A LETTER written by Einstein the year before his death says that God is the product of human weakness and that the Bible is “pretty childish”.
The letter, which being auctioned in London this week, adds more fuel to the debate about the Nobel prize-winning physicist’s religious views. It is expected to fetch around £6,000
Einstein, who became a US citizen in 1940, helped unravel the mysteries of the universe with his theory of relativity, expressed complex and arguably contradictory views on faith, perceiving a universe suffused with spirituality while rejecting organised religion.
According to KansasCity.com, the letter, written to philosopher Eric Gutkind in January 1954 — Einstein died in April 1955 at Princeton, N J – suggests his views on religion did not mellow with age.
In it, Einstein said:
The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish.
He added:
For me the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions.
Addressing the idea that the Jews are God’s chosen people, Einstein wrote:
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.
John Brooke, emeritus professor of science and religion at Oxford University, said the letter lends weight to the notion that “Einstein was not a conventional theist” — although he was not an atheist, either.
He is rather quirky about religion.
Einstein famously said:
Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.
But he also said:
I do not believe in the God of theology who rewards good and punishes evil. My God created laws that take care of that. His universe is not ruled by wishful thinking, but by immutable laws.
UPDATE: (May 15) The letter has been sold for a staggering ÂŁ170,000 to a private collector.
22 Comments
I can’t remember where I once read it, but I believe Einstein said something along the lines of: ‘I believe in the God of Spinoza’. To those not familiar with the concept, I think Spinoza’s God can be best defined in modern terms as ‘Existence’, or ‘Nature’ (in the sense of the whole natural universe). (I have just written a university dissertation on the subject of Spinoza’s conception of God). Spinoza also believed that his God was not anthropomorphic in any way, and was constrained by His own will to never break His own laws, thus miracles are impossible. Worshipping Spinoza’s God is also synonymous with Understanding Him, thus Science and the process of discovery becomes a ‘religious’ duty. I personally think this is rather a healthy worldview for a mind as great as Einsteins to have. I’ll try and find out where I read the Einstein quote and post the reference later.
Oh I absolutely love it - Rock it Einstein!
His views really aren’t hard to understand. I find it amusing how utterly confused most religious folk in the West get (and Atheists, for that matter) when you tell them that you’re not Christian, Jewish, or Muslim, but you’re still religious and still believe in god (or God, depending), and neither are you agnostic. There ARE other ways of being religious, you know.
I think Einstein and I would get along quite well…
einstein was a dumbass
Romans 1:20
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
1Cr 1:20
Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1Cr 1:21
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Cr 2:6
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Cr 2:7
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Cr 3:19
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
@ Katie: Only a dumbass could call one of the greatest geniuses of the 20th century a dumbass; and @ Michele: quoting scripture on an atheist website to people who mostly regard the words of the bible as unmitigated bullshit is a sad waste of your time.
Einstein was a genius. I don’t think he suggests that all religion is crap however. Idiots….
Einstein was a genius but I also believe mentally ill
haha thanks Marcus for that…
Einstein has a point… and even while not growing up in the information age, shows his genius ability to see through the religious bull.
All you Atheists out there… watch ZEITGEIST… such a great documentary with well thought out facts disproving religion and explaining the origin of “Religion”
@Marcus: It is quite humorous how that so called, self-proclaimed “atheist” spend an awful lot of time talking about, writing about, and trying to disprove God. I don’t believe in Santa or the tooth fairy and I do not waste any of my time trying to disprove them.
@ Michele: Well said!!
Always remember if you and God disagree - YOU are wrong! Einstein or not.
Neither Einstein nor any other modern physicist can explain magnetism.
Einstein’s theories stating that speeds faster than the speed of light are impossible have been disproved recently, since physicists have recently accelerated particles of matter (electrons) to speeds in excess of the speed of light.
