It’s interesting how society has long accepted idols of Roman, Babylonian, and Greek origin, displayed in public squares, churches, universities, and even government buildings without question yet the moment a “strange” or unfamiliar structure is erected, such as the one on All Saints Road in Antigua, there’s widespread uproar. If we are to condemn one, then consistency demands we examine and renounce them all, because their roots all trace back to the same ancient pagan systems.
Historical Context
The Roman Empire, in its process of expansion, absorbed the deities of Babylon, Greece, and other conquered nations, giving them Latin names but retaining their pagan functions. For example:
- Zeus (Greek) became Jupiter (Roman)
- Aphrodite became Venus
- Tammuz, the Babylonian god, was syncretized into Roman mystery religions and is even referenced in the Bible (Ezekiel 8:14).
These idols were then integrated into Western art, religion, and architecture, persisting into the modern era through statues, holidays, and place names. Many “Christian” symbols today are actually Romanized pagan symbols rebranded through centuries of empire and church influence.
Biblical Understanding
The Bible is clear and unwavering on the issue of idolatry:
- Exodus 20:3–5 — “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image… thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.”
- Deuteronomy 12:2–3 — “Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods… And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire.”
- Isaiah 42:8 — “I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”
- Acts 17:29 — Paul, speaking in Athens, says: “We ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.”
These passages show that God made no distinction between “old” idols and “new” ones all are forbidden, regardless of cultural origin or familiarity. Whether they are Greek, Babylonian, Roman, or modern if they are idols, they fall under the same command.
The Issue of Selective Outrage
What we see today is selective moral outrage. People accept statues and symbols of pagan gods often seeing them as “culture,” “history,” or “art” but when something unfamiliar or “foreign” arises, suddenly it’s seen as a spiritual threat. Biblically and historically, there’s no difference. Both are pagan; both are contrary to the commandments.
If one is to be rejected for spiritual reasons, then all must be examined under the same standard. Otherwise, it’s hypocrisy holding on to the familiar while condemning the unfamiliar.
In short: If a strange idol on All Saints Road is cause for alarm, then the Roman-Babylonian idols that have been normalized for centuries must also be questioned and, if we’re standing on biblical principles, renounced and removed as well. The Most High doesn’t play favorites between idols.
Shalom
