Well, This Should Get th’Xtians Up in Arms
LONDON (May 16) - A letter in which Albert Einstein dismissed the idea of God as the product of human weakness and the Bible as “pretty childish” has sold at auction for more than $400,000.
Bloomsbury Auctions said Friday that the handwritten letter sold to an overseas collector after frenetic bidding late Thursday in London. The sale price of $404,000, including the buyer’s premium, was more than 25 times the pre-sale estimate.
“This extraordinary letter seemed to strike a chord, and it gave a deep personal insight one of the greatest minds of the 20th century,” Powell said.
The letter was written to philosopher Eric Gutkind in January 1954, a year before Einstein’s death. In it, the Einstein said that “the word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish.”
May 17, 2008 at 1:06 am
Can I hear a resounding “AMEN” from the balcony?
Referring to the Bible as “primitive legends” is the sort of thing my mother would say, preferably out of earshot of my father. Now that he’s practically deaf, that’s not so difficult.
May 17, 2008 at 10:10 am
Quite advanced, Cap’n Dyke. The kind of statements that can get one driven from an entire planet. Or galaxy, for that matter. Again, I commend you.
May 17, 2008 at 10:33 am
Ah, the crafty ol’ man. He hit on the reason why I changed me name to Poobah. That God fella ruined it fer all the rest of the godlings.
May 17, 2008 at 11:21 am
Me Kimono, long time since Th’Mound has been graced by yer Presence! As fer Me Self, Th’ Cap’n figures that iffin th’world at large needs t’be worshiping a legend, they should just be goin’ ahead an’ worshiping this Humble lesbian Pirate Queen.
May 17, 2008 at 11:24 am
Thank ye most graciously, Commander Rider. Now, yer own statement has Me wonderin’. Will definitely be watchin’ th’Log of th’Lykopis t’be gainin’ more Intelligence on th’matter. Th’Pair o’us seem sympatico in so many ways that Th’ Cap’n cannot wait t’be delvin’ into it further…
May 17, 2008 at 11:25 am
Me Godling, ye hit on a right proper name with just th’slightest touch o’cuddly. Good form!