Idolatry is worshipping or honoring an image as if that image is a body with a soul. If a subject bows before a king in civil worship and recognizes the power that king has a the sovereign, this is not idolatry; however, if the same subject bows before a king and praises him for the weather, this is idolatry, as only God has power over the weather. When Aaron made the Golden Calf and presented it to the people for religious use without the authority of God or Moses, this was idolatry. Likewise, when Christians worship images that are not authorized through Holy Scripture, like cherubs, or prescribe to unauthorized practices, like transubstantiation, this, too, is idolatry.
Idolatry Quotes in Leviathan
The Leviathan quotes below are all either spoken by Idolatry or refer to Idolatry. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 2
Quotes
From this ignorance of how to distinguish Dreams, and other strong Fancies, from Vision and Sense, did arise the greatest part of the Religion of the Gentiles in time past, that worshipped Satyres, Fawnes, Nymphs, and the like; and now adayes the opinion that rude people have Fayries, Ghosts, and Goblins; […] And for Fayries, and walking Ghosts, the opinion of them has I think been on purpose, either taught, or not confuted, to keep in credit the use of Exorcisme, of Crosses, of holy Water, and other such inventions of Ghostly men.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Leviathan LitChart as a printable PDF.
Idolatry Term Timeline in Leviathan
The timeline below shows where the term Idolatry appears in Leviathan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 42: Of POWER ECCLESIASTICALL
...they did not believe in Christ. Thus, the Apostles used “Reason to confute [the Gentiles’] Idolatry.” In short, the Apostles persuaded the nonbelievers, and when they did, the Gentiles were converted...
(full context)
Chapter 45: Of DÆMONOLOGY, and other Reliques of the Religion of the Gentiles
Next, Hobbes defines idolatry, which is to worship and honor an image as if that image is a body...
(full context)
...use and presented it to the people without God or Moses’s authority, this, too, was idolatry. Gentiles throughout history have worshiped Jupiter and others as gods, which is also idolatry since...
(full context)
Chapter 46: Of DARKNESS from VAIN PHILOSOPHY, and FABULOUS TRADITIONS
...preaching of the Gospel is appropriate. For instance, if Hobbes is in America “amongst the Idolaters,” should he have to wait for “Orders from Rome” to preach the true Gospel to...
(full context)
