In different articles you read that Einstein believed in God. But in others on the contrary you read that he was an atheist. What is the truth on this matter?

What other great scientists of this day and age are believers?

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), November 03, 2003

Answers

Thank you in advance for your answers.

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), November 03, 2003.

Hi Enrique,

My understanding is that Einstein's opinion of the existience of God changed over time. He grew up as a Jew and tried to follow Jewish traditions for a period early in his life. Over time, he grew very disappointed in formal, organized religions and questionned the veracity of the Bible.

Toward the latter part of his life, he maintained belief in intelligent creation because that was the only explanation for the world he observed through scientific eyes, that there is some super intelligence behind the design of creation that supported and orchestrated the big bang and evolution, but I don't think he ever embraced a specific religion.

Dave

-- non-Catholic Christian (dlbowerman@yahoo.com), November 03, 2003.

Hello, Enrique.
May I ask for two clarifications of your final question?

1. You used the phrase, "this day and age." What do you mean by these words? Since 1850? Since 1950? Still living today? Something else?

2. You used the word, "believers." By this do you mean everyone who is neither atheist nor agnostic? Everyone who is monotheistic (Christians/Jews/Moslems)? Believers in Jesus? Catholics only?

Sorry if this seems "picky," but I thought that it would be good for us to have this added guidance before giving an answer.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 03, 2003.

enrique,

who can tell, for sure with so many varying sources, as to the religious preference of einstien. the general feeling among many scientists these days is that there is a God. however, the God described in science cannot be NAMED by science. a common saying in my field of physics is "religion can name God, while science can describe God's interaction in the world."

you end up with varying degrees of course... dr fienman (einsteins successor as the premier physics mind) appears to have recognized that there was a form of higher power, although ive never read anything that expressly states this.

HOWEVER, stephan hawking, the successor to dr fienman as the premier world physics genius, does not believe in God. ever since he had his stroke which has left him in a wheelchair and needing an electric aide to speak he has devoted his life to trying to prove that God does not exist. fortunately enough he never has proved this. granted that he is argueably one of the most brilliant minds in existance today (although not a candle to einstein or fienman) this bodes well for the arguement that God does exist.

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), November 03, 2003.

"...he has devoted his life to trying to prove that God does not exist. fortunately enough he never has proved this."

The whole Catholic world breathes a sigh of relief.

We didn't get dressed up for nothing.

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), November 03, 2003.

Well actually Hawking's inability to "prove" the non-existence of God is completely meaningless, as it is a rational impossibility to logically prove the NON-existence of anything. So he was waging a losing battle from the start, as he surely must have realized. "Proof" requires evidence; and evidence itself is reality, or at least apparent reality. Non-existent entities do not generate existent evidence, and therefore cannot be logically proven. Existence can be proven from existing evidence; but non-existence cannot be proven from non-existent evidence. As the saying goes, "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". I firmly believe that Smurfs don't actually exist. Can I prove that they don't? Of course not.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), November 03, 2003.

I had read that Hawkings was also in the "intelligent design" camp believing that scientific evidence proves a super intelligence is behind the design of life and the cosmos, but that's as far as they go.

Perhaps that was a dated reference I read.

Dave

-- non-Catholic Christian (dlbowerman@yahoo.com), November 04, 2003.

Would it be safe to say that the universe was created by God, so one cannot use His creation to measure the Creator. I don't believe that God is of this universe; the universe is of God.

rod..

..

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), November 04, 2003.

Dear John: thank you for your answer. As to my questions let me put it this way: let's take the last 50 or 60 years to refer to present day scientists.

Let's understand as "believers" people who accept the existence of One Personal God.

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), November 04, 2003.

[topping for additional answers to Enrique's questions]

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 04, 2003.

Paul the Moderator fits in there.

-- Shaggy (.@....), November 04, 2003.

Enrique, I don't know if you will ever arrive at the truth, with certainty, concerning Einstein and God. (I know what you mean about the warring articles.) However, you may find this simple page interesting.
I hope that time will somehow permit me soon to attempt an answer to your other question.
JFG

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 05, 2003.

Jmj

I found something for you, Enrique.

I think that you will also find at least part of this article interesting.

Here is something more on Einstein and God.

Here is something from the pope.

God bless you.

This man is a bit older than your time limit, but he was one of the greatest modern Catholic scientists.

John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 06, 2003.

No doubt, John, that you are a gentleman and a scholar. Your posts were most useful in my quest about Einstein and other scientists. I know that I have material for a long evening of reading and reflecting one of these days. In fact I've already started on this task, but the material is so abundant that I'll be busy for a while. Muchas gracias, amigo, y que Dios te bendiga .

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), November 07, 2003.

John,

I agree with the compliment that Enrique gave you. You are too generous with your time.

Keep your eye on john p. P:_)

May the holy Lord bless you.

-- Shaggy (.@...), November 12, 2003.

Thanks for the compliments, Enrique and Shaggy. I enjoy tracking down things that are helpful to others. JFG

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 14, 2003.