Famous Atheist now believes in God (link)

[Ingemar]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=315976

I'm not exactly pleased to hear this. While Flew believes that God exists, he doesn't take that belief any further.

I'm thinking of a God very different from the God of the Christian and far and away from the God of Islam, because both are depicted as omnipotent Oriental despots, cosmic Saddam Husseins...It could be a person in the sense of a being that has intelligence and a purpose, I suppose.

One thing that Flew fails to recognize is that because God has intelligence and a purpose, he can and does intervene in people's lives, and nothing should stop Him from doing so. Flew's God is just like the phantom "God" that we create (according to Lewis) sometimes so that we could do or believe whatever we want with a clear conscience. He also fails to see that since God is so powerful and is the Lawgiver, it is really impossible to label Him as evil or a "cosmic Sadaam Hussein." (obviously, Flew has never read the book of Job). He should be greatful that a Being so powerful and magnificent that could brush us away for any reason chooses not to, and instead speaks to us through Scripture and the prophets, and that he loves us so.

We are grateful for the terror and wonder of our God.

[YMHiK]

Hm, as I can recall he doesn't especially believes in God, rather acknoledges His existance. That is why he is careful enough not to state which religion depicts more precise image of God.

it is really impossible to label Him as evil or a "cosmic Sadaam Hussein."

How about Stalin's politics and Hitler's propaganda (and what about Fidel Castro & Chineese government in 1950s) ? Sadaam is just a kid with a stick compared to what these people did to lives of so many people.

[Cap'n Nick]

Flew's god sounds more like an inter-dimensional meddler than anything we would think of as a god. I agree with Ingemar that I can't exactly celebrate his decision.

I also find it disappointing that he justifies his decision by appealing to intelligent design. The wonder of God is certainly all around us, but as a scientific concept it is nebulous at best and a very shaky foundation for asserting the origins of the universe.

[uc pseudonym]

The question is if he is closer to faith now or further away. I am not offering an answer to that question, merely raising it. On one hand, one can now argue with the presumption of an omnipotent diety (which in my mind leads quite logically to Christianity), but on the other that manner of vague spirituality at times has kept people from any serious belief.

Meanwhile, I would officially warn everyone that this thread should stay cordial if it wishes to remain open.

[Cap'n Nick]

That one has me thinking. I know plenty of people like that, uc pseudonym, and it's frustrating to see belief in a higher power actually getting in the way of a more fully developed faith. However, in the ones I know, the main obstacle to faith is not rationality, but pride, in that the full acceptance of God would mandate lifestyle changes that they are not willing to make. Flew has shown a good deal of humility in his willingness to change the assertion that he built his career on. Perhaps as he comes closer to the end of life and considers what lies beyond he will find that the idea of an active and loving God is not nearly as absurd as he once thought, and possibly even come to embrace Him. In any case, I suggest we pray for this.

[Kat Walker]

Ha, I read about this on Fark. Apparently he's undecided on Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.

Indeed, is it really all that much more relevant that he believes in some vague form of "God" now? Famous and celebrated ex-skeptic or not, non-believers will rip his reasoning to shreds anyway. I imagine this news will do more to embitter and frustrate most atheists out there rather than encouraging them to think about the possibility of theism.

But, if that's his conclusion, he ought to be applauded for his intellectual honesty if nothing else. That sure took guts for someone of his reknown, his reputation is probably forever damaged in certain circles (for self-proclaimed freethinkers, I've noticed atheists as a whole don't take too kindly to dissenters).

[Ingemar]

Yes, it's as if God were merely a thing to satisfy an equation, much like all of those wierd things physicists introduce in the theoretical aspect of their field (*dodges projectiles).

We should be thankful that flew considers the possibility of a Creator. At least with that basis, he may be able to go further and consider the possibility of a Lawgiver.

[Doubleshadow]

Opps! Double posts! ^^;;

[Doubleshadow]

Sounds like he is just an agnostic to me, following some idol in his mind.