Albert Einstein: God vs Science
I wanted to share a piece about where the student argued the point of God vs Science with his professor.
‘Let me explain the problem science has with religion.’
The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand
‘You’re a Christian, aren’t you, son?’
’Yes sir,’ the student says.
’So you believe in God’
’Absolutely.’
‘Is God good?’
‘Sure! God’s good.’
‘Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?’
‘Yes’
’Are you good or evil?’
‘The Bible says I’m evil.’
The professor grins knowingly.
‘Aha! The Bible!’ He considers for a moment. ‘Here’s one for you. Let’s say there’s a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?’
‘Yes sir, I would.’
‘So you’re good…!’
‘I wouldn’t say that.’
‘But why not say that? You’d help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn’t.’
The student does not answer, so the professor continues. ‘He doesn’t, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?’
The student remains silent.
‘No, you can’t, can you?’ the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.
‘Let’s start again, young fella. Is God good?’
‘Er…yes,’ the student says.
‘Is Satan good?’
The student doesn’t hesitate on this one. ‘No.’
‘Then where does Satan come from?’
The student falters. ‘From God’
‘That’s right. God made Satan, didn’t he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Evil’s everywhere, isn’t it? And God did make everything, correct?’
‘Yes’
‘So who created evil?’ The professor continued, ‘If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.’
Again, the student has no answer. ‘Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?’
The student squirms on his feet. ‘Yes.’
‘So who created them?’
The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. ‘Who created them?’ There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. ‘Tell me,’ he continues onto another student. ‘Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?’
The student’s voice betrays him and cracks. ‘Yes, professor, I do.’
The old man stops pacing. ‘Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?’
‘No sir. I’ve never seen Him.’
‘Then tell us if you’ve ever heard your Jesus?’
‘No, sir, I have not.’
‘Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?’
‘No, sir, I’m afraid I haven’t.’
‘Yet you still believe in him?’
‘Yes’
‘According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?’
‘Nothing,’ the student replies. ‘I only have my faith.’
‘Yes, faith,’ the professor repeats. ‘And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.’
The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. ‘Professor, is there such thing as heat?’
‘And is there such a thing as cold?’
‘Yes, son, there’s cold too.’
‘No sir, there isn’t.’
The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. ‘You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don’t have anything called ‘cold’. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees.’
‘Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.’
Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.
‘What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?’
‘Yes,’ the professor replies without hesitation. ‘What is night if it isn’t darkness?’
‘You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it’s called darkness, isn’t it? That’s the meaning we use to define the word.’
‘In reality, darkness isn’t. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?’
The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. ‘So what point are you making, young man?’
‘Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.’
The professor’s face cannot hide his surprise this time. ‘Flawed? Can you explain how?’
‘You are working on the premise of duality,’ the student explains. ‘You argue that there is life and then there’s death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can’t even explain a thought.
It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.’
‘Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?’
‘If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.’
‘Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?’
The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.
‘Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?’
The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.
‘To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.’
The student looks around the room. ‘Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor’s brain?’ The class breaks out into laughter.
‘Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor’s brain, felt the professor’s brain, touched or smelt the professor’s brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.’
‘So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?’
Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.
Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. ‘I guess you’ll have to take them on faith.’
‘Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,’ the student continues. ‘Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?’
Now uncertain, the professor responds, ‘Of course, there is. We see it everyday It is in the daily example of man’s inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.’
To this the student replied, ‘Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. It’s like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.’
The professor sat down.
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I am a hopeless Romantic and Positive person. I started a company called Website Designing Plus, which helps small businesses build an online presence. I write poetry and study history as it pertains to my genealogy. I am yes-23's website designer and lighter side because I love humor.
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Free Will…..he gave us free will
I received your short story via E-mail. Wonderful!
Your little tale involving Albert Einstein and his professor never happened. It’s erroneous and I thought everyone on the internet knew that. In fact, Einstein had no personal god(s).
David, The story is not weather is actually happened it is to make a point!
http://www.snopes.com/religion/einstein.asp
Sorry, nice story but it doesn’t add gravitas to include science’s best student. And Lady Kathleen, it’s “whether” not weather.
So, if I’m to read this correctly Kathleen, you are saying it’s ok to perpetuate a lie as long as you are making a point? I mean, it’s a nice anecdote, even if the so-called philosophy professor’s arguments are simplistic and childish at best, why does it have to falsely feature Einstein? Ah, yes, as it was said, to lend gravitas, to make someone believe it’s true, instead of just enjoying an anecdote.
Why Einstien, because without Einstien part of the point of the story is lost!
It is aan anecdote for us all to talk about… which is what you did..
Have a wonderful day!!
