Peanut Gallery Commentary on the Staff Log of Bannings and such like.

[brewer]

Your teacher was a grade a bullshitter.  

That may be so. But that doesn't make his particular point bullshit.

Of course hindus worship idols, it's one of the primary effects of all religions the worship of idols.  And ideals are only ever held for as long as the leadership considered it expedient.

But aren't ideals valuable in and of themselves? What difference does it make if they are received in symbolic form? (I'm asking philosophically... not dogmatically.)

Yes ideals are valuable by them selves. But when you anthropomorphize the ideal as part of being in an idol, the ideal has a greater chance of being lost or perverted in the worshiping. 

It's not just a hindu thing.