For the past half century, the leading atheist in the world was philosopher Anthony Flew. He wrote over 30 philosophical works laying the intellectual groundwork for nonbelief. He debated Christian apologists. He was widely cited in atheist literature and at atheist conventions. What distinguished Flew was how comprehensive and fully-developed his atheist philosophy was. Other philosophers, such as Bertrand Russell and Martin Heidegger, espoused atheist beliefs but those beliefs were incidental to their philosophy. Atheism was Flew's philosophy. HIs works such as Theology and Falsification and The Presumption of Atheism were considered classics of theist thought.
Then Anthony Flew became a believer, and his book There Is A God describes his intellectual journey. Go ahead and order this book, along with my new book, What's So Great About Christianity. Together the two books represent what atheism has always dreaded: historically based, philosophically rich, scientifically fluent, logically reasoned refutations of atheism.
Flew says he has a lifelong commitment to going "where the evidence leads." And now, he calmly says, the evidence leads to theism. His own past writings have been exposed as a "relic." Flew writes, "My discovery of the divine has proceeded on a purely natural level, without any reference to supernatural phenomena...It has had no connection with any of the revealed religions. Nor do I claim to have had any personal experience of God or any experience that may be called supernatural or miraculous. My discovery of the divine has been a pilgrimage of reason and not of faith."
Flew's argument for God combines science and philosophy, and I'll let you discover it for yourself in his book. What I enjoyed was the way he uses simple analogies to expose atheist illogic. For instance, leading atheists seek to prove that the mind is no more than the brain. If the brain is destroyed, they say, we can't use our minds. Therefore there is nothing to minds excerpt circuits and neurons. Flew gives the example of a child raised on a remote island who finds a satellite phone. Voices come out of the machine. The child recognizes these voices as human and is thrilled by the discovery that she has found a way to interact with other humans. Perhaps there is life outside the island! Then the elders of the tribe (if I may embellish Flew's account, let's call them Big Chief Dawkins, Grand Pooh Bah Dennett, and Witch Doctor Pinker) scorn the child and say, "Look, when we damage the instrument, the voices stop. So they're obviously nothing more than sounds produced by the unique combination of metals and circuit boards. Forget about learning about other humans. From all the evidence we have, we are the only living creatures on earth. So go back to making sandcastles." Who are the real dummies here?
Anthony Flew has been banished from the atheist community. Anthologies have been reprinted removing his essays. Atheist websites condemn him as an apostate. (Atheist toleration does not extend to former atheists.) He doesn't even make the case for Christianity, as I do. But Anthony flew out of the atheist cuckoo's nest, leaving anger and confusion among the unbelievers. And now Flew tells us why he rejects atheism. The atheist monopoly on public debate is over: the theists are striking back.
Reader Comments ( Page 4 of 23)
46. "Professor Antony Garrard Newton Flew (born February 11, 1923) is a British philosopher. Known for several decades as a prominent atheist, Flew first publicly expressed deist views in 2004"
You'd think that DD would get the guys NAME right.
Antony... not Anthony.
Then DD gives it the 'feel' that this is somekind of breaking news... only three years old...LOL
"What Deists, such as the Mr. Jefferson who drafted the American Declaration of Independence, believed was that, while reason, mainly in the form of arguments to design, assures us that there is a God, there is no room either for any supernatural revelation of that God or for any transactions between that God and individual human beings." -A.Flew.. deist.
... and you have to remember Mr. Flew was 81 years old when he said that in an interview... maybe he was hedging his bets, maybe he was trying to please the memory of his Methodist minister dad, maybe he simply lost his marbles.
pboyfloyd at 4:28PM on Oct 10th 2007
47. There's typo in the last word of the first paragraph. It should read ..."classics of ATHIEST thought," not "THEIST thought."
And, Tim, my good man, Dr. Flew has not said that he is a Christian or that he embraces any revelation. Straw man, indeed!
Now, Wes, as for most philosophers being "atheists or agnostics," those two positions are very far apart. And besides, where do those folks get their ideas? Most people in North Korea think that Kim Jong-il is respected around the world as a great thinker. I use North Korea as an example because that is one place where you really see atheism in force. Don't get angry, folks; just look at the offcially atheist countries and ask where you would rather live. I'll take the Bible Belt over Havana or Pyongyand any day.
TCLAY
Thomas C. Coleman, Jr. at 8:13PM on Oct 10th 2007
48. First, I have to say that the "World's Leading Atheist" is a bit of a stretch. Maybe the world's most popular or most vocal... I personally am not led in my atheism by anyone. I have done my own research and "soul searching" and have simply come to the conclusion that spending time worshipping, worrying about, blaming, or thanking a higher power serves no purpose in my life. I fully acknowledge that it does serve a positive purpose for many, particularly in the positive energy they are able to focus to accomplish goals; however, I also believe that this is something that can be done without religion, given the appropriate mindset and determination.