The Big Bang theory used to explain the creation of the universe, when viewed a little closer turns out to be impossible ( read http://www.doddvideoproductions.com/Dodds-Paradox.htm and make a rational decision for your self ).
Now you tell me that simply because Einstein believed something makes it true, or that simply because Einstein did not believe something makes it necessarily false. I think there are plenty of questions to which we humans are incapable of ascertaining answers, and plenty of questions and concepts we certainly do not understand.
I for one, after reviewing as much theoretical physics as I have, understand that the most brilliant minds we have seen aren’t able to answer even the most fundamental questions posed by our very existence.
I chose long ago to believe that God created the universe. Nothing brought forward by physicists nor astronomers has demonstrated any better understanding of the universe.
So after much searching, I still choose to believe that God created the universe and that he sent his son to die for our sins and allow us to enjoy his creation forever and evermore. I feel sorry for those of you who choose to believe otherwise. May the creator of the universe have mercy upon you.
Gerald Dodd
@ Rick: If believers in Santa and the Tooth Fairy went to as much trouble as Christians do to impose their delusions on others, no doubt we atheists would have to spend as much of our time debunking Santa-anity and Fairyism as we do Christianity.
“As snow in summer and rain in harvest,
so is honor, not fitting for a fool”
” Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 26:1&12
If you do not have the Lord in your heart what good will all the wisdom and money in the world be to you?
@ Gerald
“.. physicists have recently accelerated particles of matter (electrons) to speeds in excess of the speed of light.”
This is utterly and entirely false, please, please give me a source for this if you have one.
Thou shalt not bear false witness. I believe that is Exodus 2:16 if we want to go off quoting Bible verses.
@Marcus: Have you ever been to the mall or Wal-Mart during the month of December? Santa is everywhere being propagated as fact to children. The truth is that atheists are not threatened by fairy tales and therefore have no problem with them. What makes you so sure that Christians are delusional? Isn’t it possible that the atheists are the ones believing a lie by faith? I also want to thank you for a cordial debate. It is nice to be able to have the freedom to discuss our beliefs in a reasonable fashion.
Einstein was so ahead of his time. He was realizing God as a presence in the physical world, that is always and every where, and therefore more easily overlooked. There is this underlying substance, a fundamental element of matter, which we are composed of. There is no judgement at this basic level, no fear or hate, only a striving for unity. This longing for unity has also been defined as love.
@ Rick: Of course atheists don’t feel threatened by fairy stories - except those that are insinuated into places of learning in the guise of “religious education” or “bible study” and presented as “Truth”.
The reason I regard believers of this sort of “fairy” story as deluded is because they ARE deluded. They take on faith something which is unproven and unprovable.
Atheists, on the other hand, demand evidence, and so long as that evidence remains unforthcoming, we rightly remain skeptical. There is no question of us “believing a lie by faith.”
If for example, someone proposed the fact that six-legged blue bovines occupied the Uranus, and, that, for the sake of my “immortal soul” I should supplicate myself to these beings at the Church of Blue Bovines, I would first demand proof of their existence.
If proof were actually provided, my disbelief of the said bovines would, of course, evaporate. However, I would still have to be convinced that these creatures held some supernatural sway over my life before I stopped to worship them.
Ditto for the Christian/Judaic/Islamic God – and all the other gods that went before.
I too, appreciate engaging with you in a cordial manner.
@Marcus: Have you ever had someone present in a sequential fashion the reality of God and how His existence can indeed be proven? Isn’t it true that atheist believe that there is no God by faith? Fairy tales are indeed deluded, however God is a fact not a fairy tale.
@ Rick: I have had all sorts of arguments given to me for the existence of God, and I still remain unconvinced because they are virtually all presented in the form of circular argument, such as “God exists because it says so in the Bible.”
“Who wrote the Bible?”
“Well, men did, but it was inspired by the Word of God.” (It is to their credit that not a single woman contributed so much as a line to the Bible.)
