Idolatry and False Gods Exposed Idolatry of Canada and the United States - this is rather complex, but the main idols of the United States are money and material things, and the American Way......the main form of idolatry in Canada is money and material things, plus Socialism and the Nanny State. Christian Attitudes Towards Money and Material Goods Contrast Between Idolatrous Worship of Money and Genuine Christianity
Psalms 96:5 : " For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens." Isaiah 2: 18 " And the idols He shall utterly abolish. " A day is coming when Christ will return to this earth. He will abolish all idols. The Lord only shall be worshipped on the earth. Zechariah 14: 9 " And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one. " Zechariah 2:11 " And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day and shall be my people..."
If the nation you live in doesn't have the true God mentioned in the Bible as its God, then it is orientated around idols. The time has come to begin tearing down the idols. What is Canada as a nation orientated around ? What is the frame of reference? What is the nation of Canada built and based upon ? If it were the true God then this would be reflected in the Laws passed, the customs followed and in the Constitution. God's laws as explained in the Bible would be the foundation on which we would build our own laws. Yet the Canadian Constitution claims to recognize the supremacy of God. PART I of the Constitution Act 1982 - CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS " Whereas Canada is founded upon the principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law: " We must assume the God mentioned is the God of the Christians, since the vast majority of Canadians (around 80 %) identify with the Christian faith. So if God is recognized as supreme then why doesn't this reflect itself in the laws and policies ? Why does so much in Canada contradict this recognition of the supremacy of God ?
There are many, many more questions, but this list is long enough already. The reality is that Canada as a nation and society is not orientated around the true God, but rather its primary focus is money and material goods - and also socialism. Money and socialism are therefore the main national gods of Canada. Canada is therefore a nation immersed in idolatry. We all need money. It is not a sin, or crime to be rich. More material goods can make life more enjoyable. Money is power and it can be used to do good things. It's just that Canada is orientated and focused on money and material goods, and if any nation isn't orientated around the true God then it is involved in idolatry. Idols cannot teach us, cannot lead us, cannot correct us and they can't bless and watch after our land. Socialism is destroying Canada. Go to my article on Socialism in Canada, which explains the problem.
Exposing the Idolatry of Canada and the United States United States main false gods.......money and material goods .....The American Way Canada main false gods...... money and material goods........and Socialism We are not talking about individuals here, but rather the greater society. Canada and the United States do not have the same societies. Still, there is much we share and one of these is the amazing wealth and material prosperity of our respective nations. Yes there are a good number of other lands that are also very rich materially. So this is not something unique to Canada and the USA. Yet you will have to search the ends of the earth to find any societies that are more materialistic than the ones we have today here in Canada and the USA. Canada and Alberta are professing Christian societies. There are Churches in almost every neighborhood and Bibles in the majority of homes. So go find your Bible and let's see what it says about money, material goods and the attitude real Christians are supposed to have regarding these things. When we are doing this please try to think about what the greater society where you live believes regarding these things. What are your societies norms and expectations regarding money and material goods ? Then try to see how this fits in with or contrasts with the Bible teachings on the subject. Remember, it is not a sin to be rich, if the wealth was attained through legitimate means. This is not something to be ashamed of, unless you got your wealth through dishonest means. So let's not bash the rich. Poor folks are not automatically superior to rich folks. And remember also that the Bible teaches the importance of work and in fact the 4th Commandment regarding the Sabbath also has as part of it the requirement for us to do our work (Exodus 20:8-11). We are actually commanded to work. It is wrong and a sin to be lazy. The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about the importance of wisdom regarding everyday affairs and the need to handle money wisely. Also the Bible recognizes the rights of private ownership and private property, because the 10th commandment says that we are not to covet anything that belongs to our neighbor (Exodus 20:17). Let us first look at Christ's teachings regarding this matter of money and wealth. Let us also examine the life He led and His lifestyle as a human being. Jesus Christ worked for a living prior to His 3 ½ year Ministry. He was a carpenter as was Joseph his Dad (God was His real Father)( Matthew 13:53-58). Mark 6:3 " Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary.....? " Jesus probably owned His own home( Matt.9:9-10 and Mark 7:17 ) and he wore high quality clothes. He was not a homeless vagabond. Christ's clothes were of such high quality that the soldiers doing the crucifying divided the clothes among themselves. His coat was seamless and so valuable that the soldiers cast lots for it rather than tearing it into equal parts (John 19:23-24 ). Christ was invited to so many banquets and weddings that His enemies falsely accused Him of being a glutton and drunkard. They also didn't like Christ's relationships with publicans and sinners (Luke 7:31-35). So Jesus drank wine. You can't accuse someone of being a winebibber, if all they drink is grape juice. John the Baptist on the other hand lived an entirely different lifestyle. John lived in the desert - in the wilderness. He wore clothes made of camel hair, ate locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4). And John never drank wine. Jesus lived in Capernaum, which was one of the centers of civilization in that land and situated at an important crossroads. The difference between John the Baptist and Jesus was a matter of lifestyles. Different strokes for different folks.
