Was the golden calf worship the same as other forms of idolatry?
Yes. The golden calf worship was brought down to the same level as all other idolatry. It was not merely casual dancing; it included nakedness and immorality. Scripture shows pagan idolatry and mythology always involve rank immorality, because it is satanically controlled, and this event produced the same shameful behavior.
Les teaches that the golden calf incident was not just casual worship or native folk dancing. The people were naked and immoral, so they had taken golden calf worship down to the same level as all other idolatry. He points out that abject pagan idolatry, mythologies, and Greek gods always include rank immorality, because it is satanically controlled. Moses saw that the people were naked, for Aaron had made them naked to their shame among their enemies. Consequently, 23,000 were put to death through the plague. Paul uses this event to warn the Corinthians and us, since we are no different.