The more things change ...

[onager]

8. God & General Electric...

On Oct. 2, 1910, the NY TIMES ran an interview with the founder of General Electric and Alleged Inventor Of Nearly Everything, Thomas Edison.

Among other things, Edison said:

I cannot believe in the immortality of the soul....No, all this talk of an existence for us, as individuals, beyond the grave is wrong. It is born of our tenacity of life -- our desire to go on living -- our dread of coming to an end.

Over at GE, the Board of Directors was horrified. They had to do business in a god-soaked America. Edison's blunt remarks might lead to Xian boycotts, riots, maybe the Apocalypse. Or even worse, a drop in GE stock prices.

Just as spin-doctors do today, the GE Board begged Edison to do another interview and "clarify" his remarks on religion. IOW, recant and admit humans had souls that could be sent to H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks.

Edison was a cranky old coot and refused at first. Even when he finally gave in and agreed, he didn't back down much from his original remarks. He just said that in all his scientifc research, he had never seen any evidence for the existence of a soul.

Edison also once said that "no form of religion should ever be introduced into the public schools of the United States."

His irreligion caused him some grief with his second wife Mina, a devout Methodist. She once invited a gaggle of prominent preachers over for dinner, thinking their Sophisticated Theology might convert Edison.

No sale. When the preachers started their sales pitch, Edison got up and left the room, saying: "I'm not listening to any more of this damned nonsense."

After that, Mr. & Mrs. Edison just agreed to disagree on religion.