So let us look in the New Testament and see what is said about money and material goods. Matthew 6:19-20 " Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break forth and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal." Matthew 6:24 " No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one , and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money)." Matthew 6:26 " Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are ye not much better than they ? " Matthew 6:33 " But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things (the things we need for the body) shall be added unto you." Matthew 13:22 " He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. " Matthew 16:26 " For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ? " Matthew 19:23 " Then said Jesus unto His disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved ? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Matthew 22:2-5 " The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for His son. And sent forth His servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again , He sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden , Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the wedding. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise..." Luke 4:4 " And Jesus answered him saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone. but by every word of God. " Luke 12:13 " And one of the company said unto Him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And He said unto him, Man who made me a judge and divider over you ? And he said unto them, Take heed and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesses. " Luke 12:16-21 " And He spoke a parable unto them saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room to bestow my fruits ? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall these things be, which thou hast provided ? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God. " John 6:26-27 " Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily I say unto you, Ye seek me , not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Farther sealed. " John 6:35 " And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth in me shall never thirst. " Romans 13:6 " Pay your taxes too, for the same two reasons. For government workers need to be paid so that they can keep on doing God's work, serving you. Pay everyone whatever he ought to have: pay your taxes and import duties gladly......." Ephesians 4:28 " Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the things which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. " Philippians 4:11 " Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. " 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 " This should be your ambition; to live a quiet life, minding your own business and doing your own work, just as we told you before. As a result, people who are not Christians will trust and respect you, and you will not need to depend on others for enough money to pay your bills. " 1 Timothy 6:5-10 " Perverse disputings of men of corrupt mind, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such turn away. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing) let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:17-18 " Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate. " Hebrews 13:5-6 " Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, I will never, never fail you or forsake you, That is why we can say without any doubt or fear, That the Lord is my Helper and I am not afraid of anything mere man can do to me. " James 1:9-11 " A Christian that doesn't amount to much in this world should be glad, for he is great in the Lord's sight. But the rich should be glad that his riches mean nothing to the Lord, for he will soon be gone, like a flower that has lost it's beauty and fades away, withered - killed by the scorching summer sun. So it is with rich men. They will soon die and leave behind all their busy activities. " James 2:1-9 " Dear brothers, How can you claim that you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. if you show favoritism to rich people and look down on poor people ? " If a man comes into your church dressed in expensive clothes and with valuable gold rings on his fingers, and at the same moment another man comes in who is poor and dressed in threadbare clothes, and you make a lot of fuss over the rich man and give him the best seat in the house and say to the poor man, You can stand over there if you like, or else sit on the floor - well, judging a man by his wealth shows that you are guided by wrong motives. " Listen to me dear brothers: God has chosen poor people to be rich in faith, and the Kingdom of God is theirs, for that is the gift God has promised to all that love Him. And yet, of the two strangers, you have despised the poor man. Don't you realize that it is usually the rich men who pick on you and drag you through the court ? and all too often they are the ones who laugh at Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear. " Yes indeed, it is good when you truly obey our Lord's command, You must love and help your neighbors just as much as you love and take care of yourself. But you are breaking this law of our Lord's when you favor the rich and fawn over them; it is sin. " James 5:1-6 " Look Here , You rich men, now is the time to cry and groan with anguished grief because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is even now rotting away, and your fine clothes are becoming mere moth eaten rags. The value of your gold and silver is dropping fast, yet it will stand as evidence against you, and eat your flesh like fire. That is what you have stored up for yourselves, to receive on the coming day of judgment. For listen ! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. Their cries have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts. You have spent your years here on earth having fun, satisfying your every whim, and now your fat hearts are ready for the slaughter. You have condemned and killed the good men who had no power to defend themselves against you. "
There are many, many more Bible references to money and material goods, but this is enough for our purposes. Don't take one particular scripture out of context. You have to look at the whole picture. And please don't sell all your worldly goods and go off to live in a cave somewhere. Money is just money. It becomes a problem when people begin to trust in it. Money is power and you can use it for good or evil. It's the love of money that is a root of all evil, not the money itself. The problem here in Alberta and Canada is that money and material goods are the primary focus and orientation of society in general. This is idolatry, because the nation as a whole is orientated around something other than the true God and His laws. So money and material goods have become an end in themselves rather than a means to an end.
