Free Thinkers

[Lightkeeper]

free·think·er n. One who has rejected authority and dogma, especially in religious thinking, in favor of rational inquiry and skepticism.
—Dictionary.com

Here is a definition of a free thinker. Is this the only definition? Can a religious person be a free thinker?

[Nick_A]

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

Here is a definition of a free thinker. Is this the only definition? Can a religious person be a free thinker?

Yes, but it requires learning how to think with the full capacity of our intellect and not just rely on associative thought. Needless to say, it is not for normal secularism but only possible for the serious seeker.

One of the reasons I will be involved with presentations on Simone Weil during the time surroujnding her 100th birthday 2/3/09 is just because she is so brilliant at this that she is becoming known as the "New Saint" The new saint or saintiliness unifies religion with the intellect. I know there will be a minority that feel the truth of this but will not be able to find information. I can help with this.

Simone Weil (Bauer) - CESNUR 2002

12. In unyielding opposition to the authoritarian pretensions of a Church that demands intellectual surrender to its dogmas and regards itself as the "patrie terrestre"[65] [earthly fatherland] of its members, Simone Weil's kenotic thought leads up to an a-theology of exile that copes with the paradox of becoming rooted in God's absence.[66] Refusing to acquiesce in the spiritual comforts that the traditions of Judaism and Christianity claim to offer, Simone Weil stresses the need for a form of saintliness without precedent in history. The "sainteté nouvelle"[67] [new saintliness] she envisaged assumes that the search for redemptive truth can only take place on the basis of complete freedom of thought, and dismisses the ideal of a sacrificium intellectus on the altars of organized religion as perhaps the most fundamental perversion in the long history of the Church. If one bears in mind the scope and import of Simone Weil's contentions, it is hardly surprising that, in her view, the needed new saintliness presupposes a greater geniality than that of Archimedes

But learning how to think as a human being requires the balance Plato referred to as the conscious balance between the mind, emotions, and body. Prof Needleman refers to this balance as "presence." Otherwise our thoughts reflect imbalance and defeat the evolutionary intent of religion.

Simone, having studied critical thought with Emile Chartier in France and having finished top of her class in the University had the capacity for critical thought but understood when it had to be abandoned for a higher quality of thought to perceive the unchanging patterns of things or the wisdom that religion and philosophy in their essence points us to.

[Mirage]

Yes, a religious or spiritual person can consider him or herself a freethinker and attempt to live as one. I consider myself a Christian freethinker. The Buddha advocated freethinking as well. The wikipedia does touch on this issue in passing, here:
Freethought - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Freethinking is a term which atheists often use to identify themselves, so I advocate non atheists who use the term to specify further, to avoid potential accidental misrepresentation.

There is of course the underlying issue of whether anyone can indeed be a freethinker. If free will does not exist as some will argue, that would probably be impossible.

[cardero]

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

Here is a definition of a free thinker. Is this the only definition? Can a religious person be a free thinker?

To me a free thinker is someone who has no constrictions to believing and will frequently inquire and update their beliefs until they can conclude them to be a Truth or Untruth.

[Storm2008]

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

Here is a definition of a free thinker. Is this the only definition? Can a religious person be a free thinker?

I claim both, though both are arguable.

IMO, to conflate "free thought" with atheism goes against the very definition of the term. If thought is to be free, all possibilities must be considered.

[GlorytoGod]

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

Here is a definition of a free thinker. Is this the only definition? Can a religious person be a free thinker?

I think that there must be a better definition

free·think·er n. One who has rejected authority and dogma, especially in religious thinking, in favor of rational inquiry and skepticism.
—Dictionary.com

authority and dogma, especially in religious thinking, now IMO dogma comes from the rational mind, which comes from the Tree of Knowledge, as for authority, authority from what ?

rational inquiry and skepticism, and again rational inquiry and skepticism again these come from the rational mind which comes from the Tree of Knowledge.

so where is the freedom in that ?

Now as a Christian I want to partake of the Tree of Life, not the Tree of Knowledge and Freedom comes from the Tree of Life and Jesus Christ is the Tree of Life.

Praise God.

[shaw-n]

To be religious is to operate mentally within constraints/limits.
Such persons accept dogma as being unquestionable (typically) such as the idea that Jesus is the tree of life.
That is an idea with no proof and MUST be accepted by faith without any critical thinking.
Religious-minded and free-thinking are on opposite ends of the spectrum.

[Storm2008]

Being religious doesn't mean you have to accept ANY dogma, much less as unquestionable.

[arthra]

In the Baha'i Faith we have what we call independent investigation of reality or truth and that requires you to inquire and find things out for yourself without relying on dogma or authority.

- Art

[RevKathyV]

Being religious doesn't mean you have to accept ANY dogma, much less as unquestionable.

That's right!!!