Another Species of Idolatry

The following post is something that i have contemplated writing for several years. A recent story about a turkey finally sent me over the edge. First, a reflection on idolatry. Ephesians 5:5 reads. "For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater)has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God." (ESV) Colossians 3:5 reads in a similar fashion. Now in the Old Testament idolatry typically meant worshipping some inanimate object. ( e.g. Isaiah 44:9ff)In the New Testament the definition is expanded to include anything that we might covet. Coveting is a heart condition indicating something that we desire more than God. Thus anything or anyone can be an idol. In Genesis 1:26 and again in 1:27 God says that humanity is made in His image. The Bible does not say this about any other part of God's creation. In fact it says, in the same passage, that mankind is to have dominion over the rest of the creation, including the animals. Having read the Bible numerous times I see no place where it indicates that animals have souls or are redeemable in the same way as humans can through the obedience, righteousness, death and resurrection of Christ paying the penalty for our sin and rebellion. Now about the turkey. The other day i read a story, complete with photos, of a full grown turkey traveling with a person on an airplane as an official "comfort animal." Apparently way back in 1986 the US Congress passed a law saying that humans were permitted to bring animals with them in the seating area of planes if some mental health professional certified that this was beneficial to the well being of the individual. Many years ago animals were sedated, put into protective containers and traveled ( I believe) in the baggage area of jetliners. I have seen small dogs travel with passengers more recently. Now we have turkeys. They are given free seats of their own next to their human companion. I suspect that a majority of Americans don't have a problem with us even though animals could bite, urinate or defecate on other passengers, or even pass on illness. This is idolatry. I appreciate that dogs and maybe even cats have some ability to respond to and give affection to humans but they have nowhere the same capacity as other humans. I walk a five and a half mile route most days. Most of the people on my route have at least one dog. I am routinely challenged and sometimes menaced by these beasts every day as i walk peacefully down the street. And yet I am sure that hardly any owner thinks that their dog is a problem. In Matthew 6 Jesus says, "Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (V.26 ESV) In Matthew 12:12 Jesus asks, "Of how much more value is a man than a sheep?" (ESV) I suspect most North Americans, including many who identify as Christians, would disagree.