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Dismissing the False Gods

By Arlon Staywell
RICHMOND — Whether people realize it or not they follow various gods. Even so called "atheists" follow various gods. It is important to be aware of those things that might become gods inadvertantly.
Money
Money can become a false god. This is not to say that money is a bad thing. Money is a good thing used to its purpose. It provides liquidity, which is essential to modern economies. Without money modern economies would come to a very grinding halt. But that is not the only thing that can go terribly wrong. If money takes the place of God in our lives things can go terribly wrong also. When people lose faith in God they lose an essential guiding principle and they must substitute something and often it is money that becomes their only guiding principle. Money can't do that, isn't supposed to do that. The only thing money can and should do is provide liquidity.
An important note about liquidity for people who are not economists will clarify the idea. In order for money to be a "liquid" asset it must faithfully represent actual goods and or services. If ten dollars represents ten dollars worth of actual goods and or services then it can flow as easily as, be taken for them. If ten dollars comes to represent much more than ten dollars worth of goods and or services, deflation; or if ten dollars comes to represent much less goods and services, inflation; it will not flow as easily as or be taken for goods and or services. It will have lost its liquidity and many other qualities. For money to be a liquid asset requires very precise mathematics. Its value must be stable.
Military
Military force can become a false god. There is nothing wrong with self defense and nothing wrong with countries having a department of defense. There is nothing wrong with using such force as is necessary to prevent harm to the innocent. What has perhaps gone terribly wrong is that some people have come to expect the military to make people moral. The military can't do that, was never supposed to do that. The military can protect moral people from immoral ones, but it does not and cannot make anyone moral. The only thing the military can and should do is provide defense. It isn't might that makes right. It is right that should make might if and as needed, but that right requires another guiding principle than might alone. Military force should not become a god, but people who lost faith in God and people who struggle against others who lost faith in God have substituted military force for God, and that will never work.
Science
Science can become a false god, but the explanation of how that happens is most difficult. Lao Tzu said, "The Dao (previously transliterated "Tao") that can be told is not the eternal Dao." In the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad it says, "That self (Atman) is not this and not that" ("neti, neti," not this, not this). Not that these descriptions of the indescribable much serve any modern definition of science, but they do serve to warn of the hazards of objectifying. Once "science" becomes objectified it can be a false god. There is much on this website about the "myths" of science, the things that have been accepted on faith disguised as science. This is not to say that faith is a bad thing or even that faith in "science" is a bad thing, only to say that there are hazards. Just because someone claims to be "scientific" doesn't necessarily mean they are, and there are many false prophets of science with many lost souls following them. A common mistake is to assume that the scope of a doctor's training is larger than it actually is. People become doctors by being trained in health. Modern industry and society have other areas of expertise and require other experts. Although doctors are consulted in the design of automobiles for example it might be a bad idea to ask one to repair yours.
Physical Attractiveness
"Sexiness" or physical attractiveness can become a false god. Neither money, military force, "science," nor physical attractiveness are bad things, but like the others physical attractiveness should not replace God. Physical attractiveness can be fleeting. Physical attractiveness can be deceptive. Though it can be a good thing, it cannot serve as a guiding principle alone. We have no "dumb blonde" jokes here.
Truths
A real god is the true guiding principle of a culture. "Allah" is the real god of Islamic culture. For people in that culture it is better to worship Allah than money, military force, "science" or other false gods.
Photo by Arlon Staywell Sun

The Judeo-Christian god is the same thing basically seen through cultural filters. All the various "true guiding principles" around the world are basically the same seen through cultural filters.
Money, military force and "science" objectified and other false gods are not true guiding principles. There is no "cultural filter" argument to justify using those as guiding principles.
Money, military force, "science" and physical attractiveness are probably the four worst demons in the world, but only when people try to substitute them for God. Otherwise they are all good and or necessary things. And while on the topic of good and or necesary things there is one more that can turn demonic rather insidiously. Having noted that just because someone claims to be "scientific" doesn't mean they are, we should also note here that just because someone claims to be religious or spiritual doesn't mean they are. Religion can't be the true guiding principle when it is misinterpreted, misunderstood and misused. If you went to any religious service in the United States, just for example, and were able to remove those who were really worshipping money, military force, "science," physical attractiveness or other false gods, there probably wouldn't be many people left. Not only do people who lose faith in God fall prey to false gods, some who have convinced themselves that they believe in and follow the "true god" deceive themselves and they are as led by money or power or other false gods as any "atheist."
While this covers the main ones there are are many, many other false gods out there. Be careful. In the sixties music and drugs were gods to larger numbers of people than usual and each phase of history can have its particular false gods.
One lately emerging false god that could potentially be the worst ever is discussed in the next article.

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