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Author Topic:   Einstein's Religious Beliefs
Grizz
Member (Idle past 5472 days)
Posts: 318
Joined: 06-08-2007


Message 24 of 42 (468574)
05-30-2008 1:14 PM


I think any discrepancies between authentic quotations attributed to Einstein is nothing odd when you consider that behind the genius is a human being. All people are prone to change their opinions from time to time. If someone asked for our opinions at various points in our life and then at a later time compared our quotations, they would no doubt see instances of subtle or perhaps even glaring discrepancies. These discrepancies would not represent contradictions but shifts in thought.
It is pretty clear that Einstein had always denied a belief in a personal deity and was not in any way supportive of the theistic Judeo-Christian tradition. It also seems plausible that he had a shift in thought later in his life. Some of his earlier quotations do seem to indicate he held a view somewhat akin to Pantheism. Later in his life he tended to speak as if he was using deity as a metaphor.
Also, you need to be careful when pulling quotes, especially off the Internet. There are many archives containing alleged correspondence between Einstein and his peers. Not all quotations and letters are authentic and there is quite a bit of fraud out there.

  
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