Evolving With Einstein

WHEN ALBERT EINSTEIN was about twelve years old, he had an epiphany. It consisted of an awareness of his Jewishness, and he determined to embrace his cultural ancestry to the fullest. He became pure kosher, and observed all the rites and rituals. Another epiphany within a year resulted in his abandoning the formal aspects of Judaism, in favor of philosophical pantheism. Henceforth his religiosity consisted in, as he put it, "a humble admiration of the infinitely superior spirit which manifests itself throughout nature." Einstein continued to believe in God, but he dropped the dogma. he remained, however, deeply devoted to his Jewish heritage, and gave its intellectual component credit for spurring his own intellect. As he put it, he "thanked his lucky stars" for his heritage. He remained, however, deeply suspicious of the creation of the state of Israel, suspecting that it would create more problems for the Jewish cause than it was worth. He even turned down an opportunity to become the first president of Israel. He thought it incredible that anybody would consider him qualified. He got it from all sides. Zionists thought him insufficiently observant, others considered him to be everything from communist to anarchist to non christian sinner condemned to hell. The price of fame, and all that. "My religiosity consists in humble admiration of the infinitely superior spirit which reveals itself in what little we, with our weak and transitory understanding, can comprehend of reality. I cannot conceive of a personal God who would sit in judgment of creatures of his own creation. Morality is of the highest importance, for mankind, but not for God." Well put, Dr. einstein