[Vision2020] About Evidence

[Donovan Arnold]

"Einstein was a Spinozist, a pantheist. He did not believe in personal God, and he did not accept the divine command theory -- the view that God defined what is right and what is wrong."--- Joe
 
"Spinozism (also spelt Spinoza-ism or Spinozaism) is the monist philosophical system of Baruch Spinoza which defines "God" as a singular self-subsistent substance, and both matter and thought as attributes of such."
 
Sounds like a nonatheist to me. If Einstien never met God, it is logical he wouldn't believe in a personal one. But he certainly did understand God's creations better than anyone. I think his beliefs are better explained in this story he tells;
 
"Your question [about God] is the most difficult in the world. It is not a question I can answer simply with yes or no. I am not an Atheist. I do not know if I can define myself as a Pantheist. The problem involved is too vast for our limited minds. May I not reply with a parable? The human mind, no matter how highly trained, cannot grasp the universe. We are in the position of a little child, entering a huge library whose walls are covered to the ceiling with books in many different tongues. The child knows that someone must have written those books. It does not know who or how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child notes a definite plan in the arrangement of the books, a mysterious order, which it does not comprehend, but only dimly suspects. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of the human mind, even the greatest and most cultured, toward God. We see a universe marvelously arranged, obeying certain laws, but we
 understand the laws only dimly. Our limited minds cannot grasp the mysterious force that sways the constellations. I am fascinated by Spinoza's Pantheism. I admire even more his contributions to modern thought. Spinoza is the greatest of modern philosophers, because he is the first philosopher who deals with the soul and the body as one, not as two separate things.[14]""
 
 
Donovan J. Arnold

From: Joe Campbell <philosopher.joe at gmail.com>
To: Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> 
Cc: Chasuk <chasuk at gmail.com>; viz <vision2020 at moscow.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2012 7:49 AM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] About Evidence


Einstein was a Spinozist, a pantheist. He did not believe in personal God, and he did not accept the divine command theory -- the view that God defined what is right and what is wrong. Joe




On Jul 18, 2012, at 4:17 AM, Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:


By definition, it is not possible to live a moral life and denounce God. There is no absolute definition of right or wrong in any situation without a God to define it or regard it as such. All actions would be amoral with positive or negative consequences depending on the person and their individual perspective. At best, right and wrong would be defined by the majority or people. Since most people consider denouncing the existence of God, and preaching against him as immoral, an atheist would not be moral or living a moral life. An atheist could live a life which they had more of a positive impact on people than a negative. 
> 
>Regarding Einstein, he believed in God. He belonged to the Jewish religion. If he did not, he along with many other notable and talented scientists would have remained in Germany. If that occurred, Germany would have developed the nuclear bomb along with their rocket instead of the US. That is an example of where the world is better off because of religion. 
> 
>Donovan J. Arnold
>
>
>From: Chasuk <chasuk at gmail.com>
>To: Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> 
>Cc: lfalen <lfalen at turbonet.com>; viz <vision2020 at moscow.com> 
>Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 11:06 PM
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] About Evidence
>
>Speaking as an atheist, I don't need belief in God or gods to live a moral life.
>
>Atheism is the lack of belief in deity, nothing more, nothing less.
>
>As for the Einstein quote, Einstein also wrote this:
>
>"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. No
>interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this."
>
>And of his own Jewishness he wrote:
>
>"For me the Jewish religion like all others 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 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."
>
>Chas
>
>On Tue, Jul 17, 2012 at 9:51 PM, Donovan Arnold
><donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> "Some beliefs provide motivation to fly jets into tall buildings, and some
>> convince parents to withhold medication to sick children. Some beliefs
>> promote misogyny, racism, and homophobia."
>>
>> And atheism teaches us none of it is wrong, as there is no God, just
>> science.
>>
>> "Science without religion is lame"--Albert Einstein.
>>
>> Donovan J. Arnold
>>
>> From: Chasuk <chasuk at gmail.com>
>> To: lfalen <lfalen at turbonet.com>
>> Cc: viz <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 10:28 PM
>>
>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] About Evidence
>>
>> There are not 7 billion different belief systems, or anywhere near
>> that number. At best, there are a half dozen, regurgitated and
>> recapitulated into a fistful of semi-unique varieties. And some
>> beliefs are harmful. Some beliefs provide motivation to fly jets into
>> tall buildings, and some convince parents to withhold medication to
>> sick children. Some beliefs promote misogyny, racism, and homophobia.
>> Not all beliefs are equal.
>>
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>
>
>
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