General Discussion

Whoa.  I'd never heard about this.
I can see where he's coming from.  When you look at religions historically, it kind of puts our present time in perspective.  Religions come and go.  And morals from time to time change.  There are some tried and true morals, but I don't think you need the threat of Godly punishment to incline people to follow them.  Maybe something more along the lines of reason and logic might make them more desirable in todays climate.

Belief in God 'childish,' Jews not chosen people: Einstein letter

May 13 08:24 AM US/Eastern

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.

We all generally believe everything of one with authority, Einstein is a renowned scientist but so what? I don't care if he had an IQ of 300 I still wouldn't believe his fact God is a childish superstition and the letter kinda doesn't make a difference. Science is great but I do not think science itself can explain the reason for the existence of the universe.

Originally posted by Man1ac

We all generally believe everything of one with authority, Einstein is a renowned scientist but so what? I don't care if he had an IQ of 300 I still wouldn't believe his fact God is a childish superstition and the letter kinda doesn't make a difference. Science is great but I do not think science itself can explain the reason for the existence of the universe.

God is not religion.  I'm sure a lot of people realize that but they still have trouble separating the two.  Even with the knowledge that the two are different it still takes time and great effort to ultimately make the divide.  I thin a lot of that comes from the fear of finding out what it's like to leave safety behind.

I bet what he meant was that religion is childish.  I'm not trying to put words in his mouth, just trying to understand what he was saying.

Oh, and you do kind of need to consider who he was.  There is something to intelligence.  There are things that he understood that no one before him even could dream up in their minds.  Every once and a while someone comes along that is just levels above everyone else in brain power.  It's not something you should find intimidating, instead I think you should consider them a gift to our enlightenment and give great consideration to what they say.  It's people like him that turn stupidity and ignorance on its ear.  I respect that.

I'm not saying you should blindly follow people like Einstein, just give them the deserved credit they are due. 

I don't get why people try and take famous people and make their opinion on topics they're not famous for matter.

Sure Einstein practically changed the face of science in a lot of ways. There's no doubt he was a genius, at science.

Since when does that make him an expert on religion, or anything other than science though?

Seriously, Bill Gates may be a genius at programming, but there's a reason people don't ask his advice on fashion. Donald Trump may know how to make money, but would you ask him about hair care? Would you ask Mariah Carey advice on fixing your car? Would you ask Michael Jordan about how to direct a movie?

Let them give their opinions on what they're known for, rather than use their opinion on something they're not known for to try and prove our own points.

Originally posted by Blurr

I don't get why people try and take famous people and make their opinion on topics they're not famous for matter.

Sure Einstein practically changed the face of science in a lot of ways. There's no doubt he was a genius, at science.

Since when does that make him an expert on religion, or anything other than science though?

Seriously, Bill Gates may be a genius at programming, but there's a reason people don't ask his advice on fashion. Donald Trump may know how to make money, but would you ask him about hair care? Would you ask Mariah Carey advice on fixing your car? Would you ask Michael Jordan about how to direct a movie?

Let them give their opinions on what they're known for, rather than use their opinion on something they're not known for to try and prove our own points.

How minimal can you make a persons life? 

I find that a lot of people are usually pretty good at quite a few things.  I am good at medicine but I can have a pretty good philosophical discussion with some of the philosophy professors at my University.  I would hate to think that I was put here to only do one thing and I should not even consider anything else within my range of understanding or consideration.

And I find Science more a method than a field.  It's like a discipline that can be used to seek out and find answers to explain many things.  If Einstein was good at this technique, then I could see it being very applicable to religion and sociology.

Originally posted by Blurr

I don't get why people try and take famous people and make their opinion on topics they're not famous for matter.

Sure Einstein practically changed the face of science in a lot of ways. There's no doubt he was a genius, at science.

Since when does that make him an expert on religion, or anything other than science though?

Seriously, Bill Gates may be a genius at programming, but there's a reason people don't ask his advice on fashion. Donald Trump may know how to make money, but would you ask him about hair care? Would you ask Mariah Carey advice on fixing your car? Would you ask Michael Jordan about how to direct a movie?

Let them give their opinions on what they're known for, rather than use their opinion on something they're not known for to try and prove our own points.

I read a story the other day about Catholic priests who were also astronomers!  

Whoa, they can do both of those things at one time?  Yet you don't think that Einstein could possess the ability to have a viable religious opinion?  Maybe that's because you don't agree with him?

Vatican Observatory

Originally posted by Man1ac

We all generally believe everything of one with authority, Einstein is a renowned scientist but so what? I don't care if he had an IQ of 300 I still wouldn't believe his fact God is a childish superstition and the letter kinda doesn't make a difference. Science is great but I do not think science itself can explain the reason for the existence of the universe.

Ha!  I don't believe half of what is told to me by people with authority. 

Of course you won't believe his opinion (not fact) that God is a childish superstition....because you probably have the convenient blind faith that major religions preach.  Science cannot explain the mysteries of the Universe...yet.  Ten thousand years ago, no one could explain (correctly) how the sun appeared to move across the sky.  One thousand years ago, you wouldn't have been able to find someone who knew what a star was made of.  Just two hundred years ago, not one person had a clue what an x-ray was.  Science is constantly growing...just as we are.  Eventually, if our species survives, we will unlock the secrets of the Universe...we just have to learn like those before us. 

If Einstein is so friggin brilliant, why do televangelists have a higher standard of living then nuclear physicists?