The power of stardom is strong. It can overcome you like a tidal wave, sweeping you under the red carpet, making you wish you were — or knew — the celebrities you worship.
WHY IS WORSHIPPING CELEBRITIES BAD?
Worshipping anyone or anything besides the Lord is bad. However, the more detailed answer to this question is this:
Celebrities are people — like you and me. They have their own beliefs on certain topics and subjects. They have their own things or people they worship. And they may subtly or opening promote those things…
When we worship another, we tend to be lenient on our own beliefs when the person we’re worshipping has a different view than us. For example: say I worshipped Meghan Markle and my beliefs on abortion was that it is wrong. Well, now Meghan decides to speak out about how she advocated for abortions… And instead of standing firm in my beliefs, I sway. I become lenient and perhaps begin to agree with her.
This is when the worshipping of another become extremely dangerous, because they are affecting who we are as a person.
“You become like the 5 closest people you surround yourself with.”
If you’re constantly surrounding yourself — listening, following, etc. — with celebrities that have different views than you, it’s most likely that your views will begin to change.
Yes, sometimes that’s a good thing. But sometimes… Not so much. Especially if you’re Christian and you are giving more attention than is necessary to non-Christian celebrities.
Personally:
Growing up, my idol was Avril Lavigne. From her attitude, to her pink hair, to the way she dressed, I honestly worshipped her. I dyed my hair like her. I dressed like her. I knew every word to every one of her songs. (add in the picture of me and Avril side by side?)
My idolization of her definitely led me into Satan’s hands. He had me wrapped around his finger like a pitiful fool. I was full of false confidence on the outside and rotting with anxiety and depression on the inside. Her music fed my developing mind with sinful thoughts and desires, and my idolatry of her created an identity crisis within me that led me into all other forms of idolatry and deception.
So, this is some of the lyrics to one of Avril Lavigne’s songs, I Fell In Love With The Devil:
“I fell in love with the Devil
And now I’m in trouble
I fell in love with the Devil
I’m underneath his spell (Oh)
Someone send me an angel
To lend me a halo
I fell in love with the Devil
Please save me from this hell (Oh)
Got me playin’ with fire (Playin’ with fire)
Baby, hand me the lighter (Hand me the lighter)
Tastes just like danger (Tastes just like danger)
Chaotic anger
But I can’t stop the rush
And I can’t give you up
No I know you’re no good for me
You’re no good for me”
I Fell In Love With The Devil, Avril Lavigne
* * *
Once I found God, I realized the seriousness of the darkness and despair I was trapped in that He saved me from. Once I understood that He is the only one I should be praising and worshipping, I stopped all consumption of my past idols. God allowed me a clean slate. But just to clarify, it wasn’t easy. It took well over a year to let go of my idolatry of celebrities. They were all I ever knew for 24 years of my life. But they weren’t all I ever wanted to know.
It’s okay to be interested in celebrities lives. We’re human; we like to know how others lives are going. But there is a fine line between being interested and worshipping the ground these people walk on.
The simplest idea I like to remember when I feel overcome by wanting to worship these humans, is that they are just that: humans, like you and me.
When we can break the mirage that is stardom, we can then let go of our idolatry and focus on the one and only thing that really matters in this life — JESUS.
WE ARE CALLED TO WORSHIP GOD ONLY
Many generations passed until there was no longer anybody alive who had witnessed God’s gracious hand leading the Israelites out of Egypt. These generations grew up not knowing what the Lord had done for them. They followed, served, and worshipped other gods, refusing to give up their evil practices (Judges 2:10-19). But God so loved His people, that every time they came back begging for help, He was merciful and sent them a leader. The same thing happened with each new generation. Each time, the Israelites chose other gods above God Almighty, He led them into the hands of their enemies, and when their false gods could not save them, they found themselves crying to God for help.
Their idols were fake and gave false hope. When it was time for help, they could not get the job done. This is the testimony of God’s power and strength. Every time the false gods failed the Israelites, the Lord was the One they called upon; the only One who could save them.
Each time we choose other gods above God Almighty, He will lead us, too, into the hands of our enemies. He will always be there to save us, should we decide to turn back to Him. These other “gods” are nothing. They’re not powerful and they sure don’t care about us like God cares about us.
The Lord knows that we have curious little hearts that will never be satisfied except with Him, alone. That is why He gave us the commandments, and why two of them were specifically about worshipping Him only:
He calls us to worship Him only because He is the Almighty God; He is the Creator of everything we see and know and everything we can’t see and don’t know. He is the most powerful entity in the whole universe. He calls us to worship Him only because He is the only One that can fill the empty spot in our soul. He is our missing piece; without Him we will always feel a certain kind of emptiness. But with Him, we are filled with a sort of Heaven on earth.
If you enjoyed the information here, you can read more in my book that this is extracted from:
