Chowk forums: South Asian views, reviews, opinion

Einstein on joos & god

Topic started by DrDr on May 13, 2008 1:14:35 pm

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.

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Posts 1-16 of 17

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Post by Eklavya on May 13, 2008 7:39:55 pm
oye bi, we would never know whether a religion is created by God or by Satan so long as it keeps winning. After all, whether any religion is made by God or Satan is just a matter of collective belief. ------------------ drdr, joos have reason to reject religion just as Hinjoos do. Wasn't karl basu a Jew too? flag objectionable content

Post by banneditem on May 13, 2008 6:05:50 pm
Dont take things too literally, like the ones I posted earlier. Thats what gets adherents into trouble.The ones that dont take scripture literally (sufis, and others) are called heretics and weak in faith. Any hoo u know what I am talking about. What if satan is playing with our heads, and created religion to fuck us all up.... we'll never know we are too busy believing in what he wants us to believe. With lots of love Signed flag objectionable content

Post by DrDr on May 13, 2008 5:50:26 pm
btw what if the believer is a female & thus has no balls flag objectionable content

Post by banneditem on May 13, 2008 5:46:00 pm
"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." Muslims that blow themselves up in the cause of Allah dont think that to be "childish superstition". Similarly the Jew chummi chappating the wall in Jerusalem waiting for God to give him sign so he can rebuild the temple doesnt think that. Tell that to the person calling ppl "Come join my church where Jesus paid for our sins and confer in Jesus as son of god, or you are eternally damned". He is right on the money that Jews were not the chosen people. It was the israelites that were the chosen ppl. Jews appear in the bible way after moses and others. Jews were further classified and supposedly "properly documented" by Mordecai under Cyrus (persian invasion) and at that point "Chosen ppl" started to apply to jews. Jesus Christ captialized on that and opened this "chosen faith" to all the "gentiles" and Israelites. Which pissed off pharisees and saduccess (2 political jew parties) and resulted in him being crucified. When one has parting of the sea, manna from heavan, jesus and his miracles being passed down generations. It kinda hits one in his balls when religion is referred to as "doctrine" and "childish superstition". OR flag objectionable content

Post by DrDr on May 13, 2008 3:54:01 pm
eklayva what a load of codswallop ur fans fluff u up & u satisfy them with the ejaculation of such unadulterated nonsense! Einstein is the pride of joos all over & he says the covenant bet god & joos is just a childish story thats big noos everywhere except in ur own echo chamber of inscrutable filosofy flag objectionable content

Post by Cobra on May 13, 2008 3:17:42 pm
Hey Cliffy jaan, How is it going? flag objectionable content

Post by anil on May 13, 2008 2:35:08 pm
Hello clifton beti, Nice to meet you here. I liked you iLog. flag objectionable content

Post by cliftonbridge on May 13, 2008 2:30:07 pm
its my honor ...bottal ne beej ko nikkumma kar diya , shaid pehle woh bhi tha kissi kaam ka! anil chacha whassup flag objectionable content

Post by anil on May 13, 2008 2:15:49 pm
Kaal: "..So long as doctrines remain internally focused..." I am so happy to read that you now call religions "doctrines" flag objectionable content

Post by Eklavya on May 13, 2008 2:14:27 pm
HA HA, cliffs, I am honored to be the Hindu you ------------ It's the bottle with bhrata beej, always the bottle! (" /> flag objectionable content

Post by cliftonbridge on May 13, 2008 2:11:37 pm
kaal, bj thinks i am the muslim you if you are done with the nik kaal please send me your password flag objectionable content

Post by CreateAlpha on May 13, 2008 2:10:38 pm
Yes, it is meaningless to folks like you kaal, spellbound by circular logic and paranthetical caveats. flag objectionable content

Post by Eklavya on May 13, 2008 2:08:22 pm
chalta, I always suspected the man was an unbeliever. No wonder you Hindus consider him the touchstone of modern intelligence and insight. But Jews being nothing special or chosen people is meaningless, as meaningless a Hindu riding a rat feeling all hight and mighty, very special about himself/herself. So long as doctrines remain internally focused, their adherents can believe in any old fairy story, as special as they want, and give their own religious beliefs whatever value they wish to, or not. NO skin off others' noses, to use a nosey cliche flag objectionable content

Post by Cobra on May 13, 2008 1:32:23 pm
I agree with Einstein on two statements. 1. God is unreal and Bible is children story book. 2. This one he made towards the end of his life. "After pursuit of knowledge all my life I have understood I have learned nothing" .... I kinda had that revelation before every school exam. flag objectionable content

Post by Kulharee on May 13, 2008 1:23:57 pm
Eew=Machood Square Yuck..such disgusting topic. Please don’t post such bull on UP. This sends the wrong message. flag objectionable content

Post by anil on May 13, 2008 1:20:05 pm
Einstein was a wise man. People are exposed and learn about God longer than any science, fiction or thought. flag objectionable content