If this being is omnipotent, then every occurrence, including every human action, every human thought, and every human feeling and aspiration is also His work; how is it possible to think of holding men responsible for their deeds and thoughts before such an almighty Being? In giving out punishment and rewards He would to a certain extent be passing judgment on Himself. How can this be combined with the goodness and righteousness ascribed to Him? [Albert Einstein, Out of My Later Years (New York: Philosophical Library, 1950), p. 27.]
2006-11-21 16:29:58 · 20 answers · asked by Subconsciousless 7 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Max G
Your answer, though short, really intrigued me. Would you care to elaborate?
2006-11-21 17:22:12 · update #1
If you really think about this quote..what a scary realization it can bring one. Was the Holocaust really Hitlers fault? Did he with open mind commit all those murders? God's omnipotence would suggest not..God allowed him to at the very least, at the worst he committed the very crimes himself. Where was the good and righteousness in that?
I shall continue..
I always thought omnipotence to be somewhat of a contradiction in terms..all children go to heaven..why? because they are children, they have yet to learn what sin is, they have incompletely formed minds. God gives us only what he believes we can handle? So how does he justify giving (and in his omnipotent state..he does indeed give) children cancer or AIDS or any kind of fatal disease..if children are unable to handle such a concept as 'right and wrong' why should they be able to handle death?
I personally believe, as Einstein did, that there is no such thing as a personal god..it just doesn't make good sense. In one of Einsteins most famous quotes "God does not play dice" (which is resoundingly often taken completely out of context) the point is stressed..randomness does not lie at the heart of all things..
2006-11-23 12:07:28 · answer #1 · answered by KED 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I belong to religion that doesn't recognize a personalized GOD, that said to create human and so forth, but we do recognize there is something we can refer as God. I personally have this question also since very long time ago, and I am satisfied with the answer provided in the teaching I follow, so I think you should keep questioning and learn by then you can find out the truth yourself.
I don't mean to hurt anyone, after all I believe that religion should be the place you feel comfort and there shouldn't be religion claiming that he is the best.
2006-11-22 00:41:29 · answer #2 · answered by Tanty 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He denies the existence of God, and i agree with him. What is God, no one can really know. The skeptics won't fancy the idea of God for they cannt touch/see/taste Him. Religions advocate the existence of God in replace of conscience talking to themselves, and thus are simply unwilling to accept that the world happened with no reason whatsoever. I think God's existence is a result of human's answer to their dominance, that they are one notch higher than other beings. And that their origin must be the action of a greater being.
Just my 2 cents worth=)
2006-11-22 01:16:59 · answer #3 · answered by luv_phy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Easy. Al is saying that if there is a god (and that is the question he is posing here) then how could we be judged when he also made our brains and the ability to maintain those brains.....In other words, if I make a house without a foundation and it falls over, can I judge it for falling? Of course not, so your answer would invariably be there is no god.... Thus my atheism.... Rock On Albert, you sexy bastard you! be well, jack
2006-11-22 00:35:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Or he might have concluded that he was dealing with the God of the old testament.. Read the fate of those who crossed the path of the Isrealites in Exodus.. or maybe we are just someones ant farm.
2006-11-22 00:34:53 · answer #5 · answered by the_buccaru 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think he's wrong.
I believe that God has only given us the power to do both good and evil, whichever we chose.
We get the rewards for both our actions, because we cannnot alter the natural cycle -- we have not been given that power........
2006-11-22 00:57:24 · answer #6 · answered by Pink Rose 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Einstein was just having a bad hair day. I'm not sure he ever had a good one.
2006-11-22 00:37:20 · answer #7 · answered by terry t 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Makes perfect sense.
However, it remains people's right to not see the truth in that statement, and to continue to defend and glorify the concept of divine irrationality.
2006-11-22 02:56:19 · answer #8 · answered by Saffren 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I say Einstein was right on the mark; but then, we already knew he was a pretty sharp guy ;-)
2006-11-22 00:33:36 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I like how he thought outside of the box. :) I love the sort of debates these sort of things cause too.
2006-11-22 00:37:03 · answer #10 · answered by makes me wonder 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