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Last update - 13:44 16/05/2008 Einstein letter dismissing 'childish' religion sells for 200,000 pounds By The Associated Press Tags: Jews, Albert Einstein A letter in which Albert Einstein dismissed the idea of God as the product of human weakness and the Bible as "pretty childish" has sold at auction for more than 200,000 pounds ($400,000). Bloomsbury Auctions said Friday that the handwritten letter sold to an o Advertisement verseas collector after frenetic bidding late Thursday in London. The sale price of 207,600 pounds ($404,000) - including the buyer's premium - was more than 25 times the pre-sale estimate. Bloomsbury did not identify the buyer, but managing director Rupert Powell said it was someone with a passion for theoretical physics and all that that entails. This extraordinary letter seemed to strike a chord, and it gave a deep personal insight one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, Powell said. The letter was written to philosopher Eric Gutkind in January 1954, a year before Einstein's death. In it, the Einstein said that "the word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish." 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." Einstein experts say the letter supports the argument that the physicist held complex, agnostic views on religion. He rejected organized faith but often spoke of a spiritual force at work in the universe. Einstein's most famous legacy is the special theory of relativity, which makes the point that a large amount of energy could be released from a tiny amount of matter, as expressed in the equation E=MC2 (energy equals mass times the speed of light squared). The theory changed the face of physics, allowing scientists to make predictions about space and paving the way for nuclear power and the atomic bomb. Related articles: Einstein: Nothing 'chosen' about the Jews, Bible 'childish' legends E=mc2 sounded better in Yiddish Bookmark to del.icio.us   Animated massacre Animated Israeli film at Cannes explores Sabra and Shatila massacre. Kowtowing to funders When papers are sponsored, can their reporting be truly independent?   1.   Worth every cent 14:50  |  MR 16/05/08   2.   Einstein spoke 15:34  |  Nachum Ben Daniel 16/05/08   3.   Great man and a great letter 16:21  |  anti-racist 16/05/08   4.   He`s right. Religion is for the weak. 17:40  |  *BEN JABO 16/05/08   5.   EINSTEIN WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG 17:49  |  indrajaya 16/05/08   6.   And what would have been the reaction if... 18:00  |  PK 16/05/08   7.   Let us conduct a simple test 18:03  |  Mark Lincoln 16/05/08   8.   Even more reason to like Einstein 18:38  |  peacelover 16/05/08   9.   Einsteins view of religion 19:22  |  David 16/05/08   10.   the weak produce weak religions 19:23  |  Naftaly 16/05/08   11.   yup, and by today`s scientific standards... 19:26  |  Naftaly 16/05/08   12.   to PK 19:44  |  n 16/05/08   13.   I agree with him on one thing 20:55  |  Realistic arab 16/05/08   14.   Einstein 21:25  |  Mexi 16/05/08   15.   Einstein is full of himself. He envy that God is more popular. 21:34  |  John 16/05/08   16.   Einstein again... 21:41  |  Mexi 16/05/08   17.   guess he never lived in a fish 22:34  |  billy jack 16/05/08   18.   G-d doesnt play dice with the Universe 23:01  |  KUTW 16/05/08   19.   u destroy ur every claim, stupid jews lol 23:11  |  truthatlast 16/05/08   20.   n (11) did you mean by non Jew a Muslim? 23:28  |  Jew- and Bookburner 16/05/08   21.   Einstein`s Bad Hair Day Letter Not Worth 2 Cents 08:04  |  Michael J 17/05/08

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