I agree with Prof. Dawkins expressions of religious tolerance but take issue with how he describes Einstein’s religion. Dawkins in this clip and in his book the God Delusion, claims that Albert Einstein was a Pantheist, to substantiate his own position of being an atheist. But, the fact of the matter is that Einstein, like the Founding Fathers of USA, was a Deist. This should become apparently clear, by reading of my article about Albert Einstein and definition of Deist and Pantheist. After all Einstein did believe in Spinoza’s God. Of course, as a Deist, he did not believe in a Personal God!
The word Piper should make one think of Deism and not Pantheism [1]
So, if Einstein said, “Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control. It is determined for the insect, as well as for the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper,” does it sound like Pantheism or Deism to you?
He also said on another occasion the words embedded in the following picture:
There is no denying that Einstein denied Personal God on more than one occasion, but, his life, his pursuit of science, his commitment to Judaism and Israel, his writings and quotes about nature, science and religion can be comprehended only if he is understood to be a Deist, someone who believes in a Creator God, who does not answer prayers. Prof. Dawkins defines the terms of theism, deism, pantheism and atheism, in the first chapter of his book, the God Delusion and at one point also writes, “Pantheism is sexed up atheism. Deism is watered down theism.” But, as the Pope of atheism, Prof. Dawkins issues his Papal Fatwa that Einstein was a Pantheist more than once in this very first chapter of his book, but, as is the case of many of his contemporary Mullahs, he offers no arguments and reasons for his Fatwa! You be the judge! Read his book, my article about Albert Einstein linked in this post and the comments below and see for yourself, is Dawkins correct in claiming him to be a Pantheist or this humble one in calling Einstein a Deist?
Prof. Richard Dawkins given a Papal disguise, so, he can issue Fatwas!
Reference of Einstein’s quote: Albert Einstein — Quoted in interview by G.S. Viereck , October 26,1929. Reprinted in “Glimpses of the Great”, 1930.
Categories: Video
Einstein’s God according to Michael Shermer
Albert Einstein famously opined, “God is cunning but He is not malicious.” And: “God does not play dice.” When asked his motivation for doing physics, Einstein replied: “I want to know how God created the world. I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts, the rest are details.” In the final weeks of his life, when Einstein learned of the death of his old physicist friend Michele Besso, he wrote the Besso family: “He has departed from this strange world a little ahead of me. That means nothing. For us believing physicists, the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubborn illusion.”
What did Einstein mean by “God” playing dice, or “us believing physicists”? Was he speaking literally or metaphorically? Did he mean belief in the models of theoretical physics that make no distinction between past, present, and future? Did he mean belief in some impersonal force that exists above such time constraints? Was he just being polite and consoling to Besso’s family? Such is the enigma of the most well-known scientist in history whose fame was such that nearly everything he wrote or said was scrutinized for its meaning and import; thus, it is easy to yank such quotes out of context and spin them in any direction one desires.
When he turned 50, Einstein granted an interview in which he was asked point-blank, do you believe in God? “I am not an atheist,” he began. “The problem involved is too vast for our limited minds. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn’t know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God. We see the universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws but only dimly understand these laws.”
That almost sounds like Einstein is attributing the laws of the universe to a god of some sort. But what type of god? A personal deity or some impersonal force? To a Colorado banker who wrote and asked him the God question, Einstein responded: “I cannot conceive of a personal God who would directly influence the actions of individuals or would sit in judgment on creatures of his own creation. My religiosity consists of a humble admiration of the infinitely superior spirit that reveals itself in the little that we can comprehend about the knowable world. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God.”
http://www.bigquestionsonline.com/columns/michael-shermer/einstein%E2%80%99s-god
Shermer is painting a picture of Einstein being a deist, like President Thomas Jefferson and many of the Founding Fathers of USA. This is helpful as it defies the claim of some atheists that Einstein was one of them. Einstein denied Personal God but all his life continued a deep involvement with the Jewish tradition, so in some subtle ways he subscribed to the Personal God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aron, David, and Jeremiah.
I have provided a more complete and detailed analysis of Einstein’s religion in the above article.
Once a seeker properly understands Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aron, David, and Jeremiah, he or she is ready to appreciate Jesus and Muhammad, in their true colors. May peace be on all the Prophets of Allah!
Whereas, Einstein denied Personal God, more than once publicly; he never denied a Deist or a Creator God!
Einstein wanted to know God’s thoughts in a mathematical way:
It is mentioned in the beginning of a 40 minute video, Albert Einstein Biography HD History Channel:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6t5AzGEyc0&w=560&h=315%5D
A short quote can be misinterpreted but here is a detailed description from Einstein, where he is linking himself to King David and other prophets:
Albert Einstein. Religion and science. Written expressly for the New York Times Magazine. Appeared there November 9, 1930 (Pp.1-4). The German text was published in the Berliner Tageblatt, November 11, 1930. It is reproduced in Ideas and Opinions by Albert Einstein. Published by Wings Books.
Dawkins?
The biggest Sharlatan of the World!
He is so stupid or corruptes! He talking bad about
God of Bible, and talking very positiv about Jesus!
Jesus or God is a same Ideology for
Idiots! John 10:30. Matth.5:48. Dtn.7:1.16.22.
Atheist
Dawkins-Jesus!
He maked good Money with Jesuspropagand in his book!
He talking bad about Islam, look what doing Christi
ans Americans in Iraqwar and Afghanistan. Killed
1.000.000 Iraqis with nuclear Bombs in Name of
Jesus! And Dawkind talking positiv about Jesus?
We have today 250.000 Nagasakis in Iraq!!!
What did poorlu Muslims in America or Europe?
Christian Americans killed Iraqis in Iraq and
rapped iraqis Girls and womens! This is a
christian big Love!!!
Atheist 100%!
Dawkins???
He is a biggest christian Liar in Name of “Jesus!”
He is not Atheist, he is Sharlatan of englands Biology! Holy Biology of England: Holy Sperma of God!
Dawkins is Jesus Brother!
Atheist 100%!!!
Dawkins Lie about Jesus!!!
In Name of Many? I must lier people. Very simple!
Dawkins is Jesus Brother! Bot not my Friend! I
don,t like Liars!
but isn’t pantheism and atheism really the same? most buhdists aren’t really deists, just like many reformed Christians, and most Reform Jews aren’t really either.
Poor Dawkins! He has lost his own credibility before his own eyes.