What Is Idolatry?

<p><b>What Is Idolatry?</b></p> <p>Idolatry is obsessive and unrealistic worship, devo­tion or love directed at another person, who has then been termed an idol. The obsessed person is the idolater, and invari­ably has a false mental perception of who or what the idol represents.</p> <p>Idolatry is sometimes called idol worship, and the people who worship idols can be called idolaters.</p> <p>The idol may be some­one who the idolater knows, such as a school friend or teacher; or, as is frequently the case with teenagers, a public figure such as a pop music star, film star or sports personality. When idolatry occurs in adults, it is often at the beginning of a new relation­ship, when individuals may be unaware of their partner's faults and may even try to avoid discovering them.</p> <p>Idolaters are most commonly young women who fall obsessively in love. The idol is put on a pedestal and regarded as the only person who can bring happiness. Sufferers may try to pursue a rela­tionship by trying to contact the idol, even though the person has given no sign of interest and is not even remotely familiar with the idolater.</p> <p><br /></p>