When it comes to the consciousness remaining after death or severe injury, this is a proven fact. It can easily be explained by the principles of energy, matter, and magnetic fields. Some research into documented and verified out of body experiences may assist you in understanding the science behind this. In addition, looking at the research on the Bullet Cluster (1E 0657-56) you will find some interesting and more tangible observations of two galaxies actually passing through each other due to matter existing within a gas. This could be a starting point for looking at the possibility that some of the gray or white matter or even a matter that has not yet been discovered in the brain could exit the visible physical body and exist in a non-visible form.
But that is just one avenue of research you could follow. I think your article could have contained a few more facts instead of being one more ad for a book. Just one question you could have addressed: If he believes God exists, does he also believe in the Bible? The Bible consists of Earth related stories only, as if all that matters is life on Earth. It is obvious that we are merely a speck in an unfathomably vast universe. The Bible seems a little short sighted and strictly man-made, don't you think?
Feel free to believe what you want, but as a writer I would like to know if your goal is to further your own agenda or report in a way that truly informs the reader?
Michele at 4:34PM on Oct 10th 2007
49. Another Athiest Article? What is your trip Dinesh? More cannibalising of yourself. You are as lazy as they get.
Titus at 4:40PM on Oct 10th 2007
50. Previously posted: "And even if Flew does have access to important information that I don't on the subject of whether God exists, experts often are wrong."
I couldn't agree more. 50 years from now as the experts of that time look back, they'll chuckle under their breath at the beliefs that experts of today hold so dear. Similarly, we look back on practices such as bleeding to heal the sick or doctors not washing hands before surgery and think "What were they thinking?" even though that was the advanced medical thinking of that day. How pompous of us to think we are different.
Everytime a new discovery is made -- a humanoid fossil, planets around distant suns -- text books must be rewritten and beliefs must be reformulated. Hence, what we presently believe to be true is never the entire truth.
Those who put science on the pedestal of giving us the answers to life are as pious concerning their beliefs as a practicing Jew or Christian. It takes a lot of faith to believe that everything around us evolved according to a set of rules developed by no one.
To speak bluntly, scientists don't know how life can come from non-life. They have ideas, but having an idea about how something happened is not the same thing as knowing how it happened.
Hundreds of years from now, scientists will look at our understanding of dark matter, dark energy, our present understanding of evolution, and think them to be fairy tales.
Dan Alexander at 4:47PM on Oct 10th 2007
51. How about Gnostic Christianity.
Unintelligent Design.
Biblical Allegory
Science and Knowledge is good.
Human Sacrifice and Jehovah are repulsive.
Religion and Religious self-righteousness bad.
Yep, this is my religion. Gnostic True Christianity.
Titus at 4:47PM on Oct 10th 2007
52. Atheists generally come off as more angry at 'God' than as disbelievers. The problem really lies with what we've been dealt... our existence is one that even the Angels envied. We are allowed to go our own way, use our free will all without direct interfence from the creator. We have been told this privelige is unique amongst all beings God has created. In our life on Earth we have a severed connection to the creator in order to grow as beings apart from him/her/it. You have to look very hard into yourself and open your heart to recieve *anything* from the creator - this is the problem, people don't want to have to admit there is a being greater than man who created them, so they don't bother to look. They think God should be hanging out, giving weekly radio addresses about the universe otherwise he couldn't possibly exist. They bring up the big bang theory... all I have to say to that is the big bang is just the moment God thought all matter into existence to scatter and create the universe. We do indeed know the universe had a beginning! And is 'growing'... therefore, it has not always been. Just because we can measure these events is no big deal... God did tell us that he created the stars for us to marvel over. Just my 5 dollars and 2 cents. ;o)
carly at 4:51PM on Oct 10th 2007
53. So.. first DD tries to recruit Einstein in his 'Weapons of mass appeal to authority' ....
... now he seems to be trying to recruit Flew...
.. both.. at the very most could be called 'deists' ... not the least bit Christian at all, for the purpose of advertizing his book, "What's so great about Christianity?"
Well, if we are to glean a message from these blogs, it is that Christians will bend over backwards to include authority that does not back up their claims to back up their claims.
Where does DD go from here, an interview with some guy wearing a sheet, holding a sign that says, "The End Is At Hand!!!"? (You pick who is holding the sign, it wouldn't matter.)
pboyfloyd at 4:47PM on Oct 10th 2007
54. Based on our scientific knowledge regarding the LAWS of Thermodynamics, it is just as "illogical" to believe that all the matter in the universe formed from absolutely nothing as it is to believe that the universe was "created" by an omnipotent "being." In fact, it can be argued that it is more logical to believe in an omnipotent creator. What CAUSED (created) the mass that exploded in the Big Bang? What CAUSED (created) the supposed Creator? Logic demands an underlying, primary cause....an UNCAUSED cause. Based on our knowledge of the scientific laws regarding matter, we know with certainty that matter cannot just spontaneously form from absoutely nothing. Therefore, science teaches us that matter, itself, cannot be the UNCAUSED cause...something else must be...something that cannot be explained by (or expected to adhere to) our natural laws...something SUPERnatural. A supernatural being/power/essence/God/whatever you want to call it - the most logical "uncaused cause" of everything.
