Idols and Ideals

Human beings have deep within their psyche the urge to love, to worship, but this urge will never be satisfied until it is directed to the ONE. People worshipped cold stone idols in the past instead of directing their love to the ONE who dwells within. We are always in a state of union with the divine; it's just that our attention is always focused outward to other object of love and devotion, so we don't experience this union. Today, in most societies, there are no stone idols, but there are rock idols and sex idols. There is even a TV show, American Idol, that makes idols of talented individuals. So, viewers know they are worshipping the false gods of the pop culture who pop in and out of favor like the gods of old. They may or may not be popular and loved based on the feelings of the populace.

Changeability and liking/disliking are characteristics of dualistic material consciousness. Love of an idol or any person or thing that is shallow, that is based on egoic wants and needs will not last. That is why many marriages end in divorce. A person has an ideal (notice the similarity to idol) of a perfect husband or a perfect wife, and if the other doesn't live up to that ideal, they leave and search for another who will.

Those who are dominated by ego worship the same idols of ancient paganism. Although only a few in certain so-called "new age" cults call themselves pagans, in practice, many truly are pagans. They may not sacrifice babies to the god Moloch but they offer them up in abortions. They may not have ritualized orgies to the fertility goddess Astaroth, but they engage in free sex. They may not pour libations to Dionysus, but they indulge in gluttony and drunkenness. These are some the false gods of the seven deadly sins of pride, envy, sloth, gluttony, lust, greed, and anger. These are not just from the Catholic catechism. In Hinduism, they are called the six Arishadvargas (enemies) of maya (sin): lust, anger, greed, illusory attachments, pride, and envy. Apparently, sloth and gluttony are among the illusory attachments. They are being promoted by the high priests of liberalism and libertarianism. These gods will never satisfy the urge to love and worship and will only cause an imbalance in the lower chakras (see Balance Your Battery to Create).

Some religions in the past and present worshipped and worship God qualities or ideals embodied in certain archetypal gods and goddesses. These are the high ideals, the true gods and goddesses of virtues that people aspire to. While these are better than the false gods of vices, the seven deadly sins, they are only parts of the ONE. In our dualistic thinking, they may appear as separate beings who can help us, and they are. But the goal toward which they are guiding us is unity with them and eventually with the Creator of all. When we attain unity consciousness, we realize that we are one with them. I am one with Kuan Yin and embody the ideal of Mercy. I am one with Pallas Athena and embody the ideal of Truth. And so on.

Today, the pantheons of the Greek and other gods have been replaced in the popular culture by the pantheon of the Marvel gods, the superheroes of comics and movies. These also are archetypes and can give flows, as they are constructs of the Mind of God. They also embody virtues instead of vices; they are ideals not idols. They are higher objects of love and worship who inspire you to rise higher and transcend and fight against the energy veil (see Tear Asunder the Energy Veil).

But only when you come in contact with the Source of all life in your heart, that divine spark that lives within you and that you are one with in essence, will your urge to love and worship be truly satisfied, for you will have reached the highest ideal.