Re: Einstein was NOT a believer!

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: Excellent points G.U.S. -- but I wonder what you will say to the thought that perhaps Einstein was referring to God when he wrote: : In their labors they will have to avail themselves of those forces which are of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself." : What if Einstein was saying that God is the force that cultivates the Good, the True and the Beautiful in humanity itself. He says that one must "avail" one's self to that power -- could this be a reference to praying to a Higher Power? : I think that most intelligent people agree that organized religions have really loused up almost the entire Western Spiritual Tradition -- if we even have one. The wars and the hypocrisy are hard to over look. I think what Einstein was saying was that we need to get closer to the center of that onion someone was talking about by honestly adhering to principles like Good, and Truth and Beauty. Einstein was certainly a believer. : : Monotheists are very fond of quoting Einstein. But here is a quote : : from Einstein which you will never hear them repeat. I cite verbatim : : from "Science, Philosophy and Religion, A Symposium," published by the : : Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion in Their Relation to : : the Democratic Way of Live, Inc., New York, 1941. Reprinted also in : : "Ideas and Opinions," by Albert Einstein, ISBN: 0-517-003937. : : Here is the quote: : : : : "In their struggle for the ethical good, teachers of religion : : must have the stature to give up the doctrine of a personal God, : : that is, give up that source of fear and hope which in the past : : placed such vast power in the hands of priests. In their labors : : they will have to avail themselves of those forces which are : : of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in : : humanity itself." : : : : Albert Einstein : : : : : : Einstein considered himself to be a religious person, a fact which : : monotheists are often happy to remind everyone. But just what did : : he mean by that? Let's find out! Here, in Albert's own words is : : the full explanation. : : : : Quoted from an address at Princeton Theological Seminary, May 19, 1939; : : published in "Out of My Later Years," New York; Philosophical : : Library, 1950. : : : : Einstein's concept of religion: : : : : : : "[A] person who is religiously enlightened appears to me : : to be one who has, to the best of his ability, liberated : : himself from the fetters of his selfish desires and is : : preoccupied with thoughts, feelings, and aspirations to : : which he clings because of their superpersonal value. : : : : Albert Einstein : : : : : : I've had to read up on Buddhism for an earlier article in this same : : series. So it is that the following quote by Einstein struck me very : : oddly indeed. You figure it out... : : : : : : Quoted from Mein Weltbild, Amsterdam: Querido Verlag, 1934. : : : : : : "The true value of a human being is determined primarily : : by the measure and sense in which he has attained : : liberation from the self." : : : : Albert Einstein : :

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