do so willingly.
Conclusion
To tell you why Idolizing isn’t ideal, it simply narrows down to it being dangerous if it gets obsessive, causing potential dismay in one’s mind, mentality, or sometimes judgement and it being a sin if it gets in the way of you and God. It is surprisingly more common than you think and one of the ones that I see that makes me feel a sense of unease is Taylor Swift fans, some might be fine, but some flat out worship the celebrity. But in all seriousness, it is important to be cautious of how to admire something so that it does not become an obsession. Even if everyone around has an idol of some sort, do not be discouraged as you can always learn from their mistakes.
