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Renowned physicist Albert Einstein. (Archive)
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Last update - 00:00 13/05/2008
Einstein: Nothing 'chosen' about the Jews, Bible 'childish' legends
By Bradley Burston, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Judaism, Bible, God, Einstein

Albert Einstein, writing in 1954, dismissed Judaism and other religions as "an incarnation of the most childish superstitions," though he said he gladly belonged to the Jewish people and felt a deep affinity for the Jews' "mentality," excerpts published on Tuesday showed.

Einstein also said he saw nothing "chosen" about the Jews, and that they were no better than other peoples "although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power."

The renowned physicist, who died a little more than a year after writing the letter, also had tough words for God and the Bible, according to the text published by the British The Guardian daily.
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"The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish," the letter was quoted as saying. "No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this."

The letter, written in German in January, 1954 to philosopher Eric Gutkind, is to be auctioned in London on Thursday, the paper said. Written in Einstein's hand, the letter, which has been in private hands for more than half a century, reportedly could sell for as much as 8,000 pounds sterling.

Turning to Judaism, Einstein wrote that "For me the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions. And the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people.

"As far as my experience goes, they are also no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot see anything 'chosen' about them."


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      1.   LOL 17:23  |  Danite 13/05/08
      2.   Einstein 17:35  |  avi Yerushalmi 13/05/08
      3.   Albert Einstein was a very wise man......... 17:43  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/05/08
      4.   That`s it, pass the chaza 17:48  |  Mordy 13/05/08
      5.   Since 1954 17:51  |  Steve G 13/05/08
      6.   #1 - your post seems only half complete .. please finish it ! 17:51  |  redmike 13/05/08
      7.   All too true on one point 17:53  |  Aaron Levitt 13/05/08
      8.   No more Master Races No more Chosen people 17:55  |  The Cancer 13/05/08
      9.   as usual... 17:56  |  dan 13/05/08
      10.   avi... 17:57  |  oy vey 13/05/08
      11.   religions in general 17:58  |  Vicky 13/05/08
      12.   Einstein,thed Albert 17:58  |  Shmuelshachor 13/05/08
      13.   Jews are No Longer Protected from the Worst Cancers.... 17:58  |  TruthShallSetUFree 13/05/08
      14.   Still he was a great scientist 18:09  |  x-ray 13/05/08
      15.   Einstein, please answer 18:15  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/05/08
      16.   He relized this at what age? 18:20  |  Yochonan Kohen Godol 13/05/08
      17.   Don`t wait Cipora Julianna Kohn ... .. . 18:22  |  Carl 13/05/08
      18.   Cipora 18:22  |  Aaron Levitt 13/05/08
      19.   oy vey #10 18:23  |  Avi Yerushalmi 13/05/08
      20.   word to einstein 18:25  |  simon doerksen 13/05/08
      21.   Swiss Dino 18:29  |  bar 13/05/08
      22.   Einstein was a GENIOUS but he did not have all the answers 18:33  |  Bengurion 13/05/08
      23.   Steve G 18:33  |  bar 13/05/08
      24.   To # 2 They did examine his brain. He was right 18:35  |  L A 13/05/08
      25.   Einstein on Israel 18:37  |  jm 13/05/08
      26.   Carl and Aaron 18:38  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/05/08
      27.   E (Einstein) = m (memorable) x c (childlikewonder) squared 18:40  |  Lavi 13/05/08
      28.   Einstein had it right. 18:41  |  Shahid 13/05/08
      29.   But then, in 1965 radar telescopes proved the Ramban correct 18:42  |  Allon 13/05/08
      30.   to #15 18:42  |  pete 13/05/08
      31.   Einstein never answered this major Question... 18:45  |  Allon 13/05/08
      32.   Cipora again 18:47  |  Aaron Levitt 13/05/08
      33.   einstein 18:47  |  b 13/05/08
      34.   A Question for Nietsche & Darwin 18:47  |  Allon 13/05/08
