Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 355 – Part IV.

YOUCAT Question n. 355 - Part IV. “You shall not have strange Gods before me.” What does that mean?

(Youcat answer - repeated) This commandment forbids us: to adore other gods and pagan deities or to worship an earthly idol or to devote oneself entirely to some earthly good (money, influence, success, beauty, youth, and so on); to be superstitious, which means to adhere to esoteric, magic, or occult or New Age practices or to get involved with fortune telling or spiritualism, instead of believing in God’s power, providence, and blessings; to provoke God by word or deed; to commit a sacrilege; to acquire spiritual power through corruption and to desecrate what is holy through trafficking (simony).     

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 2117) All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another's credulity.

Reflecting and meditating 

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 2118) God's first commandment condemns the main sins of irreligion: tempting God, in words or deeds, sacrilege, and simony.   

(This question: “You shall not have strange Gods before me.” What does that mean?  is continued)