I have to side with Jim on this one Kathleen. I think the people who fabricate these stories are thieves. They steal someone else’s reputation and use it for their own purposes. My question is, why does this occur so often among Christians? I can point to dozens of similar emails that each hijack some famous person and then put words in that person’s mouth. More often than not, the words conveniently echo a Christian or conservative talking point. To me, this tactic is a red flag. It tells me that the philosophy or ideology presented in the false story cannot stand on its own two feet, so the author of the story has to embellish it.
There would be nothing wrong with this story if you left Einstein out of it. The professor’s argument would still be pretty lame, which is the point of the story: Godless liberal professors are so stupid they can be outsmarted by righteous Christian college students. Why not leave it at that?
OK I have a question!
In this little test, did at this point over 2500 people read this post, Is it because of the subject matter or because Albert Einsteins name was in the title and his picture was inserted? and what search word was used most to find this post?
I know because I have the data!
Thank you everyone who helped in this little experiment!
Dear Kathleen: I suppose you are a faithfull girl and that´s the reason to do your test. I´m a believer too, but I agree with the people who wrote that is not correct to use a lie to spread the Christian principles, because it has no point. God dosn´t need or support our lies, it is out of question. In my view point science and God are not opposit. I am a medical doctor and as a result a scientist, with a solid science based education, and I believe science is a gift from God. Evolution? why not? it is not against the idea of a God that creates life. What could be the big bang but God´s Word in action?. We as Christians most show an special love for truth, and we have to show the Love of God in action in our lives. There are a lot of beautiful stories in internet but they are false, so we can´t use these stories as a proof of the love of God… It is not ok to inspire sadness or sorrow in order to make people think about God… there are a lot of true stories of love and compassion, so we don´t have to invent stories to touch people´s hart. We have to use always the truth, no matters what. Machiavelo was wrong.
May the Bless of God be with you always.
PS. sorry by my english, is not my maternal language
I was impressed enough to send this one to quite a few people, and embarrased when my Christian cousin (a medical doctor) called me on it, “I wish Albert had said it.” I agree that lies should not be perpetrated. I usually look for a citation, and I should have checked this one. It appears that Albert did not write such a book, article, or lecture, and that the “school boy – professor dialogue” could be based upon.
I’ve sometimes wondered if people on the left (or the right, I suppose) PLANT ideas that group thinkers would like to repeat, ON PURPOSE to make the other group look stupid. The reason would be to then make all the arguments of the other group look stupid and not neeed refutation.
The POSSIBILITY of this should be another reason (aside from the commandment that discourages rumors and slander) to make anybody in a group think before “forwarding.” I know I screwed up on this one.
K.
(But I do like the quote someone added to this discussion: “If Einstein didn’t believe in God when he was alive, he surely does now.”)
I’ve seen this email several times and it has gradually evolved (no pun intended) into the most recent which I got last week. Basically, using logic to prove the existence if God is faulty.
I would comment further here but I had way to much to say, so I broke the whole thing down in a blog post: http://coalblacksea.blogspot.com/2010/04/god-vs-science.html
I invite everyone to read my explanation and analysis and comment.
You know it’s funny. People say christians are narrowed minded but I look at these comments and it really sounds like the people who do not believe in God or thinks this story is a joke is narrow minded. It just makes me laugh that people are so so so so so so stupid!!!!
I think the story it inspiring, but do not understand why people get it so personal?? I mean all this people complaining about Albert’s name being in it related to him?? or why do they sound so angry at it?? but you cannot chance peoples mind. I think it was a great…All of you have a blessed day
Amazing. either way everybody makes a good, valid point, But nobody knows and nobody will ever know (untill you die) If we as people were ment to find out if a “God” exists or does not, we would have known by now.
This is a bunch of ho ha. Check out: http://www.snopes.com/religion/einstein.asp
I would like to put my two cents in here by saying that this letter went as far as being translated in other languages and spread around. This is how i got it and after reading it I decided to verify if it was trueand did a search on the internet with “Einstein god vs science” and this is how i got here.
Kathleen you were also talking about the little experiment and you have the data. Can you also share that data to us ? I’m just curious.
I was disappointed to find out it wasnt Albert who said this, but I still really like the story and message!
All those individuals who are protesting over the use of Albert Einstein’s name in Kathleen’s anecdote are acting as though it is crime to use him name in this instance—as though it were sacred or holy. That’s what I find so amusing about the scientific community, especially those that don’t believe in a divine creator. They, the scientific community, want us to embrace the theories of Darwin as scientific fact when in fact none of his theories have been replicated using the “scientific method”. The scientific community wants to attribute the apparent interdependent relationship of all living things on this planet to random acts of gradual evolution and not an intelligent designer. It would take a tremendous leap of faith accept this as fact. Since so much faith is required to believe in this theory of evolution, it might as well be considered a belief. It makes you wonder why there is so much pressure to squeeze us into the atheist mold? (1 John 5:19) I am happy Kathleen triggered this event…it makes people take a minute or two from their iPods and HDTVs to do some serious thinking about our place in the cosmos (1 Corinthians 2:14).
