Childish superstition: Einstein's letter makes view of religion relatively clear

[cynatnite]

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.

"For me the Jewish religion like all others is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions. 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. 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."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/may/12/peopleinscience.religion?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

[onager]

1. But we gotta throw in the obligatory slap...

One of the country's leading experts on the scientist, John Brooke of Oxford University, admitted he had not heard of it...

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...

As opposed to the humility of claiming complete knowledge about how the universe was created and our place in it!

Or the humility of deciding who spends eternity in paradise and who the loving god sends to be tortured forever.

I don't know how the believers got this perceived monopoly on humility, but it's one lie I'm really tired of seeing.