Because Albert Einstein occasionally used the word 'God' as a 'creator' at least figuratively (eg. 'God does not play dice' and other similar statements), religionists have jumped on it to try to convince us that Einstein fully believed in a God who created the universe. Sathya Sai Baba was one of the worst offenders, as one might expect, but he went further than anyone in creating statements which he then attributed to Einstein! However, Einstein denied he actually believed in any kind of God on various occasions, though he admitted that the human mind could not (at least then) comprehend everything of the mystery and harmony of the universe. Just now (October 23012) a letter he wrote to the philosopher Eric. B. Gutkind (on January 5, 1954, about a year before Einstein's death) is on auction on-line confirms his actual view in his last year very convincingly. The BBC reported on its contents as the images on the right show. Some of the Sai Baba invented hogwash about Einstein:-
"Einstein was a great scientist in those days. But even a man like that only contemplated on God, without giving any chance at all for any kind of ego. Many Bharatiyas also went to see Einstein. They told others that after all their works were finished, they must see Einstein before they return. When they went to Einstein, he took all of them and showed them a reading room. All of them went into that reading room and saw there all of the Upanishads and Bhagavad Githas. This Einstein, who was a great scientist, lived taking Bhagavad Githa and Upanishads as a basis." (from 'Divine Discourse' by Sathya Sai Baba October 25, 2001 - Dasara)
Since Einstein rejected the Bible as containing mostly 'primitive legends' , is it remotely likely that he would have based his life and work on the scriptures of India? And here is some more more utter tripe from SB... putting words into Einstein's dead mouth - making it quote the Upanishads!"Einstein said that there is nothing at all in this world, whether objects, forms or experiences. All is only one shakthi (energy/power). Even that shakthi doesn’t have a particular form. Shakthi is only shakthi. After undertaking numerous experiments in these times that are influenced by the Age of Kali, Einstein said: Sarvam Khalvidham Brahma. All is Brahman (God). (Sanskrit sloka)" (Sathya Sai Baba quoted from his 'Summer Course' 24 May, 2002)
"Einstein attached great importance to the kind of associates with whom one moved. He used to say: `Tell me what company you keep and I shall tell you what you are.' If you associate with good persons you become good; if you move with wicked persons, you become bad." (Sai Baba in his discourse of Aug. 16 1987, Sanathana Sarathi, Sept. 1987, quoted from p. 17, Soham, November 1987)
Professor Dale Beyerstein pointed out that this claim bears no resemblance to the well documented quotations of Einstein on such matters so thes quotation appears to be entirely fictitious without even any pretext or half-truth to justify it! As in the previous quote, Sai Baba appears to be far more interested in the moral of the story than the morality of telling the story inaccurately. For Einstein's attitudes on these matters, see Ronald W. Clark, Einstein, The Life and Times, (Avon books, N.Y., 1972 p. 310.
Sai Baba also fell victim to what may even qualify as an 'urban myth' about Einstein, retelling the false story (denied by Einstein himself) of how he allegedly helped a litle girl with her mathematics, which has been widely debunked (see here).
Most people surely tend to assume that an omniscient God Incarnate would be, among many other things, an immensely towering knowledgeable mind. In most of his teachings, however, Sathya Sai Baba does not measure up to even a very modest intellectual standard. To make himself seem educated (which he was not), it suited his purpose to use the names of scientists like Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, when he is not denigrating scientists' and scholars as "educated fools". He evidently wanted to shine in the reflected light of great scientists, knowing that the world revered them far more than himself. He even mentioned physicists like Heisenberg (who he claims sought to unify science and spirituality, which is absurd), and Dirac (who he says found the truth 'Love ever, hurt never'! Sheer invention). He spoke of '"the great scientist Darwin" but only to say he was influenced by his teacher! Actually he denied Darwinian natural selection because he taught creationism - because he held that it was he himself who created everything!
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