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Is following any other religion considered idolatry?
#1
I don't really understand what Idolatry is all about, I know worshiping a statue is definetely Idolatry, but what else? Are non Jews just supposed to have no religion and follow the 7 commandments?
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#2
When it says in Genesis, "And G-d commanded upon Adam...," it means that after G-d created Adam, He commanded His authority upon him. Thus Adam and all of his descendents were forbidden (a) to rebel against G-d or against whatever they were commanded by G-d, and (b) to serve any other being or entity, real or imagined, as a g-d. Thus anyone who does not recognize and believe in the One True G-d has erred (either deliberately, or by mistake, or by being misled), and anyone who serves a physical or spiritual idol transgresses and denies G-d’s Unity and His true greatness.

The existence of the One True G-d, the knowledge of His revelation, His communication to mankind through His true prophets, and most importantly through the Torah of Moses, are matters which can be proven as fact. Still, the greatness of G-d and the depth of His Torah are beyond human understanding, so they should also be approached as matters of faith. This faith constitutes the true, G-d given religion for mankind, in which Gentiles are to serve G-d by following their Noahide Commandments within the Torah, and Jews are to serve G-d by following their Jewish commandments within the Torah.
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#3
B"H

I am wondering if there is any good advice available with regards to discussing religion with idolators. For example, if an idolator begins making mention of the name of his idol, should one request of him that he refrain from mentioning this name in the conversation, or would it be OK to tolerate the usage of such a name, while trying to gradually educate the idolator about the Torah's view of things?
Thanks.
Aaron
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#4
The main precept that applies within the Noahide Code is that one should try to avoid causing an idolater to make an oath in the name of his idol.

A Gentile is permitted to mention the name of an idol in an ordinary manner, but not in a manner of praise and honor.

One should avoid getting involved in religious debates with idolaters and other types of heretics, because it gives a wrong impression that there is some validity to the heretical point of view. If the other person is open to being educated or corrected about the truths of Torah and the Torah-true path, then by all means it is an obligation to do so, at the level which the person can understand, and according to what is relevant and appropriate for the person in his or her present standing to know.

There is a lot of information on these issues in the book "The Divine Code," Volume 1, by Rabbi Moshe Weiner of Jerusalem:

https://asknoah.org/books/the-divine-code
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#5
B"H

Shalom R'Michoel, you mention that a Gentile is permitted to mention the name of an idol in an ordinary manner, but not in a manner of praise and honor. Am I understanding correctly that in this regards the Gentile is different than the Jew, since a Jew is not permitted to mention the name of an idol at all? Also, if the Gentile still believes in the idol, but it open to hearing about the Torah and the Bnai Noah etc., then seemingly their mention of the idol's name by definition will be one of honor and praise. How then should one deal with this on an internet forum for example - should such posts be deleted with a polite explanation as to why this is being done?
Thank you very much for your answers.
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#6
Aaron.Nanach Wrote:Am I understanding correctly that in this regards the Gentile is different than the Jew, since a Jew is not permitted to mention the name of an idol at all?

First of all, we see from Rambam, Laws of the Worship of Stars [and Idols] 5:10, that a Jew would not be sentenced by a Beis Din court to receive lashes for mentioning the name of an idol unless he swears by it. Since a Jew can make ordinary mention of an idol's name without being liable to punishment from a Beis Din, certainly that is not prohibited for a Gentile. This is based on the general principle that the Torah is not more strict on Gentiles than it is on Jews.

However, it is nevertheless unfitting for any person to make a habit of mentioning the name of an idol, since that could bring a person to be drawn after the idol or to respect it, which IS forbidden. The common Jewish custom of not ever, or hardly ever, mentioning an idol's name in any context arose as a way of "making a fence around the Torah."

From "The Divine Code," Vol. 1, p. 252: "Therefore, it is permitted to mention their names if there is a personal need for it and it is not in a respectful way ... Likewise, if one's intention is to mention an idol's name in order to learn or explain the customs of its worshipers (in order to avoid those things), or in order to avoid trangressing the prohibition of practicing any of their rituals, then it is permitted" [as is the ruling of the Torah authority Meiri].

Aaron.Nanach Wrote:Also, if the Gentile still believes in the idol, but is open to hearing about the Torah and the Bnai Noah etc., then seemingly their mention of the idol's name by definition will be one of honor and praise. How then should one deal with this on an internet forum for example - should such posts be deleted with a polite explanation as to why this is being done?

The following is just a suggestion for how to deal with this invited problem in those types of forums. The administrator of the forum could edit the idolator's post so the name of the idol is abbreviated, instead of spelled out in full. That would also convey the message that it is unfitting to make a habit of mentioning the name of an idol.
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