Idolateren

Idolateren is a Dutch verb that means to practice idolatry or to idolize. It refers to placing religious worship on idols, images, or false gods, and more broadly to treating a person or object with excessive reverence as if it were a god.

Etymology and form: The term derives from Latin idolātrāre, via French idolâtrer, ultimately from Greek eidolātría (idolatry), formed from eidōn (image, idol) and latreia (worship). In Dutch usage, idolateren describes both the act of worshiping idols and the broader notion of idolizing something or someone.

Religious and cultural context: In Judaism and Christianity, idolatry is typically prohibited or discouraged, with commandments or teachings that forbid worship of other gods or images. In Islam, the concept closest to idolatry is shirk, the ascribing of divine attributes to others, regarded as a grave sin. Other religious traditions differ in their stance on imagery and worship; some permit icon or image-based practices while others condemn them. In secular discourse, idolateren is often used metaphorically to critique excessive devotion to material success, celebrities, brands, or political ideologies.

Usage and nuance: The verb is common in scholarly, theological, and cultural discussions and appears in historical and legal texts as an analytic category or pejorative. It contrasts with contexts in which reverence toward the divine is accepted or regulated, rather than directed toward secular or worldly objects.

See also: idolatry, idol, icon worship, iconoclasm, shirk.