Food for Thought

[patrickcaturday]

Einstein letter, set for auction, shows scientist challenging idea of God, being 'chosen'

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 … I cannot see anything ‘chosen’ about them.

This does not reflect my beliefs, however after the thread on Islam I thought that this would offer a different perspective on the meaning of religions in people's lives. I will be interested in hearing from both pro-Israelis and pro-Palestinians on this matter.

Einstein letter, set for auction, shows scientist challenging idea of God, being 'chosen' – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs

 

[irosie91]

why would you consider the vague metaphysical musings of einstein an issue for this board? "Einstein wrote in a letter" gee-----how exciting-----he did not even know that the thing would ever be read by anyone other than the person to whom he addressed it and probably did not even bother to PROOF READ his little note and probably did not even give that which he wrote------a whole lot of thought. I am always fascinated when people quote from letters and diaries and odd little comments as if the little samples MUST REFLECT SOME CONSISTENT AND IMPORTANT INSIGHT INTO TRUTH Maybe he was tired or drunk when he wrote that letter? -------Maybe that letter truly reflects his lifetime philosophy or maybe he was just writing something he thought would please the receiver of the letter.

If a philosopher writes a book-----revises it----works on it -----then it reflects something about his thinking---- ........a letter?-------was it a post card from Miami?

My all time fave is citations of some scribblings in a personal diary-------late at nite----after a party-----alcohol haze and then a sleeping pill -----I WILL NOW WRITE DEEP AND HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT STUFF IN THIS LITTLE NOTEBOOK THAT I ASSUME NO ONE WILL EVER READ----EVEN I WILL PROBABLY NEVER READ IT AGAIN

 

[MJB12741]

Don't mind Patrick. He has this deep down hatred for Jews & searches continuously to find anything possible he feels will slander Jews. Have mercy on this poor soul. Can you imagine the pain & suffering he lives with 24/7 everyday with all those Jews out there? If not for the grace of God, it could have been us.

why would you consider the vague metaphysical musings of einstein an issue for this board? "Einstein wrote in a letter" gee-----how exciting-----he did not even know that the thing would ever be read by anyone other than the person to whom he addressed it and probably did not even bother to PROOF READ his little note and probably did not even give that which he wrote------a whole lot of thought. I am always fascinated when people quote from letters and diaries and odd little comments as if the little samples MUST REFLECT SOME CONSISTENT AND IMPORTANT INSIGHT INTO TRUTH Maybe he was tired or drunk when he wrote that letter? -------Maybe that letter truly reflects his lifetime philosophy or maybe he was just writing something he thought would please the receiver of the letter.

If a philosopher writes a book-----revises it----works on it -----then it reflects something about his thinking---- ........a letter?-------was it a post card from Miami?

My all time fave is citations of some scribblings in a personal diary-------late at nite----after a party-----alcohol haze and then a sleeping pill -----I WILL NOW WRITE DEEP AND HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT STUFF IN THIS LITTLE NOTEBOOK THAT I ASSUME NO ONE WILL EVER READ----EVEN I WILL PROBABLY NEVER READ IT AGAIN

 

[SAYIT]

Don't mind Patrick. He has this deep down hatred for Jews & searches continuously to find anything possible he feels will slander Jews. Have mercy on this poor soul. Can you imagine the pain & suffering he lives with 24/7 everyday with all those Jews out there? If not for the grace of God, it could have been us.

why would you consider the vague metaphysical musings of einstein an issue for this board? "Einstein wrote in a letter" gee-----how exciting-----he did not even know that the thing would ever be read by anyone other than the person to whom he addressed it and probably did not even bother to PROOF READ his little note and probably did not even give that which he wrote------a whole lot of thought. I am always fascinated when people quote from letters and diaries and odd little comments as if the little samples MUST REFLECT SOME CONSISTENT AND IMPORTANT INSIGHT INTO TRUTH Maybe he was tired or drunk when he wrote that letter? -------Maybe that letter truly reflects his lifetime philosophy or maybe he was just writing something he thought would please the receiver of the letter.

If a philosopher writes a book-----revises it----works on it -----then it reflects something about his thinking---- ........a letter?-------was it a post card from Miami?

