stolen identies

​As the thief is ashamed when he is found,
    so is the house of Israel ashamed;
they, their kings, their princes,
    and their priests, and their prophets,
Saying to a stock,
    ‘Thou art my father;’
and to a stone,
    ‘Thou hast brought me forth:’
for they have turned their back unto me,
    and not their face:
but in the time of their trouble they will say,
    ‘Arise, and save us.’
But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? 
    Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble:
for according to the number of thy cities
    are thy gods, O Judah.” (Jeremiah 2.26-28).

I read recently that according to a 2017 poll of gun owners, “Half of all gun owners say that ownership is essential to their identity.”[i]

That’s one of the saddest things of the many sad things I have heard lately.

And more than a little creepy. Quite possibly dangerous.

It is also a near perfect illustration of the sneaky idolatry—finding meaning, purpose, and a sense of self-- both individual and societal, that is rampant in today’s world, and that has twisted our society into its present delirious madness. How can any right-minded individual or society substitute a hunk of metal and wood—or plastic if one possesses the right type of copier—for the only true and living God?

Of course, there are plenty of other idols out there. Why, there’s a veritable smorgasbord of gods to choose from. A cornucopia of false delights, producing false and mad identities.

No one captures the madness of idolatry, the madness of finding meaning and identify in someone or something other than God, better than Isaiah. If it weren’t so tragic, it would be almost laugh-out-loud hilarious.

“The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals,
   and fashioneth it with hammers,
      and worketh it with the strength of his arms:
yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth:
   he drinketh no water, and is faint.
The carpenter stretcheth out his rule;
   he marketh it out with a line;
he fitteth it with planes,
   and he marketh it out with the compass,
and maketh it after the figure of a man,
   according to the beauty of a man;
      that it may remain in the house.
He heweth him down cedars,
   and taketh the cypress and the oak,
which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest:
   he planteth an ash,
      and the rain doth nourish it.
Then shall it be for a man to burn:
   for he will take thereof, and warm himself;
yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread;
   yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it;
      he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
He burneth part thereof in the fire;
   with part thereof he eateth flesh;
he roasteth roast,
   and is satisfied:
yea, he warmeth himself, and saith,
   Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
And the residue thereof he maketh a god,
   even his graven image:
he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it,
   and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god” (Isaiah 44.12-17).
 
But, no matter how many god’s mankind ingeniously creates, it will always be God—not metal, wood, marble, granite, gems, etc., etc.—from whom only we can find our true purpose and identity.


[i] See “Gunrunning USA,” tomdispatrch.com

But let him that glorieth glory in this,
    that he understandeth and knoweth me,
that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness,
    judgment, and righteousness, in the earth:
        for in these things I delight, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 9.24)