What is in greater violation of the prohibition of blasphemy: Atheism vs Avoda Zara? [duplicate]

Question

In the eyes of halacha, who is in greater violation of the prohibition of blasphemy, an idolator or an atheist?

Whichever is worse, is that the case by both Jew and Non-Jew?

Answer 1

Rambam in Guide for the Perplexed 1:36 writes as follows:

How great, then, must be the offence of him who has a wrong opinion of God Himself, and believes Him to be different from what He truly is, i.e., assumes that He does not exist, that He consists of two elements, that He is corporeal, that He is subject to external influence, or ascribes to Him any defect whatever. Such a person is undoubtedly worse than he who worships idols in the belief that they, as agents, can do good or evil.

(Friedlander translation, my emphasis)

Answer 2

Rabbi Tovia Singer seems to say that idolatry is worst than atheism. Saying that should not be mistaken as saying atheism is the preferred path.

I am an Orthodox Jew. Nevertheless, atheism can purify much in religion according to Rabbi Kook.[1] Kook wrote that G-d needs atheists:

”Because atheism cleanses the dross of ‘petty religion,’ the narrowness and provincialism of established Jewish religion that frequently becomes arrogant, rigid and judgmental. We need these people, these atheists, whom seek to befriend.”[2]

Thus, atheism is a good path to rational religion (though not the only one).

[1] Religious Zionism of Rav Kook by Dr. Pinchas Polonsky

[2] Essay by Rabbi Alan Brill

Answer 3

I am an Italian Noahide.

My opinion is that, from a halachic point of view, idolatry is an overall more serious violation than atheism.

Both violations, in fact, determine the exclusion of the offender from the World to Come (see Rambam's Mishneh Torah- Hilchot Teshuvah chapter three); however, as far as this world is concerned, the Halakhah provides for the death penalty for idolatry, but does not seem to me to establish any penalty for the profession of atheism, which violates the first precept of the Torah, "I am Hashem, your Supreme Authority" (Exodus 20:2), violation for which however I do not detect any earthly sanction, but only, as mentioned, exclusion from the World to Come.

In this respect, there is no difference between Jews and non-Jews; the latter are excluded from the World to Come in case of atheism (see again Hilchot Teshuvah above), but they are commanded, in this world, not to serve idols; in fact a Noahide Tribunal is not legitimated to sanction atheistic conduct, but only idolatrous conduct (see Rambam's Misheh Torah- Hilchot Melachim chapter nine).

Furthermore, in my opinion, atheism does not refer to the violation of the prohibition of blasphemy, which has its foundation in Exodus 22.27: "Do not curse God"; in his Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Avodah Zarah chapter two, Rambam states that:

"Whoever accepts a false god as true, even when he does not actually worship it, disgraces and blasphemes [God's] glorious and awesome name. This applies both to one who worships false gods and to one who curses God's name [as is obvious from Numbers 15:30]: "If a person commits [an act of idolatry] highhandedly, whether he be a native born [Jew] or a convert, he is blaspheming God."

"These are the laws which govern a blasphemer: A blasphemer is not liable to be stoned to death until he states God's unique name, which possesses four letters: א-ד-נ-י, and curses that name with one of the names of God which are forbidden to be erased, as [Leviticus 24:16] states: "One who blasphemes God's name...."

It does not seem to me that, on the basis of the aforementioned halachot, a public declaration of atheism can be included in this crime, lacking the halachic prerequisites