      35.   Allon & the answer to your question 18:50  |  Eric 13/05/08
      36.   Einstein: Nothing chosen about the Jews ... 18:51  |  Henk 13/05/08
      37.   So why is it wrong to kill? 18:52  |  Allon 13/05/08
      38.   # 21 bar 18:53  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/05/08
      39.   Didn`t Einstein say G-d doesn`t play dice with the universe? 18:54  |  Barry 13/05/08
      40.   Fascinating questions for astonomists, scientists & Einstein 19:02  |  curious 13/05/08
      41.   Einstein has also rejected his newborn first child,as she would 19:05  |  Absolute Sweden 13/05/08
      42.   Not "chosen people", but `Choosing People" 19:09  |  Phillipe T. Lucre 13/05/08
      43.   Allon-Rambam & Ethics 19:11  |  Urgyen Dorjé 13/05/08
      44.   LA # 24 19:12  |  Avi Yerushalmi 13/05/08
      45.   Eric and the A to your Q + the Q to your A 19:12  |  Allon 13/05/08
      46.   Chosen? Rather not be. 19:13  |  Miransky 13/05/08
      47.   What does it say about Einstein? 19:22  |  d 13/05/08
      48.   40 curious,the Hindu theory is that there was no beginning and 19:26  |  lakshmi 13/05/08
      49.   How true! It is time people abandoned outmoded ideas! 19:28  |  lakshmi 13/05/08
      50.   Urgyen, very philosophically put 19:30  |  Allon 13/05/08
      51.   Einstein 19:33  |  Stefan Bálint 13/05/08
      52.   To Dino 19:34  |  Ariel 13/05/08
      53.   dino , # 38 19:35  |  bar 13/05/08
      54.   Curious -- your question is meaningless 19:40  |  Jordan 13/05/08
      55.   Henk , in Petach Tikva 19:42  |  bar 13/05/08
      56.   Switzerland is a peaceful nation says Dino - #38 19:44  |  Kate 13/05/08
      57.   Lakshmi - that is absolute Tripe 19:44  |  Allon 13/05/08
      58.   Bible is Does Not Anchor Jewish Rights in Israel 19:52  |  JP 13/05/08
      59.   Answer to creation in Kabala, Einstein ``mental affinity` = soul 19:52  |  Dr Levy 13/05/08
      60.   So, Einstein is in agreement.. 19:52  |  hollingsworth 13/05/08
      61.   Einstein`s bias in religion.... He is simply wrong. 19:53  |  MJ 13/05/08
      62.   Irony:Dirty anti-semitic doormate the Gardian and Einstein 19:57  |  17 13/05/08
      63.   I Knew That 19:58  |  Mary 13/05/08
      64.   Lakshmi From Pakistan_ The Greatest Danger To Civilization 19:59  |  Eli 13/05/08
      65.   Einstein`s declaration upon leaving Germany in 1933 20:06  |  Netanel 13/05/08
      66.   Anybody home in the universe? 20:09  |  Stephen Searfoss 13/05/08
      67.   # 60 hollingsworth - It is WRITTEN in Old Testament you profess 20:16  |  17 13/05/08
      68.   #60 - Don`t worry hollingsworth... 20:22  |  JP 13/05/08
      69.   Mary # 63 Re Jews And Heaven 20:23  |  Eli 13/05/08
      70.   Response to No. 58 20:24  |  Netanel 13/05/08
      71.   self-hating Jew 20:25  |  Michael 13/05/08
      72.   to # 44 Answer...... 20:28  |  L A 13/05/08
      73.   Too funny = sad?! 20:28  |  Catholic Israeli 13/05/08
      74.   Albert 20:29  |  terence 13/05/08
      75.   of course! 20:30  |  Tziril Esther 13/05/08
      76.   Allon-Atheists and Laws 20:30  |  Urgyen Dorjé 13/05/08
      77.   # 44 20:32  |  L A 13/05/08
      78.   So Einstein never moved to Israel? So what... 20:33  |  Catholic Israeli 13/05/08
      79.   So curious wants to know what happened 1 second before the big... 20:38  |  Jacob Blues 13/05/08
      80.   laksmear: GreenCrimeSyndicate greatest danger to human beings 20:39  |  Arthur 13/05/08
      81.   no 2 20:48  |  Anthony 13/05/08
      82.   No problem with Jews ruling themselves 20:53  |  W 13/05/08
      83.   Didn`t take him long to find out the truth 20:57  |  Ariel 13/05/08
      84.   Superstition VS reality.... 20:59  |  Webster 13/05/08
      85.   dylan on chosenness 21:09  |  yonah 13/05/08
      86.   Einstein was a great Jew/Zionist/pacifist/scientist and... 21:11  |  common sense 13/05/08
      87.   Not too smart after all... 21:15  |  Catholic Israeli 13/05/08
      88.   Einsteins Hidden Secret 21:17  |  Shimon Cleopas 13/05/08
      89.   I hope the irony is not lost on the readers.. 21:19  |  Elan 13/05/08
      90.   This is true and nothing But true 21:23  |  abm habibullah 13/05/08