My son and I just read through this email, and we were both impressed by the message. Of course we wanted to look into it further, and upon doing more research found that this book does not exist. It is disappointing, but the message behind the story is still powerful. For those who are arguing the fact that Einstein’s name should not have been attached, the story was still read and acheived the impact set forth. I believe that it helps us to stop and look at ourselves a little differently than before. While I do not agree with “lying”, I applaude the person behind this who got so many talking about God.
i’m really interested in this story,but i don’t comprehend a little bit about this story.
My dad sent me this email today, March 14, 2011. It is crazy, but it is still being circulated. He is 78 and so scared of dying. He is not a strong Christian but i find him grabbing for some comfort as the years roll by. It is just sad to me that he feels so afraid. Fear is in all of us and the God concept seems to comfort many. I am all for whatever it takes to spread love. But the part that I have a hard time with is how much fear is spread through religion. My wish is for people to find comfort through love and not all this damnation perpetuated through religion…
congratz…
its not that meaning full..but its a good thread ,,but still there are more questions arise will alwasy ..but if u want believe in GoD .you can believe but it doesnt mean others are satan , who are not believing God ,its all depends upon mind setting.you and the society is truely programed by organside religion and you people are completely believing the single holy book,,but there are some people they can easily analyse by all books and their intellectual…power.what is nothingness as budha told “nirvaana” you search your own way ..dont follow anybody and anything ..you just sitting simply and try to travel a inner journey ,,so you will get lot of questions,,lot of answers as you told.again after you travel, again you will reach a destination,..that destination is real ,,but its all depends upon you ,how soon you will reach the destination..
The burden of proof for the validity of ANY documentation of a historical account is the evidenciary method – internal consistency, corroboration, reliability. The scientific method – observable, measurable, repeatable. Using the scientific method to prove the validity of any historical account would disqualify all of them unless of course you can reproduce history perfectly. Dr. Baucham explains in detail in the following clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM26uY-ssq4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI-F1PTD6oI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DomJ7L9klvE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7yIPR0j9VY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF79UQ8sjJI
God never intended us to turn off logic and reason, if you are in Christ, you have been given the mind of Christ, the Bible says to study to show yourself approved. If you don’t know Christ, the ONLY way to know that He is the Son of God is to read the Bible and pray for God to reveal Himself to you thru His word.
To Decpro350 –
You wrote:
“All those individuals who are protesting over the use of Albert Einstein’s name in Kathleen’s anecdote are acting as though it is crime to use him name in this instance—as though it were sacred or holy.”
In science, you are only as good as your name. Do not degrade one of the smartest and most influential scientists with lies to “make a point.”
You wrote:
“They, the scientific community, want us to embrace the theories of Darwin as scientific fact when in fact none of his theories have been replicated using the “scientific method”.”
I’m interested to know where you got this “fact” from.
You wrote:
“The scientific community wants to attribute the apparent interdependent relationship of all living things on this planet to random acts of gradual evolution and not an intelligent designer. It would take a tremendous leap of faith accept this as fact. Since so much faith is required to believe in this theory of evolution, it might as well be considered a belief.”
Nothing in the natural world is “random”. Also, there is more scientific evidence for evolution than there is “faith” to accept “random acts of gradual evolution and not an intelligent designer.” “Faith” is what religion is based off of; “belief that is not based on proof”; “belief in god or in the doctrines or teachings of religion” (dictionary.com).
Have you ever taken a science class? Please learn more before preaching about things you do not fully understand.
I found this very inspiring whether it happened or not.
Evil is the absence of God. As darkness and cold is the absence of light and heat.
One might try the truth. http://www.snopes.com/religion/einstein.asp
After reading AE’s thoughts on God, prayer, and spirituality, this encounter or one similar to it could’ve easily happened. Can it be proven that it did not happen?
I like the Story. It’s one of Good inspiration of why we should believe in GOD. I’m a “Born Again” i believe in GOD and so all my Fellow Young people i’m a Filipino, and almost all people in the Philippines also believe in GOD, Kathleen i will say this to you write every thing whats in your mind don’t mind those who doesn’t believe in you. Don’t be Bothered .. Keep on writing.. hahahaha.. but still i prefer to read about a story of Christian life…
—GOD BLESS—
Einstein was Jewish, not Christian!
hahahahahaha thats a great idea that albert ienstein said that was a great expircience
Alf said, .” In my view point science and God are not opposite” I am a medical doctor and as a result a scientist, with a solid science based education, and I believe science is a gift from God. Evolution? why not?” Alf, you are so right; science and God are not opposite. But neither are they inconsistent. For the Christians who believe God created through evolution, I have a question. Why would God create through a process that is totally opposite of His character. The basis of evolution is survival of the fittest. This principle is totally opposite of God’s character. Hence my question; why would He create using a method that He rejects?
