Einstein's Letter Questioning God Goes Up for Auction
The private letter written by Einstein expressing his views on God and religion will go up for auction Monday (Oct. 8) on eBay. In the letter, he calls belief in religion and God "pretty childish" and ridicules the idea that the Jews are a
chosen people.
The private letter written by Einstein expressing his views on God and religion will go up for auction Monday (Oct. 8) on eBay. In the letter, he calls belief in religion and God "pretty childish" and ridicules the idea that the Jews are a
chosen people.
Einstein handwrote the letter in German to Jewish philosopher Eric B. Gutkind on Jan. 3, 1954, a year
before Einstein's death. The letter was a response to Gutkind's book "Choose Life: The Biblical Call to
Revolt"
In part of his letter, Einstein writes, "For me the Jewish religion like all other religions 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 also 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,".
It was, of course, a lie what you read about my
religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I
have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious
then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it."
before Einstein's death. The letter was a response to Gutkind's book "Choose Life: The Biblical Call to
Revolt"
In part of his letter, Einstein writes, "For me the Jewish religion like all other religions 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 also 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,".
It was, of course, a lie what you read about my
religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I
have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious
then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it."
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