Religion to meet our expectations

From Touchstone: Ain't It Shiny?:

"'How could the Hebrews have been so stupid!' one of my students spluttered the other day, remarking that they had just been led by the Lord from Egypt across the Red Sea, and almost without time to catch their cultural breath had fashioned for themselves the golden calf.

I chalked it up to the blockheadedness of man, and most of the time that's as good an explanation as any. But I also suggested that maybe the Hebrews were surprised to hear that they had committed idolatry. Who knows but that they intended the golden calf to represent their Lord? ....

Or maybe also a certain pride. One of my friends labels it OSD: Original Sin Disorder. The people who compelled Aaron to fashion the calf sinned not by irreligion exactly, but by religion -- by insisting on a religion to meet their specifications. In their case, they wanted to be like Other People. Other People enjoy worshipping at the feet of idols; why should not we, especially since our god has been so good to us?"

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