In 1929, Einstein told Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein: "I believe in Spinoza’s God, who reveals Himself in the lawful harmony of the world, not in a God Who concerns Himself with the fate and the doings of mankind."
"I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly.”
In a letter to philosopher Erik Gutkind, Einstein remarked: "The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weakness, the Bible a collection of honorable, but still purely primitive, legends which are nevertheless pretty childish."
"I'm not an atheist and I don't think I can call myself a pantheist. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many different languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn't know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God."
"I cannot conceive of a God who rewards and punishes his creatures, or has a will of the type of which we are conscious in ourselves. An individual who should survive his physical death is also beyond my comprehension, nor do I wish it otherwise; such notions are for the fears or absurd egoism of feeble souls."
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19 comments:
Albert makes perfect sense to me. I lack the proper emulsifier to mix modern science and modern religion.
I have asked all my sponsees, as I was asked by my sponsor, to write about their concept of a Higher Power. Mine was an omnipresent energy that occurs in each person and every thing. We are all connected by this energy. I don't think my thinking is too far off from a God who reveals Himself in the lawful harmony of the world.
Exactly.
You are loved, Ms. Bastard-Beloved.
Well said Mr. Einstein
Thanks for sharing SB.
Mel,
Makes perfect sense to me, too!
Syd,
Not too far off at all.
Ms. Moon,
And you are loved, darling friend.
PF,
You're welcome. Thank you for commenting.
Love to all.
Were you hiding under the counter at work today when my girl's husband (a fledgling professor working on his doctorate in philosophy) and I were discussing God and religion? Eerie shit.
Love you.
Genius :o)
As much as I would love to believe that there is an all-knowing, all-powerful being that had my life all mapped out before I was even born, and that everything will be okay,as a scientist I can't. And, also, the thought that I have no control over anything is depressing as shit too. The whole damn thing depresses me. And I will believe in the fucking lochness monster first.
I knew there was a reason I've always liked Einstein.
Great post. I happen to agree. I have learned with age to keep religious views to myself. It seems that you can really rile people up when you start talking about God, The Bible, etc. God is so many different things to many different people. Whatever works. Have a great day!
A concise and elegant rationalisation.
As an adult it's always amused me that my mother tried to teach me that God' punishmets were much worse than hers. What? Worse than getting your bottom smacked when you're six? I think not!
Love
Mac
Jeannie,
I was hiding, and I enjoyed the conversation immensely. Laugh.
Love you!
Bucko,
I thought so too, my brother.
Love,
SB
Dish,
I don't think we have control either. It's an illusion.
Love you lots.
Melly Mel,
Always happy to hear from you!
Lori,
Glad to hear from you. You have been in my thoughts.
I have missed you.
Love,
SB
Mac,
That made me laugh. You crack me up.
Love you!
Dude was kinda smart, huh?
Damn
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