      91.   NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT MARX, FREUD, TROTSKY, EINSTEIN EXCEPT BEING 21:25  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 13/05/08
      92.   Reply to bar 21:33  |  Jean-Paul Doguet 13/05/08
      93.   cancer 21:34  |  Darrell 13/05/08
      94.   # curious 21:35  |  17 13/05/08
      95.   Just to .. 21:36  |  Mike 13/05/08
      96.   Einstein 21:37  |  Rivka C. 13/05/08
      97.   to avi yerushalmi 21:40  |  oy vey 13/05/08
      98.   And what happened when the Jews got power? 21:40  |  Clickfool 13/05/08
      99.   second prior Big Bang 21:43  |  Mia 13/05/08
      100.   Science is blind 21:44  |  Shimon Cleopas 13/05/08
      101.   This article really says more about 21:47  |  Scharker Yid 13/05/08
      102.   LA # 72&77 21:48  |  Avi Yerushalmi 13/05/08
      103.   Urgyen 21:51  |  Allon 13/05/08
      104.   Anthony and currency 21:51  |  Avi Yerushalmi 13/05/08
      105.   Rambam agreed that "chosenness" had to be earned 21:52  |  Shai 13/05/08
      106.   Dino 21:56  |  bar 13/05/08
      107.   Einstein`s Hidden Secret 22:08  |  Shimon Cleopas 13/05/08
      108.   #86 Shimon Cleopas 22:25  |  Boycott 13/05/08
      109.   Congenial, but... 22:25  |  Colin Wright 13/05/08
      110.   Dino could say the same about Jews. 22:28  |  MR 13/05/08
      111.   #60 Hollingsworth 22:28  |  Gideon 13/05/08
      112.   and Spinoza 22:29  |  noon 13/05/08
      113.   Sounds like a forgery to me 22:36  |  Norm 13/05/08
      114.   # 52 Ariel, the "only ones" and the "chosen ones"..... 22:38  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/05/08
      115.   For Cipora # 15 22:40  |  Fortuna Benmayor 13/05/08
      116.   Choseness is NOT superiority, for the millionth time 22:40  |  John 13/05/08
      117.   #34 Allon 22:43  |  Carl and Aaron 13/05/08
      118.   Chosen by God, Creator Sustainer 22:44  |  Darrell 13/05/08
      119.   # 56 Kate, I assume that you are a "rookie" here...... 22:46  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/05/08
      120.   #105, Shai 22:47  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/05/08
      121.   # 106 bar 22:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/05/08
      122.   To Eli 64 22:57  |  Witness 13/05/08
      123.   Chosen to uphold the Law 23:04  |  dan 13/05/08
      124.   "You have to learn from evangelicals" 23:05  |  hollingsworth 13/05/08
      125.   Let`s see now. First atilla, now shimon cleopas - WOW! Bet even 23:10  |  strange world indeed 13/05/08
      126.   einstein in elder years 23:29  |  goldy 13/05/08
      127.   Einstein was no Einstein 23:29  |  nate 13/05/08
      128.   #60 23:31  |  Rab Burns 13/05/08
      129.   Onle a Jew could write such an outrageous nonsense # 112 23:43  |  Clickfool 13/05/08
      130.   # 110 MR 23:50  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/05/08
      131.   Not The Point (Switzerland and Israel) 23:52  |  Lee G 13/05/08
      132.   He also said 23:58  |  Ari Nir,Ph.D. 13/05/08
      133.   chosen fro what? 00:00  |  SAM 14/05/08
      134.   #115, Fortuna Benmayor 00:03  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/05/08
      135.   Dino, just how much Einstein loved Switzerland 00:06  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/05/08
      136.   The greteast danger to the planet lakshmi (49) 00:24  |  Jew- and Bookburner 14/05/08
      137.   Einstein was a Zionist 00:31  |  Realist 14/05/08
      138.   #5. Steve G 00:37  |  Deborah 14/05/08
      139.   I completely agree with Einstein. 00:40  |  Deborah 14/05/08
      140.   All he had died with him... 00:42  |  Charlie 14/05/08
      141.   Witness # 122 _ I Will Not Claim That I Understood Your Post 00:47  |  Eli 14/05/08
      142.   zionists,a general response to you! 00:47  |  lakshmi 14/05/08
      143.   There you have from the GREAT man "NOBODY is CHOOSEN" 01:08  |  Hoorah 14/05/08
      144.   We didn`t have to have Albert Einstein to tell us 01:20  |  Fu Yang 14/05/08
      145.   chosen for what? 01:21  |  k 14/05/08
      146.   to Hollingsworth 01:24  |  Tom 14/05/08
      147.   # 130 Lee G 01:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 14/05/08
      148.   TO NO 18 01:30  |  DANNY. 14/05/08
      149.   to 86 01:31  |  Anthony 14/05/08
