Einstein: From Atheist to Roman Catholic.?

Question

I myself happen to be an agnostic and the only thing that keeps me hanging on the possibility of a higher being is Creation. I have heard that Einstein died a Catholic because after all of his research and findings about Creation and evolution, he determined there must be a higher being because he could find abdolutely no explanation for where the material came from that caused the Big Bang. I do believe there may be a higher being, but I do not think it is the God-like ominiscience that people worship today. If there is a "God", I believe it would want us to be productive, not praying in a church. I have outstanding morals and a good head on my shoulders and I am not religious whatsoever. Sometimes I think religion was created in the ancient times because people were losing motivation for life and wanted to believe that there was something protecting them, something to work for, something to achieve. Let me know what you think .

Go read the answers to the question "Will God Forgive Me For Not Believing?" (It is about a page before this one). I think that is all pathetic.

Don, (whynotaskdon), what is your religious orientation? Just curious.

Drangonfly- check your definition of agonosticism.

Answer 1

People quote different texts or speeches of Einstein depending on their own beliefs. You can find Einstein saying things like "God does not play dice," which is taken by believers as meaning that he believed in God.

If you read, however, Einstein's views on religion and science, he once said:

“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed. It was the experience of mystery –even if mixed with fear, that engendered religion. A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds –it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity; in this sense, and in this alone, I am a deeply religious man” (Einstein, 1931).

I think when you engage in serious reflection about those deep questions (where does everything come from, what is our capacity as humans to understand how the universe works, etc.) you discover that labels aren't that useful. That is why I think Einstein never declared himself to be an atheist or an agnostic, but judging by statements like this, I think the idea of a traditional god (e.g., the Christian God or the Muslim God) did not fit with his own views.

I myself don't like choosing a label, but if I am pressed to declare one, I'd say I'm a atheist. I think the term agnostic originated by those atheists that simply realized that the questions were too deep to answer easily, and they wanted a way to say that although they weren't religious, they were "open" to possibilities. Additionally, saying you're agnostic doesn't carry the negative stigma associated to atheists.

I don't expect to have a satisfactory answer regarding how the Big Bang or the beginning of the universe came about (I doubt that humanity will ever have a definitive answer even if humanity survives for millions of years and keeps advancing its science), but current quantum theory provides a somewhat satisfactory tentative explanation: matter can be "created" by random quantum fluctuations of energy, but it must later be "repaid" to bring back the original balance to zero. In any case, if you're willing to believe a "higher being" existed forever, why not believe the matter of the universe or the energy that gave rise to matter existed forever and has no beginning or end?

Very interesting question. Whoever claims to have an absolute answer denies him or herself from the "most beautiful experience" of the mysterious, and the joy of wonder.

Answer 2

Einstein went religious, because he and his mind aged, and the wearing of thought and time began to show. He did as many do with turning to religion. God was created by the cavemen to explain things that they did not understand like lightning. Many people can not understand, or explain things, so they turn to the simple answer of god doing it. Einstein could not understand all, because his mind was capable of such thought in his younger years. When he could not explain, he turned to the easy excuse to rest his mind. If the big bang had to start, as all had to come from somewhere, so did god, and that defeats the argument that the big bang is less possible than god. It is more possible, and makes sense. If Einstein did convert, it was in frustration, and as just a way to calm his mind. He was a great man, and should be remembered not for his last years, but great successes. AS OF NOW I STILL FEEL EINSTEIN WAS NOT OF A RELIGION.

Answer 3

Einstein was a secular Jew. He believed in a "higher power," but Roman Catholic is the very last thing he would have converted to. Read some history about the Roman Catholic Church vs. Jews!

I was also an agnostic for 30 plus years until I discovered Judaism.

Answer 4

It is quite impossible to find the perfect answer to your question, because the answers are going to be as varied as those who would answer you and their beliefs. I do, however, believe that you're confusing being religious with being spiritual. If you are practicing in a specific religion, then you fall into the realm of being religious.

On the other hand, if you believe in a dynamic force ... it doesn't matter what you call it; i.e. God, Jehovah, Alla, or "God-like omniscience"; it is the very essence of who and what we are ... and what we do, then, you are talking about the spirituality of a person.

You say your agnostic yet your very statement says you're spiritual in nature. You talk about having "outstanding morals". Morals are the backbone of our society and to a greater extent, an expression of spirituality, and in our culture held up by both religious and spiritual peoples.

As for the reason for religion being "created", it exist as an extension of who and what we are (human) and what we believe (faith). It was written in the ten commandments but existed long before that in one form of society or another, and is as elemental to our existence as our DNA.

Answer 5

Einstein did become catholic before his death.

It had a lot to do with his interest in the catholic dogma of transubstantiation. The belief that bread becomes JESUS and GOD (jesus was god). It is very exciting from a scientific standpoint.

My suggestion is that you do some reading on religion, have an open mind, and try praying, sometimes it is difficult, but honestly isn't life totaly difficult?

I'll pray for you.

Answer 6

Albert Einstien...just exactly what did he believe?
Scrolling through the answers, I am amazed at how many people want to claim that Einstien believed just what they do. Everybody wants to identify with the great genius, it seems.
I don't know what the great man believed, myself, but it does seem pretty clear that he was not an atheist. This quote from him appears on alot of different websites:

"A legitimate conflict between science and religion cannot exist. Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
- Albert Einstein

I couldn't have put it better myself.

Answer 7

Praying is talking to God.
If you truly want to know for youself without a doubt, read the Gospels, New Testament. Open your heart and hear the words of Jesus Christ. There has never been anyone like him in the past, and there will never be anyone like him in the future.
Once you know Jesus, everything will change.
He is everthing.
Einstein, CS Lewis, Stobbel, and countless of millions others have found out that God is real.

Answer 8

you'll find many people of science come to the conclusion sooner or later that there is something greater than us
i done alot of research in the society for psychical research which started off as a sceptical group of people , from scientists , doctors , politicians etc trying to disprove theories on the paranormal and life after death , and their findings where that they were proving just the opposite that there is more to things that what seems logical and tangible
now they work to provide proof and good proof of this , although they still work to eradicate myths , hoaxes and fakes
worth checking out xx

Answer 9

Please start your own religion. All the existing ones stink. I'll join as long as there is no god, no heaven and no hell.

And I want 80 virgins. Not when I die, right now.


Sad that even Einstein went to the default answer of God when he couldn't explain something. I guess even he had moments of ignorance.

Answer 10

It is POSSIBLE that Albert died a TRUE CHRISTIAN-- but I doubt it.

Albert DID NOT become a catholic -- for sure.
I have two cousins who are physicists and if he had become a member of their CULT they would have told me for sure -- to GLOAT! --They didn't, Albert didn't join the Cult.!)