Why is the First Commandment Important to Teenagers Today?

As it is known, the First Commandment states that "I am the Lord, Your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me." This Commandment is the primary Commandment of God; it is the foundation for all other Commandments. What it means is that God is the one, true, and all powerful God. There are no other acceptable gods that should be worshipped or praised. Now, originally, the Commandment was meant for the Israelites who lived before Jesus' time. Along with believing in and worshipping the true God, they worshipped a pantheon, which is a group of false gods or goddess. Eventually, after punishment and consequences, the Israelite people learned that God the only true God and that only he deserved their worship. Unfortunately, over time, people have forgotten this truth. Rather, people choose to place objects or human beings before God. Teenagers today make up a large portion of these kinds of people. Now, just like the time of the Israelites, teenagers must learn to put God first. They must remember that only he deserves our worship.

Idolatry is the worship of other beings, creatures, or material goods in a way that is fitting for God alone. It is considered to be the greatest violation of the First Commandment. This practice is perhaps, the most performed act of all people, mainly including teenagers. How many things are there in this world that could pull us away from God, influencing us to care more about anything but God? There is money, electronics, music, popularity, significant people in each of our lives, food and fame; just to name a few. Our desire to have or achieve any of these things pulls us away from God, maybe even more than we realize. Each of these things has a large impact on every person's life. Everyone desperately wants one of these things, and typically they are willing to do anything for it. Money is the greatest idol; there is no question about it. Everyone needs money to live, which is understandable. But, when that money is all a person wants, it begins to take over their life. They being to idolize it, making it their sole purpose in life to recieve more money. The desire to become rich is overpowering, especially in the economy today. Teenagers like to make quick money, and therefore will do anything to get it. They want and feel the need to have money. 

Popularity and fame pull every teenager away from God. The desire to be the most known and liked person in school could cause a teenager to do anything, even if it runs the risk of taking them away from God and what he wants. There is a drive that pushes a young person to be the most liked, to be known by everyone. Fame is something that everyone wants. They hope to become one of the most well-known and well praised people in the world. To be able to have that kind of power and money could cause anyone to go against their religion. They would make it the most important thing in their life, they would idolize the power and ability that they could wield. They would idolize the fame or popularity, and deep down they hope that people might idolize them for it. Electronics, food and other people may have the same affect. It is possible to idolize each of these things, to a point where it has taken over your life and made God last. Electronics are addictive and many people idolize the latest phone, game or computer. They want it so bad; they only focus on getting it or using it every second of every day. Food is capable of becoming an idol. Someone could become so obsessed with eating that it is all they think about, all they do, and all they care about. Other people, obviously, can become idols. Some people go as far as worshipping and adoring others, putting them on pedestals as though they were greater than God himself. People forget that God is te only one who deserves complete worship and praise. We have obligations to him, to be in union with him rather than other things or people. We must learn and practice his theological virtues in order to be in union with him.

Of course there are many other things that are capable of pulling us away from God, things that go against the First Commandment. An example could include magic or superstition. Every teenager wants to believe in things that are unworldly or things that have some sort of special power. How many people read a book or see a movie involved with magic, omens, or supernatural things and wish that they really existed or whole heartedly believe that they are real? Having fun with the idea and knowing that it isn't real is quite different then believing that there is a power other than God or stronger than God that can be summoned or practiced by humans. Magic and superstition lead to the disbelief in God and the complete belief in other beings or spirits. It is basically the difference between real and unreal. There is no power other than God. Spirits cannot be summoned and magic does not exist; many people confuse magic with illusions. No human has the power to do any of these things. It is impossible and improbable. It goes against everything we believe. Most importantly it goes against God and everything that he has done for us. It breaks the trust and belief that we have in him and it breaks the First Commandment.

Catholicism is a monotheistic faith, meaning that it follows the belief of there only being one true and all-powerful God. This belief is depicted in the First Commandment, which claims that there is no other god besides the one true God. Of course many things in life can drive people away from this belief. Most of these things have quite an impact on teenagers. These things would include money, fame, popularity, electronics, and so on. They force people to idolize anything other than God. They cause teenagers to go against their religion, to be in disunion with God. The First Commandment is important to teenagers. They need to learn how to follow it, to stop idolizing the minuscule things in their live and to focus their attention onto God alone.