The Laodecean era of God's Church has been deeply infected by this idolatry. They have gotten caught up in it. Revelation 3:17 " Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, miserable, and poor, and naked: " Here is an era of God's church in our time today that is spiritually blind, spiritually naked, spiritually poor and spiritually wretched. What a horrible condition and a terrible condemnation ! Somehow and in some way they have developed the wrong approach towards money. They are using money as a gauge to measure their spiritual health perhaps. When in reality how much money we as individuals, or church groups have, is no indication that God is blessing us and with us. In reality we should be happy as Christians and as a Church when the going is tough and our lives are full of troubles, trials and persecutions. This gives us the opportunity to exercise faith and become stronger spiritually. This gives us the chance to grow in patience (1 Peter 1:6-7) (James 1:1-4) (Romans 5:2-5).
We are witnesses to the triumph of capitalism especially here in places like Calgary and Alberta. Capitalism reigns supreme - not God. This idolatry has a lot of similarities to a religion. The Alberta provincial government for example is ideologically driven. They worship before the god of privatization and capitalism. So I'd like to have some fun and just contrast and compare this idolatry to genuine Christianity. Idolatrous Devotion To Money and Material Goods Genuine Christianity 1. Faith in the private sector, and in free enterprise. 1. Faith in Jesus Christ. 2. Free up the private sector and everything will be fine. 2. Christ is the answer. 3. Get tough with the poor. Too many of them are lazy. 3. Help the poor and don't despise them. 4. I worked hard and earned everything I have. 4. God gives us power to gain wealth. 5. You have to sell yourself to your employer. 5. My soul is not for sale. 6. Invest in your human resources. People are a resource. 6. Man is made in the image of God. 7. Get ahead. More money will bring happiness. 7. Material goods are a means to an end. These are just some conflicting traits of these two religions. Perhaps this list will be added to later on.
