`You will hardly find one among the profounder sort of scientific minds without a religious feeling of his own... His religious feeling takes the form of rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law, which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that compared with it, all the scientific thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection. This feeling is the guiding principle of his life and work, in so far as he succeeds in keeping himself from the shackles of selfish desire. It is beyond question closely akin to that which has possessed the religious geniuses of all ages.'
Albert Einstein
2007-06-22 10:56:16 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Just came across this quote whilst looking at something else. Thought I would share it with you all. Question was just an excuse to do that really. Some of you seem to assume a lot of things about me in your answers.
2007-06-22 11:10:56 · update #1
Thanks for the full quote by the way.
Is this one a full quote or just a snippet?
The bigotry of the nonbeliever is for me nearly as funny as the bigotry of the believer.
2007-06-22 11:14:38 · update #2
How did Souring Eagle get 5 thumbs down other than the fact that people might wonder if it shouldn't be Soaring Eagle.
The vision of Einstein becoming a "Born Again" Christian before he died seems a bit unlikely. Where is the evidence for this georgian silver please?
2007-06-22 20:34:19 · update #3
How about posting the entire quote?
You will hardly find one among the profounder sort of scientific minds without a peculiar religious feeling of his own. But it is different from the religion of the naive man. For the latter God is a being from whose care one hopes to benefit and whose punishment one fears; a sublimation of a feeling similar to that of a child for its father, a being to whom one stands to some extent in a personal relation, however deeply it may be tinged with awe.
But the scientist is possessed by the sense of universal causation. The future, to him, is every whit as necessary and determined as the past. There is nothing divine about morality; it is a purely human affair. His religious feeling takes the form of a rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law, which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection. This feeling is the guiding principle of his life and work, in so far as he succeeds in keeping himself from the shackles of selfish desire. It is beyond question closely akin to that which has possessed the religious geniuses of all ages.
This is a full quote of the portion of the essay he wrote that you quoted, including the portion that is omitted. I assume nothing about you, and this isn't arrogance as much as correction.
2007-06-22 11:04:28 · answer #1 · answered by Rev. Still Monkeys 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I do not have to take everything I hear from a respected source as fact.
There was Einstein the scientist, and there was Einstein the man. I think he was brilliant, but he did not know everything. He spent the last several years of his life trying to form a "theory of everything". He clearly did not have all the answers, so please, don't try to make us think that he did. Or that you do.
2007-06-22 11:09:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Belief is one thing...Faith is another..but a full face to face relationship with the living God Jesus Christ is the pinnacle of all thought and belief. Anyone can have what I have but so few seek it and so few are prepared to change themselves to achieve it. I get answers to prayer, and gifts from God in abundance. Millions of other ('born again'...or ...'saved') Christians do too.
Everyone has choices in life...how anyone chooses to live their life is their concern and not for any Christian to judge... but there is more.....please take the time to really seek the truth and not just from what you read on sites like this or satan will mislead you as he does millions of others.
Incidentally...Albert Einstein gave his heart to the Lord before he died...............
Best wishes, Mike.
2007-06-22 12:17:46 · answer #3 · answered by georgiansilver 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Einstein was referring to deism, not theism. It's obvious that, beyond this badly-butchered quote, you're not terribly familiar with Einstein.
"I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals Himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings."
—Albert Einstein
2007-06-22 11:03:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
it rather is evidence of a memes means to hijack an developed psychological trait that serves some objective for survival of the species. confident, some point of stupidity or credulousness is mandatory.
2016-10-02 23:34:56 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you really understand what Einstein is quoting?
2007-06-22 11:06:25 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Stop quoting Einstein.
The proof of the Bible's reliability is contained solely within the Bible.
Any attempt to appeal to the atheist's by reason of a renowned scientist saying anything is not going to convince them.
Remember, the argument is complete. To continue a dialog with a person who has no respect for wisdom is to proverbially throw your pearls before the swine.
The ensuing cavalcade of thumbs down should prove my point beyond any further argument.
2007-06-22 11:00:55 · answer #7 · answered by Tim 47 7 · 1⤊ 5⤋
As shown, he was referring to religion in the form of amazement at natural law. No monotheistic religion's deity.
2007-06-22 11:03:53 · answer #8 · answered by thomasgilboy 3 · 5⤊ 1⤋
who knows what he really meant, but what you believe is up to you.one god many angels, one god many Lesser gods , who cares provided you treat each other with respect and courtesy that all good religions ask for.
2007-06-22 11:32:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Read the rest of Einstein, he abhorred any of the existing monotheistic religions.
2007-06-22 11:02:23 · answer #10 · answered by Shawn B 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