My all time fave is citations of some scribblings in a personal diary-------late at nite----after a party-----alcohol haze and then a sleeping pill -----I WILL NOW WRITE DEEP AND HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT STUFF IN THIS LITTLE NOTEBOOK THAT I ASSUME NO ONE WILL EVER READ----EVEN I WILL PROBABLY NEVER READ IT AGAIN

It's obvious to all but PattyCatty that his interest here isn't the Israel - "Palestine" conflict but rather her disdain for "the Chosen."

 

[irosie91]

oh that is your impression too? gee----what a coincidence----IMAGINE----what are the CHANCES that we would both come up with this--------thought about our dear catty-patty

 

[MJB12741]

Well, we all long know how it is with Seal. Heh Heh.

oh that is your impression too? gee----what a coincidence----IMAGINE----what are the CHANCES that we would both come up with this--------thought about our dear catty-patty

 

[Roudy]

Apparently, the food for Patrick's thoughts are.....SHIT. Ha ha ha!

 

[patrickcaturday]

Well Crap !!!
Why don't you guys cut to the chase and define Einstein as a Self Hating Jew. By the way if you didn't notice it he is the one who was talking about the " chosen "
Once again my preference is to be called Patrick, don't be rude.

 

[Roudy]

What's your fucking point Patrick? Or is it just another desperate attempt by an internet scouring Jew hater to vent his hatred? Ha ha ha.

 

[AquaAthena]

Well Crap !!!
Why don't you guys cut to the chase and define Einstein as a Self Hating Jew. By the way if you didn't notice it he is the one who was talking about the " chosen "
Once again my preference is to be called Patrick, don't be rude.

Einstein, throughout his life, changed his position on whether he believed in an almighty, more than once. He even advocated Buddhism, as evidenced below. ( and I think this thread is perfectly fine for this board, for what that is worth. )

"The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend personal God and avoid dogma and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things natural and spiritual as a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description. If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism." – Albert Einstein

 

[sealadaigh]

Einstein letter, set for auction, shows scientist challenging idea of God, being 'chosen'

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 … I cannot see anything ‘chosen’ about them.

This does not reflect my beliefs, however after the thread on Islam I thought that this would offer a different perspective on the meaning of religions in people's lives. I will be interested in hearing from both pro-Israelis and pro-Palestinians on this matter.

Einstein letter, set for auction, shows scientist challenging idea of God, being 'chosen' – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs

i don't think einstein necessarily included political states in his "other human groups." i don't think there is a need to make a distinction on that basis.

 

[MHunterB]

About religious tolerance: the home page of the ReligiousTolerance.org web site

Try reading at the above site for some actual accurate information about the whole 'chosen' concept in Jewish theology. It has never been anywhere near what certain posters keep insisting it is.

FWIW, simply being a non-Orthodox Jew doesn't make one 'self-hating'. So long as Einstein wasn't claiming to be an authority on Jewish theology, nobody's going to care. I keep trying to explain this to people: Judaism is really a noncreedal religion. It doesn't really *have* 'DOCTRINE' - about the closest one can get to that would be Maimonides' 'Thirteen Points' . And even then, other scholars argued against him for writing the stuff down as it could fossilize things.

 

[MHunterB]

Jews do not go about referring to themselves as 'chosen' - the way the OP is flinging around the word is rude. It's offensive because it is FALSE.

It would be just as 'truthful' to post about Jews using Christian or Muslim blood to bake the Passover matzoh as to continually claim that Jews regard themselves as 'chosen'.

 

[sealadaigh]

why would you consider the vague metaphysical musings of einstein an issue for this board? "Einstein wrote in a letter" gee-----how exciting-----he did not even know that the thing would ever be read by anyone other than the person to whom he addressed it and probably did not even bother to PROOF READ his little note and probably did not even give that which he wrote------a whole lot of thought. I am always fascinated when people quote from letters and diaries and odd little comments as if the little samples MUST REFLECT SOME CONSISTENT AND IMPORTANT INSIGHT INTO TRUTH Maybe he was tired or drunk when he wrote that letter? -------Maybe that letter truly reflects his lifetime philosophy or maybe he was just writing something he thought would please the receiver of the letter.

If a philosopher writes a book-----revises it----works on it -----then it reflects something about his thinking---- ........a letter?-------was it a post card from Miami?

