Idolatry and the Sublimation of Self

Last updated on: May 2, 2011 at 4:19 pm by David Hayward

Idolatry and the Sublimation of Self 2011-05-02T16:19:14-04:00 David Hayward

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The root word of sublimation is sublime. It refers to the process of making something gross into something more sublime.

Scientifically, sublimation refers to the process of transition of a substance from the solid phase to the gas phase without passing through an intermediate liquid phase.

In psychology, sublimation is when socially unacceptable impulses are consciously transformed into socially acceptable behavior which serves a higher cultural or socially useful purpose.

I suggest that in religion, sublimation refers to the transformation of natural human impulses and needs into religious activities that serve the interests of the institution.

I recently had a conversation with a young man. I asked how he was doing. He said he was going through stuff right now but that he was alright. I invited him to share what he was going through. He had just been dismissed from the staff of a large church. He and his wife and children were shocked to discover that he was made redundant by the church leadership and was suddenly unemployed and in quite desperate shape financially and vocationally. I said something like, “Wow!” He countered, “No, no! It’s okay. I understand. I questioned some things. I guess the pastor figured I wasn’t as on board as he wanted so he had me dismissed. Makes sense.” I felt angry for him. I had been through that kind of thing more than once, and I knew the pain of it very well. I told him, “No way! That’s not right. I’d be angry about that. I hate that when churches punish you for not being 100% with the program!” We talked for quite a while. I don’t think we parted in agreement.

This happens all the time. Not just to staff but to members. It has happened to me several times. So I know it must be happening many times a day.

This is idolatry. When you don’t serve the idol in whatever shape it manifests itself, when you don’t submit to it with complete and unquestioning loyalty, when you are not fully sold out to it, when you don’t transform your natural human self into useful religious energy and activity, then you are rejected by the idol, its vision and its authorities. Religion sacrifices the human spirit and peoples’ lives to its sublime agenda.

Whether this has its place in some corporations, businesses, organizations and institutions, is one thing. But it is counter-spiritual in the church because it is primarily against the human being. It is so prevalent in this world that when it happens in the church very few question it, even when they are direct victims of it. Rather than the church being a fellowship of sinners, normal human beings gathered in voluntary community, it has become the alchemical locus for cooking people into something more desirable, productive, fertile and useful to the religious program. And like all idols, it is hungry for more and more human flesh in order to consume it and transmute it into the security and promotion of its own life.

Previous Post

May 2, 2011

tell me where to go

Next Post

May 3, 2011 peace on earth

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category art cartoons cartoons 2 freebie music one minute message podcast Sophia teaching technology thought

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 March 2006 February 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who wrote the book of Genesis?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Adam Moses Eve Paul