[Avodah] yaarog v' al.....how many? and why?

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, Jun 19, 2012 at 09:56:17AM -0500, Lisa Liel wrote:
>> Now I can get to the actual connection: I could see calling an issur
>> against doing that which dissuades others from following the G-d of the
>> Jews a toladah of the issur against worshipping another god (or the real
>> G-d but not as the Torah says).

> Okay, I see your argument, but I disagree.  The opposite of following  
> God is not avodah zarah.

I didn't say they were identical. I called one a toladah of the other.
I wasn't planning on bothering to clarify on list, but this tangent
hit me...

Is it worse to be a polytheist than an atheist? A polytheist is oveid
AZ, an atheist does not, even though he is still an apiqoreis.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha