Or conversely you have poor reading skills and shouldn't accuse those with better knowledge of being intellectually dishonest?
Oh don't worry, I don't accuse those with better knowledge of being intellectually dishonest! Anyway, back to arguing with you....
Fact is he never says he is a pantheist.
As I said, in the quote he BASICALLY says he is a pantheist:
Einstein writes:
In common terms, one can describe it as 'pantheistic'."
If you don't think he is BASICALLY saying that he is a pantheist, I can only conclude that English isn't your first language and you still aren't very fluent in it.
He says quite plainly he is not an atheist, that he is not a pantheist either.
In the quote in question, he is saying his beliefs are BASICALLY pantheistic. Make sure you are looking at the correct quote now. I don't see how you could be making the argument you are making if we are looking at the same quote, and you are familiar with the English language unless you are being intellectually dishonest.
We agree that in the other quote he says he doesn't feel he is a pantheist, hence the contradiction.
He quite plainly states over and over again, he believes in a Creator God, but doesn't think God answers prayer. God is not a personal God as most religions advocates. He sets up immutable laws, which He Himself is subject to.
He does?! Well for crying out loud, why have you been holding out on us? Just go ahead and post the quotes where he says he believes in a "Creator God".
The fact is, he never states his belief in a "Creator God". That's only your interpretation. It seems a consistent intepretation in regards to some of his quotes, but in others, not so much. That's why threads on many message boards about Einstein's religious beliefs go on for pages and pages with no consensus ever being reached.
That's why there are many long web pages on Einstein's religious beliefs. But if oversimplyfying the issue while putting words in his mouth and thoughts in his mind is what makes you feel good, then go ahead I guess. Just realize that people are going to point out the contradictions from time to time.
How you can read what he says and not see this is astonishing to me!
I get the impression a lot of things astonish you. If it makes you feel any less astonished, a very large number of people don't see this issue the way you do.
Maybe if you approach this not trying to fit Eistein into some specific camp and just reread his words, you can see it.
My personal opinion is that Einstein was more or less agnostic. Remember that you're the one
insisting you
know that he believed in a Creator God. Maybe if you set that notion aside, you can see the contradiction. In all the messageboard discussions of this topic I've ever read, you're the only person I've ever seen actually deny that some of his quotes seem quite contradictory. Even those that think, as you do, that Einstein believed in a god, acknowledge the clear contradictory nature of some of his quotes.
Edited by Deftil, : No reason given.
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