아인슈타인 `종교는 유치한 미신`
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[아인슈타인 편지 원문 사진]
아인슈타인 `종교는 유치한 미신`
영국 일간 가디언 인터넷판은 13일 세간에 알려지지 않았던 아인슈타인의 자필 편지 한 통이 런던에서 열리는 경매에 출품된다고 전했다. 그는 이 편지에서 종교적인 믿음을 "유치한 미신"으로 치부했다.
아인슈타인은 지난 1954년 1월 3일 철학자 에릭 굿카인드에게 보내는 편지에서 "내게 신(god)이라는 단어는 인간의 약점을 드러내는 표현 또는 산물에 불과하다"고 털어놓았다.
그는 또 성경에 대해서도 "명예롭지만 상당히 유치하고 원시적인 전설들의 집대성"이라며 "아무리 치밀한 해석을 덧붙이더라도 이 점은 변하지 않는다"고 말했다.
유대인 출신으로 이스라엘의 2대 대통령직을 맡아달라는 제안을 받았으나 이를 거절했던 아인슈타인은 '유대인이 하느님의 선택을 받은 민족'이라는 주장 역시 믿지 않았던 것으로 알려졌다.
그는 "유대인의 종교는 다른 모든 종교들과 마찬가지로 유치하기 짝이 없는 미신을 구체화한 것"이라며 "내가 경험한 바에 따르면 유대 민족이라고 해서 다른 인간 집단보다 우월한 점은 없었다"고 말했다.
오는 15일 블룸즈버리 경매에 등장하는 이 편지는 8천파운드(약 1천600만원)에 판매될 전망이다. (서울=연합뉴스)
Belief in God 'childish,' Jews not chosen people: Einstein letter
Tue May 13, 9:02 AM ET
Albert Einstein described belief in God as "childish superstition" and said Jews were not the chosen people, in a letter to be sold in London this week, an auctioneer said Tuesday.
The father of relativity, whose previously known views on religion have been more ambivalent and fuelled much discussion, made the comments in response to a philosopher in 1954.
As a Jew himself, Einstein said he had a great affinity with Jewish people but said they "have no different quality for me than all other people".
"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," he wrote in the letter written on January 3, 1954 to the philosopher Eric Gutkind, cited by The Guardian newspaper.
The German-language letter is being sold Thursday by Bloomsbury Auctions in Mayfair after being in a private collection for more than 50 years, said the auction house's managing director Rupert Powell.
In it, the renowned scientist, who declined an invitation to become Israel's second president, rejected the idea that the Jews are God's chosen people.
"For me the Jewish religion like all others is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions," he said.
"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."
And he added: "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."
Previously the great scientist's comments on religion -- such as "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind" -- have been the subject of much debate, used notably to back up arguments in favour of faith.
Powell said the letter being sold this week gave a clear reflection of Einstein's real thoughts on the subject. "He's fairly unequivocal as to what he's saying. There's no beating about the bush," he told AFP
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