Atheist Richard Dawkins
Succeeds Ex-Atheist Antony Flew
Richard Dawkins is the big name atheist doing his thing on the world stage just now.
The curtain goes up. They appear. They do their act. They write their books; they fulfill their speaking engagements; win their debates; do their interviews and make their last final assault on the timeless God and then, the curtain falls. They’re gone. The curtain lifts and the next one makes his debut. But he too will pass.
The Last Word
Like an ant shaking its antennae at the towering elephant immediately above them, atheists make their brave denials filled with vitriol. Like a bold, brash, brazen mosquito flying bravely and threateningly around the large space inside your vehicle as you drive, an atheist almost seems invincible. Not until the car stops and the driver focuses no longer on the road, does the mosquito discover who really is in control and who has the last word.
Antony Flew – the Atheist
Antony Flew was one of the world's most outspoken atheists in the twentieth century. For over 50 years he was the main player on the stage leading the war against the existence of God. In countless debates, articles and books he basically said the same thing: “the evidence for God falls like a pack of cards under scientific scrutiny.”
In the late 40’s and 50’s Flew engaged in spirited debates with Christians like C.S. Lewis at the Socratic Club. He lectured at Oxford and the University of Aberdeen. He taught at the Universities of Keele, Reading and York. He authored or co-authored over 30 books championing atheism.
Antony Flew Wavers and Changes His Mind
But after 50 years of saying there is no God, in 2004, as he climbed into his 80’s he shocked his colleagues by shifting his position.
As science advanced and our ability to investigate more deeply the complexities of life and as more information on DNA became available he said: “It has become inordinately difficult even to begin to think about constructing a naturalistic (i.e. God-free) theory of the evolution of that first reproducing organism.” (1)
Yes, that first reproducing organism had a Designer. To believe other wise is a leap of blind faith. To believe that God was the Great Originator is intelligent faith. He went on to say that recent investigations of DNA have shown “by the almost unbelievable complexity of the arrangements which are needed to produce life – that Intelligence must have been involved.” (2)
Antony Flew – the Deist
With such an incredible shift from atheist to Deist, his disciples and successors began to distance themselves from him. When Mr. Flew co-authored a book in his eighties that acknowledged the existence of God, they dismissed it as senility. With typical vigor, he strenuously denied he was suffering from any form of senility.
Antony Flew came to believe that God is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Eternal BUT removed from the daily affairs of human life. He called the Apostle Paul a first rate, philosophical intellect. He also spoke of “the defining instance (for Christianity) of a charismatic figure in Jesus Christ.” (3)
Wanting No Afterlife
Regarding the afterlife sadly Flew told The Sunday Times of London: “I want to be dead when I’m dead and that’s an end to it. I don’t want an unending life. I don’t want anything without end.” (4)
The Curtain Falls – No More Debates
On April 14, 2010 the curtain came down on Antony Flew at 87. (5) His time on the world stage had come to an end. Although he came to believe that there was the Creator God, sadly he publicly denied he had become a Christian.
Even though Antony Flew said he just wanted to be dead when he died and he didn’t want an unending life – the reality is –humans do not have the last word. Mr. Flew is now in God’s eternity. The question is where? Wherever he is, he is forever.
Next Up: Richard Dawkins
Now Richard Dawkins is on the big stage, writing his books; making his robust pronouncements on the non-existence of God; having his television debates and propagating his anti-god reasoning; mocking as simple, the people who not only believe in God but believe God.
But his little act will soon be done. His antennae will shake for the last time. He’ll make his last bite. His little buzz will soon be over. The ponderings of his brilliant mind and sharp arguments will soon be silenced. The curtain will fall on him too. Atheists have their day in the limelight but eventually they will discover WHO has the last word.
Antony Flew, Richard Dawkins and You
Every single person who has ever lived will bow their knee before Jesus Christ. The Bible says:
“…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:10-11)
If you are struggling with your belief in God, don’t stop where Antony Flew stopped: a mere acknowledgement of a Transcendent Intelligence or the existence of an Omnipotent God of the Universe. Go further. Read in your Bible about the very same God displaying His love, grace and mercy on a Cross 2000 years ago.
Richard Dawkins, if you, or any other atheist, are reading this, the very God you so vehemently deny and so strongly denounce, loves you and gave His Son Jesus to die for your sins. He will have the last word – the final say. But today you can do a 180 in your life and bow to Jesus Christ and embrace Him as your Saviour. He’ll forgive every one of your sins and give you freely eternal life with Him forever.
You can either bow your knee to Jesus in this life and receive His salvation; or bow before Him in the afterlife when there will be no mercy shown. If you would like to email someone about your spiritual needs click here.
Additional Information: If you have questions about the existence of God, the reliability of the Bible or the theory of evolution, an excellent site to visit is: AnswersinGenesis
Sources:
(1), (2) Toronto Star, January 22, 2005, L9, Atheist Changes His Mind, Tom Harpur
(3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbyTwmaJArU&feature=related
(4) http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/17/arts/17flew.html
(5) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/books-obituaries/7586929/Professor-Antony-Flew.html