The present system we have now here in Alberta appears to be a curious marriage between professing Christianity and the devotion to the pursuit of money and material goods. It is a sort of throw back to Calvinism. There are very real and startling similarities between the present typical Albertan mentality and Calvinism. Let's examine this a bit. John Calvin ran a theocratic state in Geneva starting in 1541. It was a combination of church and state with Calvin in control. He played a role in the overthrow of feudalism and the establishment of capitalism. Many of the tenets of Calvinism had profound social implications, in particular that thrift, industry, and hard work are forms of moral virtue and business success is an evidence of God's grace. The book being quoting from is ' The Western Heritage ' and the section entitled ' The Rise Of Early Modern Individualism.' So let me quote some passages that will show a link between the present idolatrous capitalist system and Calvinism. page 355 " ....it was claimed by the Calvinists that God showed His joy in His elect by allowing them to prosper; thus prosperity was an actual sign of godliness, that one was indeed a member of the elect. Hence the Puritan belief (not unknown in America and may I add Alberta) that God is with the rich; that the poor man is poor through his own fault, and God is not with him - poverty being a moral crime as well as a deserved misfortune." Man alive this fits the typical Albertan mentality to a tee. We keep hearing the same old narrow minded rhetoric - ' The poor are lazy and there are just too many welfare bums who don't want to work.' And on and on it goes. Poor bashing is a popular sport. The courts typically let many people off with lighter sentences, if the criminal has a good work record. By good work record I mean that the person has been holding down a regular job. Lawyers know this trick and try to milk out of the Judge softer sentences by claiming their client is hard working and a "CONTRIBUTING" member of the community. They have a job ! He, or she is supporting their family. So even though a crook they aren't all bad is the implication, because they are working. A man can impregnate the priest's daughter, but if he has a job then this seems to justify all kinds of vices. Hey he's okay - he works for a living. Nothing much more is expected of men, in particular. Of course just because one has a job that doesn't necessarily mean people are working hard, or even doing anything useful for society. There are a lot of jobs that produce nothing of value. Yet this doesn't seem to matter in this country. People can play all kinds of politics at work, take long breaks and fool around most of the day, but this doesn't seem to matter. All that matters is whether they are holding down the job and getting paid. Listen to the talk shows and you get a glimpse of the way some people think. Have heard talk here in Alberta that it is better for a woman to be a prostitute than for her to be on welfare ! The prostitute supposedly is working for a living, while the welfare Mom is just a drain on the system. Amazing how twisted some people's logic is. Let us look at one final point. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 is often given by people as a sign that God is a capitalist and God supports the capitalist system. You may know the parable. A man gives his servants some money to invest, while he is gone. One gets $5,000, another $ 2,000 and one gets a sum of $ 1,000 to invest. The master goes off and the ones given the 5,000 and 2,000 dollars immediately start investing and trading and each gains the same amount they were given. The guy with the 1,000 dollars however, doesn't do anything with the money, but buries it instead, for safekeeping. After a long time the master returns and calls his servants to account for how they handled the money. Of course the master here in the parable is Jesus Christ. The ones who had made a profit for the master were commended and ushered into paradise, because they were good and faithful servants. They were given more responsibilities. The man who buried the 1,000 dollars returned it to the master, but there was no profit. So the unprofitable servant was declared as being wicked and lazy. His capital was given to the man with the 10,000 dollars and he was tossed into outer darkness. This parable has been horribly misinterpreted by those with a capitalist axe to grind. Christ is the Master in the parable. The Master going to a far country is symbolic of Christ returning to heaven. The talents, or money given is symbolic of the spiritual gifts, talents, or responsibilities that Christ entrusts to His servants. The Master returning and holding His servants accountable, is symbolic of Christ judging and rewarding His servants after the resurrection. God and Christ expect to see some fruits produced. God the Father and God the Son expect a profit from their investment in the Christian. They expect to see some fruits of the Holy Spirit like love, joy, peace, temperance, faith, self-control, patience, longsuffering (Galatians 5:22-23) (John 15:1-8) (Luke 13:6-9). God and Christ have invested a lot in a Christian, and they expect a profit from their investment, but a spiritual profit. How much has the Christian grown spiritually ? How many others have they helped to become believers? How have they helped the Church ? How well have they overcome their sins and spiritual faults ? How well have they obeyed God's laws ? Have they been merciful and forgiving ? How well have they used the spiritual gifts given them ? Those given more are expected to produce more, because they have been given greater abilities. To whom much is given, much is asked.
Mailing Address: Ray Wegner P.O. Box 475 Stn. Main Calgary, Alberta T2P-2J1 Telephone (403) 274-5253 E-mail Guarantee of Rights and Freedoms and Fundamental Freedoms (from the Canadian Constitution) " The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: (a) freedom of conscience and religion; (b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication; (c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and (d) freedom of association. " Readers are encouraged to point out biblical errors in all of my material and writings on spiritual matters. If you can find scriptural errors in my teachings - teachings that cannot be backed up by hard, concrete biblical doctrine - then I will gladly accept the constructive criticism and make the changes needed. So please go ahead and point out my mistakes, but your criticism must not be based on mere opinion, but must be able to be proved from the Bible. This web site built, designed, and owned by Ray Wegner.
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