      150.   # 124 hollingsworth - "New Chosen People..." 01:35  |  17 14/05/08
      151.   # 130 Muslims perpetuate atrocities all over the world without 01:36  |  17 14/05/08
      152.   to 104 01:37  |  Anthony 14/05/08
      153.   He was wise 01:38  |  Peter 14/05/08
      154.   Einstein Quotes 01:38  |  Brod 14/05/08
      155.   Dino 02:15  |  Joelle 14/05/08
      156.   Einstein 02:21  |  Howard Finkelstein 14/05/08
      157.   Hey Danite, does Steve Weinberg hide behind numbers, too? 02:43  |  Pssd Off American 14/05/08
      158.   He was right on all counts 03:04  |  sweis Melbourne 14/05/08
      159.   Einstein`s Quotes 2 03:08  |  Brod 14/05/08
      160.   cancers 03:13  |  ray 14/05/08
      161.   Out of his later years 03:53  |  Mark Lincoln 14/05/08
      162.   Cipora # 134 04:30  |  Fortuna Benmayor 14/05/08
      163.   great minds think alike 04:41  |  VIPER 14/05/08
      164.   Jews and Einstein 05:18  |  Jack 14/05/08
      165.   Einstein was amazing 05:35  |  Donald 14/05/08
      166.   Protected by a lack of power? 06:21  |  David K 14/05/08
      167.   #142 lakshmi 07:01  |  MR 14/05/08
      168.   GOD, RELIGIONS, EINSTEIN 08:26  |  indrajaya 14/05/08
      169.   A General Response to Lakshmi 08:54  |  Gideon 14/05/08
      170.   Einstein wanted to know G-d`s thoughts 08:56  |  Michael J 14/05/08
      171.   To # 116 , John re "Nothing chosen" ... 09:17  |  Henk 14/05/08
      172.   Chosen by whom? 10:40  |  Scott 14/05/08
      173.   Jack164 10:42  |  ChanahS 14/05/08
      174.   Lakshmi - a general response 10:49  |  ChanahS 14/05/08
      175.   The Bible and the Modern Science 10:55  |  cristian negureanu 14/05/08
      176.   Einstein and the "Chosen" People 11:16  |  Ruby 14/05/08
      177.   I SUPPOSE THAT AT THIS POINT 13:23  |  Robert 14/05/08
      178.   #176 Ruby 13:26  |  Rab Burns 14/05/08
      179.   Great at math, but amateur philosopher 13:33  |  dyinglikeflies 14/05/08
      180.   einstein shmeinstein 13:51  |  rzldzlman 14/05/08
      181.   #173 response 14:42  |  Jack 14/05/08
      182.   Jews were supposedly "chosen" to worship God, not to be "better" 14:57  |  dyinglikeflies 14/05/08
      183.   The chosen people - the why & how. 15:43  |  history as it is 14/05/08
      184.   Let`s also learn genetics from Shockley. 15:49  |  Ilan 14/05/08
      185.   to 174 15:57  |  Anthony 14/05/08
      186.   shahid 16:31  |  siegfried buchwalte 14/05/08
      187.   Einstein 17:41  |  siegfried buchwalte 14/05/08
      188.   to sieg fried 18:43  |  Anthony 14/05/08
      189.   SWISS (DINO) #121 I would Place that BET and DOUBLE the Wages 18:53  |  Gil 14/05/08
      190.   SWISS (DINO) #121 I would Place that BET and DOUBLE the Wages 18:53  |  Gil 14/05/08
      191.   Anthony 18:59  |  siegfried buchwalte 14/05/08
      192.   Re #109 Einstein in public and in private 19:39  |  DJStahl 14/05/08
      193.   #3 Swiss( dingo); Einstein never ever expressed his love for 19:41  |  Max Zinger,P.Chimist 14/05/08
      194.   Re #129 And the Mizrachi? 19:53  |  DJStahl 14/05/08
      195.   So every thing was fake, LOL, nothing whatsoever 19:55  |  Simon Mohammed 14/05/08
      196.   Let`s think: So when we are born? what are we? 20:00  |  Simon Mohammed 14/05/08
      197.   Henk #171 20:06  |  John 14/05/08
      198.   Lakshmi -- READ THIS 20:40  |  efman 14/05/08
      199.   RE: But then, in 1965 radar telescopes proved the Ramban correct 22:32  |  bruceleh 14/05/08
      200.   Hi 17 22:34  |  hollingsworth 14/05/08
      201.   Swiss (Dino) #121 - Hearsay 23:05  |  David Isarel 14/05/08
      202.   Einstein 23:12  |  Yoram 14/05/08
      203.   Gil #190 - That was a great post To Swiss 23:12  |  David Isarel 14/05/08
      204.   religion is fear 00:24  |  R Fredrick 15/05/08
      205.   David Israel (#203) I hope it is not in some Swiss Bank 01:02  |  Gil 15/05/08
      206.   David Israel (#203) I hope it is not in some Swiss Bank 01:03  |  Gil 15/05/08
      207.   #73, Here we go: Sold for 200,000! 14:55  |  Catholic Israeli 16/05/08
      208.   Einstein was an optimist 05:02  |  Ed 21/05/08
      209.   Einstein: Globalist shill 20:25  |  Marilynne 16/06/08
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