I am sure some of you know who of Antony Flew. He was an Atheist all his life but the last few years before he died he became a Deist. Is it age? Getting closer to death some might change, figuring what the hell can't hurt. Maybe he really did see the light, or maybe something else. I can't see myself jumping ship many of you don't think you will ever but who knows.

Manowar

(October 11, 2013 at 9:32 am)Manowar Wrote: I am sure some of you know who of Antony Flew. He was an Atheist all his life but the last few years before he died he became a Deist. Is it age? Getting closer to death some might change, figuring what the hell can't hurt. Maybe he really did see the light, or maybe something else. I can't see myself jumping ship many of you don't think you will ever but who knows.

Manowar

Deism is atheism with poetic flourishes.

Don't make too much of this "conversion".

People change for any number of reasons. Deism and atheist don't really differ by all that much. One posits that there is an unknowable aspect of the universe that exists outside of it that might be best described as "the first cause" or "the prime mover." The other posits that there is no evidence for it and they don't believe it.

Doesn't really mean that has to be a god though or even a consciousness at all. Just that initial push...

World would be a better place if more theists would consider deism.

(October 11, 2013 at 9:36 am)DeistPaladin Wrote: Deism is atheism with poetic flourishes.

That's one hell of a flourish.

(October 11, 2013 at 9:49 am)apophenia Wrote:

(October 11, 2013 at 9:36 am)DeistPaladin Wrote: Deism is atheism with poetic flourishes.

That's one hell of a flourish.

It is a pretty tiny flourish when compared to what theists add to deism.

(October 11, 2013 at 9:49 am)apophenia Wrote: That's one hell of a flourish.

Why, thank you. We're very pleased with it.

Because they where they're obviously going wrong in their reasoning and understand they're being a bit daft. Deism is pointless though you can do a bit better than that.

I think it is natural enough be so struck with wonder by our experience of consciousness and our current inability to explain it empirically that we begin to wonder ... woo, what else is conscious? How long does this consciousness last? Is it inter-related in some way? Is there a mother-of-all-consciousnesses out there somewhere, perhaps a great white consciousness (arhh).

I am one of those. Damned amazing. But I don't expect to find any transpersonal woo. I'm just fascinated by the phenomenology of consciousness in the way it arises in one brain and speculation about its (natural) origins. I have no problem making sense of how ideas regarding "soul", "spirit" and "god" could arise against the background of what we all experience.

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(October 11, 2013 at 9:59 am)Sword of Christ Wrote: Because they where they're obviously going wrong in their reasoning and understand they're being a bit daft. Deism is pointless though you can do a bit better than that.

Getting a little testy there. May I suggest a redesign of your user name?

How about "Not Very Christlike Tool of Christ"? Like it?

What if I saw an amazing T-Rex last night, but only I noticed and the neighboorhood remains intact? I tell you! it is true!

(October 11, 2013 at 10:19 am)LastPoet Wrote: What if I saw an amazing T-Rex last night, but only I noticed and the neighboorhood remains intact? I tell you! it is true!

All I hear from people like Sword