Page "Jewish views on religious pluralism" Paragraph 46

A small number of modern Jewish theologians such as Yehezkel Kaufman and Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz have suggested that perhaps only the Israelites were forbidden to worship idols, but perhaps such worship was permissible for members of other religions.

( Yehezkel Kaufman, " The Religion of Israel ", Univ.

of Chicago Press, 1960 ; J. H. Hertz, " Pentateuch and Haftorahs " Soncino Press, 1960, p. 759 ).

Most Jewish theologians disagree, saying that the original meaning of the text was to condemn idolatry in total.

However, a growing number of Jewish theologians question whether Hindus and Buddhists today should be considered idolaters in the Biblical sense of the term.

Their reasons are that modern day Buddhists, Hindus and others ( a ) do not literally worship " sticks and stones ", as the idolaters in the Tanakh were described doing.

Their beliefs have far more theological depth than ancient pagans, and they are well aware that icons they worship are only symbols of a deeper level of reality ( though the same can be said of modern day pagans ), ( b ) they do not practice child sacrifice, ( c ) they are of high moral character, and ( d ) they are not anti-Jewish.

Some Jews argue that God has a relationship with all gentile monotheists ( or perceived monotheists ), including Hindus, who in the past may have been ( mis ) interpreted as having a polytheist faith ( see also Hindu views on monotheism ), as well as with members of other religions such as Buddhism.