idolatry and brie

Over time, I have gotten the idea that a rough summary of the ancient Greek thought on how to live can be summed up in the principle "Everything in moderation".  In a similar way, the Judeo/Christian ideas focus on the principle "Only worship the one true God -- no idolatry, of golden calves or anything else".  At times, it seems to me that these two principles from the Greeks and the Hebrews are close to meaning the same thing: don't get too involved with worldly things and diversions.  It is possible to worship money, to think that money is everything and is a supreme good that will solve any and all problems.  The same is true of learning or health or anything at all.

Once a day, I have a drink.  Alcohol can increase my interest in snacks to the point where I eat something.  My favorite snack is brie, the soft French cheese covered with a characteristic layer of a type of penicillin.  The brie from France sold in my local Sam's Club is fairly expensive and sold in a large wedge but it is good.  The brie sold in the local Wal-Mart was clearly inferior until recently, when it started to be as good as the French version to my taste.  Now, in the morning and afternoon, I look forward to the drink hour [4 PM in our house, not 5] and I picture savoring the brie.  The savoring has grown so strong that I am idolizing the taste, the moment when I have some.  Invariably, the first bit is really excellent but later bits are decidedly less wonderful. 

This believing that something is very precious can include old photos or other keepsakes.  I wrote of my shock after I felt terrible about losing some files in a computer error that I made.  I found that what I had thought was precious and wonderful wasn't even valuable. 

They say that we can't take our precious possessions with us into the next world.  That is probably a very good thing since we would might find they were an encumbrance and a bother, anyhow.