Belief in God is"childish superstition", Jews are not the chosen people Options

[guest of a friend]

So said Albert Einstein:

Albert Einstein described belief in God as "childish superstition" and said Jews were not the chosen people, in a letter to be sold in London this week, an auctioneer said Tuesday.

The father of relativity, whose previously known views on religion have been more ambivalent and fuelled much discussion, made the comments in response to a philosopher in 1954.

As a Jew himself, Einstein said he had a great affinity with Jewish people but said they "have no different quality for me than all other people".

"The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish.

"No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this," he wrote in the letter written on January 3, 1954 to the philosopher Eric Gutkind, cited by The Guardian newspaper.

The German-language letter is being sold Thursday by Bloomsbury Auctions in Mayfair after being in a private collection for more than 50 years, said the auction house's managing director Rupert Powell.

In it, the renowned scientist, who declined an invitation to become Israel's second president, rejected the idea that the Jews are God's chosen people.

"For me the Jewish religion like all others is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions," he said.

"And the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people."

And he added: "As far as my experience goes, they are no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot see anything 'chosen' about them."

Previously the great scientist's comments on religion -- such as "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind" -- have been the subject of much debate, used notably to back up arguments in favour of faith.

Powell said the letter being sold this week gave a clear reflection of Einstein's real thoughts on the subject. "He's fairly unequivocal as to what he's saying. There's no beating about the bush," he told AFP.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=08...;show_article=1

[Danny Vermin]

I completely agree.

[ƒ(x)]

what's the point, his opinoin about religion is as valid as anybody else's.

Where's Diminno? Argument from authority?

[Hook Operator]

what's the point, his opinoin about religion is as valid as anybody else's.

I'd say his opinion is more valid because he was wicked smart. Would you say that a retarded guy's opinion on a given subject would be as valid as a genius'?

[smcd]

What was Einstein's opinion on the Red Sox? How about sandwich bread? Women's shoes? Tap dancing?

I mean, they guy was more than a genius, right? No, he was a God! No, a SuperGod!! So, like His opinion on everything is the final word? Right...???

[killyou]

What was Einstein's opinion on the Red Sox? How about sandwich bread? Women's shoes? Tap dancing?

I mean, they guy was more than a genius, right? No, he was a God! No, a SuperGod!! So, like His opinion on everything is the final word? Right...???

SMCD

[JodyThePig]

I'd say his opinion is more valid because he was wicked smart. Would you say that a retarded guy's opinion on a given subject would be as valid as a genius'?

He was a genius of physics, but that doesn't mean he was an all-purpose genius.

And it doesn't take any kind of genius to see that genius in physics isn't of much use if you're positing a supernatural order or being.

The only all-purpose genius who's ever been was the Professor, and even he wasn't smart enough to find a way off Gilligan's Island.

[JohnnyBlack]

God bless him for speaking sense.

[mike oliver]

Never heard of said genius.....But.............. Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so.

[elk]

What was Einstein's opinion on the Red Sox? How about sandwich bread? Women's shoes? Tap dancing?

I mean, they guy was more than a genius, right? No, he was a God! No, a SuperGod!! So, like His opinion on everything is the final word? Right...???

His views on God are interesting in that he spent his entire life seeking to remove the mysticism of our world by finding provable, scientific models of how the universe works. He was, in actuality, a god killer. So, while I wouldn't say that his opinions are any better or worse than anyone else's, they are certainly more newsworthy and interesting to discuss.

To wit:

smcd's views on God = not very interesting.
Einstein's views on God = yeah, I'm curious what he had to say about that.

[J_GuestNoMore]

Never heard of said genius.....But.............. Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so.

It also says to keep your dick in your pants. You can't pick and chose which parts to believe.

[JodyThePig]

His views on God are interesting in that he spent his entire life seeking to remove the mysticism of our world by finding provable, scientific models of how the universe works. He was, in actuality, a god killer.

That's a lot of hubris to drop on poor Einstein's shoulders, dude.

And he said lots of things about God and religion, so try not to take this single document as the summa of his beliefs.

[Danny Vermin]

Regardless of the fact that it's only his opinion, all of the world's collected and documented scientific evidence about our origins points to his opinion being closer to correct and accurate, than any type of evidence that any of the worlds organized religions can produce to prove that God actually exists.

It's Sentimentality vs. Scientific Fact.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I just happen to hold the opinion that sentimentality and superstition does more harm than good, and the existence of "god" is as Einstein put it, "childish" and silly.

This post has been edited by Danny Vermin: May 13 2008, 11:10 AM

[ghost of bobby dagon]

I think everyone in this thread has some sort of a belief in a higher power.

[mike oliver]

It also says to keep your dick in your pants. You can't pick and chose which parts to believe.

It is in my pants. Were you looking in my window a half hour ago?

[ƒ(x)]

His views on God are interesting in that he spent his entire life seeking to remove the mysticism of our world by finding provable, scientific models of how the universe works. He was, in actuality, a god killer. So, while I wouldn't say that his opinions are any better or worse than anyone else's, they are certainly more newsworthy and interesting to discuss.

To wit:

smcd's views on God = not very interesting.
Einstein's views on God = yeah, I'm curious what he had to say about that.

I agree they are interesting. His views have been used by both sides to try to prove their point though. I always got the feeling he was sort of a pantheist (sp?).

[J_GuestNoMore]

I think everyone in this thread has some sort of a belief in a higher power.

I'm pretty damn sure you are wrong.

[guest of a friend]

I think everyone in this thread has some sort of a belief in a higher power.

Not me.

[Soup]

Gob doesn't love Einstein.

[Danny Vermin]

I think everyone in this thread has some sort of a belief in a higher power.

In that case, you would be wrong.

[Colt45]

i'm going to start worshiping this.....



koolaid will bemade available

[JohnnyBlack]

Thank God he had the guts to say this.

[JodyThePig]

Regardless of the fact that it's only his opinion, all of the world's collected and documented scientific evidence about our origins points to his opinion being closer to correct and accurate, than any type of evidence that any of the worlds organized religions can produce to prove that God actually exists.

Yeah, it's certainly easier to prove the validity of natural fact than the possibility of the supernatural through the scientific method.

But that's largely because the scientific method is solely applicable to natural phenomena.

Whether you take that to mean that, therefore, natural phenomena are all that truly exist is up to you, but that assumption would be something like assuming that since you only have a hammer in your toolbox, the world must ultimately be composed of nails.

(A loving God would forgive me my poor analogies, but I don't believe in God. Bummer.)

[Abs]

I think everyone in this thread has some sort of a belief in a higher power.

nope.

[Danny Vermin]

Yeah, it's certainly easier to prove the validity of natural fact than the possibility of the supernatural through the scientific method.

But that's largely because the scientific method is solely applicable to natural phenomena.

Whether you take that to mean that, therefore, natural phenomena are all that truly exist is up to you, but that assumption would be something like assuming that since you only have a hammer in your toolbox, the world must ultimately be composed of nails.

(A loving God would forgive me my poor analogies, but I don't believe in God. Bummer.)

that really is a terrible analogy, and completely non-applicable in this case, considering the lengths pains people have gone to through scientific analysis, to try to investigate and prove or disprove the existence of the supernatural or occult.

No better than making the analogy that "Because I believe in god, people must also believe that I am god, because you can't prove I'm not."

Specious, and foolhardy.