text: The Church recognizes that the Magi of the East followed the Star to find the Child Jesus.  They were not Jews, but followers of another religion.
  
  During the time that the Jews were under the Persian rule, Cyrus, permitted the Jews to return to their homeland and to enjoy limited political autonomy and complete religious liberty.  There is goodness in non-Christian religions and value that they give to the world and to us as Christians as well.
  
  In the Vatican II's "the Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions" [Nostra Aetate], states:
  For we believe and teach that all men and women form one human family,
  have a common origin in God and share a common destiny in divine providence.  
  
  Stating that these religions are "false" is forgetting that their wisdom guided people before both Judaism and Christianity existed.  They still have much to offer.  And they still are the religions of millions of people today.