This is, of course, a simplistic example; there are many more convoluted ones, but are all equally unconvincing.
So we atheists don’t accept the non-existence of gods “on faith”, but through rational deduction in the absence any evidence to the contrary. It’s known as the scientific approach.
If your God was shown to exist, I would at once cease to be an atheist, but would then need evidence that it was a benign entity capable of intervening directly in my life, and the lives of those closest to me.
If the Judeo-Christian-Islamic religions are to be believed, your god is a psychotic monster, and an incompetent one to boot.
Such an entity in no way deserves worship, let alone respect.
@Marcus: You are absolutely right. If the god of Judeo-Christian-Islamic religions were the same god he would indeed be a “psychotic monster noy worthy of worship or respect”. You are unreasonably lumping every on who is religious in the same category and perhaps in your mind they are. Anyone who has done any sort of religious study will affirm that these beliefs are indeed very different. Do you think that you are being fair and accurate by placing every “religion” in the same category? I am not for religion but for a relationship.
Why do you think you are still not convinced about a true and living God? How do you believe that humans and animals and the world for that matter began?
I think that you are defining “scientific” to suit your need of the word. Suppose i had this approach: give me rational, reasonable, tangible proof that there is not God. If you can prove to me scientifically that there is no God, I would at once cease to be an Christian. Are you not allowing you belief that there is no God to direct your life and the lives of those closest to you? It would appear that you are trying to place the burden of proof on those that believe in God. Do you have proof that there is no God? I would be interested in hearing your scientific evidence.
@ Rick: Aha! I was wondering how long it would take you to lay the burden on me to prove the non-existence of a deity - a very old trick, but a perfectly ludicrous one, as one cannot prove a negative.
YOU are the one claiming the existence of God, therefore it is YOU who has to provide the proof.
I, on the other hand, am completely indifferent to the idea of god. The existence, or non-existence of a Supreme Ruler matters as much to me as the divine,six-legged purple bovines on Uranus, which mentioned in an earlier post. They are totally irrelevant.
What DOES matter, though – and has bothered me all my life – is that many believers insist on foisting their non-proven gods on those who simply wish to live god-free lives.
Most annoying of all is their insistence on linking morality with god-belief when such belief has shown itself down the ages to be the least moral of any human invention - and, if it continues on its present path, will, ultimately, lead to the destruction of most life on earth.
I am no evolutionary biologist, and have no idea of how life came into being on this planet, or for what purpose. All I know is that before I was born I did not exist, and that, after I pop my clogs, I shall happily cease to exist.
Until that happens I will continue to cheerfully challenge the irrational wherever and whenever it crosses my path.
I leave you with my favourite definition of the fella who discovers God: He is like a blind man who enters a pitch-dark cellar in search of a black cat which isn’t there - then miraculously finds it!
@Marcus: I thought the bovines were blue, you are being inconsistent. (Just trying to add a little humor) So you do not have the scientific proof that you said that atheists have to “prove” that God does not exist? You are not, as you say, indifferent to the idea of God. You have made up your mind that there is no God and it is from that preconceived position that you argue.
There was a time that I really was indifferent. I heard truths presented to me and took on the task of study. When I did this there was one obvious conclusion: There is a God Who created all things and He wants a relationship with me. That didn’t make sense to me either. Not that God existed, but that He wants a relationship with man.
Most annoying to me is that those who propagate atheism and evolutionism try to make others believe that they are “scientific” and try to use intellectual intimidation rather than the science they claim is on their side. Your statements about morality and the destruction of life due to Christians is unfounded and simoly untrue? Where are you getting your information.
You might want to give some thought to how life came into being. It may prove to be helpful when you “pop your clogs” and ” cease to exist.”
Are you then as open as you claim to be concerning the proof that you say does not exsist?
I would like to leave you with my favorite quote concerning atheist: ” Psalm 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”
One Trackback/Pingback
[...] freethinker.co.uk [...]
Post a Comment