LanDroid wrote:The label "the World's Most Notorious Atheist" is part of the title of Flew's own book, not a claim from right wing world. In the big picture, it's probably accurate.
It's true the label is part of the title of Flew's new book. However, it's one that was attached to him by the religionists who wanted to glom onto his "conversion" for their purposes, before this book was started. Besides I was referring to the characterization of him as the "world's leading atheist," not his notoriety or its lack.
For some interesting background on the story of Flew's conversion to belief in a (kind of) god, Richard Carrier's article (with updates to the present) on the Secular Web offers a view from someone who has actually discussed these matters with Flew. You'll find it at:
http://www.secweb.org/index.aspx?action ... set&id=369
My point was not to take issue with Flew's prominence as a philosopher and/or atheist (on the other side of the pond, at least), but simply to note that most of the people in the U.S. Christian community who are trying to capitalize on his change of mind probably had never heard of Flew and know little or nothing about his actual opinions on the subject.
It appears, at least from Carrier's piece, that Flew (who is now 84) may be suffering from the diminished mental capacities that sometimes accompany aging. If that's true, the new book is unlikely to represent Flew at his best.
George