Einstein, dice and deities

[Skybird]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/may/12/peopleinscience.religion

That should put an end to some decade-long debate. As long at least as people do not think they know better than Einstein himself what he meant.

[Platapus]

And why would Einstein would be considered an authority on religion?

I am not saying that I agree or disagree with Einstein's opinions, but they are just the opinions of a mathematician/physicist.

When it comes to math, I would consider Einstein an authority. When it comes to religion, he is just an ordinary joe with a really bad haircut.

[Letum]

When it comes to math, I would consider Einstein an authority. When it comes to religion, he is just an ordinary joe with a really bad haircut.

The big deal is not that he is an authority on religion.
The big deal is that it puts an end to claims from religions that Einstein was a
subscriber to such beliefs.

But your right, it seams that both religions and the anti-religious like to point to famous
non-theologians and say "LOOK! he/she was/wasn't a member of a religion so that
religion must be good/bad". Quite ridiculous.

[Skybird]

The debate between non-religious and theistic-religious people wether or not Einstein subscribed to their dogmas, is decades-old, and nthis is what the news is adressing. This letter seems to make clear that Einstein had no sympathy for theistic concepts of a gods and deities, but that he nevertheless was carrying a spirituality in his mind and soul that was convinced of life and cosmos nevertheless not being by random chance or by accident only. I assume as a result from his work he asked himself the same questions like many others, but the answers he found for himself were not those of materialists, minimalists, reductionists - or theists.

Good man! :D Seems we are soulmates! :lol:

[kiwi_2005]

And why would Einstein would be considered an authority on religion?

I am not saying that I agree or disagree with Einstein's opinions, but they are just the opinions of a mathematician/physicist.

When it comes to math, I would consider Einstein an authority. When it comes to religion, he is just an ordinary joe with a really bad haircut.

:yep:

[SUBMAN1]

ANother thing this news is not addressing - was this written in his older our younger days? The reason I point that out is people usually go through phases with religion, and this could simply be an out phase with his views completely different later on.

-S

PS. By the way SB - you are very very far from Einstein intelligence wise, so I wouldn't call yourself a soulmate.

PPS. SInce when do athiests believe in the concept of souls anyway? You're slipping Skybird.

[Skybird]

Born 1879, Einstein must have been around 75 when writing that letter in 1954, one year before his death. It then is more the sum of his life's experiences, than just an adolescent's sin from youth.

Any more bright comments on intelligence?

I know a lot of atheists, who for the same reasons that Einstein is quoted with were driven away by monotheistic relgion's answers and rejected to childishly believe in gods and deities. And especially that was what made all of them spiritual, and seeing that life and cosmos is more than just about matter and random chance. Becasue atheism and an anti-religious attitude is something totally different than "aspirituality", and not the same, in no way - repeating that wrong claim endlessly nevertheless does not make it any less wrong. Religion is a dea dcult with predefined answers you either believe or not. Spirituality needs the absence of relgion as a precondition, it is about refusing to simply believe, but to directly experience oneself.

So, who is slipping here? Those who carry their dead body through life, blindly stumble in circles and consider that to be "devotion to God".

And who has resetted my personal profile's options...? God's revenge!?