Hello, Hello...
Posted on: August 22, 2006 - 1:02pm
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Hello, Hello...
I must admit, I have never been one for forums before, but I have also never found a forum I thought would be as interesting as this one. That being said, I really don't know where to start, so I'm throwing out a general "hello" to everyone and seeing who will bite, and what I should do next.
I really don't know what to say about myself. I'm 23, I live in Utah, I'm a college student and freelance writer, musician.... among other things.
Anyway, living in this bubble state of Utah, I'm anxious to see if this forum can bring some much needed "rationality" and "like thinking" to my life.
I have no clue what else to say.
--Sarah--
Prayer: How to do nothing and feel like your doing something.
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Welcome to the site, and yeah, Utah is a pretty bad state for freethought!
haha.. yes yes...
Utah is intellectually dead.
Okay, so I have a question. I know this is a "lame" one but no matter how many people I ask, I always get different answers.
Is "free thought" different from "atheism"?
--Sarah--
Prayer: How to do nothing and feel like your doing something.
I think it's pretty much the same - thoughts that are free from religion. Usually it's used as a euphamism by people afraid of the big bad "A" word.
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That's basically what I think, but I was just wondering because I always get different answers when I ask that question and if there is one thing I've learned it's that one word can have as many different meanings as people alive.
--Sarah--
Prayer: How to do nothing and feel like your doing something.
Good to see you here DelphicRaven.
I think freethought and atheism are not necessarily the same thing. Free thinkers, however, are more than likely atheists because of their ability to think and question. However, you can have freethinking agnostics. I also think, and there are people who are definitely more qualified to answer this on this forum, that to be a theist is antithetical to free thinking.
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Hey Hey... fancy seeing you here!!
I'm never quite sure about the free thought and atheist thing. It seems, at times that they are one and the same, but other times there seem to be differences... I think it must be another one of those "matter of perspectives".
--Sarah--
Prayer: How to do nothing and feel like your doing something.
yeah..fancy that eh? hahahaha
anyway...well let's see here..
According to the almight book of knowledge (wikipedia):
and the definition of atheism according to princeton:
I think that freethough goes a bit beyond religion. if you look at the breakdown of linguistical definitions.
I guess it's like saying a dog is a mammal, however not all mammals are dogs. (The dog in this case being athiest, and mammals being freethinkers)
Atheist Books, purchases on Amazon support the Rational Response Squad server which houses Celebrity Atheists.
First of all welcome aboard it's nice to see you here. As a writer, I've got a feeling you'll like it here. If you don't mind helping we'll be introducing to the community within several weeks (months?), writing projects that need to be done to help spread rationality. Of course there's also that free blog.
I suppose this might be one of those different answers...
To me freethought is the act of thinking freely, the act of not being constrained to think a certain way. To think freely is to be able to adopt new positions and beliefs, as evidence for those positions is clearer. Someone who is predisposed to believing a certain thing and unwilling to change their opinion when evidence is presented is not only close minded, but is certainly not a freethinker. I think we can all agree on that last statement.
Now, with all that said, I think it's important to note, that atheism doesn't necessarily imply "freethinker," however I can't think of many theists that I'd label as a freethinker. I'd possibly label a few theists as freethinker (maybe some deists), but part of me is only doing that out of fairness to them due to the fact that they have a much more open mind than the common Christian. Back to my point... atheism does not equal freethought, although the vast overwhelming majority of atheists that I personally know are freethinkers, there are a select few that have developed views on particular issues and would be unwilling to change as the evidence presented itself. I am reluctant to give examples, as any that I would give would seem extremely odd, almost as if I were making them up. However, in the many years I've been talking to atheists online, I assure you I have met some stubborn thinkers, who were anything but thinking freely.
One of my favorite quotes:
"In order for one to be open-minded, one must first accept the possibility that they may be wrong... and are willing to change their position when enough evidence to the contrary presents itself." - Infidel Guy
(you could substitute "open-minded" with "freethinker" there and it would be equally as valid)
With all that said, I think it's important to note, that I may be wrong.
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Okay this is what I meant when I said one word can have an impossible number of definitions. I guess, to tie this into religion, that's why I've never really bought the whole concept of a "sky daddy" per se.
I remember when I was 10 and I was at church (I was raised Mormon) and they were teaching me how their religion was the "one true religion" with the most "truth" and all that hoopla, I raised my hand and asked "well what about all the other churches who say those same words?" and the sad thing is? They all "know" that they are the most right, the most correct... the closest to God. It becomes a massive pissing contest.
So to me it all becomes a matter of defining things for yourself and not for others. I ask a lot of questions, and I hope that doesn't bother anyone. I mean... a LOT of questions. I like to hear what someone else's perspective and viewpoint is. I know where I stand, I know how I define things, but I don't know how you define things, and the process of learning other ways of seeing the same thing is interesting to me.
My inquisitive mind also drives people nuts.
Anyway, I'll have to see about this blog section when I DON'T have to be to work in a little bit.. haha other than that, I'm an avid blogger on www.myspace.com/delphicraven and 360.yahoo.com/delphic_raven
Thanks for all your answers.... Oh, and thanks for letting me rant.
--Sarah--
Prayer: How to do nothing and feel like your doing something.
Sarah, I would say...You're a free thinker...hahaha by all standards, interpretations and definitions. Welcome aboard.
And I agree with Sapient that once the writing section gets in full swing you should definitely contribute.
Rock on.
Atheist Books, purchases on Amazon support the Rational Response Squad server which houses Celebrity Atheists.
Welcome Sarah!
I too am 23, and I live in Louisiana. It's not quite as bad as Utah, I wouldn't imagine, but it's still pretty bad. Keep fighting the good fight!
*waves*
Welcome! I'm kinda new here too, but good to have you on board!