What is the source of this?

Question

Some Christians have been giving a purported Einstein quote. I have been totally unable to find a credible source for it. If you can help find it here is the quote.

In fact, Einstein tended to be more critical of debunkers, who seemed to lack humility or a sense of awe, than of the faithful. "The fanatical atheists," he wrote in a letter, "are like slaves who are still feeling the weight of their chains which they have thrown off after hard struggle. They are creatures who-in their grudge against traditional religion as the 'opium of the masses'--cannot hear the music of the spheres."

Personally I think it is a fake quote.

Yes I know about the Time Magazine article, but where did Einstien actually ever say this? I can not find it in anything from Einstein.

Nbody else seems able to find the actuak source for this either. Just the book by a Times Editor.

Answer 1

Actually, I believe this particular set of quotes to be credible, he seemed to liken atheists with conspiracy theorists, and I have no problem with this, there is no particular reason Einstein should be more correct than most on much of anything, especially not social matters (and apparently not quantum mechanics either).

All the same, I find it silly when Christians quote him as some sort of support, as Einstein was an Animist of anything, and certainly didn't believe as they do in terms of actual religion.

There are of course a great number of fake Einstein quotes, so definitely agree with your sentiment of annoyance there, I seem to remember someone here on R&S quoting Einstein with some poor platonic argument for the possibility of the existance of a God that would allow evil in defining evil only as the absence of good.... And of course there's some silly riddle that more or less resolves to a sudoku puzzle with words that Einstein supposedly formed in his youth... Somehow claiming Einstein said things gives them some sort of absolute credibility in our society... The media liked the man that much... It's just kind of odd.

Answer 2

Walter Isaacson’s biography Einstein: His Life and Universe

Time magazine has made an excerpt available online called “Einstein & Faith” that is worth reading.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1607298,00.html

Although Einstein abandoned his faith in a personal God at a young age, Isaacson notes that he had little patience or respect for simple materialist atheism. “The fanatical atheists,” Einstein wrote, “are like slaves who are still feeling the weight of their chains which they have thrown off after hard struggle. They are creatures who—in their grudge against traditional religion as the ‘opium of the masses’—cannot hear the music of the spheres.” The cosmos was symphonic for Einstein, and his God was revealed in the harmony of its laws. Simultaneously a determinist and a theist, Einstein saw proof of a divine Author in the intricate, beautiful ways in which everything seemed to be determined.

Answer 3

Any time you see a quote from a theistically infected person, 9 times out of 10, it is taken out of context or a flat out fabrication. Good that you are not taking their word for it.

Answer 4

It sounds like a made up story by some fanatical christian...

Answer 5

TIME magazine article. It goes on to mention a fairly radical determinism he subscribed to.

Answer 6

Actually, where did you picked this quote from?

Answer 7

Yes, it's a quote in Time.

Cheers :-)

Answer 8

Mine is God