einstein a jew?

[InformedIgnorance]

It's rather sad really. I'm not sure why you want to resume to publicly expose your narrow mindedness, misconceptions, and general ignorance.

You made me blush good sir! *InformedIgnorance checks his zip is closed* Wait... if that was a compliment I should tell you I am not available.

Einstein was a rarity among all humanity, his ethnic roots may have been Jewish but what he himself was in terms of theological position was his own, a Jewish humanist, however to seek to label his theological position as some matter of any importance is to misrepresent what he was - focusing on his ethnic ancestry let alone the particular beliefs of those ancestors diminishes the importance of the man's own existence and his contributions to humanity, especially since he himself did not purport to hold those views.

Einstein was a humanist, a scientist - a singularly visionary intellect - one who greatly advanced the human domain of knowledge in ways that were used by others both for good and for ill.

 

[Caladan]

You made me blush good sir! *InformedIgnorance checks his zip is closed* Wait... if that was a compliment I should tell you I am not available.

Einstein was a rarity among all humanity, his ethnic roots may have been Jewish but what he himself was in terms of theological position was his own, a Jewish humanist, however to seek to label his theological position as some matter of any importance is to misrepresent what he was - focusing on his ethnic ancestry let alone the particular beliefs of those ancestors diminishes the importance of the man's own existence and his contributions to humanity, especially since he himself did not purport to hold those views.

Einstein was a humanist, a scientist - a singularly visionary intellect - one who greatly advanced the human domain of knowledge in ways that were used by others both for good and for ill.

Clearly you have no grasp of what I am saying. Just like Werner von Braun was a German scientist, Einstein was a German-Jewish scientist. There is no enigma or secret here. There is also no secret that Ashkenazi Jews have produced remarkably productive scientific minds. If this somehow offends you, what can I say... get over it.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

He was a Jew alright. But was he a Native Jew or an Ashkenazi Jew? Ashkenazi Jews are not really Jews. They are Jews by way of adoption of Judaism and occupation of territories belonging to Native Jews.

That was simply idiotic.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

Clearly you have no grasp of what I am saying. Just like Werner von Braun was a German scientist, Einstein was a German-Jewish scientist. There is no enigma or secret here. There is also no secret that Ashkenazi Jews have produced remarkably productive scientific minds. If this somehow offends you, what can I say... get over it.

eh... it was a joke based on my user name, your use of the word 'ignorance' and the phrase 'publicly expose'... obviously I didnt convey it well.

And I agree, he did indeed have Jewish ancestry - I was merely pointing out that to focus on such an inane point when he himself had rejected the theological position associated with it is to overlook the important in order to stress the nonsensical.

 

[Caladan]

And I agree, he did indeed have Jewish ancestry - I was merely pointing out that to focus on such an inane point when he himself had rejected the theological position associated with it is to overlook the important in order to stress the nonsensical.

I have no idea how many times I am going to have to repeat this, I am not talking about any theology here, haven't even brought it up. I am talking about culture. Millions of Jews reject the theological positions of religion.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

... I know this. My comment was made in relation to the thread entire, not just to you personally.

I do not know how else I can say I acknowledge your point and agree with it.

 

[Dena]

I wouldn't see promoting Naturalism today within the Jewish community as resulting in anything less than bad vibes and excommunication.

I am a fan of Spinoza and his definition of God. I do consider myself a religious person and I have yet to be excommunicated.

 

[A Troubled Man]

I am a fan of Spinoza and his definition of God. I do consider myself a religious person and I have yet to be excommunicated.

Do you promote it at bar mitzvah's and synagogues?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Do you promote it at bar mitzvah's and synagogues?

Even the form of the question is stupid.

 

[Caladan]

Do you promote it at bar mitzvah's and synagogues?

A synagogue is the place to read from the Torah. Not the place to promote anything other than the standard Jewish service. Think about your question for a minute to see how unconstructive it is.
Should people also read the teachings of the Buddha in a synagogue? or promote any philosophy of choice?
These are all thing for people's personal time, not when people gather together in their place of worship.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I have seen naturalism raised and discussed on innumerable occasions in Torah class. The guy hasn't a clue what he's talking about.

 

[Caladan]

I have seen naturalism raised and discussed on innumerable occasions in Torah class. The guy hasn't a clue what he's talking about.

I'm just encouraging him to ponder about what a synagogue really is and what to expect when going to synagogue.

 

[A Troubled Man]

Even the form of the question is stupid.

LOL! The dog barks, but the caravan moves on.

 

[A Troubled Man]

A synagogue is the place to read from the Torah. Not the place to promote anything other than the standard Jewish service. Think about your question for a minute to see how unconstructive it is.

It was a rhetorical question.

 

[paarsurrey]

Einstein was ethnically a Jew (his parents were secular jews), I do not however believe he was Jewish with regards to his faith. An outspoken humanist who was critical about many religious issues, I believe he was only a cultural jew much in the way of the modern jewish humanist societies - an agnostic, he was not an atheist and had similar criticism about atheism as he did about theism - on the principle of certainty of knowledge.

I don't agree with you.

Einstein, I think, was a theist; he believed in moral and spiritual realms while existing in the physical:

All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man's life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom. It is no mere chance that our older universities developed from clerical schools. Both churches and universities — insofar as they live up to their true function — serve the ennoblement of the individual. They seek to fulfill this great task by spreading moral and cultural understanding, renouncing the use of brute force.

The essential unity of ecclesiastical and secular institutions was lost during the 19th century, to the point of senseless hostility. Yet there was never any doubt as to the striving for culture. No one doubted the sacredness of the goal. It was the approach that was disputed.

• "Moral Decay" (1937); Later published in Out of My Later Years (1950)

Albert Einstein - Wikiquote

 

[Bob Dixon]

He's the same kind of Pantheist as Carl Sagan is.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

This thread is in science and religion.
Einstein was certainly both born a Jew and became a scientist.

The question raised many times in this thread, is asking if there is a relationship between "Jewishness" and "Brain power" (my words)

I would suggest that the DNA amongst Jews is as "impure" as any other racial group in the world.

Where I do see a possible factor is in the social upbringing of Jews, and the need for them to have maximised their abilities and education in the face of centuries as outcasts in most societies.

Their religion is one of the most open to new interpretation of any I know, and encourages learning and discussion and the investigation of meaning in changing circumstances.

They certainly carry this love of learning and ability to think "new Thoughts" into each field they enter.

However I do not feel that there is any evidence that they have a genetic advantage in this or any other area.

 

[paarsurrey]

Their religion is one of the most open to new interpretation of any I know, and encourages learning and discussion and the investigation of meaning in changing circumstances.

This is a good feature of the truthful religion; and this is also true about Quran.

 

[paarsurrey]

However I do not feel that there is any evidence that they have a genetic advantage in this or any other area.

I agree with you.

 

[godlikemadman]

Better question: does it really ******* matter?