¹⁶ While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
- Acts 17:16
 
This week we’re going to be continuing our “That’s a Great Question” series with this one: “What about other religions and spiritualties?”
 
We live in a time where religious tolerance rattles and hums through our culture like never before. This isn’t to say that there aren’t still acts of religious bigotry and hatred, just that they are significantly less common in modern America than they’ve ever been in most of human history.
 
People feel strongly about their gods. Whether we worship Allah or Yahweh, Vishnu or Jesus, science or Mother Nature, all human beings find a way to express loyalty, devotion, and appreciation for something beyond ourselves.  
 
In today’s passage, we see the apostle Paul experiencing a strong emotional reaction to the idols that filled Athens. All around him he saw people worshipping gods who were not Jesus. And it broke Paul’s heart.
 
What’s your emotional response when you see people worshipping a different god / different gods than you choose to worship? What does your emotional response (or lack thereof) tell you about the way you think about worship?