Have you ever felt like... ( Archived) (96)

Later in life in a speech delivered in Berlin, he gave this illuminating account of himself:

Although I am a typical loner in daily life, my consciousness of belonging to the invisible community of those who strive for truth, beauty, and justice has preserved me from feeling isolated. The most beautiful and deepest experience a man can have is the sense of the mysterious. It is the underlying principle of religion as well as all serious endeavour in art and science. He who never had this experience seems to me, if not dead, then at least blind. To sense that behind anything that can be experienced there is something that our mind cannot grasp and whose beauty and sublimity reaches us only indirectly and as a feeble reflection, this is religiousness. In this sense I am religious. To me it suffices to wonder at these secrets and to attempt humbly to grasp with my mind a mere image of the lofty structure of all that is there. 5

Science can only be created by those who are thoroughly imbued with the aspiration toward truth and understanding. This source of feeling, however, springs from the sphere of religion. To this there also belongs the faith in the possibility that the regulations valid for the world of existence are rational, that is, comprehensible to reason. I cannot conceive of a genuine scientist without that profound faith. The situation may be expressed by an image: science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. 17

Parts of this are often quotes out of context. He clearly defines religion and faith in here and it has nothing to do with spirituality or God (God was never mentioned). His understanding of religion and faith was very different from what people usually mean by them.

religion = beauty of the universe
faith = things can be explained by rational reasoning

I would guess you have a LOT of faith
considering all the rationalizing you are trying to do with
the simple statements that Einstein made of being religious.

It's all about definition. His choice of words were not always the best. I read about Einstein's "religiousness". You have to read many different articles, then you get an idea what he's talking about. I just simplified it a lot. He was in a way intrigued by Spinoza's ideas: nature=God, but not in a supernatural way.

"His choice of words were not the best"

No one can compete with your ego.

You will always have conditions, more conditions, and on and on.

Have at it.

It has nothing to do with ego. Do you research and you will come to the same conclusion. There is even a book about Einstein and religion. I forget the author.

Tell me Funguy...

Do you believe in kindness, compassion, helping others, sharing love
enjoyment, beauty, truth...?

Sure, if they are deserved. Although personally, I'm not a very emotionally outgoing guy.

You say you do believe in those virtues.

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Those are the very components of spirituality.

You just won't find them in the field of science or chemistry without
the infusion of spirituality.

Chemistry and science are just tools to be used to enhance
a better way of life combined with spirituality.