Sam at 4:52PM on Oct 10th 2007
55. A more likely story. . .
The child brings the phone to the village leaders (let's call them Big Chief Limbaugh, Grand Pooh-bah D'Souza and Witch Coulter). They declare that there are no other people in the world, not on the basis of "all the evidence we have" (what should they base their decisions on? Evidence they don't have?) but on the basis of an ancient scroll written by people who didn't know any better. They then decide that the voices are created by tiny elves living in the strange object.
They then go further, crediting the elves with creating the island and all natural phenomena. ("The island exists! That proves the elves created it!) They also invent a moral code and claim that they got it from the elves. ("You can't eat yams on Tuesday." "Why not?" "It offends the elves.") When an earthquake destroys much of the village, they blame it on people who ate yams on Tuesday, thereby provoking the wrath of the elves. Anyone who has doubts about this is denounced as not only wrong but evil.
Next, someone announces (on the basis of "revelation") that the elves have green hair. Someone else insists that the elves have orange hair. Each belief draws followers ("ad-hair-ants")
who spend the next few thousand years hating each other.
Doug at 4:55PM on Oct 10th 2007
56. They thought germs were imaginary, too at one point. :oP Dark matter was at one point considered a hoax, ridiculed as much as big foot and the loch ness monster. Just something to remember.
carly at 5:00PM on Oct 10th 2007
57. Sam,
Neither logic nor thermodynamics demands an uncaused cause. In fact, an uncaused cause is the special pleading fallacy. And the supernatural is a begged question.
Knight_of_BAAWA at 5:07PM on Oct 10th 2007
58. Thomas Coleman,
What makes you so dishonest as to equate atheism with communism?
Knight_of_BAAWA at 5:08PM on Oct 10th 2007
59. I have some positive ideas for all parties:
Theists- Start droning on about intelligent design: evolution of lungs, eyes, etc. I'm sure your preacher told you about it somewhere. I mean, have at least a shred of logic to your idyllic nonsense and biblical citing that verge on the brink of threats of damnation.
Atheists- Petition this Dinesh fool or something, I don't know how nor care. But, unless AOL is intentionally keeping this self-gratifying, uninformative merchant here for our flaming amusement, we ought to be able to get him removed. Granted, AOL is notorious for doing things without much consideration for their customers, so whatever brain storming you might have will be on a wing and a prayer (pardon the pun.)
Agnostics- Enjoy the logical sterility of atheism but hide behind a sympathetic zealot when things get bad. Not much more I can say about that, keep up the good work.
An atheist is more than one who doesn't believe in a deity; they are living and breathing proof of evolution in the sense that they are capable of shedding away their herd mentality and beat conditioning with rationality; the same conditioning which has determined human behavior for too many years.
Anton at 5:15PM on Oct 10th 2007
60. Dinesh
I just joined this blog an am loving it. I love the culture wars. I am unabashfully a Christian and love to see atheist get so riled up about "God." I have never felt the need to write about pink unicorns or flying spaghetti monsters, let alone debate someone about it. This unreal God must really strike a nerve with a lot of people. Here are a few comments I would like to say about the evangelical atheist among us.
You might be a fundy atheist if...
• You spend hours arguing that a-theism actually means "without a belief in God” and not just “belief that there is no god" as if this is a meaningful distinction in real life.
• You can make the existence of pink unicorns the center-piece of a philosophical critique.
• Isaac Newton does not count as an example of a great scientist who believed in the Bible since he died before the Origin of Species was published.
• You think that every scientist who believes in Design and doesn't mindlessly accept evolution as a fact is a "kook," but you believe that Francis Crick (Nobel Prize winning co-discoverer of DNA), who reached into his nether regions and pulled out the "theory" of Directed Panspermia (which states with absolutely no support that aliens seeded the earth with life - see the movie "Mission to Mars"), is a great evolutionary scientist.
• Any scholar who believes in a historical Jesus must be a theist.
• You think that the Declaration of Independence is unconstitutional because it mentions "the creator".
• You desperately wish that Stalin and Mao hadn't been atheists.
• You believe that Hitler claiming to be a Christian is undeniable proof that he was a Christian, while George Washington only claimed to be a Christian in order to win the people's favor.
• You assert that the 300 Protestants put to death under the reign of "Bloody Mary" in 16th century England stand as absolute proof of the inherent evil of Christianity but the tens upon tens of millions killed by Marxist regimes under Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot in the 20th century have absolutely NOTHING to do with the profound atheism inherent in these regimes.
JSM at 5:15PM on Oct 10th 2007