The Guardian, via RawStory has a piece up today about a letter that Albert wrote back on January 3 1954 to the philosopher Eric Gutkind. The letter has been in a private collection since a year after he penned it. It is going on sale this week at Bloomsbury Auctions in Mayfair on Thursday and is expected to sell for up to £8,000. Folks are hoping this letter will put an end to the discussion on how Einstein felt about religion. Seems both sides of the aisle have tried to claim him on this issue. A choice quote from the letter:

“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.”

I did learn from the Guardian article that Einstein was offered the Presidency of Israel, which he turned down of course. Below is his pov on Jews and God:

“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.”

Various scholars on the topic of religion are chomping at the bit to examine this letter. Many of the supposed experts on Einstein as dying to see it as well, seems no one is really familiar with it’s contents, or its existence. Al’s parents were not religious although they did send him to a Catholic school and saw to it that he also learned about Judaism. Interesting read for me..someone that believes in God but abhors organized religion.

Crossposted at Bring it On!

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