u/Interesting_Try8235

Is this an appropriate word to use to describe statues of the Gods? I grew up evangelical, and we always used this word in a derogatory sense. "False idols", "setting something up as an idol", etc. I imagine the word itself is actually more neutral, but I just want to know if it inherently carries some kind of denial of the divinity of the subject depicted, or if it's an acceptable term to use to refer to cult images.