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

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. source

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This is pretty much what I always thought his view was. It will be interesting to see how people will try to spin this to support their own positions.

 

I think this is the first time, I have read an actually interesting post by you.

I would be pretty disappointed in Einstein and would doubt his intelligent if he believed in almighty God.

 

I guess this makes him anti semetic then, how dare he say Jews are not chosen and special people

 

because he didn't think there was anybody to choose anybody

 

God thinks Jews are his Chosen people.
Einstein does not believe in God.
Therefore, Einstein does not believe Jews are Chosen people.

I am not sure what is antisemitic about his obvious conclusion. Anything else would be illogical.

 

Do you believe in God?

 

"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."

What part of that is anti-semitic? If anything it presses for absolute, unquestionable equality. It's there in plain English what Einstein said and it's obvious to anyone with even a shred of integrity and self respect what he meant.

sweetsara, if you have nothing constructive of substantial to add would you mind not saying anything? I for one am tired of your deliberate attempts to render every thread worthless by reducing it to semantics, intentional misinterpretations and infantile word games.

 

In neo-con minds anybody who denies that Jews are God chosen people with special qualities and rights and therefore have the title to piece of Land in the middle east are considered anti-semitics. Therefore, according to neo-con definitions, Einstein must be anti-semitic. I agree with you that neo-cons are full of it and he wasn't anti-semitic.

 

I was being sarcastic, and you are one to talk about being constructive, mr hypocrite.

 

If you read the letter in full it's the classic of account of how Jews assimilated into modernity so well - hey, I'm proud to be a Jew, but as for this God business...

I would be most disappointed if Einstein believed in God.

 

I believe in god, but I dont believe Jews are the chosen people...

 

Yes, and you are also antisemitic. But what does either have to do with Einstein?

Your ability to understand logic is severely lacking. Believing in God is a prerequisite for believing that Jews are God's Chosen people. So a lack of belief in God by Einstein necessarily means the prerequisite is not met.

If you don't want to keep sounding so ignorant and foolish, you can try to read more about logic here

 

Lol are you telling me that, becuase I believe in God, and I dont believe that the Jews are God's Chosen people. Im anti-semetic.

I really need too twitter this Joke.

"Hey, Guys im an Anti-Semite becuase I dont believe Jews are the Chosen People, ... but I believen in God"

hahaha... what a joke

 

No, you missed the point. I called you antisemitic because you are, it has nothing to do with your post in this thread. The post in this thread was merely ignorant, not antisemitic. It was ignorant because you are ignoring simple logic which I have explained very clearly on this thread. I will leave it to someone else to try and make sure you understand it.

 

Your an anti-semetic, you hate black people, arabs, white arabs and other muslims. Thats becuase you are an anti-semetic regardless of your post.

do you see ... you dont have any logic. you dont add nothing to a topic.

you try to manipulate a topic becuase you are a racist against semetic palestinians, your a racist and your a revolting human, people need to hear that also.

 

You can say that all you like, but the truth is that I like Muslims and Blacks and Chinese and Hispanics. I don't have any issues with people based on their race or religion. I judge people based on their words and deeds. I know it is hard for you to comprehend because of your own bias, but others can actually rise above racial and religious prejudice.

 

Jews are a religoun, Zionism is a Political movement of invading Palestine.

That has nothing to do with race, YOU ARE SICK AND POVERTED ENOUGH TO MANIPULATE TRUTH TO BRING RACE INTO THIS.

 

You said I hate black people and white Arabs, and then when I respond to your accusation, you accuse me of bringing race into the discussion.

Do you actually believe what you are typing? It is like a comedy of the absurd.

 

Albert Einstein's belief has changed now!