Was Antony Flew Competent to Write his last book?

Antony Flew near the end of his life: and his dementia hospitalization one year after his last book - which was actually written by Christian Apologist Ray Varghese.



This is a pertinent question, given the critical background details of Flew's life brought up by Kenneth Grubbs, in his biographical summation (Antony Flew 1923-2010) appearing in Skeptic Magazine (Vol. 16, No. 1).

In this biographical piece Grubbs cites the book, There Is A God, purportedly written by Flew in 2007 under the HarperCollins imprint, but if one looks closely (in majorly smaller print) one reads:

"with Roy Abraham Varghese"

One also notes that Varghese scribbled the 18-page Preface. But might he have done even more, say put words into Flew's mouth?

Curiously, many such questions are resolved through a New York Times Magazine piece ('The Turning of an Atheist') by Mark Oppenheimer. This appeared on Nov. 4, 2007 after the book came out and both Flew and Varghese were interviewed. According to Oppenheimer, Flew admitted in the interview he did not write the book. In his words (Grubb, op. cit.):

"This was Roy's doing. He showed it to me and I said 'Ok'"

Really? I would have thought that if this incomparable atheist voice had really "turned" he'd at leasty admit it in his own words - and not let some ghost writer do it for him!

Interestingly, when Oppenheimer turned to question Varghese he also conceded the book was HIS idea and that he did "all the original writing" (ibid.). Oppenheimer then goes on to describe Varghese as a Christian apologist "as well as a crusader and (financial) backer of those who believe scientific research helps to validate the existence of God" (It surely doesn't - but that's another blog!)

Well, as one memorable character from fiction once opined:

"This gets curioser and curioser..."

Indeed!

To top it off, Varghese evidently sent a letter to the NY Times Magazine, and published under the header: 'Doubting Antony Flew'. This letter was written one year PRIOR to Flew's hospitalizaton for dementia (ibid.) This introduces the curious question of Flew's state of mind (or lack thereof) when this book was purportedly written. (Though again, if Varghese wrote it it's neither here nor there, although one can't accept that he gathered any real input or insights, far less opinions from Flew. And I daresay decisions to change from atheist to God-believer)

We now know, for example, that Ronald Reagan had demonstrated signs of his Alzheimer's even while still in his presidency (possibly as early as 1986-87) and long before he manifestly showed them to the point of forced convalescence and being kept out of the public eye. Might the same not have been true of Flew? As author Grubbs puts it:

"Flew...devoted a lifetime of vigorous intellectual argument against presuming God. Today, we are asked to accept that he has changed his mind."


That Varghese himself was concerned about Flew's state of mind, the integrity thereof, is validated by his dragging in the great Christian apologist Richard Swinburne, for a third party opinion and "confirmation" of his mental integrity. (Swinburne wrote a testament affirming Flew's grasp of the material - but this means little unless we know what standards were used!)

The bottom line is that it's all very fishy - in fact it reeks of fishiness, not least because the book was awarded the "Christianity Today Book Award" - a curious honor given that even if Flew's book-ish inclination is accepted (and Varghese writing "through him") the philosophy and belief system isn't Christianity but Deism.

Flew himself, despite any possible prodding from Swinburne or Varghese, made no effort to accept the validity of Jesus Christ as a God-Man, far less Savior, nor admit any belief in any resurrection. Nor any overriding value in the Bible of whatever form.

To remind readers, Deism - the putative belief system of the Founders(like Madison, and Ben Franklin, and Jefferson) - only acknowledges a "creator" in the most generic sense. It doesn't accept anything more was done after that, including producing a "son" or doing any interventions for poor humans.

Once the universe was made, It said "Hasta la vista" and left. THAT is Deism, and that was Flew's default (God belief) system, if you can call it that.

The real tragedy in all this is how Flew in his last days allowed himself to be exploited by these Christian rascals for their own agenda and to try and get a dig on atheists.

They are too stupid to see the last laugh is on them!