What is the Biblical basis for idolatry being "things" we put higher than God? In at least the Evangelical circles I'm involved in, we often suggest that "modern idolatry" is idols of the heart - things we put before God - and is described as the same as idolatry that is described in the Bible.  Often it is defined as "elevating good things to God things" or "putting something in the place of God."

As an illustrative example, we often say that an "idol" of Americans can be the "American Dream."  Or work.  Or marriage.  Or whatever, you get the picture.  We often say that what we "put our thought toward," "seek comfort from," or "place our trust in" might be signs that we have an idol of the heart.

The supportive explanations I've heard mostly center on commonalities between "modern idolatry" and idolatry of the Bible ("graven images"); both replace God with something (your source of comfort, what you desire, etc).  However, it strikes me as odd that the Bible explicitly talks about graven images... I can't imagine our "modern idolatry" is really new; I'm sure the Israelites had things that they put before God that weren't graven images.  If that (and I'm not saying it is) is the only support; I'm sure we could create commonalities in a lot of things to defined sins if we tried.  I also find it concerning to redefining something if God has defined it a certain way.



My question then is how do we, Biblically, come to the conclusion that this is idolatry?  What is the Biblical basis for it?  Have I overlooked some important verses?
If we face the question squarely this is a loose 'application' of the command against idolatry applied to countries that have for the most part ceased from idolatry due to the high numbers of Christians even within the Government of those countries.  Biblically idolatry is not greed or lust or pride, there are words already for those other sins. Idolatry must direct ones 'worship' and doctrine of God to a concept lower then the dignity of God.


  For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. (NIV, Rom 1:21-24)


As a result of idolatry one may fall into various other shameful sins but putting yourself before God, putting your career, money, leisure, or whatever before God but this is greed, lust, etc. and not idolatry.

If one were to try and apply the command against idolatry more biblically to those who have never practiced any it would be closer to apply it to various cults and groups who substitute false doctrines for the gospel.  However even in this instance although it is very close to the spirit of idolatry they had false teachers back then as well who did not practice idolatry.  

I live in Asia and there is a lot of actual idolatry here.  Evangelical circles, which I belong to sometimes pass around cop-out sayings that overly simplify scripture into bit-sized cliches that make it easy for the laziest of preachers to apply everything in the Bible to a middle-class westernized conservative social group, but this is a little silly for a serious person.