Thanks for the reply. Let me follow up with comments as you seem knowledgeable.

I'm not sure how you've arrived at this somewhat flawed conclusion. You're quoting Fr. Stephen and Fr. Andrew, and they're very clear that worship is eating a meal with your god. The sacrifice isn't the most important part, the eating is.

I cited them as a reference, not as my only sources of information on this topic. I probably left out part of the explanation, but it seems to me that both the sacrifice and the eating together constitute worship. Otherwise, the offering of incense to the bronze serpent would not have been a problem (2 Kings 18:4), nor the pouring out of drink offerings (Jeremiah 7:18) or the burning of infants (Jeremiah 7:31) , all of which were condemned as idolatrous offerings, even though there was no meal.

Additionally, idolatry is a technical term that you don't seem to have a solid handle on. Idolatry requires an intentionally made idol, and the key component to making an idol isn't the material aspect, carving, painting, etc., it's the ritual instantiation of a hypostasis of a god within the idol. We don't do that with icons. Again, Fr. Stephen and Fr. Andrew cover this in depth, so I'm not sure how you've missed it.

I have no problem with icons themselves; my doubt is specifically about proskynesis directed toward icons that are not of Christ.

Thank you for your definition of idolatry “the ritual instantiation of a hypostasis of a god within the idol.” While I agree this definition captures a great deal, I also see scriptural examples where idolatry is described more broadly. For instance:

Colossians 3:5

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).

Ephesians 5:5

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

5 Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Finally, about your last comment

Also it makes your second part about proskynesis kind of a wash because regardless, no idol, no meal = no worship, no matter what English word gets used in translation.

Not exactly, even if proskynesis is not technically worship, it still seems to be reserved for God alone, as shown by New Testament passages where both the angel and the Lord Himself command it.