[meteorite-list] OT transpermia vs. God vs. Science

From: JoshuaTreeMuseum <joshuatreemuseum_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2011 12:46:04 -0500
Message-ID: <8FD886D12E284C9C991FCA7E85D8A15F_at_ET>

I have no agenda other than seeking out correct biographical information
about Einstein's religious beliefs. It's misinformation to state that
Einstein was even selectively observant. He was a cultural and ethnic Jew,
not a religious one. He believed in Spinoza's concept of god as the
organizing principle behind the laws of the universe.

In response to the direct question: "Do you believe in God?" posed by Rabbi
Herbert S. Goldstein in a telegram, Einstein replied: "I believe in
Spinoza's God, who reveals himself in the lawful harmony of all that exists,
but not in a God who concerns himself with the fate and the doings of
mankind."

You can't just say Einstein was an observant Jew without some evidence to
back it up. What selective kosher laws and observances did Albert keep?
Where did he attend synagogue? Show me one quote where he states selective
belief in traditional Jewish tenets.

------------------
Phil Whitmer
-----------------


I am not going to debate this; for sadly obvious reasons, there exists a
bounty of agenda-bent mis- and disinformation---which now includes my
previous statement: I should have more circumspectly indicated Einstein was
"selectively observant."

In contemporary Judaism, there is a big difference between "religious" and
"observant." But enough of this. All best / Darryl



On Mar 3, 2011, at 11:52 AM, JoshuaTreeMuseum wrote:


> To provide a bit of clarification to the foregoing....Albert Einstein was
> born to into a non-religious Jewish family and as an extremely young child
> attended Catholic School for a couple of years; throughout his life
> Einstein was an observant Jew.

>

> --------------------

> That's not true, Einstein was a non-observant Jew throughout his life,
> like his parents. He only kept kosher and attended synagogue for a short
> time in his youth. He gave up belief in the religious tenets of Judaism at
> age 12 just before his bar mitzvah.

> -------------------

> Shortly after his 50th birthday, Einstein declares he's not a religious
> Jew in an interview with George Sylvester Viereck:

> "I am a determinist. I do not believe in free will. Jews believe in free
> will. They believe that man shapes his own life. I reject that doctrine.
> In that respect I am not a Jew."
Received on Thu 03 Mar 2011 12:46:04 PM PST