Denying to God what is rightfully His is of course the essence of idolatry. No, denying to God what is rightfully His is the sin of faithlessness. Atheists do that, but they aren't idolaters.
Giving to something created what is rightfully God's is the essence of idolatry.
And the Catholic church doesn't endorse either path.
Er, if I may offer my “two cents…” To me, idolatry is far more insidious than merely bowing down to a thing made of wood, metal or stone. It is letting anything at all take the top priority in our hearts.
There is only one Great Commandment:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. – Matthew 22:37-38
So the one who loves her child or spouse or friend or self or possessions or whatever above God, I would say is an idolater.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. – Matthew 16:24-25
The person doesn't even have to “love” the thing which has taken top priority in his heart. It could be a worry, a complaint, a resentment or a want. Because being obsessed with any of those things is telling God that we do not love Him enough to believe His promises and trust Him with everything.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof. – Matthew 6:25-34
Of a truth, even a scorpion sting should not distract us from God. Love God. Believe Him. Trust Him.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39
To God be the glory!
Giving to something created what is rightfully God's is the essence of idolatry. You mean like offering prayers to Mary? I think that we have officially come full circle. ;-)
I'm Presbyterian but not a Presbyterian who holds that all Catholics are non-Christians. I find several of the practices of the Catholic Church to be troubling and unscriptural but despite that I think that the Holy Spirit is still at work in the Catholic Church.
This conversation is troubling to me. I'm seeing a lot of distinctions without any differences. It's not idolatry, it's reverence. It's not prayer, it's a request. It's not worship, it's communication. The old saying about a duck seems to apply here. Reflect on what has been said here and maybe you can see why Protestants are very concerned by these subtleties.