Einstein's Religious Beliefs

A common creationist claim is that famous person so-and-so was a creationist or that famous scientist so-and-so believed in God, and Einstein is a common target. But in a 1954 letter from Albert Einstein to philosopher Eric Gutkind that just sold at Bloomsbury Auctions in London for $404,000, Einstein makes his religious beliefs eminently clear. Not that they weren't already, but he makes his position more clear in this private letter than he did in his public writings.Here's a link to the NY Times article (requires subscription, which is free): Einstein Letter on God Sells for $404,000I was also able to find on-line a more complete version of the text: What he wroteHere's a couple excerpts: Is this sufficiently conclusive for creationists to stop claiming that just because Einstein tended to use God as a metaphor for the laws of the universe (e.g., "God does not play dice.") that he believed in God? [Forum=-6]--Percy

Einstein also said: I wouldn't pretend to know how to unravel the contradiction.--Percy

As I said in the OP, I don't think Einstein believed in God at all. I think he just used God as a metaphor for the laws of the universe, which for him evoked a spiritual response.--PercyEdited by Percy, : Improve wording.

If you could say to Einstein, "After reading many of your quotes, my understanding is that you believe in a Creator God," I think he would reply, "Young man, when you put my views in your own words it opens them up to interpretations I never intended."--Percy

But that last part is the whole problem with your argument. You just asserted the one thing Einstein never said: "I believe in God." He knew how misleading it would be to express his views in those terms.In a very technical sense after a lot of qualifying of the definitions of terms I suppose you could claim that Einstein believed in God, but if you went around saying, "Einstein believed in God," Einstein would definitely respond, "Young man, you are giving people a very wrong impression of my views."--Percy