Well, somebody's off base. See this web page, where Flew insists he's =20= still an atheist: <http://www.rationalistinternational.net/archive/en/rationalist_2004/=20 137.html> Harold Hungerford Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously =20= between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and =20= those who want us to obey and be humble and submit. -- Philip Pullman On Dec 13, 2004, at 3:08 PM, Lawrence Helm wrote: > The Habermas interview with Flew at HYPERLINK > "http://www.biola.edu/antonyflew/"http://www.biola.edu/antonyflew/ -- =20= > very > interesting. > > > In the December issue of The Christian Century is an article entitled, > =93Americans=92 belief in God is high but nuanced, study says.=94 In = it is =20 > poll > by Darren Sherkat, Southern Illinois University; General Social =20 > Surveys, > National Opinion Research Center: > > > > U.S. Belief in God: > > > > True Believer 64.4% > > Doubt Sometimes 16.6% > > Higher Power 8.4% > > Ambivalent 4.1% > > Agnostic 4.0% > > Atheist 2.5% > > > > The article goes on to give some detailed information: =93While only = 53 > percent of Liberal Protestants (including Presbyterians and United =20 > Church of > Christ members) and 56 percent of Episcopalians have unwavering faith =20= > that > God exists, fully 81 percent of Baptists and 85 percent of Mormons =20 > have no > doubt about God. > > > > =93Some 65 percent of the =91moderate=92 Protestants (Methodists, = Disciples =20 > of > Christ, Brethren and Reformed) as well as Lutherans and Catholics are > certain in their belief. Those church groupings =96 plus the liberal > Protestants and Episcopalians =96 all had between 19 and 23 percent = who =20 > agreed > with the statement, =91While I have doubts, I feel that I do believe = in =20 > God.=92 > > > > =93Only 27 percent of Jews believe firmly that God exists, while 21 =20= > percent > picked belief-with-doubt and 22 percent agnostic. Sixteen percent > identified with the =91higher power=92 concept.=94 > > > > > > > > I=92d be interested in seeing a correlation between this poll and =20 > political > inclination. Are Republicans and Conservatives mostly =93True =20 > Believers=94? > Are Leftists mostly =93Atheists=94? Where do Liberals fall? > > > > A question I=92ve puzzled over is whether there is a correlation = between =20 > lack > of faith in God and a need to come up with a solution that depends =20 > upon a > particular social solution for mankind=92s physical welfare. Marx is = the > classic example of this. Religion is the opiate of the masses; so man = =20 > must > go ahead and figure things out and produce a paradise here on earth =20= > because > there is no afterlife. On the other hand, the Christian = Postmillennial > position anticipates that God will eventually cause Christianity to > predominate throughout the entire world. Postmillennialism and = Francis > Fukuyama=92s Hegelianism are not, it seems to me, in conflict. Thus, = a > certain aspect of Christianity would wonder if the spread of > Liberal-Democracy were God=92s work =96 comparable to the Roman Empire = and =20 > Koine > Greek being the right situation for the spread of first-century > Christianity. > > > > On the other hand, Marcel Gauchet in his The Disenchantment of the =20 > World, A > Political History of Religion, can see Liberal-Democracy growing out =20= > of and > replacing Christianity. Perhaps Fukuyama would agree with Gauchet. > American Christian Postmillennialists would see the spread of > Liberal-Democracy as compatible with the spread of Christianity. =20 > Perhaps > the European model would look more like Gauchet=92s conception. > > > > Lawrence Helm > > San Jacinto > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx =20 > [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] > On Behalf Of Paul Stone > Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 7:27 PM > To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Disbelief > > > > At 11:36 AM 12/12/2004, you wrote: > >> A timely essay especially for the various levels of non-believers =20 >> among > >> us. It raises a number of important issues, not the least of which is > >> "organized" religion itself... > >> > >> TC, > >> > >> /Steve Cameron, NJ > > > > On the other hand, the first sign of the apocalypse has come in the > > [apparent] turning of Antony Flew into a 'theist'. UGH!!! > > > > http://www.biola.edu/antonyflew/ > > > > > > losing all hope, > > > > paul > > > > ****************** > > Paul Stone > > pas@xxxxxxxx > > Leamington, ON > > ****************** > > > > > > > > > --=20 > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.296 / Virus Database: 265.5.2 - Release Date: 12/13/2004 > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, > digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html > ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html