When Ideology Becomes an Idol

When ideology becomes an idol we get situations in which Christian educational institutions admit Muslim students because of their gender values, and fire Christian professors for being women.

(Read about it here, http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2014/may/evangelical-seminary-explains-why-first-muslim-southwestern.html)


When ideology becomes an idol we get situations in which we demand that women stay in abusive relationships to protect the institution of marriage at all cost.

(Read more, http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas/Til-Death-Do-We-Part-191719891.html)


When ideology becomes an idol we get situations in which the Sabbath laws are more important than healing and giving people hope.

On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath." The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?" When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing (Luke 13:10-17, NIV)

When we put ideology before people, we are essentially saying that our need to be right is more important than real, breathing, flesh and blood, humans. And because our need to be right is so strong and relentless, we are willing to sacrifice other humans to our idol in an effort to prove our own worth.

But are we worthy when we sacrifice other humans? Our ideologies give us the illusion that we are part of that which is good and right, but God looks at us and wonders why we haven't read the instructions he gave us. Love your neighbor the way you love yourself is one of the two laws that cannot be broken to keep another, the first one being love God with your whole being.

How loving is it to destroy another human being for the sake of an ideal when it is in your power to save her? 

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:21, NIV)

Next time you are told God expects you to live up to an ideal whether it is a gender role, or the sanctity of marriage, remind them there is only one God, no idols allowed.