In 2 Nephi 12:8, we read:
8 Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.
In this passage, Nephi, the second prophet of the Book of Mormon, is quoting from Isaiah 2. Isaiah is chastising those who worship false gods. Today, many people skim over these passages, thinking they don’t apply to them since they don’t worship statues. However, modern leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes incorrectly called the Mormon Church, warn us that many today are idolatrous. They may not worship Baal, or other ancient false gods, but they often put materialism into a place of honor, even over God in their own lives.
Many people today choose to follow the examples of celebrities instead of God. When they need advice or want to know what to believe, they don’t turn to the scriptures, but to the latest popular self-help book, their political party, or their social organizations. These people or groups who have achieved worldly fame can be considered today’s idols, a name even used in popular culture.
Too many have allowed moneyto become their false idol. The longing for wealth—not for enough to sustain a decent life, but enough to sustain a life of luxury—is a modern idol. Some have allowed money to become so important it is their god, and matters more than anything else. A love of money quickly takes people away from a focus on the true God. The need, or rather the perceived need to earn excessive income, can overshadow the need to visit God’s home for Sunday services. It can overshadow the need to serve others and to treat them kindly. It can overshadow even the need to care for our families through time and attention. In short, it becomes the center of a person’s world, and so becomes their god.
Spencer W. Kimball, a previous prophet, wrote often on this subject. He said,
“The Lord has blessed us as a people with a prosperity unequaled in times past. The resources that have been placed in our power are good, and necessary to our work here on the earth. But I am afraid that many of us have been surfeited with flocks and herds and acres and barns and wealth and have begun to worship them as false gods, and they have power over us. Do we have more of these good things than our faith can stand? Many people spend most of their time working in the service of a self-image that includes sufficient money, stocks, bonds, investment portfolios, property, credit cards, furnishings, automobiles, and the like to guarantee carnal security throughout, it is hoped, a long and happy life. Forgotten is the fact that our assignment is to use these many resources…to build up the kingdom of God…to raise our children up as fruitful servants unto the Lord; to bless others in every way, that they may also be fruitful. Instead, we expend these blessings on our own desires, and as Moroni said, “Ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not.” (Morm. 8:39.)” (Spencer W. Kimball, “The False Gods We Worship,” Ensign, Jun 1976, 3)
In some ways, modern day idolatry is harder to avoid than the earlier worship or gold or silver statues. Those statues could simply be avoided by those who wanted to repent of their ways. Today’s idols are all around us, and it can be challenging for people to know where the line is drawn. When do you stop needing more money to provide a decent life and start worshipping money, seeking after more than is needed? How do you decide what to keep and what to share?
Avoiding idolatry of worldly goods requires constant vigilance and prayer. God knows how much you and your family really need, and by paying close attention to the answers you receive in prayer, you will be able to balance the various parts of your life and keep your center where it belongs. While there is nothing wrong with seeking advice from other human beings, that advice should be part of the research you do as you make a decision to present to God. Then let God make the final choice. Avoid becoming too dependent on the advice of those who aren’t taking their advice from God.
Avoiding modern idolatry is a challenge, but one that helps us to stay on the path back to our Father in Heaven.
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
