Sam2 -“Health: Your proof is nothing.”
Oh really?
“He meant that why should he listen to the Jewish deity over any other that he believed existed. Kefira is not Avodah Zarah. That’s just not true. We have Perakim in Shas and Simanim in Shulchan Aruch devoted to defining Avodah Zarah. Apikorsus and atheism are entirely separate things. They’re terrible things, yes, but they’re not Avodah Zarah.”
Did you ever hear of Halalu Oivday AZ V’halalu etc.? The answer was Emunah.
So it has to be Emunah is greater than AZ & vice versa Kefira is worse than AZ. If not, Hashem would never have taken them out. Only if the Mitzva is greater would this counter act the Aveira!