My all time fave is citations of some scribblings in a personal diary-------late at nite----after a party-----alcohol haze and then a sleeping pill -----I WILL NOW WRITE DEEP AND HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT STUFF IN THIS LITTLE NOTEBOOK THAT I ASSUME NO ONE WILL EVER READ----EVEN I WILL PROBABLY NEVER READ IT AGAIN

and that would explain your feelings about the about the hoax "letter to an anti-zionist friend" by the reverend doctor martin luther king jr. too, right rosie?

at least the einstein letter is real.

 

[sealadaigh]

Jews do not go about referring to themselves as 'chosen' - the way the OP is flinging around the word is rude. It's offensive because it is FALSE.

It would be just as 'truthful' to post about Jews using Christian or Muslim blood to bake the Passover matzoh as to continually claim that Jews regard themselves as 'chosen'.

i believe it is einstein doing the flinging.

and caturday brought up the letter in light of some recent trashing of muslims and the koran.

lolol...my god. two words and a tizzy begins. meanwhile, back at the ranch, we have people trashing and misinterpreting the whole koran and most of the posts in response are pretty reasonable.

 

[Roudy]

Well Crap !!!
Why don't you guys cut to the chase and define Einstein as a Self Hating Jew. By the way if you didn't notice it he is the one who was talking about the " chosen "
Once again my preference is to be called Patrick, don't be rude.

Self hating Jew, huh? Is that why he was a staunch Zionist and almost considered running for PM of Israel? Wow.

 

[MHunterB]

Jews do not go about referring to themselves as 'chosen' - the way the OP is flinging around the word is rude. It's offensive because it is FALSE.

It would be just as 'truthful' to post about Jews using Christian or Muslim blood to bake the Passover matzoh as to continually claim that Jews regard themselves as 'chosen'.

It actually states in the bible that they were chosen. Did you miss that part?

The 'sola scriptura' paradigm has nothing to do with Judaism - but you knew that, right?

Perhaps you'd like to explain where you think 'the bible' states that - AND what it was that the Jewish People were chosen for.

Of course, you'd have to know what Judaism says the Jews were chosen for - because someone else's interpretations from outside Judaism have no relevence whatsoever to what Judaism actually teaches.

 

[Roudy]

Jews do not go about referring to themselves as 'chosen' - the way the OP is flinging around the word is rude. It's offensive because it is FALSE.

It would be just as 'truthful' to post about Jews using Christian or Muslim blood to bake the Passover matzoh as to continually claim that Jews regard themselves as 'chosen'.

It actually states in the bible that they were chosen. Did you miss that part?

Chosen to receive and preserve God's message, you fucking moron. By the way, all religions believe they are real chosen, and preach the "my way or the highway" message. You want to hear what Muslims or Christians say will happen to the unbelievers?

Keep trying to learn, you have a long way to go.

 

[MHunterB]

Poor sealie - you just can't seem to focus on the topic, can you?

NOTHING in that Einstein quote is problematic.

Again, if anyone wants to discuss the ACTUAL Jewish understanding of 'being 'chosen' - please read the material from the site I've linked to and then we can attempt a discussion.

 

[MHunterB]

Jews do not go about referring to themselves as 'chosen' - the way the OP is flinging around the word is rude. It's offensive because it is FALSE.

It would be just as 'truthful' to post about Jews using Christian or Muslim blood to bake the Passover matzoh as to continually claim that Jews regard themselves as 'chosen'.

It actually states in the bible that they were chosen. Did you miss that part?

Chosen to receive and preserve God's message, you fucking moron. By the way, all religions believe they are real chosen, and preach the "my way or the highway" message. You want to hear what Muslims or Christians say will happen to the unbelievers?

Keep trying to learn, you have a long way to go.

Well, Roudy - actually 'all' religions don't seem to, but while we're discussing Abrahamic faiths you're more right than wrong.

Islam is pretty much in favor of 'People of the Book' (Jews and Christians) attaining salvation.

Judaism states that 'the righteous of ALL nations will have a share in the World to Come'.

Chrisitanity - it depends on the interpretation. My husband's great-granduncles used to invite anyone to join in taking Communion, back around WW1.....

Baha'i - I'm not sure, but since they do not proselytize and avoid politics, it's pretty well a moot point.