Hey, we’ve heard theists cite the authority of Einstein in service to their superstitions often enough: practically every colloquial mention of a god by Einstein seems to get reiterated to support a claim that he was a fellow believer. There’s an obscure Einstein letter going up for auction that’s got some juicy stuff to fire back, though.

Keep this one in mind next time someone tries to tell you that Einstein was on their side:

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.

This comment will start a few flames:

For me the Jewish religion like all others is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions. 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. 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.

Note, please, that Einstein’s views are not a final authority here, and you’re nuts if you decide you should be godless because Einstein was — this is simply more useful information to oppose arguments from authority.

Now that Atheist’s Talk radio is over for today, you can tune in to Non-Prophets Radio and listen to my interview from yesterday.

This morning at 9am, tune in to Atheists Talk radio for an hour of women and godlessness with Annie Laurie Gaylor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. It’s Mother’s Day! Free a mom from the shackles of superstition today!

Minneapolis’s own little broadcaster of inanity, the evangelical radio station KKMS (Remember them? These are the guys who hosted a debate between me and Geoffrey Simmons, and when that didn’t go so well, let Simmons debate dead air, where he fared better), is having another wacky program this afternoon at 4pm Central, on “Refuting the Arguments of Atheists.”

David Aikman, Broadcast Journalist and Author will offer effective ways Christians can respond to the claims of atheists and why the new atheism is a threat to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Listen in and get refuted! Call in at 651-289-4499 or 888-332-5169 and testify! I’m sure this guy will persuade droves of atheists to let Jesus into their hearts.

You’ll have to work fast, since the contest closes tomorrow — send in your story about why you are an atheist, and you can win an autographed copy of Why I Rejected Christianity, by John Loftus.

It’s almost time for another episode of Atheists Talk on Air America! Tune in at 9am Central to hear the notorious Greg Laden; he’s going to be talking about academic freedom bills…ferociously and profusely. Lois Schadewald will also be on to talk about studies of pseudoscience. Mike Haubrich has more details.

You can listen to AM 950 KTNF; it will ask for a Minnesota zip code to listen direct. If you can’t catch it then, subscribe via iTunes or RSS.

I don’t know about this. All this concentrated wit and venom in one place could be dangerous … and three straight hours of Pat Condell? Whew. Get copies for your local ministers, and either they’ll die of fuming apoplexy or they’ll give extremely animated and entertaining sermons the next Sunday.

That’s right, the Richard Dawkins foundation is selling a DVD containing the distilled, consecutive output of Pat Condell’s youtube rants. Get one for your mother. Play them at your atheist group’s next meeting. I might just rip out the audio and put it on a CD for my next long drive. Hey, we’ve got these loud chimes that play hymns every hour in my neighborhood — I could crank up the speakers, aim them out the window, and play Condell in reply. I can think of quite a few militant activities I could carry out with wall-to-wall Condell.

Remember: Atheists Talk radio will be on in a few hours, at 9am Central, from Minnesota Atheists. I have no idea what the subject will be today — it shall be a surprise.

The views on religion seem much more congenial.

A charity set up by an ardent Christian to fight slavery and the opium trade has identified a new social evil of the 21st century — religion.

A poll by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation uncovered a widespread belief that faith — not just in its extreme form — was intolerant, irrational and used to justify persecution.

Pollsters asked 3,500 people what they considered to be the worst blights on modern society, updating a list drawn up by Rowntree, a Quaker, 104 years ago.

The responses may well have dismayed him. The researchers found that the “dominant opinion” was that religion was a “social evil”.

I think I’d fit right in.

Don’t forget: 9am Sunday morning, it’s time for Atheists Talk radio!