Einstein’s historic ‘God Letter’ written shortly before death up for auction — opening bid set for $3 million
October 8, 2012
Einstein’s historic ‘God Letter’ written shortly before death up for auction — opening bid set for $3 million
Einstein’s private 1954 letter to philosopher Eric B. Gutkind called God a “product of human weaknesses” and said Bible stories were “pretty childish.”
By Michael Walsh / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Sunday, October 7, 2012, 9:36 AM
Einstein’s private letter, never intended for public viewing, will be up for auction on eBay from Oct. 8 to 18.
Einsteinletter.Com
Einstein’s private letter, never intended for public viewing, will be up for auction on eBay from Oct. 8 to 18.
One of the most celebrated minds of the 20th century tackled one of the most contentious topics of all-time – and now his thoughts are up for auction, with an opening bid set at $3 million.
Albert Einstein penned some of his most trenchant critiques of religion in a letter to philosopher Eric B. Gutkind on Jan. 3, 1954, a year before he passed away.
Auction Cause will auction Einstein’s “God Letter” on eBay from Oct. 8 to 18.
The handwritten letter, in German, was Einstein’s response to Gutkind’s book “Choose Life: The Biblical Call to Revolt.” Although Einstein and Gutkind had a lot in common, in Einstein’s estimation, Einstein disagreed with several of Gutkind’s theological convictions.
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AP
Albert Einstein penned some of his most trenchant critiques of religion in a letter to philosopher Eric B. Gutkind on Jan. 3, 1954, a year before he passed away.
The Word of 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 wrote from his home in Princeton, N.J.
He claimed that no interpretation, no matter how sophisticated, could sway his stance.
Einstein also responded to Gutkind’s written statements on Israel and the Jewish people. “Israel’s soul could not be hypnotized,” Gutkind wrote, “it never succumbed to hypnotic assaults. … The soul of Israel is incorruptible.”
Einstein said that Judaism – like all other religions – is “an incarnation of the most childish superstitions.” He said that he is glad to belong to the Jewish people but that they have “no different quality for me than all other people.”
“As far as my experience goes,” he continued, “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.”
Joan Stambaugh translated the portions of the letter quoted above into English.
The letter – known to the scientific community for more than 50 years – will be auctioned with its original envelope, stamp and postmark.
The letter was previously sold for $404,000 through Bloomsbury Auctions in London, reported The New York Times.
In a different letter, dated March 24, 1954, Einstein rejected the notion of a personal god, but explained his sense of wonder that could be considered somewhat spiritual.
“If something is in me,” Einstein wrote, “which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it.”
mwalsh@nydailynews.com