Knock out the Professor, the kids, and Albert …… it could have been Mickey Mouse!!!!!
It’s a great story, a great piece of reasoning into the an inkling of God ….. and oh, forget the spelling.
Great story!!!
If you were fooled into reading this. Then you are no better than those who you think are fooled into believing in a creator. Science explores many evidential paths. However, it is explored by concepts we conjure in our minds (Scientific facts explaining mental process here). A concept is not evidential until it is conceptually found evident… I think it is more constructive to spend less time proving wrong in something you already don’t believe in than to have both considerations (topically human evidence vs God) on the mind as a mental note. Arrogance in either side serves no more of a purpose than to supersede that of which you are threatened by.
This is a nice story, but it’s flawed in some ways. Also, without the fake Einstein part, this wouldn’t even matter. The student’s view in the story is partially flawed, especially the evolution part. Unlike God and Jesus, evolution is observable. The fossils are evidence of that. There are countless humanoid fossils which are evolutionary links between us and primates.
More practically, how can you say that we haven’t evolved when we ourselves started as scavengers like any other species, and now dominate the Earth? I don’t think the brain of a simple scavenger and the brain of Earth’s dominant species are the same. Something must’ve evolved for us to continue advancing in technology to the point we are at today, and we will continue to evolve in order to keep advancing.
As an evangelical Christian I can say with confidence that lying is wrong and that the means does not justify the end.
Having said that, we can and must try to reach out with the “good news”.
The best way to do this is to tell the truth, pure and simple.
God has judged the world and found it lacking, to the point of sending His own Son to provide a fix for the problem.
So, we have a scenario where there is justice and mercy all in one act.
What could be logically wrong with that?
Now God is waiting for us to respond. He promises to meet us half way regarding the experiential.
We have a choice. And our choice becomes completely clear at the ultimate experience, death.
Finally, i think the choice is compelling….. that our soul is drawn to God.
The vast majority of people make the choice to ignore or worse to fight the very natural inclination to seek Him until they know Him conclusively.
My prayer is that you will follow your heart straight to a reality you can only avoid in this life.
My apologies, I meant to say that the end does not justify the means.
thnx
Jack
Sorry, meant to say the end does not justify the means
thnx
Jack
This whole story i think is merely just comedic philosophy and being sarcastic to the fault of ones mistake but really… stupid as it is being “Right” and “Wrong” is based on the persons perception through being curious and the natural evidence of things being merely not to identify what was naturally there that is well… stupidity the unconventional use on an uncanny mind without also the mean of “common sense” is well pathetic… the theory of evolution the perception of only 1 man was to give evidence and show that we came from something called natural evolution 1 mans understanding is that we came from something close to a monkeys evolutionary gene pool or something close to that—that ive might forgotten—but as in the stupid or somewhat pathetic understanding of the society everything depends on somewhat whom has the majority of what right and what wrongs the means of being stupid is the idiotic perception of the majority of whats wrong and right from the society the whole concept of being absent on the sense that it is incomplete/canceled/in-process humanities point or the basic means of existence is well… nothing the whole point in being alive is just our common sense on the majority of acceptance being passed through by the society everything in this world is repeated an un-ending paradox well somewhat unending maybe is there is some logical error in this world [Space And Time-Infinite is always Expanding/Humanity and Existence is always limited] everything in this world has a reverse form and a original form and also a resonated form… what is right and what is wrong depends on what our perception lead us to. Iam Dean Lorenz Josh P. Eduarte born in october 14 1996 time isnt there but there is something muich bigger than the whole concept of time that isnt discovered yet—iam a tortured genius from a young age i pretend that iam stupid for the sense that i hated society iam a misanthropist and an atheist… if someone tells you that you are stupid well it just came out of one mans common perception not what is from you-the whole in living is well we would just or should reach something in our own unique lives that would make a point in all of what we did… we didnt exist as much not absence but just what we thought it was… and 2 last things after this topics Reality is Delusion/Delusion is Reality — Overture…Sunday November 20, 2011 at 8:46 PM philippines
Can you send me a link of the story without Albert’s name and picture? Very important.
Great Job you did, great!
Alf the bible clearly states in the book of Genesis that “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth: and it was so”(Genesis 1:11). Key words here “AFTER HIS KIND.” If you leave an engine in the Desert and you wait a million years, could it possibly change into a Ferrari? This is the foolish argument that scientists try to argue. Now it amazes me that you are a Christian and say that evolution can coexist with God. I invite you Mr. Alf or whoever has a question about God to send me a message @ francisco_ortiz1@yahoo.com
Only Man have the capability to prove Science but Man can never prove what is a Creator or God’s capable of. He who is wise only know one thing, and that is he do not know nothing.