Theists wrong about Einstein

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/may/12/peopleinscience.religion

In the letter, he states: "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."

Einstein, who was Jewish and who declined an offer to be the state of Israel's second president, also rejected the idea that the Jews are God's favoured people.
 
His position on God has been widely misrepresented by people on both sides of the atheism/religion divide but he always resisted easy stereotyping on the subject.

"Like other great scientists he does not fit the boxes in which popular polemicists like to pigeonhole him," said Brooke. "It is clear for example that he had respect for the religious values enshrined within Judaic and Christian traditions ... but what he understood by religion was something far more subtle than what is usually meant by the word in popular discussion."

Despite his categorical rejection of conventional religion, Brooke said that Einstein became angry when his views were appropriated by evangelists for atheism. He was offended by their lack of humility and once wrote. "The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility."
 
From everything I have read and listened to on the subject
I would say religious people are more likely to misrepresent his views. By taking a quote or two out of context.

Einstein did make some very significant contributions to our understandings of the universe.

If I had to describe his opinions on the subject of religion I would say he did not believe in the God of the Judaic and Christian traditions.

If anything he may have been one of the first to suggest that there could be some kind of Intelligent Design.
 
Not in the context of the current debate, the current ID is petty God of the Gaps and not a first cause deity.

As far as Einstein goes I think that the implications of general relativity with thins like four dimensionalism are infinitely more interesting than theists hijacking him to make a point.
 
Wait...why should I care what Einstein thinks about my belief system? Using the opinions of a man who was an extremely intelligent, rational human being in material areas to make you feel better about your own spiritual beliefs (or lack thereof) sounds...I dunno...pretty ridiculous to me.

Since you never bothered to post your opinion about the article, nor outlined your intentions for this thread, I'll do it for you: you were trying to rile up the religious right, simply because you could. Good thing only a handful of people took the bait.
 
LemonMelon said:
Since you never bothered to post your opinion about the article, nor outlined your intentions for this thread, I'll do it for you: you were trying to rile up the religious right, simply because you could. Good thing only a handful of people took the bait.



or, the fact that the Religious Right often tries to co-opt Einstein for their own purposes?
 
Irvine511 said:


or, the fact that the Religious Right often tries to co-opt Einstein for their own purposes?

And now, the not-so-religious left are doing the same. :wink: Call it a reaction if you wish, but it's a tad hypocritical, dontcha think?
 
Irvine511 said:




or, the fact that the Religious Right often tries to co-opt Einstein for their own purposes?

I have been guilty of that from time to time.

The truth is, the universe is bigger than either Einstein or the American "Religious Right" ever imagined. The one advantage I give to Einstein is that he kept searching and asking until the end - which I totally admire. I wish I could say the same about many Christians (of which I am a member).
 
AEON said:

The truth is, the universe is bigger than either Einstein or the American "Religious Right" ever imagined. The one advantage I give to Einstein is that he kept searching and asking until the end - which I totally admire. I wish I could say the same about many Christians (of which I am a member).

:up: :up:
 
AEON said:


I have been guilty of that from time to time.

The truth is, the universe is bigger than either Einstein or the American "Religious Right" ever imagined. The one advantage I give to Einstein is that he kept searching and asking until the end - which I totally admire. I wish I could say the same about many Christians (of which I am a member).

Good to see you.

I hope you and your family have been well.
 
Thanks Deep.

I guess I had to go away for awhile and dream it all up again.
 
LemonMelon said:


And now, the not-so-religious left are doing the same. :wink: Call it a reaction if you wish, but it's a tad hypocritical, dontcha think?



while Einstein is slippery on this subject, it does seem to me that the non-Religious Right probably has more in the way of facts on their side.

but that's just a guess. i'm not all that invested in this topic.
 
Evangelicals who put Einstein squarely in a fundamentalist camp are just as wrong as atheists who put him in theirs. Aren't we tired of the false dichotomy of either/or? Must it really be either God or evolution? Must it be God vs. science? The Right and the Left are both guilty of forcing extremism, when the truth is perhaps much more in the middle than either would like to think.

After all, quoth Einstein, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”
 
I really could care less what Einstein thinks about God, but how do you misinterpret the following quote?

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when one contemplates the mysteries of eternity... Never lose a holy curiosity."
 
LemonMelon said:
Since you never bothered to post your opinion about the article, nor outlined your intentions for this thread, I'll do it for you: you were trying to rile up the religious right, simply because you could. Good thing only a handful of people took the bait.

I have forgiven Jesus.
 
coemgen said:
I really could care less what Einstein thinks about God, but how do you misinterpret the following quote?

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when one contemplates the mysteries of eternity... Never lose a holy curiosity."
You could think that he was talking about God.
 
AEON said:
Thanks Deep.

I guess I had to go away for awhile and dream it all up again.

Hey good to see you back!

So does mean that we're going to see the FYM equivalent of an Achtung Baby style transformation?. . .Gone is the serious, black-white-in-the-desert AEON. The new AEON will be ironic, technicolor, embracing the contradictions of the present age? Will there be those who will only love the old AEON and will you earn legions of new fans with your new left-leaning :wink: persona?

:)
 
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